3 months in

[Jmart]

I have been adderall free for 3 months and I am struggling bad with anxiety. Always worried I have health issues. I have done a physical and blood work all came back fine but I worry irrationally that something is wrong with me. Physical pain, dizziness, feelings of doom. To be fair my health was messed up by this drug. Heart burn, high blood pressure, elevated liver enzymes and digestive issues have been putting me through hell. The insomnia is new.. Am I the only one who has lost weight without trying after quitting this drug? I feel like I'm going crazy.

[AlwaysAwesome]

How much caffeine are you consuming every day?  What other drugs, herbals?  Are your liver enzymes better now?  3 months is very early in your recovery...give yourself a break.

[Doge]

3 months was my lowest point during recovery.  Things seemed to be getting better before that and then it all plummetted for me.

 

Proof (warning, long read):

http://forum.quittingadderall.com/topic/2647-my-close-call-last-week-and-hopefully-my-last-big-hurdle/?hl=%2Bclose+%2Bcall

 

Then things started getting much better after that, but there was a very distinguished "black period" which lasted about a week, mostly because I let my thoughts get out of control.

 

Make sure you're eating healthy foods too, watch out for caffeine in the evenings, and if you really can't sleep I'd try melatonin.  If insomnia persists after that I think you should see a doctor.  It could be a symptom of something serious.  There could always be an underlying health issue that we never noticed because we were too wired on adderall.  Not every negative symptom is from adderall withdrawal, so listen to your body.

[Jmart]

Thank you both for your responses. I got some much needed sleep last night and I am feeling much better today. I go through these awful anxiety spells. I have been dieting and exercising regularly and I have lost a good amount of weight.. 25lbs. Still could afford to lose a little more.

As far as my liver enzymes my ALT were slightly elevated but all other functions were normal.. I have an appointment follow up in 2 weeks to see if that number has come down. My doc says stress and anxiety and slightly high cholesterol play a role. My BP also ramped up

When I quit. That was scary but it has come down now thanks to some diligence. I have some other health issues that started while I was taking adderall that led me to quit.. (Possibly gallbladder) I'm going to get that Looked into.

Today I feel good.. Anxiety low, pain/heartburn hasn't showed itself today.. I'll take it as a win.

[Jmart]

Also, I quit caffeine shortly after I quit adderall. I haven't taken any supplements but maybe I should? And recommendations?

[Doge]

if you can live without caffeine you can live without anything

[AlwaysAwesome]

I am taking magnesium.  I just started yesterday.  I also take a lot of caffeine...a lot.

[EstherEmily]

Thanks grumpycat! I am also going through a rough patch at 3 months. I'm pregnant, so not tempted to use, but I find myself missing it and thinking about it more than ever. Good to know I'm not alone.

[Bubbagump99]

Congrats elaina. Was it hard to quit once you found out you were preggers? Or did it take you awhile to quit?

[Frank B]

I'm on my 3rd month plus really have had my doubts about quitting lately. Thought I was getting better now I feel like I'm doing nothing again . Im not suggesting that I'm looking to get back on the med or seek it on the streets but see days go by and I get nothing accomplished. Part of me feels like I should give up owning my own buisness I have been pretty successful since 2004 so I hate to give it up. But I just hate doing the busy work office stuff. If I have a call I can get myself motivated if I don't I screw around all day and get little done. I know if start working for a company in my field I'll be a making a lot less money and seeing my family less I'll probbably be even more unhappy. But I just can't get my ass in gear I see all the things pile up I just get overwhelmed and wish I had some adderal to push me through it. Alothough the last couple months on adderal I could not even focus on that kind of stuff I would get some Side-project going and blow everything office wise off. Anyways I guess I'm glad to hear others had the same issue at 3 months but could overcome it. I'm hitting the gym 3 times a week getting plenty of sleep started taking st.johs wart to hopefully help my depression. Just wondering why I'm feeling worse then better! I do feel like I'm letting myself and family down big time right now because I have not been doing what I should with my business to be more profitable barely paying the bills and adding up credit debt.

[Frank B]

I am taking magnesium.  I just started yesterday.  I also take a lot of caffeine...a lot.

Have you tried chromium picolinate? After going on Prozac for a short period of time after stopping adderal for depression I quickly stopped, that shit is horrible it made me anxious beyond belief it was like being on a shit ton of addy but having no good side effects of adderal. Prozac should be classified as a stimulant but a real piss poor one. I read some books about Prozac then I stopped immediately thankfully was only on it two weeks so no real withdraw. That stuff I hate to say is worse then adderal so many suicide and suicide shootings are linked back to Prozac but the company can pay off the government so the truth never comes out. Anyways I read a lot of books about depression etc and one book really showed chromium picolinate to be a somewhat miracle drug for some. It did not really do much for me personally which after reading the book I knew it probbably wouldn't but it seems to be worth a try for anyone getting off addy especially if you have a problem overeating.

[quit-once]

I tried chromium picolinate. and it didn't seem to do much.  The first time I tried it I may have dropped a few pounds,  In animal research, it has been shown to be a repartitioning agent which converts fat into muscle in sheep and cows. 

 

I saw you are taking St Johns Wort in post #10.  I use it, along with L-Tyrosine, whenever I feel a bout of depression coming on and it really seems to turn things around quickly.  It does increase your photosensitivity and you will catch a sunburn more easily.

[Frank B]

I pushed myself today every time I wanted to sit down and rest I kept saying to myself "Keep the line moving" if your a KC Royals fan you know what that means I know it's cheesy but need some inspiration motivation that can keep me moving foward. I look at it this way I gave up sugary drinks couple weeks ago the other day I said screw this why punish myself I'm going through enough so I made some sweet tea thinking how great this will be to have again. You know what I drank a couple sips then tossed it out I did not enjoy the taste as I once did. It's funny how you think something that's not particularly good for you is so wonderful. Then once you go back u realize it's not what your mind built it up to be. I can say the same is true with adderall. I quit before tried it again and it did not solve all my problems however unlike sugar in tea u can easily stop once you take the first pill again your fucked! I'm glad I have no adderal lying around to tempt me.

[Rightplace]

I'm on my 3rd month plus really have had my doubts about quitting lately. Thought I was getting better now I feel like I'm doing nothing again . Im not suggesting that I'm looking to get back on the med or seek it on the streets but see dayI just can't ..

I'm in the same boat. Business owner since 2004. Been off adderall since January. I'm struggling to feel the joy and and satisfaction I once did as a biz owner. I used to be proud and I used to treat it like my baby. These days I feel blah. I'm not chasing business and struggle to go in and work a full 8 hours. I have fantasies of hanging up the towel too but luckily I'll remember how insane of a thought that is and come back here and read about how wirhdrawal takes time and 3 months is still too early. Got hope it will get better

[Frank B]

I feel it may be in some ways harder for us self employed people. I know if I have to be some place to do a certain job I can do it. If I have no work and I work from home it's a challenge. It's so easy to sit on the couch watch tv or play ps4 which I never used to do. But when I first stopped I just wanted to lay in bed all the time so now it's progressed to not wanting to lay in bed but still not doing what I should. I know if I can't do this on my own I can sell my buisness not be broke and can get a job fast. But I'm going to wait it out my job is seasonal and summer will be a good test so for now I'm doing what I have never done letting a balance stay on my credit cards paying the min on loans and living like I guess most Americans do anyways lol. I think that in of itself is a accomplishment in the past quitting I felt my options were to succeed off addy or give up and get the pills again. Now my options are trying to successed in my buisness or working for a company but going back to addy is just not a option. I will say St. John's wort seems to be helping my mood worth a shot if you get depressed off the meds.

[EstherEmily]

Congrats elaina. Was it hard to quit once you found out you were preggers? Or did it take you awhile to quit?

It wasn't really hard to quit - I knew I had to. I flushed my pills the moment I found out, although I'll admit - I was down to my last two anyway. But I have been clean since. Emotionally it's been rough - I miss all of the good times I had on it. I definitely don't miss the fast, pounding heartbeat, though!