Dextroamphetamine and Insomnia: What Users Say

• ADD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 13, 2022

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "After 38 years of thinking my brain was broken, I finally have found relief for the constant overthinking, anxiety, and racing thoughts. My whole life I’ve been an anxious person but still managed to do well in school and become a medical professional. It never occurred to me or my family that I was suffering from severe hyperactivity. I was constantly restless, had chronic insomnia, and was obsessed about food. I always assumed I just had an anxiety disorder and didn’t know how to shut my brain off. I had tried SSRIs, Xanax, supplements. Nothing seemed to work and usually just made me feel worse. It wasn’t until I tried Wellbutrin and passed out for 8 hours that my treating doctor suspected I might have ADHD. I was given an evaluation and took my first stimulant (Adderall) and behold, I fell asleep within 30 minutes. Adderall made me too foggy and tired, Ritalin made me tired and had heart palpitations, but Dexedrine has been quite literally perfect. It’s changed my life."

• Alf...
• November 2, 2019

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD six months ago. I am 30 years old. My whole life has been a big problem with taking school, finance, and friendship seriously. I have, on the other hand, been a person with a good mood, charm, and a sense of adventure. All these are good qualities you think? Not really. I've developed alcoholism, I've never had a financial surplus, I've lost touch with most of my good friends, and I've never accomplished anything I've set myself the goal of. I began to understand why my life has become so miserable. I started exposing myself to all kinds of things - for the first time I felt solid - a sense of integrity. At the same time, it was a great stress. After a month, I began to think that my whole life had just been a big joke. Before you start taking this medicine: Be prepared to experience identity disorder. NEGATIVE: My hair has gone from thick to thin, my skin is not so smooth anymore, and sometimes sleep can be very difficult."

• Boa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2022

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "I've been struggling with emotional/social numbness, lack of focus or drive, an intense caffeine addiction, procrastination, apathy, depression, an inability to improve my life, binge-eating, self-loathing, and even the seedlings of alcoholism, all connected to my severe ADHD. Been on a very high amount of Dexedrine for a couple of months now, and my life is completely different. My self-confidence skyrocketed, I'm able to go to a very drunk people-infested mosh pit and not have to get drunk to have a blast, I'm doing the most work I ever have, I'm focused and driven, I'm organized, I'm eating healthy, I'm realizing my worth and making breakthroughs about myself, and I'm ten times more empathetic and able to support my family and friends and girlfriend more than ever. This stuff truly changed my life. The only negatives are that I still have a caffeine addiction, which has given me very, very intense panic attacks. Also, insomnia. But nonetheless, I'd say 9.6/10."

• Anonymous
• August 17, 2009

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "I used Ritalin for many years before realizing it had little or no effect on me. I think the placebo effect applied not only to me, but also to my parents and teachers. Upon finding out that it's quite common for some patients to have their medication switched 2-3 times before finding one that works, I decided to try Adderall (which worked amazingly, but gave me insomnia), Concerta (which didn't work on me, since it's basically the same as Ritalin), and finally settled on Dexedrine, which I don't know how I ever lived without. Of all the ADD medications I tried, it was head and shoulders above the rest as far as effectiveness and had the fewest side effects (which were barely noticeable and disappeared after a couple of weeks)."

• Con...
• July 26, 2016

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "The generic for this med didn't work at all, however, the name brand (for some reason) is amazing! It has changed my life after so many other meds have failed. I am able to study, take notes, and remember what I've read now. The only reason I did not give it a 10 is that I am having some issues with insomnia. I'm sure that is related to the timing and strength of my last dose of the day, however, it will be adjusted. It can be expensive, however, after trying everything else and nothing else working, I would rather pay for this than deal with awful symptoms all day."

• Liz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 5, 2013

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "Got this for ADD and my chronic fatigue. It changed me. Grades in school went from 60s to 80s, I could actually focus long enough to plan my life and pay attention. Only problem I had was the tolerance. Although my dosage was raised and now I can take it regularly without feeling it, it made it really hard to sleep if I took it too late, and if the dosage is too high, or you are just starting, you get a really unpleasant buzz. Even though that buzz makes you super motivated and lets you get stuff done, it makes it really hard to relax and makes you more prone to panic attacks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2012

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "My experience is limited since I have only been on this medication for a few days. I am a medical resident, diagnosed with ADHD at 32. Got sick and tired of my mediocre performance at work. Tried Strattera, Viibryd, and Wellbutrin, nothing worked. Just started on Dexedrine 5 mg 2-3 times a day. My first day on it, I studied all day until midnight. I was so motivated, I felt great, on top of the world, I was so driven. I noticed an immediate difference in my performance at work, and it made me nicer, less cynical. The bad thing was insomnia, teeth clenching, some nausea, decreased appetite, and the drop in my mood once it wore off. I am worried about intolerance, which is driving up my anxiety level."

• Axi...
• February 14, 2019

For ADHD "Dextroamphetamine IR (or Zenzedi) is hands down the best ADHD medication I have ever been prescribed. I've been on and off stimulants since middle school (25 years old now) and have tried every medication besides Focalin and Desoxyn. Zenzedi is wonderful because not only does it manage my symptoms much better than Adderall, for example, it also does so with absolute minimal side effects. It doesn't destroy my appetite, it's easier to get to sleep at night, it doesn't make me irritable or agitated, and I'm much less jittery and sweaty (as a result of more CNS stimulation and less PNS). I can also achieve the same effect with a lesser amount of medication (2 x 10mg IR vs. 1 x 30mg XR and 1 x 10mg IR). Zenzedi is also surprisingly affordable if you can find a local pharmacy that keeps it in stock. It only ran me $90 before my insurance would cover it vs. $200 for Adderall at Walgreens, which usually won't even have Zenzedi in stock. 100% recommended."

• the...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2021

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "This is AMAZING!!! I don't think I've ever felt this good. Dexedrine makes me feel completely calm, clear-headed, and motivated. I used to be so tired and foggy-brained, and many days were lost to 'recovering' from, well, life. Now I feel like I can do anything I want. I can hardly believe it. I tried Ritalin first and found it to be rubbish - it gave me headaches, insomnia, and mild anxiety, and seemed very unpredictable in terms of effects too. Dexedrine is nothing like that. I have zero side effects - except for some interference with my period. I highly, highly recommend this miracle medication."

• Dav...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 17, 2018

"I have had severe agoraphobia since childhood. At 23, I started taking Paroxetine (Paxil/Aropax), which cured me mostly. I continued until age 36 when it stopped working, and I went into a very dark place, unable to leave the house. I went to a psychiatrist and went through 7 different antidepressants with almost zero effect. My psychiatrist said maybe we should try something different. He started me on a low dose of dextroamphetamine, 5 mg. Within a week, I started to feel better. Several months later, I'm on 5 mg in the morning and 2.5 mg midday, and I am cured! The only drawback was insomnia, for which he prescribed mirtazapine, which does a great job for sleep. Anyone out there stuck with agoraphobia, panic disorder, anxiety, and depression, please consider this. I don’t know if I'd be alive today without it! Tell your psychiatrist to think outside the box. My psychiatrist has another agoraphobic patient on the same regime, and that patient is also better."

• OGo...
• December 18, 2010

For ADHD "I am a 56-year-old, 200 lb Caucasian male who started on ADHD medicines back in 1995. I've tried others, but dextroamphetamine has always worked the best. The only side effects I have noticed over time are occasional grinding of teeth and insomnia if I take a dose too late in the afternoon. I think that over time it has changed the way I think, but it is hard to know exactly how and what to do to the normal effects of aging. I am happy with the medication and can recommend it as treatment for ADD/ADHD."

• rbw...
• November 12, 2011

Dextroamphetamine for ADHD "I have ADHD and mild-to-moderate anxiety. Dexedrine 20 mg (2 x 10 mg) taken in the morning allows me to focus for about 8 hours, but I experience negative side effects including increased anxiety, raised blood pressure, and difficulty sleeping. I used to experience moderate-to-severe depression at the end of the day when it would wear off, but I've been able to avoid this using buspirone 5 mg (taken once an hour for 4 hours starting 7.5 hours after I take the Dexedrine). Also, I take trazodone 12.5 mg before bed to help me sleep. Due to the side effects, I only take Dexedrine once or twice a week when I need to get lots of work done. Adderall made me more anxious, and methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) didn't help me."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2021

For Fatigue "I was given a small script of 10 mg dextroamphetamine XR. As a trial, for the daily fatigue I feel taking benzodiazepines. I took 1 in the morning for a few days. I didn't continue to take it because it was too strong! I was a fully charged battery. I was cleaning places and tidying like crazy. It also made me feel really good, everything was so rewarding. I know drugs affect people differently, but this is amphetamine. I couldn't sleep that night. No wonder people abuse this drug, it's basically pharmaceutical speed. I can see the benefit for narcolepsy or something short-term. But in the long term, I can see using it, being a problem for me. (tolerance, dependence) This is a powerful drug, and I would use extreme caution when taking it. Only take what is prescribed by a doctor. Please!"

• Dog...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2020

Dextroamphetamine for Narcolepsy "I have never had a worse experience on a medication. After having limited success on modafinil, armodafinil, Sunosi, and Adderall, my doctor prescribed me this Dexedrine dose at 10 mg, and it is terrible. I go two- to three-day stretches without sleeping, have had the most debilitating anxiety of my entire life, and feel like I am going insane. Yes, I’m staying awake, but it has been the worst time of my entire life."

• art...
• February 24, 2009

For ADHD "I am a 20-year-old male, 175 lbs, and this was my first time taking ADD medication in my life. I have always had problems concentrating and get drowsy during the day and so have had problems doing homework/studying for college. I took 2 pills of 15 mg capsules both at once at about 1 pm. It was great. I was able to concentrate and do a huge amount of homework without stopping. However, there were side effects. I couldn't stop chewing gum the whole time I was on it (or else I would grind my teeth). I couldn't eat anything, and I ended up not being able to sleep all night. So I like the positives."