AmytheCatLover

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone here lives with someone who takes a prescription for ADHD, and how you deal with having it in the house? Do they keep it locked up, or have you found any other strategies to help? Why I ask: My husband has severe ADHD and takes Adderall. It's the only Rx that's worked for him. He doesn't abuse it and takes it as prescribed, but it's still hard having it in the house. He locks it up... but sometimes forgets; I also don't want that to be a long-term solution. I can't imagine I'm the only one who is in this predicament.

I'm thinking I need to get a gym membership. I've always been a fitness junkie, until Adderall took over. Now my biggest triggers are in the morning, just sitting around until it's time for work and swirling in my head. Actually yes, I just decided that I'm going to get a gym membership. Thanks!

I second doge's advice to quit over the weekend. Take a sick day on Monday if you have to. Or work from home if you have that flexibility. I've quit and relapsed about four times now, and the initial withdrawal is always hard. I usually sleep 12-14 hours for the first two or three nights, and take naps, and can't do much brain-intensive thinking. This last time, I'm really committed to making it stick. The first two days, I knew to be kind to myself (couch, Pitch Perfect 2, and the Game of Thrones books), knowing that putting lots of pressure on myself will only lead to destructive thoughts that make me want to use again. Good luck! I'm rooting for you!

Hey guys! New to the challenge, but I need this and am glad I found this thread. I "quit" (air quotes) in July 2015, but have had a couple of relapses. I just can't seem to make it past 45 days. Day 3: CHECK! Today was a big test of will. I've been sick and have been battling ongoing fatigue—two huge triggers for me since I freak out that I won't be able to do all the things that need to be done. Well, I woke up and my husband's key to the safe where he keeps his Adderall was right on the coffee table. (He's ADD and takes it responsibly; I am not and did not.) After some demon wrangling, I drank an extra cup of coffee and went to work. *phew*

Oh yes, and (on Adderall): -Horribly cold toes, to the point where it would keep me from sleeping even after the mental effects had worn off -DRY MOUTH. I got oral thrush (Google it, it's gross—basically a yeast infection in your mouth) which I am convinced was connected to dry mouth. I've been having pretty bad cravings lately. Writing this all out has helped me remember why I quit, and why I will continue to abstain.

While I was on Adderall: -Eating like crap because bland/sugary foods were easier on my stomach, which was often upset because of Adderall (especially when I used Tylenol to fend off the crash headache) -MAJOR muscle aches/stiffness, especially in my upper back. It pretty much always felt like the day after a tough full-body workout... even though I wasn't working out. -insomnia (duh) -Never working out because of stomach aches and muscle soreness. I always planned to work out, but didn't. Now that I'm off Adderall: -Occasional heartburn -Major, major fatigue. 90 days and I still just want to lie on the couch all the time. Which may be related to... -Moderate depression (pre-existing condition that Adderall masked) Overall, I'll take the latter over the former. The daily fatigue sucks, but not as much as the regular Adderall crashes. And while I don't feel "like myself" yet, I do feel *more* like myself than I did on drugs.

Waiting - waiting to get all of the benefits of quitting. 90 days and still tired and foggy. But it's better than the Adderoller coaster!

I love this. Adderall fueled my isolation (why hang out when there is WORK to be done?), but now that I'm off it, I'm just too damn tired to put myself out there and be around people who I don't know very well. I'm an extrovert, so I'm just hoping that things will get better with continued sobriety. Has anyone else had trouble re-making their own "rat park"? What has helped? What's the modern sewing circle for 30-somethings?

Must clean all the things! While ROCKING OUT!

I've had a similar experience in that I was clinically depressed (episodic depression, on and off) since I was 18. A recurrent episode of depression that started last fall fueled my already serious Adderall addiction. I'm now about two months clean and the depression is still there, but slowly getting better. The past two months have been rough. I've stayed home because I can't face the world more times than I'd like to admit. I've left work to nap wherever I can sneak a nap. And nothing really seems fun. But when I look back on it, I'm so much better than I was two months ago, and so much better than I was a year ago when this all started spiraling out of control. A lot of the techniques I've been learning to cope with my addiction (CBT techniques, leaning on a support network) have also helped my depression. I still have yet to find an antidepressant that does ANYTHING, which is frustrating, but ultimately my life is better without Adderall. Are you seeing a counselor for depression? Someone who fits with your own philosophy/approach (whether that be CBT, or just someone compassionate who can provide gentle perspective)? I agree with the other posters that Adderall and shock therapy are NOT your only options. See a different doctor, and hang in there!

Thank you for sharing your story! I just found this site and it is SUCH a relief to know that there are others like me out there. Sending you love.

Sleep, sleep, and more sleep. Now that I'm out of that phase, taking iron has been a HUGE deal for my energy. Part of my initial attraction to Adderall was that it fought the constant fatigue I was feeling. Fast forward two years later, and I finally had blood tests showing that I'm anemic. Would have been great to know that two years ago! I'm now taking 50 mg of iron every night and can feel the effects within 2-3 days of when I stop or start taking it. (It might be a placebo effect, but hell, I'll take it.) Tip: If you're looking into an iron supplement, check the dosage! Some supplements only have a fraction of the iron you need in a day, which I learned the hard way when iron wasn't doing anything. Also, the liquid gels type is easier on the stomach. I also use caffeine as needed, but try to keep it in check. Usually two cups of coffee in the morning and, if needed, one or two sugar-free Red Bulls in the afternoon.

Very happy I found this thread! It's definitely a tricky subject. I was prescribed modafnil back when I was abusing Adderall. When I got clean from Adderall, the modafnil was sometimes the only thing that would get me out of the house on days where I felt wiped. Well, soon enough, I was using it much like I used Adderall: taking too much, taking it in the early evening so that I could stay up late, and feeling like I "needed it." It didn't give me that invincible feeling that Adderall did, but it was like a long-lasting cup of coffee. (One that had serious side effects—I was always warm, and my anxiety was paralyzing at times.) My advice to anyone considering modafnil would be to know yourself and look out for signs that you're abusing it. Now that I'm working with an addiction psychiatrist, he strongly advised me not to take modafnil because of the potential for abuse in high-achieving types.