40 replies to this topic

[ldo]

I've been doing a lot of bike riding lately, some of it at a pretty high effort level. Seem to be getting quite a bit faster lately. Not sure how much is Adderall and how much is training. My cardiologist said it was ok to exercise while taking the stuff, but I do wonder. Feels pretty good, tho. Certainly it's much easier to do a long workout, and long indoor workouts become less boring.

Week before last I did 16.2 miles in an hour. Last week 17.2! (maybe just from cleaning the chain?) Before that, it was tough for me to break 15. Hmmm.... I think before I usually would only take 10mg if I was going to ride, lately I've been taking my full 15 anyway.

I felt painfully wiped after the 16mph. It actually hurt to get into the car, tho not so much a day or two later when it would usually catch up. I didn't feel nearly so wiped out after the 17. Had some help from a paceline, but only for less than half the ride, and most of the time I was lagging too far anyway.

The day after the 17mph, I was out for a longer ride and got sleepy and stupid in the middle, even tho I didn't feel physically fatigued, at least until later. Right thru the Adderall. Had to check my cue sheet every 30 seconds.

Am I about to drop dead? (I sure don't feel like it!) Is a lot of this from the med? Is it just compensating for the reduced performance from my heart drugs (beta blocker, etc.)?

Any words of wisdom?

P.S. now if all this exercise would lose me some more weight!

[Mark]

     Adderall will increase your bodys ability to exercise. It is similar to adrenaline...

     At the dose you are taking I guess the largest physical side effects would be high blood pressure and the potential for tooth decay, as in cavities.

     I'm no Doc so YMMV.

     Mark

[gracelikerain]

I was also wondering about Adderall and exercise.. I was on 40 mg of Adderall XR (with coffee on the side  ) when I started..I realized I misunderstood my dr's directions and that 40 was the max dose (not starting)..so since then I have been having 20 mg with coffee. (Before the Adderall, I used to have HUGE amounts of caffeine so I still feel tired sometimes)
Is it okay to do cardio in the AM not too long after taking the adderall? I also noticed it gives me more physical energy..sometimes at least..
A few times later in the evening, I felt my heart beat unevenly for a brief moment, but I think that may have been anxiety..
I am talking to my p-doc about all of this as well, and have an apt. with him coming up this Monday..
It would be interesting to hear different people's views/experiences with exercising/adderall.
Exercising helps me release stress and get out of my head.. when I don't move around much, I get more anxious and lose track of time, etc.

Edited by gracelikerain, 19 August 2005 - 08:26 PM.

[Velvet Elvis]

You will likely become dehydrated more rapidly on stimulants than when not on them. The larger the dose the more likely are to have problems with this so keep your water bottle full.

[ldo]

I've noticed a new ability to drink phenomenal amounts of water when I'm riding my bike. Possibly as much as two quarts per hour.

You will likely become dehydrated more rapidly on stimulants than when not on them. The larger the dose the more likely are to have problems with this so keep your water bottle full.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Velvet Elvis]

You might want to go with Gateraide or a comparable sports drink to put the salt and stuff back in then.

[gracelikerain]

Yeah, I definitely drink a lot of water esp. when working out (did pre-Adderall as well..)
For electrolytes, I use these little packets that mix into water.. There's a link to info/a place that sells them here...

Anyone else heard of Emergen-C? Or use other "sports nutrition" type products (whether for electrolytes, protein, etc).. I get worried that there might be something in them that would interract w/ the Adderall.. I don't know if this is just me being a hypochondriac or what?

Edited by gracelikerain, 21 August 2005 - 08:24 PM.

[nightowl]

why does adderal cause tooth decay?

[Catnapper]

why does adderal cause tooth decay?

Because it makes your mouth dry, and saliva is what's necessary to protect your teeth and gums from the growth of harmful bacteria.  I'm also taking a tricyclic and the combination of the two is miserable - I'm never without a water bottle when I go out.

[ldo]

Sugarless gum helps a LOT with this, if you can stand it. (Love/hate relationship for me)

Biotene mouthwash helps also.

[bella]

Anyone else heard of Emergen-C? Or use other "sports nutrition" type products (whether for electrolytes, protein, etc).. I get worried that there might be something in them that would interract w/ the Adderall.. I don't know if this is just me being a hypochondriac or what?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah it actually will - vitamin c (which is what emergen-c is) decreases the efficacy of adderall, so you shouldn't go overboard w/ vit c.

[ldo]

I think it's ok if you don't drink it (or orange juice, for that matter) too close to the time you take the Adderall. I allow an hour either way, but I don't know if that's enough or not. Seems ok, tho. And, of course, any drinks with caffeine are probably not the greatest idea.

[Cerberus]

Tell me what y'all think about this: I have exercise-induced asthma, so I take a couple of preventative hits on my Albuterol inhaler before I go to karate class. About half the time the (expletive deleted) early-20-something assistant instructor has us doing high-oxygen-demand warmups (sprints, pump-kicks, other things I should absolutely NOT be doing) that are guaranteed to trigger my lungs. Here's the odd bit. Sometimes, after I've excused myself for a few moments of frenzied gasping, I'll suddenly find that the shortness of breath disappears, I feel very warm, and extremely lightheaded/dizzy, to the point that I can't stand up. This can last for half an hour or more. Does this sound like an effect of Adderall? I don't remember this manifesting this way before I started taking it.

Likewise, has anyone had experience of Adderall lowering tolerance to overheating? I went out this morning to mow some tall grass, took breaks, drank lots of water, etc., but ended up seriously overheated, could barely walk home, and from the moment of walking in the door have no memory until coming to in a cold bath 1.5 hours later. Yes, the heat index was insane today, but this isn't the first time lately that I've overheated. Could Adderall be the culprit?

Now mind you, I'm not as young as I used to be, but 39 isn't exactly one-foot-in-the-grave, either. So I keep telling myself. I'm not very persuasive.



Cerberus

[null0trooper]

Could Adderall be the culprit?

Now mind you, I'm not as young as I used to be, but 39 isn't exactly one-foot-in-the-grave, either. So I keep telling myself. I'm not very persuasive.

Adderall, any other NA uptake inhibitor, or adrenergic drug (some OTC decongestants, ephedra, etc.)
can be counted on reducing your heat tolerance (the latter group have been marketed as part of the
effective-but-risky "thermogenic stack"). In combination with exercise (increased NA release)...
bam! Hellooooo floor!

Suggestions:
Remember that you're blowing electrolytes along with the bulk fluid. plan accordingly.

This is what the old pig farmers up at the stockyards would do: Wear an old long-sleeve
(no, that's not a typo) white cotton shirt over a t-shirt (unless you're buff). The white
reflects heat and light far better than your sunscreen-drenched bare skin will.


That said, I don't think I've ever read a competent doctor or trainer recommending a high-intensity
cardio workout as a "warm-up" for asthmatics. Logically, you should NOT be going at the speed and
intensity that induces your asthma NO MATTER WHAT THE JACKASS INSTRUCTOR INSTRUCTS.

[Cerberus]

Adderall, any other NA uptake inhibitor, or adrenergic drug (some OTC decongestants, ephedra, etc.)
can be counted on reducing your heat tolerance (the latter group have been marketed as part of the
effective-but-risky "thermogenic stack"). In combination with exercise (increased NA release)...
bam! Hellooooo floor!

Apparently not only can Adderall contribute to hyperthermic-related problems, but so can antidepressants. From eMedicine.com, on Adderall: Other serotonergic and dopaminergic effects may include resetting the thermal regulatory circuits upward in the hypothalamus and causing hyperthermia. The hyperthermia produced by amphetamines is similar to that of the serotonin syndrome. This article was related to toxicity resulting from amphetamine abuse, but I'm sure the effect is nonetheless present at lower levels at lower dosages.

How nice. I got the double whammy on this one. On further research, I realized that what I got yesterday was either high-end Heat Exhaustion or a low-end Heat Stroke. So, all you sun-worshippers out there, be extra-careful while taking your beloved Adderall.

Oh, and by-the-way, I came across this, too, on eMedicine: Amphetamines also inhibit monoamine oxidase. Inhibit monoamine oxidase. As in MAOI. If Adderall is in essence a kind of MAOI, that sort of begs the question whether there are any problems/dietary limitations etc. we should be observing akin to those related to a true MAOI.

Logically, you should NOT be going at the speed and intensity that induces your asthma NO MATTER WHAT THE JACKASS INSTRUCTOR INSTRUCTS.

The problem here is that the asthma is at least partly exercise-induced. Any exercise can do it in combination with other factors, like winter air or wearing a Persian cat as a boa. (The latter would set me off in any case, of course). The trouble with martial arts is that it's all about concentrated movement in short bursts, which translates into high oxygen demand, and I just can't replace it quickly enough. Now that I realize my meds are futzing with my heat regulation, and - surprise, surprise - getting overheaded also jacks up my asthma. Yet another case of crazymeds suckage. Huzzah.



Cerberus

Edited by Cerberus, 21 June 2006 - 02:12 PM.

[null0trooper]

Oh, and by-the-way, I came across this, too, on eMedicine: Amphetamines also inhibit monoamine oxidase. Inhibit monoamine oxidase. As in MAOI. If Adderall is in essence a kind of MAOI, that sort of begs the question whether there are any problems/dietary limitations etc. we should be observing akin to those related to a true MAOI.

The dietary restrictions stem from the traditional MAOIs irreversibly inhibiting MAO in the gut, which allows tyramine to
flood in and provoke a hypertensive crisis.

I think that the likelihood of there being a significant problem is fairly low as amphetamine:
1. clears the body fairly rather rapidly
2. is abused in much greater quantities than the average ADDer will have prescribed - there would be far fewer speedfreaks
if there was a significant problem. You'd probably be seeing more narcoleptics keeling over from the "cheese effect" if
it were a serious concern as well.

[LunaRufina]

NEVER EVER exercise when you're taking adderall!! If you're going to exercise that day, then don't take adderall! It will mess up your blood pressure and your heart could fail. People have heart attacks when they take adderall and exercise! When you take adderall, it's equivalent to exercising already. Your heart is racing and your blood pressure goes up just like how it would during exercising. When you take adderall on top of exercising, it could do some damage to your heart. I, myself, made this mistake and went to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack. My friends have gone to the hospital for the same reason. It's never a good idea to take adderall when you're doing physical activity.

If you are concerned, speak to your doctor, not some random fear monger.

The feeling you experience may be tachycardia, which is essentially your heart beating faster than normal. Now, if this happens once or twice, it's probably not a big deal but should be mentioned to your doctor. If it happens frequently, you probably shouldn't be on the medication.

But you probably shouldn't be running around, waving your hands and yelling that the sky is falling.
Your mileage may vary, as with all medications.