Adderall XR: Doses and Duration
ByAdderall XR has the same composition of Adderall — mixed amphetamine salts. The difference between the two is that the XR version is placed in a 12-hour capsule, half of which is intended for immediate release and the other half for a delayed release.
The doses in which it comes are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg. This makes it easy to adjust a dose and actually getting you a precise and tailored amount of the drug that will meet your specific needs. The capsules, by the way, can be opened and sprinkled on certain foods, like applesauce, should you or your child not be able to swallow pills.
The exact dosage your physician eventually administers you depends on a variety of factors, including your age, what other ADD/ADHD medications you’ve tried in the past as well as any other medications you’re currently taking for any other conditions.
It’s extremely important therefore that you answer your prescribing doctor honestly about any medication you’re currently using. If you are using something that would provide a bad reaction to the medication or you’re taking another medication itself that may interfere or react with Adderall XR.
The usual dosage for children six years of age to 12 years is 10 mg a day. Some doctors prescribe as much as 30 mg for the day, depending on the age and needs of the child.
For those between 13 to 17 years of age, the dosage starts at 10 mg. Your doctor may work adjust the dosage up as high as 20 mg every day. Adults — both female and male — usually receive 20 mg.
Your doctor will probably put you on the lowest dosage possible initially, and monitor your actions closely. As he sees your reaction on that amount, he’ll adjust the medication as necessary.
Studies Provide Positive Evidence
Several studies, conducted with Adderall XR, demonstrate the long-lasting medication does seem to perform as Shire, the manufacturer, intended it to. One study looked at the behavior of children taking the medication and another group who were not on this medication. Members of both groups suffered from ADD/ADHD.
Teachers noted significant improvements in the behavior patterns of those children who took the medication compared to those who were not taking the medication.
Another, similar study, examined teenagers and the use of Adderall XR. Those individual teens who had taken Adderall XR displayed a greater improvement in their ADHD symptoms compared to those who were not taking it.
But that’s not all. Adderall XR is also effective at the adult level as well.
Dr. Kenny
Dr. Handelman,
I thoroughly enjoyed this information about Adderall XR. Personally, I take this medication every day. I wanted to let you know that your blog is one of my favorites for ADHD information. I am including a summary of this post in an article for Associated Content. I also am writing a review of your blog for an article for Helium.com. I wish you all the best.
Have a wonderful day,
Bruce C Ziebarth
Thanks, Bruce. I appreciate your comments very much.
Dr. Kenny
Hi Dr. Handelman,
I take 40mg of Adderall XR twice a day. Although it works quite well, I find that I can get about 6-7 hours of efficacy per dose. I’m careful to avoid foods that contain citric acid, but have had no luck in getting anything near 12 hours of coverage.
Strangely enough, my girlfriend (also ADHD) finds she can only get 6-7 hours of full benefit from Adderall XR. Have you heard of similar experiences with your patients?
Hi Tim,
I find that most people get 12 hours of symptom control with Adderall XR. That said, some people do get less. Avoiding citric acid is a good idea. Also – if you take antacids, this may change the absorption. However, most doctors would suggest that if Adderall XR isn’t lasting long enough, then try Vyvanse. It should last a full 12-14 hours (again – that is for most people). It works differently, so it may last longer. Chemically – it’s very similar to Adderall XR.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Dr. Kenny: I thank God for you every day. After 25 years of being misdiagnosed and wrongfully medicated my son is now taking Adderall XR. He has had a life coach as a result of your webinar that I attended. He is taking the medication as a result of your CD about save medication and has seen a psychiatrist in our area. He has had one appointment and is thrilled for the support and understanding that he gave him. I can’t thank you enough for your persistence in getting the message out. As you suggest I have become an ADHD advocate. Talking and offering information to anyone who will listen. There is such misunderstanding in the world today with respect to this disorder. Your friend, Fran
Fran,
Thank you so much for this comment.
You made my day
I’m thrilled to know that the information that I send out about ADHD has changed life for your son.
And I’m even more thrilled that you are taking on the role of being an ADHD advocate. The efforts you put out there can make a big difference to others.
Here’s hoping that you and your son have the best year yet in 2010.
All the best,
Dr. Kenny
Hi there – I am newer to the ADHD world and was just diagnosed at 29 years old. After my second child, I was diagnosed with severe post partum depression, and treated for that, which saved my life. Then, there was still something “wrong,” something not right in my life – it was still so hard. I know life is not a cake walk, but it has always been very hard for me, when I know it should be better. So frustrating, b/c I would try and try to will myself to make things better, and it wouldn’t work. So, my Dr. tested for ADHD and we went back and looked at report cards from school (I am a teacher and am ironically around ADHS kids all the time) ans tested very high for ADHD. Yet, I was still unsure. He then told me, look, “if it quacks like a duck, and looks like a duck…it is probably a duck.”
So, I tried Adderall XR… wow. Like, I never knew life could be this good – just so much easier – easy as it should have been my whole life. There are still ups and downs, but it is not so damn hard. I am just grateful to finally have an answer. I do have a question though… we tried a switch to Vyvance b/c the Adderall worked great, but I had a “crash” and he wanted to try something longer lasting (as did my husband!) Well, it was horrible and did nothing compared to the Adderall XR, so he switched me back and said for some people, certain things work. My question is, it still wear off in the afteroon — can you take an immediate release later in the day to extend the medicine? Is there another option? Should I switch completley to the “ritalin” family? Not sure what to do… Any advice on what to talk with him about/options would be great. I am so glad I found this site – thank you!
Sarah
Hello, everyone
I was reading about ADHD/ADD for some time and notice that some of my brother, their sons and my unculs have the symtums including myself. But no one seems to know about ADHD in my family. So if you feel That you have ADHD, please look for others in your family who may also have the ADHD, tell them to read about ADHD and get help managing it.
One thing I have notice which helps is doing math practices, even simple addition and subtraction. The more complicated math I try to resolve, the batter I(ADHD) get. Please let me know if it works for you.
Sarah,
Both suggestions you made are options – i.e. adding a short acting Adderall at the end of the day, or switching the ‘ritalin’ family.
Talk to your doctor about which he/she thinks is best. Glad to hear your success story!
Dr. Kenny
Dr Kenny,
What is your opinion on getting heart workups on Adderall XR patients
prior to diagnosis and after the medication is given to the patient?
I know of deaths and I know that they took it off the market in Canada
a few years ago. Would you rather be safe than sorry?
Jerry
Hey Dr. Kenny, I have a question for you… can Adderal XR cause kidney pain/problems? How do you know what to look for? I am having pain on both sides of my stomach, and my dosage was increased. It has been so great for me, but now this has started… Thank you so much,
Sarah
Sarah, best to talk to your doctor about this.
Kidney pain is felt on your flank – i.e. in the small of your back on either side of your spine, under your ribs – as you can see here: http://health.discovery.com/centers/pain/back/back_kidney.html
I am not aware of this being a specific side effect from Adderall – but as I say, best to speak to your doctor about this.
Dr. Kenny
My g/f has been taking Adderall XR for several years. It has been working great for her. She is unable to take generic, ie M. Amphet Salts. She had tried, and noticed a significant change in mood and alertness. Needless to say, she requested her doctor to prescribe her the name brand, even though it costs significantly more. Today, she received her Rx, and it looks identical to the generic. Side-by-side, they are identical. They are both stamped with M. Amphet Salts. We called the pharmacy and they claim that “Shire” says that even though the label may be identical, it is “name brand”. I say our insurance and ourselves are being frauded, due the “name brand” (which looks identical-traslucent capsule, not transparent, and is stamped the same). They claim that Shire had published a document claiming that “name brand” may have either or stamped on the pills. How is this even possible? If the pharmacist spilled both containers, he/she would NOT be able to distinguish one from the other. Have you heard of such claims? Can this be done? Shire claims that they are identical, but why is one 3x more than the other? Would you pay 3x as much for item B over item A, if they were identical? I would think not. Please let me know what you think of this… Thank you.
Hey there,
I was recently diagnosed with Inattentive ADD at 22 years old. Growing up I struggled with school with each year, but no one would test me for ADD (I was supposed to be skipped 2 grades but didn’t, therefore justifying the claims that I was merely ‘bored’). Well I just started Uni in August and boy did I notice a difference – I was studying CONSTANTLY and attending every lecture but still failing! Finally, without much hope, I went to my doctor over the winter break and spoke with him about it.
He put me on 20 mgs 2x IR per day and holy cow was there a change! I was less fatigued (something that really bothered me), and I could actually recall things I had heard/read in class. I’ve been able to think critically about topics in class and have actually got to where I just stop raising my hand to answer questions because class discussions turn into one-on-one conversations with my Professors. I just took my first exam for my business class (one that everyone knew would be hard) and I got an A for the first time since I can remember. It’s been absolutely amazing!!
Well my doctor suggested that I switch to Adderall XR (the generic kind) so that I’d only have to take one pill rather than two every day. This seemed perfectly logical and I was fine with doing so. Big. Mistake.
Seeing as how I didn’t attribute these things to the Adderall XR, I know that it wasn’t some placebo effect. It took me a few days (and reading this blog) for me to find out that all of the bizarre symptoms I have been experiencing have been occuring in others taking this medication. I became extremely fatigued (to the point where I was considering if I had mono again) and would still sleep for hours after taking my Adderall XR. I even ended up at the clinic to get a pregnancy test because I was getting so violently ill in the morning about an hour after I’d get up (also an hour after I’d take the meds).
Aside from the nasty side effects, I do not feel that this medication works at all for me. My concetration is down and I’m back to missing appointments/forgetting what I have to do/lack of motivation or ability to engage in tasks for a prolonged period of time. Again, no part of me had ever thought that this would happen so I know it’s not a placebo effect!
Anyway, just thought I’d share my story. For those considering taking Adderall/switching to the XR, don’t bother. Taking two IR tabs works wonders and allows you to have a little more control over when you really need the extra hand (or not take the second one at all). If you do want to try the XR, make sure to talk to your doctor first and be very aware of the symptoms other people who have switched to XR have experienced. I also recommend not making the switch during an important period of time (unfortunately for me I am now having to take two exams without any assistance).
Good luck!
Dave, I had the same thing happen today. My pill bottle says adderall xr, but 29 of the pills say m amphet salts and one was a normal adderall xr. I called the pharmacy when I discovered this and was told that they are the same and that it was taken out of a adderrall container that she broke the seal on to fill my script. I then called another pharmacy to get a second opinion and was told they are generic brand. Not sure what to believe or think. Funny thing is when I called to question this the lady knew exactly what pills. I never gave my name or told her what pills I was talking about. Was even calling from a different phone number than the one they would have on file. It was like she was waiting for me to call and had a story prepared.
Hi Dr. Kenny,
I am 40 yrs old and went back to finish college, I attended classes and as always found school incredibly difficult. I spoke to my therapist who suggested I speak to my doctor about Adderall.
I was started on 10 mg IR, 2x a day and it worked great. Like many over the next few months it began to lose its effectiveness so we slowly increased from 10 to 15 2x a day, to finally 20 mg 2x a day(all IR).
Also like many others, I had good experiences with the pink 20 mg Adderall, but when switched to the orangish (Barr Labrotories IR) It made me feel horrible at times, anxiety almost to the point of fainting.
I went back to my doctor a few days ago, he did blood work and switched me to 20 mg XR (brand) 1x a day. Obviously I am aware that the effects are more subtle because of the xr factor, but I am wondering if my dose is too low.
I guess my overall question is… If you are taking 40 mg IR (20 x 2 per day) and 20 Mg XR (1x a day) are an equivalent dosage. I am feeling more like my old self (less focused, OCD, and unorganized with 0 attention span) and I wonder should I be taking another 20 mg XR per day.
I also have about 90 of the 20 mg ir remaining from days that I did not take the medicine over the past 6 months, should I take 1/2 of one of those ?
Thank you
Sorry, just read my post above and the question is confusing, serious ADD kicking in..
Question: I was on 20 mg x 2 IR daily (most days I took 20 and a half of a 20, total 30 Mg) recently I have been taking 40 mg’s per day, but the generic orange ones really sucked.
My doctor perscribed me 1 20 mg xr per day (brand) is this something that is equal to 40 mg ir (generic). Did my doctor possibly misunderstand my daily dosage and gave me too low of a perscription on the XR ?
Dave and Cb,
I had the same thing happen to me this month. I ordered the brand name and got a fill of what appear to be the generic, but the pharmacy swears they came from the brand name bottle. I called around to diffrent pharmacies and had some tell me it was definitely the generic and others tell me it could be the brand name. All I know is that I have always demanded the brand name b/c the generic didn’t work for me and these pills that they claim are the brand name aren’t working for me either. I don’t feel the same way on them as I did with the brand name at all.
Ok, so here is my update, I went to CVS and they provided me with the sheet of information from the Adderall XR bottle that states if you are currently taking 40 mg IR (which I was), that the same dosage should be continued when taking XR, (which suggest the reccomended dosage for adults is 20 mg. Which is understandable in the case of somebody who is at the starting or early point of first taking adderall. I also called Shire, and spoke to a representative who clearly stated the doses should remain at 40 mg when switching from IR to XR.
Now my doctor is an unbelievably kind, understanding, and knowlegable individual who I have been with for years, and when I questioned his notion that 20 mg XR is the equivalent of 40 mg IR (stating again that 40 mg IR a day is really 20 mg xr, because it is absorbed by your system in a 24 hour period, and the 20 mg IR fades completely when taken twice a day, thus you are in all actuality taking 20 mg, although you are taking 2 pills due to absorption.
Truth is, 20 mg IR releases instantly… Taking 2 20 mg capsules XR also has an instant release (more subtle, and about 45 mins or so before you actually noice) of 20 mg, followed by another 20 mg released 5-6 hours later.. If a doctor tells you a 20 mg pill of XR is equivalent to 40 mg IR (taken twice a day, in 20 Mg intervals) he is absolutley wrong, and again is clearly stated in the guidlines that come with the bottle the pharmacy recieves.
I know may were switched from 40 mg IR to 30 mg XR, I could be wrong but maybe the generic brands of 40 mg IR throughout the day had less potency than the Brand XR, so they may be similiar, but again, ad I have done my research with the pharmacy and shire 20 MG XR DOES NOT EQUAL 40 MG IR…. I tried for 5 days taking the XR 20 mg and felt pretty bad, unfocused, agravated, and struggled to write papers and study, resorted back to my OCD’s, and became disorganized.
Any suggestions on how I should approach my doctor, who again is an excellent doctor and person, but for the first time when I questioned his theory on the dosage became defensive and dismissive, and very insistant that he was correct. I am taking XR 20 mg x 2 in the morning around 8 and it is awesome, starts to trickle a bit around 6PM, but the focus is still there and I am able to sleep. Again just not sure how to reaproach my doctor and tell him listen, I had to switch to 2 a day and your opinion though respected, was incorrect.
Thanks
i have been taking 40 mg. adderall xr (2 capsules of 20 mg. adderall xr) for about 2+ years now. the bottle i receive from my insurance companies pharmacy (group health pharmacy- wa. state) has always been from shire, and in the past the capsules have always said “adderall 20 mg” on them. i just received my new prescription in the mail (90 days) and noticed that the bottle is still identical to what i had before, but the capsules now say “m. amphet salts” instead of “adderall”. i know adderall is mixed amphet. salts but my side effects have been much different since taking the “m. amphet salts”. i feel tierd, grumpy, i have headaches/stomach upset and i’ve been depressed. has shire changed the way they make adderall or am i being given a generic? i have had bad experiences with being given generic substitutes from my insurance company in the past, so i’m curious. thank you!
Dr. K
My son is 6 years old he currently takes 25mgs of adderall xr daily. How long does this drug stay in your system? Some days Hes good for the day but others it wears off earlier than normal. it confuses me I assumed it would be the same each day. PLEASE help!!!
Kim,
Adderall XR is supposed to last for 12 hours.
That said, newer research suggests that stomach acid medicines can have a big impact on the absorption of the Adderall.
If the absorption is inconsistent, talk to your doctor about Vyvanse. This newer version of the medicine seems to be much more consistent with its absorption.
Wow! I never knew this site existed. If you could answer a quesion for me I’d really appreciate it.
I am 46 female who accidently decovered Adderall about a year ago. Hearing friends talking about it and how it helped them. Long story short I felt/fell like i have all they systoms of ADHD… i went to my MD and told him. He agreed with me…***note- i’ve been going to my MD since i was a small child so, he knows my med. history.
Anyway he first described xr 20 and it seemed to work great for about 5-6 hours and then i crashed! So, of course i have to go back at the min. ever other month. He increased my doseage to 25 mil. xr. And that has worked wonders for the last 6 months but!… the last month or 2 i’ve noticed it’s not working as well either. I take it early (around 8am) and by about 2-3 it’s completley gone. And i fell exhausted. I don’t want to became addictive to this. But, it has changed my life for the better. I actually can “think” and remember what i’ve said. Anyway…question is.. should i tell my dr.? I have been under alot of stress because, i’m currently unemployed…this great economy. Just wondering if that could have an effect on my systoms??? I’m just not “feeling” right or the same way. I know 25 mil. xr is quite alot so, if you could give me your opinion i’d appreciate it. I go back for my dr. visit in 2 weeks…
Thanks so much!
Cindy – when it comes to Adderall XR dosing – many doctors will go to 30 mg or even higher of Adderall XR.
If Adderall XR isn’t lasting long enough for you – it is possible that Vyvanse may be helpful. Vyvanse has been shown to last up to 14 hours in adults.
You can read my article on Vyvanse here: http://www.addadhdblog.com/vyvanse-the-new-medicine-for-addadhd/#7cf7
I started vyvanse a few weeks ago. It worked well but wore off in about 9 hours. My doctor gave me 10 mg adderall and told me to take 1-2 pills twice in the afternoon (4 hours apart). I am now changing to adderall xr 20 mg. He told me to take 1 in the morning and then 2-3 doeses of the fast acting adderall 20 mg. He told me the XR lasts 6 hours and I read it lasts 8 hours. Regardless, it doesn’t make sense to take so many fast acting pills if I can just take 2 xr’s and take the short acting on longer days.
Please let me know what your thoughts would be on this. FYI: I get up at 4:30 AM and go to sleep at 11 PM-ish. I have never had a problem sleeping on these pills. Thank you in advance.
Allie
Hey Allie,
What I’m reading seems like you are taking an awful lot, 6 hours for XR seems feasible, however you will probably feel a tapering effect by 6 hours. I have found titrating the adderall works best for me. I am perscribed 30 mg IR twice a day. I do not wait for the tapering, most days I will break the 30 in half and take it 4 hours after my initial dose (I was on XR also, and did the same.. Titrating is trying to keep an even amount offf adderall in your system thru the day. picture a chart where your initila dose the line rises, rather than wait for it to fall, I take smaller doses to keep the decline slow and steady.
You say your doc told you to take 2-3 doses of the IR 20 mgs in the afternoon seems a bit much and I think you will build a tolerance quicker when you do this.. Remember, the adderall rush if you will does fade, some think it is no longer working because they no longer feel that umph when it is taken. Some increase dosage, but again titrating is your best bet.. take a 20 in the afternoon, then break the others into 10′s and take them as needed. Again, the rush does fade but the drug is working.. I’m not a big advocate of drug holidays either, take less one day you don’t need it as much.
Oh and let me emphasize, I see you are an early riser, I am too.. If you can get 20 minutes of exercise in do so, right when you wake up. Your body will release endorphins which for me is a great compliment to the adderall and seems to prolong its effects as opposed to days I do not exercise.. For me this is key.. Hope this helps
Hi John!
I think I wrote my question last night after the IR wore off LOL. Let me clarify. I am currently taking 60 mg Vyvanse at 4:30 AM –> and then I exercise immediately afterwards. About 9 hours later, I take 10-20 mg of adderall IR and then 10-20 mg adderall IR 4 hours later. I am going to start 20 mg adderall XR tomorrow morning at 4:30 AM and then exercise. I actually spoke to my doctor this morning and he said the XR lasts 6 hours. So he said take 20 mg XR at 4:30 AM and then another 20 mg XR at 10 AM. Then I would take 10-20 mg IR at 4 PM and maybe overlap with 10 mg at 6 PM to get me through to about 10 PM (when I’m allowed to be my nutty self again).
Does this make sense? He also reminded me that I have a very bad case of ADD that had gone undetected until about 2 months ago. I am 38 years old now. Pretty bad, huh. Anyway, he thinks this would be a good starting place but anticipates that I will most likely be upping the XR dose.
What are your thoughts about the timing? I still thought the XR lasted at least 8 hours. I told him that I’m afraid to “overdose” and he said you can’t. You just may not be able to fall asleep. So far, it’s not an issue.
Thank you in advance and John, I look forward to hearing your thoughts now. Hopefully it makes more sense.
Allie
I have another question/issue. I’ve read that you cannot have citric acid when you take the Adderall. I drink Crystal Light all day and the 1st ingredient is citric acid. Today, I just took my 2nd XR for the day and then ate lunch. I ate about a pint of cherry tomatoes and then realized that it was citrus. Did I neutralize the Adderall? I am so confused. I also can’t tell if it works as well as the Vyvanse that I had been on for the past 2 months. I’m on 20 mg XR twice a day with 10-20 mg IR for later in the day.
I am also concerned with overdosing. My doctor said that you cannot overdose. The only thing that may happen is that you cannot sleep, which has not been a problem. I am very tempted to take an IR because I don’t feel in control. I also wonder if 20 mg of Adderall is doing the same thing as the 60 mg of Vyvanse.
Thank you again for your advice!
Allie
Hey Allie,
Makes perfect sense, actually if you are taking 20 mg of IR in the morning more often then 10 mg the switch to XR 20 mg may be too low (XR 10 mg immediate release after taking it, second dose kicks in about 4 hours later, which is another 10 mg, that equals 20). I personally did not like the xr, because basically you can’t really tell when the second dose kicks in but again some people swear by the XR, for me the titrating with the IR works better. If the XR doesn’t work just switch back to the IR. And I would say for me the XR lasted maybe 4 hours, possibly because I switched from IR and it was a whole diiferent animal.. If you find the XR first thing in the AM is not working forr you, it may be because the initial 10 is just too low, and the 2nd 10 is just to gradual and unpredictable.
As far as citirc acid goes, I avoid it before I take my adderall, but I to drink Crystal Light peach iced tea, but usually 2 hours after the dose and, and avoid it one hour before taking any other doses. The medicine works better when the ph levels in your stomach are less acidic and more basic, so anything that contains citric acid could possibly effect the medication.. It’s like when the dr. tells you take a pill on an empty stomach, why ? Because in testing of the medication it is proven that it works better. Absorption rates for foods vary for everyone. Just don’t let it control your life, sometimes I feel like if I drank iced tea all day and new nothing about the citiric acid deal it wouldn’t make much of a difference. Some folks get obsessed, it doesn’t work anymore, my dose must be too low.. For me the fact that people think about it so much, and are able to break down the science behind the medication only proves it’s probably working, but they arre missing that initial euphoria that comes when you first take it. Me, I could read a book before adderall 10 times and not get a thing, now I read alot of books.. The high for me is I spent 40 yrs thinking I must be mentally challenged wondering why so many people in school who were of equal intelligence or even less than me were able to complete assignments and I was stuck at the starting gate flipping back and forth. The high is knowing I can get it, and the relief that I wasn’t dropped on my head or something as a baby : ). The orginizational skills I develop rock too !! Thanks Adderall,where were you 30 years ago ?
John
You very well can overdose, your Dr. is wrong, maybe he is speaking in terms that you are responsible enough not to overdose. Alot of adderall can cause anxiety also I have read.. I am not real familiar with Vyanese, best bet is to ask a pharmacist at CVS, they can pull up dosage equivalencies and let you know. Really, go on as if you don’t need to rely on the adderall heavily, even though alot of times you do. Don’t go crazy with taking it too much because you will cause that imaginary line that I told you to think of as a 12 hour chart to go haywire. Just because you yawn doesn’t mean you need another Adderall : ). My doc keeps me at 60 mg a day, no more. a few days a week I take 30-45mg a day. I kind of have a feeling that whatever you take over what you generally need just gives you anxiety and you probably just pee it out anyway. A good nights sleep is way more imporant than a high dose of adderall during the day. If I don’t get 7 hours the adderall doesn’t seem to work as well, and no dose in the world will change that on the days I am tired
Hi John,
My doctor has been in practice for 30 + years specializing in ADD. He said that I am one of the 3 worst cases he has seen all year. I’m not sure if I should be flattered or offended. He cannot understand how I got this far in life without meds. Believe me, it wasn’t easy. He asked how my husband deals with me. I said he just does. He asked me if he is OCD or something. I was shocked. He totally has OCD. He’s an accountant. It makes sense. He told me to take the meds day and night and NOT to stop on the weekends either.
I do like the IR but if I’m up at 4:30 AM (at least 3 days a week) i think I would have more anxiety about remembering to take the meds before they wear off. I would need to take 4 doses and there is no way I will remember without them wearing off and when that happens, I turn into a complete moron.
I don’t think I need the rush but I totally hear what you mean about the 20 mg of XR hitting in 10 mg doses which isn’t doing what I need. I’ve only been on the XR (rather than the longer acting Vyvanse) for a few days. So far, I’ve felt like taking an additional 10 mg IR on top which now makes sense. I feel that I need to give it a few more days but at this point, I am feeling like the Vyvanse may be a better choice because it seemed to work better but I also didn’t have to watch what I eat or drink.
In regards to overdosing, I think my doctor just thinks that what I am on is a very tiny amount relative to my condition. I am starting to think that maybe if I double the 20 mg XR dose to 40 mg XR, it may work better. What do you think?
What regimen are you on? Did you start on that? What did you feel worked the best. Thank you so much for responding to my posts. Your advice is very helpful!
Allie