Adderall and Loss Of Appetite: What Users Say

• Ayl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 18, 2025

For ADHD "At a dose of only 10 mg, Adderall XR has not only given me motivation and focus I have never had before, but I am significantly less anxious and emotional. My mind is quieter, I do not feel like giving up as soon as I feel a sense of failure or rejection, and overall, I am a lot happier. When I first started taking Adderall, I did experience side effects of dry mouth and a loss of appetite, but these went away after a week. I can no longer drink anything with more caffeine than black tea on this medication, though, as I get heart palpitations and jitters when I do so. One major word of advice I have is do not expect medication to magically fix all of your ADHD symptoms. Adderall does not know what tasks are important or not. If it kicks in while you are watching YouTube, you will be stuck on YouTube for the next 5 hours. You must teach yourself time management skills and work on your discipline in order to reach your full potential on Adderall, or any ADHD medication."

• Mat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 3, 2016

For ADHD "ADD is NOT a made-up condition. I'm 26. Without Adderall/Vyvanse, I have no mental energy or focus to do anything. And it has been this way my entire life. School has gone from being an F and D student to being an A and B student. It has nothing to do with 'being lazy' and everything to do with having a real chemical imbalance in the brain. Anyways, I have been full-time for 2 years until 7 weeks ago. I convinced myself it wasn't working anymore and I didn't need it. Big mistake! I am ready to start up again next week. I can feel the old me coming back, the me I hated. If you truly have ADD/ADHD, this will change your life for the better. Some negatives are sleeping less, decreased appetite, and often weak erections on it (despite high libido)."

• ker...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 8, 2024

For ADHD "I got diagnosed with ADHD at 26, however, I showed signs of the condition my entire life. I was put on Adderall, and yes, my entire life changed because I had an answer. The medication is a love-hate relationship. The side effects include no appetite, dry mouth, upset stomach (upon first taking the medicine), and cold hands and feet. However, the benefits are life-changing. I can focus on work/school, daily chores aren't impossible, and my impulse control has improved significantly. I take 15 mg IR in the morning and 10 mg IR in the afternoon (previously have been on combos of IR and XR as well). This medication is life-changing for those who truly struggle with ADHD."

• bam...
• October 22, 2015

For ADHD "I've been taking Adderall for roughly two years now. I could honestly say it has helped me so much. Having A.D.D. my whole life, it completely made my life out of control. I only realized how much of my issues were connected to having A.D.D. until I took my medication, I cannot even explain. It's insane sometimes, it even got me emotional thinking about it because I would say to everyone around me, 'Is this how people without A.D.D. feel?' and think, 'Wow, I missed out on so much.' Luckily, I can say everything has changed. I graduated high school, found myself a job, totally different group of friends, even the way I interact and feel about myself has totally changed. I would have given it a 10/10, but my loss of appetite and inability to sleep sucks, but pros outweigh the cons."

• god...
• April 7, 2009

For ADHD "This drug has changed my life. It has allowed me to focus not only on my job but also on things at home that need attention. I feel smarter, I can think better and clearer. I find I tend to make lists and start checking things off the list as they are accomplished. I never start something and do not finish it as I did before. I look forward to it. I enjoy work more. I feel less stress and anxiety. I do not feel it is habit-forming. There have been times when I have forgotten to take it and I did not notice it. The only difference is, normally when I have taken the drug I don't have an appetite, and when I forget to take it I tend to eat a lot."

• ElR...
• March 14, 2012

For ADHD "I would like to say that Adderall really works. It helps me concentrate and get things done. My mind doesn't race, and I am able to focus. I do experience dry mouth and loss of appetite. I was experiencing a lot of headaches when I first started taking it, and they would be migraines starting from my temple to the pressure in my eye. I did a self-experiment before I completely stopped taking the medicine and began to drink two glasses of water: one before my pill, then wait 10 minutes and drink another glass of water with the pill. Throughout the day, I kept drinking water, and I have no more headaches. Drink water all day!"

• Spr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2017

For ADHD "This has helped me a lot, but I have a couple of tips. There are different brands that people will react differently to (I thought they would all act the same, but no). I had a bad reaction with the first generic brand I tried, tried a different generic brand, and had a better experience. So look into that because not everyone believes that there's such a difference between different brands, but to me there was. Second, I'm overweight and thought, 'Decreased appetite? Good!' but I would advise to still make sure you're eating frequently enough. Food has such an impact on brain functioning, so not eating for 6 hours because you didn't feel like it is a bad habit to start! Once I got those slight issues settled, this drug really helped. Just be smart."

• Anonymous
• July 23, 2009

For ADHD "I take Adderall for ADHD. Simply put, my GPA in college has literally doubled to 3.5. School is easy now. This medicine is like night and day. I'm glad it only lasts for a certain time, 6-8 hours. I have zero appetite on the medicine and lost 15 lbs in two weeks when I started these pills. Aggression is increased. Adderall is amazing. Listen to your doctor and do not take more than you are supposed to."

• Sha...
• August 10, 2016

For ADHD "My experience with Adderall: for one, it makes me poop like crazy. I'm super thirsty (dry mouth), and it KILLS my appetite. I don't eat for hours, and I didn't have a desire to. But while I was at work, I was on top of everything, as far as proofreading and catching errors. It does make you focus and more alert. I was multitasking, and the fact that I didn't feel overwhelmed was a plus."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2012

For ADHD "36-year-old female diagnosed with ADHD. Started on Concerta 30 mg daily (2 weeks), no therapeutic effect but had extreme dry mouth, a crash/grogginess in the evenings. Switched to Adderall XR 20 mg daily, no therapeutic effect; experienced dry mouth and slight loss of appetite during the day, made up for it in the evening. Just started 40 mg daily and I feel the therapeutic effect. Profound concentration at work, desire to tweak processes, love getting things done, a non-stop interest in being productive with everything. I have this sense of crystal-clear clarity of my surroundings, like HDTV sight. Around 5 pm, I still feel a crash and extreme tiredness. I will see if I can take a short-acting pill to get me through the evening. VERY PLEASED NOW."

• bad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 29, 2022

For ADHD "I was on Ritalin for a few months before switching. I’ve been on Adderall for 4 days now, and today I called my psychiatrist to tell her I will never take this drug again. Sandoz was the generic I took, and in under a week, I felt suicidal. I was eating less than 500 calories a day due to extreme appetite loss, and I can barely sleep more than 5 hours. I’m miserable. None of my ADHD symptoms were improved, I honestly feel like the drug never kicked in. I was taking 20 mg 2x a day, and nothing. I cannot wait to go back to Ritalin."

• Mil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 18, 2017

For ADHD "This medication is absolutely amazing for those who really suffer from ADHD. You will experience side effects such as loss of appetite, loss of sleep, hyperactivity, dry mouth, and dehydration, but they go away with time. There is a right dosage for everyone. Try to find your dosage and genetic brand that works for you, and with proper nutrition, it will change your life! I've suffered from ADHD since I was a child. I was never able to focus or finish tasks. I would do so much better in life, in every aspect of it, if I had discovered this medication earlier in life! But like a lot of people on here say, better late than never! I am now on 15 mg IR twice a day. Give it a try, just do it right!"

• Mat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 26, 2016

For ADHD "I am currently 18 years old, and I was diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression when I was 13 years old, and I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 14. I currently use Vyvanse for my ADHD, and it has improved my life so much. I went from always zoning out and failing classes to becoming a straight A student again, and I have been able to connect with my family so much more. I also use Prozac for my anxiety, and there does not seem to be any issues with my anxiety flaring up, however, there is a noticeable difference when I only use Prozac and not Vyvanse. I also have lost some appetite for eating, but I still eat enough to satisfy my body. Sleeping isn't a huge issue, as I usually take it around 6:00 AM each morning."

• Anonymous
• August 16, 2009

For ADHD "I'm a mid-20s female who should have been on ADD medicines years ago. This is the only one I've tried, so nothing to compare it to. Love Adderall because of the obvious side effects: take it in the morning and can get out of bed in 30 minutes without feeling the normal exhaustion I've felt my whole life the first few hours of the day, no appetite, so in the beginning, weight loss and now weight maintenance, and energy throughout the day (until it wears off), almost like an extreme diet pill. Even though I have energy to run around and could get stuff done, I seem to just run around aimlessly, not doing anything with a point. I snap and have a temper that I never used to have."

• coc...
• February 28, 2016

For ADHD "I started taking this when I was 17. I was struggling in school, barely passing my main subjects. Within 10 days of taking Adderall, I could tell it started to work. I could concentrate on listening to my teachers. My brain slowed down enough where I could do my homework. It all started to make sense. My self-esteem improved, with my grades improving to 85's and above within 6 months. Side effects have been loss of appetite, not needing to sleep as much. Unfortunately, I've had bright red blood in my stool this past month. It also happened about 6 months ago. I will be discussing this with my doctor."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 18, 2014

"I started Adderall at age 17. I've been taking it for about 3 years. I have slight to moderate ADD and chronic fatigue syndrome/narcolepsy. Adderall helped me be productive, get back to work and school, and maintain a social life. I often try to do too many things at once and get overwhelmed. The 'high' is great, you feel on top of the world. But the crash is horrible! If I miss a dose, I can't get out of bed that day. On normal days, I can function well until the dose wears off. The loss of appetite isn't good, and it takes a while to get it back. I lost 40 lbs in my first two months, which caused dizziness, fainting, agitation, and all that other great stuff that happens when you can't eat. I started off on 5 mg, then 10 mg, then 25 mg."

• Bac...
• January 16, 2010

For ADHD "I'm 25 years old, male, and I started taking Adderall for adult ADD 2 months ago. My physician and I decided to give it a shot because I was having a terrible time at work (4 years employed) doing the simple, but long-term tasks/projects that everybody else was doing on time/completed. Pros: productivity up 300%, more attention to detail, finishing tasks, major increase in focusing (easily!), major decrease in stress from cognitively/mentally draining myself in an attempt to 'stay focused,' more energy. Cons: severe initial 7-10 days side effects. Still experiencing severe dehydration, dry mouth, nausea, dead libido, moody, increase in tobacco smoking, loss of appetite. Fantastic benefits. Side effects are still mild, if anything."

• Mul...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 25, 2016

For ADHD "I was on Adderall XR 20 mg for about 6 months, and then developed hives. Could've been the bottle, could've been a delayed reaction (sulfa allergies). I don't know, but it was perfect until then. Decreased appetite, yes, but that's not negative as far as I'm concerned. Doc switched me to Vyvanse XR, and I can tell you that while you will focus, it's not as focused as when on Adderall (at least for me). Decreased appetite, but nothing like with Adderall. I've also been on Evekeo (10 mg) tablet. I've only tried that once, and while it will definitely stimulate you (closer to Adderall), I find there's really not hyper focus. Just a lot of movement and staying awake. If you haven't tried it yet, I would go with Adderall XR first."

• pea...
• December 8, 2009

For ADHD "I have taken Adderall for over a year and I have had great results. I take 20 mg twice a day. I stay on task and accomplish so much more in a day. Initially, I was shaky and jittery and not sure about Adderall, but it was stopped and I feel the full benefits of the drug. The only side effects I would tell someone about would be 1) dry mouth, 2) loss of appetite (good for me though), and 3) sometimes hard to get to sleep at night. These are trivial, given the amount of benefit I see from Adderall."

• Oli...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 2, 2021

For ADHD "This medication can make your life significantly better or completely ruin it. You have to be very self-aware when taking it. The main problem I have faced is the detrimental side effect of weight loss. I am currently on 20 mg pills, taking one twice a day. I am an 18-year-old girl who was around 115 lbs, and since I started taking Adderall, my weight has dropped to 90 lbs. I am also anemic and have really low iron as a result. I am currently struggling with my health and weight, and I am at my physical and emotional lowest I have ever been. Be warned that your appetite will be suppressed for a good amount of the day, so eating before you take it and after it wears off is crucial. Overall, maintaining a healthy and consistent meal plan every day is SO important when taking this medication. Please be safe and smart with it! It can be a very helpful drug if it’s used correctly."

• Rjo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2016

For ADHD "I have primarily inattentive ADHD and recently was diagnosed at 39 years old. I was on amphetamine salts IR 10 mg 2x a day as needed at first, which worked okay, but gave me some side effects I didn't appreciate, such as peeing so much it kept me awake at night. Also, it worked inconsistently per day and sometimes per hour. It gave me blurred vision. So I was switched to 20 mg amphetamine salts XR, which is much easier on my system. I don't have the urinary issues, and it works a bit more consistently, though I don't get the 'zeroed in' focus that I got with the IR, and I still get some blurred vision, but no issues that cause it. Also, with both, I have a mildly decreased appetite, which is fine since I'm overweight, and also a very dry mouth."

• jus...
• September 27, 2009

For ADHD "I'm 14 years old, and I've been on Adderall for 4 weeks now, and I've experienced some side effects. One of them would be loss of appetite, especially in the morning and around lunch. I've already gone from being 117 to 111. That's not natural, my friend has the same problem too. I prefer Adderall, though, because my doctor told me that Vyvanse lasts for 12 hours, and if you take it at 12 or 1 on the weekends, then you can't sleep till 12 or 1 in the morning. Adderall doesn't cause insomnia if you take it at 12 because it only lasts for 4-8 hours. Adderall really helps me pay attention in school, which is why I'm not failing out of my 'College Prep School.' Totally recommend Adderall 100%."

• pil...
• September 29, 2010

For ADHD "Adderall has changed my life. I have so much more energy, I'm more alert, and can stay focused on tasks a lot easier. However, I notice when it is starting to wear off, I get really moody. So, I make sure I'm not around people when that's the case. I was really worried about becoming dependent, so at least once or twice a week, I don't take it at all to make sure I'm not addicted. Another warning, don't take this after 1 p.m. You will be up all night. It sucks. Your body will be so tired, and you'll want to go to sleep, but your mind is just alert and wide awake! It really suppresses the appetite too, but the longer you take it, the less effect it has!"

• Kit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 21, 2016

For ADHD "I take the XR, and it allows me to focus throughout the day at work and in classes. I can actually sit down and complete a task, I can get something done (for once), and the only side effects I really experienced were a bit of dry mouth at first and some continued loss of appetite. Otherwise, completely effective. Unfortunately, my insurance company only covers the brand name. Otherwise, it would be much, much cheaper. It's the brunt of my monthly prescription costs."

• Nev...
• August 17, 2011

For ADHD "This medicine is amazing. I used to always be the last one to turn in tests in high school. Now I take one in the morning and, in about an hour, feel like I am my true self. With it, I can process information clearly, easily, and very efficiently. Now I have no problems with writing essays, answering in-depth questions, or second-guessing myself. I even found that I am a lot more confident with many things (ranging from presentations to girls). I also take much better care of myself throughout the day, except when it comes to eating, for I do experience the loss of appetite. To describe it, it is almost like an auto tune-up program, except for your brain! Adderall is absolutely great for me!"