Adderall as a diet drug

[RachelEllen]

There are billions of dollars spent wineing and dining docs/politicians by drug companies. There is NOTHING illegal about it... yet!

Very interesting article on this subject.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-01-02-medstudents_x.htm

There are very strict rules about drug company gifts. Even the article you quoted mentioned nothing fancier than ballpoint pens and sandwiches.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

\My pharmacist told me about the possiblity of addiction, but when I questioned my doctor he said no. \

Please, PLEASE remember..... it's the Dr.'s job to stay up on disease and diagnosis and the pharmacist's job to stay up on drugs and their effects.

Think about it.....

I would go and have a long talk with your pharmacist. Drugs are NOT the answer to weight loss, or energy gain!!!!

 

[DisneyPhD]

How about a trip to Hawaii for 10 days, Thats what my DD doctor got from a drug company, she told me that !!!!

How long ago was that? When I left the field 2 years ago everything was changing (or starting too.) The Pharm reps had very strict laws they had to follow and account for the money spent. Now I have been a SAHM for 2 years and haven't had much contact with that feild, but it was my understanding that was not going to be happening.

Conferances and educational training is another thing. Honesitly the pharm reps were very helpful when I was there. They provided good up to date education on all the different drugs (hoping Doc's would "keep their med in mind when treating patients with XY and Z symptoms and needs.")

Anyway my point is a lot has changed in the past few years.

Edited to add, thank you RachelEllen, that is what I was talking about.

bcsmom, on another topic. I loved my job and field. I loved being a therapist. I loved working with my patients and familes. However it was a very draining job and I am much happier not having to juggle both that and parenthood with young children. As far as the only perk, drug reps where it. There isn't much more in a hospital. (especailly mental health, we are the bottom of the tutom pole so to speak.) As much as I loved being a theraist and social worker, I hated the paperwork,hospital policies, insurance requests and other hoops we had to jump through just to be able to treat our patients. The pay is much lower then what it should be for the education and skill required also. (but not bad in a hospitial.) Good jobs can be hard to find.

I will be going back to work in a few years when my kids are older and hope that having a break for it will bring back my passion when I do return to work.

 

[HaleyB]

Its funny how one drug can do such intense things to one person and then the complete opposite to others. Poor Lauri has been living on a good sized dose of Morphine on a daily basis. Most people take that and complain how it makes them feels so high or loopy - or worse, they take it just TO get high or loopy, yet when Lauri takes it, there are no "high" side effects. It just allows her to get through her day as much as possible.

I really feel that if you take narcotics and your body 'uses' them to combat pain you don't get the high feeling at all. I take a ton of pain meds due to a past injury and nerve damage that causes a lot of pain. I remember the Morphine days and am thankful we had it to use when I really needed it. I don't post here much so I don't know Lori's whole story but I get the feeling you take very good care of her.

 

[HaleyB]

He guys, I have tons of questions about ADD and medication. I am going to start a new thread, so as not to hijack this one, but please come talk to me

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

I was prescribed Adderall for my ADD but as another perk besides helping with that, it has also started to help me lose weight. I've only been on it for a couple months but I've seen a lot of changes already. I am very happy with it.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I was prescribed Adderall for my ADD but as another perk besides helping with that, it has also started to help me lose weight. I've only been on it for a couple months but I've seen a lot of changes already. I am very happy with it.

Thanks for posting this. That is what I mean by it really can be great for the right people. The pro's and cons need to be carefully weighted and considered. The use of medication needs to be carefully monitored also.

Glad it is working for you.

 

[bcsmom]

He guys, I have tons of questions about ADD and medication. I am going to start a new thread, so as not to hijack this one, but please come talk to me

Haley B feel free to hijack this thread. It has become very informative.

 

[nealymouse]

Disney PHD. My DD doctor told me about this trip 2 yrs ago.
She did mention she had a few classes she went to.

 

[nealymouse]

Disney PHD. My DD doctor told me about this trip 2 yrs ago. But she did mention she had a few classes she went to. So this my be different.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I don't post here much so I don't know Lori's whole story but I get the feeling you take very good care of her.

I do my best She's pretty hard headed and tries to be as self sufficent as possible but there are times when the pain is just too much.

I was prescribed Adderall for my ADD but as another perk besides helping with that, it has also started to help me lose weight. I've only been on it for a couple months but I've seen a lot of changes already. I am very happy with it.

See, now this makes sense to me. You are taking the drug for it's prescribed purpose and the fact that it helps you lose weight, well consider it a small benefit to the fact that you do have to take the medicine. Taking something as serious as a Adderall - which is a class C Narcotic - to lose weight when you are not ADD or ADHD is just wrong. I consider it along the lines of athletes taking steriods to build muscle. People take steriods for real illnesses but it doesn't make it right or sane that perfectly healthy people would subject themselves to a drug that dangerous.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

According to my drug book (for nurses, not doctors), Adderall is a combination drug - dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It is used in adults to control symptoms of narcolepsy or ADHD.

Other uses include: control of agitation, support hemodynamic function, and reverse hyperthermia.

It is a C-II controlled substance (that's government stuff, not medical stuff)and can be a "drug of abuse."

I don't know if this helps any.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

OK,I cant Believe I am even going to say this.
Adderoll and Ritalin both are addictive.I hould know I was addicted to drugs about 9 years ago.Cocaine was what I was hooked on,but if I could not get it I had a friend that got Adderoll and I would go to him for it.It was alot like Cocaine with the energy and focus but not as strong.I got addicted to it too.
God, Dont think bad of me,but I also got on Ritalin too,started out taking by mouth and ended up crushing and snorting it.
Please,If your body really dont need these drugs they are really bad for you and very,very addictive.If I were you I would flush them now.
Having an addiction is no fun and I about killed myself being Stupid.Please go off these pills if they are just prescribed to you for energy.The thing about it is that the dose he has you own now will get to where you are not getting the effect you started out getting and you will want to have increased or start doing it on your own.

OK,since I have aired my dirty laundry dont think I am a bad person.
I just wanted her to know how bad they really are.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

OK,I cant Believe I am even going to say this.
Adderoll and Ritalin both are addictive.I hould know I was addicted to drugs about 9 years ago.Cocaine was what I was hooked on,but if I could not get it I had a friend that got Adderoll and I would go to him for it.It was alot like Cocaine with the energy and focus but not as strong.I got addicted to it too.
God, Dont think bad of me,but I also got on Ritalin too,started out taking by mouth and ended up crushing and snorting it.
Please,If your body really dont need these drugs they are really bad for you and very,very addictive.If I were you I would flush them now.
Having an addiction is no fun and I about killed myself being Stupid.Please go off these pills if they are just prescribed to you for energy.The thing about it is that the dose he has you own now will get to where you are not getting the effect you started out getting and you will want to have increased or start doing it on your own.

OK,since I have aired my dirty laundry dont think I am a bad person.
I just wanted her to know how bad they really are.

Not bad in the least bit. I truly admire you for living through a personal hell of an addiction and having the strength to get yourself free. You are an inspiration.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Disney PHD. My DD doctor told me about this trip 2 yrs ago. But she did mention she had a few classes she went to. So this my be different.

I left my job a little over 2 years ago, and that is when everything was starting to change. It hadn't offically happened yet, but everyone knew it was coming. My guess is that is the last trip your Doc ever got for free. Now, I think pharm companies can still pay Doctors for presentation and reserach, writing articles etc....... No more free trips or gifts.

 

[winniedapooh]

OK,I cant Believe I am even going to say this.
Adderoll and Ritalin both are addictive.I hould know I was addicted to drugs about 9 years ago.Cocaine was what I was hooked on,but if I could not get it I had a friend that got Adderoll and I would go to him for it.It was alot like Cocaine with the energy and focus but not as strong.I got addicted to it too.
God, Dont think bad of me,but I also got on Ritalin too,started out taking by mouth and ended up crushing and snorting it.
Please,If your body really dont need these drugs they are really bad for you and very,very addictive.If I were you I would flush them now.
Having an addiction is no fun and I about killed myself being Stupid.Please go off these pills if they are just prescribed to you for energy.The thing about it is that the dose he has you own now will get to where you are not getting the effect you started out getting and you will want to have increased or start doing it on your own.

OK,since I have aired my dirty laundry dont think I am a bad person.
I just wanted her to know how bad they really are.

Not bad at all...someone who has been there and done that and does not want to go back...thank-you for sharing. You never know when you might make a difference to one person...

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Thanks guys for not thinking I am not a Scumbag .
Addiction is definetly Hell.OMG,I have never experienced anything harder to deal with.The badthing is that once an Addict always an Addict.You just have to be stronger than the craving.There days I would Love to have something,anything but I am not gonna give into it.

I always said that DH was sent to me,he is the one that saved me.He told me after seeing how bad I was the it was him or the drugs and my drug addicted friends.I am so glad I was smart enough to listen to him.
There has been more than one occasion where I know I was on the edge of death.I have never felt anything like it.
So yes if I can just help one person from falling into that black hole thats all I care about.

 

[New England Eeyore]

I didn't read this entire thread, but I just wanted to mention what may be an interesting fact. In the state of Massachusetts, it is actually illegal for a physician to prescribe a Schedule 2 drug (which Adderall is) as a diet aid.

Here's the excerpt from the MA Board of Registration in Medicine.
" (21) Prescribing Anorectics: A licensee is prohibited from prescribing any controlled substance in Schedule II for its anorectic effect." 243 CMR 2.07(21)

 

[bcsmom]

OK,since I have aired my dirty laundry dont think I am a bad person.
I just wanted her to know how bad they really are.

'

I do not think you are a bad person at all. You are pretty amazing that you were able to stop the problem. I just never realized this drug was so dangerous. I also called my doctor to tell him everything I was told, his response was "well just stop taking it if you feel it is bad for you, but I feel it is a totally safe drug"! So I decided I would find a new doctor, who maybe paid more attention to something that could do more harm then good.

 

[HomeSweetDisney]

See, now this makes sense to me. You are taking the drug for it's prescribed purpose and the fact that it helps you lose weight, well consider it a small benefit to the fact that you do have to take the medicine. Taking something as serious as a Adderall - which is a class C Narcotic - to lose weight when you are not ADD or ADHD is just wrong. I consider it along the lines of athletes taking steriods to build muscle. People take steriods for real illnesses but it doesn't make it right or sane that perfectly healthy people would subject themselves to a drug that dangerous.

Yes, I wasn't even aware that people could use it as a weight loss drug until my doctor mentioned it. I told her that I felt like I was eating less while on it and she informed me that sometimes it is issued for obese people to help them lose weight. I am not surprised that people would want to do that but I've never been one for diet pills. Obviously, my reason for taking Adderall is to help with my ADD and as a side effect I have seen some weight loss. But if I didn't have ADD I don't think I'd want to use it as a diet pill. I don't knock anyone for trying it but my doctor is very strict about my dosages because of how easily one can become addicted to it. So if anyone is going to use it for a reason other than ADD I would really recommend seeing a doctor and thinking long and hard about whether you are willing to take that kind of risk or not.