Adderall and Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) - Have You Mixed These? Yay or Nay?

Updated on May 15, 2013
J.B. asks from Boston, MA
5 answers

My oldest son (age 15) started taking Adderall a few weeks ago for AD/HD. He takes the lowest dose, which is 10 mg per day of the extended-release capsules.

He has severe spring allergies, which he gets every year. His eyes get so red and he gets so foggy from congestion that the principal of his school has asked him more than once in the past few weeks whether or not he's "under the influence" of something. Anyway, the most effective combination for him among eye drops, nasal sprays, older anti-histamines and newer anti-allergy meds includes Zrytec-D, which has pseudoephedrine in it. We've been out of that for a few weeks so he's been taking regular Zyrtec and it's not as helpful. The pharmacist couldn't give me a clear cut answer on whether or not it's OK to take this with Adderall (both contain stimulant medication). Of course I'll ask his doctor tomorrow but I'm curious to know what your experience is.

Has anyone on Adderall (or with a child on it) combined it with Sudafed? Did you stagger the doses? Were there any side effects? Thanks!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone - I e-mailed the doc and he said that there are no reported interactions so to go ahead and try and if he feels off at all, then we'll know that it's not a good combo for him, but that most people tolerate both well. Thanks for your input!

More Answers

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I take adderall and have taken both Zyrtec and pseudoephedrine with it. I saw no side effects, now give me a second cup of coffee.....yikes!

Honestly I have never considered an interaction with the adderall unless I am looking at other large stimulants.

Oh I am on 30mg extended.
_____________________
Wow, I have ADHD and even I could read she already asked the pharmacist....

I thought I would also point out my youngest is 12 on Adderall and takes all of those without any issues. We are also friends with our pharmacist so she knows everything about us and never said you may want to be careful.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I suggest that if the pharmacist doesn't know, the doctor won't. I suggest that you either go back to the pharmacist and ask that he be more clear about his answer or you ask a different pharmacist.

Could the pharmacist be telling you various reactions to that combination? i.e. trying to educate you about reactions so that you can decide if you want to continue taking both. I suggest asking him for a yes or no. Yes, it's safe to try the combination and see if it works or has side effects you don't want to put up with. Or no, it's best to not try it because it's not safe.

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E.B.

answers from Beaumont on

I'd call a pharmacist to be sure...

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

We use Sudafed with Ritalin but I never give even half a dose. BUT I would NEVER EVER mix any meds without speaking with the pharmacist personally. They are the professionals in this instance and whatever they said would be what I would do.

D.B.

answers from Boston on

I think it's always problematic to mix medications - sometimes there are no interactions, sometimes there are. It can vary by medication, but also by individual sensitivities. Sometimes allergy meds make people drowsy, other times agitated - as you noted, the stimulants can be an added problem. Mixing that with ADD/ADHD or with the prescribed meds can cause problems in some people.

Most of the people I work with who are dealing with ADD/ADHD and allergies have used non-stimulant supplements to manage both conditions. As the symptoms decrease, they've been able to get rid of the Adderal too, working with their doctors. There is a way, particularly with the new science involved over the past 15 years and with particular advances in the past two, to reduce the symptoms of auto-immune problems (which is largely what an allergy is - the body mistaking a harmless substance for something foreign or harmful, and creating this entire reaction around attacking it) as well as to reduce the dependence on (or even initial use of) stimulant ADD/ADHD meds. There's great work on gene expression and epigenetics, which is restoring your DNA's normal and natural expression, vs. the changes that occur in the genes switching on and off incorrectly, which is caused by environmental factors (stuff we breathe, stuff in our homes, stuff in our foods, and so on). Happy to chat more if you're not getting the results you need or if you continue with the non-answers on the med combination. My guess is, you won't get straight answers from the pharmacist or the physician, partly because they don't know, and partly because the reactions can vary from one individual to another. Anytime you are working with the pharmaceutical companies, you're dealing with a well-funded bureaucracy as well as the concept of acceptable risk. I'm not anti-meds - I know there are many that are vital. But they can be overprescribed, mixed ineffectively, or creating interactions and dependencies that may not be desirable.

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