Posted by Lasagne on August 6, 2003, at 23:16:03
In reply to Adderall advise!, posted by reba on August 6, 2003, at 21:16:16
>REPLY TO BELOW POST::::::
Hi:
I have had a lot of experience with my sons taking Adderall. My oldest son is almost 11 years old and weights 85 lbs. The doctor started him on 20 mgs. and then we increased by 20 mgs. until we got the best effectiveness. The highest dose the doctor allowed him to go to was 60 mgs. This upper limit may be different for adults. From talking to other adults with ADD I have heard of some going as high as 100 mgs. daily. I think this all depends on your specific situation. My husband has ADHD and takes the slow release Ritalin and he needs a higher dose because he is a big man 6'1" and 240 lbs.
As for how do you know which is the right dose. It's probably a good idea to ask those who are around you alot to observe your behavior on the lowest dose/start dose. If you don't show any or significant improvement with your ADD/ADHD symptoms or the medication wears off too soon, then that is an indication that your dose isn't high enough. I can always tell when my son's medication isn't at the right dose. He becomes more hyperactive and he doesn't stick to any task. When he is in school I can tell by the quality of his handwriting and whether or not he can finish his homework within a reasonable amount of time. When he got to the point where he didn't get anything done then I knew it was time to go back and see the doctor and make some adjustments. We typically go in to see our doctor every month to two months.
Another note about Adderall: This medication has a powerful effect on appetite. So make sure to monitor your weight. When my sons were on the Adderall they would hardly eat anything, but I could get them to drink those nutritional drinks (Boost, Ensure, etc)or Carnation instant breakfast mixed with whole milk. This was the only way to get good nutrients into them and give them extra calories to maintain their weight. When you are busy at school you may want to get in a habit of carrying these type of drinks with you so you don't skip meals.
Well, I hope that helps you out. Sometimes it is hard getting all the answers out of your doctor because they are so busy and you don't always remember to ask your questions during the appointment. The Internet is a good resource for information. You can probably type Adderall into your search engine and pull up a pharmaceutical web-site that tells you the nitty gritty details about the medication.
Good Luck!
Ok I know this is a strattera website, but I did the Strattera thing and it wasnt for me. But I figured that most of you have tried enough different meds to be able to give me advise!
>
> So I just wanted some info on Adderal. It was perscribed to me a couple weeks ago and I'm still trying to straighten it out. I TOTALLY understand the whole reason for the controlled substance thing, but I'm getting frustrated, cause I feel like my doctor doesn't give me enough info on adderall, like how much do other people take? What is the highest ok dose? How do I feel if im not taking enough? and more importantly how do I feel if I'm taking too much?! Please anyone who knows give me some answers!! My doc happens to be on vaca this week, and I go back to school soooo soon and want this to be fixed before hand! any Adderall advise would be seriosuly appreciated!!
> THANKS!
poster:Lasagne
thread:133458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030802/msgs/248802.html