Dextroamphetamine and negative side effects

[Hippocampus]

Hello bluelight.org,

Please excuse me for my English, it's not my first language.

I'm currently prescribed 30mg of dextroamphetamine. I'm taking it twice a day (15mg capsules) at 8:00 in the morning and at 12 in the afternoon on a daily base.
I've been diagnosed with ADD and this medicine has given me the oppertunity to live my life normally. After my mother has been diagnosed with ADD, I observed the effects of the given medicine and found my interests in this threatment due to the fact that my mother and I share the same negative symptoms of ADD. Lack of motivation, difficulty concentrating and a bunch of other symptoms. My mother was significantly improving on these symptoms so I decided to get myself an official diagnosis and the doctor told me that I do have ADD and thus I received my dextroamphetamine receipt.

After I've been searching through official medical studies and read a lot of posts on this forum I've decided to register myself on this forum.

Luckily I've been reading up on this medicine for a longer time, so most of my questions are answered. Unfortunately, I'm slowly noticeing a decrease in effectiveness of the medicine and serveral negative side effects of the medicine are more pronouncing every day.

Lately I'm experiencing the following :
- The medicine has less of an impact in motivation.
- My feeling throughout the day while on dextroamphetaminen are getting more 'speedy'. Less positive focus, more negative tweaked focus.
- My social intelligence is slightly declining. Making up sentences and answering quickly and fluently is getting harder.
- I'm getting a little more aggresive, i.e. less control of anger
- My stomach is getting weaker, I am having a hard time drinking acidic foods and not having a stomach burn.
- My belly is bloated and gassy all the time, not really constipation but a bloated uncomfortable feeling.
- I'm coughing from within my stomach, I don't know the word for this in english, but it feels like i'm burping and less able to handle soda's, some foods and nicotine.
- I'm getting less social and fun. I'm not really bothered by this, but I'm used to be a funny spontanious guy and now i'm more quiet and into my self. Answering very short on people's questions and having a hard time talking about non-sence.
- Euphoria is almost gone, not that i'm taking this medicine for this effect, just an oberservation.

I've tried taking a break from the amphetamines for a month. In this time I noticed that my appetite was strongly coming back, motivation to do things was totally gone and my structure and positive effects that the amphetamines had were diminished. So I'm currently on day 2 after starting with dexedrine again and I'm willing to prevent and cure the side effects / negative effects as much as possible.

How should I take care of these problems, are they related to some sort of deffiency? Should I be taking serveral supplements to prevent my negative side effects?


Thanks alot!

 

[PotatoMan]

I ain't gonna rant about ADHD again but I think you should stop taking the meds as I have a friend who is also a zombie cuz of ADHD treatment. Those pills do more harm than good man. Doctors should stop fucking up people's minds n bodies by over-diagnosing this questionable disease.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

I don't mean to question your intelligence but if you have been reading up on this medication you should have seen this coming. I'm sure you know tolerance to any drug will happen and half of the side effects you listed are pretty common when taking amphetamine. I've heard chelated magnesium helps with some of this and a regular multivitamin couldn't hurt.

 

[Hippocampus]

Thanks for your response. I do understand what you mean about ADD being over diagnosed and some people don't have it but just like the way stimulants make them feel. My personal opinion on this is that most of the people that do not have ADD are actually loving these medicines due to the inital high it can give (euphoric and energetic) and are giving up on it after the tolerance kicks in. I'm not looking for those effects, I'm only looking to function normally. After having to cope with all the effects of a dopamine deficiency (what I do believe I have), this medicine is the best and safest way of threathing my ADD and making it able to focus and concentrate like a normal person.
I'm not looking to stop my meds. The positive effects still outfar the negative effects of ADD by FAR. The only thing that i'm looking for is to reduce the side effects that are negative.

Although I've been quite sceptical about ADD and the disorder in the past. I'm really confinced that there are people on earth that have a so called dopamine deficiency and that threathment is the best way of solving this.

 

[Hippocampus]

I understand that tolerance happens and the effectiveness of this medicine will decrease. Would increasing my dose don't up in just extending my effective time that this medicine will work and eventually get me to the same point I'm currently?
Thanks for your tip on the magnesium, I'm not that precise on taking supplements so perhaps that could indeed help a lot.

 

[falsifiedhypothesi]

Would increasing my dose don't up in just extending my effective time that this medicine will work and eventually get me to the same point I'm currently?

your English is good, but I'm not getting this part, maybe I'm reading it wrong? I don't think you can diagnose yourself with a dopamine deficiency based on dextroamphetamine making you feel better. I made the same mistake with the "dopamine deficiency" self diagnosis but it was really just me lying to myself to try to justify my use of dopamine related drugs. I don't think adhd really exists because adhd like traits can be found in most people at least some of the time.

 

[Literacy]

I have a friend who is also a zombie cuz of ADHD treatment. Those pills do more harm than good man.

I beg to differ actually; They practically saved me back when I was in school, and they also helped me out socially as well. (Confidence gain, Euphoria)

Some people don't do well on them, and they aren't for everyone but on the right dosage FOR ADD/ADHD; and a healthy lifestyle, they can do HUGE AMOUNTS of Good.

{Source: been prescribed to take daily for 3 1/2 years}

That being said; you should try and get off of the IR tablets (assuming that's what you are taking), and try a different ADHD medication.

As I said; these meds are a hit or miss. You gotta just stay positive though, and not become addicted.