New here! I posted a longer version of my story there. Long story short I have been taking Adderall (prescribed) and I started just one a day to help my chronic fatigue from pancreatic cancer and now w Type 1 Diabetic since my entire pancreas was removed. So at the beginning it helped a ton then not long after I started taking more and more. My tolerance is EXTREMELY high (am a recovering addict) so makes sense that I would turn this medication into addiction. I hate the crap now! It’s changed my body, personality etc. I hate myself and I don’t want to take it and I am not “chasing a high” but a small dose literally does nothing. Tonight i took the last one of my script so I am quitting cold turkey from a very high mg (sometimes 200mg+) I’m terrified of the withdrawal. I have a kid I have to care for. Anyone have any tips or recommendations or can share their experience? I know it’ll be worse since my dose was dangerously high. I don’t want to go to inpatient, unless I have to. My child was without me for MONTHS when I had cancer and surgery. His dad and I don’t get along and if I said I needed help, he’d use it against me and try and take our child. Help!!!’
how is this going so far? withdrawal is tough, but beatable. you CAN do this!
Welcome to the SG!
The main thing you'll feel from stopping Adderall is "down" also known as a "crash". Any amount of Adderall over 60mg causes the brain to stop making certain chemicals and it acts like the illegal drug known as speed.
Here's an article on surviving an Adderall crash.
https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adderall-crash
How are you doing so far? Are you getting through the down feeling?
@GirlKitty I wanted to share this credible information from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This explains in laymens terms how drugs like amphetamines and opioids effect the brain. Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction: Drugs and the Brain | NIDA
Hi there! I just checked out that healthline "Adderall crash" article. As I noted in my last post, I definitely felt most of those crash symptoms when I voluntarily stopped taking Adderall XR 30mg daily. However, didn't see where it states that taking over 60mg of Adderall causes the brain to stop making certain chemicals and acts like an illegal drug known as speed?? Where may I ask did you get that information? In thirty years of treatment I've never heard of anyone being prescribed over 60mg of Adderall...In fact, 60mg of Adderall MAS isn't even within the recommended daily prescribed range! So yes, taking that high a dose of bonafide MAS per day could certainly cause a person to suffer serious side effects. Also, I found nothing in the NIMH, NIDA or SAMHSA that states high doses of amphetamines causes the brain to stop making certain chemicals. Those brain chemicals being, the neurotransmitters dopamine, and norepinephrine, right? Please understand I'm not pointing out the flaws in your post to impose my experience or knowledge. It's not a contest... But the implication that Adderall or any prescribed stimulant medication is like an illegal street drug known as "speed" demeans the value of these prescribed stimulants and negatively stigmatizes it's use for those who do benefit from it.
@jhtrain My psychiatrist told me taking 60mg of Adderall would cause my brain to stop making certain chemicals and it would then act like speed. I have no idea where he got that info, but I believe him.