EricP

I have been using this forum for nearly 3 years now and never seem it this bad. I cant imagine it not existing due to this sort of thing as it has helped me and so many. Hopefully one of our moderators will clean up the posts and block the users. Maybe an additional step needs to be implemented before potential new members can get in. I hope there is a solution, reddit and facebook do not have anything as intimate as this recovery home.

Built a 2700sqft man cave (shop)... Bucket list for me and my cars and hobbies... Still have ups and downs here and there but an adderall free life has allowed me to turn my business profitable and be able to focus on life goals...

You can get basic blood tests to see if you are out of balance. Would be good to check testosterone, estrogen and your thyroid. As far as “man boobs” checking your estrogen would be key. I have found myself and others have low testosterone after quitting as dopamine and testosterone go somewhat hand in hand. Estrogen seems to rise when testosterone is low. When your are you e testosterone is high and estrogen is low. We f you don’t want to involve a doctor you can go to requestatest.com and order labs fairly cheap.

How long have you been off Adderall? I had a lot of issues with sleep after quitting and the 3:15 wake time is very familiar. I used time release melatonin, tyrosine, 5htp, gaba among others. Can’t really say anything helped drastically however did try some CBD with low THC content and that was the best... over time I slowly quit taking anything and was able to finally sleep. I still find if I wake for any reason I have issues going back to sleep

" Minor stressors destroy me and create panic and depression " I totally relate to this! It does get better however even to this day my wife mentions how easily triggered I get at times... Congrats on 10mo, You will feel a lot better in the months to come. Avoid taking meds to solve the problem, eat healthy and try to exercise. You can find some relief in some vitamins mentioned in this forum however very subtle at best...

That’s a crazy story. Prayers to you! Sounds like you have got yourself started on the right path. It’s a tough road to stay on but well worth it! There are many here to support you in your recovery so just keep at it and post when you need help. Best of luck!

My blood sugar is usually high in the morning which isn’t normal. I did the 2hr glucose test etc and passed no problem. Docs can’t tell me why I have high levels in the morning as it’s not like I am eating pure sugar at night or eat late meals. One doc told me my cortisol was a little high in the am which can elevate blood sugar...

I had similar issues especially the first year. Some got better by 2yrs and others are still lingering. I went to plenty of docs and in the end they told me to avoid the foods that caused these problems... Hard to say if it’s all Adderall related or just coincidence

I am sorry to hear what you are going thru. I also tried Zoloft when I was feeling the way you are. I think it effects everyone differently but for me I was very tired on it. I actually took half the dose they told me to take for awhile but still felt extra tired. I switched to 5htp and Tyrosine which are over the counter vitamins. Then progressed to work on diet and exercising... If you read about zoloft of any drug that increases serotonin they also reduce dopamine... So its a little opposite of what your brain may need right now however do whatever keeps you alive! The first few months I honestly felt like my life was going to end and was in a state of silent panic.

I had the same issue and still battle it a bit after over two years clean. However everyone is different, some gain weight with less activity and some loose weight. I think its just a metabolism thing and adderall seems to make whatever problems we once had worse. I run into many people since quitting that don't recognize me.. My number one suggestion is exercise. When I don't exercise I loose weight, my brain gets foggy and less motivated. It seems impossible at first to get yourself to a gym I know this but after a month of going 3-4 times a week you will feel an improvement. Working out will increase your hunger and do your best to eat healthy. However exercise is key

I tried it, nothing like adderall. Doubt it will fill the void but may have some stimulating effects. Will likely increase anxiety and made me pretty jittery feeling. Libido adversely affected as well. I did not use it for long as I didn't like side effects. Lion’s Mane, L-Tyrosine, and Citicoline are all good options regardless of what direction you go in your journey of quitting.

Good chart however I think most long term quitters would agree most of these things linger for at least a year or longer...

I feel your struggles and also struggle after being off for 2 years. Short term memory issues and low energy problems. I am functioning way better than the first year however still not the person I hoped to be by now. I can say that any less evil stimulant doesn’t help for long whether it’s caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or what have you it will feel good for a few days then you find yourself chasing a different dragon. Best to seriously look at diet, limit carbs and caffeine. Some supplements can help, Keto works well for those who can stick with it, my approach is just avoiding processed foods and unhealthy carbs. Exercise is a must no matter how you feel, try to commit to at least 3 days a week to start and try for a goal of 5. Wish you the best!

I have read other posts as well as talked to people trying to quit ritalin and based on what I hear ritalin is almost harder to quit than adderall. Similar symptoms but stronger... I don't have first hand knowledge other than at one point I tried to switch before quitting and ritalin gave me very bad headaches. Best thing is to quit all together whether you taper or not. Tapering may help the process however it will suck altogether no matter. It just takes time! Benzo's require a taper and can be difficult ifs like 1mg lorazepam the pills can be so small that they are hard to break up evenly. Might be better to quit the adderall first as the benzo's may help with the anxiety symptoms but long term you should plan to get off both! Exercise and eating healthy is the best prescription!

I feel you Sean... We are on about the same timeline... I found in reading that alcohol is also a dopamine promoter and find it surprising that after a few drinks I actually feel "normal" however I have pretty much quit drinking to be as healthy as I can but do drink maybe 1 day a week and its hard not to have a vise. Truly believe there is some long term damage of the reward system from this crap but still functioning and plugging along the best I can. I'd at least try to cut back and skip some days to start and find some balance.. Wish you the best

Welcome to the forum! You are in the right place with a good plan. I could be stretching the truth a bit however I believe Vyvanse will be slightly easier to quit than adderall only because of it's a smoother release and not so much of the instant high that adderall gives us at least early on. Many here have used Wellbutrin in the early phases of quitting. I would say perhaps ask to switch and maybe decide whether you actually take it once you see how you feel. I went about a month before getting a doctor to prescribe it for me however that is because I was feeling like crap and it took a few weeks just to get an appointment. For me it helped a little however it triggered some anxiety and made me shaky at full dose. Tapering is another good way to start. Vyvanse will be harder to do this accurately as with capsules you will basically have to open some and pour a percentage of the contents out. Beyond that Tyrosine is a common suggestion, exercise 3-5 days a week for at least 30min no matter how lousy you feel and eat healthy. Hydrate, sleep also... It's a miserable process however beyond worth it!

Congrats to 3 years! So Awesome! Do you feel like you felt any improvement between year 2&3 or was the first 1-2 years the most of your progress? Just curious as I am at year 2 and still hoping for some improvement... Thank you for the encouragement and sharing your journey!

2 Years – Its been a very long road getting to this milestone. I feel like the first year was the hardest year of my life and was all pure healing time with many ups and downs; year two is when I actually began to slowly function again. Overall, I am much more myself now than my Adderall days or at any point in the first year of recovery. I actually “want” to do things and have become motivated to work and catch up with my hobbies again. I went from almost out of business to showing a profit again and catching up all my finances mainly in year 2. I still have some odd physical symptoms and low energy days/moments/afternoons are usually when I feel a little down. Evenings are still not a very strong social time for me as by then I am pretty wiped from my day to deal with intense social situations. The feeling of pleasure is still not as great as it once was pre-Adderall… However I am accepting and just trying to make the most of each day. For those new to recovery… My biggest advice would be limit sugar/carb intake and exercise no matter how hard it is and how tired you are. Cardio is a must in recovery! Tyrosine I do believe to be helpful however I cannot say that any supplements I tried (and I tried a lot) gave me any instant relief of measurable improvement. The healing process seems to be slow and unsteady regardless of actions and you really don’t ever feel like things are improving until you find yourself handling a situation that you couldn’t deal with a few months prior. My advice is to never give up and do not give in to temptation. Exercise & eat healthy and do what you can to keep a healthy consistent sleep schedule. Supplements can’t hurt however do your research and don’t over do it… Any product promising energy will likely hurt your recovery process as it will be loaded with caffeine and who knows what else which will just create another dependency. I still find any of these stimulants really affect me now, I can feel really good after an energy drink however I really crash after sometimes for the entire next day… So I avoid anything more than my daily cup of coffee… I’m not here as much as I used to be however, I still read and comment when I see an area that I can offer input or support. Thank you all for your support here it really helped my survival especially the first year!

18 months is a huge success! I am very near 2yrs and still have odd symptoms. I think the brain takes a long time to heal in some areas however everyone is different. Some bounce back quicker than others and also even believe in my case that I over think some symptoms and mentally make them worse than they are. This journey has make me a hypochondriac on more than one occasion...

I am not on Tumblr however that is a great post! I can relate to all of it for sure! Good luck on your recovery and keep in touch, you will need to be strong. This site really helped me stay clean and focused on recovery during my roughest chapters.

Congrats Sean! We both quit around the same time so glad your doing well! I am a ton more productive these days however still fight some ups and downs and weird symptoms however life is great without this drug! I often wish I could start over and stop myself from ever have popped one of these evil pills.

Yes similar here too...I would grind my teeth and ever tap them at times while on adderall. During the last year and upon quitting my gum health went to crap. It has improved now that I quit however still feel like my gums could be healthier... Recovery is slow...

That is great Kiki! Your symptoms while on Adderall sound a lot like mine. I definitely relate to the symptoms you had while on Adderall and the desire to drink a bottle of wine a night. How soon did the physical symptoms disappear for you? I am not quite at 22mo yet but close and still have odd physical symptoms that are lingering. Congrats again on your progress and thank you for sharing!!

I am pretty close to you in my recovery at 1.5yrs. I also question my sense of smell quite often. Some days I smell more than others which I am constantly checking smelling things. I do have some allergies that I am certain interfere at times but there are days that my nose if as clear as ever and my smell is much less than I ever remember. As for taste, I haven’t noticed that so much but I can say I am not as excited about food as I used to be. I just eat because I have to not because I have deep cravings or excited about a certain dish and/or flavors. If you do research on our specific list of symptoms most of us complain about it is basically like we have ourselves a clinical example of mild dementia. The good news is that ours in therory not being neurodegenerative we have the chance to heal and improve these symptoms over time... It just feels like a horribly slow process

I still battle this at 1.5yrs. The anhedonia has passed at least to a manageable level however I still have little empathy and get anger rather easily. Almost like a switch that once someone triggers it I cant let go the rage I am feeling and until I have some solo downtime or sleep it off. Even if the person who anger me apologizes or works to make the situation right it just seems impossible to shake the anger and think clearly. Exercise and sleep are the only remedies I know of.