i lost my insurance and can't afford my doc... have been on the legal limit of adderall daily for the last few years. does anyone know of any supplements or hippie herbal shit to help with fairly severe a.d.d.? i've been researching it online, but am curious to hear first person if anyone has found anything that actually works. thanks!

4/7/2009 6:21:22 PM

i wasn't aware that there was a legal limit to adderall dosing.

4/7/2009 6:27:47 PM

yeah, what?

4/7/2009 6:34:54 PM

Nope. Other than behavioral therapy ($$$) with a psychologist, and careful regulation of exercise and diet, there ain't much you can do.

And if you are a heavy adderall user, better get prepared for the detox, it's going to be a bitch.

4/7/2009 6:36:37 PM

http://www.rxassist.org/Search/Prog_Details_Printer.cfm?program_Id=442&drug_id=2466&Company_Id=84&PD_Id=1727

4/7/2009 6:40:42 PM

short of cocaine, i would be surprised if there are any supplements that come close to the effects of the "legal limit" of adderall (and i doubt that would save you any money)

Quote :

"And if you are a heavy adderall user, better get prepared for the detox, it's going to be a bitch."

seriously. if you are in a relationship now is a good time to take a trip or spend some time apart from the significant other.

4/7/2009 7:33:52 PM

No way it's going to be as good as adderall, but look into adaptogenic herbs to at least help you through the next couple months of withdraw.

You can get strattra from overseas without a script I bet.

4/7/2009 7:36:06 PM

if she was willing to buy drugs from overseas, why wouldn't she just buy more adderall?

4/7/2009 7:39:11 PM

^

4/7/2009 7:43:12 PM

adderall is a controlled substance, stratera is not.

4/7/2009 7:46:53 PM

generic adderall is a whole lot cheaper than strattera.

4/7/2009 7:50:06 PM

Quote :

"if you are a heavy adderall user, better get prepared for the detox, it's going to be a bitch."

true that.

I wonder if ephedrine or ma huang alkaloids would help with A.D.D., since they are so similar in structure to adderall. IIRC phenylpropanolamine is the closest in chemical structure to amphetamine out of the group. You can still find it in gas stations in Virginia or in stores that still sell primatene.

or you could just step it up a notch and start using crystal meth.

4/7/2009 8:42:40 PM

yoga + meditation if you have the time

4/7/2009 9:17:56 PM

Quote :

" behavioral therapy ($$$) with a psychologist, and careful regulation of exercise and diet,"

This, and it would be healthier.


Also, is adderall maybe on walmarts/walgreens/etc generic list?

[Edited on April 7, 2009 at 10:23 PM. Reason : ]

4/7/2009 10:21:56 PM

lots of masturbation. seriously

4/7/2009 10:41:19 PM

^no, and prescriptions of adderall are limited to 30 days. Without insurance, it's about 250 bucks out of pocket

4/7/2009 10:50:24 PM

sacking up & taking care of your shit

4/7/2009 10:55:20 PM

it's also damn near impossible to order from overseas.

4/7/2009 10:56:36 PM

actually, it's $65ish with the wake county i-don't-have-insurance card... and i've already detoxed (which by the way is indeed a bitch - your brain chemistry is kinda perma-fucked afterwards... but not nearly as bad as detoxing from other things). after spending a few months trying to get the willpower to sit still for 10 minutes to write an email, i realized that i really do need something to help. just exercising more, eating less junk and changing my mindset has done nothing for my productivity. i'm trying to stay legal with everything, but it's a shame that it's easier to find illegal shit than it is to go about things the MAN's way. i've tried pretty much every add drug out there, and adderall is the only (legal) thing that does anything for me. :/

ephedrine gives me energy, but no focus... i used to take the shit all the time.

4/7/2009 11:09:44 PM

Quote :

"Without insurance, it's about 250 bucks out of pocket"

are you one of those people that only use brand name drugs?

4/7/2009 11:10:51 PM

Quote :

"actually, it's $65ish with the wake county i-don't-have-insurance card... "

wow that ain't bad. i'd take that and run.

4/7/2009 11:11:05 PM

i was gonna say... they must come in a ruby-encrusted platinum bottle or something for $250... jesus

4/7/2009 11:12:22 PM

the $65 is manageable, but the $100+ doctor's appointment is what gets me.

4/7/2009 11:13:02 PM

Hey, the dealer has to get his cut.

4/7/2009 11:15:16 PM

strattera sucks. it didn't do anything for me, made me tired all damn day, and was $50/month (with insurance).

4/7/2009 11:33:12 PM

Quote :

"the $65 is manageable, but the $100+ doctor's appointment is what gets me."

My understanding is, without ANY assistance, it runs about 120 a month. That could totally be wrong. But yea I was also including the mandatory doctor visit monthly, which is 100+ bucks on top of it.

The way I look at it, $165 a month isn't all that much when it's the difference between you being a productive person, and a worthless person. If it's truly a financial hardship, try asking your doctor if they offer and financial hardship arrangements, or if any local psychiatrists do.

4/7/2009 11:43:57 PM

that's the thing, though... i won't go back to the same doctor, long story, but very valid reason. so i have to find another doctor, and most won't just take my word and write me a scrip without picking my brain apart for a few sessions... so there's more money down the toilet for someone taking notes and analyzing me on a legal pad to tell me what i already know. i've been looking for sliding-scale payment plans with local docs, but i can't really find anyone that's remotely affordable at the moment.

4/7/2009 11:51:45 PM

Have you already graduated? If not go to the student health center.

Also, this could totally be wrong but aren't health centers or clinics or something cheap or free? I think one of my friends goes to one of those in Charlotte for her adderall

4/7/2009 11:53:58 PM

Good luck getting adderall from NCSU student health. I could barely get modafinil, and that was before it was scheduled.

4/7/2009 11:58:25 PM

i'm out of school, or i'd definitely go to student health. i am curious as to what county health would need, though... and even more curious if they have psychiatrists worth 2 shits.

4/8/2009 12:34:05 AM

I had it Rxed from student health. IF you have your ADD documented, already, they will request a file transfer, and just Rx it. A general pract. can also do the same (thus bypassing expensive pyschs). I want to say that the general psych would either write a script w/ refills or just had me call in my Rx. Generally, when I showed up for my appt a few times a year, he would give me samples for that month's worth (knew I was a college student).

4/8/2009 12:37:36 AM

I'd never had a extensive learning disability evaluation whatever done before, and as a student didn't feel like spending several grand on that BS when I'd never needed it before.

It's a circle. The docs aren't sure how to treat me, so they claim it's all in my head and send me to the psychs (despite positive blood tests and responding to certain meds). Psychs tell me the doctors are douches (which I already know) and tell me to go try another one because they can't do a damn thing for me. Eventually I run out of doctors at campus health or find one that'll be straight with me (but still won't write my scripts). The circle repeats itself with several different medical issues.

4/8/2009 12:55:06 AM

why is this shit so prevalent now anyway?

I mean before the pharmacological revolution where suddenly there was a drug for pretty much everthing, people were still living lives and doing ok

I mean, I assume I don't have it, or at least not as severely, I mean I zone out a lot and have trouble paying attention in boring classes, but not taht bad I guess

What did people do with their lives before shit like adderall was created? And do you think you can manage it? (I guess you're gonna find out)

4/8/2009 1:23:18 AM

^people weren't overstimulated as children to television, computers, video games and the rest of it.

Growing up in the 70's was a vastly different experience than in the 80's and beyond.

4/8/2009 1:37:52 AM

^or now doctor's get paid by pharm companies to sell their product.

I think about 98% of the population have "ADHD" or "ADD" or whatever you guys want to call it.

NO ONE WANTS TO SIT THERE AND CONCENTRATE AND WORK ON THI

4/8/2009 3:37:53 AM

sorry got sidetracked for a lil bit.

NO ONE WANTS TO SIT THERE AND CONCENTRATE AND WORK ON THINGS

Some of us just chose to take legal drugs to cope

others turn to marijuana

4/8/2009 3:39:22 AM

how does adderall differ from ritalin?

4/8/2009 7:29:04 AM

Quote :

"no, and prescriptions of adderall are limited to 30 days. Without insurance, it's about 250 bucks out of pocket"

if your GP likes you, he'll write you 3 scripts when you go in, one to be filled right then, one that says "do not fill until (date 30 days later)" and another that says "do not fill until (date 60 days later)"

the DEA passed a rule a couple of years back that will allow this

Quote :

"how does adderall differ from ritalin?"

ritalin


a general amphetamine, adderall contains a mixture of various stereoisomers of amphetamine

both are thought to bind with the transporters for various catecholamines in your brain (namely dopamine and norepinephrine). adderall is also a weak MAOI (MAOIs, as their name implies, break down monoamines like dopamine and NE) and it also helps to release NTs back into the synaptic cleft from the transporters. all of this combines to basically increase the concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine in the synaptic cleft, and more NT availability means potentiated effects.

although we aren't really entirely sure how all that happens.

4/8/2009 8:27:32 AM

Quote :

"Hey, the dealer has to get his cut."

I chuckled deviously

4/8/2009 8:40:41 AM

^^

ok now explain it to me like I'm an 8 year old

4/8/2009 9:25:54 AM

Quote :

"why is this shit so prevalent now anyway? I mean before the pharmacological revolution where suddenly there was a drug for pretty much everthing, people were still living lives and doing ok"

Then if you had ADD and trouble concentrating you'd be working some minimum wage manual labor job. Now you can be just like everyone else and sit at a desk all day.

4/8/2009 9:49:28 AM

Quote :

"if your GP likes you, he'll write you 3 scripts when you go in, one to be filled right then, one that says "do not fill until (date 30 days later)" and another that says "do not fill until (date 60 days later)" the DEA passed a rule a couple of years back that will allow this"

are you positive about that? i know some doctors will do it for you if you have a good relationship and they trust you not to attempt to get it filled early, but i was under the impression that it's still technically illegal to post date a prescription for a controlled substance. i know the laws/rules changed on allowing the post dating of other non controlled scrips though, it used to be nothing was allowed to be post dated. for example, if you only have a 15 pill supply of something that's supposed to last you 30 days you're subsequent refills will be dated accordingly. or, you get it with the refills/instructions of "don't fill until X-X-XX" like you mentioned. or, if your doctor's appointment falls a few days before your refill date they'll go ahead and write a new one to save you the hassle of coming back or calling, but will write something to the same effect about the actual fill date.

anyway, in regards to the OP: you definitely do not have to go to the doctor every month to get your refill. i've been prescribed adderall by three different doctors over the years, and never have i had to go in for a face to face visit any more that 2-3 times a year. you do have to show up at the office to collect your new prescription each month though. controlled substances can't be called/faxed in and as mentioned there are no refills. you also haven't been clear about whether you've been taking adderall xr (no generic available yet) or adderall ir (generic available). obviously, a generic is going to be much cheaper pill for pill. there's also no problem with switching from xr to ir, it's just the hassle of having to take more pills during the day. however, depending on your xr dosage, that could mean you're taking enough extra ir pills to offset the cost savings. $65 sounds like a pretty decent deal to me though. i have BCBSNC, and i pay $35 a month for my name brand xr bottle and $10 a month for the generic ir bottle.

[Edited on April 8, 2009 at 11:29 AM. Reason : oh, and dexedrine is more powerful, but rarely prescribed anymore without a damn good reason]

4/8/2009 11:28:03 AM

Quote :

"why is this shit so prevalent now anyway? I mean before the pharmacological revolution where suddenly there was a drug for pretty much everthing, people were still living lives and doing ok "

they took amphetamines back then too. then it was ok.

[Edited on April 8, 2009 at 11:38 AM. Reason : weight loss.]

4/8/2009 11:36:24 AM

Ram, I've had a doc write a script for a 3 month supply and the pharmacy filled it no problem. If the doc trusts you that's the easiest thing to do.

4/8/2009 12:49:52 PM

nvm, its lewoods

[Edited on April 8, 2009 at 1:22 PM. Reason : oops]

4/8/2009 12:55:12 PM

Adderall doesn't give you cancer. It's also obvious that cigarettes have killed all but 3 of your brain cells.

4/8/2009 1:18:34 PM

dont feed the troll

[Edited on April 8, 2009 at 1:21 PM. Reason : .]

4/8/2009 1:20:38 PM

Quote :

"are you positive about that? i know some doctors will do it for you if you have a good relationship and they trust you not to attempt to get it filled early, but i was under the impression that it's still technically illegal to post date a prescription for a controlled substance."

yup.

21 CFR part 1306 (from 71 FR 52724)
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2007/fr1119.htm

Quote :

"Ram, I've had a doc write a script for a 3 month supply"

this, however, IS still illegal. scripts for schedule II substances can only be written for 30 day supplies.

4/8/2009 1:51:33 PM

Ok, the 3 months supply thing was a while ago.

4/8/2009 2:11:51 PM

^are you sure that was for adderall? you can't get CII drugs for more than 30 days. That law has been around since forever.

Quote :

"are you positive about that? i know some doctors will do it for you if you have a good relationship and they trust you not to attempt to get it filled early, but i was under the impression that it's still technically illegal to post date a prescription for a controlled substance."

you can get 3 prescriptions, but they have to be dated the current date. On the prescription, the doctor can write (do not fill until 30 days from current date), but the prescription cannot be post-dated.

4/8/2009 6:25:15 PM