Stimulants
Question:
Thank you Helen for the note. I will be going on Dex in the next three weeks as soon as the effexor is stable. The knowledge that the energy will cause me to want to do EVERYTHING ahead of time is very helpful. — Dee
Response:
Someone whose post I can’t find now recently wrote that the dexedrine (I think) was helping somewhat but that his energy was still very scattered and that he was finding himself looking for even more distractions than before he began the meds. I wanted to ask him how long he has been taking the meds? I experienced this for the first two weeks when I began but afterward I settled down a lot and was able to focus on the important tasks at hand. I think the reason for this initial distraction is that you suddenly have the energy and ability to concentrate and want to attend to all the half-done things, unread books, etc. that were never accessible before. However, it soon becomes clear that time is always going to be limited. My suggestion is to just accept this hunger to delve into everything, while gently reminding yourself that you are also very interested in the tasks that need to get done and eventually you will come around and begin to apply yourself seriously.
Response:
I have a friend who is diagnosed ADD (she has a prescription to Adderall, which she never takes). She and I have been going round and round about whether or not I’m ADD. I had some troubles sleeping lately, and I chalk it up to too much caffeine, too late in the day. I think that caffeine may well be my attempt to self-medicate my inattentive ADD — who knows. SHE says that since caffeine keeps me awake, I don’t have ADD — because people with ADD get relaxed and sleepy with stimulants, not wired. I think she’s wrong — I read that some of the side effects of Adderall, et al, is insomnia — even in ADD patients. I know there’s a myth that only non-ADD’s will get "wired" off of Ritalin, etc., so I’d like to know y’all’s opinion on this one. Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD? — Tom
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I have a friend who is diagnosed ADD (she has a prescription to Adderall, which she never takes). She and I have been going round and round about whether or not I’m ADD. I had some troubles sleeping lately, and I chalk it up to too much caffeine, too late in the day. I think that caffeine may well be my attempt to self-medicate my inattentive ADD — who knows. SHE says that since caffeine keeps me awake, I don’t have ADD — because people with ADD get relaxed and sleepy with stimulants, not wired. I think she’s wrong — I read that some of the side effects of Adderall, et al, is insomnia — even in ADD patients. I know there’s a myth that only non-ADD’s will get "wired" off of Ritalin, etc., so I’d like to know y’all’s opinion on this one. Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD?
Everyone reacts pretty much the same way to stimulants. For some people, any stimulant (caffeine or whatever) within hours of bedtime can disturb sleep. Others can have a couple of cups of coffee right before bedtime and sleep just fine. My wife–a neurotypical if there ever was one–is one of those people whose sleep is pretty much unaffected by caffeine. Works the same way with the stims prescribed for ADD. A frequently observed side effect of Ritalin and Adderall is problems with sleep–but some people have reported that they sometimes take a fractional dose of Ritalin and drop right off. Probably helps to focus on the task of falling to sleep. :) Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend who is diagnosed ADD (she has a prescription to Adderall, which she never takes). She and I have been going round and round about whether or not I’m ADD. I had some troubles sleeping lately, and I chalk it up to too much caffeine, too late in the day. I think that caffeine may well be my attempt to self-medicate my inattentive ADD — who knows. SHE says that since caffeine keeps me awake, I don’t have ADD — because people with ADD get relaxed and sleepy with stimulants, not wired. I think she’s wrong — I read that some of the side effects of Adderall, et al, is insomnia — even in ADD patients. I know there’s a myth that only non-ADD’s will get "wired" off of Ritalin, etc., so I’d like to know y’all’s opinion on this one. Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD?
No. The other night I opened the wrong compartment in my pillbox and didn’t realize it until after I had swallowed. Got to sleep all right but was up at 3 AM and going from that point on. Further, caffeine is a relatively "dirty" stimulant–if I drink too much coffee I end up buzzed and not very productive. I don’t get buzzed with Adderall. — Tom
– –John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Response:
Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD?
No. Caffeine keeps me awake. Ritalin, interestingly, does not, even if I take it an hour before bedtime. But it keeps some ADDers awake.
Response:
<<some people have reported that they sometimes take a fractional dose of Ritalin and drop right off. Probably helps to focus on the task of falling to sleep. :) Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons i actually think the effect of a small stim dose inducing sleep in related to a drop in blood pressure. ad many ADDers report, stims may actually lower their BP; it’s the rebound period when BP rises to unacceptable levels, eg, possibly as a result of reflex tachardia. thusly, a very small stim dose may — in some people, not all — function almost the same way as clonidine. - – // oooO ( ) ( ) ) / ( (_
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend who is diagnosed ADD (she has a prescription to Adderall, which she never takes). She and I have been going round and round about whether or not I’m ADD. I had some troubles sleeping lately, and I chalk it up to too much caffeine, too late in the day. I think that caffeine may well be my attempt to self-medicate my inattentive ADD — who knows. SHE says that since caffeine keeps me awake, I don’t have ADD — because people with ADD get relaxed and sleepy with stimulants, not wired. I think she’s wrong — I read that some of the side effects of Adderall, et al, is insomnia — even in ADD patients. I know there’s a myth that only non-ADD’s will get "wired" off of Ritalin, etc., so I’d like to know y’all’s opinion on this one. Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD? Everyone reacts pretty much the same way to stimulants. For some people, any stimulant (caffeine or whatever) within hours of bedtime can disturb sleep. Others can have a couple of cups of coffee right before bedtime and sleep just fine. My wife–a neurotypical if there ever was one–is one of those people whose sleep is pretty much unaffected by caffeine. Works the same way with the stims prescribed for ADD. A frequently observed side effect of Ritalin and Adderall is problems with sleep–but some people have reported that they sometimes take a fractional dose of Ritalin and drop right off. Probably helps to focus on the task of falling to sleep. :) Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons
That’s kind of what I thought. I just wish I could get evaluated, so I’d know "for sure" instead of having to guess and doubt myself. I fit soooooooo many symptoms, but then again who knows — I may just be so desperate for "an explanation" that I’m fooling myself. Grrrr! — Tom
Response:
[snip] Works the same way with the stims prescribed for ADD. A frequently observed side effect of Ritalin and Adderall is problems with sleep–but some people have reported that they sometimes take a fractional dose of Ritalin and drop right off. Probably helps to focus on the task of falling to sleep. :) Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons That’s kind of what I thought. I just wish I could get evaluated, so I’d know "for sure" instead of having to guess and doubt myself. I fit soooooooo many symptoms, but then again who knows — I may just be so desperate for "an explanation" that I’m fooling myself. Grrrr!
What’s keeping you from getting an evaluation? Joe Parsons
Response:
Everyone reacts pretty much the same way to stimulants. snip…… Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons
I think I know what you were saying but….. -George
Response:
Everyone reacts pretty much the same way to stimulants. snip…… Bottom line is, everyone’s different in this regard. Joe Parsons I think I know what you were saying but…..
I think a better way to put it is that different people respond differently to stimulants and the same person responds differently to different stimulants, but in general people with ADHD and people without ADHD have similar responses, with the difference being that a person with ADHD has much more room for improvement than a neurotypical and so the medications seem to do much more for a person with ADHD. [emoticon-pauses for breath] -George
– –John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
Response:
I have used Adderall to get to sleep a few times before. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD? No. Caffeine keeps me awake. Ritalin, interestingly, does not, even if I take it an hour before bedtime. But it keeps some ADDers awake.
Response:
I have used Adderall to get to sleep a few times before.
Does insomnia due to excess stimulant usage rule out ADD? No. Caffeine keeps me awake. Ritalin, interestingly, does not, even if I take it an hour before bedtime. But it keeps some ADDers awake.
Dexedrine taken at the right time can sometimes help me to sleep, although its tricky. I stick to other drugs instead although when i was in a hospital that didn’t like what i was on i offered to take the dexedrine that way….they didn’t like that either….but then they didn’t like much of anything (it was a special program at a hospital for those with depression, i have ADD, GAD and bipolar 2…hence more drugs than usual. I’ve certainly slept on dexedrine when in hospital…accompanied with all the carbohydrates (hosptial food doesn’t work well for a hypoglycemic even when they try to adjust it.)It took them a few days to get my dexedrine and one nurse made a comment about me getting my uppers soon…..i made sure i fell alseep after taking them the next day ( i believe the problem was getting the spansules in i can only tolerate on 5mg tablet a day which isn’t sufficient unless i’m just trying to watch a movie not too close to bedtime) Marcie
Response:
Dexedrine taken at the right time can sometimes help me to sleep, although
Me too. When I was on Dextrostat, I slept so much better. I have problems with insomnia when I don’t take anything for ADD. dC
