Stimulants Long term prescribed Adderall usage continuing into adult life

[piller97]

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for insight into factors relating to continuing my Adderall(prescribed) usage in the long term.
Im especially interested in hearing from anyone with experience in long term adderall use to treat ADHD extending into adulthood.

Basics:
-Ive been prescribed Adderall for ADHD for many years now.
-I do not take it everyday, even though thats how its prescribed. I take it only when needed in order to prevent tolerance and negative side effects.
-I will be turning 18 soon and I am interested in continuing my Adderall usage into my adult life.
-Has anyone who is legitimately prescribed Adderall for ADHD continued their usage into their adult lives?

if you didn't continue using it, why?​

-If you're prescribed Adderall as an adult, who prescribes it? A psychiatrist or just your family doctor?
-Can anyone think of any draw backs to continued usage?
-Can my family doc continue my psychiatrists current prescription?
-Are there any long term health risks to continued amphetamine use?

Background
-Ive been prescribed Adderall XR(and almost every other ADHD med out there) for the better part of 10 years in order to treat my diagnosed ADHD
-Adderall is the med i have found to work best for me
-For about 5 years now I haven't been taking it everyday, I determined that it wasn't necessary and I only needed it on days when I have a lot of work todo and just can't focus or stay on task
-Though I do not take it daily, that is how it is prescribed.
-My current doctor is a Psychiatrist specializing in children, specifically those with ADHD. He operates out of a ministry health organization for the mental health of minors, and therefor can't continue to see me when I turn 18.
-For the past year he has been steadily increasing my dose in anticipation for me turning 18 and him having my family doctor continue my prescriptions(I assume this is his goal, but he never specifically said my family doc)
-More recently he incorporated 10mg of Adderall IR a day that I can take when I feel necessary or when its too late for a XR. He has also said that if I feel like I need a little more help, I could take up to 3 of them.


Im sorry if this is long or doesn't make much sense, Ive just lately become very nervous about turning 18, and want to make sure I'm fully prepared.

Also, as far as the questions about what docs can prescribe, Im fairly certain these do not violate the no sourcing rule, but if they do, id appreciate someone letting me know so I can edit them out.

Thanks to all that reply!
-p

 

[Flaga121]

There is nothing wrong with continuing use as an adult, that said the side effects of anything close to daily use become more profound for many of my clients (and myself) with Amphetamine scripts as an adult. I find that using it as little, and in as small a dose (and only ever one dose a day) to be the best combination of ADHD treatment (and I'm pretty severe) and few side effects. I take Vyvance about twice a week, in 15mg doses.

I used to take 30mg every weekday. I found that unsustainable. Many will tell you how they felt, they can not tell you how you feel. You know your body best, if you start having harsh come downs, don't feel good when not on your medication, ect, you should realize these are very real effects of the meds on your mind/body (or the effects of bad diet because of the meds). Don't put too much stock in average MDs on this topic, they are very poorly trained in general. The best option is to find a shrink with the ability to write your script (a number of qualifications allow this) they tend to be best trained in the use of amphs.

 

[BlueHues]

You ask a lot of questions here that would take a long time to answer.

I was first diagnosed ADD at six years old, prescribed methylphenidate...started abusing it at 14, and was completely hooked on it by 15.

I started buying or trading for other people's prescriptions that I went to high-school with, and was introduced to dextroamphetamine this way, which was much less common in those days than methylphenidate, and Adderall was just coming into existence.

At 15, I was taken off methylphenidate when it was found I was abusing it....but, I still knew other people who were prescribed it, and continued to use it all the time. It really did help me "stay on task", but after the first time taking a large enough dose to "get high", I was never able to take it normally again.

I eventually discovered mdma and methamphetamine, which were exactly what I was looking for after having used pharmaceutical stimulants all that time, especially meth.

If I had grown up on the west coast US instead of the east coast, I'm sure I would have crashed and burned in a matter of two years because of the cheap price and availability of meth....but instead, I was introduced to heroin and became addicted to that...

I'm in my thirties now, and I've been using stimulants, prescribed and illegal for around 20 years now...

I could go on and on, and I'm not answering any questions here...but, you can supposedly continue on with Adderall and other ADHD medications long-term. And many doctors feel it doesn't do any permanent damage...I won't pretend that I actually know what long-term prescribed amphetamines do, but the idea of daily amphetamines going on indefinitely into your 40s...makes me cringe..

You're 18 years old though, so....you're a long ways away from having to worry about this stuff...May as well stay on it through college at least, if it helps you..And judging from the way your post is organized, I think it does!

I could say a lot more about this, but I don't want to tell my whole life story..

 

[blight12]

Hey OP, i like that you dont take it daily, that you only take it when you seem to need it. That's a massive jump from daily use and the mindset of assuming you need it each day and just taking it anyways, so that alone stops from my responding in my usual anti amp daily long term use negative rant, as "non daily regular use" as made all the difference with amps in my own life.

Can I ask your average usage schedule. Every 2 days, 3 times a week etc?

 

[piller97]

Hey OP, i like that you dont take it daily, that you only take it when you seem to need it. That's a massive jump from daily use and the mindset of assuming you need it each day and just taking it anyways, so that alone stops from my responding in my usual anti amp daily long term use negative rant, as "non daily regular use" as made all the difference with amps in my own life.

Can I ask your average usage schedule. Every 2 days, 3 times a week etc?

Generally I'll take it once or maybe twice a week. But there is also times when I'll go for weeks in between taking any, or others where I may need it four or five days(exams, large projects, ect).


I'm grad to her that you don't think it's presumptuous of me to assume I don't need it every day. I just never liked the idea of being on any type of narcotic consistently, as it just doesn't seem possible for it to be viable in the long term, that and I just don't see the point in taking something you don't need.

-p

 

[blight12]

Well yeah, what I actually meant was that your not taking it every day even if you do need it or its prescribed that way. For example if i got a script for that or benzos id break it up a few times a week just in case, maybe using something else inbetween like Kratom, though benzos more for the dependency risks, amps wont cause that but the addiction is just as bad, it becomes to much a part of your ability to function.

In general tho you wouldn't want to take something unless you really need it, especially amps. I mean if you can handle some days without it why not everyday but i don't really know your situation. I did have to choose to take benzoz everyday or suffer with bad anxiety for 7 years and rather chose to deal with it, and im stronger for it.

But ever situation is different. And with amps if you start slacking with your self control you can easily end up using daily and its a bad road from there.

Man and its tough, knowing you can perform so much better today if you took XXX substance or you would feel better or whatever, and not doing it. It was tough not to amps for work for example even tho it would have been so easy and effective since i work from home.

 

[Freddie Tacos]

Basics:
-Ive been prescribed Adderall for ADHD for many years now.
-I do not take it everyday, even though thats how its prescribed. I take it only when needed in order to prevent tolerance and negative side effects.
-I will be turning 18 soon and I am interested in continuing my Adderall usage into my adult life.
-Has anyone who is legitimately prescribed Adderall for ADHD continued their usage into their adult lives?

if you didn't continue using it, why?​

i think this all depends on why your taking the Adderall, is it for focus on school, work, hyperactive disorder, narcolepsy, depression anxiety? Adderall is prescribed for much more than add. i have add but my Adderall was more for my hyperactive condition, i literally cannot sit or lay still for long periods of time. amphetamines, calm my insides and take away all my anxiety. i also have chronic boredom, that's a real adhd symptom. So i am 35 and take it, but not for add at all.
​

-If you're prescribed Adderall as an adult, who prescribes it? A psychiatrist or just your family doctor?

either can, however a psychiatrist will prescribe you more than a gp will. most gp's only prescribe 40mg/day or mine did 60mg/day.

-Can anyone think of any draw backs to continued usage?

addiction. which isn't a problem until you have no insurance.

-Can my family doc continue my psychiatrists current prescription?

depends on the dosage and how the family doctor feels about schedule 2 drugs

Are there any long term health risks to continued amphetamine use?

yes, there is with any drug, especially strong stimulants. there are many, google them

Background
-Ive been prescribed Adderall XR(and almost every other ADHD med out there) for the better part of 10 years in order to treat my diagnosed ADHD
-Adderall is the med i have found to work best for me
-For about 5 years now I haven't been taking it everyday, I determined that it wasn't necessary and I only needed it on days when I have a lot of work todo and just can't focus or stay on task
-Though I do not take it daily, that is how it is prescribed.
-My current doctor is a Psychiatrist specializing in children, specifically those with ADHD. He operates out of a ministry health organization for the mental health of minors, and therefor can't continue to see me when I turn 18.
-For the past year he has been steadily increasing my dose in anticipation for me turning 18 and him having my family doctor continue my prescriptions(I assume this is his goal, but he never specifically said my family doc)

he has been raising your dose or you have and he gave it too you? Never let the doctor raise your dose unless you need him too, no matter what he says. Adderall is addictive and the only way a doctor should raise your dose, is if your current dose isn't working. only you know how much you need, only you.

-More recently he incorporated 10mg of Adderall IR a day that I can take when I feel necessary or when its too late for a XR. He has also said that if I feel like I need a little more help, I could take up to 3 of them.

those are called bumpers, extended release pills never last as long as there supposed to. bumbers are the only way i would ever take XR's again. Your gp may not prescribe bumbers