Amphetamine Salts Cause Devastating Effects

by | Aug 7, 2012


Amphetamines salts are taken by an alarming number of children being prescribed Adderall for ADD/ADHD. They are also taken without a prescription by college students who are unaware of the dangers of using amphetamine salts.
The generic drug substitute for Adderall is named Amphetamine Salts. Adderall is a combination drug composed of four different amphetamine salts.
No matter the name given to it, amphetamine salts are nothing more than speed.
Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance (a category of drugs considered to have a strong potential for abuse or addiction). It carries a “black box” warning label from the FDA that says misuse of amphetamine may cause serious cardiovascular adverse effects  or sudden death.
Sudden death is rare but there are other mental and physical risks these students are being exposed to.
Here are some common side effects:
•          Dry mouth
•          Loss of appetite
•          Difficulty falling asleep (insomnia)
•          Headache
•          Nervousness in the forms of agitation, anxiety or irritability
•          Becoming addicted to the drug
Other Side Effects Observed
•          Depression
•          High blood pressure
•          Rapid heart rate
•          Tolerance (constant need to raise the dose)
•          Craving for cocaine
•          Infected or diseased skin
•          Urinary tract infection
•          Infection or viral infection
•          Liver damage
•          Heart attack
•          Uncontrolled movements of head, neck, mouth, arms, or legs (tics).
•          Swelling of hands/feet/ankles (for example, numbing of the fingertips)
•          Sweating
•          Vomiting
•          Dehydration
•          Unexplained muscle pain
•          Lower abdominal pain
•          Kidney damage
•          Seizures
The mental side effects of amphetamine salts can be horrendous. They include personality changes such as feelings of suspicion and paranoia, depression and extreme nervousness. Even hallucinations, panic attacks, delusions and sudden aggression have occurred while taking this drug.
Adderall abuse by college students has been making the news for over a year. NBC covered this story and sent an intern into a major college library asking where to get some Adderall.
Within seconds a pill was available for five dollars along with the advice to just see a doctor and to fake ADHD symptoms to get a prescription of one’s own.
A young woman at this same college used it one night to study for a test. The next thing she knew she was using it every night to study.
Mood swings, insomnia, panic attacks and depression soon followed.
In six months her academy scholarship at this excellent university turned into academic probation and in six more months she was asked to leave.  She attributed her entire decline to Adderall use.
These young adults were most likely warned by their parents about binge drinking and cocaine type stimulants but advice not to take prescription medication illegally never occurred to mom and dad.
It seems that pharmaceutical companies are winning big with Adderall.
First, by having doctors prescribe it to school kids as a cure for ADD, a condition which cannot be proved to exist by any know medical test.
And then by ignoring the fact that many college students are facing addiction or worse by taking amphetamine salts without a prescription. The drug companies get the money while the students get the side effects.

40 Comments

  1. Lyra Kole

    Juanmv23 THANK YOU. I switched to Adderall for my ADHD several months ago.
    Yes I focus better and my thoughts are slower, but my skin is thinning, my muscles and tendons are deteriorating, and I bruise easily. I also get agonizing hand/foot cramps.
    Maybe all of our kids are mislabeled as “ADHD/Autistic” because they function on a higher level, and aren’t meant for established structures. What’s the old saying…. if you measure a fish by its ability to climb a tree, you’ll be disappointed every time?
    We should re-examine our structures and stop blaming the kids for being their authentic selves. They are misunderstood. No test can measure their worth and their value as human beings isn’t dependent on their potential for economic productivity.
    One thing I’m sure of, mass drug addiction ain’t it.

    Reply
  2. juanmv23

    Seems like you triggered a few medical industry sociopaths…excuse me I meant to say ‘professionals’. I stopped taking Adderall after it became absolutely obvious it was destroying my health. My skin thinned out to the point where my veins became much more visible, among many other things like depression and headaches.
    Just because you don’t have a medical license does not mean you can’t come to conclusions that are beyond logical. Don’t let these medical industry hacks silent our right to free speech.

    Reply
  3. Melodie Rodgers

    My 13 year old granddaughter is on 20mg in the morning before school and than another 20mg at lunch. which I think is way to much. But my question is since she has starting taking this drug she has gain a lot of weight. She has a weight problem to begin with, it is worse now. Why would she be gaining weight when the side effects weight loss???

    Reply
    • Parker orielly

      Weight loss is common with stimulant medication. As to her dosage the more a person weighs generally the higher doses they need I’m not a doctor but unless you are and understand the pharmacology I’d say her dose is average. I was given this medication in school and was able to pass with good grades because of it! I know it sounds scary but amphetamines really can and do improve the lives of millions.

    • Costa Lynch

      ADD is not a curse it’s a blessing and a gift. I was prescribed Ritalin at 19. I watched it turn my friends into zombies. Which pleased the parents. And helped with grades a bit. I never filled my prescription. Instead I trained myself to live with what I was given.
      I noticed that I was very forgetful. I was also very talented and resourceful. I used this to create for myself a discipline for never forgetting things.
      Simple. At 16 I had a truck. With keys. I couldn’t leave without my keys.easy enough. If you must not forget something , stack it on top of your keys
      .
      This exercise later turned into a bowl beside the bed which upon leaving in the morning ALL the contents had to be emptied into my pockets.
      Keys , wallet, notes for the day, Homework assignments, super glue to fix my glasses, spare change, pocket knife and chapstick. Lol

      Also, never put anything down out of place. This was and is the best medicine of all. I still do this to this day. I’m 46. I still have the same keychain I wore in high school. Granted , I often would walk in circles for a while holding something in my hand stuck in a loop. As soon as I noticed , I would stop ! Ask myself , “where does this go every time “”where will I find it later. ?” . Then put it away and off I go … unstuck.

      I quickly realized this working and when people asked me how I improved I told them “””stack your shit!””! All on top of your car keys. “ you can’t leave without them. Always take notes , find yourself a bowl. Lol. Good luck.
      Costa Lynch

  4. Darren Palmore

    At Stephanie , No body chooses ADHD, they are diagnosed by an medical professional, and prescribe this drug. ” it has nothing to do with being a drug addict” so what’s your point.

    Reply
    • Maggie

      Hi there I have noticed that when I take Adderall my ankles swell horrendously to the point where I can’t give it I can’t even get my shoes on my feet I don’t understand what causes this and it scared me so much that I no longer take Adderall

  5. Dr Phares

    its called the give up pill. Most kids who have been through things in life that has speed up their brain to a point that they will always have trouble doing the boring things like school work. It is designed to push them in the direction of meth as soon as possible to induce separation from slower minded normal thinking kids. Cops need jobs too. Raise your kids slow and away from things that will speed their brain to levels inconstant with the norm (city kids have different speeds than country kids etc.) . It does not have to be abuse, it can also be from too much fun and lack of guidance like letting your 5 year old run around an apartment complex with kids of similar age that guide your kid with more fun than you could show them, unguided. Or setting your kids under 18 loose every day to roam neighborhoods that could cause mental harm in the form of brain speed. Just a few of many recipes for ADD ADHD. Same ingredient in Meth.
    A brain needs a good foundation for strength that is achieved by slower thought. If the brain was like a basket on a bike on a rocky road, the small pebbles of knowledge need picked up along with a limited amount of big ones. When life speeds the brain through trama, even bullies at school, the bike will go faster only able to pick up mostly big rocks and more than the amount of his or her peers. Altogether missing the small pebbles of knowledge required for strong mental growth. There is really nothing to do when a brain is too fast but to ride it out with or without medical meth. But the meth option more dangerous than the ladder. Church, moving to the mountains and an old fashion ass whoopin if the schoolwork inst being done, who knows what will help because every child is different. Giving all options to Drs That have talked to your child less than 5 hours in a years time is your stupid mistake.

    Reply
  6. Nathan boss

    This drug is not a safe solution to add and adhd symptoms. The addiction rate and negative impact on someone’s life is far greater than it having any positive effect.

    Reply
  7. Seth

    Great points. From both sides but it’s only one problem college kids have. The number one killer and abused drug is alcohol hands down. Not to mention a lot of tobacco users start in college and there death toll and health related issues associated with the drug lives at number 1 between dying adults. Anything that is abused will have consequences. My personal opinion banning the drug is a small win to a much larger problem. I believe just informing kids more about long term effects will communicate way more than banning will. Plus you will hurt people that actually might need the drug and take it responsibly.

    Reply
  8. elliott

    This chat about prescribing or not proscribing Adderall for children is interesting and worth a read, but ADD/ADHD is hardly a childhood phenomenon and the conversation needs to widen proportionally to include the vast majority of human beings on this planet who are not children but who struggle with ADD/ADHD nonetheless. I’m a 61 year old adult male diagnosed with ADD 14 years ago and have taken 40MG of prescribed amphetamine salts every day since then. I frequently get dry mouth, which is easily remedied, and I do notice a loss of appetite, which is also easy to correct. I don’t have sleepless nights. never had a craving for cocaine, haven’t experienced a unitary tract infection, or felt the ‘constant need to raise the dose.’ What I have felt is the ability to better focus on my work and my family, be more optimistic about things that are out of my control, and remain enthusiastic about the future. Granted everyone’s body chemistry is somewhat unique and requires a qualified doctor to monitor conditions, but the blanket statements and dire warnings that appear in the article above have more to say about his fellows bad experience with the medication than it does about truths grounded in facts or it’s universal application. And thats my take on it.

    Reply
  9. Stephanie Stanhope

    Im not to sure about all I have read here. But being an 2 time user recovered addict of methamphetamine (street) not prescription. I have something to say that most may not want to hear or even ever admit.
    Prescription and Illegal Street Drugs abused or taken out of the correct use there of aren’t to blame. People are to blame for there chose to use abuse any medication or illegal street drug. Stop placing blame where it simply doesn’t belong and step up and admit what’s really the plroblem. Everyone has the initial chose of what to put in your bodies.
    I’m referring to playing the blame game.
    I am an addict because I chose to be one. Addiction is not a disease. Addiction is a chose you make. I chose to try and the continue to use methamphetamine no one forced me. And I chose to quit and chose 5 years later to do it again and 20 years ago I chose to put it down again. I’ve chose not to use again. I didn’t go to rehab I didn’t do 12 steps. I quit because I finally realized what I was doing to myself. Today 20 years later I am strong Today I raise my grandkids. At 54 years old as I sit and read this that or the other made me and addict it sickens me to see so many say “I have a disease” no use simply made the wrong chose … Now step up and make the right one it’s just as easy as the wrong one. Stop using excuses why you do this or do that … And simply realize you have a strong will and mind and turn your life around. Stop letting every problem give you an excuse to use. In the past 20 years I have gone on to do things I never thought I could do. I have had great jobs. Adopted my grandkids when they needed me. However, now because of choses I made so many years ago have major health issues today including COPD Because I chose to smoke for 39 years now. Life Lessons Learned The Hard Way.

    Reply
    • Beau

      I am an amphetamine addict because I was prescribed it when I was 9 years old. I refused to take it. I hid the pills under the cushions of my seat at breakfast and would get punished for not taking them when I came home. The doctor’s response to me telling him I didn’t like it was to prescribe a higher dose to “ease the withdrawal effect”. I resisted taking the pills for almost a year and was written off as noncompliant. I was told if I didn’t treat my ADHD I would never be smart or successful, so eventually I relented and began taking the pills, only to find that they made me feel AMAZING (high) because they were literally the wrong dose and medicine for me. and suddenly I was good at school (5th grade) and received praise and affection from my parents for my improved performance and weight loss. I relied on it to function. Over time this evolved into me conning a doctor into prescribing me a cocktail of stimulants equivalent to 4 months’ worth of doses at a time. The last time I filled that prescription I finished it in less than a week. Now, at 28, have congestive heart failure, morbid obesity, and venous insufficiency. I’m probably going to die before I’m thirty and guess what? I’m kind of okay with that because I don’t think I ever actually got to live.

      Not all of us had a choice.

  10. Charlie

    I have ADD and Adderall did screw me up but I didn’t take it always properly. I was on it for a year and half or so and the majority of the time when I used it properly I felt great and was very productive and focused and it felt great to have my mind slowed down to the point where I could focus well, however over time toxicity built up in me as I wasn’t eating well or sleeping well and I started to have some bad side affects. It’s a really tricky medication to get right and the analogy of it being like a vampire with self control who doesn’t drink human blood is pretty accurate lol. It’s easy to fall back on for anything: social events, work, parties, etc… I was prescribed the Instant Release tablets 3 times a day and honestly I think the Extended Release form is probably better and safer in terms of resistance to addiction. I went through hell during withdrawal from Adderall and had to stop working for 3-4 months because I could no longer perform the duties of my job… I could barely get out of bed. The doctors yanked it from me cold turkey which they weren’t supposed to do. I tried getting it back recently after this four month period (I’m somebody who enormously benefits from amphetamine salts – like day and night – or seeing in color for the first time) but I ended up with Straterra now and I take ephedra and or caffeine pills here and there. I’m only on week one of Straterra but it seems to really help with the focus without the stimulation effect. It’s not nearly as effective as amphetamine salts but it’s decent and probably safer. I’m 30 years old and I know that in order for me to have a future and be independent I need to be able to focus and concentrate and have a good memory but I also know that I can’t have delusions, paranoia, suspicion, or hallucinations so I’m hoping after two more weeks of straterra will kick in fully. Honestly I miss the productivity and optimal brain functioning the adderall helped me achieve and if Straterra falls short I’ll probably become a hopefully better controlled vampire again but I would probably go for Vyvanse instead.
    *one thing I’ve discovered recently is that amphetamine salts are also present in plants and I highly suspect that juicing red cabbage and drinking the juice brings in trace amounts of amphetamine salts into the system. I’m very sensitive to the salts so I can tell when I’ve had something with them and no joke I feel like I had the slightest bit of Adderall after I drink red cabbage juice – and red cabbage is pretty cheap.

    Reply
  11. 12070931

    My bad, typo: (physically or mentally) Not metaphorically, duh! 🙂

    Reply
  12. 12070931

    OK if this does not apply to you please disregard because I’m not doing this to argue but to simply help others. I don’t even want to admit this but I am definitely addicted to adderall and other things that keep my brain in a happy cloud! Shit, I wish I could say that it’s OK and I’m fine or whatever we tell ourselves at that moment of realization which quickly turnes back to imagination. When I’m in my head long enough I will believe anything I tell myself. Anyway I do agree that ADHD exists! But that doesn’t mean addiction doesn’t and that you can’t become an addict because you were actually diagnosed with ADHD. A lot of people have seeked out real help for their problem and ended up accumulating another problem. We all have seen those commercials where the side effects are worse than the disorder. I know not from fact because I don’t have evidence that supports my opinion but from myself I think all adderall users and former users can agree when I say that at one point or another you have felt a definite sence of euphoria. With me, all the time at first. Feeling euphoric isn’t necessarily a bad thing but when it comes with a price it’s a different story. A lot of the people who have expressed their pro aspect on adderall, have done so because yeah it helps you focus and get good grades but I know a lot of you also feel really good from it where when it starts to wear off, you want more but your focus hasn’t worn off, just the euphoria and it sucks. It’s like when someone hands you a brand new car or money that would have you set for life and then they said oh oops my bad that’s not for you but you had time to be with it and redream up your whole new future with the understanding everything would be amazing forever and then it’s ripped away from you but it’s always in arm’s length of you. You know you could take it back anytime but it’s not yours. Yeah that’s adderall for me. But I know their are a few of you who have actually done really good and haven’t succumbed to addiction which only happens with hard work. But that’s like a couple vampires out of a whole lot of vampires who can actually control themselves and drink from animals and not humans but the desire is always there which does get better with time but never goes away. And one slip can be devastating. I think adderall does a good job at helping to focus but it’s not without a bigger problem. It’s these pharmacies plan. Prescribe something for the ADHD, oh well now I have focus but now I have to be prescribed something for the sleeplessness that accompanies this medication. Now I can sleep but I have abdominal pain. Alright great now I’m on meds for my stomach and fucking etc. It’s a vicious cycle and simply supply and demand, demand and supply! Pharmaceutical companies are just like the tobacco factory. It helps with stress and it depresses hunger but we all know it’s eventually gonna claim your life or it’s gonna leave a big scar (physically or metaphorically). We are nothing but dollar signs to them and it’s harder for consumers to except the truth. FYI there are a lot of herbal supplements that have way less life altering side effects and if you think that you have already tried everything and they don’t work, then you’re not telling the whole truth because some people are skeptic of herbs and won’t even try and some people have it in their mind that it won’t work so it doesn’t. Mind over matter is a big fucking obstacle to achieve or master for a lot of people with me included. Okay I’m done.

    Reply
    • Amir

      That was a phenomenal analogy dude

  13. chris

    I use to take vyvanse an as body got use to it. it wasn’t working. I had several injuries an was put on pain killers well I lived the American horror story of switching to heroin overdosing dieing an being brought back to life I couldn’t function with put some kind of opiates just zero ambition thanks to adderall I’m know off heroin lift 3 days a week an take jiujitsu 3 days a week it was a real game changer for me

    Reply
    • Igor

      How about some punctuation?

    • Terese

      that is your intelligent reply – seriously??

    • Terese

      Chris, I’m glad to hear that you are healthier today..wishing you much strength to stay on this positive path!

  14. Han

    I have taken them to help me study and to help motivate myself to get things done when I literally had zero willpower/motivation to do anything. Perhaps I was depressed. I get them from my friend in 30mg tablets and jesus christ is 30mg a shit ton, pardon my American. I can only take up to 7.5mg a day without the homeostasis of my body tipping for the worse. (Also need plenty of fluid, I like to drink gatorade whenever I take amphetamine salts. I am 27 years old, male, and if they’re prescribing CHILDREN 10+mg taken 2 times a day, I’m not surprised at the number of deaths… and unless people with ADHD/ADD some how metabolizes amphetamine differently in their bodies, I really don’t see why a child would need anything more than 5-10mg a day.
    p.s. if you’re taking this without food, you’re not allowing the body to heal from the damage the drug causes.

    Reply
  15. savannah

    This article seems to be very slanted to the side of getting rid of Adderall. It also seems that the writer of this article doesn’t think that ADHD really exists. Let me explain some things really quick. Dry mouth- this drug helps you focus, sometimes to the point where you forget to drink water. Loss of appetite- This also means less food proportions, meaning you lose weight.(and how many people are trying to lose weight?) Difficulty falling asleep- this happens mainly when the medication is taken after 3:00. The reason why I know all of this is because I take Adderall for my ADHD. It has helped me tremendously in school. My grades went from D’s and C’s to A’s and B’s. All because I was able to focus on what the teacher was saying. And anyhow it isn’t like a college student is not going to know you don’t take drugs that aren’t prescribed to you. My elementary school had a don’t do drugs field day!

    Reply
  16. Samantha

    You obviously are not familiar with Dr. Amen and his brain imaging studies that have clearly identified 7 different types of ADD/ADHD based on the activity and inactivity with in the brain itself. Once again, the big business of the NIH is behind is current findings.

    Reply
  17. Kem

    My son was tested repeatedly over a period of 2-3 years because instead of doing better in school each year, he was doing worse. We went through three or 4 different types of testing and evaluation. His challenges were attributed to ADD. He was averaging scores of 20 in the 4th grade. We had his vision and hearing tested. He wore glasses, had learning accommodations, tutoring, etc… he was prescribed Adderall and it helped but he did not like how he felt on the medication. The doctors adjusted his medications without dramatic success. He did do very well and had many extracurricular classes such as music, martial arts, and foreign language in efforts to increase his organizational thoughts. We tried allergists, changes in diet, different types of schools, class size, etc… he ended up with a drug problem. It has been very difficult for him. He blames me for giving him “amphetamine salts.” We never used anything called amphetamine salts but the doctors did vary his medications.

    Reply
    • 🤷

      Amphetamine salts is Adderall. That’s generic for adderall.

  18. Gentle

    I don’t get why people don’t get on board with this or banning Dihydrogen Monoxide which is a known causative component in many thousands of deaths and is a major contributor to millions upon millions of dollars in damage to property and the environment.
    Some of the known perils of Dihydrogen Monoxide are:
    Death due to accidental inhalation of DHMO, even in small quantities.
    Prolonged exposure to solid DHMO causes severe tissue damage.
    Excessive ingestion produces a number of unpleasant though not typically life-threatening side-effects.
    DHMO is a major component of acid rain.
    Gaseous DHMO can cause severe burns.
    Contributes to soil erosion.
    Leads to corrosion and oxidation of many metals.
    Contamination of electrical systems often causes short-circuits.
    Exposure decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes.
    Found in biopsies of pre-cancerous tumors and lesions.
    Given to vicious dogs involved in recent deadly attacks.
    Often associated with killer cyclones in the U.S. Midwest and elsewhere, and in hurricanes including deadly storms in Florida, New Orleans and other areas of the southeastern U.S.
    Thermal variations in DHMO are a suspected contributor to the El Nino weather effect.

    Reply
  19. Liz

    Okay I understand your negative view of Adderall. But it can also be a contributing factor in a better quality of life. When I was in high school I could not sit still in class let alone concentrate or retain the information that the teacher was trying to teach.. I was left frustrated an undiagnosed. I was so depressed that I was not able to make it through my everyday classes that I ended up very angry. Eventually my parents pulled me out of school and I felt that the rest of my life would be spent being a deadbeat. With so much ambition as to what I wanted to be as a young teenage girl I was left alone. Finally after I had had enough of being depressed and frustrated I sought the help of a doctor who diagnosed me with ADHD I had tried many medications for ADHD none of which worked. The last medication that she wanted to try was Adderall. The change was almost immediate and I ended up going back to school graduating top of my class. Never had an issue with side effects and one on into the medical field. I only took the medication during classes. On days that I did not have school or on days that I did not have to concentrate or Focus I would not take the medication in order to give my body a rest. If it were not for this medication I would not be where I am today. The fact of the matter is that every medication has a risks and is not meant for everybody it affects everyone differently. It is up to the parents of these kids that have these problems to to monitor them to make sure the use of the drug is correct and not being abused. Later studies of Adderall have been done and have also helped improve people with depression and narcolepsy. So depending on the person you are is how this drug affects you some people might get depressed it’s not for them and others it might bring them out of depression and into a better state of well-being and a happy healthier life. You just have to be smart enough not to abuse the drug and to take it how it supposed to be taken. Bottom line everything has its risks even walking out the front door you never know you could be hit by a car. Every medication has its risk it is up to you to be responsible enough not to abuse it and know what’s right for your body. If doctors and pharmacists for smart every controlled substance would be given out on a weekly basis therefore the risks of abusing these drugs would be far less including sharing them with people that do not have a prescription for this drug.

    Reply
    • CCHR

      The side effects for Adderall are: Death, Sudden Death – The FDA reported on a study reviewing 564 healthy Children taking stimulants who died suddenly. They notified the public that there might be an association between the use of stimulant medications and sudden death in healthy Children. Hallucinations, Mania, Psychosis – Pediatrics published a study that found that upon reviewing spontaneous case reports of patients treated for ADHD with amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall), atomoxetine (Strattera), or methylphenidate (Ritalin/Concerta/Daytrana) indicated a likely causal association between each of these drugs and treatment-emergent onset of signs and symptoms of psychosis or mania, notably hallucinations, in some patients. The authors concluded, “Patients and physicians should be aware that psychosis or mania arising during drug treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may represent adverse drug reactions.” SOURCE: https://www.cchrint.org/psychdrugdangers/

    • Paul Milleson

      A wonderful testimony! I could not have put it better myself. Everyone will react differently to chemicals such as these. Its important to understand your body

  20. Stephen J. Barden Esq.

    You claim not to give legal or medical advice, but you make some odd statements e.g. “ADD, a condition which cannot be proved to exist by any know(n) medical test. There are now and have been for many years, diagnostic standards for determining ADD. I agree with you that prescription drug abuse is a serious problem; however, your presentation seems rather slanted to the point that one may be left with the impression that there are no viable medical uses for this drug, a position that is not shared by the majority of the medical community.
    If, as you say you do not give medical or legal advice, then I would suggest that you be careful about giving opinions that, in the main, require an expertise and license which you claim not to possess.

    Reply
    • CCHR

      “We do not have an independent, valid test for ADHD, and there is no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction.”— National Institute of Health (NIH) Consensus Statement
      You can read more here: http://www.cchrint.org/issues/childmentaldisorders/

    • Joseph McGinty

      The quote you give in your reply here does not mean the same thing as “ADD, a condition which cannot be proved to exist by any know(n) medical test.” In reality, ADHD is likely similar to every other psychiatric pathology: there are real cases where a person just cannot function no matter how hard they try every day when they wake up. And there are the “mimic” cases, where the behavior appears to fit the pattern of the legitimate disease, but it’s due mostly to environmental factors, poor upbringing, a life of bad habits and bad nutrition, etc. The real trick to this dilemma is that medical professionals need to not be lazy (except with their prescription pad) and figure out how to tell the difference between the two and then treat appropriately. Speed is speed, after all, and giving it to someone who doesn’t need it is a grave moral wrong. It’s like taking morphine long after your pain is gone, just another narcotic habit.

    • CCHR

      The American Academy of Pediatrics published best practice guidelines on this subject in 2011.
      Per these guidelines, a primary care clinician (PCC) should initiate an evaluation for ADHD for any child 4 through 18 years of age using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to determine if the criteria for ADHD have been met. The primary tool for making this determination are reports from parents, guardians, teachers, school clinicians and mental health clinicians involved in the child’s care.
      The PCC is also expected to evaluate a child for coexisting conditions such as anxiety, conduct disorders, depression, etc. once again using the DSM as the means to determine what coexisting condition exists.
      If a PCC is not comfortable making this evaluation then they are expected to make a referral to a pediatric or mental health subspecialist.
      NOTE: the PCC is also expected to rule out any alternative cause.
      There are at least 50 possible medical conditions that a child could be suffering from that mimic ADHD.
      AbleChild.org – http://ablechild.org/resources/information-for-help/help-for-parents/50-conditions-that-mimic-adhd/
      Global Healing Center – http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/20-health-conditions-that-mimic-adhd/

    • Karen York

      Do you know what you say to be fact? I am here because i am investigating the effects of this drug given to my grandson for ADHD and while taking it he became very abusive and attacked someone with no ability to stop. He’s having stomach troubles, anxiety. hallucinations at 10 years old. This was meant to help him? Why would they give a child who has no control over their hyperness SPEED? Feeling this kind of defeats the purpose wouldn’t you say? Needless to say he no longer takes this medication nor the one prescribed before that, That caused him to grow breast tissue. These are children not lab rats.

    • Karol Nyberg

      You asked why they would give a stimulant to a hyperactive child. I know it doesn’t seem to make any sense, but for some reason stimulants seem to have the opposite effect on a hyperactive brain. Some kids even benefit from drinking coffee. I’m sorry your grandson is struggling. Don’t give up.

    • LJ Dupuis

      I’m not a doctor but i can tell you from experience.. I dont feel Any child should be prescribed adderall, vyvanse, (prescription METH) under any circumstances! I was prescribed as a child and Yes it did help me to focus, behave, and do well in school … but by high school jr & sr year the Negative effects began. I continued to take the medication for 7-8 years even after tooth/jaw pain from grinding teeth, 7- root canals and a oral surgery which cost me $$32,000 PLUS in dental bills, high Bp problems, acid reflux, damaged stomach lining, anxiety disorders and paranoia / flash rages & aggression! I was completely Confused & depressed about the entire situation… i stopped taking the meds cold turkey. due to 6-7 days of sleeping and eating ONLY, i rolled into several week of Extreme depression & anxiety with absolutely NO energy or drive to do anything… i decided to get educated on ‘speed / ADHD MEDS’ . I read forums, comments etc. then cross referenced them with Actual experiences & events in my life. I also asked several questions to people that are on ADHD meds about there experiences. i have also used meth off and on through the years wen i ran out of my meds.. for those of you that that have ever used ‘street speed’ you Know this is true.. speed puts you in a speedy, get it done, organized mood! But when you overdue speed or ‘adhd meds’ it can OFTEN cause you to find yourself ‘stuck’ playing on electronics, facebook, diy projects, ETC. but not actually getting much accomplished but causing frustration… the reason children ‘behave & focus’ better on speed is b/c there little bodies ARENT MADE FOR (Legal METH). There little minds are going so fast they get ‘Stuck’ !!! Which causes them to zone in on a worksheet / Class work. The damage & terrible long term effects are not worth the fried brain / Lifetime mental & physical effects.. PARENTS & TEACHERS need to wake up, put down there phones down, disactivate fb, twitter, apps, ETC and tune into the well being of there children ! GET KIDS OFF OF METH !!!! Next time you bring your child to a dr. Appt ask the dr what dose of Meth he prescribes his children, wife, and family members!! At 18yrs old if any of my 4 children choose to be prescribed theres not much i can say to an Adult, but until then i refuse to introduce, administer, or agree with making ANY children addicted / dependent on any harmful deadly drugs. All comments & questions are welcome

    • Jess

      You hit every nail on the head with this!! The best truth I’ve read in a LONG LONG TIME!

    • Brian S

      I was first prescribed Adderall 18 years ago. I’ve been taking 120mg/day for about 17 years. I have nothing bad to say about it. My life went from total loser to owning a manufacturing firm that makes precision electronic instruments. I was a high-school drop out on psychiatric disability. With Adderall I was able to pick up electrical engineering online. I invented some novel products, and built a company to manufacture them. We have customers in 45 countries. And it was all made possible for me by Adderall. It wasn’t that I wasn’t smart or capable. I just needed the right medication.

Leave a Reply

Archives

Contact CCHR Florida

109 N. Fort Harrison Ave.
Clearwater, Florida 33755
Tel: 1-800-782-2878