Stimulants An All-nighter with Adderall

[nicanon]

Hello everyone. My first post here.

So, I am legally prescribed Adderall for ADHD. I normally take one 20 mg XR. However, I had a ridiculous amount of work and had to pull an all-nighter. Caffeine has no effect on me, I've been prescribed Modafinil for chronic sleepiness and THAT has no effect either, and I can even take Adderall and fall asleep. But tonight, I decided to take more Adderall because of all the work I have. What I've taken:

12:55 PM: 20 XR
8:50 PM-2AM: 20 IR (divided throughout the hours)
6:20 AM: 5 IR (planning on adding more, as needed)

I haven't been eating much. I literally can't eat. I've gotten maybe... a little less than 800 calories in over 24 hours. It's not intentional, I just cannot eat. At any moment where I feel able, I eat. I ate about 2-3 hours ago, and then thought I was going to puke. I feel a little better now, though. I'm drinking PowerRade every so often. I'm thinking about taking a multivitamin when I feel like eating (although I heard there can be an interaction between Adderall and vitamin C?)

I want to know if it's okay for me to keep taking Adderall - perhaps up to 120 mg (I heard that's the maximum?), although I don't intend to go THAT far, I only want to take as much as I need to stay awake and keep working.

I also want to know what I should do afterwards. I'll probably be home between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, and I will probably sleep. Hopefully. Assuming I'm not still wired up from the Adderall, and that I'm not having a massive breakdown (I have severe depression, although my antidepressants generally keep it under control, but with this amount of Adderall I imagine I'll have a hellish comedown that I am dreading). So should I really just sleep as much as I need? What should I do the day after/the next few days, if anything? I could try to take less, or even no Adderall at all, but because of my ADHD + depression (Adderall helps my motivation. I literally have to force myself to take it on weekends, or I get nothing done) that might cause some problems. Thoughts?

 

[EnlightenedOne1]

My thoughts are you are completely addicted/dependent on Adderall. This isn't a statement procured to make you feel inferior as amphetamines are HIGHLY addictive. I'm not even prescribed them and whenever I acquire them, I go on 2 day binges that result in complete dopamine depletion as well as depression that takes 5-7 days to level off to my normally depressed state. I'm a business owner, so I LOVE them for motivation. Not to dick size, but I have consumed over 300mgs of IR Adderall in a 24 hour period before...I do not recommend this...My advice is to always have benzos on hand for the crash...Here are my tips:

-Just like MDMA, try your best to not redose as difficult as it is...If anything, just increase your initial dose..I find that 60-80mgs of Adderall is a good dose for me and anything more just exacerbates the TERRIBLE comedown that lasts for days.

-Stay VERY hydrated---over a gallon of water with added sodium bicarbinoate, magnesium and potassium. Google "NUUN" tablets. They are everescent tabs that include all of these electrolytes and are simply added to water

-If you can't eat, force down protein shakes and liquid foods.

-B vitamins, multivitamins, are essential

-SLEEP

 

[Kittycat5]

Sleep, eat whatever and whenever you can. Going a day with limited calories isnt going to harm you unless maybe you are diabetic.

If you have a benzo or z-drug that would help with the comedown. Vitamin C possibly could enhance the excretion of amphetamines but the amount in a multivitamin is probably negligable. And be careful with your doses of the Adderall. Just because you dont feel stimulated, doesnt mean it is not putting stress on your heart and BP.

 

[nicanon]

My thoughts are you are completely addicted/dependent on Adderall. This isn't a statement procured to make you feel inferior as amphetamines are HIGHLY addictive. I'm not even prescribed them and whenever I acquire them, I go on 2 day binges that result in complete dopamine depletion as well as depression that takes 5-7 days to level off to my normally depressed state. I'm a business owner, so I LOVE them for motivation. Not to dick size, but I have consumed over 300mgs of IR Adderall in a 24 hour period before...I do not recommend this...My advice is to always have benzos on hand for the crash...Here are my tips:

-Just like MDMA, try your best to not redose as difficult as it is...If anything, just increase your initial dose..I find that 60-80mgs of Adderall is a good dose for me and anything more just exacerbates the TERRIBLE comedown that lasts for days.

-Stay VERY hydrated---over a gallon of water with added sodium bicarbinoate, magnesium and potassium. Google "NUUN" tablets. They are everescent tabs that include all of these electrolytes and are simply added to water

-If you can't eat, force down protein shakes and liquid foods.

-B vitamins, multivitamins, are essential

-SLEEP

I personally do not feel like I'm addicted, although I might be dependent on it. However, I was unmotivated/depressed before I took Adderall... it just helps me function, like my antidepressant and birth control (I have PMDD as well). I'm definitely not addicted to my antidepressant or birth control, but they wire everything in my brain so I can function like a normal human being. I can go without it, my grades will just go back down. I used to take about 10 IR a day, but my new doctor decided that 20 XR was better. I'm just taking them not as prescribed today because I have a ton of work due. I would LOVE to "binge" on Adderall maybe one day every weekend because I am extremely behind on work, but I have no interest in making my brain more screwed up than it already is, unless I really have to.

I also don't know much about other drugs, unless they're antidepressants/antipsychotics. The not-so-fun medicines, lol. I guess I'm new to this, but what is the difference between redosing and increasing the initial dose? Do you mean just take many in one shot, instead of taking a pill every few hours? If so, why? By comedown, do you mean depression, or do you mean other stuff? How can I prepare for a smooth comedown?

Not to be TMI, but my pee is clear... so I think I'm good on the hydration! I will continue hydrating throughout the day.

Protein shakes might be a great idea, but I'm lactose intolerant and allergic to soy, and from my understanding, protein shakes tend to have either of those. But hopefully I can find one I can tolerate. That would be easier. Yogurt should work as well, right?

I will make sure to take my multivitamin as soon as I can

I can't sleep for another six hours, probably... but I can't wait. I'm so achy.

 

[nicanon]

Sleep, eat whatever and whenever you can. Going a day with limited calories isnt going to harm you unless maybe you are diabetic.

If you have a benzo or z-drug that would help with the comedown. Vitamin C possibly could enhance the excretion of amphetamines but the amount in a multivitamin is probably negligable. And be careful with your doses of the Adderall. Just because you dont feel stimulated, doesnt mean it is not putting stress on your heart and BP.

I am going to do just that. I can't wait to sleep, honestly.

What's a z-drug? I don't have a benzo, although I have an atypical antianxiety medication, however, it could increase my heart rate so I'd rather not mess with it unless I'm having an anxiety attack anyway. I just checked my pulse; 100 BPM. So it's in the upper limits of normal. Any suggestions on lowering my heart rate are appreciated as well (although I imagine that would involve relaxing, which I can't really do right now. Thanks, college...)

 

[nicanon]

Also, should I take it tomorrow? Would that help with the comedown? Or should I try not to take it if I don't need to?

 

[Kittycat5]

A z-drug is like Ambien or similar drugs. Really not much you can do to lower the HR (pharmacologically speaking) other than benzos that would be safe to do on your own. Just try relaxation techniques when you are finished and make sure that HR doesnt shoot up to something crazy.

 

[nicanon]

UPDATE: Slept nearly 15 hours, woke up very achy and dehydrated. Drank 32 oz of PowerRade for breakfast, and had bagel bites, ice cream, and a good multivitamin. Took a warm shower, much less achy now, but still achy. Pretty tired (although I'm typically tired all the time, which is why my doctor opted for Adderall over Stratterra). Surprisingly, no emotional problems so far. Should I take a 20 XR today? If not, how long should I wait before I take it again? (my doctor wanted me taking it everyday since she wanted consistency) If I can't take it, is caffeine okay? Thanks!

 

[liftedgift]

XR and me do not get along, 20mg XR can have me focused for 2-3 hours and then just puts me on edge for hours and hours. But I have found that if I exercise for a good while, eat some complex carbs(sweet potatoes,brown rice) and eat some sort of protein that had parents before I dose. I rarely get a crash. Although I don't use large amounts at all.

Protein shakes may help, but real food is the best bet. Or try a weight gainer that has more than just protein. I used to buy a weight gainer called Serious Mass, very cheap calories and less sugar than half a gatorade. Two scoops - blended in water had me 1250 calories deep to start the day. I need another bag of that since I am one of those people who just cannot eat breakfast but feel like shit when I don't. Just now reading that you are allergic to soy so serious mass might be out of the question. I'll look around for non soy weight gainers, if you are anything like me it is way easier to drink a liquid than eat a full meal in the morning. But WEIGHT! You are lactose intolerant AND allergic to soy? sheeeet, usually can find one without the other but finding something free of both might be a true challenge.

Oh and if you have an empty stomach, most of the vitamins you get from a multi are fat soluble which means you need to eat something that has fat in it before you take your vitamin or else it just passes through you.

 

[EnlightenedOne1]

XR and me do not get along, 20mg XR can have me focused for 2-3 hours and then just puts me on edge for hours and hours. But I have found that if I exercise for a good while, eat some complex carbs(sweet potatoes,brown rice) and eat some sort of protein that had parents before I dose. I rarely get a crash. Although I don't use large amounts at all.

Protein shakes may help, but real food is the best bet. Or try a weight gainer that has more than just protein. I used to buy a weight gainer called Serious Mass, very cheap calories and less sugar than half a gatorade. Two scoops - blended in water had me 1250 calories deep to start the day. I need another bag of that since I am one of those people who just cannot eat breakfast but feel like shit when I don't. Just now reading that you are allergic to soy so serious mass might be out of the question. I'll look around for non soy weight gainers, if you are anything like me it is way easier to drink a liquid than eat a full meal in the morning. But WEIGHT! You are lactose intolerant AND allergic to soy? sheeeet, usually can find one without the other but finding something free of both might be a true challenge.

Oh and if you have an empty stomach, most of the vitamins you get from a multi are fat soluble which means you need to eat something that has fat in it before you take your vitamin or else it just passes through you.

I get the SAME experience with Adderall XR.

 

[nicanon]

I had 1800 calories yesterday, so I'm fine with that. 600 so far today, planning on having another 600 in about an hour and a half (although I'm pretty hungry now). Had another multivitamin today. Still hydrated. No more aches. Is it safe for me to go back to my regular dosage? Or at least an energy drink, or coffee?

XR sucks, but maybe I only feel that way because I'm on the Teva generic. I just don't feel much from it. It wears off much quicker than splitting IR, but my doctor thinks that the XR is better for my situation. Meh.

I could probably tolerate yogurt with some lactaid as a meal, but that's it. My stomach won't take pure milk, so protein shakes probably wouldn't work :/ Although I eat more on just 20 XR, that night was just a "binge."

 

[Ignorablefour24]

I would say it is fine. Many people don't understand the difference between addiction and perception.
I have been prescribed 120 / 20 mg a month of instant release Adds. I take 1 20 mg pill four times a day as needed. I manage a business as an operations manager so I work long hours and shifts . Typically 7 days a week. I take four pills a day. However, there are many days I take 2 or 3. And many times none at all. Monday through Friday on a normal week I take 4 a day.
On the weekends I don't take any at all. And if I do, I take 2 or 3. I have no trouble sleeping other than the first month I was prescribed them years back. I eat regularly, I golf regularly, I work about 8-10 hours a day. Never really had any negative side affects (ocassionally a jaw pain) . I have some friends tell me in dependent on them, but yet they are the ones asking to give them some.
My view on it falls back on the consumers perspective. If you take them because your prescribed, you don't have to take all of them. After all you know your body best. Meaning if you are suppose to take 3 daily or whatever, you don't have to. Take them as needed but understand they are addictive. If you are smart and know what's right, you'll find the right balance and dosage which will help you and accommodate you best. After all it's mind over matter. Be smart don't make stupid decisions like taking 100 + mg a day. The pill helps you focus. It doesn't make you smarter. You depend on it only as much as you think you do. The pill exists because it does what you, due to a chemical imbalance you were born with, can't do which is stimulate your nerves in your brain to open up so to speak, and maximize the amount of information you can receive at any given time. Everything else falls into you.

 

[nicanon]

I would say it is fine. Many people don't understand the difference between addiction and perception.
I have been prescribed 120 / 20 mg a month of instant release Adds. I take 1 20 mg pill four times a day as needed. I manage a business as an operations manager so I work long hours and shifts . Typically 7 days a week. I take four pills a day. However, there are many days I take 2 or 3. And many times none at all. Monday through Friday on a normal week I take 4 a day.
On the weekends I don't take any at all. And if I do, I take 2 or 3. I have no trouble sleeping other than the first month I was prescribed them years back. I eat regularly, I golf regularly, I work about 8-10 hours a day. Never really had any negative side affects (ocassionally a jaw pain) . I have some friends tell me in dependent on them, but yet they are the ones asking to give them some.
My view on it falls back on the consumers perspective. If you take them because your prescribed, you don't have to take all of them. After all you know your body best. Meaning if you are suppose to take 3 daily or whatever, you don't have to. Take them as needed but understand they are addictive. If you are smart and know what's right, you'll find the right balance and dosage which will help you and accommodate you best. After all it's mind over matter. Be smart don't make stupid decisions like taking 100 + mg a day. The pill helps you focus. It doesn't make you smarter. You depend on it only as much as you think you do. The pill exists because it does what you, due to a chemical imbalance you were born with, can't do which is stimulate your nerves in your brain to open up so to speak, and maximize the amount of information you can receive at any given time. Everything else falls into you.

Thank you for your response. I asked on reddit too, and they agreed it was fine. I was getting on edge cuz I wasn't getting work done and everyone on Yahoo! Answers was lecturing me and telling me I was going to die *rolls eyes* I took my 20 XR late because of all the work I have; I know I probably won't sleep much. I imagine my 5-10 IR as needed should be okay through the day tomorrow, and getting back to my regularly scheduled 20 XR on Tuesday morning should be fine. I also had a tiny bit of caffeine, with Luvox (which makes caffeine 80% more potent, didn't realize I'd be taking Adderall at the time) so I feel kind of sick to my stomach and my heartbeats a bit fast (I might try and meditate or something). But I also feel sort of high. Shouldn't that be surprising? I've heard of people developing a sort of tolerance when they take a really high dose, and then they never feel good on a low dose, but after only a short time off it almost feels like my first time on Adderall.

And holy crap, you've really been prescribed that much? I really had to nag my doctor just to add the 5-10 IR as needed (I have really long school days, so it's not that I want to take more, it's just that the XR doesn't last long enough). How many years have you been on Adderall, if you don't mind me asking? And at that dosage? I'm currently an undergrad planning on going to grad school (and maybe med school someday, if my future allows it) and I worry about the doctors cutting off my Adderall someday.

Also, to be honest, I'm a really iffy about being on Adderall. Don't get me wrong, I love it, it's a freaking life-saver. I'm just scared I might be harming myself. I was originally getting it illegally, and taking doses lower that 20 MG a day. I have severe emotional issues, which is why my doctor feels I need to be consistent (and why she chooses XR over IR) - even on days I feel I don't need it. I have many hormonal imbalances (I don't want to give out too much detail, as I want to remain as anonymous as possible), so I feel like she might be right; maybe I do need to take it every day, just for the sake of keeping my body in balance. But like I say, I worry that it might be causing me damage. I hope that one day they make a better alternative to Adderall. From what I read, Vyvanse might be gentler on the body (?), but my insurance doesn't cover it. And Adderall treats multiple issues for me, not just my ADHD - which is part of why I chose it over a non-stimulant. So, I'm not interested in getting high off it, or going to ridiculously high doses, unless I'm pulling an all-nighter. I don't pull all-nighters for studying, just for work - I know I won't retain much if I don't sleep.

 

[FoReaLL]

Try going into GNC and inquiring about Cassein Protein. Usually they are pretty knowledgable. If not that just google it and check it out.

 

[Larry Bird]

This may be a bit late and you have already found your answer but for anyone else stumbling across this specific topic and wanting other helpful advice I did some digging into the subject and found a great article that talked about how staying up (for any reason) by taking Adderall is a bad idea and a waste of your stims. Not sure if I can post links to other sites as it rarely comes up but here it is. http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2007/08/how_to_take_ritalin_correctly.html

 

[eastern star]

Hi Nicanon, you should drink Ensure.

IMO there is no difference between re dosing and upping the dose, that just means take more. I know that is how my addiction behaves. And if you don't have any benzos you can take benedryl. Valerian Root (nature's valium) and Kava Kava are good too. But, I'm an addict so I recommend a heavy dose of benzos with that schedule of Adderall. Long term effect of the pills on your depression is something to take into consideration. Depression and addiction creep up on you and are progressive diseases, sneaky bitches.

 

[chrisincville]

Well this is just a good of a time as any to respond to a thread with that title..

I'm on day/night 1 of my Adderall script. Basically, I never sleep the first night.

You have to prepare going into it.Try eating a big meal before dosing. You also have to figure out how much your body can handle so you don't overdo it right out of the gate, so my advise there is to NOT start out with a lot, simply to get the most effect. Wait to see how you feel after a moderate dose, add some more, then go from there. Fuck that all at once mindset for someone new to the drug. Part of preparing includes figuring out how you're going to come down..sure sucks to have nothing

Hope this helps.