Difference Between Adderall And Amphetamine Salts (Page 34)
(Newest replies first)

I was recently diagnosed with Adult ADD and have been prescribed Amphetamine Salts (Generic for Adderall) for a few months now. The initial dosage was one 10mg tablet/ three times a day and recently my Doctor upped the dosage to one 30mg tablet/ twice a day. I know that overall this has been very beneficial for me but I cant help but wonder if the generic brand (IR Amphetamine Salts) has less of the active ingredient, and more unnecessary side effects(irritability, fatigue). I know that while the active ingredients are likely to be the same, the "fillers" usually are not and even the active ingredients can vary up to 10%. I also know that everybody reacts differently depending on their bodies' make-up as well as the drugs and I have always reacted sensitively to any kind of drug. The more I "google" the more I want to stay away from the generic form. Also- almost every pharmacy around has little to no Adderall Brand IR tablets in stock, they only have the generic brands and possibly Adderall brand but only the Extended-Release. My Doctor seems to firmly believe that there is no difference between Adderall XR and Adderall IR, and because she prescribed me the generic form (Amphetamine Salts), she probably doesn't see a difference there either. I don't have the time to ask 10 doctors what they think so if anyone has any information or experiences please share! Thank you!

REPLY

REPORT

Logan: I am almost 40 and was on Ritalin from about 8 till the middle of college 17 when I decided to stop taking it. One of the side effects was stunting of growth supposedly, however how can you truly tell...I am 5'11" and my Dad is 6'1"...but my mom is 5'7"...so how tall was I supposed to be... It did certainly improve my ability to focus and organize my thoughts better. However like you, over the years I was able to learn to cope and overcome my feeling of lost focus until about 35 years of age when being in a very busy job felt overwhelming and very hard to find that focus and feeling of being able to organize my thoughts...at which point I went back on Metylphenidate (Generic Ritalin) which recently became impossible to get so my Dr. put me on 20MG Vyvanse 1 pill / day which seemed to work for me even better than the Methylphenidate except with my Insurance the Methylphenidate is $10.00 per 30pills and the Vyvanse is $180.00 for 30 pills. I saw the Dr. today and switching to the 20MG Amphetimine Salts 2 x per day...that cost me $84.00 for 60 pills...Hoping I don't have the side effects the others above speak about...Good thing though Logan is that if it does not seem to work for you in a way that makes you feel better in terms of focus, let them know and make a change till you find the right solution for you with your Dr's help.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

Just wanted to mention that methamphetamine is in fact approved for ADHD and narcolepsy in the Usa. It's called Desoxyn and is very safe and effective when used properly. It is considered a dinosaur drug and rarely used any more, but available for use when other stimulants have failed.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

Are you in the field of medicine or have you studied the brain? There is a MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AMPHETAMINE AND METHAMPHETAMINE. Look it up bc they do not effect the brain the same at all, other than they are both stimulants. We all know which one is worse. . I am speaking with complete honesty when I say I haven't touched a street drug, never will. However, in Texas it is required that a child or adult be seen by a neuropsychologist who performs an automated Battery test for cognitive assessment -ranging in all areas before ever prescribing Adderall if they do need it.. Its FDA approved where speed is not. For you to say and judge people bc they may have a chemical imbalance and need medication is ridiculous especially coming from a Christian. You are a hypocrite with zero knowledge about how each person was made. For you to make the assumption that God made us, and gave you the right to judge people for their personal life is a disorder you may have. Disorders are everywhere, starting from birth, my friend. And let me ask you a question.... Does Adam and Eve have navels? If so, can prove that there is a god and that everyone was born mentally stable and without any type of defects? Hope to hear back!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I think those side effects sound more like those from the drug itself. I don't know how often it's the inactive ingredients, but sometimes ISTM that the distrust of generics I see is from a generally suspicious attitude toward healthcare. But maybe I'm too trusting. I used to be a nurse, and we gave generics all the time.
I like the way my doctor started me on such a low dose. I did have funny feelings after my first 2.5mg dose of amphetamine salts/ generic Adderall, but nothing like that since. In a few more days, I will increase to 5 mg bid. It helps lower the soundtrack noises so I can focus better, but - as they keep reminding us - the drugs are not magic, and they are not a cure. They are a tool to be used in conjunction with the other stuff.
I don't think my ADD is as bad as so many others, and I had no idea I even had it, but this is HARD.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 3

My daughter was on vyvanse it seemed to be helping at first but due to she is on another medicine it counter reacted. My advice to you would be if your son is on any other type of med check the effects of a stimulant mixed with it or see how a non stimulant will react with it. I say. this bc my daughter is on a mood stabilizer called lamictal for bipolarism and was put on vyvanse 30 mgs for adhd and BC ur not suppose to put a stimulant with lamictal at all it caused a manic break and she had to be admitted to a facility to be evaluated by a new Dr. So do as much research as u can on the diagnosis and also what meds are used to treat that then talk with the Dr about ur concerns and so on. But the answer to ur other about did anyone feel like u did nervous about taking the meds the answer is yes I was very scared bc I never knew I had adhd so when I began taking the Med I really didn't know what was supposed to happen however after a few weeks I noticed I was staying sleepy which is not a. positive so I spoke with my Dr and he thought it was bc I needed a higher dose so we tried that no better response actually it got worse and I was on vyvanse a stimulant so Tuesday I spoke with my Dr again and we as a team decided that I should try the other medicine in the same class which is adderall however I get the generic which is amphetamine salts I'm only taking 15 mgs a day but now without a doubt I see and feel a major difference b4 I felt like my brain was going a 1000 MPH and my body was in slow motion and no matter how hard I tried I never could get them in sync. But finally they are in sync and I feel so much better I know that the dosage may not be perfect but we will get there all I can say is I feel like I have control of my disorder now my disorder isn't controlling me anymore like it was.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 5

Yes, I just took my first dose, and I was scared what if they were wrong about the diagnosis and I ended up all tripped out from the upper?
I am starting at 2.5 mg bid. I felt weird for a while, but then I did settle into a good period of focused work.
I think the effects lasted more like 8 hours, rather than 6, so I did not take the 2nd dose. I will be using it only when needed for focus.
Some of these doses are much bigger. If you are strggling with side effects, try a lower dose, at least temporarily.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 4

Hello All,

I'm a 28 year old male recently diagnosed with adult ADHD while my son was sitting through a questionnaire (he was also diagnosed). At the expense of sounding like a hypochondriac, it opened my eyes to what I've ignored all my life. I've learned to deal with my focus and attention issues by being (sometimes brashly) outgoing, and I've been very successful with school and work because I learned to move from subject to subject and topic and topic to accomplish tasks. I was just prescribed Amphetamine Salts ER 10mg two times daily, and I'm very nervous about taking them. Some of the postings here have made me feel better, and my doctor is very good and attentive, which also makes me feel better. I still have a nagging feeling in the back of my mind asking, "Do I really need this", despite the fact that I KNOW it will help. My question is, did everybody feel like this when starting? Also, I'm extremely reluctant to start my 6 year old on anything, but logically (after perusing a seemingly infinite amount of case studies) I know it will help him. Sarah, you're post in particular along with my own childhood experiences made me feel as though I'd be hindering him if I don't help, but that doesn't stop me from feeling extremely reluctant. Does anyone have any experience with prescribing children? If so, I'd appreciate any input. Thank you all for sharing your information and stories! It's been extremely helpful.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 58

I was diagnosed with adhd 3 months ago I never even knew what that signs were but my Dr started me out on 30 mg vyvanse at first it seemed to be working I noticed I was able to focus a lot different than I had been. But after about 2weeks I began staying sleepy. I would get up in the morning and be fine well rested then eat breakfast and take my medicine and go about my day. Well it takes 2hrs for the full effect and as soon as it began to kick in I became so sleepy and didn't understand y. So I told my Dr and he had no answers. So rather than taking me off and trying another he increased my mgs to 40 once a day in the am so I began taking it and I became even worse so bad in fact I fell asleep behind the wheel going to take my Mom to the Dr she said I was talking one minute and then I just went out. So I called the Dr and told him and again nothing no answers so today I went to him told him everything about the side effects I was having and he basically made me as if I were crazy or uneducated so I had to literally tell him about my physical that I had bc of me being tired constantly I was concerned something was wrong but all my tests come back normal and he still didn't want to change me but he did he put me on the generic adderall. Amphetamine salts 15mgs and specifically added that the highest dosage. For adults is 20mgs and hes full of it I think he's just saying that BC hes pissed at me bc I won't allow him to treat my daughter anymore BC I had to admit her to a behavioral facility and she had to have a 72hr evaluation. My daughter has bipolarism and has and is currently taking a mood stabilizer called lamictal 200mgs once in the morning then after 6 months now he wanted to treat her adhd and added 30mg vyvanse and it caused my daughter to have a manic break and he told me that the meds had nothing to do with it the Dr who treated her in the hospital said it was without doubt the medicine. He said u never put a child with bipolarism and on a mood stabilizer on a stimulate so he took her off and she has been fine again herself thank God so I worry BC what happens if I have other problems bc I do I also have anxiety and panic attacks and when we discussed that issue he made it very clear it was either control the adhd or the anxiety not both but yes he put my baby girl on 2 without hesitation Idk what I should do in this situation bc he's supposed to talk with nope in and out maybe 15 minutes

REPLY

Was this helpful? 17

That has nothing to do with generic or brand name. That is in the ER/IR change. ER meaning extended release-being released into your body throughout the day, and IR meaning immediate release, the medication is all released immediately (as your stomach dissolves the pill/capsule).

REPLY

Was this helpful? 21

That is very true and one more thing its everywhere now it's very scary thank god I stoped

REPLY

Was this helpful? 11

After years of struggling with what I have come to realize is ADD, I have finally done something about it. I'm about to take the generic version of Adderal for the very first time. Some recent mistakes at my job could have been life threatening to my patients. All my life I've heard things like..."ADD is a form of mental retardation....ADD is all in the persons head.....if you think you have ADD then you're just being stupid...etc." Since that situation happened at work I've done some intense research. See, when ever I have taken Vivarin I've been totally focused and not at all forgetful. Turns out Vivarin is a brain stimulant. So I looked up that which took me to links for Adderal....which we know is for ADD. So I talked to my Dr. today and he said from everything I've told him .....which I told him everything since I was like 12, now 42..he agreed that this is the problem. I'm going to try this and hopefully it will solve that. If it doesn't work, then I will have to take a different approach. But I tell you, medication that affects the brain scares the HECK out of me. I know now I'm not stupid and I do NOT have any form of mental retardation. ADD is a LOT more common than people realize; like me, maybe many MANY others are just afraid to admit it for fear that some will think they have mental issues.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 79

I agree this is one of the more serious and dangerus drugs out there and should be used with extream caution but I disagree about I helping inprove the quality of ouyr life I am extreamly dyslexic. The amount out energy I have to use at work double and triple checking every thing I do is exhausting but with a small amout ofm the aderall I make is less exhausting and and easier to do allmthe trick I have learnd over the years to hide my dyslexia from my co worker is stead themthink they think the opposite and concered me to be one ofm the most thuro and accurate workern they know no adderall will not salve you problems or make them go away put will help u deal with them better

REPLY

Was this helpful? 25

I am taking the same thing as well and I have noticed the same results as well I use to take adderall the real adderall and now I'm taking the generic brand and I noticed a big difference in the last 2 months so there is something wrong with this medication there has to be something done about that s order needs to be another decision by the doctors offices. I know my insurance don't pay for adderall at all but I have to pay 137 dollars for the generic so I wonder is it worth paying 137 dollarsfor this medication because I am really tired and it seems like I do not do anything right I have ADHD and my daughter has been for scrapping this medicine to me since I was 13 so what is wrong with his medicationbad he. my wife even notice a difference in my attitude in my performance with her and my children as well with work

REPLY

Was this helpful? 18

David-
Thank you for your insight!! I, too have found the "inactive" ingredients in adderoll and, actually most other medications I've taken, metabolize way differently than described. Those same ingredients that are supposed to be "inactive" definitely feel "active" with the way my body breaks them down. I've asked a few others I know taking the same meds, as well as more than just one psychiatrist, and every doctor has a different answer.. Every person taking them also have different answers to how it effects them. Thanks for your post.. Glad its not just me!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 46

Of course my IQ isn't actually 3x's anyone's... I was obviously exaggerating to get my point across. Yes, this is the Internet and yes, people can have their own opinions. For that very same reason I felt as tho I needed to say something in response to a person, such as Margarita, that feels the need to put myself, or anyone else who struggles with this disorder, into a group labeled as "addicts." This forum is supposed to be a place to come and discuss questions and/or comments about medical disorders. Not to belittle or degrade others. It's hard enough to deal with ADHD or for anyone with any type of out-of-the-ordinary behavioral characteristics, without others putting you down. I just was venting and apologize if it offended you. I have just had enough of people ignorantly commenting on issues they most certainly know nothing about. And thank you for your kind words about my accomplishments. They did not, and still don't, come easy.
Take care
-S

REPLY

Was this helpful? 191

I mean Margarta sounds like an abuser. My heart goes to all those struggling with ADHA.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 145

Sounds like an abuser

REPLY

Was this helpful? 48

I doubt your IQ is 3x anyone's. You would either be the smartest person to ever live or the rest of us would be turnips. Calm down, its the internet. Let other people be ignorant because you cannot force them to be otherwise. Aside from that you raise good points and its very impressive you were able to accomplish what you have despite your hindrance and family's lack of support.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 121

In response to Margarita-
I am a 26 year old female with two post-grad degrees in extremely competitive, "intensely" challenging fields. I had been diagnosed with ADHD at a very young age and, because my mother was against such meds at Adderall, I was forced to struggle through school. At times I found it impossible, yet still managed to graduate high school at 16, college at 20. I didn't start taking the medication until after college because I couldn't focus at work, my body wasn't able to stay still, etc. The words you posted are not only ignorant and untrue, but mean spirited and down right rude. Yes, the drug can be addictive to those who don't need it but that can be said about MOST drugs. Most drugs, if not taken as prescribed (and for actual diagnosed disorders) can ruin a life. You shouldnt be so ignorant and completely misinformed before writing such plain stupidity on an open forum, with whom intentions are to be helpful and informative. I will never allow myself to fall into a category of "stupidity" because I was born with a chemical imbalance. My IQ is probably 3x's yours just going off your post alone. So, with all this said, please don't group all human beings together. Doing so only makes yourself look as though your born "not smart." You probably have had your own life or one close to you effected by this drug and I can understand why you would react that way but, as an adult, it is your responsibility to be mature and realize that it probably ruined yours or a close ones life because it wasnt taken properly or for a real disorder. That's no ones fault but your own. Not the drug itself. For people like myself, with ADHD, it does what its supposed to and nothing more. So maybe go back to whatever ignorant life you have and start reading up on your pharmaceuticals.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 509

Sorry about the post, but Margarita angered me. She has no Idea what she is talking about. Using her logic, people born with type I diabetes should not take insulin and just die because that's the way "god" made them? Cancer patients should avoid treatment because "god" decided to give them cancer? I suppose the entire medical profession should be abandoned because of this "god" she speaks of. I suffer from Adult ADHD and take stimulant medications, quite successfully I might add, and I am FAR from stupid. I also have Panic Disorder, and take 8mg of Xanax a day with NO problems. I suppose I should spend the rest of my life curled up in the fetal position because that's the way "god" made me too. Why don't you walk a mile in someones shoes before you even fathom the idea of judging them, and once you have, make the decision to NOT judge. You will be a better person for it.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 464

I HAVE BEEN TAKING GENERIC ADDERALL which has always been called amphetamine salts. My last script instead of saying amp...

35 REPLIES

I was taking 20mg with salt and my new presciption is without the salt. Is there any difference? ## It's not actuall...

5 REPLIES

My name is Phil and I am 18 years old. I weigh 170 lbs and I am 6'3. At the beginning of my Freshman year of college...

3 REPLIES

What is the difference between d-amphetamine salt combo (adderall)10mg and dextroamphetamine sulfate tablets (Zenzedi)? ...

7 REPLIES

Hi, Can someone please educate me on the differences between Adderall ER as opposed to Adderall XR? I had no idea there ...

4 REPLIES

Are the M Amphat salts 30mg a generic form of the Adderal XR capsule the same exact thing as a Adderal XR 30mg capsule??...

6 REPLIES

The vast majority of Adderall prescriptions, are filled by the generic version, also, made by the foreign parent, Teva o...

8 REPLIES

I have been taking generic Adderall, Amphetamine salts but yesterday when filling my prescription it says now Amphetamin...

15 REPLIES

For several years I've taken TEVA 30mg Amphetamine Salts 2x daily with consistent positive relief. Focus and a feeli...

254 REPLIES

I was recently prescribed Adderall by my doctor for Adult ADD. My pharmacy gave me Amphetamine Salt. Is there anything d...

4 REPLIES