Upton O'Goode
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Joined: 30 Jul 2007
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 Posted: 07/30/07 - 11:57 Post subject: Re: adderall and weight loss |
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| KateJ wrote: | | Hi! Has anyone got any experiences - good or bad - about using adderall for weight loss? |
I had been gaining weight gradually since reaching adulthood and was significantly overweight for about the last ten years. I tried everything, but nothing worked. I heard something on CNN about the use of ADD meds for treating obesity in children, so I started researching the meds and the condition. When I came across a screening test and read the questions, I was dumbfounded. Almost without exception, it sounded like they were describing me!
So I went to see my doctor and a psychiatrist and they were both able to confirm that I probably had ADD. Both recommended that I try taking a low dose of Adderall to see if it had any effect. Right away I could feel that it made my head clearer and I felt more focused and in control of my thoughts.
I started taking Adderall regularly and have been taking it for four months now. I get more accomplished and feel less stressed at work, and I am calmer and less likely to lose my temper. I feel like I have more space to think about how I want to respond whenever something happens.
I have also lost 60 pounds. It isn't just that Adderall decreases your appetite; there are also two very important aspects of ADD that it controls, and these cause overeating if untreated.
The first is that it reduces stress, which eliminates "stress eating." Having ADD is very stressful. You never know where the next crisis is going to come from, and you never really feel in control of your own life. It is also frustrating to have a mind that can't focus and often ignores or betrays your own intentions, and this, in turn, leads to a lot of self-directed anger. The way a lot of people respond to this is by eating. If you often feel that you are eating as a way of feeling better, Adderall will probably help.
The other way it helps is that it really gives you a feeling of being in total control of yourself, because you actually are more in control of yourself. So if you really want to lose weight, even when you are hungry and have an opportunity to eat, you find yourself saying, "no, I don't really need this."
So while Adderall reduces your appetite and makes you feel more energetic, you'll really find that it helps the most if you are overweight and also have ADD. |
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