Adderall for both ADHD and eating disorders

I am a 19 year old female who has recently been diagnosed with ADHD. Both my psychiatrist and doctor have recomended straterra or adderall. Just started my first dose of 20 mg of adderall xr today. In conjunction with the ADHD I also have post traumatic stress (rape) which brought on anxiety and mild depression and have had anorexia (jan-sep 06) and bulimia (oct-present). I'm not sure if I'm just extremely hyped on the med, or if it is actually working this quickly. So far my productivity within the day has been incredible and I haven't binged once or even thought about it. I feel like I can actually get things done and my mind isn't going a million miles a hour. So far, for the sides: only a light headache, mild sweats and the jitters.

So my questions are: is anybody in the same boat being treated for both ADHD and other mood disorders? If so, what meds or combos are being used?
Does Adderall help with impulsivity? And has it ever been used to treat a disorder such as Bulimia?

Input or personl experience would be greatly appreciated!!

I have had ADD, depression and anorexia/bulimia (mostly bulimia) for a long time now. after getting prescribed adderall (20mg twice a day) for my ADD, my productivity increased tons (like yours) and my bingeing stopped completely. however, for me at least, i abused the appetite suppressing properties of the adderall in order to lose weight. in my opinion (even though i do it), using adderall when you have an eating disorder is a really BAD idea. if you still think the positives outweigh the negatives, just try eating healthy... i guess... LOL good luck if you're as food obsessed as i am.
to summarize this: DON'T use adderall if you have eating disorders/body image distortions. it can be VERY tempting and addictive. it was for me.

Im in the same boat, 19 year old male anorexia-bulimia-anorexia diagnosed with eating disorders, severe depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and the whole nine yards. adderall makes a lot of things worse and the only reason i was prescribed it was because i was taking advantage of my psychiatrist and wanted to get out of bulimia... and back into anorexia. in reality she was just the drug pusher and didn't care much about her patients and i was a textbook desperate eating disorder patient

my med combo was: 1 40mg prozac, 1 300 mg wellbutrin, 2 100 seroquel, 2 1mg klonopin, and 1 30 mg adderall. it was living with uppers to get me out of bed, and downers to bring me back down.

anyway

adderall makes impulsivity worse, you'll want to keep down what you eat long enough until you know the drug is in your body then you become a bulimic on crack. funny thing is being on adderall actually led me to learn how to puke without inducing so i could puke on demand.

i would say if you want to get better, take straterra. a non-stimuant drug for adhd. adderall seemed to work in the beginning but 6 months later i freaked out, took myself off everything (dumb move i know) didn't talk to anyone for around a month, and began recovering to find out that im starting to gain weight due and turning back to adderall to fix it.

now i am basically a prescription drug addict, taking klonopin to take away a lot of guilt and pain and taking adderall to suppress feeling hungry.

bottom line, find your right combination and remember there is no easy way out, it might seem good now but quit (with doctors help, learn from me) before you become another junkie.

Lets be careful not to bash adderall to heavily. If prescribed to someone with an eating disorder, it was my experience, after eight months in treatment, that docs especially those who are specialized to treat eating disorders, will most likely prescribe adderall after you have terminated the obbession with food and weight. YES, this is possible, so instead of using a stimulant, that can also cause weight loss, headaches...its beneficial to wait. It is addictive, otherwise it creates a signal in your brain that tells you that, you need adderall to function.
And lets just be honest here, I went to one of the best treatment centers in the world for my eating disorder, but it remains that people with ed, are treated like guinea pigs. I have "sampled" just about every med on the market, in addition to several doctors diagnoses'. Effexor took 9 months to ween off of, klonopin ( who knows at this point, but the side effects or withdrawl symptoms when its not in your system have by far been the worst for me. ) serequil as well. It sounds like we all have something in common-drugs they think should be used to treat eating disorders, maybe they think that by zoneing out the negative thoughts, enough to refeed the body, that we will think "normal" again.
Let me say though, its terrible to have gone through the treatment and work and years of therapy and support groups to find out that your psychiatrist has no idea what to do with you because nothing is working. Reduce the symptomolgy of your ed and I promise you will notice a change in the way your medicine affects you positivly, just be prepared to know more than your doc. Good luck!

i have a couple of questions. I been bulimic since i was 14 i'm now 24.. I had A.D.H.D when i was little but my family did nothing about it.. Now im going see a doctor next week. I'm afraid that prozac can make gain weight.

Hi kindred spirits... I'm 43 and have been bulimic since I was 17. Thanks to a LOT of therapy and meds I haven't practiced purging in almost 10 years. Without the adderall, I go back to binging which starts the depression/antisocial cycle you might be familiar with.

Meds affect everyone differently but my perfect cocktail is prozac (I've been taking since I was about 22), topamax, and adderol (about a year).

Without the adderall, I am chronically unmotivated after 6 pm and can go straight to bed at 7 pm. That's probably an effect of the topamax which wipes me out but is critical for my depression and fighting the urge to purge.

It is very effective for appetite suppression, organizing my thoughts and getting things accomplished like a normal person now that I don't conk out immediately after work.

I've never been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as those diagnoses weren't around when I was a kid but my doctor saw this as a possible aid with my eating disorder and with my energy levels and I'm so glad she tried this with me. I've never felt more normal.

I despise the thought of staying on drugs the rest of my life but am at a point of acceptance as the times I've gone off them have been nothing short of brutal.

Of note, the initial "speed buzz" you get after starting adderall does dissipate when taken daily. I take 10 mg tabs 3x day.

Hope this helps someone out there.

Hi iamthepinkcupcake, I have been bulimic since mid teen and I am mid thirties, this such a pathetic disease. prozac did not make you gain weight? do you find with your cocktail you gain weight or lose weight?
can you tell me how you take your medications and how many milligrams?
I find my face changes shape every day , depending on how much I vomit, and what about the enlarged jaws and stomach , will they go back smaller after quitting.
Do you have how kids? how you dealt with pregnancy/nursing with or without the medication ?
Thanks

im also 20- ive been on effexor. seroquel. and vyvanse. and adderal xr. ive had bulimia and severe body dismorphic disorder since i was probably 10. the adderal instant release pills are the only ones so far that really help me with my depression. sure the stimulant factor makes me UP and chipper- but without it- i hated myself more than anything. i now take 10mg of lexapro, and 40mg of IR Adderal spaced out to two/three times a day.
i have been cornered by family members and my boyfriend who have noticed my drop in just two months from 120 to barely over 100. im about 5'2 so im tiny anyways.
i kno i am playing russian roulette and "teasing" the anorexia from high school to return, but i DO eat. and this dramatic wieght loss really has made me look at myself and see myself as beautiful. i am actually noticing myself , and seeing how skinny ive gotten. i feel that- by finally getting the reflection i want to see- i am now seeing whats REAL. not the imaginary roll, or pooch on my hips or under my arm.

adderal has helped me develop self confidence in my ABILITIES because i am no longer insecure about my APPEARANCE.

:/ it is sad that us ED victims are ultimately abusing this substance- but the root of ED is DEPRESSION and SELF WORTH. we just tend to base our worth on our size.

anyways.
rant rant
<3

I have been on a stimulant for ADHD for over 15 yrs. During that time I also went through a period of anorexia. Even though now I consider myself somewhat recovered, I maintain a healthy weight, I know that being on a stimulant and suppressing my appetite in a sense keeps me sick. Just because a drug makes it easier not to engage in a behavior or "takes care of" the problem for you does not make it a healthy alternative. As much of a mess as I was from ADHD symptoms prior to being on a stimulant, my biggest fear of coming off them is the rebound weight gain. That's how I know I am not totally recovered. For those of you who are younger and wish to maybe have children some day or just be healthy using stimulants to treat eating disorders, in my opinion, will only keep you sick. Get the therapy, see a holistic doctor, do yoga, get acupuncture, do anything but further complicate your problem by adding a stimulant. After being on a stimulant for so long I am now facing possible thyroid/adrenal issues, autoimmune sx's (alopecia) possibly related to long term stimulant use.

I know everyone will make their own decisions, but I recommend anyone who truly wants to get better seek an alternative therapy. Do your own research, look at alternatives, and get a good therapist. Prozac helped me avoid hospitalization when I was right in the middle of anorexia and gave me the boost I needed to start eating again, be okay with gaining weight etc.

Good luck!