Author: Charles Frank

Reducing harm from injecting pharmaceutical tablet or capsule material by injecting drug users

While its therapeutic potential is undisputed when used responsibly, Adderall has also become a subject of abuse, leading to serious health implications, particularly when injected intravenously. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Feb 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others. Opening the capsule and sprinkling the contents on applesauce results in comparable absorption to the intact capsule taken in the fasted state. Administration of stimulants may exacerbate symptoms of behavior disturbance and thought disorder in patients with pre-existing psychotic disorder.

1. Abuse is the intentional non-therapeutic use of a drug, even once, to achieve a desired psychological or physiological effect.
2. Amphetamines and amphetamine derivatives are known to be metabolized, to some degree, by cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) and display minor inhibition of CYP2D6 metabolism [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
3. Misuse and abuse of amphetamine may cause increased heart rate, respiratory rate, or blood pressure; sweating; dilated pupils; hyperactivity; restlessness; insomnia; decreased appetite; loss of coordination; tremors; flushed skin; vomiting; and/or abdominal pain.
4. In recognizing the courage it takes to confront addiction, we encourage you to take that pivotal first step toward regaining control of your life.
5. Upon dose normalization on a mg/kg basis, children showed 30% less systemic exposure compared to adults.

Norephedrine and 4-hydroxy-amphetamine are both active and each is subsequently oxidized to form 4-hydroxy-norephedrine. Alpha-hydroxy-amphetamine undergoes deamination to form phenylacetone, which ultimately forms benzoic acid and its glucuronide and the glycine conjugate hippuric acid. Although the enzymes involved in amphetamine metabolism have not been clearly defined, CYP2D6 is known to be involved with formation of 4-hydroxy-amphetamine. Since CYP2D6 is genetically polymorphic, population variations in amphetamine metabolism are a possibility.

Overdose on Adderall or Other Rx Stimulants

Alkaline urine pHs result in less ionization and reduced renal elimination, and acidic pHs and high flow rates result in increased renal elimination with clearances greater than glomerular filtration rates, indicating the involvement of active secretion. Urinary recovery of amphetamine has been reported to range from 1 to 75%, depending on urinary pH, with the remaining fraction of the dose hepatically metabolized. Consequently, both hepatic and renal dysfunction have the potential to inhibit the elimination of amphetamine and result in prolonged exposures. When Adderall is injected, it bypasses the body’s natural filtration systems and delivers a concentrated dose of the drug straight to the heart. This can cause an abrupt increase in heart rate and blood pressure, a shock to the cardiac system often described as the heart ‘racing’.

Injecting Adderall delivers a powerful stimulant directly into the bloodstream, causing an intense and rapid onset of effects. This surge can easily overwhelm the body’s systems, leading to toxic levels of the drug in the body, commonly known as an overdose. Hepatitis B and C, along with HIV, are the most notorious bloodborne pathogens that can be transmitted via shared needles. The risk of transmission is not just a matter of probability; it’s a grim certainty if these needles have been used by an infected person.

In recognizing the courage it takes to confront addiction, we encourage you to take that pivotal first step toward regaining control of your life. Utilize our comprehensive self-assessment tool, crafted to help you understand the level of care that’s most appropriate for your unique situation. Postponing the search for help only prolongs the struggle—reach out now to seize the support that you rightfully deserve. Addiction to Adderall, particularly when it involves intravenous (IV) use, is not simply a habit—it’s a physiological and psychological compulsion that chains an individual to a relentless cycle of seeking and using the substance. This compulsion persists despite the negative consequences it brings upon one’s health, relationships, and life. IV drug use often occurs under less-than-sterile conditions, exacerbating these risks.

Shannon Weir, RN is the Chief Nursing Officer at Gallus Medical Detox Centers. She has been a Registered Nurse for 30 years, Shannon’s experience ranges from critical care to flight nursing, medical detox, sexual assault exams, and SWAT nursing. Shannon has been with Gallus Medical Detox Centers since 2010 and is a vital part of our organization.

9 Motor and Verbal Tics, and Worsening of Tourette’s Syndrome

CNS stimulants, at the recommended dosage, may cause psychotic or manic symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusional thinking, or mania) in patients without a prior history of psychotic illness or mania. In a pooled analysis of multiple short-term, placebo-controlled studies of CNS stimulants, psychotic or manic symptoms occurred in approximately 0.1% of CNS stimulant-treated patients compared to 0% of placebo-treated patients. Advise patients to contact their healthcare provider or report to the emergency room if they experience signs or symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

Substance abuse, particularly involving Adderall, can have life-threatening consequences. High doses can dangerously elevate blood pressure and lead to severe Adderall withdrawal symptoms once the drug’s effects wear off. The mean elimination half-life for d-amphetamine is 10 hours in adults; 11 hours in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years and weighing less than or equal to 75 kg/165 lbs; and 9 hours in children aged 6 to 12 years. For the l-amphetamine, the mean elimination half-life in adults is 13 hours; 13 to 14 hours in adolescents; and 11 hours in children aged 6 to 12 years.

ADDERALL XR has a high potential for abuse and misuse, which can lead to the development of a substance use disorder, including addiction. Based on limited case reports in published literature, amphetamine (d- or d, l-) is present in human milk, at relative infant doses of 2 to 13.8% of the maternal weight-adjusted dosage and a milk/plasma ratio ranging between 1.9 and 7.5. Long-term neurodevelopmental effects on infants from amphetamine exposure are unknown.

Adderall Addiction? Help Is Available

” Although it is possible, there are also potential effects and dangers with this process. Holistic therapies, chef-prepared meals, and LGBTQ+ support are among the many features of our premier drug and alcohol treatment program. Taking Adderall in any way other than how it is prescribed is a very risky thing to do. It can not only produce more intense side effects but in high doses may induce aggressive or violent behavior as well as intense anxiety, paranoia, and psychotic episodes. Beyond the physical aspects, medically supervised detox offers a structured environment that can protect individuals from the immediate potential of relapse. Without access to Adderall, the temptation and ability to use it are removed, allowing individuals to focus solely on their recovery.

Agents that alter urinary pH can impact excretion and alter blood levels of amphetamines. Acidifying agents (e.g., ascorbic acid) decrease blood levels; adjust ADDERALL XR dosage based on clinical response [see Drug Interactions (7)]. Stimulants are often called “uppers” because they are effective at keeping people energetic and awake. These effects are appealing and lead many people who don’t have a medical need for these drugs to abuse them.

Binders and fillers meant for oral ingestion are not meant to circulate through veins. Such contaminants can wreak havoc, leading to vein damage and potentially fatal infections. Moreover, non-sterile injection practices raise the specter of diseases like abscesses and other skin infections. While the intent might be to intensify the drug’s effects, dissolving Adderall in liquid and injecting it catapults users into a risky arena.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during postapproval use of amphetamine, ADDERALL XR, or Adderall. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Adverse reactions reported in a 3 week clinical trial of children and a 4 week clinical trial in adolescents and adults, respectively, treated with ADDERALL XR or placebo are presented in the tables below. Adverse reactions during exposure were obtained primarily by general inquiry and recorded by clinical investigators using terminology of their own choosing. Consequently, it is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals experiencing adverse reactions without first grouping similar types of reactions into a smaller number of standardized event categories. In the tables and listings that follow, COSTART terminology has been used to classify reported adverse reactions.

Discontinue treatment with ADDERALL XR and any concomitant serotonergic agents immediately if symptoms of serotonin syndrome occur, and initiate supportive symptomatic treatment. Concomitant use of ADDERALL XR with other serotonergic drugs or CYP2D6 inhibitors should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk. If clinically warranted, consider initiating ADDERALL XR with lower doses, monitoring patients for the emergence of serotonin syndrome during drug initiation or titration, and informing patients of the increased risk for serotonin syndrome. With normal urine pHs, approximately half of an administered dose of amphetamine is recoverable in urine as derivatives of alpha-hydroxy-amphetamine and approximately another 30 to 40% of the dose is recoverable in urine as amphetamine itself. Since amphetamine has a pKa of 9.9, urinary recovery of amphetamine is highly dependent on pH and urine flow rates.

Even a needle that looks clean can harbor microscopic pathogens capable of causing catastrophic infections. Shared needles can also transmit fungal infections and other microbial invaders not commonly seen in the general population. A-Clinics offer, among other things, outpatient clinic services, substitution treatment and detoxification. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Amphetamine is reported to be oxidized at the 4 position of the benzene ring to form 4-hydroxyamphetamine, or on the side chain α or β carbons to form alpha-hydroxy-amphetamine or norephedrine, respectively.