Just Finished Day 14

[GettingOffOfIt]

I'm a 22 year user.  I've been going to the same doctor the entire time.  Started with Dexedrine before moving to Adderall.  Then to Vyvanse for a few years.   Back to Dexedrine, back to Adderall, then I got off of it for a year and a half before I got back on the Adderall .  When I got back on it after the break I made sure to take many breaks from the medication to make sure I could stay off of it when I wanted to.  That lasted for a bout a year.  Then I went for about 4-5 years without any break. 

It is very painful to stop and its the only reason why I haven't.  I tried to quit last May and I went 15 days and I couldn't take it any more.  I suffered serious withdrawal symptoms, even worse than I had when I first quit cold turkey for the year and a half I stayed off.  I could not get out of bed or move.  So I had to get back on the pill.  I've been planning to stop for a long time.  I've taken so much for so long it doesn't help me anymore.   It just makes me feel like garbage and actually makes me hyper, weak, irritated, an asshole, and distracted. 

I decided to try the step down approach for the first time in November.  I couldn't do it before but I'm extremely determined. I took a big first step and it was a big crash.   70mg to 30.  It was a rough Thanksgiving.  I held strong for a couple of weeks and went down to 20.   I came back to this site for tips like I did when I was off for 1.5 years and I noticed it recommended smaller steps.  I didn't follow the guide but I made the steps smaller. 

I was down to 15mg (3 5's) by Christmas.  Then I cut to 2 a day for 10 mg.  Then  7.5.  Then 5 (2 2.5's).  Then 2.5 ( 2 1.25').  Then just a 1.25 at lunch every day.  Then every other day.  Then the 3rd day and I just said screw it and stopped two weeks ago.  None of those crashes were anything like the first two bigger step downs.  

I have not had a bad day yet.  I've had bad moments but not a bad day.  My symptoms are extremely mild.  I have been doing the 21 day fix extreme workouts and diet plan this entire month, because I always do in January but it has worked well with these withdrawals.   I have had a few mild symptoms but nothing like the 20-30 times I've quit or taken breaks cold turkey before. On day 14, I can say that stepping down is definitely the way to go.  I've been taking some supplements to help with dopamine and energy just in case but I haven't felt a difference when I don't take them.

I've been able to concentrate, complete tasks that I hate doing and I haven't made too many careless mistakes that I don't already.  I have been training my self to take a power nap and it is hard to do correctly, but when I did, it felt better than any pill I've ever taken. I've been getting good quality sleep.  I've been thinking clearly. Blood pressure is steadily dropping.  I've dropped 5 pounds.  I'm hoping it stays this way but I'm not out of the woods yet.  

On another note,  the meds never worked better for me than it did when I had weaned down to 1.25mg per day.  I almost wanted to keep it going with that amount for good but I knew better.  

 

 

[Hopefulily]

Thank you for posting your story! I have read it and will continue to re-read it as I think this is the way I am going to step down as well.

[Hopefulily]

Also, big congrats on day 14!!!!!!!

[GeorgiaRigby]

On 1/28/2022 at 2:03 PM, Hopefulily said:

Thank you for posting your story! I have read it and will continue to re-read it as I think this is the way I am going to step down as well.

Same!! I feel the same way.  So inspiring!!

[DelaneyJuliette]

I'm day 41 today!  We can do hard things!!!!   

[GettingOffOfIt]

Day 31.  I've got some mild withdrawal symptoms that I've been battling the past few days. I knew when I finished tapering off and didn't have any issues that I would still have some battles ahead.  None of the symptoms are as bad as when I've quit cold turkey but I've had the worse symptoms of this journey the past few days.  I think part of is that I was getting burnt out of my workouts so I sort of took the week off.  I've also been eating bad food and a lot of it.  I'm going to get back on track today to see if that helps this week.  It could just be a withdrawal phase I've got to battle through while my brain is trying to balance itself out but I need to get back on track with a healthy diet and challenging workouts anyway.  

 

 

[Hopefulily]

Congrats on 31 days!!!!

I am on day 10 today and I feel like the most important thing for me is healthy eating. I have to treat my body like a real human I guess. Over the past ten days I have realized that if I eat poorly my day will suck and the next day too bc it is so easy to make it a pattern. But if I start the day with lots of water and a green smoothie it is so much better. I am not going to lie- it is kind of annoying I can't eat with reckless abandon like on adderall but is also helping me feel more in tune with my body. Exercise, super clean eating and sleep seem to be the most important things for me so far. 

Keep up the impressive work!!!!

[GettingOffOfIt]

Day 62

The mild fatigue is gone.  Gone.  However, there have been a few random days where my brain does not work and I can do just about anything but my work.  I guess my brain is still figuring out how to run on it’s own and runs out of fuel on occasion.  I thought it may be my ADD coming back but it is to spaced out and random.  I go great for several days and then for no reason I wake up that way and it lasts all day.
 

I have gained weight.  I guess my metabolism has slowed a bit or it could be because my heart rate is slower and not overworking itself.  This could mean less calories burned during the day and not changing any habits.  I had minor weight problems even while on adderal. It did not affect my appetite anymore after a few years so my weight gain is not because I just quit and started eating the whole house.  It must be metabolism and just my daily calorie burn changing.  I need to be more active.  
 

I have quit taking so many supplements.  Constipation was a huge issue the first 30 days but my body has gotten used to going without adderal now.  I’ve been regular for several weeks.  I would say it was my biggest problem when quittting because i was so used depending on it for so many years.  I had quit supplements hoping it would help but I don’t think it had anything to do with it.

 

I’m trying to document my experience with tapering off here in this thread.  I’ve got more to post so I’ll come back later with the rest.

 

 

[GettingOffOfIt]

Just finished day 75.  Feels great.  I had forgotten how cool of a person I am without the meds.  I did have  a bad couple of days trying to focus last week when I really needed to.  Luckily with some research I discovered L-Tryosine.  That's my new best friend now when I have trouble getting my work done. 

[DelaneyJuliette]

On 1/27/2022 at 12:41 AM, GettingOffOfIt said:

I'm a 22 year user.  I've been going to the same doctor the entire time.  Started with Dexedrine before moving to Adderall.  Then to Vyvanse for a few years.   Back to Dexedrine, back to Adderall, then I got off of it for a year and a half before I got back on the Adderall .  When I got back on it after the break I made sure to take many breaks from the medication to make sure I could stay off of it when I wanted to.  That lasted for a bout a year.  Then I went for about 4-5 years without any break. 

It is very painful to stop and its the only reason why I haven't.  I tried to quit last May and I went 15 days and I couldn't take it any more.  I suffered serious withdrawal symptoms, even worse than I had when I first quit cold turkey for the year and a half I stayed off.  I could not get out of bed or move.  So I had to get back on the pill.  I've been planning to stop for a long time.  I've taken so much for so long it doesn't help me anymore.   It just makes me feel like garbage and actually makes me hyper, weak, irritated, an asshole, and distracted. 

I decided to try the step down approach for the first time in November.  I couldn't do it before but I'm extremely determined. I took a big first step and it was a big crash.   70mg to 30.  It was a rough Thanksgiving.  I held strong for a couple of weeks and went down to 20.   I came back to this site for tips like I did when I was off for 1.5 years and I noticed it recommended smaller steps.  I didn't follow the guide but I made the steps smaller. 

I was down to 15mg (3 5's) by Christmas.  Then I cut to 2 a day for 10 mg.  Then  7.5.  Then 5 (2 2.5's).  Then 2.5 ( 2 1.25').  Then just a 1.25 at lunch every day.  Then every other day.  Then the 3rd day and I just said screw it and stopped two weeks ago.  None of those crashes were anything like the first two bigger step downs.  

I have not had a bad day yet.  I've had bad moments but not a bad day.  My symptoms are extremely mild.  I have been doing the 21 day fix extreme workouts and diet plan this entire month, because I always do in January but it has worked well with these withdrawals.   I have had a few mild symptoms but nothing like the 20-30 times I've quit or taken breaks cold turkey before. On day 14, I can say that stepping down is definitely the way to go.  I've been taking some supplements to help with dopamine and energy just in case but I haven't felt a difference when I don't take them.

I've been able to concentrate, complete tasks that I hate doing and I haven't made too many careless mistakes that I don't already.  I have been training my self to take a power nap and it is hard to do correctly, but when I did, it felt better than any pill I've ever taken. I've been getting good quality sleep.  I've been thinking clearly. Blood pressure is steadily dropping.  I've dropped 5 pounds.  I'm hoping it stays this way but I'm not out of the woods yet.  

On another note,  the meds never worked better for me than it did when I had weaned down to 1.25mg per day.  I almost wanted to keep it going with that amount for good but I knew better.  

 

 

This is so inspiring 

[GettingOffOfIt]

Day 90 is in the books.  Never felt better.  I guess I’m at the point where I start counting by months instead of days and weeks.  

[GettingOffOfIt]

Day 100 today and I'm pumped.  Had to post it.  I'm also on day 293 of no alcohol, which has played probably a bigger role than weaning off did for limiting my adderall withdrawals.   

[Hopefulily]

WOW!! Beyond impressive!!!

[GettingOffOfIt]

4 months

[m34]

Congrats!! 

[GettingOffOfIt]

5 months.  I think I really turned another corner the past couple of weeks.  I have been able to work and focus far better than I ever had on Adderall.  Maybe I'm still on a roller coaster but it was huge difference.  I'm a software engineer so for me to sit in front of a computer for 8 hours a day developing quality software and spend another 5-6 hours those evenings taking online training courses to update my skills was a huge step away from Adderall.  I had always thought I didn't have the brain power without it but boy was I wrong.  I usually would spend half my day coping with the comedown but now I can go at a reasonable pace all day long, as long as I'm enjoying what I'm doing.  I hope it stays this way.  

[GettingOffOfIt]

1 year alcohol free today.  I know it isn’t adderal related but I’m very happy about it.  I’m also just over a week away from being 6 months adderal free.  When I hit that milestone I think I’ll take a weekend trip to somewhere really nice with the family to celebrate both

[GettingOffOfIt]

I am now at 7 months.   It has been going well so far.  I still have a few blah days here and there but they are offset by some really good days.  There are still days where I am not worth a crap but they becoming extremely rare and may just be related to living a normal life.  

 

There is something that I just recently discovered has been really eye-opening for me that I would like to share.  I wear an apple watch daily and I have since June 2020.  I work out regularly and always have.  The apple watch tracks your VO2 max over time which is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during exercise.  I guess it tells you kind of how in shape you are heart and conditioning wise in regards to intense exercise.  I got a notification last January on my watch that said my VO2 max was trending much lower.  I didn't think much of it because I started weaning off in November and by the time I got the notification I was off for good.  I was noticeably weaker from stopping the meds so I went about my business.  I didn't know much about VO2 max.

 

Just a few weeks ago, I get the notification that it has been trending higher.  I had been feeling better and more energetic during workouts.  I have been alternating between the same extreme workout programs for years so I haven't done anything different in that area.  I was curious so I opened the app up in my watch and looked at the chart.  It was pretty telling.   I started weaning off in November.  My V02 max stayed around 47 From June 2020 until I started cutting my dose in November.  It immediately dropped to 38.  It dropped to 37 in December and 36 in January when I quit completely.  Keep in mind, the same amount of working out over time.  It slowly rose to 43 by May.  In June it shot way up to 48 and 50 in July.  It is at 53 right now. A 32-36 is an excellent score for my age but what is eye opening is this chart pretty much charted out my physical recovery from my addiction to Adderall.  It is really amazing to me to pull the chart up and see that.  

Hopefully that will bring hope to some of you working on getting over it.  You will keep getting better each month.  Keep exercising and eating right and it will add up.  I can feel a great deal of difference in energy each day.  I don't need the coffee I needed before.  I don't need pre-workout powders to get me motivated to start and finish my workouts.  I feel great when I wake up ( if I get 8 hours).  

 

I'm still dealing with a little anxiety but meditation, exercise, sleep and a new app I found out about has been helping me overcome that and channel that anxious energy towards a focused task.  Your prefrontal cortex is located in the front of your brain and that is what fires off when you take your Adderall.  It is responsible for focusing and feeling good, critical thinking.  When you are having trouble focusing you can close your eyes and slowly count backwards from 5.  I like to picture things as I count.  Like 5 cows, 4 dogs and so forth.  Once you get to 1, you will have activated your prefrontal cortex and you can concentrate again on what you were doing.  Its a neat trick and it works really well.  Another one is the Focus at Will App.  You find the tunes they have that work for you and turn them on.  After 15-20 minutes of playing in your headphones, you can't really tell it is going any more.  It activated your prefrontal cortex and gets you into that hyper-focused state you are used to being in when you were on Adderall.  The only difference is you can turn this off and it isn't addictive.  There are other tricks I have found but those work best. I'm always looking for other things.

 

So to sum up this post:

 

1)  Hang in there.  Your body will recover physically from this addiction and be even better off.  

2)  Continue to exercise, sleep and eat healthy food.  This is so crucial.  Treat it like a bank account.  Make big deposits daily and live off the interest. 

3) Download Focus at Will and try it out.  Tesla, Space X, Amazon and Apple buy this for their engineers to help them produce great work.