I have ADD, not ADHD. I noticed a difference in my cognitive abilities almost immediately after using Adderall XR. The 30 mg capsule made my heart race, so my dosage was reduced to 25 mg. The ideal dose for me would probably be somewhere in between 25 mg and 30 mg. My symptoms gradually worsened over a period of 30+ years and resulted in multiple job losses, divorces and financial difficulties. I was not accurately diagnosed until age 45, although I had virtually all of the classic ADD symptoms dating back to childhood. About 5 or 6 years ago I actually wondered if I had some type of learning disability because I could not process a complete thought, could not retain spoken information or instructions, was unable to concentrate on any task, etc. Although I discussed this concern with my psychiatrist at the time, there was no mention of the possibility of ADD. I was given additional medication to treat my existing anxiety & depression, which did nothing to improve my ADD symptoms. However, on my first visit with a new psychiatrist several years later, I was given the diagnosis of ADD. Of course, it would have been great to have been accurately diagnosed and treated years ago, but I am grateful to have found help at all. I could have spent the rest of my life suffering if not for someone new taking a fresh look at my case. Published: September 23, 2007 ::

I am 23 years old and was diagnosed with ADD when i was 13. I was on adderall for 3 years and switched to XR after. I didnt notice the side effects until i was a senior in high school. I have struggled with sleeping, relationships (due to the emotional effects i am overly sensitive and believe i have developed depression from it), loss of weight(especially earlier on, not so much now. kinda wish it was the other way around after being in college 3 years), cotton mouth, sexual side effects, and most of all dependency. when i tried going off the drug for a year the withdrawals were hard to deal with. i slept most of the day for about a month and gained weight from increased appetite. after the withdrawals had finally ended, i felt happier and easier to be around. my relationships were great and my depression was gone. all side effects had disappeared. i felt more like myself off the drug. but my grades in school suffered. i got back on the dosage and all the old side effects came back. my grades improved, but i am back to the empty sole less feeling of a study drone. my current relationship is suffering and i dont sleep much. i will be on the drug until i graduate. as soon as i do, i will be saying goodbye forever to it. i love my parents and know they were trying to do the best thing for me. If i have kids one day, and they are diagnosed with ADD, i wont be putting them through the same hell i have suffered for the past decade. ADD has been around much longer than it has had a drug for it and most people seemed to have still lived a good life with out it(my dad for example). I would not recommend putting your kids on this drug early on in their lives. wait until they can fully understand the side effects of the drug and let them make the choice because this is a life changing decision that is extremely hard to revert back from. if your child is happy, isnt that the most important. im still scared what the long term effects of the drug will do to me down the road. Published: April 01, 2008 ::

I call this my "wonder drug". In addition to ADHD-combination type, adult form, I also have depression and anxiety. I have tried numerous anti-depressants, with no lasting positive effects. Started AXR in Oct. 2006, and have since stopped all anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. I can focus at work, and at school, and have far fewer problems with racing thoughts/random thoughts. I am able to function now. I did try Strattera, but found it only put me to sleep (up to 14 hours a day!), so I went back on the Adderall and will not switch again. It has definitely changed my life-- for the better. Published: September 28, 2007 ::

My boyfriend is 100 percent dependant upon this drug. Although he claims it has changed his life by enabling him to focus at work. There is a severe downside to using this drug. He suffers from severe anxiety attacks, extreme mood swings, bursts of anger, lack of sex drive, depression, he is anti-social, he demonstrates obsessive compulsive disorder he suffers with extreme exhaustion, loss of appetite to binge eating. He can go from being emotionless to overly emotional. He suffers from convulsions during his sleep. His entire personality has changed since using this drug. It is very sad and disturbing to see him suffer this way. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Published: October 30, 2008 ::

Addiction. That about sums it up. Too much of a good thing. It was typical. It made me feel great. It made me feel as though life was worth living. I wrote, I focused, I read, then before I knew it, the crash would hit. And I would pop another one. At one point, I was up for FIVE DAYS with NO FOOD. Things start to go down hill on day 2. You can't focus as well, your nerves are shot. You are weak. But man, when that exhaustion hits, it's so scary. I did this off and on for months until one day my doctor said, "No more." This was because I finally told him, "Im out and I feel like I'm dying!" I was taken off large doses 60-80mg a day for 4 months COLD TURKEY. I was out early. And this time I told him. I could not take it. I hard trouble just moving from the bed to to bathroom.I was SEVERELY depressed to the point of suicidal thoughts. I slept 23 hours a day for five days. My tolerance was though the roof. I could take 80 mg in the morning just to feel "normal." Finally a doctor took mercy on me and cut my dose down to 20 mg a day with the explicit understanding my mother would be doling them out to me. I weaned off them gradually. Finally down to 5 mg a day. The withdrawals from this drug when it abused is nothing short of the definition of hell. Exhaustion is complete and total. You are NON FUNCTIONAL. It's hard to give it a rating because my addictive mind abused the hell out of it. If you have any history of substance abuse STAY CLEAR! WORST DRUG I EVER ABUSED AND I DID JUST ABOTU ALL OF THEM! Published: October 22, 2008 ::