Adderall making me very sleepy. - Any ideas why?

[skilllet]

I'm currently on 15mg of extended release Adderall (generic) and it seems that every time I take it - I become incredibly tired (and within an hour or three - need to pass out.)

I just started on Adderall again within the last 6 months. When I started with amphetamines - I was prescribed 10mg of Dexadrine 3x daily, I took 30-50mg daily (I was 15, I'm 25 now) and quit cold turkey after one year or so of being on it. I had terrible withdrawals. I picked up Adderall ER 30mg 3x daily when I was 20 and continued on with it until I was 22. I experienced a decent amount of insomnia and weight loss during the time I was on it (which is obviously expected.) After I got rid of the Adderall, I was prescribed Dexedrine ER spansules 15 mg 2x daily. Dexedrine made me feel rage like I had never known, I had very little self control over verbal outbursts. I wouldn't sleep or eat for days and lost a total of 50lbs while on it (I was basically skin and bones). When I finally decided to come off of it - as it was essentially ruining my life (I felt hopeless/depressed/angry every day) - the withdrawals were pretty minimal, but most likely mitigated with the 10mg of Xanax I was taking daily. I swore to never touch Dexedrine again.

Anyhow - here I am, back to amphetamines - a very low dose, anyhow.

I'm not expecting to feel any sizable surge of energy - but what is with the extreme fatigue that sets in so shortly after taking an Adderall ER 15mg? I used to experience a little euphoria and increased concentration, and I miss it.

Any ideas?


Also - here is a list of the other prescriptions I take (daily).

Tramadol - 100mg
Xanax (which I plan on switching to Klonipin soon enough) - 4mg daily - and when I take the Xanax, it would usually wake me up. Now, I don't feel that as much anymore. It seems I'm stuck in backwards land.

I take Hydrocodone, only occasionally - and not very much of it. Same with Soma. Only when pain in completely unbearable. I'd say I take them less than 5 times a month. The Hydrocodone is acetaminophen/hydrocodone 500 mg-5 mg. And the Soma is 250 mg.


The Benzo/Amphetamine cocktail has worked wonders for me in my life - however, I know it can be a really stupid mix. I wonder if my time's up on it, and maybe my body has had enough it? I just can't wrap my head around Adderall becoming like a sleeping pill for me.

 

[KAYLA2010]

I know that certain generic adderalls make me sleepy some make me calm and some make me wired.

What generic do you have?

 

[ErgicMergic]

Medications sometimes have paradoxical effects. Also, the amphetamines could be making you sleepy due to a true existence of ADD on a neuronal level. Most ADD patients take way too high of a dose for the artificial productivity boost; all you need is a little bit to relax your mind and think more clearly.

Therapeutic doses of amps usually relax ADD patients; abusive doses (25-30mg+ daily) usually get them tweaked just like everyone else, hence the rage and other side effects. Stick with that low dose, man, as abusive doses of amps actually reduce memory retention and attention.

 

[woamotive]

Isn't it true that if a person does NOT have ADD/ADHD that stim meds make them hyper... 'stimulated'. If a person genuinely suffers from ADD/ADHD they will be calmed or relaxed. Perhaps even sleepy.

 

[Lgl002]

All the info above from other bl members is good stuff. I think a key factor is missing however.

Often times with amphetamines, they initially start off as being very stimulating, euphoric, and help with focus. Prolonged use can cause dependence obviously, and also lower the amount of dopamine in your brain as well as lower the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. With prolonged use the user will sometimes get a feeling of exhaustion after taking an amphetamine. Like you havnt slept in days they your still happy, just not fully there

I would recommend a break. Also something such as l-tyrosine to replenish the dopamine in your brain.

The others medications could also be a huge factor. For me, benzos can overpower the effect of amphetamines and make me feel drowsy yet euphoric.

In my opinion, I think a break from amphetamines and changing to a longer losing benzo would be a good choice. I've been there before. The day adderall stopped filling me with energy was a sad day. I took a 4 month break and my tolerance dropped considerably and the stimulating, alert, euphoria returned.

Good luck too you. By the way.. Sorry for any mistakes. I havnt slet in 78 hours and i took 4800 mg of gabapentin in the past couple hours as well as 5mg of klonopin and I'm having a difficult time reading my writing.

Good luck. I'll revise this tomorrow.

 

[Steps]

Because of Tramadols Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, if taken before the adderall, will diminish the amphetamine's norepinephrine releasing properties, so you aren't getting as stimulated due to lack of NE release
and
Tramadol is a serotonin releasing agent, amphetamine is as well (however it is mild) and there seems to be a synergistic or potentiating effect, so you're feeling a bit more relaxed due to even more serotonin release

and perhaps not enough dopamine is being released to produce enough wakefulness to make up for the interaction

 

[skilllet]

I appreciate all the replies.

I think I need to take a break from the Adderall and move off the Xanax (which I find I am only taking to stave off WD symptoms, anyway.) I really don't have any pleasant effects from it anymore. I'd like to move to a longer acting Benzo - like Klonopin. I've been down this road before, and if I stay on the Xanax, I know quite well that I'll end up with a script for 8mg+ in no time due to an insatiable tolerance. Benzo WD is one of the worst things I have experienced in my life (especially the Xanax), so I suppose it's time to change this up. When this cocktail works - man, it works - but when it doesn't work, it REALLY doesn't work.

I've always wondered if I had ADD, but honestly - I've been medicated since I was 14, so who knows what havoc these pills may have wreaked on my brain chemistry. I know I get some pretty rough rebound anxiety from the Xanax - which is why it starts to have the opposite effect on me, and then the dose just keeps going up and up and up.

I wonder if the symptoms from the rebound anxiety (loss of concentration, restlessness, insomnia, hyperactivity etc.) are being calmed by the Adderall? Has anyone heard of/experienced something like that?

 

[Steps]

d-amp can induce anxiolysis in me in high doses (or after a period of abstinence)
and
d-meth (smoked) actually gives me profound anxiolysis

dopamine releasing agents reducing anxiety isn't uncommon

 

[skilllet]

d-amp can induce anxiolysis in me in high doses (or after a period of abstinence)
and
d-meth (smoked) actually gives me profound anxiolysis

dopamine releasing agents reducing anxiety isn't uncommon

Ah, well. That's probably it then. Time to switch off the Xanax, and try to rid myself of this rebound anxiety and try a longer half life Benzo like Klonopin while tapering down my dose, so I can hopefully regain a bit of tolerance again. And lessen the mini-WDs I'm experiencing between Xanax doses.

Often times with amphetamines, they initially start off as being very stimulating, euphoric, and help with focus. Prolonged use can cause dependence obviously, and also lower the amount of dopamine in your brain as well as lower the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. With prolonged use the user will sometimes get a feeling of exhaustion after taking an amphetamine. Like you havnt slept in days they your still happy, just not fully there.

That's exactly how I feel. I'm definitely going to give the l-tyrosine a try. I would not be shocked at all if the dopamine levels in my brain are suffering.

Good luck too you. By the way.. Sorry for any mistakes. I havnt slet in 78 hours and i took 4800 mg of gabapentin in the past couple hours as well as 5mg of klonopin and I'm having a difficult time reading my writing.

Good luck. I'll revise this tomorrow.

No worries on any mistakes. I didn't really notice any. I've been there with Gaba/Benzo combo. Everything is a blur. Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it.

Because of Tramadols Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition, if taken before the adderall, will diminish the amphetamine's norepinephrine releasing properties, so you aren't getting as stimulated due to lack of NE release
and
Tramadol is a serotonin releasing agent, amphetamine is as well (however it is mild) and there seems to be a synergistic or potentiating effect, so you're feeling a bit more relaxed due to even more serotonin release

and perhaps not enough dopamine is being released to produce enough wakefulness to make up for the interaction

I always take my Tramadol before my Adderall. Usually a good 4-6 hours before. I'll take anywhere from 50mg to 150mg. I didn't know if could have that sort of effect - so it's something to think about. I'm completely new to Tramadol. I honestly fell in love with it after it was prescribed to me for legitimate pain issues - but very out of character for me - I did zero research on it before accepting the script. So I'm learning as I go. I'm trying to get everything back in alignment. It's so frustrating when you find the nearly perfect combo for you - and bam - everything falls out of alignment and goes to hell.

 

[ErgicMergic]

Careful mixing moderate-high doses of tramadol with potent stimulants like Adderall, as they both lower seizure thresholds... 150mg tramadol and some Adderall could very well cause a seizure.

Stick to 50mg tramadol max when mixing with amps, imo.

I love tramadol, too (my liver enzymes are built for O-Des), but you'll love it a hell of a lot less if you have a seizure on it

 

[emily561]

Hi guys! I was looking for an ADHD/amphetamine thread,im new here,and on my phone...something tells me im in the wrong place but if anyone can help me with my question thatd be awesome!

So my friend was persribed 10mg of amphetamine salts (little bright blue pills) and she never really took them so she said i could have some and try them out (Since I was diagnoised with mild ADHD) once i took them they were AWESOME i rememberhad thinking "EVERYONE IN THE WORLD SHOULD BE ON THIS" i had a lot of energy and felt as if instead of 500her thoughts going through my head at once there was only 1,and when it came to classes i could actually listen comprehend and remember everything the teacher said and id get the urge to write it down so id have amazing notes

I decided i ought to talk to my doctor about trying meds so (althought i left out having tried my friends..) he ended up perscribing me the same as my friends (i compared the bottle) both named amphetamine salts and 10mg and bright blue pills.

However...these pills have a completely different effect! They dont give me energy but make me really tired/sleepy? Also i feel like i zone out/stare out in to space on them

I assume my body doesnt need to "get use" to the aderall since i had been taking my friends for about 2 weeks

What could this mean? And what should i do? Because if i cant switch from the adderall i have perscribed to me now that turns me into a zombie than ill likely stop taking it but if i could find one to give me the same effect my friends had id be so

 

[S_unburst_]

I wonder if the symptoms from the rebound anxiety (loss of concentration, restlessness, insomnia, hyperactivity etc.) are being calmed by the Adderall? Has anyone heard of/experienced something like that?

I find what you said here extremely interesting. As I am experiencing the same thing you were when you created this thread. I.e. Feeling very calm, sleepy, and relaxed like 3 hours after I take my 40mg dose of adderall IR. I'm also prescribed 0.25mg Xanax to take 1-3x daily/on an as needed basis, but I usually take one daily at bedtime, but it's been 4 days since I ran out of Xanax and I still take my regular dose of 40mg adderall. Days 1-3 I've experienced: restlessness, day time anxiety, and insomnia at night. Today is day 4 without Xanax, and what I have come to notice is that I am generally anxious before I take my adderall. Once it kicks in I feel rather normal like I would on a good day but it only seems to work like 2 hours and by the third hour I feel sleepy and calm. Now, this is nothing to complain about but I am intrigued by the fact that what you stated above could be true and that I'm not the only one out there noticing this.

 

[Ozle]

Have you eaten properly and slept off your sleep debt? If you're lacking either of those then a stim is just going to make you feel burnt out.

 

[S_unburst_]

Have you eaten properly and slept off your sleep debt? If you're lacking either of those then a stim is just going to make you feel burnt out.

Thanks for the reply Ozle. I do eat but it's kinda hard when I feel like I have to watch what I eat for my dosing to be effective. Also, my weight has stayed consistent, otherwise I would think my doctor would advise me to eat more. And as far as sleep, there's not a day that I miss sleep. At worst, I'll get the occasional 4 hours of sleep on a stressful day. The whole stomach pH concept of it affecting the effectiveness of adderall, is a huge stress factor for me. I really just want to eat normal like I have my whole life without depending on a strict diet for my medication to work properly. I'm sure there are many others out there that think this too. Anyone here?

 

[TheLostBoys]

Adderall has always made me hungry & very sleepy after an hour or two, very strange, because others stay up for 2 whole days on this crap.

 

[Dresden]

Drugs such as Adderall affect different people in different ways due to biochemical differences in their brains. Set, setting, dosage, and expectations of the drug's high can also contribute to idiosyncratic reactions to psychoactive drugs.

 

[KFlower]

I experienced the same thing. I was taking 20 mg adder all extended release. 4 hours later I would feel tired. So my doctore prescribed an additional 10 mg extended release to take early in the afternoon. And it helped. Now in your case I see through your history that you have always been taking the extended-release type of Adderall. Perhaps you should try the other kind. The solid pill which I believe is for immediate release. Perhaps the extended-release is not for you anymore. And you should discuss with your doctor taking a morning dose and a low afternoon dose of the Adderall.

 

[KFlower]

Also according to the list of medications you're on I see you take Xanax. Which is not uncommon for people who are on Adderall. It can cause anxiety and that nervous feeling in your stomach Etc. If you want to try something milder perhaps you should try lorazepam. That is something I take in addition to my Adderall as well. And it has taken a few years but I have found a healthy balance with my prescription medication. These are just my suggestions and opinions hope that it helps

 

[Tpat42]

I know that certain generic adderalls make me sleepy some make me calm and some make me wired.

What generic do you have?

I’ve recently been monitoring and keeping records of how the generics affect me because they keep giving me different ones. I have also had trouble with one in particular, making me so sleepy that I can’t do anything. It’s the one made by Autobinda . Which one is it for you?

 

[Tpat42]

I’ve recently been monitoring and keeping records of how the generics affect me because they keep giving me different ones. I have also had trouble with one in particular, making me so sleepy that I can’t do anything. It’s the one made by Autobinda . Which one is it for you?

Aurobindo sorry, autocorrect