Adderal/Dexadrine - up/down feeling?

[Met]

I've experimented in the past with Dextroamphetamine, using both IR and XR. I was diagnosed with ADD when I was younger, but always stayed away from meds. Recently things have been getting rough, so I decided to try some. It helped a lot, so after about a year debate, using Dex a few days a month since then, I went to a Psych. She prescribed me Adderal 10mg XR x1 daily.

When I take Dex, it helps me focus and gives me a good amount of drive to get my daily work done. I noticed I have this weird feeling while on it, kind of like I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll feel great for a few mins, then get this crash feeling in my stomach. A rapid up/down. The feeling is similar to how you'd feel if something terrible has recently happened (family member died ect) and in the moment you're not thinking about it, then when you do you get that crash feeling. Although, after a few days on it, I got this feeling less. Probably because I just learned to ride it out.

I started taking the Adderal a few days ago(4), and this nervous up/down feeling is 10x worse than it is on Dex. It also doesn't seem nearly as potent, and only last about half my work shift. I find myself having to stop every few mins and take deep breaths. In general it causes massive anxiety, but it still helps.

When I would take the Dex, I'd take x2 5mg in the morning, and then one more about half way though my shift and I would come down right as I got home in which then I'd be ready to sleep when the time came. Today I tried taking 2 of the Adderal, and it still gave me the same results, just more intense. It feels dirty. Is 15mg of Dex more potent than 20mg of Adderal? I know that Adderal is 60something % Dex .. so I don't understand why I don't like it so much, compared to pure Dex.

Any ideas? My Psych doesn't know I've tried any stimulants, so I can't really say anything to her I don't think. From what I hear, Dex is harder to get.

 

[pbuilder]

Tell your psych all this, explain that the adderall has much more exacerbated side effects than the dexedrine did, while feeling like it helps less with your actual concentration.

Essentially what is causing this is the L-isomer of the amphetamine. The L-isomer has no real psycho-active effect but it causes terrible jitters, and just general anxiety. It's essentially like drinking a LOT of caffeine. Adderall is 75% d-isomer and 25% l-isomer amphetamine, where as dexedrine is just 100% d-isomer amphetamine. The d-isomer is what calms people with ADD quite well and let's them concentrate, without anywhere as much potency as far as jitters and physical side effects go.

Oh and the ups and downs are normal for stims, that sudden feeling like something really bad happened is a combo of anxiety and the comedown starting.

 

[Met]

Tell your psych all this, explain that the adderall has much more exacerbated side effects than the dexedrine did, while feeling like it helps less with your actual concentration.

Essentially what is causing this is the L-isomer of the amphetamine. The L-isomer has no real psycho-active effect but it causes terrible jitters, and just general anxiety. It's essentially like drinking a LOT of caffeine. Adderall is 75% d-isomer and 25% l-isomer amphetamine, where as dexedrine is just 100% d-isomer amphetamine. The d-isomer is what calms people with ADD quite well and let's them concentrate, without anywhere as much potency as far as jitters and physical side effects go.

Oh and the ups and downs are normal for stims, that sudden feeling like something really bad happened is a combo of anxiety and the comedown starting.

Well I can't really tell her all of that, as she's under the assumption that I've never tried any stimulants. I don't think teller her that I bought Dex from a friends script would go over to well 8(

And as far as the up and down, I actually get it even when I'm just starting to feel it. It's pretty steady through out the duration, but intensifies when the comedown starts. But even when I'm peaking, I still get the up/down feeling about every min or two. It's completely tolerable on Dex though, where as the Adderal is extremely daunting.

I called my Psych today, but she is out of town for a few days. Her assistant left her a message, I just told her that the Adderal was wearing off before my shift ended (about 3 hours before) and it was causing me pretty severe anxiety. I guess we'll see what she says. Would it be a bad idea to mention Dex the next time I see her? From all of the reading I could do online, it seems many believe Adderal causes worse anxiety than Dex, so I want to tell her that I've been reading on it. Not sure how she'd take that, though.

 

[ErgicMergic]

You are reacting negatively to the L-amp portion in Adderall, and asking for Dexedrine straight up might make you look like a drug abuser, which is unfortunate because I feel like Adderall has a lot more abuse potential when used at ADD dosages. Adderall feels dirty and makes you feel like you're "on something," while Dex focuses and alerts you without making you feel like you're on drugs.

The L-amp adds a "tweak" to the high that a lot of street users look for, but this L-amp adds a lot of anxiety and is dangerous when combined with drugs like MDMA, meth/caffeine (in some E pills), and methylone at raves due to hyperthermia.

 

[SerotonergicHaze]

Don't ask for dex, since asking for any drug by name is a bad idea. Choosing the drug is the job of the doctor, not the patient.

Explain the issues you're having to the doctor, and ask for an 'alternative medication'. If a drug is causing unpleasant side effects, then there is nothing dodgy about asking for a different drug.

If the doctor is experienced with ADD/ADHD treatment then he/she would infer it's the levo-amp and prescribe dex. The doctor may prescribe ritalin though.

The symptoms you're describing are very common with Adderall, and so the doctor probably has seen them many times before

It goes without saying, but, Don't mention your use of dex (or any other illicit drug) to the doc

 

[ErgicMergic]

Dexedrine has so much undeserved stigma, same with Valium. When doctors think of dexedrine and valium, they get mental pictures of rock stars sniffing lines of cocaine off of stripper's asses in the 70's, which makes no sense today considering the subtlety of these two drugs compared to Adderall and Xanax.

 

[Alex000]

Amphetamines can and do intensify emotions, good and bad, and can cause more rapid shift. If you have had more success with Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), I would either suggest inquiring about that with your doc or Vyvanse, which I think she would be much more open to scripting. Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine in a controlled-release formulation, which is metabolized into dextroamphetamine over an extended period of time. Because of the controlled-release, and the slower release due to metabolization, I think it could be much smoother subjectively to you, and not cause as much "up and down" feeling. It would also last longer, I would suspect, than Adderall XR. I can see why Dexedrine could be less troublesome than Adderall XR in this regard, and I think Vyvanse could really help as far as amphetamines go. You might want to ask yourself, though, if you need them at all. Keep the doses as low as possible for therapeutic result, and using as needed/taking breaks really helps from preventing excess tolerance and possible habituation.

 

[ErgicMergic]

There have been a lot of complaints about the bimodal release system of Adderall XR, how the second dose never fully releases. Adderall XR is not a true extended release medication, but rather releases half the dose immediately and the other half all at once 4-6 hours later.

Dexedrine ER, on the other hand, is perfect to me. It is extremely smooth and subtle, and is truly extended release: releases half immediately, and the other half gradually over the next few hours.

I wonder if Vyvanse would be even smoother and an improvement over Dex ER, but I'm satisfied with Dex ER for the time being.

 

[Met]

I probably don't need them as much as I think. I just like having a fix, and uppers tend to keep me steady wear-as I've had issues with other substances (oxy/downers/pot) .. My mind gets addicted to those easier, and they don't really help me function, just make me more lazy. Uppers to me, have built in side effects that always stop my from abusing them long term. I've stayed away from most drugs for a few years, and with my new job, school ect, I have a lot on my plate currently. I sometimes feel I'm clinically lazy ;d

Anyways, I've also read about how the L-Amp is what causes the edgy feeling, or "tweak". It makes no sense to me, but I don't get those effects from Adderal.

Today, I took x3 10mg XR. (I'm going to stop taking them pretty soon, only 4 pills left after today. I've decided the negative outweigh the bad and I'm going to wait and see what my psych says)

Since yesterday x2 only lasted till about 3 hours before my work shift ended (12h shifts) I took x1 at 5:30am, x1 at 6:30, and x1 at 7:30(about an hour ago). I honestly feel less stimulated than I did yesterday. I almost feel like I'm on medium dose of ephedrine(75mg). It seems weak.

Please correctly me if I'm wrong, but I've read Adderal works via 50% IR and 50% XR(4hs later). I took 30mg total, so 50% of that is 5mg every dose. If I was to take 5mg of IR dex every hour for 3 hours, an hour after the last dose I'd be flying WAY high, as in a more recreational high. I would get the bad dry mouth, major clench jaw, no appetite, chain smoke - like MDMA without the extreme euphoria/retardation. For work, I would only need 15-20mg total for the whole day (5:00am to 6pm). Taking one when I wake up, once an hour after work starts, and breaking the last 1 - 2 pills into sections taking as I needed. Yesterday, 20mg of Adderal XR lasted from 5:00am to around 1:30pm, where I crashed hard. (not fun while you still have 3 hours left at work ;d)

As of now, I feel a mild stimulation, mouth is slightly dry, no clench jaw (although I have found myself tapping my k9 teeth together here and there) and I can tell that I haven't eaten all day. Stomach feels hungry, but I have no will to actually eat. With Dex I can go all day without even thinking about food. I'm sure the hunger that I'm feeling as well is artificially increased by the nervous stomach feeling I have, as stated in my previous post. And with what pbuilder said, I'm starting to think the severe anxiety I'm feeling on it may be because I was expecting more from the drug, and that maybe it doesn't effect me as it should (as far as potency) so I feel like I'm constantly coming down, but really I'm just not as high as I'd like to be.

Also, about Vyvanse - I took that for 3 weeks, x5 a week a few years ago. I liked that a lot, and it was easier to not abuse than the IR. I just hear it's horribly expensive, and I don't think my insurance is all that great. Is the only difference from Vyvanse and Dex XR is that Vyvance metabolizes into Dextro over time, and Dex XR is more like Adderal's time release function?

EDIT: it's been 5 hours since I took the last dose, and I'm getting the same feelings as yesterday. Feeling down, fatigued, horrible anxiety. The stimulation is wearing, and I'm def already coming down. I figured staggering them would of put off the comedown, in addition to taking x3 instead of x2. It happened around the same time yesterday as well.

Definitely going to stop taking these, it's just not worth it.