3 ms·

I've wondered if Adderall could be popular in part because it can lead to weight loss. This wouldn't be why people would go on the medication, but why they woul

I've wondered if Adderall could be popular in part because it can lead to weight loss. This wouldn't be why people would go on the medication, but why they would hesitate going off it. I know some people continued smoking after they wanted to stop because they feared gaining weight when they did.

samtho 4y ago
Adderall is not (usually) prescribed for weight loss, it would be an off-label use as well. There are stimulant medications like adderall that are prescribed and work much better at appetite reduction than Adderall.
- gnicholas 4y ago
  Yeah, I added the second sentence to clarify. I'm sure people don't go on it primarily to lose weight, but I could see how it would become a one-way ratchet if going off it causes weight gain.
- prepend 4y ago
  Adderall is prescribed for weight loss, according my my psychiatrist, but it’s not approved to treat weight loss. Although similar drugs like vyvanse are approved for binge eating disorder. I think adderall is prescribed when patients can’t afford vyvanse. Although vyvanse is going generic this year.
  - samtho 4y ago
    I added a “usually” qualifier to my statement.
operatingthetan 4y ago
Probably more so because even at therapeutic doses it gives a mild high and is addictive.
- elcritch 4y ago
  Perhaps for non-ADHD people. There's a common meme on ADHD channels about forgetting to take it and how hard it is to remember to take it daily. Some days you just don't want to take it and straightjacket your brain. For me getting off a regular dosage just caused a bit of extra sleepiness for a week or two. I drank like 2 redbulls a day for a bit. There is a bit of addictiveness because its nice to be able to function like normal people day to day -- like paying bills on time because your brain has enough dopamine for a boring chore. Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy.
  - operatingthetan 4y ago
    >Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy. SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all. As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot of our ADHD peers struggle with stimulants. >Perhaps for non-ADHD people. I've been diagnosed with ADHD twice (childhood and adult) and I can say from experience that speed gets everyone high. That's a myth. Take a double dose of your prescription and report back whether you feel it (sort of kidding, it's a dangerous path).
    - romwell 4y ago
      >Take a double dose of your prescription and report back whether you feel it (sort of kidding, I have ADHD[1]. Taking 2x dosage of Adderall[3] makes me.. calmer and sleepy, and that's about it. As does too much coffee[2]. So much for "myth". [1]https://romankogan.net/adhd https://romankogan.net/adhd [2]https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Coffee%20Calms%20Me%20Down https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Coffee%20Calms%20Me%20Down [3]https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Medication https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Medication
      - operatingthetan 4y ago
        You should know better than suggesting your anecdote is enough to prove a myth either way. Stimulants aren't magical medications that affect all ADHD people radically differently than neurotypicals. You are just experiencing a very common phenomena where drugs impact some people differently.
pyuser583 4y ago
I’ve struggled with weight and ADHD. Adderall is an appetite suppressant, but that doesn’t always translate to weight loss. I’ve forgotten to eat for an entire day, but made up for it (and then some) the next.
- olyjohn 4y ago
  Yeah, when I was on dextroamp, it would completely eliminate my appetite. I'd have to eat breakfast before taking it, and at about 8-10pm when it wore off, I was STARVING, and would eat everything in the fridge. At actual dinner time, I would stare at a delicious plate of food and not even feel like touching it despite not having eaten since 7am.
  - pyuser583 4y ago
    Yep
millimeterman 4y ago
In my experience ADHD medicine doesn't actually induce weight loss, despite weight loss being a desirable thing for me. It suppresses your appetite, sure, but it doesn't shield you from the effects of not eating all day. I often force myself to eat something for lunch or I'll just end up tired and annoyed in the afternoon/evening (edit: I don't eat breakfast). Plus, once the medicine wears off at night (or on weekends when I skip taking it), I usually get ravenously hungry and easily make up any caloric deficit.
- iguessthislldo 4y ago
  Matches my experience as well. If I forget to take it one of my first clues is when I feel like eating a second breakfast or lunch.
- galleywest200 4y ago
  I remember to eat when I take my ADHD meds, so its leading to (healthy) weight gain!

samtho 4y ago

Adderall is not (usually) prescribed for weight loss, it would be an off-label use as well. There are stimulant medications like adderall that are prescribed and work much better at appetite reduction than Adderall.

gnicholas 4y ago
Yeah, I added the second sentence to clarify. I'm sure people don't go on it primarily to lose weight, but I could see how it would become a one-way ratchet if going off it causes weight gain.
prepend 4y ago
Adderall is prescribed for weight loss, according my my psychiatrist, but it’s not approved to treat weight loss. Although similar drugs like vyvanse are approved for binge eating disorder. I think adderall is prescribed when patients can’t afford vyvanse. Although vyvanse is going generic this year.
- samtho 4y ago
  I added a “usually” qualifier to my statement.

operatingthetan 4y ago

Probably more so because even at therapeutic doses it gives a mild high and is addictive.

elcritch 4y ago
Perhaps for non-ADHD people. There's a common meme on ADHD channels about forgetting to take it and how hard it is to remember to take it daily. Some days you just don't want to take it and straightjacket your brain. For me getting off a regular dosage just caused a bit of extra sleepiness for a week or two. I drank like 2 redbulls a day for a bit. There is a bit of addictiveness because its nice to be able to function like normal people day to day -- like paying bills on time because your brain has enough dopamine for a boring chore. Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy.
- operatingthetan 4y ago
  >Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy. SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all. As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot of our ADHD peers struggle with stimulants. >Perhaps for non-ADHD people. I've been diagnosed with ADHD twice (childhood and adult) and I can say from experience that speed gets everyone high. That's a myth. Take a double dose of your prescription and report back whether you feel it (sort of kidding, it's a dangerous path).
  - romwell 4y ago
    >Take a double dose of your prescription and report back whether you feel it (sort of kidding, I have ADHD[1]. Taking 2x dosage of Adderall[3] makes me.. calmer and sleepy, and that's about it. As does too much coffee[2]. So much for "myth". [1]https://romankogan.net/adhd https://romankogan.net/adhd [2]https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Coffee%20Calms%20Me%20Down https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Coffee%20Calms%20Me%20Down [3]https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Medication https://romankogan.net/adhd/#Medication
    - operatingthetan 4y ago
      You should know better than suggesting your anecdote is enough to prove a myth either way. Stimulants aren't magical medications that affect all ADHD people radically differently than neurotypicals. You are just experiencing a very common phenomena where drugs impact some people differently.

pyuser583 4y ago

I’ve struggled with weight and ADHD. Adderall is an appetite suppressant, but that doesn’t always translate to weight loss. I’ve forgotten to eat for an entire day, but made up for it (and then some) the next.

olyjohn 4y ago
Yeah, when I was on dextroamp, it would completely eliminate my appetite. I'd have to eat breakfast before taking it, and at about 8-10pm when it wore off, I was STARVING, and would eat everything in the fridge. At actual dinner time, I would stare at a delicious plate of food and not even feel like touching it despite not having eaten since 7am.
- pyuser583 4y ago
  Yep

millimeterman 4y ago

In my experience ADHD medicine doesn't actually induce weight loss, despite weight loss being a desirable thing for me. It suppresses your appetite, sure, but it doesn't shield you from the effects of not eating all day. I often force myself to eat something for lunch or I'll just end up tired and annoyed in the afternoon/evening (edit: I don't eat breakfast). Plus, once the medicine wears off at night (or on weekends when I skip taking it), I usually get ravenously hungry and easily make up any caloric deficit.

iguessthislldo 4y ago
Matches my experience as well. If I forget to take it one of my first clues is when I feel like eating a second breakfast or lunch.
galleywest200 4y ago
I remember to eat when I take my ADHD meds, so its leading to (healthy) weight gain!