Adderall XR and Weight Loss: What Users Say

• Van...
• February 21, 2019

For ADHD "I have ADD and chronic fatigue. I had issues with not being able to focus, total attention deficit, anxiety, zero motivation, sleeping all the time, forgetting to use planner, messy house, no organization. Imagine being stuck inside the deepest fog within yourself and not being able to see clearly. I hated the way I felt. Enter Adderall... started out on 10mg XR adjusted to 30mg XR. Side effects: mild headache at back of head, weight loss and thirst. Headache went away, fog dissipated, as well as the fatigue, messy house, anxiety and attention disorder. I am able to focus, I tackle one thing at a time, I can prioritize, I can get up in the morning and not dread the day ahead of me. I smile a little more, laugh a little more, procrastinate less. I am able to give my children more of the attention they deserve. Adderall for me is not a cure-all or a wonder drug but it held my hand and pulled me from the thickest cloud of fog when nothing else could, and for that I am thankful."

• mom...
• August 25, 2016

For ADHD "I've struggled with ADD my whole life. When I was a kid, I was put on Ritalin for a few years, and it was amazing at helping me concentrate. Before I hit middle school, my pediatrician took me off of it, saying I 'grew out of it'. I went on through life thinking it was just in my head. I'm now 32. I was always fog-headed and had trouble concentrating. I talked to my doctor, and she said I'd have to see a psychiatrist to get on the medication. My boyfriend's mom talked to her family doctor, and she said she would help me. I met with her and was put on Adderall XR 20mg in the morning and 5mg IR in the afternoon. It's simply amazing. I lost some weight, and I can clearly focus. My boss has noticed a huge difference, and I got a promotion at work!"

• can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2015

For ADHD "I remember when I was 8 and put on glasses for the first time and was astounded that I could see each individual leaf. But I was more astounded that I had been living for years without that essential clarity. The first week taking Adderall XR was like that. At once, I had realized just how disabled I was, but also how capable I could be. Five months ago, I was on the brink of losing my retail job due to numerous register mistakes. After taking Adderall, my sales numbers are stellar, and I feel like I can go back to college again. The only negative is the weight loss, but since I was overweight anyway, that side effect is just fine by me. Insomnia is an issue, but not overly frequent. Taking it immediately in the AM solves it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2013

For ADHD "I started on 20 mg Adderall XR 1 month ago. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 13. I was first medicated on Ritalin, and I went off of it because it made me very uneasy on the insides. I managed to get through school with all applied courses because a goldfish had a higher attention span than me. If I could turn back time, I would have chosen the Adderall path. Just a few side effects that really weren't too bad, I lost a lot of weight because it suppressed my appetite. It was all weight that I could afford to lose, and I feel better about myself. I do, however, have to make a list of tasks before I begin my day, or I just get super hyper-focused on one thing for too long. I grind my teeth, and I have to take sleep aids, but it's worth it."

• Dac...
• September 15, 2008

For ADHD "I am in my 30s and have been taking Adderall XR for three months. Seriously, what a difference I have seen in my life! My mind is 100% more clear, and I am so much more levelheaded and organized. I wish I had gone to the doctor years ago for my ADHD instead of just living with it. Now, I am so happy to have the ability to control my thoughts and accomplish my goals. I occasionally get insomnia, but I have had insomnia for most of my life. I also have lost weight and didn't have much to lose, so I have to start eating even if I'm not hungry. No other side effects for me."

• Jes...
• November 20, 2010

For ADHD "I find that with Adderall XR, everything has improved. I am diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, bipolar mixed cycling, and anxiety (GAD). Before, I would stay in bed for three weeks straight because I had no energy. With Adderall XR, I am able to function. Recently, I have lost my pill bottle (a real downside to being ADHD - you lose things), and I am not looking forward to sitting through more classes without it. I think I've finally found the right dose - 30 mg once a day in the morning seems to work for me. I just cannot have any type of eggs. I notice, however, that this makes me feel a million times better. I've noticed a little weight loss, but not much."

• Ard...
• September 11, 2015

For ADHD "I'm an 18-year-old girl, and I have ADD along with Bipolar/Schizoaffective disorder. Because I have psychotic symptoms, the highest dose of Adderall I can take is 30 mg. My problem is it doesn't keep me focused more than 3 hours or so because the dose is low, and even though it's a low dose, I can't seem to eat at all. I've been struggling with my weight for a while due to hyperthyroidism. I'm 5'00" and 89-95 lbs. My goal weight is 100. I can't afford to lose more weight. The risks are outweighing the very minimal benefits."

• Anonymous
• January 27, 2021

"My cardiologist, who diagnosed me with dysautonomia, prescribed me Adderall in high school because my symptoms included extreme fatigue, brain fog, and bad orthostatic hypotension. He did not warn me about all the side effects I would experience (due partly to the fact that I do not have ADHD), and I was given a high dose to start. It did help with my fatigue and immensely improved my focus (can’t complain there, I was hyper-focused), brain fog, and hypotension, but there were some questionable side effects I experienced for the almost two years I took it: complete lack of appetite, significant weight loss, resting tachycardia, and angina (my dysautonomia makes my HR very high to begin with). Overall, it definitely improved my quality of life for a time, but it seems like a questionable Rx for people with this condition who are hyperadrenal, already experiencing an overactive sympathetic ANS, and have a high HR due to the cardio effects."

• sal...
• August 4, 2009

For ADHD "Adderall is overall a good ADD medicine. The only side effects I get are insomnia and weight loss, but it really does work for school."