Early last year, my doctor asked if I had ever been tested for Attention Deficit Disorder. I said no, took the test and found out I had it. At first I was glad. On Adderall, I was noticeably more productive in all aspects of life. I did great at work, my grades went up and I was able to take on more responsibilities than I knew I was capable of.
As most people who are prescribed ADD medication, I started at a low dosage and increased it as my body adjusted. It wasn’t until I was taking 30 mg extended-release capsules daily that the side effects started to bother me.
According to WebMD, the side effects include loss of appetite, weight loss, dry mouth, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, fever, nervousness and trouble sleeping. They also mention numbness, sensitivity to temperature, mood swings, depression and decreased libido.
Situations that would typically make me a little nervous started to make me so nervous to the point where my heart was pounding, I was shaking and I sometimes felt like puking. I experienced random angry outbursts, numbness in my toes and insomnia — none of which were a problem before I took Adderall.
But the worst part was feeling like my brain had become dependent on it. Whenever I didn’t take it, I felt out of it. I could hardly get out of bed. I was completely unmotivated. I would walk into a room and forget why I was there. I would try to have a conversation with someone and forget what I was talking about. I had the attention span of a goldfish. I felt like my ADD got worse because my brain forgot how to function without Adderall. It was not a good feeling.
So I started to wean myself off it. I started taking half of my regular dosage each day, and about a week ago, stopped taking it completely. I’m still adjusting in terms of my ability to focus on schoolwork, but can already see improvement in everything else. I went to an herbalist in downtown Eugene and asked her about the natural alternatives to Adderall and found out, there are quite a bit.
Dana LaVoie, LAc, the owner of Balance Beauty and Health at 1293 Lincoln St. in Eugene, has a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, as well as nine years of experience in the field. She sells a variety of herbs, essential oils and acupuncture services, which she said can immensely improve the symptoms of ADD and even replace your medication.
One herbal blend she suggests is called Calm (Jr.) It works to improve memory and learning, eliminates toxins in the body, balances the central nervous system, regulates the endocrine system and tranquilizes the spirit.
“Sometimes the energy in your body will all go to your head, instead of staying grounded,” LaVoie said. “That’s what often causes ADD or ADHD symptoms, like restlessness and problems focusing. This helps keep that energy grounded.”
LaVoie also said that acupuncture can help release points in the body where energy is blocked. Often those points will be tender, and acupuncture can help to correct the energy flow and release any pain in an effective and timely manner. Additionally, essential oils such as Lavender or Vetiver, can help to maintain focus throughout the day.
“You can combine the herbs with acupuncture and essential oils and you probably wouldn’t even need medication,“ LaVoie said. “Because they’re working to change the underlying problem, they have lots of beneficial side effects and, unlike many prescribed drugs, your symptoms will improve over time. In a few months, you might not even need to take it anymore.”
LaVoie said people typically start to see results with the herbs in a week or two, and sometimes even faster when it is combined as she suggested. She recommends talking with a licensed physician before changing your medication routine if you have a diagnosis, then going into her store to get a free herbal consultation.
“Any time you’re not feeling 100 percent, Chinese herbs will always help,” LaVoie said. “For every commonly prescribed drug, there is usually an herbal replacement that is much healthier for you.”
For those who are suffering from some of the same negative long-term side effects, try a natural alternative. According to LaVoie, unlike Adderall or other ADD medications, natural substitutions will actually improve your health instead of aggravating it.
Follow Andrea Harvey on Twitter @andrearharvey