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I am on Adderall for ADD and I am unable to sleep. Why?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I have ADD and taking Adderall 20 mg twice daily. Usually, my sleep is good and rarely I may feel difficult to sleep. Also, I only take prescription when I am supposed to. But, for the past one week, I am unable to sleep. I took my sleeping pills and still just could not sleep. As till early morning I am not getting sleep, I started having the worst panic attacks. I kept thinking the worst thoughts and somehow ended up passing out. Then, I become normal after two hours and took my Adderall. If the same thing happens again, then what can I do to help myself?

Answered by Dr. Sadaf Mustafa

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com. First of all, I would like to know how long have you been taking that dose of Adderall (combination of Amphetamine and Dextroamphetamine)? It is important to note that the dose you are currently taking is relatively high. Typically, doses greater than 20 mg have been found to have less effect on attention deficit disorder (ADD) while increasing the likelihood of experiencing side effects such as insomnia, panic attacks, and hyperactivity. Have you considered trying a smaller dose, such as 20 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the evening, to see if it provides a better balance between effectiveness and side effects? In order to have a better understanding of your entire history of ADD treatment, it would be helpful to know when you started this treatment, the initial dose, and how rapidly it was increased to the current dose. Additionally, could you please provide more information about the "natural sleeping pills" you mentioned?

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am using Adderall for a month. I have not tried lowering the evening dose. I will give it a try. My psychiatrist told me just to take a half but if it does not work, then can boost to 20 mg. When I used 10 mg, my concentration was still really off. So, I just used 20 mg and it has been helping me stay on task. As for the natural sleeping pills, I am using a supplement called Natural Rest Plus. Normally, I do sleep well with 20 mg Adderall. I would say that the sleeping problem is more random than anything.

Answered by Dr. Sadaf Mustafa

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com. Thank you for providing the detailed information. I would recommend reducing the dose of Adderall to 20 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the evening. It is important to avoid rapid changes in the Adderall dosage, so the rate of change should not exceed 10 mg per day per week. Rapidly increasing the dose can lead to feelings of panic and hyperactivity. I advise consulting your specialist doctor, discussing the dosage adjustment with them, and following their guidance. Regarding sleep supplements, it seems they are not working effectively for you. If the adjusted dose of Adderall does not improve your sleep, I suggest discussing with your psychiatrist the option of using Trazodone at bedtime on an as-needed basis. The recommended dosage for Trazodone is 50 mg to 100 mg. However, it is important to consult with your psychiatrist to determine the appropriate dose and usage for your specific situation.

Medically reviewed by Dr. K. Shobana
Published At September 25, 2016
Reviewed At February 14, 2024

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. K. Shobana is a Dental Surgeon specializing in oral health and dental care. She is skilled in preventive dentistry and provides oral hygiene education. She can do restorative treatments such as fillings and crowns. She can handle periodontal problems such as gum diseases and periodontitis. She can do root canal treatment.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sadaf Mustafa is an Internal Medicine Specialist. She can diagnose and manage complex and multisystem disease. She can treat chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disorders. She can provide preventive care and routine health assessments. She can help in the management of infections and autoimmune diseases. She helps in the interpretation of diagnostic tests and imaging reports. She can do medication management and adjustment for long-term therapies.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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