Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you miss your dose of the extended-release capsule the morning, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time the next day. This medication may be prescribed for other conditions; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
If they do, you should take these doses 4 to 6 hours apart. These include your age, kidney function, and the condition you’re taking the drug to treat. Drinking alcohol with Adderall could also raise your risk of certain side effects, such as dizziness, blurry vision, and headache. Ask them what other medications are better options for you. Talk with your doctor about other medications that may be better options for you. If you have a serious heart problem, Adderall could raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, and sudden death.
Adderall has the same potential side effects as all stimulant drugs. Generic dextroamphetamine/amphetamine has the same benefits and the same risk of side effects as brand-name Adderall. Dispose of unneeded medications in a way so that pets, children, and other people cannot take them. Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with dextroamphetamine and amphetamine and each time you get more medication. On June 30, 2025, FDA issued a drug safety communication about a risk of weight loss in patients younger than 6 years of age taking extended-release stimulants for ADHD and will be revising the labeling for all these products to reflect this new safety information.
Many people with ADHD feel more normal when they take Adderall because it levels out their temperament and stops the mind from rapidly wandering to different topics. Adderall can also have beneficial results on impulse control which people who have ADHD sometimes have difficulty with. It can have a profound impact on mental health and cognition, as well as bodily functions. These different effects of Adderall on the brain and the body are responsible for the benefits and the side effects.
Adderall Side Effects
Advise patients that there are potential risks to patients with serious cardiac disease, including sudden death, with ADDERALL use. Regularly monitor patients for the emergence or worsening of tics or Tourette’s syndrome with ADDERALL, and discontinue treatment if clinically appropriate. Discontinue treatment with ADDERALL and any concomitant serotonergic agents immediately if the above symptoms occur, and initiate supportive symptomatic treatment.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker Always check with your health care provider. Tell your health care provider about all medicines that you take or have recently taken.
New Or Worsened Symptoms Of Mental Health Conditions
Reviews from 2015 and 2016 indicated that TAAR1-selective agonists have significant therapeutic potential as a treatment for psychostimulant addictions; however, as of February 2016,update the only compounds which are known to function as TAAR1-selective agonists are experimental drugs. While there are currently no effective drugs for treating amphetamine addiction, regularly engaging in sustained aerobic exercise appears to reduce the risk of developing such an addiction. Individuals who frequently self-administer high doses of amphetamine have a high risk of developing an amphetamine addiction, since chronic use at high doses gradually increases the level of accumbal ΔFosB, a "molecular switch" and "master control protein" for addiction. At therapeutic doses, the adverse effects of amphetamine do not impede athletic performance; however, at much higher doses, amphetamine can induce effects that severely impair performance, such as rapid muscle breakdown and elevated body temperature. However, the quality of evidence for these findings is low and is consequently reflected in the AASM's conditional recommendation for dextroamphetamine as a treatment option for narcolepsy.
Dextroamphetamine And Amphetamine (oral Route)
Your child’s doctor may increase their dose by 10 mg weekly if needed until they’ve reached the right amount to manage their condition. (Adderall XR isn’t used to treat narcolepsy at all.) Narcolepsy is rare in children younger than 12 years old, but Adderall IR may be prescribed in rare cases. If you have questions about your child’s dosage, talk with their doctor or pharmacist to learn more.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the dose be reviewed at least once a year. The optimal dose changes through childhood and may go up or down over time. The above is not a complete list of all possible drug interactions. Sharing prescription medication is illegal, and can cause harm. Store Adderall XR in a secure place out of the reach of children, and at room temperature. The effects of Adderall XR on the elderly have not been studied.
Your child’s doctor may increase their dosage by 5 mg weekly until they reach the right amount for them. The typical starting dosage of Adderall IR is 5 mg taken once or twice per day. Adderall IR isn’t recommended for use in children less than 3 years of age.
Symptoms Of Overdose
- And learn what steps to take if your child’s ADHD medication isn’t working.
- Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family drinks or has ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, uses or has ever used street drugs, or has overused prescription medications.Your doctor will probably not prescribe dextroamphetamine and amphetamine for you.
- Use in children younger than 6 years of age is not recommended.
- ADDERALL and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects.
- Before taking Adderall, talk with your doctor about any mental health problems you or your family have had before.
For instance, high school and college students may use amphetamine drugs to help them study. It’s true, though, that amphetamine-based ADHD medications are more likely to be misused. In fact, when kids with ADHD take Adderall as prescribed, it actually lowers their risk of abusing drugs. Adderall belongs to a group of medications called stimulants. This medication can be abused and cause your brain and body to depend on it after high doses or long term use.
Other Interactions
Based upon studies of self-reported illicit stimulant use, 5–35% of college students use diverted ADHD stimulants, which are primarily used for enhancement of academic performance rather than as recreational drugs. Therapeutic doses of amphetamine also enhance cortical network efficiency, an effect which mediates improvements in working memory in all individuals. A systematic review from 2014 found that low doses of amphetamine also improve memory consolidation, in turn leading to improved recall of information. Additionally, these reviews suggest that amphetamine may dose-dependently improve cataplexy symptoms.
What’s The Adderall Dosage For Adults With Depression?
Adderall can interact with several kinds of drugs. This is important to do because some medications can interact with Adderall. In addition, tell your doctor if you’re taking any medications.
Adderall® is a central nervous system stimulant prescription medicine. Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting Adderall®. Tell your doctor if you or your child have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems. The following have been reported with use of Adderall® and other stimulant medicines. This Medication Guide does not take the place of talking to your doctor about you or your child’s treatment with Adderall®.
Boxed Warning: Risk Of Drug Misuse And Dependence
You can also try behavior therapy for your child, with or without medication. Or you might see that your child doesn’t interrupt people as often. Not all kids have the same degree of ADHD symptoms, or the same exact challenges.
FDA Drug Information
- (Misuse means taking a drug in a way other than how a doctor prescribes it.)
- The content found on EvidenceLive is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of any disease.
- Doctors may prescribe Adderall with antidepressants for people who have both ADHD and anxiety.
- Adderall is the brand name of a fixed-dose combination medication used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.
- Amphetamine/dextroamphetamine may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.
- While the boost of dopamine may increase feelings of euphoria, energy levels and working memory in the short term, taking Adderall without a prescription or in ways other than prescribed can cause emotional and physical side effects.
Adderall is also approved to treat narcolepsy (extreme, involuntary sleepiness) in adults and certain children. Either drug can cause side effects ranging from mild to serious, such as headache and nervousness. Dr. Shariq specializes in treatment of children and adolescents and has broad clinical experience across a wide spectrum of ages. They will help educate you on all of your treatment options, as well as the potential risks for each, so that you can make the right decision for you and your situation. While Adderall may be effective in the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy, it’s not for everyone. Prior to taking Adderall, it’s important to inform your doctor of your medical history, including any medications that you are currently taking.
A doctor may raise the daily dose by 10 mg each week if necessary. The recommended maximum daily dose (MDD) for adults with ADHD is 40 mg. If necessary, a doctor may then increase the daily dose by 5 mg at weekly intervals. For adults with ADHD, the starting dosage of Adderall is 5 mg once or twice per day. Children aged 3–5 years should begin with a starting dosage of 2.5 milligrams (mg) per day.
When Wirth isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three young children. Jennifer Wirth is a professional writer and SEO specialist with a focus on health, wellness, parenting and beauty. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. Regardless of the treatment path you choose, it’s important to discuss all your options with your doctor. Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance, due to its risk of misuse and abuse.
