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MedHelp Member's Question

Adderall addiction

by AML, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
Tags: Addiction
I recently discovered that my 49 year old wife has been taking my sons adderall for a year.  She has been taking 20mg. per day.  She also takes celexa for depression.  I am concerned that she is addicted and will have withdrawal problems.  I have hidden the adderall from her and she no longer has it available.  She relizes that she has a problem and has commited to quit.  What are the withdrawal symptoms, how soon after she has quit to they show, how long to they last and how can I help.



Thanks,

AML
Member Comments (62)

by OxyDout, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
To: aml
There isn't much you can do besides be there for her, like we always say, SHE HAS TO WANT TO DO IT.  Plus, I may be wrong, but I have dabbled with adderoll (sp) and ridalin, 20mg is not that much, is she snorting it?? Its more of a psychologically addicting drug, as skip had once told me. If she is REALLY only taking 20mg a day and she isn't taking anything else (addicts always lie no matter who they are lying to, remember that) then the withdrawal I would assume should be minimal. However, if she is taking much more then she is telling you about then, it might be a bigger issue. Make sure she comes completely clean with you!! Keep posting.



GWH

by Francoise, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
To: The Board
Don't know much about this stuff, but I wonder if sudden cessation of this stuff is dangerous? As in benzo? I believe it might be a good idea to find out of 20 mg of this stuff over a year (IF, IF that's the truth) stopped suddenly will cause seizures of the fatal kind.



Anybody got any skinny on this?



Francois

by AML, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
She is not snorting it and I am pretty confident that it is only 20mg. per day.  If it were greater than that my son would be running out more frequently than he is or has been.  I dont doubt that she is lying as she has had addictions in the past with various amphetamines.  I would not, however, know where she would be getting it if not from  my son's scrip. I am really concerned for her health as she has been through a bone marrow transplant and can be quite frail at times.  Does anybody know what the withdrawal symptoms are?  I have searched all over the web and cannot find answers anywhere.  She does not want any of her Dr's. to know as she is very embarrased.



Thanks,

Tim

by hippy, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
To: hey GWH how's the knee today
i hope your fairing well today, i guess you are at home resting.  Is this the last of the work on your knee.

I was wondering , did you hurt it playing sports.

IM 43 and i still suffer from sports injuries that i got back in my teens and twenties.

The hard thing for me has been i work in union construction.

Of course with my addictive personality i have to work harder and do more than everyone else. I look back and wish i would have streched a lot more. I think being flexable would have saved me from going through a lot of the pain i went through, and still go through. Im 6/2 and 190 and i struggle to keep at that. Some day,s my hamstrings get so tight i think there going to snap. the discipline to stretch some days  seems to be nonexsistent. I do some yoga ,some ice ,rest. But it always seem like a pill would be so much easier.

my pain these days is not bad. I guess im getting smarter.

By just taking it easier , and not working so many hours.

My wife of 13 years is alway on my case about it.

I was once was told, IF IT AIN'T PRACTICAL IT AIN'T SPIRITAL!



I had rotator cuff operations on both sholders.

I have osgoodslatters in both knees ,also a knee operation.

I also got my foot ran over by a ridinding mower, luckly i had

150.00 boots on ,but it still got all broken up , had to have a few screws put in  ect. All is ok now all things considdered, just can,t dive off of a diving board.  the knee's still hurt mostly

in the dead of winter. I can't work over my head to long or go bowling, because of thr shoulder's.



well i hope your feeling better today, i know the mental part is some times the hardest.                    peace

by mrmichael67, Apr 19, 2002 12:00AM
To: Aml
Withdrawal symptoms are mental depression, nausea or vomiting, stomach cramps or pain, trembling, unusual tiredness or weakness.  Adderall is an amphetamine.  Another brand name is Dexedrine.  As far as you not being able to find anything on the web, do a search on Google.  Tons of stuff.

by oh please already, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone anght
please,ive had a relly rotten two days but i dont want anyone to read into it it.I had a rotten scum doctor true,but there are good people who want to help,i know im a nurse,and you would be amased how many medical workers understand and are are willing to give all.I just made the mistake of not knowing who my friends are and i think thats why i am so crazy,there are some things you can do alone and some you nned help.dont be afraid of asking for help,if the first person doen't listen then ask another.My case was thinking my dealer was my friend but when all drugges sober up they relise that friends dont try to kill you,friends tell you the truth,even if you dont like it,because they love you and dont want to see you hurt and a really good friend will even risk your friendship if that what it take to make you listien,anyway after having a while to think,i want to say mrmichael,i still think your ways are harsh,but dont leave the forum,hippys right everyone has a place here,and maybe yours is to provoke,to make people listen Which if i think about is what you DID say.so lets agree to disagree and move on

by hippy, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
To: megian
i hope you have a better night than last, and i hope your next few day are better.

You know the pendulum swings both way s, sometimes things are great ,then you have to prepare for the swing twards the negitive. your last post seems to be a swing in the positive.

I to have had a rough 24 hours., so i just say to my self

so what ,ive been through hell and back at different times during my life. so to put it in perspective things are not so bad  right now. so im suffering a little, it will pass.

Your last post was inspiring , mature and kind .very nice to read.

so we all have to take the good with the bad , there is a far greater  agenda at work here.                 peace and comfort

by oh please already, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
To: Everyone hippy
thanks for the kind words'i have had a few good teachers in tolerance in the last few weeks on this forum, (((( :) ))))  Tonight sucks thank you,Ive never really been in full blown withdrawl before,but to tell u the truth now that i am not so terrifed,I think I can do it(That statement IS subject to change moment to moment of course)no,its true spending the last few weeks,finding people who have done it who not only didnt die ,but managed to keep there humor has given me great hope.Iv spent th last few hours watching scarface(Never saw it before)and thinking about how my "FRIENDS'have benfited from my sickness is a very eyeopening thing,for the 1st time i understand what law enforcement is talking about,I always thought that partying was a victumless crime,but all those times I dabbled in pot and coke ,(That doctors house isnt so small either)really did support people who were Laughing all the way to the bank,as grandma would say(**** there is a spider as big as a egg on my desk,wait)  all gone  I keep asking myself why it is that i dont have a problem with other drugs,I like pot,love coke,why can i just walk away,not fixate on others and yet these pills haunt me.Thanks again to everyone for begin there,I know that i am going on and on but just a few weeks ago i found that i never thought about things that mattered and now i find i cant stop thinking.Its kinda like seeing color for the first time,everythings still as it was and yet so much deeper and richer,with details to look at and notice that iv never seen before.Begin wasted did numb the pain,i just didnt relize how much it muted the the joy.or how much my 4 year old really talks and talks and talks  I guess she gets it from her mother  LOL

by oh please already, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
I am so angry I could spit!I just went ot my family doctor, a man i have been using for two plus years.In the last 3 weeks i have gone to all my doctors and told them of my abusse of drugs and i have to tell u not one was understanding which i do understand because i lied to them BUT this dotor i didnt lie too.We have spoke many time of my problems and he would give me the speech and then just fill out a new rx.) i guess it was eazer to keep me quiet)ANYWAY tonight i went with my list of Thomas recipe figuring that i would check with him if ther were ok to take with the meds im aready taking(I do have real medical issues and take blood pressure pill,predinsone,and multi others)Now keep in mind I have never asked this man to give me narcotics,he offers telling me they are the best choice for me.So i go in ,come clean,and ask if I should take the xanax(which HE insists i take,(i have some because i dont use it when i get it filled anyway)or the valium that all the treatment plans id found say is a better choice for the jitters  im anticapating the next few days im going to have from withdrawl and he says to me"your an addict, u need rehab"   ok  ,i explain i dont have the money or anyone to watch the baby while i would be away(which he knows becuse he's aware of my family dynamics)so he says" Give her to the state,"I say r u out of your fu--ing mind? then he says "maybe i"ll call them 4 u ,if u cant",NOW im crazy and i say  whoa wait,its not like im a f--ing junky,with a needle in my arm,i was taking what YOU gave me,I didnt come asking U MY DOCTOR TOLD ME TO TAKE THIS,YOU said it was the right thing to do.And he says"your right,i made a MISTAKE,and now YOUR a addict and I DON"T TREAT ADDICTS..There is not a word to decribe how i am feeling right now.and so , now what?

by oh please already, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
and so that shows an addict is addict,I am not going to let this s--t of a human begin cause me to fail.I am going to start the recipe anyway,screw it If i die at lleast my daugher will know that i died TRYING,not because i gave up.and so the moral of this story is NEVER TRUST ANYONE,exspecialy someone who takes money for u,A "Doctor will sell u out,1st by giving u something that will kill you when THEY dont have all the facts(I never understood how taking 3 40mg tablets of oxy would be better 4 me then 70 mg of percocet but i trusted him,and put the pill in my own mouth and yes,i was looking for a better high,he just made it much easyer when he knew i had a promblem)and then will sell you out again when the **** hits the fan with the FDA(if there wasent all this hype on t.v.with congress invoved I know that this man would of let me Quietly continue to kill myself,one because it was easy money,he got paid 160 dollors to  write 15 words  on a paper,,but now hesafraid of begin accountable,that some one whould see that he doesnt know what tha f--k hes doing,and is a dangerous man. SO my advice it to remember these facts.I forgot who started this thread but whoever did ask yourself this,If your wife was taking from your childs rx,then the script whould run short causing her to call for refills early,this is also a tightly controled drug,and yet your doctor wrote for extra,if it came down to him explaining to the DEA why he wasnt closely montoring a CHILDS meds,didnt question if the child was getting the right dose,didnt keep tight records that he required to by LAW who do u think he will sell out Himself? or your Family?I am sorry that I am rambling on but t kept me from going insane.Do u think he will really call CPS?and what could they do?Its been weeks since ive gotten "extra scipts"Other then this i am a great mom,my daughter has everything,is healty,happy and just got a clean bill of health at her 4 yr old check up.The only thing anyone who doent know this sceret will see is that shes not up to date with all her shots,i refuse to give her the chicken pox shot,its untested in children and i refused to put any extra drugs in her body she doesnt need... but there are secrets they could find if they went looking..other then that i just dont know and i thougt i couldnt sleep before,do u think that god is testing me?or maybe she would be better off... a few weeks ago i was pushing that thought around in my mind and maybe im begin punshed now for thinking it.without her i will die.Im so worried im too late,maybe trying is not enough  who ever said it was right its the secerts that will kill you

by oh please already, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
sorry i keep rambling but i need a favor,this boardbut if i do stop postin has become my lifeline,i depend on it and read it many time a day just to pass 10 min without putting a pill in my mouth, and i am having a LOT of trouble holding on right now,I am scaring myself if you can understand that so please dont put in writing what i fear so much,I know wht might happen,but putting in writing might make it too real to deal with right now and if i see that what my worse fears are might be what other people see too,i dont think i would be able to cope with that ,.. just yet,im not stupid i already know but i also know that any more pressure will snap the tightrope i am walking.I vented in the last 2 postings and it has helped me calm down but i am still too frightened not to look at the world from behind my fingers like when u watch a scary movie,u know what might be coming but u cant bear to see the whole scene at once

by mrmichael67, Apr 20, 2002 12:00AM
I feel sorry for your situation, but I wanted to address one issue you had.  In regards to the 40 mg oxy three times a day compared to 70 mg of percocet.  Do you realize how much tylenol is in those percocets?  Each drug has oxycodone in it, period. Oxycontin coming in such potent doses is what creates the problem with tolerance.  And, taking it beyond prescribed doses also creates problems.  I am no better than anyone else, but that is true.  I would be willing to fight for oxycontin till the day I die.  If taken as per labeling, oxycontin is a safe and valuable drug in the pain management arsenal of weapons.  That's what I don't understand about the thinking of oxycontin being so addictive.  It is the way people are taking it that makes it that way.  Sure, you have a bunch of 80's and are crushing them and snorting them, you will have a problem quick.  If you were taking percocet, the same results will happen, just a whole lot slower.  I am not defending your doc as he seems to be a real winner, but him prescribing oxycontin was completely called for.  Actually, I wish I had been prescribed oxycontin back when I really needed it.  I might not have had to get used to taking a whole bunch of percs just to make the pain less severe.  If I were treated properly when I should have been, I might not have the tolerance I enjoy today.  There is nothing evil about oxycontin, when used properly!