Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) Risks, Warnings, and Complication

Precautions Before Starting Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine)

Inform your healthcare providers of all your medical conditions. Adderall may not be safe if you or your child have:

• Heart disease, coronary artery disease (any conditions that cause the hardening of the arteries) 
• Uncontrolled moderate to severe high blood pressure 
• Hyperthyroidism 
• A history of substance use disorder (drug or alcohol addiction)
• Eye problems such as glaucoma 
• Severe anxiety, tension, or agitation
• Mental illness including depression, psychosis, bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts/ideation or actions
• Seizures or epilepsy, an abnormal brain wave test (EEG)
• Tourette’s syndrome or muscle twitches 
• Problems with blood circulation in the hands or feet
• Liver or kidney disease

Like other stimulant drugs, Adderall can cause heart attack, stroke, and sudden death. It is important to let your doctor know if you have a personal or family history of any type of heart disease, including congenital heart defects.

Amphetamine can cause low birth weight, premature birth, and withdrawal symptoms in newborns. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. 

Adderall can interact with other medicines leading to serotonin syndrome, a rare but serious condition. To avoid serious drug interactions and other bothersome adverse reactions, please provide your healthcare providers with a complete, up-to-date list of all your medications, including other prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, and herbal products.

Precautions During Use of Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine)

Keep all your appointments with your healthcare professional while on Adderall. Your doctor may want to order certain medical tests, monitor you carefully for side effects, or change the dose or frequency of Adderall based on your response. 

Adderall may impair your thinking or reactions. Especially when you first start taking Adderall IR (immediate-release), be careful if you drive or perform any tasks that require alertness.

Don’t drink fruit juices or take vitamin C supplements at the same time with Adderall; it can reduce the amount of Adderall absorbed, making Adderall less effective.

If you forget to take Adderall in the morning, take it as soon as you remember, as long as it’s not later in the afternoon. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed dose.

Call your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while on Adderall, as it can cause low birth weight.

If your child is taking Adderall, schedule and keep all routine appointments with the pediatrician, as this medication can slow a child’s growth.

Adderall is a schedule II controlled substance that can be habit-forming, leading to psychological and physical dependence; therefore, you should use Adderall exactly as prescribed.

You should never share Adderall with another person, especially with someone who has a history of drug or alcohol addiction. It is against the law to sell or give away Adderall.

Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) Drug Interactions

Taking Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) with some other medications can affect how well Adderall works. Drug interactions can also increase the risk of serious or bothersome adverse reactions. Your healthcare provider may choose a different ADHD medication for you, change the dose or frequency of one or both medicines, or monitor you carefully for side effects if there are known interactions between Adderall and any of your other medicines.

Using Adderall with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) is contraindicated, as it can result in a hypertensive crisis (a severe increase in blood pressure that can lead to a stroke.) Adderall shouldn’t be used within 14 days of using an MAO inhibitor.

Examples of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors) are linezolid (Zyvox), tranylcypromine (Parnate), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Zelapar, Emsam), and methylene blue.

There can also be interactions between Adderall and medications, such as:

• Opioid medicine
• Serotonergic drugs (drugs that can affect the serotonin levels in your brain): 
• Antidepressants: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine, citalopram, serotonin, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as duloxetine, venlafaxine, paroxetine, sertraline
• Opioid medicine such as fentanyl and tramadol
• Anxiety medicine buspirone
• Medicine for bipolar disorder, such as lithium
• Medicine for migraine headaches such as Imitrex (sumatriptan)
• Antibiotics such as Linezolid
• Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) such as amitriptyline, desipramine, nortriptyline
• Herbal products, especially St. John’s wort, L-Tryptophan
• Vitamin C supplements
• Acid-reducing drugs for heartburn: Antacids containing sodium bicarbonate such as Gaviscon, Tums, and Maalox
• Blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)

This list does not describe all possible Adderall interactions. Give your healthcare professionals a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products. Also, tell your health care provider if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription drugs.