What are the risks of taking Adderall in your 60's. I have looked everywhere online and have never found another patient my age who is taking this med.
I was diagnosed with adult ADD (not ADHD) almost two years ago and have been taking Adderall XR 30mg in a.m. with 15 mg booster at mid day. My doctor has told me to take 30 mg at mid day, but I seldom take that much because I have such bad insomnia. I worry about the effects. I am female, 5'5", 125 lbs., normal BP, high cholesterol, and have actually gained weight since starting to take Adderall. Previously, my doctor had me on Vyvanse, but my insurance won't pay for it. Thanks for any suggestions, or if you have experience to share. I'm glad I found this group. Annie
Anyone else in their 60's taking Adderall?
Question posted by Annie101 on 13 March 2011
Last updated on 19 February 2023 by pastornack
35 Answers
I am 58 yrs old. I've been on Adderall XR since September 2018,
Had to increase my dose continually.
I am on it for the STIMULATING effects it offers for someone like myself - NO ADHD diagnoses.
I use it for the horrendous symptom of MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS)
"" FATIQUE "" !!! It works so far to give me just enough energy to at least get put of bed.
So I do get a better quality of LIFE!! But no where near what I had prior to my 1994 diagnoses. I was A OK for 24 years.
Then the DISEASE and AGING has been taking its toll
I am 71. Been using since 2004. Diagnosed ADD by a psychiatrist. I wonder if this medication will cause problems as I age. Can I keep using it? I am a mental health professional and will need to keep working, so I get to thinking if it will continue to be useful. What is the upper limit of dosage I can tolerate
I'm 71 and I have been taking adderall xr for about 18 years, 30 mg. I get an EKG every 3 years, no problem there. more problematic is that it doesnt seem to work as well as it used to. I take it around 9 AM and by 10 I feel sleepy and want to go back to bed. I add a cup of coffee and I become more awake. Yes, I was diagnosed ADD around 2004
Hey there, I’m 73 almost 74 and have been taking Adderall for almost 30 years. I have good vitals and no heart problems. It has been such a blessing for me in my daily life. As I have aged I have slowed down and Adderall gives me the energy and desire to get up and get moving. I can only complete a job with Adderall. I wish I had known about my ADD during my school years…. oh how it would have helped. I have suffered with mild depression since my late 40’s but Adderall helps and when needed I take Trazodone to sleep. I have started splitting my 30 mg. Adderall taking 1/2 in the morning and the other 1/2 at about 1 pm. If I know I’m going to have a late evening I may take the second dose later. Everyone’s body processes meds differently so I have adjusted it as needed. I don’t take it on an empty stomach and drinking lots of water with it helps. Trazodone will also hurt your stomach if you continue taking on an empty stomach.
Currently I'm 71.5 and have been taking Adderall continuously for the last 10 years. My current dosage is 20 mg, taken daily in the morning. I have had no physical or mental problems with the medication. I have no problems sleeping due to taking 200 mg of Trazodone at night. Over the span of time the body adapts to the dosage and to achieve the results you had when you first started taking the medicine requires upping the dosage. Up your dosage only with the blessing of a medical doctor. The drug has been very helpful for me. Biggalow
I am 62 and have been taking Adderall 20mg XR on and off for a few years. I have had chronic fatigue for most all of my life. Adderall is a game changer for me. It actually makes life worth living. My problem is that the positive effects wear off after a few months and I need to go without for some time before it will work again.
I’m 72 and take it. My neurologist holds that a secondary benefit may be that it prolongs the onset of dementia so many older folks take it (I have no preexisting dementia but my neuro is monitoring brain changes following a stroke 4 years ago.). It is also used to treat borderline depression even in seniors. You are not alone among older users. Pounds are certainly not melting off—I have to really struggle to lose weight —but I’m frightened about my weight skyrocketing whenever I may have to stop Adderall. I wish someone could reassure me that won’t happen, but that’s not the message I’m getting here.
Hi,
I just turned 59 in August. Im 5" tall and weigh 134 lbs. I have been on 30 mg of adderall since around 2010. These days I have found that I do not tolerate that much as easily as I did even a few years ago. I have many many days now that I just break one in half and take 15mg in the am then 15 mg in the pm. You can always adjust it depending on what you have to do each day. If l have nothing I really need to concentrate on I absolutely cut it back.
I had a spontaneous coronary arterial disection (SCAD) back in 2015. (Theybare usually found post mortem)
I honestly think it was either brought on by stress or... since having gastric bypass 12 years ago I sometimes get food stuck mid way down, which is what happened a day or so before the SCAD. Causing me to really strain ( sorry this is gross) to get it up. I was shocked that not a single Dr l saw in the hospital told me to cut back on adderall. Even when l asked them. The last time l saw my cardiologist he said I don't love you being on that but you have been on it so long that you would be a mess. I told my heart Dr i dont want to be playing Russian Rulet with my heart and he did assure l was not.
So my suggestion to you is to follow your gut. You know your body and how you react to meds. I check my BP daily and since being put on a mild muscle relaxer it is always at the lower end of normal. So you should check your bp (IMHO because lm no Dr.) Regularly. These days l honestly believe we have to do some of our own doctoring. Only you know how you feel. I have such bad ADHD I can not imagine going back to being even more scattered than I am already. lol
I have cut back on my anxiety meds because l know as we get older they will start cutting them back. I'd rather do it in my time frame. You might ask your Dr for trazodone. It is a very old anti depressant that also helps sleep. I took unison forva short period but then read the ingredient in that and benadryl and other PM meds have been linked to alzhiemers.
I’ll be 58, in March. I’ve been taking two Adderall 30mg XR, in the morning, with a 20mg IR, in the afternoon, for over a decade, with no ill effects.
I will be 62 & after taking adderall 30 mg 3 times daily for the past 17 years now. My Dr. Office has gone through currently 5 Dr's and the last two that I saw had the nerve to tell me that I am too OLD to be taking adderall, they have started weaning me off from my medication. I have NO heart problems/ NO BP issues, I am in awe of the folks my age that still are on this. I have suffered from "ADD" most of my life. I will be totally screwed if I don't find another physician. I am still blown away by the the fact I was told I was too OLD. WTH,
I will be 62 & after taking adderall 30 mg 3 times daily for the past 17 years now. My Dr. Office has gone through currently 5 Dr's and the last two that I saw had the nerve to tell me that I am too OLD to be taking adderall, they have started weaning me off from my medication. I have NO heart problems/ NO BP issues, I am in awe of the folks my age that still are on this. I have suffered from "ADD" most of my life. I will be totally screwed if I don't find another physician. I am still blown away by the the fact I was told I was too OLD. WTH ? Anyhow, I have never had any issues with my HEART or B/P or weight while on this medication.
I'm a 68 y/o female and have taken Adderall for almost 20 years. My bp is slightly elevated but I attribute this to having been a smoker until recently. I take meds for my pressure and cholesterol. I take 30 mg of Adderall twice per day. It has always helped me in being able to concentrate but I've noticed in the last several months the effect seems significantly diminished. I don't necessarily want to further increase my dosage so thinking about dropping to just once a day. Hopefully after a month or so my body will adjust and I can return to previous dosage. In conversations with my doctor and also with friends close to my age who have taken Adderall for an extended number of years, there seems to be no direct negative impact for seniors related to this drug.
I am 71 years old and have been taking 60 mg Adderall for over 20 years. However, my health care provider just lowered the dose to 40 mg. I cannot find anywhere where they talk about older people taking Adderall and how much they should be taking for their age.
I am 71 and have been taking 25mg daily of Adderall daily for over 10 years. My health profile is perfect so far... I take no other meds... never knew that I was ADHD as a child... my teachers (nuns) always called me Miss Ants in the Pants... I could never concentrate and was so easily distracted. My last 10 years have been fine... my BP, glucose, weight, cardiac health, cholesterol are like a 30 year old... I am not bragging ... but I am trying to make a point. There are times that I give myself a break from Adderall so I do not build up a tolerance thereby needing a higher dosage to do the trick. Hopes this helps. My memory is good except for word/name retrieval but this seems to be the case with my peers. Good Luck!
I took Ritalin, adderall and vyvanse beginning in 1997.
A few days before My 61 birthday my Dr of 19 yrs tells me he is taking all of his seniors off adderall.
I made an appointment with an adult ADHD specialist
He told me no meds and I must retrain my mind.
I am in the process of applying for medical marijuana
Related topics
adderall xr, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd)
Further information
- Adderall XR uses and safety info
- Adderall XR prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Adderall XR (detailed)
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