I have taken addy for yrs all brands have worked with variations of how well. This month I have activist amphetamine salts imprint 26 20mg, these are not working what so ever frankly I've been extremely tired. No motivation any one else have problems with this one or know how to maybe kick start the medicine someway
Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine - Do different brands work differently for you?
Question posted by ADHDprobz on 17 May 2014
Last updated on 16 February 2025
This question has also been asked and answered here: Adderall vs Vyvanse - What's the difference between them?
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4 Answers
I see this topic was posted years in the past and am wondering if there's been any updated or new relevant information in regards to the completely different effects or responses when getting generic Adderall from a different manufacturer. I've been on 30mg tablets generic Adderall and they've never changed their appearance until now. They've been round orangish marked U31 and now the are same color & shape although have an A on one side and 8 0 on the other. First dose seemed no different until hours later... very different feelings and this is very unsettling, not the same as other manufacturers. I feel your pharmacy should be required to inform you of such a change as this. Now I'm concerned I'm stuck with a medicine that usually helps me with my daily life and this one may not offer any aid and may only hinder me and set me back.
Anyone else had an adverse effect when they were switched to different company? I'm open to any suggestions if anyone can help with options. Like for this month, because I will be informing my pharmacist the one that helps the following month, just don't know how this can be resolved like ASAP but I don't know of any recourse.
Ty for any assistance or suggestions.
Puck345,
I am sorry but your message bugs me as well. Adderall is used for many things actually, NOT just for ADHD. I have ADHD, Narcolepsy and now Lyme disease. Adderall can be used for all of these things because it works on dopamine which makes you more alert and motivated (call it focus or energy too if you want but it’s the same thing) it is often used as an antidepressant as well. Please educate yourself and stop judging people for wanting to feel better, let their doctor decide. Shaming others for their choice or judging motivations or intentions is wrong, especially when it comes to their own personal health. Btw Wellbutrin does NOT work the same.
ADHDprobz,
I have taken adderall for 20 years and your body slowly and sometimes quickly becomes use to it or almost stops, like mine did when my Lyme disease got bad (maybe get tested for Lyme). It has made most of my meds stop working, it stinks. I am curious if the different generics made by the various companies are any different as well, that’s how I came across this post. Sorry, I am not adding to the conversation other than to say that a relative with narcolepsy said she takes an excedrin with her adderall in the morning and it helps the adderall work better. I am not sure if that’s really the case or if it’s just the caffeine boost but it’s worth giving it a try. Did you ever figure this out?
I also got the activist amphetamine salts imprinted 28 30mg and they do not effect me at all compared to the 30mg ir made by teve. I don't know why they are like that but there from the same pharm iv been going to for years and they just got these in last month for the first time. What is the difference between these and the old big orange 30s that say 30 on them?
I'm not sure... I never really got a direct answer..but the next time my script was field it was my regular orange ones and I could tell when I took one like I took it for the first time after a month of those weird ones... I've heard a difference between the pink addys from the orange ones but the pink were still effective I'm just check my medicine before leaving the pharmacy now... u can tell the pharmacy which brand works best for you or which brand you prefer not to get again
I've also used Activas generic adderall/ small round orange marked with a 28 /w/ a quarter moon, 30 mg now discontinued. These worked wonderfully. These were mixed Amphetamine salts. Then from time to time you'd get a batch that were a little different in streath. Seems like depending on witch manufacturing plant they came from would cause some differents. I believe there were two Activas distribution locations within the US. That was 10 years ago, I would be happy to be depenced them today. What is being made today in 2025 fall way short no matter what brand they are. They just keep getting weaker, some barley work. Very frustrating ! Brand name Adderall are best, to bad, very expensive and most insurance don't cover them. However there are some formulations of xr, er, that work very well. $$
I do know from experience that different formulations of the amphetamine salts can produce different outcomes, particularly in the medication's efficacy. My last fill I swear was sugar pills. I was hyper-somnolent for close to two weeks; sleeping 16 to 20 hours a day. What this tells me is that the old medication had a distinct pharmacodynamic and your brain is "trained" for it. There is a trick and it is extremely risky... I'll say that again: THIS IS EXTREMELY RISKY. DO NOT TRY THIS WITHOUT CONSULTING A PHYSICIAN. Gastrointestinal alkalinizing agents (sodium bicarbonate, etc.) increase absorption of amphetamines. Coadministration of Adderall® and gastrointestinal alkalizing agents, such as antacids, should be avoided. Urinary alkalinizing agents (acetazolamide, some thiazides) increase the concentration of the non-ionized species of the amphetamine molecule, thereby decreasing urinary excretion.
Both groups of agents increase blood levels and therefore potentiate the actions of amphetamines. In other words, take a tums with your amp salt combo and it could kick start your brain to receive it and respond better. I only did it because my psychiatrist told me I could if I ever found that I was having efficacy issues. The other strategy is to take a med vacation. Give it a rest for a few days, let your brain chemistry return to normal and then try your normal dose.
I will mention a concern I have with you. You mentioned "motivation" in your question. It seemed that you were concerned that you weren't getting that extra kick in your step. Adderall is not supposed to work like that. For those who truly need it, it is a calming drug that allows you to remain focused if you choose to and if you need to for school/work. When people talk about medication not working anymore and their complaint is lack of motivation, not feeling the good mood anymore, not being able to stay up all night and study, that tells me that those individuals do not need this medication and they are lamenting the fact that they are no longer getting high. That "motivation" is not natural. The false sense of well-being is not natural. You are not focused and attentive, you are in an altered state of consciousness which in the common vernacular means you're getting high and the potency wears off because your body is not able to produce the same amount of dopamine and nor-epinephrine to sustain the euphoria. Please, take a really good long honest look at yourself and your questions and your concerns about the medication. It could be that you don't need a stimulant. Wellbutrin is quite effective in individuals whose brains are not chemically structured to process the amphetamine correctly. I'd definitely talk to your doctor.
Thanks for the tips! As for your concerns, I received my medication the proper way I went to a psychiatrist who evaluated me I had to take test and she wrote a referral for me to be prescribed adderal I have taken it for years and am currently prescribed 20mg 3x's however I do not take that much bc I have a severe case of ADHD and when I'm not on my meds have a huge personality if I take my complete dose I have no personality at all it calms me to much so please do not assume things I use the word motivation just to cover a range of things instead of going into great detail that no one would read therefore I wouldn't get my question answered I'm sorry for my vague description
Good!! I'm so glad to hear that. I realize that I came off rather accusatory and I apologize. More than anything, it was for everyone who reads this. I don't know about anyone else but I spend many hours on here reading questions and answers. If my statement above caused one person to stop and think about their motivations for obtaining Adderall, it was worth coming off as a bit of a know-it-all jerk. I know so many people who have made appointments with a Psychiatrist, told them some elaborate story, fidgeted with their hair and items on the desk and walked out with a Rx for a CNS stimulant. There are MANY Psychiatrists out there who trust their patients' word too much and unknowingly are harming thousands of people. I'm glad you are not one of them. Stay healthy, be safe, be peaceful, be happy and live with ease.
very very very true... well said!
Related topics
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), amphetamine, amphetamine/dextroamphetamine, dextroamphetamine, brand
Further information
- Amphetamine uses and warnings
- Amphetamine / Dextroamphetamine uses and warnings
- Dextroamphetamine uses and warnings
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