Hey, I am a 15 year old female, already on Lexapro, and I was recently prescribed Adderall XR (20mg) for ADD. I just began yesterday and so far I am experiencing some pretty unpleasant side effects. Of course, there was the insomnia. Drymouth, excessive sweating, leg aches (I am pretty sure this is from the Adderall, as I have not done any real physical activity), slight nausea, apetite loss (although this is a sort of good thing). My dad has been taking Adderall XR (30mg) for several years and he really seems to enjoy it. He says he only remembers experiencing insomnia. I am really enjoying the positive affects of this drug, the relief of anxiety, stuff doesn't feel as chaotic anymore, everything feels more natural, I feel more integrated into my environment... my mood is (so far) much more even, I can actually process thoughts... and the Euphoria. But the more I read up on this the more concerned I become... it seems a bit dangerous, what with addictions and depending on it and all that, and developing a tolerance... And the side effects for me are less than enjoyable (I also have marks all over my tongue and inside of my mouth from constantly chewing on my mouth/ grinding my teeth... I can't imagine what this would have to do with Adderall but I never experienced it before yesterday when I first started taking it... I suddenly feel very aware of my mouth and am constantly unintentionally moving it around... my teeth ache...). I was wondering if the side effects should go away after a while? How long before I would know what it is going to be like? I was previously trying out Concerta but stopped taking it after a few days because it made me irritable and sick to the stomach, and it just got increasingly worse.

Any advice or comments appreciated.

Liz,

I am no expert on supplements for ADHD but I do now you won't find anyone on this forum who advocates the use of prescription drugs for anything. There are some who have had severe side effects. The mouth chewing and teeth grinding could very well be side effects and they could possibly get worse.

I am sorry I can't help you with specific supplements for ADHD, however, a good vitamin/mineral is a place to start. I would recommend you seeing a naturopath/environmental doctor to help diagnose your nutritional deficiencies.

If you read some of the tourettes posts you will see many threads with different supplements that people have tried. You will also see where Chemar's son sufferred severe side affects for a couple of years while taking prescription drugs. Since he has been taking natural supplements, his symptoms are minimal. ADHD is considered to be on the same spectrum of neurological disorders so you may benefit from some of the posts under other titles (Aspergers, autism, tourettes, etc.)

There are many successes you will read with the use of natural supplements on this forum.

hi i take adderall too and i am always biting the inside of my cheeks and my lips...but, other than that, no side effects, and it really works well for me! I can tolerate that side effect...........all meds have some side effects and this seems pretty minor compared to the chaos in my life before meds1 :)Joan immomru@aol.com

HELLO MY SON IS 10YRS OLD AND HIS DR PERSCRIBED ADDERALL XR AND I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND LOOKED IT UP AND I DIDNT LIKE THE SIDE AFFECTS AND IT ALSO WAS TALKING ABOUT SOME SIDEAFFECTS WERE LIKE USING COCAIN HE HAS TRIED CONCERTA AND IT CAUSED VERY BAD HEADACHES HE STILL TAKES RISPERADAL EVERY NIGHT BUT I DONT THINK HE WILL BE TAKING ADDERALL :HE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH ADHA /ADA
IF YOU THINK HE/OR SHE WILL BE OK WELL YHATS YOURER DECISION GOOD LUCK BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL

I too have a 10 year old. I was never for the meds in the first place but the schools would bug me all the time about he needs on meds. My son has been diag. with ADD, ADHD and ODD! He has taken Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, and Stratera and non worked, he looked drugged up all the time. He lost his appetite everyday. His 8 year old brother weighs just as much as the 10 year old. The effects on him were bad. Hes skin and bones. They also tryed concerta! I pulled the plug on that one because he was conplaining about always being sleeping and the teachers thought it was good him falling asleep in class, one less kid to yell at! Last year we had him in special ed class and they put him on adderall! His mood swings were unreal! I kept him off meds all the summer and he has spells where he just is very hard to control! His issues are behavioral one not learning ones. He respect fear and hurts those who show weakness. What do I do! I want him with no drugs in his system at all. How does the nutrition thing work? I have never heard that before ever!!!!!

I need help badly!!!! I love him so much but hes on the verge of going and living with his father because he is making me loose everything, my job, my money, even close to my second marriage!

As we know most medications have side effects - this is the main drawback. Neurotherapy or Neurofeedback is a very effective option that is non drug and can be very effective for essentially all kinds of ADD, with or without hyperactivity.

Today is day one for me and Adderall (time release) All I can say that is feels really great to have a clear head for once. I have a slight almost unmentionable taste in my mouth but nothing else. No biting, sweating, or anything else. I am a firm believer in the physological aspect of medications and their effects. I think that checking into the side effects of medications is not only your right but the smartest thing to do, however manifesting side effects based on what you have read or have been told is possible not only hindering your recovery or ability to persevere, it is creating an uncureable disease. A disease that is not to be treated with medication but that with a mental health professional.

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=1][COLOR=blue] Hi, my name is Christy, I'm 16 years-old. I'm pretty sure that I have either Manic Depression, or a Bipolar Disorder. Everday I have major highs and lows, and I have no idea what to do with myself anymore.
I want to tell my parents but I really don't think they will understand. They know that there is something wrong with me becasue of my intense mood swings and temper tantrums, but other than that, they have no idea of the depressive states i get into. Now to me, temper tantrums at the age of 16 are absolutely ridiculous and they need to be ended, but how is my question? I was thinking about taking Adderall without telling my parents but i keep on reading the side effects and everything and it gets me kind of scared. I had just gone to the doctor about 2 weeks ago and she said that I can take an antidepressant for the mood swings but I think I weigh enough already and they make you gain more weight as a side effect. I really have no idea what to do so if anyone can help me on this that would be great. You can also email me at SweetStuff5_18@hotmail.com . Thanks for listening!

Hello, my son is 5 years old and just got diagnois with ADHD his doctor gave him adderall rx 10mg. For the past 2 weeks we have been struggling with him taking it (cap form). The doctor said it also comes in a tablet but only has a 6 hr release time. He would have to take twice a day instead of once. He had a good day yesterday and swallowed it but I softened the cap before hand. Then today he spit it up twice so I tried another one and he stomped on it.
If anyone has any suggestions please reply. It looks like we may have to go with the tablets you can dissolve. The school nurse said they would administer the second dose at lunch time. The teacher cannot monitor his behavior or see if he needs further testing for learning disabilities until the meds are stable in his system. He also has a speech disability in which he sees the speech therapist twice a week. Sorry this is so long but I'm in need for feedback. I wish they had a local support group where I live. Thanks,
atkinson42

well my mom used to crush it up in applesauce.....it didn't taste very good but it made it real easy to take down.

I am a 27yr old female, and I just got out of the hospital from a severe reaction to adderall. If you are someone you love plans to use adderall please make sure you understand all of the side effects. It turns out that I really do not even suffer from add.
My doctor gave it to me, and gave me no warning of what was in store for me. I told her that I had a bad reaction once to retalin, but she said it was a very different drug.
For the first 30 days she prescribed me 10 mg of the time-release adderall. I was told to call her, so she could see if she had to increase my dose. I called her 20 days into it, and I told her I was a little edgy but other then that I was fine. Without seeing me she increased my dose to 20 mg a day. After starting the 20mg I was unable to sleep that night. Since it was the weekend I continued my dose, but I was unable to sleep all weekend. While I was getting ready for work the following Monday I suffered from a panic attack. I called my doctor and we discontinued the medication. That evening I was unable to sleep, and started to suffer severely. It started with tics, which is uncontrolable movement and talking. I was also starting to see things, and felt everyone was out to get me. This got much worse the next day, and increased my blood pressure so high I had to check into the hospital. That is where I spent the next week so they could monitor me. I was actually pretty close to death, and had no since of reality.

Hey everyone, I'm a college student and most of my colleagues here use adderall and other focus/concentration supplements such as conerta, ritalin to enhance there studying. We'll lately I found myself distracted by the slightest thing. Yesterday I had 3 exams so in the morning I woke up and took an adderall, mind you i'm not prescribed for this medication, I got it from a friend. However, i took the capsule at 9am and I studied str8 till about 1pm and personally I think it made a big improvement in my level on concentration. Now im debating if I should use the drug again when I have to buckle down and do work. Any advice?

Hi,
I am 46 years old, all my life I struggled at being forgetful or I was scattered brain or stupid. I was diagnosed with ADD a little late in my life. I started taking strattera. It made me sick and sleepy. Is it odd that it made me sleepy? Does anyone else out there get that same effect. I also experienced moodiness and being aggetated, being short with my friends and family. Since then my Doctor has put me on adderall rx 20. I do great with my ADD except for getting agitated quickly, and snapping. Before I was put on strattera, I took zolft for depression, the doctor said that it I should stop taking it because zoloft adds to forgetfulnes ect. My question to anyone else is; what other medication could I take or try with the adderall? I now I could ask my Doctor, and I work with seven doctors everyday, they are very negitive when it comes to talking about ADD. I don't feel like a person or Doctor can really give a true answer unless they are experiencing ADD themselves, and so far I haven't been lucky enough to find a Doctor with ADD. Is there anyone out there that can advise me as to what other medication I can take to stop the irritation and mood swings? :

Dizziness and drowsiness are listed as known side-effects of Strattera and Zoloft, and discontinuation of use is recommended if either is a persistent problem. Increased concentration of norepineprhine can cause these side-effects, also hormonal (esp. if peri-menopausal), allergic reactions (auto-immune), and neural (fight-or-flight). I had these in various ways with various meds and have found that Wellbutrin XL was the best of the lot. It is a relatively mild antidepressant and has stimulant effects but is not a stimulant. But it's a med, and I think none is best if you can find a way to do that.

The info in various threads here have helped alot to enable that. So I'd urge you to look at other threads that deal with natural and holistic alternatives. Problems with diet and nutrition or poisons that can build up in your body are going to continue (if you have them) whether you are taking meds and irrespective of which meds. So, a side-benefit of a more natural approach is that you might be able to get rid of dependence and side-effects of meds and also improve your health. Or at least minimize the meds and maximize natural alternatives. This is win-win, right? I'm not symptom-free so to speak but feel it's the best course. Good luck!

I take adderallxr and abilify for bi polar. I was taking seroquel with adderall and it worked much better. I had no leg jitters or pain and slept through the night. My focusing power was greater and the hypomania ceased. I wanted to try abilify, but, I'm not that happy with it. It takes several attempts with different medications to find the right one and be productive. I prefer few side effects, but most of all I prefer no symtoms of my bi polar or add, so a little discomfort with meds is much better. I know that over time the discomforts disappear. Be patient with a new med, unless, there are serious side effects. bi polar and add are serious enough which warrants are utmost attention to finding the right therapies. Being without the right therapies are dangerous and we must remember that the mainstream meds are the ones that will work more efficiently for you. Research is always working and studying the effects so know that you are not left alone in the myriad of science.

This response is for Julie... Julie I have been taking adderall for over 4 years and the issues you are having with irritation and mood swing is somewhat normal in my experience. What has helped for me(I take 40mg a day) is not to take a one a day. I space out my dosage and take it 3 different times a day. I start my morning with 20mg and take the other 20 at two later times, 10 mg each. How I know when it is time to take my 2nd or 3rd dosage is when my mood starts to change. My biggest mood swing is in the morning appx 1.5 hours after I take the first dosage. I try to work with my known mood swings. My first mood swing is an aggressive one and I use this as my confrontational time when I have to have confrontations. I am a business owner so this often works to my advantage. If I don't have any issues to solve that this mood is useful for I avoid confrontation and try to keep to myself. I see these mood swings and irritation as something that I have to live with. I feel that the pluses outweigh the minuses of not having this helpful drug. Hope this helps.

There is also the possibility that your dosage needs to be adjusted up or down. You may need to experiment a little more but take it slow and give the drug and your body time to adjust before continuing on. My method of dosage is not what was reccommended by my physcician but what works for me. What ever you do discuss your thoughts or results with whomever is prescribing this for you.

Hi, girl! The drugs for ADD may help, but best is to try other things first. See Healing ADD by Daniel Amen for his quiz to see what type you have and alternatives for it. As Steve said in his post:

" As we know most medications have side effects - this is the main drawback. Neurotherapy or Neurofeedback is a very effective option that is non drug and can be very effective for essentially all kinds of ADD, with or without hyperactivity." (Steve)

Our son J. got this training (its a video game run by your brainwaves to help you get your own optimum focus and calm.) It took about 9 training sessions to be calmer and less hyper, and 20 more sessions to make it permanent. He then needed no meds, and has been better around others and at his studies since. Now he's doing great at Harding University, (did great on SAT & ASVAB for Army too). Tested recently, he still retains the level of midrange brainwaves he achieved at age 12! You can find a therapist near you at www.eegdirectory.com or www.eegpectrum.com

Our younger son W. and a friend, L., were impatient and didn't stick with the Neurofeedback training and had trouble in school until they both got on a real good food supplement called KIDS NOW made by Reliv. Taken systematically it works as good as meds but without side effects (got 'em calm, healthy and over their football injuries, too.)

If my boys were 5-7 I'd get them on IQExpress for three or four months. I've seen that help younger kids. (See at www.Learningtechnics.com)

The best to you in 2005!

I am 35 years old and have been taking Adderall XR for about 2 months. I worry about the fast heartbeat it gives me, as well as the bouts of insomnia. I take 20 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the afternoon. Anyone have anything to share about the heartbeat thing? It scares me.

You are 35 and taking 20mg in the morning and 10mg at night? That sounds like an awfully high dose!

I'm 33 and I take 10mg once in the morning and that is the max according to my doctor. You should check your blood pressure two times a day for the next week or two to make sure your dosage isn't elevating your BP to dangerous levels. Also, Adderall XR is designed to be an extended release (hence the "XR") formula to last you a full day so don't take your evening dose (which is what is causing your insomnia).

I can tell you a great book to read that I recently stumbled onto. This has made a world of difference in my life, it is called Delivered from Distraction by Dr.'s Hallowell and Ratey. They are both doctors (M.D.'s) and they both suffer from ADD. Please read this book. It is excellent. Good luck.

I am 39 and I am taking Adderall XR 15 mg and Lexapro 10 mg. I have the fast heaart beat sometimes. I just stop what I am doing and relax for 10 or 20 minutes, and it goes away. Irritation is also part of my side effects. I again just get away from everyone at work, during that time.

I am wondering does anyone have reactions to sounds? Just the little sounds didn't bother me, but now they do. If someone is sucking on a cough drop drives me crazy, or people rattling papers.

If someone has any suggestions for me to try, I would love the help.

Hey all,

I've been taking Adderall XR and 20mg IR pills for about one week now. It seems that there is absolutely no way for me to focus my attention to my studies without it. I have been experiencing some odd side effects and I believe them to be directly caused by the drug. All the following appeared after I had blown the drug, some more than once.

-arrhythmia of the heart (always)
-Heart rates above 120 for up to 6 hours (always)
-blurry vision (only once)
-hallucinations (auditory, just once, lasted about 30 minutes, sounded like hundreds of birds.)
-insomnia (I feel tired, AND relaxed, but can't sleep until my heart slows down.)
-dizziness (Only noticeable when I lay down to take a break from studying.)

Are the side effects normal in regular adderall users? Or should I visit my doctor? The hallucinations occured last night and had me slightly frightened. I heard a HUGE amount of birds chirping in my room after I had been trying to sleep for about an hour. Please give me any suggestions.

You should stop taking it immediately and make an emergency call to your doctor about it to see if you need medical attention, as advised below. You should not be experiencing those symptoms. Maybe they will switch you or reduce the amount. The cardiac symptoms are very important. That is one of the biggest concerns with Adderall. But all of your symptoms are worrisome. Don't assume this is the only medication that can help you. Please call your doctor right away.

These are warnings that come with the drug:


If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking amphetamine-dextroamphetamine and seek emergency medical attention: · an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· an irregular heartbeat or very high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision); or
· hallucinations, abnormal behavior, or confusion.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take amphetamine-dextroamphetamine and talk to your doctor if you experience
· restlessness or tremor;
· anxiety or nervousness;
· headache or dizziness;
· insomnia;
· dryness of the mouth or an unpleasant taste in the mouth;
· diarrhea or constipation; or
· impotence or changes in sex drive.

Talk to us after you have been in touch with the doctor, OK?



Sheila

Hello my grandson takes adderall 10 mg 1x daily. it's the blue capsule. The first time he took it he just would not take it now he puts it on the back of his tongue and has taken it now for 10 months. Good luck

Cann't take a pill? Cover it with butter, pop it to the back of the tounge, wash down with liquid! (my seven year old tried everything with no luck untill we triied this!) Got it the first time and by the third day we didn't need the butter and now he does't even need the liguid! Good luck moms.[QUOTE]

Hi Julie,
I know your post is old, but it actually made me want to register and respond, so, I hope this helps.
I am 35 years old and have known for some time that I have had ADHD for a good part of my life. I was not officially diagnosed with it until I was 32, but looking back, I now see that had Doctors known then what they know now, I would have done a lot better in school and not had to struggle so much. Anyway, I take Adderall 25mg XR and I too have always had mood swings (worse as I got older). My lack of patience for certain things has increased drastically over the years. I am also prescribed Cymbalta 60 mg for the mood swings and anxiety. I cannot even begin to tell you what a world of difference this had made for me!
I have had to compensate over the years (b/c of my undiagnosed ADHD) by living with a strict regimented schedule. I still have this habit, and if anyone in my family botches my schedule, I lose it. so, the Cymbalta has helped me to slow down a bit and relax. It doesn't help that my 8 year old daughter has a textbook case of ADHD herself and is on Adderall as well. Anyway, I hope that this didn't come too late and you did not give up on hearing from anyone. Good Luck! ~Laura

Hi, I have many questions in regards to Adderall 15 mg capsule xr. I have just started to use it because everything else that I have tried never helped and my grades are suffering a lot. wheather at school, work , or home my mind is never in my head. I felt as though my memory was bad and I would forget basic everyday knowledge. I started the medication a week ago and use it only I days that I feel like i need it, because I don't want to develope tolerance for the medication. I'm 20 years old and plan on staying in school for at least 5 more years. I don't know if taking the medication daily will help me more in school, or if taking it when I have studying is more bennifical. I do know that I probably need the medication everyday but I am scared to become addicated. When I take the medication I develope dry mouth, I get very cold but feel as though I can concentrate and actually study verse not taking it and having my mind wonder or fall asleep. It does help me study and feel confident about school, but I recently had an exam and I messed everything up, things that are so obivouse to me just thinking back about the exam. A major problem I am having is going to sleep which is why my Pharmisist suggested I no longer use the Xr form but itstead the immediate- release. My doctor want me to use the RX for the rest of the month but I am scared that the outcome will be worse than what the benifit is supposed to be. An example is this morning I took the medication and I feel physically and mentally strained, I don't know if its because I don't have a steady way of taking the medication or if its because by body is still not used to it. I welcome any advice I really don't know what to do. I also heard people can become depressed by using this medication. Is there any truth to it. Well i'm going to stop talking but please if anyone can help I do welcome it. Thanks a lot

Hi Jane S,
Well, where to begin. If you are going to take the adderall xr, you should take it as prescribed. although there is 'talk' about a lot of college/high school students abusing the medicine by purchasing it from another source and taking it when they need to cram for an exam, it will have a not so good effect on them in the long run. As with most medicines that are prescribed, your body needs a constant level maintained for the results to be consistant. i experienced much of the same symptoms that you do and the adderall has really helped me a lot. as for forming a dependency, i honestly cannot tell you how your body will react. It is a narcotic, and that is always a risk with a controlled substance. i do not have an addictive personality. i have smoked cigarettes for years and quit cold turkey where others cannot. i have had caffeine for many days on end through years and just stopped my intake without any side effects where relatives of mine have had to suffer through caffeine "detox" withdrawel migranes. whether or not you can form a dependency is completely determined by personality, or genetics. however, if you are going to take the medicine, i would take it every day. also, you should not just "stop" taking the medicine. i myself have developed deep depressions when i have forgotten to take in a new prescription to be filled before running out of the last months supply. I also have experienced migranes b/c it is recommended that the weaning be slow and the dosages be lowered the same way they were increased, 5 mg at a time under the care of your Dr. i don't have a problem with sleep, but i take my capsule detween 5:30 and 6am every morning. i take 25mg at a time along with 60 mg of Cymbalta b/c I am a type A personality and tend to expect the same high performance i exert from everyone around me. so, this helps me to be a little more patient.

Well, i hope my rambling helped. If you can concentrate better , and can study longer, then it is working. your exam situation may have been from the random off and on of the medicine. Or, you may have taken your meds too close to when you took the exam. please give the meds a try following the prescribed instructions before you quit. If the possibility of depenency is weighing heavily on you, then perhaps your Dr. can prescribe something comparable that is not a narcotic.

Take Care, ~Laura

Hello,
Does anyone know how to stop taking adderall? I am taking 30 mg. of the CR once a day. I would like to stop, but do not know if I need to taper off.

I hope this reply gets to you. This is my first time. My son too has the same heartbreaking problems. today I found a very promising nutrition website. www.nlci.com/nutrition/news.htm It has very useful information including the most recent studies showing that iron deficiency may contribute to ADHD symptoms and a simple Iron suppliment may help alleviate some. Also gives you lots of foods to avoid. Very useful. Good luch

i have taken adderall for just about 3 months now. i've always been thin and slender but i have lost about 15 pounds since i started taking it for ADD that i was diagnosed with in the summer. i know appetite suppression is part of the beginning side effects(thats what my doctor told me) but i wasnt expecting to lose 15-20 pounds. i now weigh about 102 pounds.. is this normal?




i take 20mg adderall once a day. i am 16 and can't swallow pills, i hate it! every morning i put it in food, like a banana or granola bar & try not to chew it. i usually put the pill on one side of my mouth and chew with the other side then swallow it all together so its not like im just swallowing the pill alone. hope it helped!

l

Hi I can relate to your problem, I'm 46 also. I always had ADHD, since early childhood, I had problems with forgetfulness, and I have serious mood swings, I took "Strattera", which made me feel sick, and I felt sleepy. Before, I took "prozac" for depression, this seemed to work for me, but I quit taking, because with the "Adderall XR", you will have the mood swings, and other symptoms, taking both, my doctor told me. My question to you is, "Are you going through menopause ? This sounds like with me, I had a lot of mood swings, because of menopause. My doctor told me, it was best if I just took the "Estragen" and not the "Prozac". You may need to ask for a "hormone medication" to take for mood swings, this you can take with "Adderall XR". This seems to help other symptoms as well.

The prescribing doctor rates in the upper ranks of un-qualified professionals. You don't simply give someone Adderall after being told that strong stimulants, as so obviously implied, cause severe anxiety. Methylphenidate is NOT, post-metabolism, a "completely different drug". They yield their affects at different rates and trigger the brain a little differently but the fact is, they're both powerful drugs which DO cause increased activity throughout the entire body.
The correct initial discussion would have involved a full analysis of your diagnosis and even if that seemed alright, a low-ranking benzodiazepine should have given for emergencies. The "edginess" is a common side-affect the may last for months before tolerance and yet without even a single visit, the "doctor" doubled the dose. This was bound to cause panic and over all torture.

People being given highly addictive, anxiety provoking and over all risky drugs should be seen once a week for at least a month given your reaction report to ritalin. After that no dose increase should have occurred until the doctor knew you were a lot more comfortable with the first dose.

Throw me a bone here, who the ###### did you see? This was NOT best practice to say the least.

I've been reading through the posts here and come to wonder where you people are getting your doctors. Someone taking an SSRI should NOT be prescribed ANY ADHD stimulant whatsoever without very close monitoring and for God Sake 20 mg to start off?!
Your father enjoys 30mg of Adderall because he gets high every time he takes the the bloody thing.

Take the pills back to the pharmacy and find a qualified Psychiatrist because this is absurd.

Your TEN YEAR OLD SON SHOULD NOT BE ON THESE DRUGS! They change the development of his mind AND body. Treatment for ADD and other psychiatric problems needs to begin with a registered and I guess it is not needless to say, Qualified, Psychologist with expertise in his issues before he is 16.

Hi. I am 16 years old and was just recently prescribed Adderall XR.
My whole life I have experienced an inability to concentrate on regular daily tasks (homework, etc.); before starting the medication I researched the drug in and out. Although there were side effects that concerned me, I was still looking forward to this experience. I would also like to say that I have never done any really "heavy" drugs before and have only experimented with marijuana a couple of times, I also drink somewhat occasionally.
I was started on 5mg XR about 3 weeks ago and that didn't do anything, then last week I got upped a dose to 10mg.
Since I still wasn't getting enough satisfaction (concentration-wise), I decided to up my dose. One day I tried 15mg, then another day 20mg, then 25mg, and one day 45mg.
I felt effects that were quite normal with what I had researched before (high level of concentration, dry mouth, little appetite).
This week was exams and I was running a little low on the medication so I planned ahead and made sure that I had about 30 mg everyday so that I could concentrate on exams.
However, 2 days ago I tried just having 15mg and I felt little to no effect, same with 20mg.
My tolerance couldn't have gone up that quickly? Could it?
I'm quite worried because after exams I vowed not to abuse Adderall and go back to my prescribed dose but now I don't know if I can because the lower doses seem to have almost no effect. I had my second exam today and had 30mg and could feel some of the effects but not at a very high level (as in I still have lapses in concentration).

Does anybody have an answer to this or am I doomed because of my tolerance build-up?! I realize that I shouldn't have abused Adderall in the first place but I was very stressed because of exams and needed to study!
Somebody please help?

this is something you need to discuss with your doctor.

any problem with medication can be serious and really should be reported to the prescribing physician

Yes of course, I'll just go and tell my doctor and parents that I was taking more than my prescribed dose and that now I think I need MORE adderall because of this.
My dad would blow a fuse, he's already against me taking adderall and is going to have a little 'chat' with my doctor and see if there are other ways. He's convinced that a little exercise every now and then will help this 'minor concentration problem.'
My parents want me to do well in school and adderall can help. I just wish they would stop overreacting so much!

Although I think it also has to do with me having the flu very recently and still not fully recovering along with the extreme stress of exams. I'm planning on taking a 'drug holiday' next week and then hopefully things will go back to normal. I'm going to try and not abuse it anymore because i seriously don't want to end up consuming copious amounts of adderall just to get effects that I could be getting with lower doses. Tolerance is a ###### but I'm sure I can rid myself of it. I'm counting on it.

liz,
hey i'm 16 been on it adderall xr for 3 years and the fells should go away if not stop for a bit. Try chewing normall gum, find the brand and flavor you like, and have one after you eat brecfast, if you eat it, and one after lunch if your school allows you to have gum. if the school doesn't because of rules but you have a teacher that doesn't care unless you chew like a cow then find those teachers that you have and when then have a peice of gum for those hours (save the warper to put the gum in to after that class tell you have a class that you can. If it helps you then tell your docter, before the end of the month and ask to be taken off. YOU must tell him no one else! hope this helps you out!

this is the best article I have found online on the subject - it doesn't cover all the long term side effects of adderall but gets most: long term effects of adderall