Okay, so I am 3 1/2 months out. To date, I have lost 65 pounds since the morning of surgery. I have been taken off all medications (diabetes, high blood pressure, and thyroid). I had decided I was ready to start taking my Adderall again. I was prescribed 20mg a day, 4 times a day a few years back, because I had narcolepsy symptoms, but from my sleep apnea. Well, needless to say, I was awake for 3 days straight, and didn't eat nor drink much. This past Wednesday, I took a friend to see about buying a car. While she was filling out the paperwork, my hands and arms became cold and tingly feeling. When I looked at them, they were see through like, and I could see every single vien in my hands. Everyone at the dealership were freaking out, while I was cracking jokes, trying not to freak myself out. So I get in my car to drive home, and my face started feeling the same as my hands and arms, and then my chest started hurting, (opposite side of my heart), and I felt like I couldn't take deep breaths. I pulled over and tried to call my friend, who didn't answer. So I drove myself to the hospital.

   They examined me right away. Blood pressure was 149/83, O2 stats were 98 (ex smoker), and the short EKG they did was good. They drew blood and took a urine sample and set me in a room in the back, while waiting for an exam room to open up. While sitting there, my whole body started feeling like my arms and hands had originally felt...cold and tingly. I also started to feel fuzzy headed. Once a room opened up, they moved me. A PA came in, and asked what was going on, and I explained. She did a neurological exam (follow my finger, tap my hands, ect ect) on me, and said that that wasn't a concern. She looked at my blood work and urine analysis and everything came back normal. They then proceeded to do a chest X-Ray, it was normal. Hooked me back up to the heart monitor, everything was good. They gave me an aspirin, 2 potassium pills and an antibiotic (discovered I had a UTI - but specified that wouldn't cause any of the symptoms I had).

   With everything checking out normal, she proceeded to tell me that sometimes things happen that we can't explain, and insisted all the symptoms I had were caused by stress/anxiety. I've never experienced this before in my life, so I was wondering if anyone here could relate, or has ever had this happen after surgery, or even before? I went to my surgeon this past Friday, and he didn't know what would cause the symptoms I had, but did say if anything else happened and my primary doctor couldn't figure out what was going on, to give him a call.

   I have a follow up with Primary care physician Wednesday, but still have moments where I feel fuzzy headed and tingly. I did run out of my vitamins and when ordered them, due to complications I still haven't gotten them (but they are on their way), but would not taking them for a month cause these kinds of symptoms?... any information would be greatly appreciated. God Bless!

Rebekah Lynn 

Hello Rebekah Lynn, I'm sorry you are feeling like this ....I have severe anxiety and depression and have been medicated for 20 plus years....however this past week I have noticed that my current medication wasn't as effective as it used to be....I have some issues with a double mal-absortion problem ....this past Sunday I had a panic/anxiety attack which radiated from my toes all the way up to my head....I felt like I was on fire or maybe a fireball was trapped in my body and it needed to find it's way out....that's the best way of describing how it felt...even though it didn't actually last long it did feel like an eternity to me and my body....my heart was racing and as fast as it came on it went away....I'm taking new meds and i'm also on a liquid anti-biotic for a sinus infection and between the 2 of them I feel like death most of the time....i'm hoping you find resolve with your situation all the best to you 

Yo! You didn't start with the full dose of adder all all at once did you? You got Slowly titrate up to a full dose of that stuff over weeks!!!!

I'm sorry, I guess I should have explained in full detail - The first few days, I only took 2 doses of the 4 I was originally on before surgery. One when I woke up in the morning, and then another around 3 in the afternoon. I did not sleep but maybe 1 hour and then took another at 7:30 - 8am the next morning, and then again around 3ish that afternoon. I didn't sleep anything that night, and I did take one the following morning. My reason for this, was because my doctor did say that it would take time for my body to adjust to it, and things would level out after the first week. I didn't end up taking a dose that 3rd afternoon, because I had started feeling the way I explained. I haven't taken any since then, and I feel much better days after the fact, but do still have the occasional "fuzzy" headed feeling.

Did you start taking the Adderall again on your own volition or with a doctor's advice and supervision?  

Definitely under doctor's supervision. I still have a problem staying awake throughout the day, so he thought we would give it a go, and see how my body would tolerate it. I guess not so well. 

Question? What made you decide to suddenly start taking the Adderall? You kind of indicate it was an old script.

That being said I have been having tingly issues myself. Even though my B-12 was within normal range it was the low end of normal. Since upping it to where I am now at the high end of normal it is better, but not 100% gone.

I am sure they did not do an extensive Bariatric type blood work at the hospital - vitamins could be off...

The reasoning for deciding to start taking the Adderall again, was solely due to my not being able to stay awake throughout the day again. After surgery, I seemed to do okay for the first month. The doctor had told me I could continue taking it after surgery, but I was doing great, and didn't think I really needed it. Then came the days where I wasn't able to keep my eyes open, no matter how much sleep I had gotten the night before. I have 4 children, so staying awake during the day is important for me. I couldn't imagine something happening to one of my babies because I couldn't stay alert to pay attention to what they do. So I reached out to my primary doctor and he had spoken with my surgeon, both agreed I should start back on it but at half the dose and if need be, work up to the full, but only if need be.

   I usually take a all in one vitamin (I posted about it a few months ago), but I had run out and re ordered it. The website was having issues, and as of Friday, it is supposed to be resolved and on it's way...so I wasn't sure if not taking my vitamins could cause this type of reaction, but I do know you are right, the hospital did not do extensive blood work to check for any kind of vitamin deficiency. I couldln't think of anywhere else I'd rather ask advice than right here at OH, you guys have always been so great! :)

Rebekah Lynn 

Had your doc ok'ed you starting Adderall again? Did they give recommendations for how to titrate the dose? Also, why did they put you on a stimulant to treat the sleepiness caused by your sleep apnea instead of just treating the sleep apnea? I'm not sure if there's some info missing, but there's a lot that doesn't seem to completely add up here.

Yes, between my primary care doctor, and my surgeon, they have both decided that I should start taking it again, but half of the daily dose to start out. Instead of 20mg 4 times a day, it's 20mg 2 times per day. I have a cPap machine, but my body reacts to it while I sleep. I pu**** off my face in my sleep - my husband can't babysit me all night, but if he rolls over and notices, he will wake me up and tell me to put it back on...but he's such a hard sleeper himself. So 90% of the time, I will think I have my mask on, but I actually don't (sleep study has confirmed this). So the only thing my doctor recommended was taking Adderall to help me stay awake through the day. I'm sorry I didn't specify that I have and tried using a CPap. There is no other information missing, this is all I have lol