Very low dose dexamphetamine for ADHD - tolerance avoidance?

[immad]

L.S.,

For ADD, I would like to start taking a low dose of dexamphetamine, since I feel I would benefit from it in my professional life. I am not looking for euphoria, merely focus and a bit of stimulation.

Since I really want this to keep working over multiple decades, I'm questioning to what extent I can avoid tolerance if I dose very conservatively. Currently I'm thinking about 2x 2.5 mg / day, eventually increasing to 2x 5 mg / day when necessary. This for 5 or 6 days a week and one day without to reduce tolerance.

The literature is ambiguous about this. Would this be conservative enough to allow the focusing and stimulating effects to persist?

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Tolerance growth is a very subjective thing. There?s physical tolerance which is your body and brain getting tolerant to the drug through repeated use, then there?s mental tolerance which is how you feel your state of mind changes when you take the drug.

I?ve managed to negate gaining a tolerance to adderall through sporadic use that involves breaks lasting weeks to months. In my opinion this is the only way to avoid physical tolerance, maybe there?s other ways but this has worked for me for 5+ years.

I can?t say what?s going to work for you but if your intention is purely for managing ADD you should probably keep your use to only as needed.

 

[Mental Man]

At a dose this low I think that is enough to avoid tolerance. I used to take 20mg/day eventually 40mg/day and tolerance did build up, but I was on 20mg for a long time. It lost most of the effects on my mood and mind, but overall on 20mg I still had to ability to help me focus and clear my mind, and it still gave me energy.

I would take a break on days I didn't have work (weekends/holidays) and it lasted me about a year and a half before I went to 40mg and eventually switched to Vyvanse.

 

[Mmp85]

I've switched ADHD meds back and forth to prevent too much tolerance. I do VyVanse for awhile and switch back to Adderal. When I take Adderal I get my daily dose split up in two smaller doses so some days if I need to I can only take half a dose.

 

[immad]

Thanks for the responses.

Tolerance growth is a very subjective thing. There?s physical tolerance which is your body and brain getting tolerant to the drug through repeated use, then there?s mental tolerance which is how you feel your state of mind changes when you take the drug.

I?ve managed to negate gaining a tolerance to adderall through sporadic use that involves breaks lasting weeks to months. In my opinion this is the only way to avoid physical tolerance, maybe there?s other ways but this has worked for me for 5+ years.

I can?t say what?s going to work for you but if your intention is purely for managing ADD you should probably keep your use to only as needed.

How often is "sporadic"?

At a dose this low I think that is enough to avoid tolerance. I used to take 20mg/day eventually 40mg/day and tolerance did build up, but I was on 20mg for a long time. It lost most of the effects on my mood and mind, but overall on 20mg I still had to ability to help me focus and clear my mind, and it still gave me energy.

I would take a break on days I didn't have work (weekends/holidays) and it lasted me about a year and a half before I went to 40mg and eventually switched to Vyvanse.

That sounds quite promising. If I would ever need to switch to 2x 5 mg / day, it seems that even might be sustainable. Do you notice a blanding of everyday life as a result of dexamphetamine tolerance?

I've switched ADHD meds back and forth to prevent too much tolerance. I do VyVanse for awhile and switch back to Adderal. When I take Adderal I get my daily dose split up in two smaller doses so some days if I need to I can only take half a dose.

How would this work, given that both Vyvanse and Adderal are amphetamine?

It might work with methylphenidate, I found that that pumps me up, but does not provide a lot of focus. Maybe I can still use it on days I don't need to focus that much, to prevent a little bit of amphetamine tolerance.