Stimulants Adderall Harm reduction question, thanks.

I posted a few days ago, I started adderall about two months ago and honestly I have had a very hard time taking the medication as prescribed. Shocker, although it seems tons of people can do it. I could generally stay with my prescribed dose (30xr morning and 15 ir afternoon) but there were days I took way over that and was able to work and work and work. The last high dose was about 150, so I cut it down to 60 the next day. Out of ignorance I still had continued to smoke heavily and drink caffeine. Yesterday I started to notice some circulation issues that scared the complete shit out of me (cyanosis and cold feet and hands) So i have not taken any in 24 hours and have tried to refrain from smoking. Researched some way to increase blood flow (alternating cold/hot shower, ibuprofen and cayenne). I checked BP and it was fine with pulse at 100 this morning. I don't drink or take any other drugs. I feel not terrible besides some angina and a little full/fuzzy head. Slight cyanosis and cold hands and feet still present.

I guess my question is, is not taking it cold turkey going to make things worse? I clearly need a break from the stimulants but should I cut one of my pills in half or something so I am not just quitting cold turkey after taking it daily for 2 months.

Will the cyanosis go away?! I used to do a lot of cocaine and always had some generalized chest pain but not bluish tinted hands and feet eek! Thanks os much everyone, this site has been incredibly helpful these past two months.

OK, what you are experiencing is not cyanosis. If you were you'd have been unable to type and be dead now--because your heart is failing, or you have some massive blood clots, or you're currently entombed in a glacier. My guess is your hands are just cold, cause vasoconstriction and winter (unless Australian or South African, in which case the room is over-air-conditioned).

What you need to do is not pay attention to your "vitals". Unless you have an actual automatic sphygmomanometer to check your pulse and BP, any results will be unhelpful. And you should stop trying any interventions before you decide you have frostbite and amputate your toes. This may sound dismissive and condescending, but trust me, it's just a thing that happens with stimulants (at higher-than-prescribed doses).

Stimulants (of the dopaminergic kind) absolutely cause minor delusions and less minor obsessions. They also for sure cause anxiety. So if you (rightfully) become concerned with your circulation, you start to examine yourself for signs of circulation problems. And you'll find them. Any little weirdness or discoloration gets amplified until your hands literally look like they belong to Tweaker Smurf.

"But I sort of cut back on the meds!" you say. Alas, you need a break and another day or two, including lots of sleep, to clear the fog out.

As for cold turkey or not? There is no safety concern whatsoever in going cold turkey off your Adderall. Cutting the last dose in half for a day or two isn't a vice either. I have a feeling, if you're like me, you'll mean to go cold turkey, and wind up taking 80% of the high dose. And rightfully call it a victory.

Ha! Thanks, that’s was actually the kind of response I was hoping to get, like chill the hell out, but I for sure was having tingling, chest pain and fingers, knuckles and toes were definitely turning blueish but I know there is a huge element of anxiety involved. Adderall I think can be really tricky for cocaine or past cocaine and crack users because their brain says more is better and that’s really just not the case.

Yeah, if you had a problem with cocaine/crack before, Adderall (y'know, amphetamine) might not be the best option. Maybe consider Vyvanse instead. It's pretty much abuse-proof--or at least, it's guaranteed to be a slow onset with no rush involved, whether you stick it up your nose, your pipe, your veins or your butthole.

Cocaine is a different drug, but it has the same MOA, and the addiction lobes in your brain can't tell the difference. With Vyvanse you can get the therapeutic side and have some assurance you wont hoover up a month's worth on a single Friday night.

So the really shitty part about that is, in today’s society you can be fully upfront with your doctor and your insurance will not pay for Vyvance, The less addictive medication until you have fully maxed out on the dose of the addictive medication. Vyvance Is the long-term goal here. As this site is for harm reduction, I don’t expect judgment just harm reduction. I’ve been sober for two years actually so the fact that I have taken a few extra of my medication leaving me out about five days early isnt exactly The best thing that’s ever happened but I have managed to mostly take the prescribed dose and I’m putting some extra precautions in place. I don’t have any interest in finding a dealer to make sure I have more. Also after a lot of research, Adderall can have side effects of acrocyanosis. Tingr of blue, then red, Due to vascoconstriction which luckily I have read a lot about here. The good thing about Adderall and having a cocaine past is that you learn quickly that more is not better. It’s a slippery slope for sure and I’m seeing that, I think it’s disappointing that money is the reason why someone can’t get a non-addictive version of a stimulant before the addictive version.

You are so right about the addiction part of your brian not knowing the difference it just says MORE. It’s Fascinating actually.

Patience, my child. One reason money is still involved, I'm guessing: Vyvanse is brand-only right now. Probably 100X the cost of amphetamine (Adderall).

It doesn't sound like it'll be going generic any time soon, either.

But you didn't OD and running out five days early is probably batting around average. If it bothered you though, there's other ADHD stuff out there that's non-stim. And generic.

Honestly, if you think you're gonna have continued issues with amphetamine (and I mean, abusing it; hallucinating is part of the fun), stop it now. Even methylphenidate (Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta, etc.), still a "stim" of sorts, has less abuse potential.

You can always go Zen with your ADHD and choose the relaxing focus of clonidine.


I'm about to stick a bunch of non-prescribed off-label methamphetamine in my face, bought with like the last of the nickels under the car seat, which will go without gas and insurance this month cause I'd rather have the meth than go anywhere--so I come from a place of non-judgment about Adderall abuse.

Scrofula said:

OK,
.

As for cold turkey or not? There is no safety concern whatsoever in going cold turkey off your Adderall. Cutting the last dose in half for a day or two isn't a vice either. I have a feeling, if you're like me, you'll mean to go cold turkey, and wind up taking 80% of the high dose. And rightfully call it a victory.

Click to expand...

This exact thing happened to me today. Weaning doesn't work if you're like me and have no self control!

Scrofula said:

Patience, my child. One reason money is still involved, I'm guessing: Vyvanse is brand-only right now. Probably 100X the cost of amphetamine (Adderall).

It doesn't sound like it'll be going generic any time soon, either.

But you didn't OD and running out five days early is probably batting around average. If it bothered you though, there's other ADHD stuff out there that's non-stim. And generic.

Honestly, if you think you're gonna have continued issues with amphetamine (and I mean, abusing it; hallucinating is part of the fun), stop it now. Even methylphenidate (Ritalin, Focalin, Concerta, etc.), still a "stim" of sorts, has less abuse potential.

You can always go Zen with your ADHD and choose the relaxing focus of clonidine.


I'm about to stick a bunch of non-prescribed off-label methamphetamine in my face, bought with like the last of the nickels under the car seat, which will go without gas and insurance this month cause I'd rather have the meth than go anywhere--so I come from a place of non-judgment about Adderall abuse.

Click to expand...

Man, sometimes I really wish BL had a "like" button like Facebook. Cuz this is so me.

Thanks all, especially about the non-judgement part. And it's too dan bad some of us have been blessed with "if one is good 9 is better" brain.

Update: I actually found some Vyvance a couple days before I could get my script and I really liked it, but it does seem I have more side effects with anything XR. Like the cold/purplish hands. Got my prescription filled today (15 ir twice daily) along with an abnormal ekg *facepalm* do you think I stayed at prescribed dose? SOB. I mean I am fine, just kicked back about 500 mg of L-theanine hopefully I can get some sleep but we will see. My addict brain liked the fact of still being able to use a stim and activating that part of my brain again that says "LIFE IS GOOD" Definitely will be implementing more breaks.

I remember scraping rolls of coins to get a fix and not paying a single bill. We are just a different breed. No stop button.