Live data from Hacker News

Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

bloomberg.com

141–150 of 282 posts

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#141
post #83
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's other ways to realign incentives. A buy back program would do a lot honestly to restrict the supply. A lot of people who got them for legit purposes would still end up with a ton leftover when they would get their next prescription. If they were able to get more money returning them to the pharmacy or counting them towards their next prescription than selling them to other students, that's what they would do.

If we're still talking about ADHD medications then... I have no idea where you're coming from. ADHD medications are very tightly controlled - if you accidentally double dose a few times and need an early fill you're going to get grilled (or even denied) by the pharmacist. There is a small margin for error but for the most part people using ADHD medications get precisely what they need to get to the next drug refill a…

> if you accidentally double dose a few times and need an early fill you're going to get grilled (or even denied) by the pharmacist

That's not a thing. Nobody is getting grilled coming in early for their stimulant medications. They just say "come back in a couple days" and "have a nice day." I've filled multiple stimulant meds in a period of 2 weeks from the same doc and same pharmacist. Neither care (I dumped out a drug that had side effects so I needed something else).

If people double up, after they run out they just don't have pills for a few days until they get another fill.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps for non-ADHD people. There's a common meme on ADHD channels about forgetting to take it and how hard it is to remember to take it daily. Some days you just don't want to take it and straightjacket your brain. For me getting off a regular dosage just caused a bit of extra sleepiness for a week or two. I drank like 2 redbulls a day for a bit. There is a bit of addictiveness because its nice to be able to functi…

>Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy. SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all. As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot of our ADHD peers struggle with stimulants. >Perhaps for non-ADHD people. I've been diagnosed with ADHD twice (childhood and adult) and I can say from…

> SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all.

And thats BS. It's completely physically and psychologically addictive for many people with severe withdrawal symptoms. If they're not considered addictive then thats an issue with the DSM and inconsistent metrics used by medical fields.

> As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot of our ADHD peers struggle with stimulants.

I'm sure many do struggle with abusing stimulants. They're not silver bullets, and do need appropriate care and monitoring by a medical professional. Especially when starting a new treatment.

However, I find that link is also full of things like "Bob was addicted to Adderal, and took 30mg everyday for 8 years". To me thats sounds like a successful therapeutic treatment without other supporting info like "Bob would use his monthly supply in a week". Few would consider "Bob took a normal dosage of an SSRI for 8 years" as an addiction.

> That's a myth. Take a double dose of your prescription and report back whether you feel it (sort of kidding, it's a dangerous path).

To clarify, I'm sure some do get a mild high. Many don't. Maybe I'd get one on a higher dose, but I've got no desire to do so as I get much more enjoyment over just feeling awake and being able to focus. Though I definitely get a "mild high" if I accidentally take an extra dose of my SSRI.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#143
post #89
post #52

I need adderall to function but on my last refill the pharmacy was out and when I asked when they’ll get more the tech said “maybe next year?”. I got my doc to switch me to vyvanse which is 3x the price even with good insurance since it’s still brand only. I don’t like vyvanse compared to plain generic adderall but I’ll take what I can get. Seems like they’d make dispensing it harder rather than just cut off the supp…

Vyvanse is AKA lisdexamphetamine which is a slow release form of dexamphetamine AKA dexadrine. The Astral Codex guy says patients prefer dexadrine and patient reports suggest it lacks some of the body affects. All to say maybe try the cheaper dexadrine twice a day.

Dexedrine is also facing supply issues. Really all stimulants are but it seems to affect IR medications (and XR adderall) the most, likely because adderall IR was the first be impacted and then patients switched to other IR medications or the XR version.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stimulant addiction is certainly real, but addiction recovery groups are obviously going to self-select for people that have/had a problem. The reality is that there are millions of people who take ADHD medicine at therapeutic doses (which should _not_ induce a high, FWIW) for years without developing an addiction or needing dose increases. Knowing the potential risks of stimulants is good, but unduly scaring people…

>Stimulant addiction is certainly real, but addiction recovery groups are obviously going to self-select for people that have/had a problem. Please re-read how I presented that link carefully. I've encountered several people here claiming that stimulants don't get you high and that they aren't addictive. The point of sending them to that sub was to demonstrate that others have a different experience. I'm not making a…

> I've encountered several people here claiming that stimulants don't get you high and that they aren't addictive.

Just because stimulants _can_ get you high and be addictive doesn't mean they will when taken appropriately. The only time I felt any kind of high from my ADHD medicine was the first day I took it. And I quite easily skip taking it on weekends, with the only side effect being that I browse the internet all day and struggle to do anything productive.

To be honest, I don't actually like being on stimulants. Methylphenidate made me feel like I was constantly in low-grade fight-or-flight mode and dextroamphetamine (which I'm on now) gives me mild emotional blunting. Plus both cause slight dry mouth, appetite suppression that I have to forcibly eat through, and insomnia if I take them too late in the day. Not to mention the fundamental hassle of taking pills every day within narrow bands of time, something I regularly procrastinate and/or forget. (Also, I have tried taking higher/double doses as you suggested earlier when I was figuring out my optimal dose. They just made me feel jittery and on edge - not exactly pleasant.)

If I had no ambitions or responsibilities, I would be more than happy to throw my medicine away and sit around on my computer all day every day. Unfortunately, I do have ambitions and responsibilities and medication helps mitigate my crippling, career-threatening inability to get things done. So I'll take that tradeoff.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#145

I currently have to drive 45-60 minutes one way to get to a pharmacy in a small town to get my adderall filled. I’m in downtown Seattle and it’s the closest option. I assume my pharmacy only has it because it’s mostly an older retirement community and they likely don’t have many adderall users. It’s massively fucking annoying to take nearly three hours out of my day to pick up my meds. And it’s massively fucking anno…

I have a friend in the Seattle area who has been trying to find it even within an hours drive. Do you mind sharing where you found inventory?

You can get more exotic prescription stims still from most places. E.g. Mydayis (adderall xr with three instead of two sets of granules), Azstarys (methylphenidate and a prodrug methylphenidate), and Adzenys (different type of slow release adderall). If they call any Bartells they will tell them what they have in stock. Have them do that before contacting the doc, then have them tell the doc what is available.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#146
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve struggled with weight and ADHD. Adderall is an appetite suppressant, but that doesn’t always translate to weight loss. I’ve forgotten to eat for an entire day, but made up for it (and then some) the next.

Yeah, when I was on dextroamp, it would completely eliminate my appetite. I'd have to eat breakfast before taking it, and at about 8-10pm when it wore off, I was STARVING, and would eat everything in the fridge. At actual dinner time, I would stare at a delicious plate of food and not even feel like touching it despite not having eaten since 7am.

Yep

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#147
Good. I understand that this makes life harder for people with actual ADHD, but it's clear now that abuse of Adderall, Vyvance, and other amphetamines as cognitive performance enhancer is rampant, and not just in software, but in academia, and other parts of society. No one should have to compete with these crypto methheads for jobs or PhD slots.

Look at what StackOverflow posted not long ago: https://stackoverflow.blog/2023/02/19/developer-with-adhd-yo...

ADHD is supposed to be a disability, yet the post suggests it makes you a better programmer! Of course, if ADHD requires symptom-blunting medication, then is the post arguing that only un- or partially-medicated ADHD patients make better programmers? Or that fully-medicated ADHD patients, with some residual ADHD symptoms, make better programmers? Please. The post reads like amphetamine abusers trying to convince each other (and potential employers) that they're the best at what they do, despite not being able to do it without drugs.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#148
post #52

I need adderall to function but on my last refill the pharmacy was out and when I asked when they’ll get more the tech said “maybe next year?”. I got my doc to switch me to vyvanse which is 3x the price even with good insurance since it’s still brand only. I don’t like vyvanse compared to plain generic adderall but I’ll take what I can get. Seems like they’d make dispensing it harder rather than just cut off the supp…

Personally, while I don't take either now, I could never go back on Vyvanse due to the severe appetite suppression I experienced on that medication which I did not have with Adderall. These medications are not completely interchangeable.

Completely agree, for me Vyvanse lasts longer than two-dose adderall IR and XR, which affects my sleep and appetite a lot. Basically the release is more spread out, so it’s less effective when its at its peak, even though the actual metabolized d-amp is higher than I was at formerly with IR. It’s also a lot more expensive for me. I hate it, but it’s all I can get.

The wonderful medical experts at the DEA have my gratitude for coming up with such an excellent solution to the scourge of telehealth. I’m sure they did a thorough analysis weighing disrupting/ending millions of stable ADHD patients’ treatment against the possibility of someone getting medication they might not need.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Its nothing nearly as addictive or habit forming as SSRI's that are given out like candy. SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all. As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot of our ADHD peers struggle with stimulants. >Perhaps for non-ADHD people. I've been diagnosed with ADHD twice (childhood and adult) and I can say from…

> SSRIs aren't considered addictive at all. And thats BS. It's completely physically and psychologically addictive for many people with severe withdrawal symptoms. If they're not considered addictive then thats an issue with the DSM and inconsistent metrics used by medical fields. > As I mentioned to someone else, please take an earnest visit to https://www.reddit.com/r/StopSpeeding/ and consider the idea that a lot…

I disagree with you about the SSRIs based on my (basic) research in general, but given you said it has that effect on you personally I accept that as a data point.

>However, I find that link is also full of things like "Bob was addicted to Adderal, and took 30mg everyday for 8 years". To me thats sounds like a successful therapeutic treatment without other supporting info like "Bob would use his monthly supply in a week". Few would consider "Bob took a normal dosage of an SSRI for 8 years" as an addiction.

Of course there are a mix of experiences described there. If someone decides they have a problem with a drug and are struggling to stop, can we decide if it's not true? I doubt it. I don't think people are LARPing as stim addicts, but also I'm sure there are some people who struggle more than others.

>To clarify, I'm sure some do get a mild high. Many don't. Maybe I'd get one on a higher dose, but I've got no desire to do so as I get much more enjoyment over just feeling awake and being able to focus. Though I definitely get a "mild high" if I accidentally take an extra dose of my SSRI.

I'm glad you are able to keep them in a healthy place in your life. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Re: Xanax and Adderall Access Is Being Blocked by Secret Drug Limits

#150

Good. I understand that this makes life harder for people with actual ADHD, but it's clear now that abuse of Adderall, Vyvance, and other amphetamines as cognitive performance enhancer is rampant, and not just in software, but in academia, and other parts of society. No one should have to compete with these crypto methheads for jobs or PhD slots. Look at what StackOverflow posted not long ago: https://stackoverflow.b…

[flagged]
Post reply on HN