ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a common neurodevelopmental disorder, may occur in children as well as adults. Anyone suffering from ADHD finds it difficult to focus or they may feel overly excited from time to time. Since millions of individuals have ADHD, its treatment becomes necessary. Several methods are used to treat this disorder along with many medicines. However, not all medicines are effective. Two medicines known to treat ADHD in the best way possible are Dexedrine and Adderall. In this blog, we will be discussing Dexedrine vs Adderall in detail.
One of the most popular methods to treat ADHD is to use an amphetamine. Amphetamines are stimulants or aphrodisiac drugs that stimulate the Central Nervous System (CNS) and provide positive results against ADHD. Adderall and Dexedrine are two commonly used Amphetamines. Now, for a better understanding, we will learn about these two drugs and compare them.
What are Dexedrine and Adderall?
What is Dexedrine?
It is a Schedule II Amphetamine drug that can be used to treat ADHD disorder is Dexedrine. This medication works as a cognitive and athletic performance enhancer on individuals. Dextroamphetamine is marketed under the brand name of Dexedrine. Dexedrine is also an FDA-approved medication.
Dexedrine is available in many forms such as oral capsules, tablets, Extended-Release solutions, etc. The generic forms of this ADHD drug are available in some variants with different dosage strengths. Children as well as adults may start relying on Dexedrine. So, it should be administered by doctors or healthcare professionals because they first thoroughly assess the ADHD symptoms before using it.
Adults and children start to feel more focused after taking this medicine. Also, the drug showed positive results when used by healthcare professionals on their patients. Dexedrine should not be used by individuals without their doctor’s prescription. Otherwise, the consequences may be serious. Individuals must visit doctors before taking this ADHD medicine.
What is Adderall?
Adderall is a Schedule II, Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved, amphetamine drug that is used by healthcare professionals for the treatment of ADHD symptoms. This medication drug is a mixture of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. Both these constituents act as CNS stimulants to alter brain chemicals responsible for controlling impulse behavior and hyperactivity.
Adderall is a prescription-only drug, hence, children or adults must be cautious and not take it on their own. Doctors and other healthcare professionals administer this Amphetamine drug to their patients after learning about their conditions. As per the medical studies, Adderall reduced or treated the symptoms of ADHD in 75 percent to 80 percent of children and adults.
The two available forms of this medication are oral tablets and XR oral capsules. The oral tablet is an Immediate-Release or IR form, while the XR oral capsule is the Extended-Release or ER form. Both these are the generic forms. Quite often, these variants are available in different dosage strengths and forms.
Uses of Adderall and Dexedrine:
In this section, we will cover the uses of Dexedrine and Adderall. Both these medications must be used under a doctor/healthcare professional’s recommendation.
Adderall & its uses:
- Adderall is a medication drug that is commonly used to treat the symptoms of ADHD in children and adults. Healthcare professionals choose the amount of dosage of Adderall based on the examinations carried out on their patients.
- It can be used for the treatment of Narcolepsy. Individuals suffering from Narcolepsy experience sleep paralysis and excessive sleep during the daytime. Adderall can help them stay alert by giving a boost to dopamine levels in their brain.
- This medication may be used to improve athletic performance in some individuals. However, it must be taken under the prescription of a doctor or health coach for athletes. Otherwise, the possible symptoms after using it may worsen.
- Adderall can be used as an appetite suppressant. Since Adderall dosage increases dopamine levels, appetite is suppressed. Moderate dosages of this medicine are generally recommended by healthcare experts. Otherwise, individuals may start experiencing weight loss, which is bad.
- It has the potential to act as a cognitive enhancer. Alertness and concentration levels can be increased after taking the prescribed dosage of Adderall. However, individuals must not make a habit of using it quite frequently or in a way not recommended by healthcare professionals.
Dexedrine & its uses:
- Doctors generally recommend the use of Dexedrine when offering an ADHD treatment to their patients. Children as well as adults start gaining more focus after taking the recommended dosages of this medication drug.
- The symptoms of Narcolepsy can be reduced or eliminated with the use of Dexedrine. Healthcare professionals administer this medicine for Narcolepsy patients after a complete examination. Individuals must take this medication in the prescribed dosage only.
- The use of Dexedrine is recommended for athletes who want to improve their performance since this medicine acts as a stimulant drug. It is advised to be taken for a short period of time and only under guidance due to the high risk of addiction.
- Dexedrine is a medicine that can be used to improve mood. Individuals are recommended to take the prescribed Dexedrine dosages if they want to minimize symptoms of depression. An overdose of this amphetamine drug can be harmful. So, individuals must be careful.
- Problem-solving skills may be improved with the help of Dexedrine because it is a cognitive-enhancing medicine. However, children and adults should not make a habit of using Dexedrine for a longer duration.
Difference Between Adderall and Dexedrine:
In this section, we will compare Adderall with Dexedrine and find differences between them.
- Constituents: In terms of composition, both these medication drugs differ. A combination of amphetamine salts (levoamphetamine and dextroamphetamine) makes Adderall, while Dexedrine is made up of dextroamphetamine.
- Effectiveness: Dexedrine is considered more effective than Adderall as a stimulant. This indicates that individuals may develop a habit of using Dexedrine rather than Adderall.
- Half-Life: The half-life or efficacy of Dexedrine and Adderall differ. Adderall can have a half-life of around 11 hours to 13 hours, while Dexedrine has a half-life of 12 hours approximately.
- Popularity: Dexedrine was brought into use years before Adderall and its dosage was common among military personnel who needed to go for vigilance missions. Adderall was not so much popular among military personnel.
- Attempt to Titrate: If anyone wants to titrate or ascertain the dosages either in small amounts or large amounts, he or she will find it easier to manage with Adderall than with Dexedrine.
- Investigation Uses: Both differ in terms of their investigation uses. Adderall has been used in patients suffering from stroke. On the contrary, Dexedrine has been used for the treatment of nasal congestion.
Side Effects of Adderall and Dexedrine:
Below are the side effects of Dexedrine and Adderall. Some side effects are common, while others are rare or serious. Let us now learn about them in this section.
Side Effects of Adderall:
- Pain in the urinary bladder
- Irregular heartbeats
- Irregular pulse
- Pain in the lower back
- Cloudy urine
- Blood in urine
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Difficult urination
- Painful urination
- Cough
- Chills
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Joint pain
- Headache
- Shivering
- Soar throat
- Runny nose
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Unusual tiredness
- Vomiting
- Double vision
- Dizziness
- Inability to speak
- Confusion
- Pain in chest
- Cramps in muscles
- Stiffness in muscles
- Irritated eyes
Side Effects of Dexedrine:
- Agitation
- Delusion
- Diarrhea
- Faintness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Headache
- Shaky arms and legs
- Pounding in ears
- Unusual sense of well-being
- Stomach pain
- Unusual tiredness
- Unusual weakness
- Twitching
- Unable to sleep
- Dark urine
- Loss of consciousness
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Fast breathing
- Dry mouth
- Change in taste
- Farting
Note that if these symptoms occur even during the dosage of Adderall or Dexedrine under a doctor’s prescription, they must be reported.
Summary:
Hence, we have learned about the two significant ADHD medicines, Adderall and Dexedrine, from this article. Both these medication drugs are prescription-only medication drugs. Doctors may or may not use them during the treatment of their patients. Decisions made by them will generally depend on a close examination.
Side effects may occur while using Adderall or Dexedrine. Individuals must report side effects that may develop when taking the dosage of either of these medicines. Otherwise, the health complications could become worse. Many more drugs are arriving on the market, however, Dexedrine and Adderall are common.
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Best ADHD Medication For Adults: The Perfect All-In-One Guide