6 replies to this topic

[newbie]

Hi all:

I was diagnosed with ADD a couple years back (I'm 40) and was prescribed the normal course of meds (Adderall, Ritalin, etc.) and recently Provigil. One thing I've noticed with all of the stimulants and Provigil (which is slightly stimulating to me) is that my brain gets foggy and my concentration decreases. I can't pull things from memory as easily and I'm just plain dumber!

Anyone else have these type of side effects from stimulants or Provigil?

I'm looking for some non-stimulant supps to improve my concentration and focus. I'm currently (for the past year)taking Strattera (non-stim) but it hasn't done too much for me.

I've also added:
Vinpocetine
ALCAR - although this stimulates me a bit


Thanks!

[Rational Madman]

Hi all:

I was diagnosed with ADD a couple years back (I'm 40) and was prescribed the normal course of meds (Adderall, Ritalin, etc.) and recently Provigil. One thing I've noticed with all of the stimulants and Provigil (which is slightly stimulating to me) is that my brain gets foggy and my concentration decreases. I can't pull things from memory as easily and I'm just plain dumber!

Anyone else have these type of side effects from stimulants or Provigil?

I'm looking for some non-stimulant supps to improve my concentration and focus. I'm currently (for the past year)taking Strattera (non-stim) but it hasn't done too much for me.

I've also added:
Vinpocetine
ALCAR - although this stimulates me a bit


Thanks!

Provigil has actually been known to enhance the encoding of spatial memory, but I'm not aware of any adverse effects it might have on memory retrieval. What dosage are you currently taking, and at what times? Are there any other concurrent conditions that you suspect that you're suffering from?

Provigil is also known to increase the availability of glutamate, an excititory neurotransmitter that can impair the encoding or the retrieval of memories. So, you might want to consider using some NMDA receptor antagonists. But, of course, share these concerns with your doctor before you add additional supplements.

[newbie]

Provigil has actually been known to enhance the encoding of spatial memory, but I'm not aware of any adverse effects it might have on memory retrieval. What dosage are you currently taking, and at what times? Are there any other concurrent conditions that you suspect that you're suffering from?

Provigil is also known to increase the availability of glutamate, an excititory neurotransmitter that can impair the encoding or the retrieval of memories. So, you might want to consider using some NMDA receptor antagonists. But, of course, share these concerns with your doctor before you add additional supplements.

I'm taking 100mg once a day right now. I take it usually before breakfast.

[jCole]

<br>I'm taking 100mg once a day right now. I take it usually before breakfast.<br>

Might be because you're taking too much.

I found 50mg's to be perfect for me. If I go any higher then 50mg's, often, I will have the exact same symptoms as you are currently experiencing.

Also, make sure you're cycling off on the weekends.

Edited by jCole, 06 July 2009 - 11:06 PM.

[Doc Eight or DE]

Can you be more precise on how you were feeling and for how long when taking Modafinil?

[Mander44]

Hi all:

I was diagnosed with ADD a couple years back (I'm 40) and was prescribed the normal course of meds (Adderall, Ritalin, etc.) and recently Provigil. One thing I've noticed with all of the stimulants and Provigil (which is slightly stimulating to me) is that my brain gets foggy and my concentration decreases. I can't pull things from memory as easily and I'm just plain dumber!

Anyone else have these type of side effects from stimulants or Provigil?

I'm looking for some non-stimulant supps to improve my concentration and focus. I'm currently (for the past year)taking Strattera (non-stim) but it hasn't done too much for me.

I've also added:
Vinpocetine
ALCAR - although this stimulates me a bit


Thanks!

Hi,

I would completely agree regarding the use of provigil. I'm 31, ADD, did very well in any ivy league school school based on ability to problem solve well. I tried using Provigil for a couple months, and found that after using it for a few days that my ability to think through things and to recall things was severely diminished - like you said, my mind was "foggy." I know there are all kinds of studies that say the opposite should be true, but not for me. It really concerned me how poorly my mind was working - I quit taking it and I think have returned to normal. Now I take concerta which helps to some degree.

My advise is to seek out a job where your ADD is an advantage, not a detriment. In the right situations ADD people can really excel.

Good luck.

[BryanG]

I take adderall for studying. It helps me focus and study for long hours but it really makes me a lot dumber when it comes to problem solving. Same thing for coffee and any other stimulant. I stop taking stimulants a few weeks before an exam and just about all of my problem solving abilities come back. I've tested this on Yahoo! Chess and the results were very dramatic. I went from a pretty darn good chess player to far worse than when I first started playing chess.

Edited by BryanG, 11 May 2010 - 10:19 PM.