Good and Bad Effects of Adderall
Adderall is a drug used to treat ADHD. There are both good and bad effects of Adderall. There is Adderall XR (extended release) and the other one taken multiple times a day.
I used Adderall for a month with great results. I was able to concentrate, I felt great, and I could function like a normal person.
It is a great thing to be able to focus and concentrate. I struggle all the time at work, in relationships, reading, driving, and on and on.
There are many people that feel the same way. This drug has improved their lives. They can function and do things like never before.
Comment on if you think Adderall is worth the risks, View other's comments.
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For some that need it, they notice extra energy and weightloss. This extra energy keeps them active longer and they are able to burn off calories.
CCHR Co-founder Dr. Thomas Szasz explains that ADHD is not a disease (of course not, its a disorder) and does not need to be medicated. Psychiatry used diagnostic terms to stigmatize and control people.
Most users notice a loss of appetite. They have to force themselves to eat.
Before we move to the Bad Effects of Adderall, I want to let you know about other options. You can find alternatives to medication. There is the video game treatment (Don't miss the video about this), music therapy, and other things like vitamin and mineral supplements.
A liquid vitamin and mineral supplement changed my life. I don't need to take adderall now. You should find out why vitamin and mineral supplements help ADHD. Make sure you view each of these items after you finish reading about the Bad Effects of Adderall.
Bad Effects
As I mentioned, there are good and bad effects of Adderall. Now to the bad effects.
To start, I want to mention that adderall is an amphetamine. It has the same classification as the illegal drug, cocaine.
All ADHD stimulant medications fall into this classification because of the chance of addiction and abuse.
One of the things that I hate about these medications is that there is not any long term usage studies. What will a child be like in their old age after being on a stimulant drug all their life?
We don't know. This leaves the possibilities of a short life for these children or severe health problems later in life.
I added a must see video about stimulant drugs on my website. Go watch it right now.
Do not use Adderall if the following applies:
- advanced arteriosclerosis
- symptomatic cardiovascular disease
- moderate to severe hypertension
- hyperthyroidism
- known hypersensitivity or idiosyncrasy to the sympathomimetic amines
- glaucoma
- agitated states
- history of drug abuse
- during or within 14 days following the administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors
The drug companies are now required to use new FDA warning labels. Make sure you read my blog about that. The side effects of Adderall can be very severe.
Warnings
Psychosis:
Clinical experience suggests that, in psychotic patients, administration of amphetamine may exacerbate symptoms of behavior disturbance and thought disorder.
Long-term Suppression of Growth
Data are inadequate to determine whether chronic use of stimulants in children, including amphetamine, may be causally associated with suppression of growth. Therfore, growth should be monitored during treatment, and patients who are not growing or gaining weight as expected should have their treatment interrupted.
Sudden death and pre-existing structural cardiac abnormalities:
Sudden death has been reported in association with amphetamine treatment at usual doses in children with structural cardiac abnormalities. Adderall XR generally should not be used in children, adolescents, or adults with structural cardiac abnormalities.
Precautions
Hypertension:
Caution is to be excercised in prescribing amphetamines for patients with even mild hypertension. Blood pressure and pulse should be monitored at appropriate intervals. (Especially XR)
Tics:
Amphetamines have been reported to exacerbate motor and phonic tics and Tourette's syndrome. Therefore, clinical evaluation for tis and Tourette's syndrome in children and their families should preced use of stimulant medications.
Effects on Weight:
Amphetamines have been associated with decreased appetite. Absolute weight increasses in treated children over time, but the increases are smaller than expected based on CDC normative values.
Adverse Reactions
The following adverse reactions have been associated with amphetamine use:
Cardiovascular:
Palpitations, tachycardia, elevation of blood pressure, sudden death, myocardial infarction. There have been isolated reports of cardiomyopathy associated with chronic amphetamine use.
Central Nervous System:
Psychotic episodes at recommended doses, overstimulation, restlessness, dizziness, insomnia, euphoria, dyskinesia, dysphoria, depression, tremor, headache, exacerbation of motor and phonic tics and Tourette's syndrome, seizures, stroke.
Gastrointestinal:
Dryness of the mouth, unpleasant taste, diarrhea, constipation, other gastrointestinal disturbances. Anorexia and weight loss may occur as undesirable effects.
Allergic:
Urticaria
Endocrine:
Impotence, changes in libido.
Adderall Adverse Events Case Studies on Children and Adults
Table 1 Adverse Events Reported By More than 1% of Pediatric Patients Receiving Adderall XR with Higher Incidence than on Placebo in a 584 Patient Clinical Study
| Body System | Preferred Term | Adderall XR (n=374) | Placebo (n=210) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Abdominal Pain (stomachache) Accidental Injury Asthenia (fatigue) Fever Infection Viral Infection | 14% 3% 2% 5% 4% 2% | 10% 2% 0% 2% 2% 0% |
| Digestive System | Loss of Appetite Diarrhea Dyspepsia Nausea Vomiting | 22% 2% 2% 5% 7% | 2% 1% 1% 3% 4% |
| Nervous System | Dizziness Emotional Lability Insomnia Nervousness | 2% 9% 17% 8% | 0% 2% 2% 2% |
| Metabolic/Nutritional | Weight Loss | 4% | 0% |
Table 2 Adverse Events Reported By 5% or more of Adolescents Weighing greater than or equal to 75 kg/165 lbs Receiving Adderall XR with Higher Incidence than on Placebo in a 287 Patient Clinical Forced Weekly Dose Tiration Study (includes doses up to 40mg)
| Body System | Preferred Term | Adderall XR (n=233) | Placebo (n=54) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Abdominal Pain (stomachache) | 11% | 2% |
| Digestive System | Loss of Appetite (b) | 36% | 2% |
| Nervous System | Insomnia (b) Nervousness | 12% 4% | 6% 6% (a) |
| Metabolic/Nutritional | Weight Loss (b) | 9% | 0% |
(a)Appears the same due to rounding
(b)Dose-related adverse events
Note: The following events did not meet the criterion for inclusion in Table 2 but were reported by 2%-4% of adolescent patients receiving ADDERALL XR with a higher incidence than patients receiving placebo in this study: accidental injury, asthenia (fatigue), dry mouth, dyspepsia, emotional lability, nausea, somnolence, and vomiting.
Table 3 Adverse Events Reported 5% or more of Adults Receiving Adderall XR with Higher Incidence than on Placebo in a 255 Patient Clinical Forced Weekly Dose Tiration Study (includes doses up to 60mg)
| Body System | Preferred Term | Adderall XR (n=191) | Placebo (n=64) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | Asthenia (fatigue) Headache | 6% 5% | 26% 13% |
| Digestive System | Loss of Appetite Diarrhea Dry Mouth Nausea | 33% 6% 35% 8% | 3% 0% 5% 3% |
| Nervous System | Agitation Anxiety Dizziness Insomnia | 8% 8% 7% 27% | 5% 5% 0% 13% |
| Cardiovascular System | Tachycardia | 6% | 3% |
| Metabolic/Nutritional | Weight Loss | 11% | 0% |
| Urogenital System | Urinary Tract Infection | 5% | 0% |
Note: The following events did not meet the criterion for inclusion in Table 3 but were reported by 2% to 4% of adult patients receiving ADDERALL XR with a higher incidence than patients receiving placebo in this study: infection, photosensitivity reaction, constipation, tooth disorder, emotional lability, libido decreased, somnolence, speech disorder, palpitation, twitching, dyspnea, sweating, dysmenorrhea, and impotence.
If you have any questions and would like to contact me, feel free to do so. I will help you in any way I can. Fill out the contact form. Your information is safe with me.
TJ Chambers
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