Caminante Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I've been mostly off adderrall for a little less than 2 weeks. Prior to quitting adderrall I also quit taking Wellbutrin. I decided that side effects were not worth the limited benefits I was getting from these meds. Anyway, the reason I'm posting is because I have gained a tremendous amount of weight in a short period of time (about 10lbs in 2 weeks). Has anyone else experienced this? It is very distressing . I've started trying to eat healthy, but I know the weight can't come off as quickly as it went on... This is tempting me to go back on the adderrall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysAwesome Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I gained 40 pounds in 4 months after I quit. I have 10 pounds left to lose at this point. It was hard to resist not going back to Adderall, because of the weight gain. BUT, I always thought about the fact that I had to quit at some point and this weight gain was going to happen now or then. It is easier to lose weight when you are younger, so I quit now instead of being 40 something trying to shake 50 extra pounds... does that make any sense? In other words, you are going to gain when you quit. You can't stay on Adderall forever. So, quit now, recover, then lose the weight in a safe, sustainable way. Welcome to the forum! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caminante Posted March 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 I was expecting weight gain, but this has been so fast! I think that some of it is water weight because I am carrying it my stomach area and I typically gain weight in my lower body. I'm wondering if retaining water after being on adderrall (a diuretic) for years is a common experience. If so, you all might have some tips to help me not have to buy a whole new wardrobe! Thanks for your reply. It is really tough not leaning on adderrall to get me through the work day, but I am already starting to feel like myself again, and that is a welcome change! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysAwesome Posted March 8, 2016 Report Share Posted March 8, 2016 Be sure to drink a ton of water. Carbs will cause belly fat gain, too. As hard as it is, try to steer clear of the sugary junk and breads. It will help a little. However...I craved carbs like a crazy person after I quit. So, I am not going to judge your choice in foods right now. I am not going to lie...the weight gain was brutal for me. I kept thinking that it wasn't physically possible for me to gain that much weight, that fast. But, it was and it has hung on. I am 10 pounds from my quit weight, but 25 pounds from my ideal. Yes, I had started to gain on the Adderall. If you don't up your dose, it stops being effective. Another thing that I noticed is that your metabolism doesn't immediately go back to where it was before the Adderall. You were normal at one point, then you take Adderall and have a hummingbird metabolism for however long. You decide to quit and then you have the metabolism of a sloth! Yes. It happened to me, too. You have to build it up to where it was before and it takes eating right and exercising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemoon Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I must agree with everything AlwaysAwesome said... I also started gaining weight at the end while I was taking Adderall. Then I gained another 35 lbs in just a few short months right after quitting. Unfortunately, it is something you have to accept in order to move forward and get better. I know how much it sucks. The weight issue was one that also kept me going back to Adderall. The only way you will be successful in quitting is accepting that you will gain some weight (temporarily), and once you start feeling better, you can tackle the weight in a healthy way. Adderall is NOT the answer!!! I am 4 months into my quit and finally have just started feeling some motivation to start eating healthier and exercising. The astronomical number on the scale is my biggest motivator. This is the heaviest I have EVER been. But I just started eating better less than a week ago, and I am already down 5 lbs. Now just another 35-40ish to go... haha. The weight gain sucks. It really, really does. But it's worth it to get off Adderall for good. And remember, it's only temporary. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysAwesome Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I hope that by my 2 year anniversary of my quit I will be down to my goal weight. It is doable...and I am doing it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbagump99 Posted May 12, 2016 Report Share Posted May 12, 2016 This weight gain has been incredibly hard for me. I've never had an eating disorder so to speak, but I have been a bit obsessed w my body imagine through the years, and that was one thing that the addy helped me with. Made me feel so confident about. Now I'm the fattest I've ever been. It's awful and it does make you wanna go back to the pills. But then I tell myself I've come too far and I'm gonna have to get off of them at some point so whynot just do it now and get it over with. Keep telling myself it's gonna get worse before it gets better.... Sigh :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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