Reply To: Need Dex advice to help my care provider – appt in 3 hrs

[billd]

I had my appointment and she prescribed 2 15mg “spanules” of the dexoamphetamine or whatever. She had intended to do that last time but got into the pill stuff instead. So she’s upped it, and 2 x 15mg capsules which are supposed to act more like the XR of adderall – slower to impact, slower to let you back down, longer acting more smooth and less up and down.

Oddly enough, while reading the papers that come with the meds from the pharmacy, I read what to not take, warnings, etc. and checked to see if Triamterene was something to be aware of with this dexoamphetamine stuff. Not specifically, however, it’s often used with a med that IS on the list of things to watch – then I started looking up the tramterene and wow – side effects can include chronic sore throat, leg cramps, sore joints….. and I have all of those. Hmmmm, I’m going to check with the ENT and see about pulling out of the triamterine for a little while and seeing of those symptoms clear up!

I checked directly with the pharmacist – and got the straight scoop on the acids interacting with the dexo and other similar meds – it’s certain citrus drinks and juices. She said the pop would have little impact as it’s mostly phosphoric acid and similar, but the citrus had more of a direct impact, and she said specifically grapefruit, but also apple and orange juice were things to watch. It’s ok, just don’t take the meds WITH those drinks or juices, or within a short time of taking the drugs.  Although a few beers will really give me a buzz – and more than just a few can totally waste me pretty fast, many drugs just don’t do much to or for me. A few have a big whammy, Strattera, for example, totally messed with my systems. I hated it – absolutely hated it! Nuvigil was similar – that drug was nasty to me. But Adderall, for example, ha, about all it does is keep me from yawning and getting sleepy during boring stuff.

And frankly, I find a LOT of stuff boring! It takes a whole lot to stimulate or excite me. Most stuff is ho-hum. It takes certain TV shows to keep my attention or i’m gone. I flit from thing to thing, project to project unless I’m REALLY into it, or really motivated. So drugs are a bit different with me – what sends some people straight to the ceiling for a while simply prevents me from being bored or falling asleep. (the life I lead would even make a dead man yawn)
I don’t think I drink as much soda – or pop, as I did when I was younger. And back then it was all regular sugared stuff. Mountain Dew was my drink of choice. I drank it with most meals and for breaks. When the boss and I went for coffee break – he had coffee, I had my dew and a donut. I was a whopping 29″ waist back then.  The Mountain Dew calmed me.
I’ve pushed on the throat thing – in fact I’m on my 4th ENT. However, when I spoke today with my prescriber lady about the impact of these drugs in various systems, how the body metabolized them, and so on, we got onto the topic of kidney function, the triamterine, diuretics and such and I could tell she wanted to ask something, and I sensed it was similar to my thoughts – and so I said “it’s been over a year since I had any tests or a physical or even ust a checkup. She wanted to have some blood and other work done to see how the drugs were being metabolized – kidney functions and all, but she almost said “yippee” when I said I’d not had anything checked for a very long time as she SO wanted to order a complete workup done, blood, urine, etc.  So once I get that done I’ll know a whole lot more. I had stress testing done about 3 years ago and it was so funny – on the treadmill it usually takes just so many minutes to get your heart up to the beats per minute they want to see in the tests. I had reached full incline, was over the normal minutes and my legs wre cramping before my heart finally reached the number of beats per minute they needed for the tests. The lab gal was sort of surprised. In the past the doctors always wanted to do my blood pressure checks in spring and fall – in the middle or planting or harvest season – just so certain I’d have high blood pressure or whatever. But as one doctor told me years ago – my heart just idles along like it’s not got all that much work to do, BP is normally in the lower end of what is considered normal, it borders at the bottom of what they like.

Anyway, I’m now trying the capsules of dexoamphetamine, 15 mg “spanules” I think they call them, 2 15 mg caps a day. They said to take both at the same time – that really surprised me! I figured one first thing, and the other just before lunch or something. When I was doing the adderall XR they prescribed 2 of those a day – but if I took those at one time, I shot up quickly and then crashed just after lunch, more tired than ever, so those got spaced 1 at 5am when I got up, and the other between 11 and noon, and that worked well, but wasn’t doing much for ADHD. I have no idea what it’s like – what that feeling is of a drug actually WORKING to help control any of ADHD – some folks say “so THIS is what it’s like”, I have no clue. Nothing so far has had much impact other than my wife says I am less likely to argue or put her off if she asked for my help – with the meds I at least say “I’m on my way” and am more helpful, otherwise, naw, no real difference that _I_ can tell anyway!  I asked all my friends if they could tell a difference, but he said not really…….  so here’s hoping we eventually find something that helps even a bit – so I can feel it, so I can tell, so I can know what it’s like, or I guess I’m the 30% it just won’t ever work for…………

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