Question: Hello,

I've been taking Adderall for a total of almost 5 years. (I started 6 years ago but quit while I was trying to conceive, pregnant & breast feeding.) I take it due to extreme daytime tiredness caused by severe sleep apnea. When I don't take it, I can literally sleep all day and feel no more rested than before. I can't even keep my eyes open whether I'd slept 8, 9, 10 hours the night before. It is completely debilitating, embarrassing & life altering. I didn't abuse it at first but I began taking more than prescribed after a while when it didn't seem to work the same so I took an extra pill sometimes. As you can probably guess, it led to me eventually taking so much that my Rx would run out a week, sometimes 2 weeks, early. The worst time I had, I was taking 200-220 mg of IR a day and that lasted several months. On average, I take between 80 and 120 mg of IR or 90 mg to 120 mg or ER per day. I have 2 prescriptions, 20 mg of IR 3x/day & 30 mg ER 2x/day. I finish all or just about all of them each month.

The first time I had a problem was during the first 2 or so years. It was summer and I took a large dose. I felt overheated and my veins, which have always been almost invisible, we're showing through my skin- my upper chest, legs, breasts & arms were covered with large, prominent veins. I was terrified & went o te doctor, who told me that he'd never heard of someone's veins becoming visible overnight and suggested several things that I knew weren't the case- temperature changes, etc. & seemed to think I was a hypochondriac. The veins are still just as prominent 4 years later. Is Adderall damaging people's bodies often? I never hear bout it even though it seems like everyone I know has a prescription. I'm concerned about long-term consequences.

The past year or so, I have weakness in my arms & sometimes legs when I take Adderall & the veins on my inner arms near the fold where the elbow bends ends will become very visible & sometimes sore to the touch. I also have trouble with my hands falling asleep a lot, which never used to happen to me. This happened last night and really scared me. One vein looked thinner and very dark purple and, when I woke up this morning, I noticed an irregular oval-like circle of skin on my arm seemed so be raised. When I press on it, it's firm while the same place on my left arm is fleshy (as in, I pinch skin & it's not at all firm. The fingers on that hand are asleep right now and were earlier but briefly stopped. Could I have done serious damage to my body? My medical knowledge is extremely limited so this may sound silly, but could it be a blood clot or an abscess of some kind? I understand that you will have to recommend that I see a doctor, which I am going to do, but please tell me if you think the likelihood of the doctor telling me this is serious is. Also, what do you think is happening to me and o you think I could have more damage in the future if I continue taking the dose I am now/If I only take th recommended dose & only have one Rx?

I feel like I can't live without Adderall because its the only reason I can sty awake. I've tried Provigil, which kept me up for almost 3 days after one dose and is very expensive. Are there other options?

Thank you & Merry Christmas,
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