Generally, stimulants are prescribed for treatment of ADHD. Common names include Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse etc. Non-stimulant medications including Strattera and Guanfacine can also be used sometimes.
Stimulants are controlled medications and are heavily regulated.
Please keep these medications at a safe place, away from children and do not share it with others (friends, classmates).
Regulations require that a physician must see you every 3 months to prescribe these medications.
An appointment is always required to change the dose of any controlled medications.
Prescriptions cannot be written for more than 30 days supply. We are not allowed to write refills on it. However, we can send separate prescriptions to the pharmacy, for 2 additional months, totaling a 3 months supply. As these are not refills, they do not show up on the pharmacy apps or websites. You must call the pharmacy every month and speak to a live staff to fill the medication. You need to inform them that three months supply has been sent and to look for the additional prescriptions in their system.
Please note that the pharmacies are overwhelmed, especially with controlled medications and the associated regulations. So some understanding and patience will take you a long way.
We will not honor any request for earlier refills. Repeated calls for such requests will lead to treatment termination.
It is preferable to carry these medications in the prescription bottles when traveling. If someone gets pulled over by a cop or gets questioned at a security check at airport, then they would like to know that the medication was prescribed in a legitimate manner.
It is preferable to take a day off from these medications, so that one does not develop tolerance and loose its effectiveness. Just one day off per week is enough. It can be any day of your choice, when you don't take this medication.
Side effects are similar to taking excessive caffeine at a go. Common side effects may include irritability, anxiety, insomnia, headaches, decreased appetite and weight loss.
Immediate release medications can be taken twice a day- once in the morning before starting school/work and second dose in the afternoon preferably by about 1-2pm. Do not take these medications past 4 PM because it can keep you awake at nights. Long acting preparations are taken once a day in the morning. They are generally prescribed to children and adolescents, so that they do not have to worry about taking the afternoon dose in the school.