7 replies to this topic

[zw1019]

I've been prescribed adderall (IR) for a little over 3.5 years, starting off at only 5mg dosages 2-3x per day 3-5 days a week, now up to ~40-60mg a day 5-7days per week. I have experimented with a multitude of nootropics (unsuccessfully) and after trying a variety of SSRI's, SNRI's, etc, I got prescribed xanax about 2 months ago (I take .5mg with my 20mg IR first thing in the morning and sometimes .25mg-.5mg doses as needed, never exceeding ~1.5mg daily). Thus far, the xanax has been a miracle for me! Adderall's side effects gradually got worse over-time, while the benefits slowly negated; I lost my motivation, sex drive, developed brain fog (and the 'tip-of-the-tongue' phenomenon), and it basically has taken away from my personality and made me less social and more like a "zombie". Xanax has felt synergistic with the adderall to get rid of nearly all the negative side effects of adderall while bringing back many of the original benefits! Although I have experienced some slight anteretrograde amnesia and possibly cognitive effects from the xanax. Keep in mind that: I HATE taking adderall and Alprazolam (I never wanted to rely on/take medications in the first place), I don't have a addictive personality, and I have never abused adderall (I only take the smallest dose possible to achieve benefits (10mg at a time) and thus experiences peaks and valley's throughout the day). Also, I made 4.0's both before and after getting prescribed adderall, and only got on it because I started experiencing severe chronic fatigue and excessive day time sleepiness (I slept through nearly all my classes, and no matter how much I slept I never felt rested) and sought medical help, which led me to be diagnosed with ADD and prescribed adderall. Oh, and also; I eat very healthy and work-out regularly!

I'm worried I will build up a tolerance to this combination, develop a dependence on xanax, or experience cognitive problems because of xanax.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any and all advice will be much appreciated!!!

[hadora]

you will develop tolerance, cognitive problem and dependence from xanax, it's a matter of time, if adderral give you anxiety why not switch to another medication like dexedrine ?because your stack is not sustainable in the long run
Also you were diagnosed ADD because of chronic fatigue and day time sleepiness ??

Edited by hadora, 09 May 2013 - 07:51 AM.

[zw1019]

Yes, my doctor was quick to prescribe me the meds and get me out (I asked about doing a sleep study and he said due to my health status/age it would not be beneficial). This is a major part of the reason I started researching supplements/nootropics and have tried so many. I have read/heard a lot about Dexedrine and thought about trying it, although I'm scared of switching my prescription and it not working (also right now is not the best time as I have my DAT test in ~3weeks). Do you have any experience with Dexedrine?

Thanks for the reply hadora!

[hadora]

Yes, my doctor was quick to prescribe me the meds and get me out (I asked about doing a sleep study and he said due to my health status/age it would not be beneficial). This is a major part of the reason I started researching supplements/nootropics and have tried so many. I have read/heard a lot about Dexedrine and thought about trying it, although I'm scared of switching my prescription and it not working (also right now is not the best time as I have my DAT test in ~3weeks). Do you have any experience with Dexedrine?

Thanks for the reply hadora!

sadly dexamphetamine gave me psychosis so didn't take more than 2 weeks but for me it was like an anxiolytic at low dose (before the psychosis)

[**DEACTIVATED**]

Bro, didn't you already post a topic about Xanax and Adderall? Specifically, trying to avoid tolerance or withdrawal?

Why don't you just do yourself a favor and ween yourself off these harsh drugs? You even said so yourself, you never even wanted them prescribed. Just take a step back and ask yourself are these drugs really benefiting me that much?

From my experience, masking your mental problems with drugs, herbs, or less dangerous supplements is just prolonging the remedy to the root of your issues. You were prescribed for adderall for ADD, isn't there something else you can do or use that's healthier? Have you tried meditating? There are plenty of studies regarding the efficiency of meditation with people who have ADD. I'd shoot for the Uridine stack too, plenty of your friendly neighborhood immortalists have claimed success with it and it's benefits related to ADD are relevant as well. Do you eat healthy foods regularly? Have you been exercising? Don't ever knock the benefits of living healthy vs. swallowing nootropic medicines.

My recommendation is simple, but I understand your probably under a lot of stress and kicking addiction isn't easy. So why don't you wait until after you're done with all your studying and testing before you make any big moves.

ps - I don't think anyone here would consider Xanax and Adderall to be a "stack". The nootropic benefits are definitely there, but not in the true sense of nootropic. You're basically just drastically changing your brain chemistry eventually leading to tolerance, addiction, and brain fog. Anyone would benefit from them in the short term.

Edited by CrackaLackN, 09 May 2013 - 06:08 PM.

[golden1]

as someone dealing with getting off benzos for many months, get off the xanax. taper if you're dependent. which you probably are slightly dependent after 2months.

[nowayout]

I don't have access to them now, but for some reason benzos are the only class of drugs that make me feel well too and sleep like a normal person, without obvious side effects in the short term. I have terrible insomnia. Instead, I am now on a Z-drug (Lunesta) that does not give me as normal sleep and is giving me side effects I don't get from benzos.

Don't some people use benzos long term without problems?

[Tom_]

Adderall and benzos is no different to scoring coke and downing 8 shots a night. You will end up with an addiction I don't care how 'unaddictive' your personality is or isn't. Not to mention, if you actually have ADHD (a common co-morbidity in sleep disorders - although you have described exactly none of the symptoms) you by definition have an addictive personality.

For excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue (as your only symptoms) you are looking at a diagnosis of, in no order 1, major depressive disorder (likely with atypical features) 2, a hypersomnia (idiopathic or narcolepsy is likely (idiopathic most likely due to long sleep time and not feeling refreshed ), 3 sleep related breathing disorder, 4 insomniac disorder with normal or excessive sleep time (very poor sleep efficiency <75%) 5 sleep state misinterpretation or if you are unlucky some mix of both. If you have a long term sleep disturbance its a fair bet you have circadian abnormalities as well which tend to clear up with some sleep hygiene, good treatment of the underlying disorder/s and if necessary melatonin/agonist.

For excessive day time sleepiness you should be prescribed modafinil not amphetamine.

You ideally should have a full polysomnogram (2-3 days) with multiple sleep latency studies (something you can do at home to an extent) get a proper diagnosis (if it is indeed a sleep disorder), if you have other symptoms it could be anything from an endocrine disorder to an infection process - if your bloods are coming back normal my bets on a sleep disorder.

As a side note Bright light/therapy will improve day time sleepiness.

Also you should be practicing good sleep hygiene every night regardless of seeming efficacy.

Are you overweight?
Have you been accused of excessive movement of the legs particular, snoring, gasping sounds, teeth grinding or appearing to stop breathing while asleep?
Do you have any diagnosed or previously mental disorders?
Any diagnosed non-mental or previously medical disorders?
What medications have you tried for the excessive sleepiness, including supplements?
Do you feel rested after the naps?
If woken just after you have fallen asleep do you remember dreams?
When you fall asleep is it like fighting a losing battle over a number of minutes or less than two minutes from feeling tired to being asleep?
When you wake up do you feel alert or almost as if you where drunk, forgetting much of the morning, saying things you normally wouldn't, feeling very tired etc..
What meds and supplements and medicine foods or herbs or w/e are you taking at the moment?
What about drugs for recreation, legal and illegal?
What time do you fall asleep and wake up on an average day if left to your own devices? Is this a regular pattern or does it seem all over the place?
How long roughly do you sleep? How often do you wake up during your sleep? Do you sleep more than an hour at another time of day than when you went to bed the night before?
Is there a history of sleeping problems in the family?
Do you have any liver, thyroid, heart, lung or neurological problems?