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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

How dangerous is frequent use of Adderall and Ritalin?

DrunkardsDream

Ex-Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
684
I was prescribed Adderall for a few years and I never took more than 15mg at once. I usually would take 5-10mg about 5 days a week when I was taking classes.

I sometimes would take a low dose on the weekend if I had lots of work to do but for the most part if I was not in classes like if it was summer I did not take it.

I was monitored by doctors and my blood pressure never got high and I was not on Adderall XR.

I do not take it anymore and I know I was taking amphetamine but I never experienced heart palpitations or arrhythmia. How Neurotoxic is taking Adderall in low doses like this?

I had a friend in HS who would take very large doses of Adderall say like 90-100mg and I never took anything near that amount. I have also never used meth and when I would take the Adderall I would take it orally and never IV it, plug it, snort it, or take it any other way and I did not take it with other drugs.

I was on Ritalin for ADD/ADHD for a few years before taking Adderall and I was constantly monitored by doctors while on that and I did not wind up getting high blood pressure or any other horrible health problems from it. When I was on the Ritalin I would take it daily before school and I never took more than 15mg of the IR (instant release type) and 10mg of the XR (extended release). I did snort 15mg of Ritalin once just to see what it was like and looking back it was like bad cocaine which I only used once years later and not while on these drugs and while I was prescribed Ritalin and Adderall I did not even drink booze or even use other drugs in combination with them.

I have been to see a doctor and I am in excellent health and I no longer take either Adderall or Ritalin but I'm just wondering how dangerous the use of Ritalin and Adderall like this is? How bad is taking this much Adderall and Ritalin for your body? Are my dopamine levels fucked up? I realize I was not taking high doses and I was not taking methamphetamine which both apparently do easily burn out dopamine receptors. I hope this is in the right forum, if it's not please move it.
 
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I'm still kickin' on 5 years at 60mgs a day, I'm fine.

At some rate, something is going to get burned with all drugs, not just amphetamines.

You are at fairly low doses, and there should be little to no damage.
The most damage is going to be your friend in this case, as he is tramping up the hill with little or no tolerance at high doses.
 
I'm having trouble understanding your question op but those doses aren't crazy or anything. Your friend's on the other hand are pretty high. Are you asking if you have damaged your heart or brain from adderall and ritalin? Probably not horribly, but ask your doctor.

The amount of amphetamines you used by itself wouldn't be all that bad. I'm not a doctor, I do not know your medical history. Mixed with other drugs or just plain ol' using other drugs frequently, maybe. Having a undiscovered pre-existing medical condition and using drugs, maybe. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor. Be safe.
 
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Unless you're taking heroic doses and have a pre-existing heart condition its not even a worry. Keep in mind that dexedrine was available over the counter until the 70s and was the most prescribed drug in US history for a 20 year period. If it were cardiotoxic we would know about it now.

Amphetamine is over 100 years old right now, its one of the most studied drugs in human history.
 
adderall is my all time fav drug. However It is VERY dangerous with long term use. I haven't used it for years. I was prescribed it around the age of 8 and in my teen years became severely anorexic and it was extremely hard to put the weight back on. Even if you eat normally and healthy it is hard to maintain a healthy weight while on it and anorexia is something you deff don't want to go through. Also the addiction potential for me is the highest of any drug I've ever tried.
 
So if I were to take 36 mg concerta xr ritalin orally in its original form lets say one or two days a week for an extended period of time lets say 6 months or something do any of you think I would be harming myself in anyway
 
It's a drug. Yeah, one cigarette will damage you. One beer. And that's not how drugs work son, you don't just decide everything beforehand.
 
you sound like the most responsible adderall user I have ever come across, at those doses I'm pretty sure there is no long term damage. you took them as prescribed by your doctor, I wouldn't even give it a second thought if I were you.
 
I agree with the post above. Don't waste another second worrying about it. First of all you must have ADD if you were taking it. Your dose was low. My son takes 25 mg adderall and then 15mg short acting and has for years, my daughter and my self concertta. The chances of you having done any damage to yourself is slim, you didn't abuse the drug. It the people that take it that don't need it, and snort or eat huge amounts.
 
You should be OK OP. You said you were taking very low doses and being monitored by doctors. I have taken some of what is mentioned and it was prescribed, I was under constant supervision by a doctor and medical professionals, and this was for a short period of time and not taken daily or during the entire summer.

I know people who have ADD or ADHD who have been on Ritalin and Adderall/Dexedrine for decades and they take their medication as prescribed and do not abuse it or take huge doses of it.
 
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