r/ThisAintAdderall

I’ve been on 60 mg IR for 20 years. Just had an appointment with my psychiatrist and asked if I could switch to XR to see it that works better for me. She prescribed 40 xr and 20mg Ir. I haven’t had issues filling my script with 30mg tabs 2x a day in a long time.

Well, pharmacy had the 20mg tabs, but said they don’t know when they will have the 20mg capsules in stock. Oh yeah, I remember this is why I switched to the tabs again a few years ago.

It would be a huge help if we were allowed to go to another pharmacy and not have to call them, then bother my doctor to write a new script. At least we don’t need a new paper Rx every month, but why the hell cant electronic scripts be filled at any pharmacy in the same system? Especially during this shortage.

The meds don’t work like they used to anyway. Guess I’ll be without for now. How is this happening still.

I had issues with sandoz 6 months ago, Cvs had been able to give me a different manufacturer after that, until now. Sandoz keeps giving me headaches that ibuprofen cant take away, and im curios if it will go away?

With most other manufacturers, they just seem weak and ineffective or make me tired and depressed but I dont get the migraines and foggyness. If it settles down after some days, I will try and ride it out, dont wanna bother my doctor but im thinking about it. Tia

A few months ago I used to take my adderall and feel on top of the world, productive, talkative, could make conversation with anyone anytime. Now when I take it I feel like I start stuttering and can’t form sentences with awkward pauses and have to think about what I’m going to say next. Anyone else have this issue or know what the cause could be? Super bizarre

My psychiatrist said he won't be able to prescribe me adderall anymore unless my tox screen comes back positive for the Methamphetamine. I'm taking it everyday. I don't understand why it's coming back negative. Without the adderall I can't function. I don't know what to do. The same thing is happening with the klonopin it's not testing positive for benzodiazapines. This makes no sense to me. I'm really overwhelmed right now. I welcome any advice.

Hello all! I have been on Adderall IR (generic) for like 20 years, and like many of you, I noticed it's not working as well. I noticed the change after Covid, but then again about 6 months ago. In addition to it not working as well now, I gained about 20 pounds without changing anything. Mind you, I have been trying to gain for years, so this is a happy side effect for me...BUT to me, it adds to the suspicion that something changed with the meds. My question is, has anyone asked for the name brand Adderall? Do you think it will work better? I get the Teva brand 10mg tablets (bright blue oval, and can take up to 30 mg a day. I take breaks from my meds frequently & I've been on them so long, I doubt it's a tolerance issue. Thanks for reading 💙

Hi everyone! I’ve been following this sub for awhile due to the fact that I’m on 20mg, IR Teva’s and they haven’t worked for me since March. I’m 41/f and have been on and off Adderall since my early 20’s.

My question is, have any of you spoken to your doctors, or psychiatrists about your prescription not working? I mentioned something to my therapist last week and he said I’m probably not on a high enough dose and he hasn’t heard anything about Adderall not working for people. But, I’ve taken 40mg’s of my script before, to test it, and nothing happens! I have an appointment with my psychiatrist next week and want to bring it up to her. My only concern is that I’m in recovery. I’ve been sober for over 2 years off opioids (never abused add’s) and I’m worried she’ll think I’m drug seeking. Which I’m not! Idc what dose of Adderall I’m on, I JUST WANT IT TO FUCKING WORK! My whole life is a mess, my adhd is out of control! I just want to feel normal again! I can’t keep living like this.

Any advice on how to bring this up to her would greatly be appreciated!

The closest date, month/year that you remember taking your Adderall and saying, what is this? Why doesn't this work?

Been on these meds since I was a teen. Last few years have noticed a decline in efficacy like everyone else. TEVA, however, has mostly been ups and downs but somewhat manageable. The last 6 months it’s been the worst it’s ever been in my life. Some days I cannot even shower. ADHD is the worst it’s ever been. Literally cannot do basic tasks and the side effects are miserable. This month, however, the side effects are like scary bad. I’m almost wanting to stop completely because I’m worried about the safety of my health. Can barely formulate what I’m trying to say, nausea, joint pain, headaches, palpitations, can’t sleep or eat but can’t focus, depressed. Wired and tired. Depressed. Worthless. WTF happened this month?

Is anyone having a ok experience with another manufacturer? I’m too scared to keep going with TEVA at this point. It’s ruining my life.

Doc just switched my dosages around and when I saw the Cambridge XR got switched to Lannett XR I got a lil excited because I swear the last time I had Lannett (over 4 years ago), it was the good stuff. NOPE. How much could the same good manufacturer go to shit? Entirely apparently. HNGHHHHH. When is this going to end? Will there be lawsuits? Who can fix this for us?

I feel literally nothing except negative side effects in my legs - heavy feeling, painful fascia with mottling. Zero get up at go. I've been sitting around on my ass doing absolutely nothing all day since I filled this new script.

I've been prescribed adderall since 2014 and I sincerely miss that girl... I miss who I used to be from 2014-2020.

Sorry guys, I know this is long, but I’ve waited forever to say this and I wanted to put everything together in one place. Ironically it took me like three days to finish because I can’t fucking focus anymore since these meds stopped working.

I’ve been on stimulants since 2017. Please do NOT tell me tolerance, sleep, protein, hydration, stress, depression, “talk to your doctor,” etc. I know my body. This is different.

Before 2020, 20mg Adderall IR worked PERFECTLY. I was calm but energized, could focus for hours, could clean my apartment, barely had an appetite, and if I took it there was no way I was going back to sleep.
Now every manufacturer is different but somehow they’re all garbage.

Teva does literally NOTHING except make my heart pound, give me dry mouth, make me sweat, clench my jaw and keep me awake until 4am.

If there were actually amphetamine in it, wouldn’t I FEEL SOMETHING?

Lannett makes me so tired I can barely get off the couch but at the same time I feel physically restless. I’ve gained almost 30 pounds even though some days I barely eat. Sometimes I’m starving. Sometimes food sounds disgusting.

Mallinckrodt gives me what I call “skull fire.” It’s like my brain is freezing and burning at the same time. My hands get cold while I’m sweating. My left eye gets insanely dry but sometimes my right one waters.

And explain this: I can take pills from the SAME BOTTLE and Monday it knocks me out, Tuesday nothing happens, Wednesday I’m awake for 18 hours, Thursday I’m starving and Friday I can’t remember where I parked.
How is that normal unless the medication isn’t being mixed properly?

I have tested EVERYTHING.

Empty stomach, full stomach, high protein, no protein, before food, after food, alkaline water, regular water, no vitamin C, extra vitamin C, magnesium, electrolytes, different breakfasts.

Nothing makes it consistent.

And before anyone asks, I even went basically sober for 8 months except caffeine, nicotine, THC gummies occasionally, kratom sometimes for pain and obviously a few beers socially and wine at weddings. So substances are NOT the issue.

Sleep isn’t it either. I normally sleep 7–9 hours except when the Adderall makes me sleep 3–5 hours.
Another weird thing nobody talks about: screens hurt my eyes now.

I can barely look at my computer for two hours without my eyes burning. I started reading about PWM sensitivity from LED screens and apparently a lot of people are developing neurological symptoms from it.
Funny how my eyes NEVER burned from my MacBook in 2018 when Adderall still worked.

My hair texture has also changed. It’s not exactly falling out. It just feels different.

Even my dog sleeps farther away from me sometimes on days I take it. Dogs can smell chemical changes in people. I’m not saying that proves anything, but it’s weird.

Everything has also gotten insanely expensive since COVID. My apartment renewal went up $340. Obviously I’m not saying Adderall caused my rent increase lol, but my point is everything changed at the same time and pharmaceutical companies know people are too exhausted and financially trapped to fight them.

I stopped Adderall completely for six days recently and felt AMAZING.

I slept better. I dreamed again. My stomach worked normally. My headaches disappeared.

I still couldn’t focus, couldn’t get anything done and my ADHD was terrible, obviously.

But doesn’t that basically prove the pills were making me sick?

Then I tried 40mg one morning instead of 20 just to see whether the dosage was the problem.

NOTHING.

Except sweating, jaw clenching, heart racing and being awake basically all night.

If there were actually 40mg of amphetamine in those pills, you’re telling me I wouldn’t feel 40mg of amphetamine? Come on.

And please DO NOT tell me tolerance.

I KNOW MY BODY.

What really gets me is how many people here have the exact same story.

Mine started going downhill around 2020. Someone else here said 2022. Another person said their Adderall was amazing starting in 2022 and went bad in 2024. Someone else said Vyvanse worked until 2025.

We are literally all describing the same thing.

How many coincidences does it take?

My doctor says my bloodwork is normal, but regular bloodwork obviously isn’t testing for whatever is wrong with these pills.

FDA clearly doesn’t care anymore. I’ve seen warning letters about pharmaceutical plants overseas.

Somebody posted about contaminated medicine from India. There was also that story about contaminated medicine killing babies in Africa. I don’t remember the company or whether it was the same medication, but that’s kind of the point — how much of this stuff is happening that we DON’T hear about?

Maybe it’s the API.
Maybe fillers.
Maybe contaminants.
Maybe manufacturers changed suppliers.
Maybe COVID screwed up production permanently.
Maybe there’s some interaction with newer LED screens or something environmental nobody has studied yet.

I don’t know exactly what the mechanism is.

But I know one thing.
I KNOW MY BODY.
And whatever is in these pills now?
This ain’t Adderall. 

Has anyone had vascular issues with any of the bogus adderalls? I’m on Malikindot 30 mg tabs and lately my legs and arms have been turning purple from standing in place and my hearts been skipping a bit. I have an appointment with a cardiologist so I know this isn’t normal just wanted to see if anyone was having similar symptoms?
Been on these meds for 17 years and I just noticed these symptoms maybe the past 6-9 months so I can’t say it’s malikindot for sure

Edit: I lied. I have had heart racing for several years and have had raynauds forever but I just noticed my legs turning purple the past 6-9 months. Any of the negative side effects (besides the legs) I’ve noticed since 2021-22. I started going to the doctor complaining about “fatigue” in 2022 and started from the bottom and we’re STILL here.

I just dont understand. Why is everything such fucking trash? My head feels thick like I'm hung over or something. Why dont the meds work anymore? I dont even know if it is worth it to try and jump through all the hoops to even get the meds. Like this shouldn't be happening, this subreddit shouldn't even exist. We are all just stuck in a world where we can't function, and there is nothing we can do about it. I have to keep productivity up, but I can't even get out of bed. Im on the verge of tears. I'm at such a loss. There is no help and we all just have to suffer.

I’ve taken this shit for 10 years now and ever since 2020ish it’s been complete garbage. I’ve taken xr and ir, everything from lanett to mal to teva to ame to auro to name brand. It is so bad they either will not work or it gives you the absolute worst headaches and a weighed down body feel. It’s insane.

Anyone out there that is prescribed name brand Adderall that has noticed a decrease in effectiveness?

I’ve been prescribed Adderall on and off for many years and I’ve noticed in the last couple years, it slowly has stopped working. I’m currently prescribed 30mg Adderall XR (name brand, not generic) and it does so little, some days I’m not even sure that I’ve taken it. I took 2 by accident the other day and saw no improvement in my focus, let alone my energy and motivation.

Any feedback or insight anyone has would be appreciated. Thanks!

Probably explains what is going on with our meds... FDA isn't looking into anything going on, these API manufacturers are probably using cockroach piss to synthesize amphetamine.

Got teva this month due to pharmacy issues...and my god it's fucking BAD. Worse than elite...and elite is the fucking WORST. Terrible nausea, migraine, sleepiness, brain fog, nonstop bedrotting....I feel weird as fuck...like I snorted bathsalts, nyquil, and Xanax at the same time. (I've actually never snorted these things so I don't know just guessing lol)

I've been glued to my bed for several days in some sort of stupor...I tried doubling the dose and all it did was give me a brief 20 min window to get out of bed brush my teeth and write this post (after getting back in bed). I tried lowering the dose and felt the same minus the 20 min window. Heartburn, low depressed mood and constipation? Wtaf?? Adderall used to make me go 5 times a day and never caused any of these side effects.

Told my doc and I guess I'm going to try mydaysis? FML I'm so over this WHY JUST WHY

(Ty for letting me vent)