A friend just quit Adderoll could turkey-said he was taking 3x the dose before quiting, how harmful?
I am wondering how long this med. stays in your system, and if he is really ok not being on any medication now. He lost 60lbs, didn't sleep much, and became depressed. He did not talk to his doctor-at this point, mentally do you think he should talk to a Dr. and be on a different medication (has tried others in the past-not sure which ones?) I want to know if he needs more help. Thanks M.S.
Hi MS,
Thank you for your question! Your friend is lucky to have someone like you who is concerned about his health and well-being. Though the medication itself does not stay in the body for very long (depending on whether he was taking regular Adderall or Adderall XR, the medication would be completely out of his system in 2-5 days), the effects on the body can last for a while. If he was taking three times the recommended dose as you say, he could experience withdrawal symtpoms when he stops taking it. These symptoms may include depression, fatigue, and change in heart rhythm. The most serious of these side effects (at least of immediate concern) is the change in heart rhythm. The Adderall is a stimulant, and increases your heart rate. If the body gets used to have a certain amount of Adderall in its system, it will compensate and reduce the baseline heart rate so that when the Adderall enters the body, the "increased" heart rate is about normal. If the Adderall stops suddenly, the body has to function at the altered baseline heart rate because there's no longer the kickstart from the Adderall. Your friend may want to visit a doctor to make sure his heart is okay after the discontinuation of the Adderall, and also to talk about his mental state. Best of luck to the both of you!
Casey
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