Stimulants Adderall - Side Effects and Long Term Usage

[Izz]

Hey all,

First time poster here and I didn't spot a forum specifically for stimulants nor a thread at the top that answered my questions... but forgive a newbie to the forum if I'm just overlooking something.

I have been taking buproprion and adderall xr for about 6 months now due to a diagnosis of ADHD (impulsive-inattentive mild), and have been wondering if I have been suffering some side effects so I figured I'd ask a bunch of annonymous people who might be a bit more well versed with it than my friends. I'm asking mostly because I'm unsure whether some of what I'm experiencing is due to the drugs or whether its just other stuff I'm going through, I was teetering on some of my warning signs for depression. For context my depression usually kicks off with anhedonia which can do some of the following but this has dragged on so I want more information that I could take to my med provider if necessary.

The main side effect I am concerned about is a shrunken affect in various ways but the two I notice most and want to ask about are:
- I seem to have less of an emotional range, both in terms of intensity and variety, than I used to. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to feelings of love and affection which have been much more muted, absent, or restricted
- My libido is lowered and has become inconsistent. I usually have a high libido that is more constant, it has become something that more appears out of nowhere or only appears situationally.

I'd like to know particularly if adderall or buproprion can cause these as I don't feel as depressed or stressed as I did before yet this muted affect is still around. If they can, it'd be also nice if anyone could suggest something for dealing with it or maybe an alternate treatment regime for my ADHD that I could ask my doctor about.

 

[CFC]

Hey there, welcome to BL!

No need to worry about where you ask your question - we aren't that strict here

The short answer is yes, both drugs could cause those effects individually and in combination.

Have you ever tried dropping the bupropion and seeing how you feel on just the adderall (or vice versa)?

 

[Keif' Richards]

Well, well, well... A virgin sacrifice for quetzalcoatl. I mean, hi there Welcome to your new home away from home.

CFC is totally right IMO. Amphetamines are known around the world as an aphrodisiac. Higher libido happens to most users. I've made very poor romantic decisions because of speed so be careul.

I apologize, I meant to ask if these drugs, mostly amphetamines, took away your negative psychological symptoms? While under the influence of course.

 

[OrbitalCombustion]

Hey all,

First time poster here and I didn't spot a forum specifically for stimulants nor a thread at the top that answered my questions... but forgive a newbie to the forum if I'm just overlooking something.

I have been taking buproprion and adderall xr for about 6 months now due to a diagnosis of ADHD (impulsive-inattentive mild), and have been wondering if I have been suffering some side effects so I figured I'd ask a bunch of annonymous people who might be a bit more well versed with it than my friends. I'm asking mostly because I'm unsure whether some of what I'm experiencing is due to the drugs or whether its just other stuff I'm going through, I was teetering on some of my warning signs for depression. For context my depression usually kicks off with anhedonia which can do some of the following but this has dragged on so I want more information that I could take to my med provider if necessary.

The main side effect I am concerned about is a shrunken affect in various ways but the two I notice most and want to ask about are:
- I seem to have less of an emotional range, both in terms of intensity and variety, than I used to. This is particularly noticeable when it comes to feelings of love and affection which have been much more muted, absent, or restricted
- My libido is lowered and has become inconsistent. I usually have a high libido that is more constant, it has become something that more appears out of nowhere or only appears situationally.

I'd like to know particularly if adderall or buproprion can cause these as I don't feel as depressed or stressed as I did before yet this muted affect is still around. If they can, it'd be also nice if anyone could suggest something for dealing with it or maybe an alternate treatment regime for my ADHD that I could ask my doctor about.

I experience anhedonia most of all from abusing Adderall (which is lack of pleasure, emotion, the muting feeling you refer to). Once that feeling hit me I was unable to take Adderall anymore, it seemed to be hardwired into how my body handled it.

 

[Izz]

I've done amphetamine recreationally before I was prescribed it after my ADHD diagnosis and it didn't have any anhedonic effects when I took it, I enjoyed it. Ditto for cocaine.

When my friend had me try meth though I definitely noticed that did though, it gave me a mild mood lift but also a blanding out and capping of my potential positive feelings, not really a fun experience.

Keif, you seem to have what I said backwards. My libido is currently at a low despite taking it. That might have to do with me not currently doing it recreationally though so the dosages are more regular and lower. I'd say that the drugs have helped some of my ADHD symptoms in terms of making it easier for me to focus on work and do it, though I also now find multitasking more difficult. Anhedonia is a depression symptom for me usually, they haven't really helped with that directly but if the adderall is hitting my system I occasionally give the mood lift of an amphetamine high in the background.

CFC, I've been experimenting a little with my meds since the lockdowns since I don't want to go in to consult unless I have to. I tried dropping the adderall and continuing the buproprion; it helped a little possibly but it was hard to really tell if a significant difference was made as some of this still persisted. I am currently off both meds to see if that makes a difference but I don't know how long such a change would really need to be noticeable. I plan to try and go back on the adderall in alone in a while. I'm hoping that advice I get here can help with figuring it out.

FYI, the adderall I'm in is XR formulation, if that helps with anyone's input. Thanks for the friendly welcome and help so far

 

[deficiT]

I've done amphetamine recreationally before I was prescribed it after my ADHD diagnosis and it didn't have any anhedonic effects when I took it, I enjoyed it. Ditto for cocaine.

When my friend had me try meth though I definitely noticed that did though, it gave me a mild mood lift but also a blanding out and capping of my potential positive feelings, not really a fun experience.

Keif, you seem to have what I said backwards. My libido is currently at a low despite taking it. That might have to do with me not currently doing it recreationally though so the dosages are more regular and lower. I'd say that the drugs have helped some of my ADHD symptoms in terms of making it easier for me to focus on work and do it, though I also now find multitasking more difficult. Anhedonia is a depression symptom for me usually, they haven't really helped with that directly but if the adderall is hitting my system I occasionally give the mood lift of an amphetamine high in the background.

CFC, I've been experimenting a little with my meds since the lockdowns since I don't want to go in to consult unless I have to. I tried dropping the adderall and continuing the buproprion; it helped a little possibly but it was hard to really tell if a significant difference was made as some of this still persisted. I am currently off both meds to see if that makes a difference but I don't know how long such a change would really need to be noticeable. I plan to try and go back on the adderall in alone in a while. I'm hoping that advice I get here can help with figuring it out.

FYI, the adderall I'm in is XR formulation, if that helps with anyone's input. Thanks for the friendly welcome and help so far

Taking bupropion definitely gave me that blah feeling personally, as well as just a dry mouth from hell. Currently I take 10-20mg of IR amphetamine, and I don't have too much anhedonia. Bupropion makes a lot of people feel crappy I've noticed.

It could also be a matter of your body preferring a different formulation, like IR or a different medication. XRs sometimes have a tendency to leave me feeling more strung out.

 

[Izz]

I might have to try IR next time I see my psychiatrist. I certainly haven't felt as anhedonic since I stopped the buproprion but its a subtle thing so its hard to tell without a bit more time. I have wondered if it was dextroamphetamine since IR recreationally used didn't have any anhedonic effects. I'm not up on my chemistry so a question for those who might be: is dextroamphetamine at all similar in its effects to methamphetamine? I know the latter caused some anhedonia for me.

 

[opiatekrzy]

Methylated amphetamine is like amphetamine with a longer half life verse dextro-amphetamine.(shorter acting)

 

[deficiT]

I might have to try IR next time I see my psychiatrist. I certainly haven't felt as anhedonic since I stopped the buproprion but its a subtle thing so its hard to tell without a bit more time. I have wondered if it was dextroamphetamine since IR recreationally used didn't have any anhedonic effects. I'm not up on my chemistry so a question for those who might be: is dextroamphetamine at all similar in its effects to methamphetamine? I know the latter caused some anhedonia for me.

Dexedrine is 100% Dextroamphetamine,
Whereas racemic amphetamine (Adderall) is I believe 75% dextroamphetamine, and 25% levoamphetamine. This concept is the same for m-amp, which alot of the times is a racemic mix, but yes the 100% dextromethamphetamine is considered the good shit that you want. I believe L-methamphetamine is an OTC drug still? Not much recreational effect as far as I know.

I believe in simplest terms Dextro is more going to be that euphoric warm dopamine release, whereas the L isomer is gonna be longer lasting and more of the peripheral stimulation from the norepinephrine release.

Ime, it does depend on individual preference and your own body. I take Adderall, but definitely prefer Dexedrine. But then an in law of mine can only take Adderall, and Dex makes him fall asleep lol. Dex is more calming to me, Adderalls effects linger and can make me flustered, that's why I only take IR.

Basically the dextro isomer for both amp and m-amp is the stronger one, they do synergize though. But without the D-isomer it would all suck ass.

Probably not 100% scientifically worded thesis there I did, but them there are the breaks kid

 

[Izz]

Sorry about the long gap for a reply. I've been busy this past while. Fortunately at least I'm not in necropost territory! Anyway, actual response:

Maybe I should ask about dexedrine then when I get my next script.

One problem I have had with my adderall is that when I have coffee too soon after taking my meds it can trigger a physical overstimulation effect, a pseudo-anxiety from suddenly elevated heart rate and my nervous system being primed. It is more common if I haven't eaten and have the coffee directly on top of the meds. Its not a huge problem, just uncomfortable to deal with. I imagine from what you have said that that is the L-amp hitting the norepinephrine alongside the caffeine.

I don't know the content of the meth that I tried from my friend. All I know is that the effects gave a pleasant mild mood lift, a general wakefulness, but also a weird anhedonic capping to my capacity to enjoy the experience and social situation I was in. This was pretty consistent from the couple of times he shared with me. Overall, not a particularly fun experience and definitely inferior to my experiences with whatever amphetamine (some formulation of IR adderall) I had had with him before and cocaine. Both of the latter lacked the anhedonia effect and had the expected effects, although I don't tend to get any kind of euphoric rush from taking any of the three. I could ask him if he knows what kind of content they had but I'd rather avoid asking him about drugs because he has a history of drug problems and spiralling into problem and definitely non-functional enjoyment of them. I generally try not to encourage him or direct him in that direction when he's clean.

Unfortunately, I don't have all that much experience with this stuff as an ADHD medication so I'm still in the figuring shit out phase. As an update, I'm currently taking just the XR adderall on days I need it (partly to stretch out my scripts since I'm between providers) and I am feeling less of the anhedonic symptoms. I don't know if that's a total fix yet for the problems I've had.

@deficiT I have a couple of follow up questions if you are willing. Aside from the individual differences in how my body might react to different formulations, do you know what the advantages and disadvantages of dexedrine vs adderall are? Do those apply to IR and XR adderall? Is XR the same as IR but with the XR coating on the balls? Is dexedrine available in IR and XR?

Sorry to bomb you with a bunch of questions there. I just want to make sure that I'm getting all the information I need to make these meds work best for me. I have definitely appreciated the help so far!