I'm completely in agreement with this. Honestly, to start with, diet pills are a bunch of CRAP. I mean, think about it, if diet pills worked, then no one would be overweight, and diet pill companies wouldn't be STEALING billions of dollars from ignorant consumers.

As for Adderall, YES. I DO have ADHD, but when I ran out because I couldn't see the doctor soon enough, the withdrawal was HORRIBLE. I was depressed, exhausted, completely unfocussed, and just generally lacking in motivation.

PLEASE reconsider your health before you decide to take Adderall as some "weight loss" gimmick. To people out there- I know you're impatient and just want this weight to be gone "right now" but think about it: at what cost? And don't even say you'd rather lose years off your life (along with many other side effects, including social relationships and overall happiness) in order to be thinner. Re-evaluate the reason you're thinking you need to lost weight in the first place!

I was just prescribed and havn't started taking it yet. I have had ADD my whole life, but never took any medications for it as it was easier to control when I was young and had less responsibility. However, they withdraml symptoms you describe are the same symptoms I have been prescribed the drug to combat. The depression and exhaustion you describe are the direct result of my untreated ADD and my doctor feels Adderall will help. Now you have me worried, I can't go on living my life this way, but I don't want to become an addict.
Was there abuse involved in your situations? Where you taking more then your doctor recommended, and how often were you taking it (daily)?

Have tried working with your doctor and a therapist on controlling your ADHD without medication? There are a lot of techniques that you may want to try before "resorting" to Adderall. Once you've tried that, ask your doctor about other medications, other than Adderall, as it is most definitely addictive. Be firm in your resolve, and use your voice when asking questions and wanting answers from your doctor.

In my case, I have never abused Adderall. I take 30mg/day (that is, 10mg in the morning, noon, early evening). About six months into taking the Adderall, I actually decided to just not take the third dose in the evening, as it was causing some really severe insomnia. :\

Adderall is not ALL bad (I am most definitely able to focus better and don't feel like I'm walking around in a fog all day- can watch television programmes, write letters, etc), but the side effects are something to REALLY consider. I often have painful migraines towards the end of the day, serious insomnia (and restless sleep), mood swings/depression (if I don't remember to take it, accidentally), no appetite, painful jaw-clenching, smoke more cigarettes (nicotine cravings? ), and not to mention, it's pretty expensive. Also, you have to go in to your doctor ever month to get a prescription in hand, since it's a type-2 controlled substance.

Yeah, I've tried many things to control my ADD, I've been living with it for 31 years now and the last 10 have been horrible. When I was young and only had school to worry about the coping techniques I adopted worked for me. Now that I am an adult and have far more responsibilty they are just not working, ang the depression and anxiety is unbearable.I have been going to my doctor every few months or so for the last 10 years and nothing is working, I feel like I have lost so much time living in a fog, or not living. I havn't started the med's yet because I had to get my heart checked first seeing as I am over the age of thirty, in the mean time I thought I would do some further research. I have done much research in the past but mainly looking at medical sites/advice, I thought I would look further and see what real people who have actually taken the drug had to say about, well the results are frightening. I am now terrified to take it, but just as frightened of continuing down the path I have been on for so many years.
I have told my doctor my fears when she first suggested med's, and she said as long as you take the precribed dose and only take it when u need it (for me that would be like 3x a week) that dependency would not be an issue.
I guess what I am trying to say through all my rambling is, is it possible to just take it when you're really unable to function or have a task that requires deep concentration and not become dependent or addicted.
Thanks!

The short answer to your question: No.

Long answer: When you "just take it when you need it," you'll see go through withdrawal, and it slowly and overtime becomes less effective. It's not meant as a PRN; that is, it's not an "as needed" prescription.

Try not to fret so much- every medication is different for every body. However, I recommend seeing a therapist, and working with them first.

thank you for your information, and saving I am sure many people alot of problems!

I understand where you're all coming from but also keep in mind that you should not advise anyone to go against
doctor's advice. Adderall saves lives, it's not for
everyone but seriously ... some people need a stimulant.

For 2 years, I was prescribed an assortment of
medications for depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc and was just declining. I was very suicidal and felt completely hopeless until my doctor referred me out due to my progress not getting any better and my new psychiatrist decided to try treatment for ADD/ADHD and put me on adderall and I have been a normal person ever since.

Its been a year and a half and I have quit self harming, wanting to die and my success in the workplace has totally sky-rocketed. I'm more focused and active and my family doesn't worry about me any more. I don't worry about me any more ...

The nice thing about adderall is it does give you a buzz and helps curb your appetite so if you're prone to
depression, you don't gain weight and you don't want to
sleep all day. If you don't abuse it and take it AS
PRESCRIBED it can be a VERY healthy and smarthing to "resort" to.

Another thing to keep in mind is the appetite control does not stay forever, as your body adjusts to the new medication, it COULD decrease.

I take 60 mg a day, 30 upon waking and 30 around noon.
Sometimes I don't have to take it and sometimes I need it.

After you're comfortable with your body and how it
reacts to the medication, it's very unlikely you will create a dependancy on this medication. I'm a highly addictive person and I am not addicted to it. I take it as prescribed and when I want to pass, I do.

My recommendation for anyone who thinks it might be an
option to help control appetite and concentration, please give adderall a try. It is not for everyone but it could save your life.

lapetitemoi - I don't know where you got your information, but it is incorrect. ADD drugs can be used on a PRN basis. Some people only take them through out the week, others take a "drug holiday" in the summer. I take mine on a PRN basis. I was diag. with ADD ad an adult, and for the most part have learned to "deal" with the effects of it. However there are times that it seems to be worst than others, or I really need to focus on school. These are the times I take it, and my doctor is ok with that. I have 3 young children, and do not want to deal with an addiction, or withdraws, which is why I have choosen to take my medication this way. Please don't give bad advice on this forum. People need the facts, not to be scared of something that could make a massive improvement on their lives.

Adderall is addictive and has lots of negative side effects. Read the label the next time you get it.

CopsDiary, while it may work for you it can be very bad for other people and don't assume doctors know everything about every drug. I have friends that are doctors and once they leave medical school they probably get 90% or more of their education about drugs from the pharmaceutical companies who are there to sell drugs.

I am a 50 year old male who started taking Adderall when I was 46. After three years, my blood pressure had skyrocketed, I had chronic skin rashes, lower libido, constipation and numerous other problems. When I asked my doctor if the Adderall was contributing to these problems she said no, I just had to accept I needed more medications as I got older. She wanted me to get on blood pressure medication and I said I wanted to try going off adderall first. I did and my blood pressure went from 160 over 130 to 120 over 70 (my pre-adderall range) in less than a month. But my energy was shot, I went back on Adderall for a couple of months and used that time to get into a regular exercise routine and wean myself off gradually. This was against my doctors advice, but since getting off, I feel much better, my blood pressure is normal and the majority of the other side effects are gone. I do notice that if I miss my exercise routine, my ADD tendencies creep up and my energy goes down, so I think regular exercise is a big key and not drugs.

By the way Adderall was a diet drug called Obetrol that was taken off the market in the 80's because too many women were becoming addicted to it. Shire pharmaceuticals bought the formulation in the 90's and relabeled it as Adderall for the treatment of ADHD in kids!!! Look it up if you don't believe me.

No doctor or researcher has ever found a chemical or physical trait that can be directly attributed to ADHD/ADD and so there is no evidence the drugs used to treat it have any different effect on someone with ADHD than they do on a "normal" person. Yet every pharmceutical website and written warning says taking Adderall by people who are not prescribed can lead to serious side effects, what sense does that make?

Shoty, you are right to get other peoples feedback and research a drug before someone tries to put you on it for life. I have learned not to look at my ADD as a handicap, but as a positive attribute. I am not saying it doesn't give me problems at times, but I have also owned a couple of businesses, been recruited as the president of a high tech company, built 3 houses myself and started a youth sports non-profit basketball league for over 400 kids. It typically is people who have been or could be labeled ADD/ADHD that are business owners, artists, entrepreneurs and so on. I look at it like being left handed in a right handed world, you have to learn to adapt.

Good luck

This is a very informative post. Thanks bubblegum12. Actually, Adderall has been introduced to me back then by a friend. I was already aware of the effects since she was'nt really endorsing the product to me, she was also, like you, was taking it before.
From now on me and my friends stick with diet coaches before buying all these pills and diet programs right away. I have tried Christopher Guerriero's diet coaching and it simply just works for me. You can try it out as well.