New Meds

[Vivien]

Ok so I recently started taking adderal as an antidepressant and its made me feel a little better but im still on a non therapeutic dose and its been giving me really bad cotton mouth which my shrink said was normal but it also has made me head feel really flighty and my question is.. is that because im becoming dehydrated or what i looked into a little bit but i just found side effects and idt cotton mouth was even on there let alone a headrush idk if i should be concerned or if im gona pass out and die or when i take a higher dosage (when told to) if something bad will happen please help thank you

---------- Post added 21st Aug 2011 at 02:16 PM ----------

this is really the only place i have to ask questions so

---------- Post added 21st Aug 2011 at 02:21 PM ----------

also i drink probably 3 liters of water a day

---------- Post added 21st Aug 2011 at 02:22 PM ----------

or tell me if this is the wrong place to be asking this question sorry if it is

[Mogget]

Quick Google search implies that migraines and similar are common side effects with Adderall. That said, if you don't like the side effects, you should definitely contact your doctor. Depression is not on the FDA-approved list of things to be treated with Adderall* and other medications may serve you better.

*not that that makes it a bad choice. I'm on Risperidone, an anti-psychotic, to treat intrusive thoughts and anxiety, which is also not its FDA-approved use, but it works great for me

[KaraBulut]

Adderall isn't typically prescribed for depression. It's usually something prescribed for attention deficit disorder or narcolepsy.

There are some anti-depressants that have what we call an "anti-cholinergic" side effect- one of which is drying up body secretions. This causes dry mouth, dry nose, etc. So, it's not that you're dehydrated. The problem is that you're producing less saliva, so you may need to keep a bottle of water handy to keep the inside of your mouth and your throat moist.

The anticholinergic side effects may be temporary and your body may need 2-4 weeks to adjust. If it doesn't get better and you're really bothered by the side effects, tell your doctor and see if there's an alternative medication that can be tried.

[ihkcs]

Hi i'm a nurse so i like this question!
Like KARA said, the dry mouth is a side effect of the drug, not a result of dehydration. So, drinking that much water a day is great, but it's not going to fix the dry mouth.

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "headrush" but i'm going to assume it means that light feeling in your head that you get when you are a little bit buzzed on alcohol or something...and one of the main side effects of adderall is hyperactivity and restlessness so that would make sense. it can also effect your blood pressure a bit which can change the way your head feels. low blood pressure makes you black out when you stand up too fast and high blood pressure makes you feel antsy.

it seems like you are very in tune with your body and how this drug is making you feel. give yourself a couple weeks to adjust to the changes and if it is still bugging you, i would say try another drug. there are so many options out there when it comes to antidepressants and i'm sure you can find one that's perfect for you! good luck

[Vivien]

Thanks for all the advice the dry mouth is starting to go away a little bit. Im glad there are experts on these sort of things and nurses and advisers thanks a whole bunch. I also talked to my shrink and he explained a little bit more to me soo..