Since taking adderall my bf hacks, coughs, scrocks, whatever you wanna call it, CONSTANTLY. It's gross and it actually seems to be unproductive. He will do it for five minutes straight, claiming it feels like something is stuck way back in his throat but he never actually splits anything out. Ten minutes later, he starts again. Sometimes a teeny chunk of white (I'm sorry this is so gross) will come of it but not anything the warrants hours of phlegmatic coughing. He's also a smoker and def smokes more when on adderall but I'm convinced it has to do with the dry mouth effect more than cigs bc he did not used to do this. It drive me absolutely insane as I find it repulsive to hear it constantly. Anyone know of this being a dude effect and if there is anything to help stop it??
Adderall - Anyone else have a side effect of obsessively hacking up what turns out to be nothing?
Question posted by Adderall users gf on 10 Nov 2014
Last updated on 11 February 2024
45 Answers Page 2
I have this issue as well and my doctor at the time called it a "tick." I was 5 when I was diagnosed with ADHD. Adderall was not yet on the market. This was the late 80's and Adderall came on the scene in the mid 90's. I was given Ritalin and the throat clearing started almost immediately. It feels as if there is constant drainage in the back of my throat and the throat clearing was so bad it was disruptive, especially in the classroom setting. The doctor took me off ritalin immediately because he didn't want the throat clearing to become permanent. I was on a few other things before Adderall came about. The throat clearing did get better but it never went away completely. It is still noticeable but not disruptive to others. I started searching this symptom because after giving birth and resuming adderall the symptoms have gotten so bad that i gag and even throw up occasionally.
I am not sure why so many doctors don't know about this, and that is concerning. It may be a bit of knowledge that was lost over the decades as more and more doctors who don't specialize in these type of behavioral disorders started prescribing this to adults. My doctor at the time was Dr. Donald Eastmead in Memphis TN. He was a developmental behavioral pediatric specialist. Hopefully that will bring some legitimacy to your concerns when talking to your doctor. Thank you to the users who posted their tips on how to elevated the symptoms. Can't wait to try them. P.S. I do not smoke. However being near someone who is smoking or just smelling it on someone's clothes will cause the draining to kick into high gear.
I throw up often after trying to clear my throat for what seems like hours!
I also had this problem after starting Adderall. I thought it was allergies. Took Allerga, then Sudafed, then Mucinex. None worked. Realized it started after starting Adderall and found online that many people have this problem. It seems to be more due to acid reflux. I don't have much too of a cough, just really thick mucus in the back of my throat that drives me crazy, can make me cough and hack at times cause I feel like I'm choking. I have been using Apple Cider Vinegar and it's so much better!! You need to mix it with water (do not drink straight!) 1TBSP to 8 oz water. I use hot water and also put in honey and cinnamon so it doesn't taste bad. Take in morning BEFORE you eat and USE STRAW as the vinegar is not good for your teeth. I brush right after too. I still have a very slight amount of mucus in throat but it is SO MUCH better and barely notice it. NO COUGHING OR GAGGING! I would ask your doctor before using, just in case you shouldn't take it, but apple cider vinegar has lots of other benefits too.
Hey guys. I’ve been lurking this thread for well over a year given my comparable symptoms. I got prescribed vyvanse in high school but never took it regularly until like 3 years ago when I went back to college. I soon switched to Adderall IR, and very shortly after that I developed a hacking-phlegm type cough. It constantly feels like there’s something caught in my throat and I have to hack to try and get it out. I’ve talked to several doctors (waste of time) but after observing my symptoms for well over a year and doing ample research, I’ve concluded that FOR ME (not saying all of you have this), it is a condition called Laryngopharyngal Reflux (LPR). It’s closely related to GERD but has a different mechanism of action and, although the 2 conditions are often linked, it is very common for those with LPR to lack any sort of heartburn.
The mechanism of action for LPR as it relates to adderall, as I’ve surmised, is linked to the various bodily effects of the drug. Given that it’s a vasoconstrictor, it not only constricts your blood vessels, but also your throat and intestines and most bodily tubes. It also causes dry mouth, clearly. Additionally, as adderall is potentialized by an alkaline stomach, the presence of the drug increases your stomach acidity. Going long periods of time without eating or sleeping (we all do it) also greatly increase your stomach acid production. Given that your GI tract is constricted and your stomach is overflowing with acid, the stomach acid begins a retrograde flow up from your stomach, past your esophagus and into your larynx and pharynx. This creates the sensation of something being caught in your throat (the scientific term is globus). Given your dry mouth, it is automatic to want some sort of lubrication, so we attempt to cough up what we think to be mucin, although it is actually stomach acid. All these factors lead a certain predisposed group of adderall consumers to experience what is known as LPR. I have found, and I’m not sure about any of you, that these symptoms continue even when I go without adderall for weeks at a time. Although taking adderall drastically exacerbates the condition. I have a few tricks to help with this condition. #1 ABC: always be chewing (gum). #2 tums and occasional H2 blockers (e.g., Zantac, Pepcid). #3 alkaline water. It’s a dumb fad but it actually helps when fighting stomach acid getting caught in your throat. #4 occasionally gargle salt water. LPR often leads to tonsil stones which further exacerbates the condition and make your breath smell bad, and a salt water gargle helps. Those are the first lines of defense, but I’ve developed some more weird coping mechanisms as well. #6 taking a benzo (e.g., Xanax, Klonopin) as you begin to come down from adderall. It opens up your throat and causes you to salivate regularly, and as an added bonus, it also helps with the crash of adderall and helps you eat food as soon as your done with your homework or whatever you have to do. Obviously this is not an easy recommendation, but if you’re lucky like me, and you have a Xanax prescription, it’s a lifesaver. And if you’re not lucky like me, I would *never* recommend ;) buying ;) them ;) illegally ;). My final, and by far strangest tip: if you feel as if your condition has become unbearable, take a toothbrush, and gag yourself with it repeatedly. It won’t make you vomit unless you keep at it for too long because there’s a whole bunch of stomach acid in your throat and esophagus that need to get out before any vomit could see the light of day. It really does help. Just brush your tongue, then go back to your uvula and you’ll feel the stomach acid from your throat come up and you can actually cough it up and spit it out. Hope this helped some of y’all; it’s hell living like this but there are ways to make it more tolerable.
I find it interesting yet crazy that this is not listed as a side effect. I have never smoked and just started taking Adderall and within about a week I had this horrible cough and feeling something was stuck in my throat. I went to the doctor and was given steroid shots not once but twice for this issue. But I started realizing on the days I did not take the Adderall I did not have the issue so after experimenting I concluded Adderall was definitely the issue. I have tried a saline rinse which does help some but not fully. Adderall is the only adhd med I have tried and works great on helping me concentrate and in addition it has helped my hypoglycemia. I am completely bummed I have such a horrible side effect. Has anyone had success with another adhd med not causing this issue?
It has been a very long journey to find this answer. 7 years I have been in Adderall I take a high dose 5 ×20mg tablets a day. I constantly have phlem in the back of my throat. And dry mouth. I spit out different colored Yuk all day. If I eat sugar ,citrus,coffee, etc. It gets worse by far. Chocolate is terrible. I have been to many dr. Thinking it was sinus infection , mold etc. Put antibiotics etc. X-ray etc .stomach dr. No dairy no meat no alcohol. Nothing helps. And now realise it's the medication. No where else ha e I seen this answer. I'm so grateful. First time I have signed up and responded to anything. But I needed to be part of spreading the answer. Longjourney
This has literally been the best and most helpful thread to find on this. Sometimes it’s really hard to talk about being on this medicine, even to health care professionals because it has a negative connotation about it. I have this compulsion with with clenching the throat, I started when the side effect was making me have shortness of breath. I know I’m taking a deep breath and getting enough oxygen but there’s that lack of having a satisfied full breath, so I started clenching my throat or something I guess to soothe that feeling or make up for it. When I’m sitting it seems to be okay, but the compulsion of hacking or pre-hacking has continued weeks after. I consider myself pretty healthy, I did sports as a teen and after high school, stay active outdoors and have gotten my oxygen levels checked many times over the years just to make sure. Things like this become fixations and hinder the purpose of the medicine sometimes.
Last time I took it I was doing this thing where I was hurting my jaw out. Other times it’s been playing with my tongue in a weird way in my
mouth, this time around it’s the throat thing.
Does anyone know any information on this new thing I saw called “Recoop”? Because everything is connected to AI, ads have popped up for this because it’s supposed to be a vitamin or supplement to control these side effects from stimulants. If anyone has any information on this let me know.
The part where you said “ I know I’m taking a deep breath and getting enough oxygen but there’s that lack of having a satisfied full breath…” this is the same for me!!! It’s driving me nuts! I wish I knew how to make that stop!
The part where you said “ I know I’m taking a deep breath and getting enough oxygen but there’s that lack of having a satisfied full breath…” this is the same for me!!! It’s driving me nuts! I wish I knew how to make that stop!
I'm glad I found this thread! I've had a 'nose cough' since I was 10 because of Adderall and my family thought it was a cry for attention until it got accepted as a nervous tick. I'm going to try some of the recommendations. Thanks!
Oh boy. No not a dude thing at all. Well maybe the hacking is, but me and my daughter take Adderall and after years I finally asked her and she gets this too: over salivating! When we lay down at night and we've been on Adderall that day, we begin to swallow and swallow. We were just at a retreat, and she says to me : mom you just laid down and you swallowed four times in a row, and then for the most part of the night. But this only happens to us if we've taken way more than our prescribed amount! Ur boyfriend may be taking more than he should at one time, or maybe he's on too strong of a prescriprion. If it bothers him too, he could ask his doctor. But watch out cause doctor's pride themselves on snatching Adderall away from people. Just ask him to take a little less esp at the end of the day if it's keeping him up at night. Good wishes, Nancy
Is it possible the piece of white material is a tonsil stone?
Omg ... I'm suffering with this same Exact side effect almost exactly the same only mine is a constant dry hack Never producing anything at all hardly but constantly feeling like there is something stuck in the back of my throat... ots awful and so embarrassing Please let me know if you have found anything at all medical wise that relieves this in any way at all if even just a little bit... I to am a smoker also and I'm sure I smoke more when taking them... But any advice would be so greatly appreciated thanks in advance
Yes! this happens to me ! I thought I was the only one! Lol. My ex-wife used to say it made her crazy. literally I couldn’t stop. Its awful. sometimes i would do it for hours! The cure is to stop taking Adderall. Easier said than done .
I am on this site for this very reason plus some. I DO cough considerably more although mine does produce phleghm. I am also a (longtime) smoker. The "gross" factor is also noticably different. My first coughing attack produced coca-cola colored chunks of solid "phleghm" and happens more on days that I take two. I am on 30mg vs.time released because insurance won't pay for the time released. I've also noticed an increase in nasal mucous. I've been consciously paying attention to this and it seems to me that yes, I definitely have noted increase in coughing (especially the brown phleghm which doesnt happen with taking just one) and the nasal/sinus mucous increases as if I've got a cold. I will not, cannot go without the adderall and these symptoms have been bothering me for so long now that I'm 99.9% sure they are caused by/side effects of the adderall.
I haven't discussed this with my physician as the thought of going without the adderall bothers me more than the thoughts of "what the heck is going on"? The phleghm I cough up sometimes is so dark and " chunky" that lung cancer, coughing up a piece of lung enters my mind frequently.
I have been taking Adderall on and off for 5 years. I don’t hack and cough, but I do produce mucus when ever I eat any gluten and I’m eating sugar or drinking alcohol. I have taken a probiotic and digestive enzyme that makes me mucus free and healthy called Floratrex and the enzymes are Veganzyme. It’s pricey but it cleared me up and I felt clean literally.
Just wondering if he ever found a solution?
I have Cystic Fibrosis and I take Adderall for ADHD. For my CF I take bronchodialators and other breathing medications to loosen secretions in my lungs (strong stuff). After I take my breathing meds I feel open and clear, but when my Adderall takes affect, my lungs feel so open you can actually see an increase in the numbers on my lung function tests. Adderall is a stimulant and among other things it dilates your airways. I'll spare you the details, but my cough is so productive its unreal. Just a side bare before ADHD was discovered, amphetamines were prescribed for many things including a broncho stimulant and and expectorant. So this could be the true reason for the coughing, especially for smokers, as it would help clear the junk out of your lung. Feedback on this is welcome.
Well, that explains a lot. Thanks!
I'm so glad I'm not imagining this. So this is odd. It's been about a year and a half since I was prescribed adderall for managing symptoms of ADD and anxiety.
Sort of long story but I thought I'd explain just for fun I guess. About a month ago I went in for a medication refill since it's a controlled substance and doesn't have automatic refills. Unfortunately my normal doctor was out of town unexpectedly so I saw another doctor who I had never seen before. He seemed extremely suspicious of me trying to refill the meds which I guess to some small extent I understand if had suspicions of everyone taking the medication are simply taking it to abuse it or possibly even sling it.
It seemed to get worse after I explained that I was a senior in college and ever since I was prescribed it my grades and ability to function and participate in class had improved greatly and I wished I had gone to the doctor way earlier in my undergrad days, even my high school days. He was reluctant but still granted me the refill. I go to a military clinic which has the pharmacy included in the institution. He tells me that the pharmacy is currently out of the the 20mg dosages that I take. He suggested an alternative which was taking 10mg twice a day and see if that's helpful and try to play around and figure out the timing to see what's right for me. Sure, why not I thought. So I go to the pharmacy and wait an oddly long time and finally it's filled. All is normal except not only are they the 20mg pills but they are name brand Adderall, not the generic which I normally get.
Now I didn't have this problem ever before with the coughing until a week ago, which is when I started taking them. It's just like everyone else said. It feels like a lump way down at the end of my throat which indeed does feel like acid reflux (which I've experienced a few times but not regularly) and also a SLIGHTLY productive cough. If I clear my throat enough I feel something come out. Not enough for me to cough it out of my mouth but instead goes down like post nasal. (I don't smoke by the way but my mother smoked inside the house until I was about 15 and either I developed mild-moderate asthma because of it or it was just exacerbated because of it)
So I'm curious now to how many people experience this, is there some ever so slight thing in name brand that isn't in the generic that causes this to happen? I don't know what anyone else here takes but that's just what I figured since I hadn't felt this before the days I would take Adderall. Maybe a coincidence who knows. I want relief by taking something for acid reflux but it seems like that could affect the Adderall in some way which I don't want to happen. Weird!
I am thinking I might have ADHD and will be undergoing screening tests after Christmas. I have a few questions for you 65_ROSES
-How old are you?
-Have you had long transplant if so, how long ago?
-What is your gene mutation number?
Thanks a lot!
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- Adderall uses and safety info
- Adderall prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Adderall (detailed)
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