Adderall for Ataxia Fatigue

Symptoms and Treatments Complementary Therapies
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I’ve been taking 10 mg of Adderall for the past three months for fatigue. I have a wary attitude toward medications for ataxia symptoms. But since I have a three year old now and things like sleeping late and taking naps are no longer an option, I had to reconsider Adderall. My neurologist has been suggesting it for a few years.

WOW. While I am under the effects of this, I feel like I did before I got pregnant, when I was doing really well and even people who lived with me rarely noticed that I had a neuro problem. Taking one half of these 20 mg pills shaves years of wear off of me.

I’m able to get up all of a sudden, feel motivated to do things, and I just don’t “notice” the ataxia. I’ve been way more productive than I used to be. It also controls my appetite just enough to help me to stick to a more natural diet, which I believe also helps to keep me more functional. I believe I’ve lost 2-3 lbs in the past three months, so it’s not a weight loss drug. But I’m drinking way less soda, eating way less crap. Making better choices.

Now when this stuff wears off by the late afternoon, I’m very, very tired. I have to take a couple of Aleve for the muscle soreness, and I feel like I do on a moderately bad day. Hard to get up. But I’ve already done all the stuff I needed to by then, so it doesn’t matter.

I’ve had no urge to take more. But I’m not a drinker and have never been interested in drugs. I think if you were, you might have a different reaction to this stuff.

I haven’t seen many people mention Adderall for ataxia, except just in passing. I thought I’d give it a thorough review for anyone else battling fatigue.

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I take Amantedine for fatigue. Originally, I was prescribed100 mg with the plan to go to 200mg. I found,though that taking 50 mg worked for fatigue and I could sleep better at night, For the first year,it also helped my balance.

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:slightly_smiling_face: Marjorie, there’s probably a good reason why this isn’t prescribed for ataxia symptoms. Adderall is a potent central nervous system Amphetamine Stimulant. It’s primary use is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Narcolepsy and Obesity. And, is considered addictive.

Some of us here may find the results you had are worth taking the risk with this medication🤔 Of course it’s always up to individual choice but still always best to discuss it first with your doctor🙂xB

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Any updates? I too feel like this could be a useful aid but am concerned at the build up.

I’d love any insight.

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:slightly_smiling_face: I’ve never asked for medication to help alleviate fatigue, though I’ve often wished for something to get me through it. Most medications have side effects, and in some cases they themselves can be just as troublesome as the original symptom :roll_eyes: Sometimes, there are unwanted interactions between specific ‘strong medications’. If you feel strongly about trying something like this, discuss it with your doctor to find out if it could help you :thinking: xB

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I admit I was looking into this one for fatigue, however, my research shows unwanted side effects. :neutral_face:
I’ve been prescribed medications for various reasons only to find I experienced undesirable side effects. One in particular gave me diarrhea. Under normal health conditions this may be no big deal. But, I have problems with bowl control, so you can imagine where this is going!:face_with_raised_eyebrow:
It took me many bad experiences and some time to figure out what was going on. Once I did I had my physician slowly helped me quit this medication, lesson learned…always proceed with caution! The side effects where worse than its cure. If anything it may have contributed to the ailment rather then fixing it!
I really carefully assess medications and their side effects, I tend to scrutinize when doctors prescribe, and inquire about new medications and whether they are right for me. :thinking:

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Adderall update:

My experience with this does not match at all what I read here and there. I have found it to be very useful, but there is some trial and error to how I ended up using it.

-firstly, I can’t use it at all if I’m taking cold medicine or late in the day. And I did have a lot of shakiness when getting used to it.

-I had to understand that this is artificially giving me energy, like a trucker taking speed. It’s not much different. It just makes me able to do something I couldn’t do before (housework). If my ataxia is bad, I need to not take it so that I can sleep and my brain has a chance to recharge. We all know how naps can help us do better. So sometimes extra energy interferes with recharging. I take this in the morning so that I can clean the house and take care of my son. If there is less to do, the extra energy makes me want to push it and do something like garden or clean the car, which will exhaust me later.

-When my ataxia is very bad and I can hardly speak or get up, this lets me speak and get to the toilet. It does not “fix” me back to baseline.

-taking more on a bad day does nothing. I believe the addicts who take this are biologically different from me somehow. There is no way I would be tempted to abuse this. There would be no point.

Hope this was helpful for those curious.

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:slightly_smiling_face: Thanks Marjorie. When it comes to the crunch, we do what works best for us don’t we. Trial and error has made this useful for you.
I didn’t really have much in the way of energy myself today, but I’m feeling guilty because I continually shun my treadmill :wink: So, I took myself out to the garden and had a bit of a workout pruning and dislodging dead branches. I even piled stuff up for my husband’s bonfire. Feeling exhausted, but less guilty :wink: xB