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What Are The Side Effects Of Abruptly Stopping Adderall?
Question: I have recently stopped taking Adderall (not by choice) after 23 years of taking it. I am having a terrible time with sleepiness, depression, trembling, elevated blood pressure and a lack of XXXXXXX in anything. I have since read that it is not a good idea to stop cold turkey - that it causes an immediate drop in dopamine and norepinephrine. I have a history of bipolar disease and the comblination of presc, drugs I took have been working well for me for many years. What do you suggest needs to be done?
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Brief Answer:
Clarifications needed.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your query.
Can you please clarify the following:
What dosage of Adderall were you taking?
What was the reason for taking Adderall?
Why did you have to stop the medication?
What medication are you on for your Bipolar disorder?
Are you on any other medication?
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS, DPM, MRCPsych.(U.K.)
Consultant Psychiatrist
Clarifications needed.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for your query.
Can you please clarify the following:
What dosage of Adderall were you taking?
What was the reason for taking Adderall?
Why did you have to stop the medication?
What medication are you on for your Bipolar disorder?
Are you on any other medication?
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS, DPM, MRCPsych.(U.K.)
Consultant Psychiatrist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks Dr. Sundarakumar, for getting back to me so soon. Answers to your query: I was taking 30 mg (XR) per day for ADHD, diagnosed by a psychiatrist 23 years ago. I was already on antidepressants, etc., for bipolar disorder. For that, I now take Lamictal, 200 mg, Wellbutrin, 300 mg, Cymbalta, 60 mg, and an occasional .25 mg Xanax (I get 15 per month).
In addition, I take 4 mg of Dilaudid, up to 2 a day for hip and back painand Tizanidine, 4 mg, up to 2 a day. I also take Ibuprofen and Tylenol.
The reason I stopped the Adderall is kind of involved but I'll try to be succinct. I lost my United Health Care insurance XXXXXXX 1. My psychiatrist at that time did not accept Medicare. I had to try and find a new one right away. In the meantime, my new PC said that she would prescribe my psyche meds until I found a new Psychi., but that she was uneasy about the Adderall. Finally I found a psychiatrist whose first opening was in July. I made the app't., only having a few Adderall left. When I got in to see her, she said that she didn't prescribe Adderall, never did for anyone - didn't even have a triplicate presc. pad. Nothing personal. I called my PC back and asked her if she would cover my Adderall until I found a new dr., and she said no. I think she thought if the psychiatrst wouldn't prescribe them, I must not need them. She never called to find out. Neither Dr. mentioned the side effects. I don't know if they didn't know or didn't care. So I ran out and here I am!
In addition, I take 4 mg of Dilaudid, up to 2 a day for hip and back painand Tizanidine, 4 mg, up to 2 a day. I also take Ibuprofen and Tylenol.
The reason I stopped the Adderall is kind of involved but I'll try to be succinct. I lost my United Health Care insurance XXXXXXX 1. My psychiatrist at that time did not accept Medicare. I had to try and find a new one right away. In the meantime, my new PC said that she would prescribe my psyche meds until I found a new Psychi., but that she was uneasy about the Adderall. Finally I found a psychiatrist whose first opening was in July. I made the app't., only having a few Adderall left. When I got in to see her, she said that she didn't prescribe Adderall, never did for anyone - didn't even have a triplicate presc. pad. Nothing personal. I called my PC back and asked her if she would cover my Adderall until I found a new dr., and she said no. I think she thought if the psychiatrst wouldn't prescribe them, I must not need them. She never called to find out. Neither Dr. mentioned the side effects. I don't know if they didn't know or didn't care. So I ran out and here I am!
Brief Answer:
Recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for the clarifications.
I can understand that you must be going through a very difficult time. What you are going through is most likely a withdrawal phase with rebound depression. It was probably not a wise clinical decision to stop Adderall abruptly. Even if the doctor felt that you did not need it, the dose should have been gradually reduced and then stopped.
Anyway, I can think of two options now. One is for you to tell your GP that you would be okay to come off the Adderall but since you are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, you can ask her to put you on a tapering schedule for a few weeks so that you don't go through a difficult withdrawal phase. It is perfectly rational for a doctor to prescribe this, when the person is experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms after abruptly stopping a prescription drug which she has been on for 23 years.
if your GP doesn't agree for the first option, then the only other option is to adjust the dose of your other psychiatric medication so that your rebound depressive symptoms can be controlled. I can see that you are on 3 medications for your Depression / Bipolar. Both the antidepressants that you're on, namely, Cymbalta and Wellbutrin are in good doses already. So, the only choice would be to increase the dosage of Lamictal, hoping that it would bring your depressive symptoms under control.
So, I would suggest that you discuss with your GP about the above options, and hopefully, you should be able to get things sorted out.
Best wishes,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS, DPM, MRCPsych.(UK)
Consultant Psychiatrist
Recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for the clarifications.
I can understand that you must be going through a very difficult time. What you are going through is most likely a withdrawal phase with rebound depression. It was probably not a wise clinical decision to stop Adderall abruptly. Even if the doctor felt that you did not need it, the dose should have been gradually reduced and then stopped.
Anyway, I can think of two options now. One is for you to tell your GP that you would be okay to come off the Adderall but since you are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, you can ask her to put you on a tapering schedule for a few weeks so that you don't go through a difficult withdrawal phase. It is perfectly rational for a doctor to prescribe this, when the person is experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms after abruptly stopping a prescription drug which she has been on for 23 years.
if your GP doesn't agree for the first option, then the only other option is to adjust the dose of your other psychiatric medication so that your rebound depressive symptoms can be controlled. I can see that you are on 3 medications for your Depression / Bipolar. Both the antidepressants that you're on, namely, Cymbalta and Wellbutrin are in good doses already. So, the only choice would be to increase the dosage of Lamictal, hoping that it would bring your depressive symptoms under control.
So, I would suggest that you discuss with your GP about the above options, and hopefully, you should be able to get things sorted out.
Best wishes,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar MBBS, DPM, MRCPsych.(UK)
Consultant Psychiatrist
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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