Mental Health

Adderall's Effects on Sleeping Habits

08/15/2007

Question:

I have been put on Adderall to help with severe fatigue and cognitive issues that are being called fibro and cfs, although my doctors are still batting around ideas. I started 6 weeks ago on 10 mg a day. My doctor has slowly increased my dose and now I take 10 to 15 mg up to 3x a day. So far it hasn`t helped much with the fatigue or brain fog, but even though it doesn`t give me energy during the day, it seems to be keeping me up at night. I take my last dose approximately 8 hours before bedtime. What else can I do to keep from being up all night?

Answer:

Since I don't have really enough information to adequately advise, I would like to give you information to discuss with your physician. There should be SOME derived benefit with that dose of Adderall for the fatigue. If concurrent insomnia is associated with the last dose, it sounds like something different needs to be considered. One possibility would be to use Adderal XR, just using a morning dose. If that doesn't help, a much greater evaluation must be considered, including other potential treatments for fibromyalgia. There are options available that might resolve sleep/pain which might allow for overall improvement.

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Response by:

Nicholas A Votolato, RPh BCPP
Clinical Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University