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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Anxious, Difficulty In Focussing. Diagnosed With Adult ADD. Hair Loss After Taking Adderall. Any Other Medication?

Hi I have been diagnosed with adult ADD and have been on Adderall XR 10mg for the last 8 months. I stopped taking it two days ago and am waiting for my doctor to call with a new script - probably Vyvanse. I stopped taking it because It has caused lots of hair loss. My hair is thinner, more coarse and dry. I am very anxious because my thoughts are all over the place and hard to focus and cannot perform one task without starting 10 others. Any advice as to what to take other than Adderall xr and NOT have the hair loss?
Tue, 13 Aug 2013
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Hello,

thanks for posting,

Well adderall xr (dextroamphetamine/amphetamine) is a psychostimulant and remains the best first line treatment of ADD but it seems that unfortunately you are suffering from alopecia/hair loss which is considered as a serious side effect when taking adderall. Another first line treatment is methylphenidate (e.g Ritalin, Metadate CD, Methylin ER etc) or dexmethylphenidate (focalin XR) which is another stimulant used for treatment of ADD. Doses should be started low and increased gradually until maximum beneficial effect and dosage acquired. Methylphenidate does not cause alopecia but can also present with other undesirable side effects. Vyvanse (generic name: lisdexamfetamine) is a prodrug of dextroamphetamine and could also be used for treatment of ADD but according to the manufacturers no side effect is identified as hair loss so might be used safely as an alternative.

Hope this helps
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Addiction Medicine Specialist Dr. Preeti Parakh's  Response
Hi,

If you had hair loss with Adderall, it is quite likely that you'll have hair loss with Vyvanse as well, as both are amphetamines. There are other medications available for ADD like bupropion and atomoxetine which are safer and also are easier to quit, than the amphetamine based medicines.

Best wishes!
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Anxious, Difficulty In Focussing. Diagnosed With Adult ADD. Hair Loss After Taking Adderall. Any Other Medication?

Hello, thanks for posting, Well adderall xr (dextroamphetamine/amphetamine) is a psychostimulant and remains the best first line treatment of ADD but it seems that unfortunately you are suffering from alopecia/hair loss which is considered as a serious side effect when taking adderall. Another first line treatment is methylphenidate (e.g Ritalin, Metadate CD, Methylin ER etc) or dexmethylphenidate (focalin XR) which is another stimulant used for treatment of ADD. Doses should be started low and increased gradually until maximum beneficial effect and dosage acquired. Methylphenidate does not cause alopecia but can also present with other undesirable side effects. Vyvanse (generic name: lisdexamfetamine) is a prodrug of dextroamphetamine and could also be used for treatment of ADD but according to the manufacturers no side effect is identified as hair loss so might be used safely as an alternative. Hope this helps