This is an archive of past discussions about Adderall. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page.

Effects

I thought the article might need 1. A layman's rewording of the chemistry (as explained to me by my psychiatrist, who I suspect to be a bit of a quack. But he gives me free pens.) Please correct or, preferably, rewrite if I am mistaken. 2. A first hand explanation of the effects and an example. Most people, even those who have not tried it firsthand, know what marijuana supposedly feels like. But very few people I talk to know what it feels like to be on Adderall or similar dextroamphetamines. --Mr Anthem 04:47, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)

So, are you asking for an actual account of somebody's experience while being on Adderall? I've used it for recreational purposes, I'm not prescribed to it.--Ticallion (talk) 01:28, 14 January 2008 (UTC)

This article should have a discussion of the controversy around the possibility of Sudden Death and negative Cardiovascular possibilities. This would likely include current research on Adderall's safety in both children and adults and Canada's Drug Agency taking it off the shelf in Feb. of 2005 and recently adding it back. -- BrainGeek 14:07, 4 Mar 2006

Students using Adderall to study? I am shocked, shocked!

Next thing you know, insomniacs might start using benzodiazepines to get to sleep, and even lecherous old men could well begin ordering Viagra without a prescription and over the Internet (*gasp*) to further their dastardly schemes! ^^; —Ryanaxp 06:42, July 28, 2005 (UTC)

The real problem is that, unfortunately, many of today's professors not only tolerate cramming, but actually encourage it! In an ideal world, where no one forgets what school was originally for - no one would ever need to use stimulants to study. Sadly, though, things just don't always work out that way. User: Nightvid

  Response from an EdPsych doctoral student: Constructivism   
  (following this learning theory, cramming would not only 
   be unnecessary, it would not be beneficial)

The article grossly underestimates how useful adderall is for students. "Concentrate for extended periods"-- this is only a small fraction of the benefit and is not even the main advantage of it's use for school. shaddix 14:36, 02 January 2006

I added some stuff along with that concentrate for extended periods thing. However I'm not very good at the english language. So it looks like it needs a touchup. shaddix 14:46, 02 January 2006

I'm glad to see the "abuse" section has been expanded, as many people will come here to write about it. I added a bit about the cognitive effects of Adderall (rather, dextroamphetamine)but there is quite a bit more. It's all on google scholar, I'm just a bit too lazy to cite it all. Adderall has the same attentional-enhancing effects in "normal" subjects as ADHD. One study found that users' IQs increased an average of 5 points after a year of constant use (though the subjects were children diagnosed with ADHD). I added that double blind study which was very impressive, since it used normal subjects. Dextroamphetamine is also used by the military for fighter pilots. It's difficult to find anything really recent looking at the effects of Adderall (dextroamphetamine) on normal subjects, likely because most of the funding would be going towards looking at the effects on ADHD kids.

INCOMPLETE AND INAPROPRIATE ARTICLE: I posted the followingt coment elsewhere here, but I just found that i posated it in the wrong place. In any case, I don't understand the system hee for commentary, or if anyone will veen be able to read what I write...

Neither the word addiction, nor the word tolerance, appear anywhere at all in that article or its sources. Also, minimum trherapeutic and maximim dose are not indicated. These are thw two most important categories of information (addiction and dose) to be aware of with any controlled substances, and yet there is no mention of either. This suggests a clear bias in the article, and it renders the article incomplete and inappropriate at best.

I would just like to say that Adderall has been a huge life saver for me! I am a full time Sophomore at MSU and I work about 20-30 hours a week. I have bills to pay and classes to 4.0, and if a $3 pill can help me do that...well why wouldnt I?! I know some people abuse it and they shouldn't, but on those nights I have to work until 2 am and have 2 exams the next day, there is no other logical way. Coffee only does so much. Risma1589 (talk) 06:20, 25 September 2008 (UTC)

Prices

In my experience, 30 mg pills (of either variety - standard release or XR) rarely cost more than 5 US dollars individually, or 2 in larger amounts. I'm not sure if they are just unusually available where I live or if the price range needs an adjustment downward.

In my experience, Adderall costs $1 for every 10 mg. That is for small amounts; in larger amounts some dealers will go as low as 20 cents per 10 mg. I don't know who to pose this to, but I do believe that the prices should be adjusted down. I was the one to edit the prices with the references, but if the references were not required, than I would have used the lower amounts. Anyway, to whom it may concern: the prices in the article are too high, but were the only prices I found online so they could be referenced. It's not that I condone the use of stimulants, and it's not like I use stimulants (just covering my butt is all). wickedspikes 22:55, 03 January 2006 (PST)

      $5 for 30mg? Its more like 15mg pills for 25 cents each, 50 cents for a 30mg.

I know people who buy Adderall XR 30 mg pills for $10 a piece. It probably deals more with supply/demand recognition. You have to consider that generally you can only get an Adderall prescription NORMALLY every 30 days, or however long your doctor prescribes you. It's not a refillable drug under law, so you must have your doctor prescribe you a knew bottle every time. Thus, you are at the mercy of your doctor. Also, certain health insurance companies enforce a 2 week waiting period before they will cover the costs of another $120 bottle. So even if your doctor would give you a prescription early there is a decent possibility your insurance company won't cover the costs, UNLESS you are prescribed a different dosage. In order for someone who is prescribed Adderall to sell his pills, they would have to be sure not to sell too many as to run out of enough pills for themselves. So, combine these "supply" factors with whatever demand is out there in your region it is very possible to sell a 30 mg XR for $10.00.

Neither the word addiction, nor the word tolerance, appear anywhere at all in that article or its sources. Also, minimum trherapeutic and maximim dose are not indicated. These are thw two most important categories of information (addiction and dose) to be aware of with any controlled substances, and yet there is no mention of either. This suggests a clear bias in the article, and it renders the article incomplete and inappropriate at best.

  Where i'm from 20mg adderall ir sell for $5 each and $7 for 30mg... That is the common price at colleges and high schools in my area.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.61.112.176 (talk) 20:47, 17 September 2008 (UTC)

Someone mentioned wanting to know adderall's actual effects from a user of it...i'm sixteen and take it (prescription), both XR and fast-release. someone also mentioned lingo- that just reminded me, i'd assume that "fast" would be a nickname for fast-releases...if you're interested. um, yeah, if you take too much, your eyes will be really dilated and you'll feel unable to make yourself seem relaxed (sort of like a drunk person trying to be sober by oovverannunnnnccciatinnnngggg their wooorrrrrds). on adderall, i feel really organized, love to learn (sort of do anyway though, but it gives me time to), and if i take it in the afternoon and finish my work but still have the buzz, i have this urge to clean my room and organize everything in it... taking it makes me feel like my life is under control and i'm organized and getting better grades...while i'm on it, i have more anxiety and bite my nails too much (it doesn't really bother me; i just try to control it for others around me lol)...but long-term it releases stress because it enables me to study and read (i'm an extreeeeeeemely slow reader and comprehend noooothing) at a more normal pace, so i get better grades and learn more and don't feel quite so "stupid" or "slow". i'm not being arrogant - i'm really not dumb...i'm pretty smart, but add has prohibited me from showing that for a very long time. i think adderall, if anything, reduces my creativity...i'm very creative and love music, french, culture, art, you name it - anything to distract myself... but while i'm on adderall i discover some sort of secret passion for the sciences and math and my ideas aren't quite as creative. however, this is not a very big side effect. long-term, i think daily use of adderall (normal dosage, nothing "serious") can perhaps be very harmful...i mean, it's as if you've been hooked on cocaine since you were little. by the way, i don't feel addicted at all...i love how much adderall has allowed me to do because of add, but i'm not hooked. Janedoe7 03:37, 15 March 2006 (UTC)janedoe7

I can vouch for this explanation of effects Adderall can have, I'm not prescribed to it, I take it recreationally but don't abuse it. I definitely feel smarter and more inquisitive in class rather than letting my mind wander and not obtaining anything that' s said. Although most of the time I've used Adderall has been on a weekend when I don't have class, and I've smoked a large amount of marijuana, so I'll lay awake from about 5AM - 11AM with my mind racing, unable to sleep. --Ticallion (talk) 18:40, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Mentioning of the FDA Blackbox Warning

I'm adding a section on the blackbox warning placed on all amphetamine based ADD and ADHD drugs by the FDA recently. This warning was added because of the risk of sudden cardiac death and heart damage from long term use of the drug.

I've removed this. Neither is there a black box warning on Adderall, nor is the discussion about warnings on stimulants due to adverse cardiac health effects from long term use. The current FDA warnings about Adderall are for an increased risk of adverse cardiac or psychiatric effects in people with pre-exisiting conditions. [1], [2] In 2005 the drug was banned for six months in Canada after a study cited twelve sudden deaths (of more than one million prescribed users) of pediatric Adderall users over a four year period. Five had pre-existing cardiac conditions. One died after strenuous exercise in 110 degree heat. Two had levels suggestive of an overdose. In fact, the FDA was unable to determine whether the sudden deaths occurred beyond the normal rate. [3], [4]

It's fair to discuss worries about the drug, but that should be factually accurate.--Mrdarcey 03:42, 2 May 2006 (UTC)

--Ticallion (talk) 18:34, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Interactions?

I'd like to see a section added about interactions. There have to be some, and considereing the potential for abuse, a segment on possible interactions would be very helpful.nut-meg 18:32, 24 March 2006 (UTC)

I'm considering adding a very frightening and severe interaction which occurred to my girlfriend just yesterday, but am hesitant for the reason that I wouldn't be able to verify it properly. Here it is: Two days after discontinuing pretty mild alprazolam use that had been going on for about a week, she and I took pretty enormous doses of Adderall (we can't recall the precise amount, but it definitely wasn't less than 400 mg for each of us over a VERY brief period, perhaps 24-30 hours). While we each were enjoying an incredibly powerful high, she suffered three types of seizures in a row: first a secondarily generalized attack which neither of us recognized as a seizure, then, moments later, a generalized tonic-clonic seizure which prompted me to call an ambulence. While we waited for the ambulence, a complex partial seizure began and either continued throughout the ambulence ride, although the seizure in the ambulence may have been a separate complex partial seizure. She's fine now, but what a terrible thing to suffer! I should add two things: first, that she isn't prone to seizures naturally, although she did have a complex partial seizure once before as a result of a different drug interaction also involving alprazolam. Second, that the diagnosis of the various seizures was by actual doctors, and isn't simply my own amateur assessment. Wowbobwow12

Alprazolam (Xanax) does not interact adversely with amphetamines. It's much more likely that the large dose (400mg is over 10x more than the largest pill size) was the cause. I'll add something about interactions. Reb42 21:01, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

I highly doubt that it was an adverse interaction between the two. First of all, discontinuing alprazolam (or any benzo), even a small dose, can result in seizures on its own regardless of other drugs being taken. This is rare, but does effect some individuals. Secondly, 400mg of amphetamine is a MASSIVE dose that could quite possibly cause seizures on its own. In fact, people have died from much lower doses than that, you're lucky you survived... Regardless, I doubt it was the combination of the drugs. --The Way 20:13, 14 May 2006 (UTC)

Yeah, that was almost certainly the 400 MG dosage. For normal patients 30-40 MG is considered on the high end. You took 10 times that.

i myself have taken 300mg of xr i didnt sleep for 7 days and i am lucky to still be alive. -parker -

I took 350mg of XR, had it not been for smoking marijuana enough to gain an appetite, I probably could have died also.

Black Box

A user with a non-existant account erroneously reverted to the claim that Adderall bore a black box warning giving faulty links. It doesn't exist, and to claim otherwise is anti-med fearmongering. Read my links before reverting, thanks.--Mrdarcey 17:49, 23 June 2006 (UTC)

i was young and a dumbass at one time too...but older now, finishing my masters, I wish i could of done it without the drug (cuz thats what it is folks) but I know myself and that never would of happened. I started taking Aderall on and off for the past five years. If im not working, im not taking it...I have found that I like myself better without it.

im hyper. its okay. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.227.98.152 (talk) 04:01, 18 January 2008 (UTC)

Gaming

Adederall is considered an illegal performance enhancing drug in CAL, CPL, and many other similar gaming leagues.

How long after taken does it start to work?

This page is not a forum for general discussion about Adderall/Archive 2. Any such comments may be removed or refactored. Please limit discussion to improvement of this page. You may wish to ask factual questions about Adderall/Archive 2 at the Reference desk.

the half life is mentioned but it does not mention how long it takes to work. Aptitude 11:43, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

you feel it within about 5 min, of course its always a matter of body weight vs dosage 69.142.140.177 15:44, 18 January 2007 (UTC)

For me it starts kicking in about 15-20 minutes after I take it, though I think I start being function only at about the 30 minute mark. 141.211.231.65 02:45, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

It also depends on how tired you are. If I've gotten a decent night's sleep, it kicks in within 15 minutes. But if I've only slept an hour or two, I can't literally open my eyes for 45 minutes on even a higher dosage. Plus, it also depends on whether it's XR or immediate.

Speaking of which, the XR was really awful for me. I swear I thought I remember seeing (on the bottle) that the XR had additional chemicals in it. The first release felt horrible, and it worked in just the sense that I was basically opinion-less/zombie-like, but it didn't really feel like it started to 'work' until the second release because the first release just made me feel like sitting there and doing nothing. The second release felt closer to the immediate tablet release but still a little bit weird. It lasted for a very short time--like an hour or 1 1/2 hour tops--and made me dizzy, depersonalized, and depressed. Then the come-down from the XR (compared to the immediate-release) felt like hell. I don't feel a 'come-down' from the immediate release at all. But with the former, I felt like a damned zombie again, except with severe depression added to it.

I've derailed from your question, but that's partly because I have my own question: doesn't XR have an additional type of 'amphetamine' in it? The article doesn't mention this, or else maybe I missed it? The releases just felt so strikingly different. (I'm glad to be off the XR crap, and my bank account is too!) --67.42.147.238 (talk) 06:49, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

I think that it would be important to mention that the side effects vary slightly, as they do with all medications that treat a certain disease, but work slightly differently. An example of this was I once was on ritilin and had that zombie effect, but was 'godly intelligent,' but on aderrall I wasn't a zombie. Also, I think it would be important to mention somewhere the manner in which they work for people with adhd and add, namely, at least in the manner in which it was described to me, it hypes you up to the point in which your body forces you to calm down. C. Heuer (been on aderrall XRsince the 7th grade, now in second year of college.

Physical brain damage

Adderall is a stimulant and so i assume a psychoactive drug. No were on this page does it mention if overuse does physical brain or nerve damage. 72.147.84.77 18:59, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

Chronic Amphetamine Use and Abuse is a very extensive (long) piece which addresses this subject. It has been a long time since I have read through it, but from what I remember amphetamine in chronic high doses can 'kill' some dopamine receptors, whereas chronic low dose oral administration doesn't seem to do much. There are obviously many variables, like method of administration and the definition of brain damage, but I would say that Adderall can potentially cause long term recession/death of dopaminergic neurons in some cases. Seriously though, don't take my words as fact, just a generalization from memory. Check out the link though, very informative cited information. The article might be a good link on here or the amphetamine page as an external link or used to find references (It's got it all covered). --Shplongl 03:47, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

You are right about methamphetamine causing deterioration of dopamine receptors/neurons, but the literature I have does not say the same for Adderall. It says that not enough time has passed for us to be able to really tell. --67.42.147.238 (talk) 08:00, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

First off, what is overuse? At some dosage for a protracted period of time, harm will happen. Will nerves be damaged permanently? Find a secondary source that examines this specific issue.--scuro 13:39, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

'Nerves' aren't damaged first of all. Here is the break-down with neurotoxicity of meth--and I am using meth because the information on permanent damage for amphetamines is limited at this time. Even if you find a secondary--or tertiary--source, it is still going to be debatable.

Neurotoxicity of prolonged meth use: Psychosis is said to be capable of being 'persistent', although I've never seen such a thing myself (in most cases, psychosis ends with the use or sometimes, after withdrawal). Like with other drugs and certain stressors, it's been reported that these can trigger an acute (and easily treatable) episode of bonafide schizophrenia in some users. But it'd be wrong to say that meth causes this psychosis; most likely, the person is definitely pre-disposed. Anyway, users in most cases usually return to normal after cessation of usage, and others maybe at a maximum of a few months. However, in monkeys it has been shown to sometimes take several years. Not much can be made of this. (Are the monkeys pre-disposed schizophrenic monkeys? We don't know.) Various dopamine abnormalities in the nucleus accumbens has been proposed as a reason for 'persistent', or lasting, psychosis but again, no one really has a solid clue. Other damage: some studies have shown changes in the limbic cortex (including size of the hippocampus, white matter/gray matter, blood flow, metabolism, and last but not least, levels of presynaptic dopamine and serotonin transporters. In the frontal cortex and white matter, metabolic abnormalities (as well as in the basal ganglia) have been reported. So has reduced neuronal content/density in the frontal lobe area. It's been said this results in changes in executive functioning and...

Forget this. There is really no way I can go on explaining everything every single study has shown, or--even just what most studies are 'in agreement' on. But remember that ultimately, 'nerves' are just bundles of axons, and since the brain does not function in a linear way, it's not as if you can say 'nerve' damage does or does not occur by itself. What I mean is that if you were to say that, it'd need to be stated in relation to other stuff that we "know" is damaged. I've just not read it being stated that way in any serious piece of writing--i.e., that 'nerves' or 'axons' are damaged in any way (and particularly not for Adderall or amphetamine). It might be said that 'nerves' are damaged if the things that the 'nerves' attach to no longer work properly. Or, on the other hand, the nerves could be damaged as a result of this other damage that is occurring. Do we really know? Are axons even study-able at this point? Aren't they too small? Didn't Darwin or Huxley or someone pull a "HUGE" axon out of a squid that was in fact the size of a human hair? I'm serious. I don't know and I don't remember...

--67.42.147.238 (talk) 08:00, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

Oh yeah, 'overuse' is using more than you're prescribed. That's one way of looking at it. If you're using it recreationally, 'overuse' takes on a whole new meaning that could be agreed upon based on certain criteria, but what would really be the point? It can stay subjective--i.e., overuse is when your life turns to crap as a result of using. You don't necessarily need specific criteria to establish that someone is 'overusing'.

If their teeth are rotting, if they can't get to work on time, if they're becoming isolated, if they've got gangrene, if their friends don't like them anymore, if their personality has become explosive, if they're not bathing, if they're picking at the carpet 12 hours on end, if they wake up and it's the first thing they reach for or else they're going to die... all of these and any other adverse effect that impairs what's considered 'normal' functioning could be said to constitute 'overuse'. --67.42.147.238 (talk) 08:12, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

Altering absorption with pH

I recently read that taking adderall or amphetamines with something acidic (vitamin C, orange juice etc) will increase its excretion and anything basic (antacids, sodium bicarbonate) will delay its excretion leading to higher plasma levels. I also read anecdotally that people have taking amphetamines with large doses of sodium bicarbonate to increase the effect. I've also read anecdotally that to alter the body's pH level enough to actually effect absorption one would be putting themselves in danger so its basically impossible.

I was wondering if anybody had any actual information about this. I did a quick search on pubmed and found nothing. I'm curious if taking one or two antacids or a daily vitamin C tab will actually alter absorption to an appreciable level or if it doesn't make any difference. Thanks a lot, Rjkd12 13:59, 17 September 2007 (UTC)

I read something a few days ago that plainly stated something along these lines: some drugs, administered orally, are more quickly broken down by certain enzymes in the stomach lining and therefore, if taken with something that is an inhibitor of that drug's metabolizing enzyme (be it a citrus juice or whatnot), then that results in the drug becoming more completely absorbed. I don't know if amphetamine falls into this category but--just don't quote me on this--I do not think that it does and I doubt taking Vitamin C would make a difference. What I stated--about 'certain' psychopharmaceuticals--tends to be the exception rather than the rule. If you clearly remember reading something like this however, maybe (and I don't know what keywords you looked up on Pubmed) you might want to try looking further into the drug's metabolizing enzymes and then consider that alongside information about Vitamin C's metabolic properties. --67.42.147.238 (talk) 08:55, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

--67.42.147.238: It sounds like what your referring to is the interaction between drugs and the Cytochrome P450 enzymes that are found in the liver. It's been discovered that some substances (including drugs, orange juice, grapefruit juice, etc.) can inhibit or induce the function of the CYP450 enzymes in the liver. Induction of the enzymes would allow them to more readily metabolize the foreign substances they are genetically programmed for. Inhibition of the enzymes prevents the appropriate metabolization of whatever foreign substances that said enzyme is programmed to eliminate. For example, grapefruit juice is an inhibitor to the CYP450 isoform CYA1P2, so if your taking a drug that CYA1P2 is programmed to metabolize i.e. Ropivacaine (local anaesthetic) and your also an avid fan of grapefruit juice if you choose to expose yourself to them both at the same time you increase the risk of having high enough concentrations of Ropivacaine in your blood to induce cardiac arrest. Amphetamines and their derivatives have not been linked conclusively to a specific enzyme but there is speculation that they are linked at least in part to the CYP2D6 enzyme, you can find more information and table of it's substrates, inhibitors and inducers CYP2D6 All of the information i've posted on this topic should be easily accessable in most recent psychopharmalogical text and guide books as well as the wiki's provided here and their accompanying links.

As for the effects of an akalinic or acidic environment during elimination of amphetamines, the interaction takes place in completely different routes of elimination from the above example of the enzymes that work in the liver. Alkalinic urine results in reduced elimination through the kidneys, resulting in a higher blood concentration of amphetamines. On the other hand, acidic urine increases the process of elimination in the kidneys even possibly to the point of elimination rates higher than the kidneys themselves can produce. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find evidence in text books or on respectable websites that substantiate the idea that an increased alkalinic or acidic diet alone could produce enough effect on the body to alter the rate at which amphetamine is eliminated through the kidneys.

Adderall Patient Sheet Has the information that Rjkd12 was referring to.

Adderall Medication Guide Explains the interaction between alkalinic and acidic environments in the kidneys in depth. LegatoBluesong (talk) 23:35, 4 September 2008 (UTC)

The biggest problem with this article is that in sections that contain scientific claims such as brain damage, heart attacks, etc. some of the references, esp. reference 25, are not from a scientific source. There is no problem mentioning that there are side effects and what they can do, however, when making claims that can only be found through scientific means e.g. pharmacology, drug interactions, and side effects, they should come directly from the sources. Reference 25 is a link to a local newspaper in milwaukee that paraphrases the scientific journals it references. It probably would be better to reference the papers themselves. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.115.19.108 (talk) 06:48, 9 February 2009 (UTC)

Article needs restructuring and additional sections

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:MEDMOS#Drugs --scuro (talk) 13:00, 20 November 2007 (UTC)

Removed reference used in WP:OR claim

This reference was used to make the claim that Adderall can help with concentration. The study shows that more-competitive schools have higher levels of stimulant use/abuse. I think that is a problem with causal inference. It is equally likely that the high-stress atmosphere leads to drug abuse, and in any case the study does not deal directly with concentation levels, so any conclusion is WP:OR

The removed section is:

Research done by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows the more competitive the college, the higher the incidence of stimulant use.^[1]

Antonrojo (talk) 19:36, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Obetrol

Should Obetrol be merged into this page? It's the same drug, just with a different label on it. WhatamIdoing 03:15, 4 December 2007 (UTC)

XR?

Why does this article launch right into Adderall XR? It seems like the generic Adderall is more relevant up front. Launching right into the still-patented XR brand smacks of corporate branding. It's also not nearly as important factually, given that the standard Adderall has been prescribed for years and is still the primary prescription (albeit in generic form.)

Even this would be tolerable if it weren't for the fact that the generic complex is not even documented in full in it's separate article. Did the Shire PR group re-engineer this stupid page? What gives? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 128.83.184.170 (talk) 15:13, 7 December 2007 (UTC)

Generic Adderall? That is completely contradictory. Adderall is a brand name, whereas amphetamine is the generic. The reason why this article is about Adderall XR is that this is the form which is still patented (until 2009). In the United States, health insurance companies will not pay for a brand name drug if a generic is available. Hence, when a doctor writes a prescription for regular Adderall tablets (not XR, which is only available as a brandname drug), the pharmacy fills it as the generic, which is mixed amphetamine salts. As for corporate branding... if you really think this is an issue, than you should propose a merge between this article and amphetamine (which has almost identical information). I would support such a merge, since very few drugs have separate pages for brand name formulations. Fuzzform (talk) 04:45, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

Just a note on XR - it seems some odd dealings is resulting in generic Adderall XR by Barr.. " The Settlement and License Agreements permit Barr to launch a generic version of ADDERALL XR, under terms of a license commencing on April 1, 2009, more than nine years earlier than the last-to-expire Shire patent listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Orange Book, or earlier under certain circumstances such as the launch of another party's generic version of ADDERALL XR. The license will be exclusive for the first 180-days following Barr's launch. Barr would pay Shire a royalty equal to a portion of profits generated from the sales of generic ADDERALL XR during the time that Barr is the only generic marketing a generic version of ADDERALL XR. As part of the settlement, Barr admits that Shire's patents are valid and enforceable and that Barr's generic product infringes one of the Shire patents." http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-14-2006/0004416042

"Two XR generics are certain to arrive by the end of next year. Others could follow and crush XR's price if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration denies a pending petition from Shire that calls for would-be generics to undergo clinical trials." http://www.smartmoney.com/investing/economy/the-squeeze-on-drug-maker-shire-23325/

Someone might want to update the Adderall page with this info. Sashiro01 (talk) 21:08, 27 February 2009 (UTC)

Agreed. The statement, "Until this [Shire] patent expires, generic versions of Adderall XR will not become available," is false. 75.72.44.227 (talk) 16:09, 12 March 2009 (UTC)

Some other articles

Here are a few more articles, from which more information can be added to this article.

A drug kids take in search of better grades

Brain rewiring during learning boosted by drug

Interestingly, there are more adderall prescriptions written in Massachusetts than in any other state.

Fuzzform (talk) 04:36, 12 December 2007 (UTC)

article structure needs to follow Wiki policy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:MEDMOS#Drugs

   * History
   * Indications (available forms, if notable)
   * Contraindications
   * Adverse effects (including withdrawal)
   * Overdose (including toxicity)
   * Physical and chemical properties
   * Pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion)
   * Pharmacodynamics (mechanism of action)
   * Interactions
   * Legal status (including illicit use, off-label usage or unlicensed preparations if notable and sourced)
   * Veterinary use
   * References
   * External links (avoid if possible)

--scuro (talk) 12:49, 1 January 2008 (UTC)

Generic alternatives

I don't know enough to re-write the section by myself, but the generic alternatives section is out of date. It says there is no real generics for Adderall. I hold in my hand a prescription bottle which reads:

AMPHETA/S COMBO 10MG TAB BARR
Sub for> ADDERALL 10MG TAB

Therefor, there is at least one alternative, so the section needs updated

If I might add, my doctor told me for the longest time, "there is no generic adderall" and yet the pharmacists said there was. Due to the rapidly rising price of the brand I bought the so called generic adderall. It had little or no effect on me and at best made me feel kind of weird, nothing like the brand. So I finally looked up the ingredients with the generic being AMPHETA/S COMBO and the Adderall brand being (amphetamine aspartate; amphetamine sulfate; dextroamphetamine saccharate; dextroamphetamine sulfate). Suddenly I understood why my doctor always said there was no generic adderall. They may be similar but not the same and the effects not even close. You might as well be taking another kind of adhd meds, because unless I'm mistaken, you are. How they could sell it as the generic of adderall when the active ingredients are different puzzles the heck out of me.Dave1791 (talk) 15:33, 21 September 2008 (UTC) p.s. forgive me if I did not follow the correct protocol, this being my first post, but thought it important enough to take a shot at it

According to the FTC and FDA generics must include the same active ingredients. From the FDA link:

FDA requires generic drugs have the same high quality, strength, purity and stabilty as brand-name drugs...But, first, they must test the drug and the FDA must approve it. All generic drugs are approved by FDA.

Unless the pharmacy screwed up the prescription, your normal Adderall (instant release) should be the same as the generic. And seeing as the patent has run out for it there's no reason for the generic manufacturers to change anything about the formula. -- The Son of Man (talk) 20:50, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

This isn't a matter for discussion of personal opinion, experience or research. If an editor disputes the claim and it's unsupported by a valid source, then the editor can simply remove it from the article. Unless the editor includes a valid source that claims that there are generics that are different, the editor shouldn't add it to the article. I don't see anything in the aforementioned FTC reference that supports either wording of the claim. It could support the opposite argument mentioned above: it could support different ingredients if they are bioequivalent. Original research and opinion don't belong in this article. —Danorton (talk) 08:26, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

Page Protection Requested

I have requested semi-protected page protection for this article. --Danorton 17:14, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

I just submitted another request for semi-protected page protection for this article. --Danorton 02:18, 10 May 2008 (UTC)

"Contraindications, interactions, and precautions" section

It seems to me that this section is in the wrong place. Contraindications, interactions, and precautions should be in their own section, and not part of the abuse section. While someone abusing Adderall may want to review these, it applies to the drug in general, not just the narrow scope of abuse. I'm not going to edit this because I don't know if someone has a reason its in this section. 65.96.38.93 (talk) 23:12, 20 May 2008 (UTC)

Bot report : Found duplicate references !

In the last revision I edited, I found duplicate named references, i.e. references sharing the same name, but not having the same content. Please check them, as I am not able to fix them automatically :)

"twohey" :
- . Other forms of ADHD medication used as a performance enhancing drug include Ritalin, Concerta, and Dexedrine.<ref>Monson, PharmD, Kristi and Schoenstadt, MD, Arthur. "Alternatives to Adderall." 10 April 2008. http://adhd.emedtv.com/adderall/alternatives-to-adderall-p2.html
- Twohey, Megan. "Pills become an addictive study aid: At colleges, students take a deadly risk by abusing ADHD drug." ''Knight Rider Tribune Business News.'' 26 March 2006: 1.

DumZiBoT (talk) 15:23, 9 August 2008 (UTC)

Adderall and Hallucinogens: I am researching the effects of Adderall mixed with magic mushrooms or LSD. I can not currently find scientific soures. Can anyone? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Electrikpulse (talk • contribs) 00:58, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

April 2009

Question

I have been diagnosed with ADHD as an adult certainly as a child the symptoms were all evident but undiagnosed. I have been taking Adderall for about six months and have recently due to training for a marathon become aware of the side effect of a higher hearty rate being a side effect. Has anyone else seen this? I have asked a few people and they seem to indicate that it is not a big deal however i am concerned both for my athletic performance and any longer term effect this might have. Being that the RX type is fairly new are there any other comparable drugs that would give an indication as to the possible long term effect on the heart. I do not have any pre-existing heart issues so no immediate danger. Thomas A Morris —Preceding unsigned comment added by Thomas A Morris (talk • contribs) 14:27, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Sorry, but this talk page is only for discussion about improving this article. The following is from WP:NOTAFORUM:

4. Discussion forums. Please try to stay on the task of creating an encyclopedia. You can chat with folks about Wikipedia-related topics on their user talk pages, and should resolve problems with articles on the relevant talk pages, but please do not take discussion into articles. In addition, bear in mind that talk pages exist for the purpose of discussing how to improve articles; they are not mere general discussion pages about the subject of the article, nor are they a helpdesk for obtaining instructions or technical assistance. If you wish to ask a specific question on a topic, Wikipedia has a Reference Desk, and questions should be asked there rather than on talk pages. Wikipedians who wish to hold casual discussions with fellow Wikipedians can use the IRC channels, such as #wikipedia. Note that this is an IRC channel, not a message board. There are also a number of early-stage projects that attempt to use a wiki for discussion and debate.

—Danorton (talk) 15:47, 8 April 2009 (UTC)

Is a class II drug but is not a narcotic

Saying the drug "is not a Narcotic" is ridiculous, since the drug clearly is a Narcotic in the US legal (class II) sense, and clearly is not an Opioid Narcotic. I've removed that phrase. DouglasHeld (talk) 20:07, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

I don't think that there is any need to mention whether or not Adderall is a narcotic, so I support the removal, but what portion of U.S. law indicates that schedule II drugs are "narcotics"? The narcotic article says that cocaine and coca derivatives are "narcotics" under U.S. law. 21 U.S.C. 812, the scheduling section of U.S. law, does not actually define coca as a narcotic--it just mentions it by name. So perhaps even the narcotic article is wrong. Shadowjams (talk) 21:28, 24 April 2009 (UTC)

Generic XR avail as of April 2009

http://www.tevapharm.com/pr/2009/pr_837.asp

Maybe someone wants to add this to the main article? I didn't see anything mentioned and I don't know how to do it myself

Also see here for images: http://www.tevausa.com/default.aspx?brandName=Adderall%20XR%C2%AE%20Capsules&pageId=76 128.175.72.50 (talk) 14:08, 2 May 2009 (UTC)

May 2009

(69.62.187.253 (talk) 22:29, 30 April 2009 (UTC))So basically this is meth in a pill........

This is amphetamine not methamphetamine, although they are similar. By the way, methamphetamine has been and still is a prescription in the US for about 65 years. Sincerally, C6541 (T↔C) at 04:41, 21 May 2009 (UTC)

Natural Adderall

Is there a way to get Adderall naturally? Perhaps by eating certain foods, or by doing certain activities? Is it naturally secreted when you have a comfortable conversation with your spouse, or maybe after a good workout in your garden? - The stupid idea of drugging yourself and family is extremely destructive to your life, because rather than connecting to the real world, you are further alienating yourself from it. So now you are more attentive, but why? Nothing in your immediate surroundings brought you to become attentive! Wouldn't it be better to actually join some activity which was in fact more interesting, so that you wouldn't be so fatigued? And if you are tired, why are you afraid of getting a good sleep and having a good dream? Or even a bad one, if that's what you need in order to decide true decisions in your real life?! And if you feel that school is all so important, surely there are interesting courses that you can find challenging, and interesting teachers that you would wish to hear?! -- פשוט pashute ♫ (talk) 10:01, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

It is amphetamine, if it was secreted naturally we would all be tweakers. I am pretty sure methylamphetamine can be found naturally. C6541 (T↔C) 23:49, 21 August 2009 (UTC)

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