Sam Posted July 12, 2012 Report Share Posted July 12, 2012 I am double majoring in Math and Computer Engineering so I am pretty busy with schoolwork. I tried adderall a few times in the past year and it really helps if you want to study nonstop for the whole day. The last time I tried it was a month ago, after I had already developed HPPD. It really helped me study but on the downside, my visual snow and afterimages increased pretty dramatically for the time when I was on it. I got HPPD 2 months ago. I only have a mild case of HPPD and I barely notice anything when I am not sleepy or tired. In fact, it seems like its even going down a little. I am thinking that since Adderall is a stimulant, it is kind of like the opposite of Benzos which will temporarily make your visuals worse. I am wondering if Adderall can have any permenant effects on HPPD. It seems that it might have even triggered my HPPD beacuse I first noticed symptoms a couple months ago when I was on adderall and studying all day. It might have been because I was tired but either way, I am staying away from caffine and adderall to be on the safe side. Has anyone had any experience with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 Adderall increases dopamine (thus your concentration). However long term it is a bit harsh on dopamine systems and doubles your risk of getting Parkinson's disease (though risk is low both ways). For some, dopamine is implicated in HPPD. In your case, since it made visuals worse, it would seem best to avoid. it seems like its even going down a little Do you mean HPPD is getting worse? It is very common to get worse over a few months. Since people can get over HPPD, then improve your chances by avoiding anything that can cause problems. Adderall can be very useful for people who need it. But in your case it sounds like "performance doping" - pushing yourself too hard. Sometimes things break when pushed too hard... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998 Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'll take concerta or ritalin around twice monthly so I'm not so drowsy from all my meds. It ups my anxiety, but at times I'll feel like my former self. My thought process will be clearer then before hppd. I def. don't want a rx for any stimulants cause drinking is too fun on them . 80% of the time I love them. But the other 20% it's nothing but panic attacks all day that benzo's can't even control! My heart will actually skip beats or beat off rythim. Come to think of it f///k those pills lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted July 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 I'll take concerta or ritalin around twice monthly so I'm not so drowsy from all my meds. It ups my anxiety, but at times I'll feel like my former self. My thought process will be clearer then before hppd. I def. don't want a rx for any stimulants cause drinking is too fun on them . 80% of the time I love them. But the other 20% it's nothing but panic attacks all day that benzo's can't even control! My heart will actually skip beats or beat off rythim. Come to think of it f///k those pills lol Does it affect your visuals? For some reason, I have no anxiety when I am on adderall of caffeine. So that's not a problem but my visual snow intensifies when I am on stimulants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted July 13, 2012 Report Share Posted July 13, 2012 snow intensifies when I am on stimulants Do you mean coffee as well as Adderall? I noticed that VS seems particularly sensitive to things - especially when mild. I have no anxiety when I am on adderall of caffeine That is great ... it might seem that lower amounts or a milder dopamine med might be good. However, since you are new to HPPD (2 months), best to just avoid all those things and see if you settle out [ IMO, Unless a person to totally crashing and non-functioning, people new to HPPD should wait it out and not use any drugs (prescription or otherwise) ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cs1234 Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 If it makes your visuals worse then stay away from it. When I snorted like 15 mg of ritalin I was calm and happy for like 90 minutes but then when I crashed I had a DPDR attack and was a bit shaken up for the next couple days. Needless to say I havn't touched any amphetamines since and I suggest you do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrade Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Listen, adderall/concerta/ritalin etc. will make your visuals worse but will probably help with cognition esp. if you have ADD. How much will it make the visuals worse? Well I am prescribed this kind of drug and have been taking it for much of my HPPD. It all depends on: the intensity of the HPPD, what drug caused the HPPD, how much you took, the other basic circumstances involving how you got HPPD (mind frame, lack of sleep, dehydration, drug frequency etc), and how much Ritalin/Adderall you take, etc. For instance, if you take 126 mg of Concerta, you might end up in the hospital with a panic attack and hallucinations. In large doses, Amphetamines can cause psychosis. Otherwise, at much, much lower doses, these drugs may cause headache, more visuals, little more anxiety perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 You don't need adderall and I think anything that effects your brain chemistry will hurt your recovery so don't use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrade Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 If you don't have ADD I wouldn't advise taking amphetamines; Nevertheless, if you do have it, than it may be necessary for you to be on the proper medication to complete your schooling and not be "f'ked up". When I had HP/flashbacks the first time, I had to get off my ADD meds for about 1.5 years and actually the doctors put me on some antipsychotics. Needless to say, those meds helped very little, and perhaps made some things worse. But I was completely unable to take ADD meds at that time. ADD meds are NOT at all good for hallucinations and prolonged drug-induced psychosis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1998 Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Ya these stimulants makes my visuals a little bit worse, but I don't care about visuals. I've been seeing crazy shit for 15yrs. you get used to it and they aren't painful, what really bothers me is the dp/dr and the tension in my body causing strange fibromyalgia like symptoms. Sam you're very lucky you don't even get anxiety from these stimulants. Hppd is the worse for those w/ extreme anxiety, I think you'll get much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmIly Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 Has anyone tried provigil? I think it's suppose to work differently then the usual add. Meds but still is a smart drug. It is usually used for narcolepsy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrade Posted July 14, 2012 Report Share Posted July 14, 2012 I'd stay away from that sht.......for HP, doesn't sound too beneficial .....then again what do i know. I guess if you are apneic or narcoleptic.....i'm pretty sure those aren't huge symtoms of HPPD.......Looks like it would work for ADD but some people say Wellbutrin works for ADD ....so hard to tell.......provigil seems to be esp. good for causing skin problems...........some of these prodrugs or smart drugs, i think, are metabolized in weird places like your lungs or something, i don;t know......they use the drug in the army for prolonged missions .......see what the doc says Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmIly Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I haven't heard that about skin problems that's strange. Provigil would in hppd's case be used for cognitive effects make you sharper that kinda think although that's not what it is approved for but it has that effect. Also it is a costly drug so for ins. To cover it your doc. Has to say it's for night shift change. (working nights) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrade Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Maybe if i start sorting boxes at Walmart, my blue-cross will pick up the tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VisualDude Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I haven't heard that about skin problems that's strange. Provigil would in hppd's case be used for cognitive effects make you sharper that kinda think although that's not what it is approved for but it has that effect. Also it is a costly drug so for ins. To cover it your doc. Has to say it's for night shift change. (working nights) Tried Nuvigil (which is supposed to be the 'active' part of Provigiil). Way too harsh for me. Agitating with no noticeable benefits ... visual, cognitive, or otherwise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmIly Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Good to know. One of my friends is starting it today he suffers from dp and is looking for something to pull him out as am I but my anxity over meds. Is pretty high so when I do take a med. I want to know everything about it. Even though i probably shouldn't know everything I'd do better:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conquer Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I used to take Ritalin before I had ghosting without issue. However, I made the mistake of taking it once after my symptoms had been steadily fading away. When I took it the ghosting was way, way worse. The next day it settled down some. However, whether duets school-related stress or something else, I still have some ghosting that's worse than before I took Ritalin. Again, it could be stress related or something, but be careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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