Adderall ?

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Never to pry into other peoples medical business... I'm pretty open (on here) about my life and things... I'm guessing someone may have asked this before, but i was wanting to talk to any current members who might have some insight on Adderall...

Admittedly I have some nasty ADD, (or Inattentive ADHD without hyperactivity) which is so confusing to me... but anyway...

I get into these thought patterns that are like hurricanes, they just gather and gather and gather other thoughts until I am just a mess mentally and can't really focus on the important things I truly need to focus on. People will tell me stuff. I will reply, and then realize I never heard a single thing they said... That is rude and embarrassing, yet at times I can't help it, it seems... Even worse, is to do something that was not part of what the conversation was about and then just have to explain I was off in Neverland... It sucks.

At times this sort of scares me because I will have done things and done them right, and never remember doing them... Sort of like driving through towns and thinking back 3 towns later... "Oh geez I don't even remember doing that." Then I often get a little scared because I wonder did I even pay attention to the speed limit, etc... I do the same at work. I get so used to things I do that I "go off in my head" and I finish my work (subconsciously) and then I have to go back and recheck everything because I don't even remember doing it.

I talked to my doctor and he wants me to try Adderall... It has great advantages, but from what I reading it has some really horrible problems down the road... when it time to give it a break, or switch to something else.

I found some other stuff (non-prescription) that "claims" to be as good or better...
There is Alpha Brain and some others... So, if that's a fact then why do so many people still take Adderall??? See my heads already starting this looping thing on this, and I get so tired of it...

My doc knows I hate meds, but he tells me that many people "need" them, but I start this inner conversations of "Do they really need them... Or is this just cause I cant cope with LIFE?"

I just want to FOCUS on something, make a logical decision and move on, but often I get stuck... Very often I get stuck... Especially if it's something outside my normal routine, or a big change in how my life operates...

I just get tired of looking up in my head and seeing this vortex of information spinning that needs to be still so I can figure it out...

If it's something with numbers, or a situation that requires some urgency, I can override it for a while but it's often worse after that situation has passed and I just have to sleep it off. Often even in my sleep I catch myself waking up with this ever changing loop of information that just plays over and over...

At times it makes me feel a little crazy and I told the doctor that I was worried about this, and he told me... (Made me look him in the eye UG!) "I am nowhere close to anything that seems like "crazy"..." So I guess I believe him, or I guess he would have written me up for an eval, or referal like when I was diagnosed..

He really thinks this will help, and he says he knows he can trust me because I never ask for more meds, or an increase in my meds... I have the RX but haven't even picked it up yet...

I just hate the fact I need meds to function in this reality. It makes me feel unwhole, messed up, not right, screwed up in the head, basically a failure in LIFE, but it is what it is, I guess...

Anyone who wants to share opinions, give better options, ideas, or has past or current experiences with ADD or adderall would be appreciated... : )

I have ADHD combined and I've got a prescription for Ritalin. Adderall is not big in Australia.

I see stimulants as a helping hand when you need it. If you can't do what you need to do, then take some.

For me I found taking Ritalin every day was not only not needed it was problematic. I got vertigo and head aches, but only after a few months of daily use.

Now I take it if I need to, and rely on coffee, herbal tea and supplements.

I am going to be trying Memantine soon though.

Here's what I know (some of this may be incorrect as I'm still learning fast - I only found out about ADHD 12 months ago, and only started really hacking it 6 months ago);

ADHD is caused by three things (maybe more)

1. low dopamine & norepinephrine.

This is what amphetamines work on. They increase both neurotransmitters that you're low on.
The doses are very low, much lower than recreational use, and while you may get a mild "I feel much better" jolt it will be like a cup of coffee strength.

Alternative to stimulants;

Herbs that boost dopamine and norepinephrine.

• Ginkgo
• Liquorice root (also NMDA antagonist I think)
• Jaiogulan (also NMDA antagonist I think)
• Curcumin
• Lavender (also NMDA antagonist I think)
• Huperzine A (also NMDA antagonist I think)
• there are more

2. Glutamate.

This is 100% sure for me, but I think not everyone has this. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter and if you have too much it becomes toxic and wrecks your concentration and feels also.

Most doctors are not aware of this part, but it's more important if it affects you as it can cause very nasty diseases and it is also a cause of Alzheimer's.

In fact, if you study Alzheimer's there are many parallels with ADHD.

Glutamate binds to NMDA receptors in your brain, so to block it's effects you can either take supplements to turn it into GABA (zinc, B6, B12), or block it at the receptor using an NMDA receptor antagonist.

For me, supplements help a little, but I have to try to limit dietary intake somewhat and try to block it at the receptor.

This becomes an almost impossible balancing act, but here's what I do;

NMDA receptor antagonists;

In the day;

• Jaiogulan tea
• Ginkgo tea
• Liquorice root tea -

Evening;

• Alcohol - strong NMDA receptor antagonist, and boosts dopamine - obvious draw backs but works very well.
• Valerian - boosts GABA
• Gotu Kola - boost GABA and dopamine
• Skullcap - boosts GABA? and dopamine?

The future;

Memantine.
This is a drug for Alzheimers that boosts dopamine (or upregulates the receptors), and caps the NMDA receptor against glutamate. That means it still allows glutamate when need but protects against a flood.

Also works as a choline reuptake in hibitor (I think)

Do a search for memantine and ADHD and you'll find stories of it being a life changing wonder drug for some people. There are plenty of studies on ADHD usage too.

3. Choline

I don't know much about this yet.

Solutions are take choline. I take Sunflower Lecithin which has an immediate effect. Or take Alpha GPC which I've not tried.

Also some drugs inhibit the enzmye which breaks choline down - Acetylcholinesterase(?)



My current stacks

Supplements;
Zinc picolinate
B6
P5P
Taurine


In the day;
Jaiogulan tea - really works very well and is also a dopamine booster (re-uptake inhibitor?), and I take it every day.
Ginkgo tea - also works really well, but concerns over long term use.
Liquorice root tea - works great & I mix it with Jaiogulan which is really nice.

Evening;
Alcohol - strong NMDA receptor antagonist, and boosts dopamine - obvious draw backs but works very well.

When required;

Ritalin
Valerian - boosts GABA
Gotu Kola - boost GABA and dopamine
Skullcap - boosts GABA? and dopamine?


Resources;

Longecity - heaps of cutting edge info about memantine, ADHD, herbs and more.
Reddit - as above.