# Adderall is a wonder drug for me



## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

Hey guys new to the forum and I just wanted to share my recent experience. My doc recently prescribed me 5mg of adderall and 15mg of deplin to help me with my social anxiety, lack of motivation/energy, and mild depression.

Ive been on adderall for a few weeks now (once a day in the morning and occasionally half a pill around 5pm) and I feel absolutely amazing.

*Good:*

Social anxiety has disappeared
I feel way more confident/ composed
I am more talkative/extroverted
I have more energy
I feel more (almost completely) comfortable initiating conversation with strangers (say at a party)
I laugh more easily
I can converse for longer periods of time (like hours more. I used to get drained talking to people for more than an hour)
I feel "happy"
I enjoy being nice to people (going out of my way to help)
I am optimistic
I actually feel good working out at the gym (I used to never feel the endorphins everyone talks about)
I can push my depressive thoughts away with ease (and any anxious feelings/thoughts)
And best of all, I feel way more comfortable talking to chicks 

Noticeable Updates: 6/15

 I am completely comfortable being by myself at a party (say if a friend leaves for a second). I no longer get anxious thoughts "looking awkward" and being by myself.
 Meeting new people is now pleasurable!
 I actually enjoy seeing people i know randomly (usually if i saw a friend at a supermarket i would try to avoid them to avoid small talk)
 I walk faster
 It feels easier to walk up straight and tall
 I am completely comfortable in my own skin
Easier for me to fall asleep ( I had anxiety induced insomnia, adderall eliminates my anxiety at night)
 I have way more energy at the gym

*Bad:*

Slightly faster heart rate
Only lasts half the day
Decreased appetite

Before adderall I went through the ringer of medications: Prozac, wellbutrin, zoloft, lemictal, and lorazepam. None worked and i had mild negative reactions with wellbutrin and prozac (increased agitation and apathy respectively)

Has anyone experienced similar positive effects of adderall on their social anxiety. I hope the effects wont wear off and I can continue this medication.


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## screwedup (Jul 12, 2011)

nice bro


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Yes, stimulants can be expected to make one more talkative & confident.


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## Xeros (Oct 19, 2006)

Not legally, but every stimulant I've taken wiped out any anxiety I had. I think I could've given an hour long talk in front of 1000 supermodels without breaking a sweat.


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## Bacon (Jul 4, 2010)

Yes stimulants are amazing!


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## barry1685 (May 25, 2011)

I'm on ritalin and it is causing me anxiety. I think I will try switching meds.


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## redtogo72 (Jun 7, 2008)

That's great you are able to see such a noticeable benefit on a low dose! Do you find it difficult to get to sleep when you take that 5mg dose at 5pm? If so, you may want to ask your doctor to let you take the 2nd dose a little earlier in the day.

I did feel like adderall helped my depression, concentration, and energy levels, but it didn't seem to last for long (about a month). I possibly wasn't on a high enough dose or I should have taken an additional med to help relieve my other symptoms. I was more comfortable and talkative around family. Otherwise, it didn't really have any noticeable improvement with my social anxiety problem.


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## OpiodArmor (Jun 15, 2011)

Yeah narcotics do that to ya.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Addy ftw!


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

redtogo72 said:


> That's great you are able to see such a noticeable benefit on a low dose! Do you find it difficult to get to sleep when you take that 5mg dose at 5pm? If so, you may want to ask your doctor to let you take the 2nd dose a little earlier in the day.
> 
> I did feel like adderall helped my depression, concentration, and energy levels, but it didn't seem to last for long (about a month). I possibly wasn't on a high enough dose or I should have taken an additional med to help relieve my other symptoms. I was more comfortable and talkative around family. Otherwise, it didn't really have any noticeable improvement with my social anxiety problem.


 I have had insomnia (mostly anxiety induced, anxiety levels increase as the night goes on for me) for the past year and the adderall actually calms me down a bit and makes it easier for me to fall asleep.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

yeah i used to take adderall. made me feel grrreat! just like frosted flakes! haha! but seriously, it's an amphetamine aka speed! be careful not to take it too often tho if you develop tolerance, it can end up making you feel depressed.


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## redneckmafia (Jul 14, 2011)

I'm considering this. Thanks for the thread.


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## Dpbthgt (Jul 14, 2011)

Is Adderall dangerous?


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## flarf (May 13, 2010)

how easy is it to get a prescription for this. i am highly interested


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## VanDamMan (Nov 2, 2009)

adderall made me fall asleep. Dexedrine worked well.....until it didn't.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

a few posts up there i said adderall for me was awesome but... in further detail it only made me feel awesome for a month and then had the opposite effect..kinda permanent so far too. i dont know how often it does this to people, but it does indeed suck.


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## Marlon (Jun 27, 2011)

I want some


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

michael10364 said:


> a few posts up there i said adderall for me was awesome but... in further detail it only made me feel awesome for a month and then had the opposite effect..kinda permanent so far too. i dont know how often it does this to people, but it does indeed suck.


What dosage were you taking? I will report back after a month or so and note my experience


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## OpiodArmor (Jun 15, 2011)

It's called tolerance gents. A months use will do that.


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## hanzsolo (Jan 2, 2011)

Ya tolerance sometimes sets in, especially if you're not ADHD hyperactive and the stimulants actually stimulate you (versus calming someone with ADHD down).. 

Memantine totally reverses the tolerance though. Every dose I take of dex (or adderall) since I ramped up to 15mg memantine is like the first time I took it. Its awesome.. All the pro social, uplifting, focus, all the positives mentioned at the beginning of this thread are back...

Plus its neuroprotective, lowers my anxiety and improves my mood. It is off-label mind you, but studies are ongoing for ADHD etc....

But back to the thread - stimulants (with memantine to reduce tolerance) work better for me than anything else, and I've tried 40+ meds, all the SSRIs, SNRIs, natural stuff, you name it. Nothing compares IMO !!!


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## hickorysmoked (Mar 7, 2010)

hanzsolo said:


> Ya tolerance sometimes sets in, especially if you're not ADHD hyperactive and the stimulants actually stimulate you (versus calming someone with ADHD down)..
> 
> Memantine totally reverses the tolerance though. Every dose I take of dex (or adderall) since I ramped up to 15mg memantine is like the first time I took it. Its awesome.. All the pro social, uplifting, focus, all the positives mentioned at the beginning of this thread are back...
> 
> ...


How did you get prescribed memantine?


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## hanzsolo (Jan 2, 2011)

I got studies from a 4th year med student on another forum that's been using memantine successfully for over a year to present to my pdoc, along with crazys (a member on this forum) postings. 

My pdoc is very open minded though, he trusts me, and I've been seeing him for a long time. 

If you think your pdoc may be open to the idea and want me to email you the PDF studies, PM me your email and I'll gladly send them to you. Also search google for posted studies from crazyz /wesley...

Memantine doesn't work for everyone and there are adjustment periods when titrating up the doses, but for those it does work for, it works well 

Plus we don't really know how this will play out in the longer term RE memantine NMDA antagonist + stimulant, so proceed with caution, discuss with your pdoc, and make sure you know the potential risks and benefits.. 

Best of Luck


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## hickorysmoked (Mar 7, 2010)

hanzsolo said:


> I got studies from a 4th year med student on another forum that's been using memantine successfully for over a year to present to my pdoc, along with crazys (a member on this forum) postings.
> 
> My pdoc is very open minded though, he trusts me, and I've been seeing him for a long time.
> 
> ...


ok thanks! Pm sent.


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## Xeros (Oct 19, 2006)

I don't want to give any potentially harmful advice and I think I've said this in other threads, but if you want to try something like Addy but can't get a prescription there are stimulants that you can get that are similar to it. Some bronchodilators like bronkais and primatene contain ephedrine which is a decent stimulant. There's also benzedrex inhalers that taste like crap, but can be just as strong as addy, albeit with a slightly different stimulant effect due to being Propylhexedrine.

Again, I don't want anyone to do anything dangerous, but I also don't want relief to be kept hidden in clear sight. Just be careful, take it slow, and research the hell out of it before doing anything.

I had and still have major drug problems due to some issues, but I still view some stimulants as reliable situational solution to anxiety. Taking it every day though isn't the best idea and will lead to tolerance and the eventual disappearance of the positive effects. Plus physical drug addiction is not something I wish on anyone, going through that is one of the worst things I've ever had to do and will probably have to do again sometime soon albeit in a more prepared way.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

i was taking 20 mgs of adderall XR a day and after a month it was like i not only became tolerant to adderall, but also to the natural dopamine my brain makes. that's what you call anhedonia, my friends. no fun. and it doesnt really go away for me llike say.. when you develop tolerance to sleep medicine and you stop taking it for a few days and then it works great again.

it was great while the effects of adderall lasted though and the effects cant be compared to ephedrine. nooo.... much much better in my opinion. the weirdest thing though, i was so in tune with everything that just by glancing at the look on someones face i felt like i could hear the their own thoughts in my head, like i could read their mind. I also went from F's in school to all A's and B's without much effort at all. and i just felt like i was a few steps ahead of everyone in this game of life. i ate less because i already felt fulfilled in everything. it was speed. but.. i will never take it again though, because of the lastiing bad effects it had on my brain chemistry.


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## Cerberus (Feb 13, 2005)

It felt like wonder drug to me, but the euphoria wore off. The focus is nice, but coming off that med daily is hellish. I'll just use it as needed.


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

michael10364 said:


> i was taking 20 mgs of adderall XR a day and after a month it was like i not only became tolerant to adderall, but also to the natural dopamine my brain makes. that's what you call anhedonia, my friends. no fun. and it doesnt really go away for me llike say.. when you develop tolerance to sleep medicine and you stop taking it for a few days and then it works great again.
> 
> it was great while the effects of adderall lasted though and the effects cant be compared to ephedrine. nooo.... much much better in my opinion. the weirdest thing though, i was so in tune with everything that just by glancing at the look on someones face i felt like i could hear the their own thoughts in my head, like i could read their mind. I also went from F's in school to all A's and B's without much effort at all. and i just felt like i was a few steps ahead of everyone in this game of life. i ate less because i already felt fulfilled in everything. it was speed. but.. i will never take it again though, because of the lastiing bad effects it had on my brain chemistry.


Have you since recovered at all?


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## jagmusic (Oct 18, 2010)

For me, tolerance is always an issue. My body is pretty used to them by now and I usually have a talkative stage when it first sets in, but that is transient and becomes less present every month. Medication Holidays are a good solution. Yet I feel stimulants allow me to be more anti-social. I am perfectly content with staying home all day. It is like, in the beginning it seems like the right path, and that it would do wonders, but as time goes on it isn't really like that at all. IMO, adhd stimulants are really only good for Wanting to work, and getting lots done, but usually this is an alone thing. It also kind of seems like its real hard on your body, like your living FAST and going to die young. Long term use is scary.


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## jagmusic (Oct 18, 2010)

Xeros said:


> I still view some stimulants as reliable situational solution to anxiety.


 I like this, well put. I completely agree. Yet hard to comply with...:um


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

Tgame3 said:


> Have you since recovered at all?


nope:/


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

jagmusic said:


> For me, tolerance is always an issue. My body is pretty used to them by now and I usually have a talkative stage when it first sets in, but that is transient and becomes less present every month. Medication Holidays are a good solution. Yet I feel stimulants allow me to be more anti-social. I am perfectly content with staying home all day. It is like, in the beginning it seems like the right path, and that it would do wonders, but as time goes on it isn't really like that at all. IMO, adhd stimulants are really only good for Wanting to work, and getting lots done, but usually this is an alone thing. It also kind of seems like its real hard on your body, like your living FAST and going to die young. Long term use is scary.


Memantine!!


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## rawrguy (Mar 29, 2008)

^ my friend tried memantine once... hated it the first week and dropped it


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

michael10364 said:


> nope:/


so you are saying you have adderall induced anhedonia now?


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

yes.. i've had anhedonia for almost 2 years from it. im scared to try memantine though because it's also a dopamine agonist and i know that further dopamine stimulation will actually make me worse.. anddd it doesnt work for everyone. i actually tried to reverse it with risperdal and it did nothing. it felt like i was taking a sugar pill because the dopamine activity in my brain is already like non-existent. i had luck with cyproheptadine, serotonin antagonism causes a more natural increase in dopamine that my brain is tolerant of, and it helped for a while until my brain became too tolerant to the effects of cyproheptadine and to a much too high dose... that was 8 months ago when i stopped taking it and im still tolerant to it......................... and no doctors have any answers for me. i've basically been told im a lost cause.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Tgame3 said:


> Hey guys new to the forum and I just wanted to share my recent experience. My doc recently prescribed me 5mg of adderall and 15mg of deplin to help me with my social anxiety, lack of motivation/energy, and mild depression.
> 
> Ive been on adderall for a few weeks now (once a day in the morning and occasionally half a pill around 5pm) and I feel absolutely amazing.
> 
> ...


 Well looks like amp's magic strikes again, its one of the most effective, or id even say most effective treatment for social anxiety disorder, unfortionally tolerance develops rapidly and its not possible to use it as a monotreatment, however with the use of NMDA antagonists like memantine it is possible to use amphetamine long term, small regular breaks are still adviced.


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

michael10364 said:


> yes.. i've had anhedonia for almost 2 years from it. im scared to try memantine though because it's also a dopamine agonist and i know that further dopamine stimulation will actually make me worse.. anddd it doesnt work for everyone. i actually tried to reverse it with risperdal and it did nothing. it felt like i was taking a sugar pill because the dopamine activity in my brain is already like non-existent. i had luck with cyproheptadine, serotonin antagonism causes a more natural increase in dopamine that my brain is tolerant of, and it helped for a while until my brain became too tolerant to the effects of cyproheptadine and to a much too high dose... that was 8 months ago when i stopped taking it and im still tolerant to it......................... and no doctors have any answers for me. i've basically been told im a lost cause.


Im gonna talk to my doc about this. Dont lots of people take adderall for ahdh with no problems. I have never heard of anything like this happening and its kinda freaking me out a bit. Did you ever take breaks. I take a break from adderall every few days because some days i just dont need it. And how long were you taking adderall before you stopped


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## hanzsolo (Jan 2, 2011)

Exactly crayzy

Monotherapy very difficult without NMDA, I tried for months...

But it is by far the best for SAD, and so much more !!!

And yes, small breaks still a good idea.. I take minimum 1 day off per week. But my days off aren't as bad as they used to be, now that I'm on memantine, nor are the come downs. It's helped me tremendously. 

Btw crayzy in canada we have generic ebixa (memantine) which is half the price. Would cost me $80 per month instead of $160. Do you think the generic is ok ?? I've been buying the non generic for now..

Let me know your thoughts

Thanks


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

hanzsolo said:


> Exactly crayzy
> 
> Monotherapy very difficult without NMDA, I tried for months...
> 
> ...


It's still a complete rip off. There is no point of filling a script of memantine in Canada if you cant get it covered. Just buy it online. Once your doctor has prescribed you to take it and taken as prescribed of course.


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## Tgame3 (Jul 14, 2011)

hanzsolo said:


> Exactly crayzy
> 
> Monotherapy very difficult without NMDA, I tried for months...
> 
> ...


where can i find more info about memantine? how does it work exactly. And my days off arent even bad at all. I have no crashes or come downs. I just feel like myself without the adderall (perfectly manageable). So would i really need this then


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## hanzsolo (Jan 2, 2011)

There is a thread about memantine on the ADD forum in the Adderall section, and tons of information on this forum and online that will explain how it works and all the potential benefits.

As for whether you need it or not - if your adderall is working well for you, you have no crashes or come downs, and days off are fine, I would say probably not. 

Memantine mainly helps with tolerance issues to meds, plus can help with OCD, GAD, and other things, but if your regime is working for you now, stick with it


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## Xeros (Oct 19, 2006)

jagmusic said:


> I like this, well put. I completely agree. Yet hard to comply with...:um


Yea it is. I had to go buy a new car today, so I took some stims. I was a talkative buyer that's for sure. No nervousness at all.

Although I do tend to turn a little red, get a little hot, and my hands shake a bit. So it may look like I'm nervous, but I'm the exact opposite.

I once used stims for 3 days in a row. Not only did I not feel it the 3rd day, but the 4th and 5th day felt like the 9th level of hell. No sleep, can't eat, big headache, I felt like ****.

Now I keep my use to 2 times a week max, and never without 2 days rest in between. Usually it's only one or two times a month though. No pill the doc gives me has ever touched how good this stuff works. It's sad that they don't trust us enough to prescribe it to us.


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## michael10364 (Feb 4, 2011)

Tgame3 said:


> Im gonna talk to my doc about this. Dont lots of people take adderall for ahdh with no problems. I have never heard of anything like this happening and its kinda freaking me out a bit. Did you ever take breaks. I take a break from adderall every few days because some days i just dont need it. And how long were you taking adderall before you stopped


Tgame3, I've heard of a few cases kind of like mine, maybe not as severe though. and i've also read how amphetamines can cause permanent changes in the brain. I took the adderall everyday for about a full month as prescribed, i didnt abuse it in any way or anything. my doctor said "i dont believe you" when i told her what the adderall has done to me. she doesnt think it's possible for it to affect a person in such a way.. well im proof that it can.

now, my brain might work weird because i had encephalitis (a brain infection) when i was 13, from a cat scratch, and it caused me to go into a coma for 5 days. im 23 now, and i've read that anytime there's brain swelling, such as from encephalitis, it can cause it to react differently to medicine. i talked to a nurse about it she said that is true. maybe that's why it doesn't heal itself. but if you talk to your doc and if he has anything interesting to say about this, id love to hear it. just send me an email


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

hanzsolo said:


> Exactly crayzy
> 
> Monotherapy very difficult without NMDA, I tried for months...
> 
> ...


The generic is allright mate


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Xeros said:


> Yea it is. I had to go buy a new car today, so I took some stims. I was a talkative buyer that's for sure. No nervousness at all.
> 
> Although I do tend to turn a little red, get a little hot, and my hands shake a bit. So it may look like I'm nervous, but I'm the exact opposite.
> 
> ...


Thats why memantine is adviced, otherwise completely loss off effiacy and bad comedowns can occur,without mem i also feel like **** on it after awhile.


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## InTheWorldOfNiM (Oct 3, 2010)

bump for informative purposes. hopefully thats allowed


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## TheThinker (Mar 6, 2013)

InTheWorldOfNiM said:


> bump for informative purposes. hopefully thats allowed


Yes, adderall was the best drug I ever used. The first few weeks was the honeymoon period. Then all my problems became much worse as tolerance developed. It sucks. I am using memantine to see if that will help alongside adderall, but people are telling me that it won't help after all?


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

TheThinker said:


> Yes, adderall was the best drug I ever used. The first few weeks was the honeymoon period. Then all my problems became much worse as tolerance developed. It sucks. I am using memantine to see if that will help alongside adderall, but people are telling me that it won't help after all?


I find it amusing that you have scattered a handful of posts around the forums regarding the dangers of benzodiazapines yet you have been on amphetamines regularly and for a long enough period of time so as to develop a tolerance to high doses. You do understand that there are more danger associated with amphetamines than there are with benzos. And amphetamines are the more addictive of the two and unlike benzos they produce strong euphoria and cravings that can make it very difficult to quit amphetamines.

I say all of this as simple fact. Personally, I think if used responsibly, there is practically no danger when using Amphetamines. Likewise, there is no danger when using benzodiazapines therapeutically.


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