Posted by katalina on May 16, 2003, at 10:16:23
In reply to Re: Dexedrine and shortnes of breath » katalina, posted by Ritch on May 14, 2003, at 22:01:11
> > I know exactly what you're talking about. I just resumed Adderall consumption today after a 4 day miserable vacation (if you could call being lethartic and irritable a vacation)from it due to that same feeling.
> >
> > I thought that feeling may be a diaphragmic tic. The need to get a deep breath, and being unable to get one is so annoying. It's like needing to yawn to get a full breath of air. And what's worse is to keep trying to yawn and still not being able to fill your lungs and then your jaw hurts from opening it 500 times.
> >
> > anyway, I just took a 4 day break from the Adderall (haven't taken a break in 7 months or so) and it went away the day I stopped. I started back today at 20 mgs. and feel fine. I don't know if it's the dopamine building up or something, but it's happened to me before and used to happen more when I was on Effexor and Adderall. I now take Adderall, Lexapro and Klonopin at night. This combination has been great until last week when the breathing thing got out of control. I'm hoping it doesn't resurface again. Maybe you could try a break from it and see?
> >
> > Katie
>
> Katie, thanks for posting this. I've had tics from stims in the past (Adderall-sipping water, and Focalin-swallowing air and burping, but no tics with plain IR dexedrine). I had never thought the "breathey" thing could be a tic. This means I get a tic from WB at higher doses, too. It is interesting that a "need to get a breath" is perceived and acted upon by yawning, etc. When I was on dexedrine it seemed natural and unforced-wonder what the difference is? (why does plain dexedrine not cause a tic and the other stims do).
>
> Another thing..... I've had similar shortness of breath reactions from SSRI's. Increasing Prozac and Celexa from tiny to close to therapeutic dosages created the same things. It was bad enough that I had to stop and sit down at work (doing light physical activity) and catch my breath. I was talking about tics with my pdoc last week... this is interesting.
>
>Ritch,
I found the tic answer to be interesting too. I can't remember where I got that information, it may have been on this site or Web MD. When I mentioned it to my neurologist, he verified that a diaphragmic tic was a real possibility.
On my next visit, I'm going to mention switching to Dexedrine. As you might know, Adderall contains 4 amphetamine salts and Dexedrine 2. I think it's the l-isomer salts (in Adderall) that cause more peripheral side effects, and therefore a lot of people find Dexedrine less bothersome (although not all) because Dexedrine contains just the 2 d-isomer salts. Adderall has been great, but I don't like feeling wound up sometimes.
When I experienced that awful yawning/breathing sensation I thought I was the only one. It's nice to hear I'm not the only one with certain weird side effects.
p.s. I'm also prone to tics more than the general population, too.
Katie
poster:katalina
thread:226521
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030514/msgs/227026.html