Stimulants Adderall weight loss questions

[Sims92]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and have a few Adderall weight loss questions. But here's a bit of backstory before I ask my questions...

I was prescribed Adderall 60mg in February 2014 and was on it until January 2015. I'm 5'3 and started out in Feb 2014 at 130 lbs which is average for 5'3 albeit a little thick for my liking. By May 2014 I had lost 15 lbs and was at 115 which is fine. I lost 15 more lbs by late July, so 15 lbs in 2 months which brought me to 100 lbs. I was happy to stay at 100, but by late August/early September my weight had leveled at 107 which was fine too. By that time my 60mg wasn't working anymore so I upped the dosage to 120mg even though I wasn't supposed to. I ended up running out of pills quickly by mid October and went two weeks without pills and gained 10 lbs. I got back on them and lost the 10 by mid November. This past January my psychiatrist retired and I had to go to a new one. She knew my history of abusing the pills and a past eating disorder (was under control at the time), so she took me off the pills. Not only did my ADHD become so out of control that I had to quit work and school within a month of going off it, my weight skyrocketed from 107 to an unhealthy 149 within three months!!!

I was FINALLY able to see a new psychiatrist on August 31st outside of the insurance, but had to pay for my visit and pills out of pocket. He concluded I needed my pills and put me back on it, but 40mg, not 60 unfortunately. Since starting on September 1st I have lost a pound a day. My question is will I be able to lose 30 lbs this months and the final ten next month if I work out 20 minutes on the treadmill? In the first two days alone I have only eaten one meal a day, a 270 calorie salad, it's not deliberate, I just don't have a desire to eat when I take Adderall and exercise. I know everyone is staunchly against Adderall for weight loss, but I'm desperate and I actually need it for other things.

 

[Fig]

You will lose weight, how much depends on a lot of things. One thing I can gurantee is that you will eventually gain it back pluse more, because one you become tolerant to the stims and don't increase your dosage your appetite will return with a vengence. The only way to lose weight properly is through exerise, changing your diet to a healthy proper diet and getting plenty of sleep. All of these things are difficult as it is on stims unless very dedicated to them. Since you have already experienced weight gain from stopping, that should tell you everything you need to know about what will happen unless you change your lifestyle.

 

[Sims92]

Can I lose weight quicker this time? I really want to lose 30 in a month. So far I feel like my 200-300 calories a day and light exercise is working. Doesn't Adderall speed up the metabolism? Would I have to exercise an hour on top of barely eating anything for the Adderall to really help me lose 30 lbs in a month?

 

[dmtmixalis]

It will facilitate weight loss, but it's generally not a healthy way of shedding the pounds. 300 calories is nowhere near enough per day! Good luck with your future endeavours.

 

[Fig]

Look, you have already had the experience of using high doses to lose weight and then gaining weight back when you went off. The more you take, the less you eat and the faster you lose it the weight will return just as aggressively and then some when you stop. 200 or 300 cal is not only not enough, it is very unhealthy. You are seriously damaging your body and setting yourself up for big weight gains in the future. I know you don't want to hear that and I know you know the way to do it is thru exercise, proper diet etc but that is the hard way, right? But it's the only way to do it right.

I used stims for weight loss with doctor's supervision alongside an established exercise program and a structured diet. I lots a huge amount of weight and have kept it off because once I came off stims (because they stopped working/tolerant) I had changed my lifestyle and simply continued what I had been doing.

Then, not that long ago, I began taking Vyvanse and Adderall for ADD after a grueling and thorough round of testing etc by my doctor. Like, the kind of testing that is supposed to happen when adults claim ADD, because I myself wanted that to be sure I actually have ADD (I do). I never took ADD meds before, the stim I took for weight loss was phendimetrazine, which is way less powerful. Had to go thru the whole sequence with AddIR, AddXR then to Vyvanse. On the AddIR I dropped about 20lbs in a month. It was close to the last excess weight I carry by about 10lbs. It was great, I was happy and didn't worry about it because I continue to exercise regularly and eat properly. Vyvanse is fantastic, I feel like a new person and I am determined to keep my dose as low as possible for as long as possible, because I am not using it to "get stimulated" but for work focus and organization. But for that first month or two n Adderal exclusively the severe appetite suppression was almost scary. I felt like shit and I was probably eating 1200 cal per day.

You are really gonna hurt yourself. I hope you are able to come around and see it, because the endgame won't be what you wish for.

 

[Sims92]

I appreciate the advice. I took an extensive test on Monday with my new psychiatrist and it was determined I have ADHD (yes even the hyperactivity part). I took a test ten years ago when I was 13 and that determined it as well, but I didn't want to go on meds at the time. I understand your concern, especially since I have lost a lot and gained it back within the past year. I'm not trying to only eat a small chicken salad a day, but it's hard to force myself to eat more. I really want to lose this weight the right way and keep it off so I don't have to go through the hassle of losing it again. I'm going to do more research on the weight loss and everything else.

Did you exercise when you lost the 20 lbs in a month?

 

[legaluser]

exercise is key to losing weight as well as having a body that looks more well rounded and shapely, sure eating less food will cause you to lose weight but you could end up looking "skinny fat" small arms/legs but a pot belly and a big center mass along with flabbiness and pancake ass.

You gotta workout to build some muscle so your body looks shapely and well formed, I think your a girl sorry if your not, but it will make your tits look perkier and less like saggy bags. Youll have a better formed round bubble shaped butt, along with not having flabby chicken wing arms.

So dont be afraid to do a little bit of weight training, you wont look like the hulk from lifting a little bit of weight, it wont make you look super manly.

you need to eat more as well only one chicken salad? thats nothing your organs are going to be under a lot of stress and its not good to lose weight that way, losing 2 lbs a week is plenty fast enough, and its not like your 300+ pounds.

You gotta improve your mental view of your body image, you dont want to look like those weird supermodels, you want to have some meat on your bones and have some shape to your body, having nice legs round butt perky tits the whole image, not a fucking skeleton haha.

So start thinking better of yourself, think highly of yourself your beautiful and so am I! Your gorgeous and say that to yourself when you look in the mirror, eat 3 times a day keep track of your weight and make sure your slowly loosing like 2 lbs a week and not gaining 2 lbs a week and youll know your eating the right amount (your body fluctuates like 5 lbs all the time so always weigh yourself same time of day with same contents in stomach) Stick to healthy foods like chicken salad, but you need to eat two other meals thats to few calories and very harsh on your internal organs since they start eating your body and going into starvation mode and its just awful for your body, not to mention the mental strain it puts on you, your brain will be working at less than half capacity since your starving.

 

[Erikmen]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and have a few Adderall weight loss questions. But here's a bit of backstory before I ask my questions...

I was prescribed Adderall 60mg in February 2014 and was on it until January 2015. I'm 5'3 and started out in Feb 2014 at 130 lbs which is average for 5'3 albeit a little thick for my liking. By May 2014 I had lost 15 lbs and was at 115 which is fine. I lost 15 more lbs by late July, so 15 lbs in 2 months which brought me to 100 lbs. I was happy to stay at 100, but by late August/early September my weight had leveled at 107 which was fine too. By that time my 60mg wasn't working anymore so I upped the dosage to 120mg even though I wasn't supposed to. I ended up running out of pills quickly by mid October and went two weeks without pills and gained 10 lbs. I got back on them and lost the 10 by mid November. This past January my psychiatrist retired and I had to go to a new one. She knew my history of abusing the pills and a past eating disorder (was under control at the time), so she took me off the pills. Not only did my ADHD become so out of control that I had to quit work and school within a month of going off it, my weight skyrocketed from 107 to an unhealthy 149 within three months!!!

I was FINALLY able to see a new psychiatrist two days ago outside of the insurance, but had to pay for my visit and pills out of pocket. He concluded I needed my pills and put me back on it, but 40mg, not 60 unfortunately. It's been two days and I am down two pounds thankfully. My question is will I be able to lose 30 lbs this months and the final ten next month if I work out 20 minutes on the treadmill? In the first two days alone I have only eaten one meal a day, a 270 calorie salad, it's not deliberate, I just don't have a desire to eat when I take Adderall and exercise. I know everyone is staunchly against Adderall for weight loss, but I'm desperate and I actually need it for other things.

The doctor I used to go told me that we tend to gain most of the weight we lose with certain medications. Idk about Adderall.
But this experience of regaining the weight after quitting your meds is very common. My sister went through this for years.

The best diet for me was always those that required more time and involved a method so we relearn how to eat properly.
You should be able to eat everything but moderately and it works well and include veggies, fruits, nuts etc and exercise at least 3 to four times a week.

Avoid sugary and saturated oil food and too much carbs, try not to eat fast food regularly. And try to avoid meat eventually.
The idea is to be healthy and to exercise as much as you can so you can also lose weight when you are rested.

And when you think about weight think about what suits you. I agree with people who says today's obsession is always to get skinnier and all that. Don't listen to this BS. You should feel fine being yourself. But healthy ok!
Good luck!!

 

[Sims92]

Haha I appreciate the kind words Legaluser. I do light lifting sometimes. When I was thin I wasn't skinny-fat, I had definition in my abs and legs and arms! I look much better at the very low end of my BMI.

 

[Sims92]

Thanks Erikmen. I will be trying to eat more. This morning I managed to force myself to eat a low sugar small yogurt and a few red grapes before I did a 30 minute treadmill walk at 4.3mph. I had water with that and have had it all day as well (drinking a bottle again right now). I haven't eaten yet since it's 6pm here and I don't eat until 7:30ish.

 

[xtcgrrrl]

I want to warn you, as a fellow drug abuser/user AND ED haver (lol) that losing weight rapidly through stims is great, BUT you can only do it a certain number of times AND it is generally slower each time because 1) you become more resistant to the stims 2) you do a number to your metabolism by losing weight quickly with stims and 3) people with EDs aren't known for eating in a healthy fashion (it's either RESTRICT TO UNDER 300 KCALS A DAY or b/p, etc etc. none of this "eat a good healthy diet, just enough but not too much, moderate exercise" that is what REAL weight loss is about and we know it but we don't care because OMG THIS IS A MENTAL ILLNESS not a diet. Or so I've been told.)

Anyway, I wanted to tell you I've done this MANY, MANY times. I've done the ABC diet. I've done the coke diet. I've done the adderal diet. I've done pretty much every stupid, damaging diet out there - both ED wise AND using drugs. The verdict? I can now do blow or adderal and sit down to a five course meal and then purge it all up in the toilet. Healthy, no? ANDDDDDDD...the kicker...my metabolism is shot to shit. I've been on WEIGHT WATCHERS, freakin WEIGHT WATCHERS, for six months, eating a healthy 1200 calories, and haven't lost a single pound. Because my metabolism. IS. SCREWED.

Don't be like me.

EDITED TO SAY: aaaaaaand: I'm still thinking about trying the crystal meth diet because I have BOTH a drug problem and an ED and I'm desperate to lose weight. So I'm not a stellar role model at all.

 

[Fig]

Did you exercise when you lost the 20 lbs in a month?

Hell yes I exercised. I have never stopped exerising since I started on the path to weight loss four years ago. It's part of my life no. I highly reccommend it because it is THE only way you will ever achieve what you want your body to be.

Best of luck. Stims are a dead end diet in the the long run.

 

[Erikmen]

Thanks Erikmen. I will be trying to eat more. This morning I managed to force myself to eat a low sugar small yogurt and a few red grapes before I did a 30 minute treadmill walk at 4.3mph. I had water with that and have had it all day as well (drinking a bottle again right now). I haven't eaten yet since it's 6pm here and I don't eat until 7:30ish.

Good. Keep it up. Take it easy go slow and steady. Wish you good luck!!

I want to warn you, as a fellow drug abuser/user AND ED haver (lol) that losing weight rapidly through stims is great, BUT you can only do it a certain number of times AND it is generally slower each time because 1) you become more resistant to the stims 2) you do a number to your metabolism by losing weight quickly with stims and 3) people with EDs aren't known for eating in a healthy fashion (it's either RESTRICT TO UNDER 300 KCALS A DAY or b/p, etc etc. none of this "eat a good healthy diet, just enough but not too much, moderate exercise" that is what REAL weight loss is about and we know it but we don't care because OMG THIS IS A MENTAL ILLNESS not a diet. Or so I've been told.)

Anyway, I wanted to tell you I've done this MANY, MANY times. I've done the ABC diet. I've done the coke diet. I've done the adderal diet. I've done pretty much every stupid, damaging diet out there - both ED wise AND using drugs. The verdict? I can now do blow or adderal and sit down to a five course meal and then purge it all up in the toilet. Healthy, no? ANDDDDDDD...the kicker...my metabolism is shot to shit. I've been on WEIGHT WATCHERS, freakin WEIGHT WATCHERS, for six months, eating a healthy 1200 calories, and haven't lost a single pound. Because my metabolism. IS. SCREWED.

Don't be like me.

EDITED TO SAY: aaaaaaand: I'm still thinking about trying the crystal meth diet because I have BOTH a drug problem and an ED and I'm desperate to lose weight. So I'm not a stellar role model at all.

I'm sorry to hear you also have to worry about ED when drug addiction is already too much.
I believe your experience is indeed very useful. A lot of truth in you post.

There are ways to increase your metabolism. Maybe through hormones prescribed by doctors.
Have you checked yours?

I found out I was short of testosterone and after I was treated I've lost almost 12 pounds without any diet. Just bc of my increasing metabolism.

I also believe that drugs like meth makes you lose weight quite quickly but you get those back at some point right?

Hope you find your ways to get better!

 

[Sims92]

Ugh I feel bad. I've taken 200mg today like I used to do last year when I abused it. Even back then at 100 lbs when I took 200mg I didn't experience any "drama" like jitters, bad comedown etc, the only bad thing was I ran out of pills quickly. Sigh, I guess today was a bad day. I won't be doing 200mg because I don't want to run out of pills and have my new doc think I'm abusing. Stupid decision of me today >.<

 

[Erikmen]

The self knowledge about your decisions matters a lot to you specially if they are insightful. You know what's best for you.

 

[Sims92]

Erikmen, you are correct. After I took the 200mg I decided to go on a 3 hour hike even though I've only been accustomed to 1 hour hikes over the past few years. I foolishly forced myself to complete the 3 hour hike. Needless to say that by the end of the hike my damn heart was pounding so hard because I've never ever done such a long and arduous hike. STUPID fucking decision ???

 

[Fig]

I won't be doing 200mg because I don't want to run out of pills and have my new doc think I'm abusing.

Seriously not trying to be a jerk, but you are abusing, which you know. In just the small amount you have posted since you began this thread I can clearly see you repeating your past cycle of abuse. Do you see it?

Not wanting your doctor to know is a warning sign for you. If you have it in you, take a step back away from the pills for a few days and see what happens. Notice how your eating changes, what you eat, and how that reflects you ED. Listen to your body and ask yourself what your craving for the drug is telling you. Is there a connection there between the pills, your cravings and food?

I'm not judging you at all, I mean that. I'm only sugesting you take a look and honestly evaluate what you are doing to yourself, and then ask yourself if there is another path available toward health.

 

[shakedownk8]

adderalls a biiiitch like that tho.. take it from a chick who knows about the pain & gain of adderall & & & wanting to be thin.. I've personally been on adderall for about 2 months straight.. &I know that's nothing compared to years of taking it.. but within the first WEEK of me taking adderall daily I lost 5 pounds.. it's tricky shit bcus when yer on it you have ZeRo appetite.. but trust me TRY to eat.. try eating breakfast theeennnnn take yer adderall.. you NEED NEED NEED those vitamins & protiens in yer system... w/0 it the adderall is just sitting in yer belly... it will fuct up yer digestive system &mess w/ you mentally.. and by the sound of it you do not need the treadmill to lose weight... what you reeeallly need in your vitamins &proteins.. if you TRY to eat regularly your weight won't fluctuate so much. I've done sooo much research & have dealt with this myself. (ive went on adderall binges many times, I now how it works &effects the body) just be careful.. just last week I took too much addies at work and got extremely nauseous and dizzy and it felt like I was sea sick.. it was because I was dehydrated... you need to drink ALOTTTT of fluids... you only have ONE body so take care of it. I wish you the best of luck!!!

~shakedown

 

[Erikmen]

As far as I know most medications in that line used for diets never really work. You get back every pound you lose and for some reason that I don't know you always get more weight at the end.

My sister used all sort of amphetamines for years. Thought she had a perfect body and continued using stronger medications. When she stopped she gained a lot of weight -- almost twice as much.