Amphetamines
Information For Patients Taking Dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat and others)
Common Adult Dosages:
Doses may start at 5 mg (or 10 mg XR) two to three times daily, with small periodic increases until the desired effect is obtained. It is recommended that the tablets be taken 30 to 45 minutes before meals, with doses no later than 6 p.m. The dose range for adults is anywhere from 20 mg a day to over 150 mg per day with most patients falling in the 40 – 60 mg per day range. Swallow whole, never crushed or chewed.
Side Effects:
Most commonly occurring side effects are difficulty sleeping, nervousness, tenseness of jaw, loss of appetite, weight loss, heart palpitations, fast heart beat, and increase in blood pressure. Occasional side effects include nausea, dizziness, and stomach upset.
Medical contraindications:
This drug is not indicated for use in patients with glaucoma, uncontrolled hypertension, heart problems, or a history of Tourette’s syndrome. Patients with a history of seizure disorders may experience an increase in the number, duration, and/or severity of seizures. Some patients have experienced paranoia (suspiciousness) and psychotic symptoms from taking dextroamphetamine.
Interactions with Other Medications
Alcohol: Taking with alcohol will reduce coordination, speed of reflexes.
Blood pressure medications: It may increase the blood pressure and heart rate in spite of your taking blood pressure medications. .
MAOIs: Do not take with an MAOI antidepressant medication such as Parnate or Nardil.
Antidepressants: Patients taking tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil) or imipramine (Tofranil) etc. may require dosage adjustments while taking these medications.
Other medications: Warfarin (Coumadin), phenobarbital, phenytoin Di (lantin), primidone (Mysoline).
Over the counter cough and cold preparations and diet aids. Avoid medications that contain ingredients such as phenylephrine (nose sprays and eye drops), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Actifed, and others), and phenylpropanolamine (Dimetapp, Dexatrim, and others), and health food store preparations containing Ma Huang. These may increase the side effects of nervousness and insomnia with further increases in blood pressure and heart rate and in some cases cause a major psychotic episode or even a stroke.
Missed doses should be taken as soon as possible, but not closer than 4 hours apart. Do not double up doses.
Discontinuation symptoms:
Aside from some temporary tiredness and the return of ADD symptoms that had been controlled by the medication, discontinuation or withdrawal symptoms are very rare.
Storage:
Always keep tablets dry, tightly capped, and at room temperature. Keep away from direct heat, light, and moisture. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Discontinued medication must be carefully discarded.
