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Getting off Adderall

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November 30th, 2010
My husband was diagnosed with ADD at 5 years old. He is now 28. He has been on and off ritalin since age 5.

We got married in June of 2008 and in July he started taking Adderall. We were starting up a business together and really needed him to focus. I didn't know at the time he had never been on adderal. I also didn't know the reason he was on an off ritalin was because he didn't like the way it made him feel. If I would have had that info I may have not been so hasty to agree that he try adderall.

It's been 2.5 years now and he started smoking weed to compensate for some side effects the adderall was causing him, depression, ect. Well, this isn't ok with me, and please don't let this turn into a debate about marijuana because thats not my point. He was lying to me and generally being nothing like the man I married. So we are getting him off all drugs since the adderall was causing him all these side effects I knew nothing of at the time. I should also mention he is going cold turkey here. Perhaps thats also causing issues as well as getting off any drug like that is hard. If he were to ween, is there a suggested way of doing that, like how much he should take per day to ween off to make the transition into normal life again easier

He has been off the adderall for almost a week and hasn't smoked anything in a few days. He has a really hard time communicating what he is going through or what its like to come off of this stuff. I just have no idea how to handle any of it. I want to help him but I have no idea how.

He says he can't force himself to get out of bed in the morning and he plays video games late into the night. His sleep schedule is insane right now which I know doesn't help. We are both self employed and almost into our off season so he doesn't have a job he is responsible for going to. So he just lays around. If I knew this was just a short phase everyone goes through trying to get off of it when they have been on it for years it might help me. See, it's hard because I am super motivated. It's not easy for me to get up and work for 10-12 hours everyday but I can see the outcome and it pushes me forward. It's so hard for me because I just can't understand how he doesn't see things like that. I don't understand how he can't force himself to be responsible and push through this or at least try to start learning ways to cope. I know I probably sound harsh, but thats only because I really don't understand anything of what he is going through.

Being on it for 3 years, how long would you say it should take to get off of it and start getting back into learning how to live life without it? I know learning to cope with be a life long journey, but I am mostly wondering about right now. If he will be lethargic and be in bed till 2pm every day for the next 6 months or something.

For those of you who have done this, what was your experience like? How did you get back to living again? What are some good coping skills you have learned along the way?

I want to help him. I want to be patient and just show him love in this time when things are hard but it's just so difficult to do when he can't seem to communicate so I'm just guessing whats going on.

Thank you so much for your time and any insight you are able to give.
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FeelingFabulous
replied December 1st, 2010
I had been on Adderall for a little over a year and stopped cold turkey almost 2 months ago. The withdrawal is hell. It will eventually pass (fatigue, anxiety, depression). There were days I went into work and when the phone would ring all I could do is stare at it. My brain wanted to answer it but I couldn't force myself to pick it up. It sounds weird I know but I couldn't believe that I was just so lethargic it felt impossible to do anything.
It took me about 2 weeks of feeling lazy before I felt somewhat motivated again. I learned that if I ate healthier and didn't drink I recovered faster. Taking vitamins helps too (b-12, multi-vitamin). The key is to not give in to the pill again. I was so scared I would not be able to feel like myself again but here I am typing this feeling so amazing. Yeah, I'm still a lil' lazy Wink but I feel positive and can FEEL things again instead of feeling like a complete zombie.

I'd say after the first month he will feel better slowly. If there's one thing I learned it was to not rush the process. I would panic when after week 2 I didn't feel like my old self again. I tried to ween myself off the meds but it just dragged the process on instead of completely flushing it out of my system. I had taken this medication at high doses right before I stopped so it didn't make quitting cold turkey easier but it was better to get it over with.
I had bad anxiety for awhile but I took 1-2 benedrly's as needed to help with sleep and panic.

If he doesn't feel any improvement after 2 weeks I'd call the doctor who prescribed him the meds and see if they could give him something to help curb the side effects until it's out of his system.

Hope this helps...and it is 100% possible to quit ...just takes some time.
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lynngh
replied December 11th, 2010
I really appreciate your reply!

I have been questioning if its a good idea to go cold turkey over slowing getting off of it but he does seem to be a little better, well at least having some good days now so I'm hopeful.

It's helpful to hear things like this from other people, about not having the motivation to even answer a phone, because someone like me just cannot fathom that and I just see it as being lazy which I know isn't completely true. In my life, I have to do a lot of things I don't enjoy and that I'm not motivated to do, but I can still push through and do them. So its just difficult to not see him as just plain lazy and unwilling and realize or at least try to understand what it's like. I just have no way to relate which makes it hard but its actually good to know this kind of thing is normal.

Thats awesome that your feeling so much better after just 2 months! How are you doing with coping with the actual ADD now that the drugs are out of your system? I worry about pushing him back into regular life too fast and doing more damage than good. I also know that I want to encourage him to start doing things and not just sitting around the house all day. I've read a lot about how much a healthy diet and exercise impacts people with ADD so I'm trying to get him to get out more slowly.

Anyways, thanks you again for your story. Smile
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Ann55
replied September 18th, 2012
Experienced User
BE CAREFUL WITH VYVANSE:
I am on a blog with other mothers whose children have been on Vyvanse. I have even called my son's doctor about VYVANSE. Please get off that darn drug as soon as you can. You have no idea the damage it will do to your brain. One mother said her son has been on Vyvanse a number of years and he is totally schizophrenic and nothing, and I mean nothing helps to stop the voices he hears continually. I was telling my son about it (and my son was on it only on school days for 15 months) and he said that he hears voices too and thinks it is a good thing. I asked him what is so good about hearing voices. He said it makes him stop and think about what he is doing. There is going to be a big court case over this medicine in the future and I would urge all of you to keep track of how long you have been on this Vyvanse because it is not going to be a pretty sight when the litigation starts on this new-fangled drug. Sure like we want to be SCHIZOPHRENIC too. ADD is bad enough as it is. Try an older, more established drug. Never take something that is brand new for God's sake. Unless it has been out for many years, you can never truly know the side effects. Get off that darn Vyvanse before you hear voices as well. Yes I am ADD as well, my father was too, and my elder brother who were given nothing for their ADD and were able to make a way in life. Please throw out your Vyvanse before you start hearing voices too! I love crystalized ginger and it made an A student out of me, so go find something hot, whether you like ginger, hot peppers or curry and that will help your mind out better than any drug can!!~~!
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gonaturalalways
replied April 6th, 2013
Don't go on any of these drugs. Use niacinamide instead. It is very safe and works. After you come off the drugs use niacinamide and omega 3 fatty acids for the brain.
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