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10 Things Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About ADHD Medications

Some ADHD medications wear off too early. Or suppress appetite. Or make you jittery. Here, doctors Larry Silver and William Dodson tell you what to look out for, how to adjust dosages, and when to switch prescriptions. Essential reading for any parent or adult with ADHD.

6 Comments: 10 Things Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About ADHD Medications

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  1. jhw, how did you know that some of the stimulant meds were compounded with something else? That is alarming indeed. I want to be sure and stay away from those particular meds.

  2. I’ve an adult with ADHD/ADD. I’ve had it all my life but didn’t get formally diagnosed until 1992 after a full evaluation by a psychiatrist. At the time I had never even heard of ADD let alone stimulant treatment. But the diagnosis and subsequent treatment with stimulants starting with Ritalin to Adderall XR and Vyvance have were a godsend. It answered a lot of questions and concerns I had about my condition an the treatment helped me become a better more well rounded person. In addition to stimulant treatments I have also changed my lifestyle habits. For instance, I exercise regularly, I eat healthier plant based foods and I quit smoking over ten years ago. Along with these changes I was able to take long breaks from medications and maintain my ADHD symptoms fairly well . However, since going back to school to finish my degree I found my concentration levels and distractibility issues were a big problem. So, I sought treatment and my doctor and he started me on Vyvance. This prodrug stimulant by itself was helpful, like Adderall XR was for me in the past. However, since restarting treatment I’ve also come across problems with some stimulant meds being tainted /compounded with other undisclosed drugs ie.. SSRI and even antipsychotics. This is bad medicine and doesn’t help me in any way. In fact it exacerbates my ADD symptoms. I was never given “informed consent” for these adulterated “stimulant” meds and I’ve never been diagnosed with any co-morbid issue either Frankly, I’m appalled that this is allowed to happen. My doctor doesn’t seem to have an answer, but he says he can’t control what the pharmacy sells me. This seems to me like medication fraud and I’m sure I’m not the only person to have this problem. Any advice? Thanks, jhw

  3. I imagine it’s very difficult to find the right dose, and even the right medication. I’m taking a fairly low dose of generic Adderall (let’s face it, amphetamine), and I hardly notice it at all. When I first started, I felt such a difference. I started with 5 mg and now I’m supposed to take 10 mg twice a day. I cut back to mornings only because I’ve found that the midday dose (even when taken by 11:30) causes me to have trouble sleeping. So, now I’m sleeping well (lately), but mornings are so hard for me! I often feel like I’m in a fog the first few hours. Arghh.

    1. I was like you all my life, but when I started to take strattera before going to sleep, I feel for the first time in my life I am well sleepy.

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