Posted by Bullwinkle on November 8, 2005, at 14:39:05
In reply to Re: Adderall Withdrawal - I'm In Bad Shape - HELP!, posted by Count Chocula on February 13, 2004, at 16:00:29
I had been taking Adderall for 3 months to treat ADD, but found that increasingly it was interfering with sleep. I was taking 2 benadryl plus a prescription sleep aid (Lunesta) just to get my zzz's. When I discovered I had to take 2 Lunesta tabs (4 mg. total) I decided to stop taking Adderall and let it clear my system.
I went cold turkey last Friday. I also decided to quit drinking coffee/caffeinated products at the same time, for the same reason, to improve my sleep.
I was moderately depressed for the first 2 days, very lethargic, and had massive headaches (thank you Mr. Coffee!), but now I have returned to normal sleep patterns. The Adderall is now out of my system, but it still feels like I'm taking it, very strange! I do not get the benefits, i just feel the lingering side effects. Mostly I just experience blurred vision. The depression has lifted and the headaches are disappearing.
So for me I guess cold turkey seems to be working, at least so far (4 days). My overall experience was comparable to heightened caffeine withdrawal (I normally go on caffeine fasts for 2 weeks whenever I feel the need to reduce my intake, a few times a year). I do not feel that Adderall is highly addictive for me either physically or psychologically, in that I have no craving for it, but I also think that all my symptoms would go away if I took the drug at even a moderate dosage (I was taking 2 20 mg XR tabs daily).
What I am wondering is how long does it take to get Adderall completely out of your body, i.e, your body goes back to its normal state. One of the postings indicated that this can be a period of 2 months, another suggested 6 months. Any advice?
poster:Bullwinkle
thread:201883
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051106/msgs/576768.html