I struggle every morning with food. I'm hungry but if I eat then I will prob get tired, nothing sounds good bc my appetite sucks with the adderall, if I don't eat I start to become nauseated, blah blah blah. Bad food aversions.
Does anyone have a good breakfast smoothie recipe that works for them? Just enough to get something on my stomach but not too much to wipe me out.
Karen
i have the same problem (irregular appetite, and often get sleepy after eating), and that's completely unmedicated, so at least in my case i know it has nothing to do with meds (hypocretin/orexin also regulates appetite/metabolism). so, if you want to make easy smoothies, try freezing fruit (peeled bananas work great b/c they puree creamily, but most other fruits work well for flavor), or buy pre-frozen fruit; add to blender with yoghurt, milk (any kind- cow, soy, whatever), and either honey or agave if you want extra sweetener. if you're too tired to make your own smoothies, some easy drinkable options are kefir (which is excellent drinkable yoghurt available in many flavours, either with or w/o probiotics-- with probiotics is great especially if you suffer tummy troubles), also, if you prefer something savory, V-8 or tomato juice (try to find the low sodium kind if you like to drink this often). Hostname if you're too tired to make your own smoothies, some easy drinkable options are kefir (which is excellent drinkable yoghurt available in many flavours, either with or w/o probiotics-- with probiotics is great especially if you suffer tummy troubles), also, if you prefer something savory, V-8 or tomato juice (try to find the low sodium kind if you like to drink this often).
Jen
I used to eat oatmeal every morning but since my Dx I realized its effects on me and quit. Now I struggle with ideas for breakfast too. A shake does sound like a good idea. Thanks
All
I drink premier protein every morning. It works wonders. I wouldn't eat breakfast bc it was just make me too tired but these are fantastic. I drink 1 every morning and can definitely feel the difference.
Mak
I use Almond milk, peanut butter, frozen banana and chocolate carnation instant breakfast.
Jack
I just buy Stonyfield Farms strawberry smoothies....the little 4 pack. It's nice and small to get something in my stomach and on the road quickly.
Kat
I can't handle the texture of smoothies and I hate cold things in the morning, but I also struggle with getting sleepy after I eat (especially since most mornings I make ramen). If I'm feeling motivated I'll saute a few mushrooms, a little spoonful of minced garlic from a jar, and a handful of baby spinach and add an egg and kinda scramble it. Takes about 10 minutes. I think it's pretty low carb/high protein. Seems to leave me feeling less like garbage than the ramen at least
Pam
I use a protein powder supplement flavored in vanilla then add any other flavor as my mood suits that day. What I use is creamy and not chalky in taste...it's from ViSalus...can be ordered on line...find someone in your area..you may get samples.
Karen
if you can find single-serving packets of instant miso in your grocery store, i'd recommend trying those for a hot, quick, drinkable meal. some places sell regular miso paste, which may be cheaper in the long run, but the packets are much easier for a sleepyhead, as they are measured out and already contain garnish (tiny green onions, mini tofu cubes, seaweed)-- all that needs to be done is put it in a mug and add hot water.
Jonathan
Here in England we have these chocolate biscuits called "bourbons" which are tiny and have like 100cal a piece, and cost like £1.50 for a pack of 20... when I had that issue, to keep me going, I'd snack on a few of those everyday and it helped me get through the day.
Alex
My nutritionist recommended Greek yogurt with cantaloupe, blueberries and a dash of local honey (to reduce my seasonal and tree allergies) for breakfast so for the last three years that's what I have. I mix the protein smoothing in a magic bulletin blender device so there is basically no mess or clean up. It doesn't make me sleepy and it's great because in the morning, my meds just s m to leave me with very little saliva so it's not like I could eat something solid for breakfast anyway.
Slo
I hate eating & just wish there was a pill that gave me all the nutrients I need. I'm often too nauseated, especially in the morning, to want to eat anything but if I don't eat something, I feel even more nauseated. when I do eat something, I often feel bad either sleepiness or intestinally. it seems to me that eating is often a lose-lose situation. ugh. sorry don't have a good solution for you.
Jen
I found eating sliced lunch meat with a piece of cheese (both proteins ) and some fresh fruit work wonderful for me . No carbs that can make u sleepy
Amanda
Expensive, but amazing, is Shakeology. I know a few people who are "coaches" for the company that sells it, if you want info.

Besides that, tho - for healthy shakes, start with almond milk as a base. Keep bags of frozen fruit around, almost any can be thrown in. Bananas are a good thickener. Almond butter or natural peanut butter (just 1 tablespoon) is also a good add. Tiny splashes of vanilla, peppermint, hazelnut, or almond extract change up flavor. Small spoon of chocolate milk mix can give you a sweet treat. If the shakes aren't keeping hunger at bay long enough still, you can always add a scoop or 2 of any whey protein powder.
Lin
I can't even think about eating real food until after noon without literally gagging, so I drink strawberry Ensure Enlives. They have 20g protein in them and are only 8oz so they're easy to slam.
I'd like to start making my own shakes but I'm never up early enough or on time in my morning routine to do so. Grab-and-go options are a good route to take.
Miguel
...hungry all the time, and i can not have just a smoothie, for breakfast, i have to have my egs, fries, salsa, and the rest......oh my my...!, i just try to have eggs only on the wekeend though...
Celine
Some mornings I go straight for a coffee and cigarette. But sometimes I am able to down a smoothie just before.

Half frozen banana
Two tablespoons of gluten free oats
Heaped teaspoon of crunchy organic peanut butter
Half teaspoon of honey
I teaspoon of powdered maca root
I use a half a glass of coconut milk and half a glass of water but any milk or milk substitute works.
Bonnie
I was anorexic pre diagnoses at 18. After almost dying Iv made eating a priority. Sometimes I force myself to eat a granola bar and am slightly nauseated after but I know the consequences of not eating. I usually try to eat before taking my meds. Iv been eating lunch, watching tv while my food digests which usually leads to nodding off lol then I take my second dose of adderall and take a 20-40 minute nap. It works out perfectly because the adderall kicks in when I need to be waking up.

You can try drinking protein shakes too!

I also think my anorexia was definitely more neurological than mental. I was that way my entire teen life. Never hungry and always getting forced to eat lol then after my first breakup at 18 I got incredibly sick because I barely ate. I was never fighting off hunger though and I wasn't ever fat lol it was weird.
Lil
I use a low dose of cannabis when I take my adderall because it counteracts the lack of appetite and anxiety I get from taking it. I've found it extremely helpful as long as I keep the cannabis dose relatively low especially if I'm going to be soon afterwards.
Amber
Yes! Boost shakes or anything of that sort. That was awful but it did go away for me, just fyi :) I now eat like a piggy haha I just don't gain any weight.
Gary
Try to make eating a habit like taking meds. I found that my body needs higher glycemic index foods when on adderall. And when i became immune to adderall, I had to revamp my smoothies and diet to compensate.
Elizabeth
I always woke up hungry and ate before taking my adderall. Then I wasn't hungry again until my second dose wore off late at night. Lost a lot of weight on it. That was the only positive thing I can say about the drug, lol.
CB
Protein shakes are a live saver. I use a high protein plant based powder and mix it in whole milk instead of water to add to the calorie count. You'll want to avoid the pre-bottled stuff due to sugar count (which can end up making you feel crappier) and cost. If I don't have one of these every morning I won't eat breakfast and then I end up getting low blood sugar sweats. I also make nut butter/oatmeal bars and keep them in my purse. I've been making myself eat small amounts on clock whether I'm hungry or not and its been helping. I've been on adderall for about 8 years and my appetite isn't always this bad. It just goes away and comes back every so many months as it feels like
Ash
I've been on Adderall for 2 years. At first I had a lot of trouble with low appetite and forgetting to eat (or not feeling like eating), but I don't have trouble with it anymore. The weirdest thing for me was on Adderall, I don't feel 'hungry' sometimes- instead I feel worn down/exhausted. So I had to learn that whenever I was tired, to think about whether it was bc I hadn't eaten in a while, then eating would wake me up a little. I also find that I prefer taking my doses 30-60min before eating or 60 min after eating, it's more effective for me and I eat better. If I take it and don't eat within 1.5 hours then sometimes it kicks in too hard and I forget to eat. I also found that liquid calories (smoothies, etc.) really helped me when I didn't feel like eating! Best of luck!
Mel
Definitely agree with the liquids because I get impatient about eating on Adderall too, like it just feels like a horrible chore that I want to get over with as quickly as possible. My birthday is coming up and I think I'm gonna ask for one of those fancy blenders so I can throw in some ingredients and make myself a better variety of smoothies.
BC
Of course N is caused from the hypothalamus not working correctly. Well it also controls or hunger/food drive. In me that translates to me wanting to eat every single minute of every day. It would be life changing if Adderal would change that for me. In currently on Provigil and it does that for me to a small degree.
Devin
I was taken off of adderall twice within my first two years on it due to not being able to keep weight on. I started a food/mood journal and it really helped me understand my body. I wrote down what I ate and at what times, when I took my medication and what my stomach felt like at the exact moment. It's now been 9 years and I'm enjoying the benefits of adderall (no other stim remotely worked for me) without the negative effects on my weight!
Emily
I have a unhealthy relationship with food. I binge eat. I have kept this pretty much to myself my whole life because of the shame and guilt that comes along with it. I finally decided I wanted professional help so I went to my doctor and told her what my binge eating consists of and how it affects my life. She informed me that I have the eating disorder, Bulimia. I was surprised because that never crossed my mind. She told me that eating disorders go together with narcolepsy, they are both neurological. I've gathered in some lite research that your brain wants the excessive food trying to gain energy that you don't have because the narcolepsy....Until now I never noticed that I will binge when I feel a narco nap coming on! I never knew why I couldn't control myself, say no or walk away at the urge to binge. I now feel I understand myself and why I do the things I do! It makes since. I can cope and deal with it much better. I always thought bulimic people make theirself purge all the time but that's not entirely true. Some Bulimic people purge, some use laxatives and some fast and exercise like crazy trying to rid the calorie intake. I personally, binge then I will follow with fasting and occasional "heath kicks" (I call them) limited/strict heathy eating and exercise (mainly running for me). I now take adderall and nuvigil which takes care of my narcolepsy AND any urges to binge, actually I forget to eat and drink on my meds.... I have to make myself eat something but when my meds start wearing off I find myself mentally looking for food. I'm learning to treat both issues, it's not easy.
Dee
It took me forever to figure out I was not able to tell the difference in needing a narco nap or eating something for energy. That mistake over time made me gain hard pounds to lose. When I was working and taking my meds I never ate. It's all about figuring out what your body is telling you. So happy that you took that hard step to seek help.
Kari
I was hospitalized with bulimia when I was 22 years old. Way before the N diagnosis. I have struggled with my weight for a long time. But guess what? After I was diagnosed with N, and after a few long months of figuring out which medications help me the most, I started feeling human again. I take medication at night to help me get the right kind of sleep, and I take medication during the day to ward off the sleepiness. And the weight melted away. Not only do you binge when you're tired, you may not even realize how much you're eating. Add that to the fact that you probably don't get much exercise because you're too tired to even walk to the mailbox. Right? But I promise there's hope. I've lost about 30 lbs since my diagnosis, and I'm still losing.
Mag
I don't eat. I forget to. I have battled obesity my entire life. I now struggle to keep weight on. I never imagined that being an issue in my life. I got on the scale this morning and am my lightest weight in my memory as an adult. I weigh 15 lbs less than my drivers license says. At 5 ft 8 inches with a large bone structure I am 149 lbs. I look and feel my best around 160-165 lbs. My friends boyfriend asked her if I was anorexic. Stress causes me severe intestinal distress as well. I am separated from my husband which has been hell on wheels.
Ani
I deal with this everyday!!!!! The most important thing for me is to work out REGULARLY (not excercize "kicks"), because when you work out your body needs more food and its gives you better signals, its more difficult to forget that your hungry! What im trying to say is that when I work out regularly my body forces me to eat more regularly. So this "solves" my problem when it comes to NOT eating, what it doesnt solve is the binge eating, this is my biggest problem.The good thing is when you work out a lot you dont get the same "bad feeling" when you eat a lot. I know the the guilty feeling, sometimes the amounts I eat are crazy and I wont admit it to anyone. Luckily I have never had problems with my weight, the problem is my energy, so I think its important to be really strict to yourself and always have enerybars/nuts/fruit in your bag. Put the food right in front of your desk/computer so it reminds you to eat regularly. Other advices are to make deals with friends/colleagues when to eat lunch, when they stop eating you stop to eat. Every time I dont make a lunch deal I wait with eating until I dont have any energy left (and fall asleep), so this has helped me alot. Another thing that helpes me is having an (nearly) empty refrigerator (I live alone). Everytime I "fill up" my refrigerator I eat it all up, so theres only "healthy" neccesary food like milk, eggs and greens in my home. I NEVER have pasta/candy or (most important) NEVER leftovers (I always freeze it down) in my refrigerator so I dont eat in the night. I only by "unhealthy" food for the weekends/with friends - in small doses and always eat it all up,
Ani
Still its crazy how I desperatly always manage to make the worst and unhealthy meals out of the few ingredients I have in my house (I honestly go mad), so Im not saying I have controlled mye eating disorder, but I try to make "every day rules", and as long as I work out regularly I have decided that its OK that I go crazy a couple of times in the week (as long as i NEVER stop eating!!!)
Mag
I sometimes go for days with no food. I have a very close friend who sends me good morning texts. Then immediately a 2nd text telling me to eat and drink something. He comes to see me on his days off Tuesdays and Thursdays and we eat at least 2 meals together and do some sort of activity. He lives about 40 miles away. He checks on me regularly via text or facebook. I cherish his friendship. We have been friends for over 3 decades.
Brian
Yeah they definitely go together, orexin, aka hypocretin is also responsible for hunger, there is a high obesity rate among pwn. This information is easily found by Google, if you want to verify what I say. Personally I eat like I'm starving for a week or two then go without food until I get too weak to move, I weighed 360 lbs in 2009 but I'm down to 198 now.
Emily
I cant believe I went so long fighting it alone... I just had no idea it was linked or even a disorder! I just thought I loved food and lacked self control because it was all i knew... Never put 2 and 2 together! I feel like super woman now when I can leave food on my plate, when I can say no thanks, or even more when Im alone and I can shut the cabinet doors! For once in my life, I finally have some control! well..... as long as I have my meds! ;) Thanks for all the input, I will take any advice and try all of the suggestions! I am so happy I posted about it seeing that a few others had no idea and now they can seek the proper treatment also! It was life changing information for me...
Emma
Oh my... yes... me too. And the worst habit I have developed b/c of the issue with adderall is I wake up hungry and craving food in the middle of the night. I live alone which makes it really easy to eat whatever I want... whenever I want... so I now eat more during the night, (and I mean, middle of the night... not evening) and basically starve myself all day. How messed up is that? It's way too easy to give in, swearing I'll never do it again... And you guys (plus the other couple of thousand people I don't really know in this group) are the only people I've ever admitted that to!!!
Diana
I don't binge eat but will live on sugar and chocolate if kept in the house all the time. Not to mention taking same back to bed after waking in the night only to have cookie crumbs all over bed. Many times they get consumed and not end up as crumbs.
Paula
YES! Did not take my meds today and I cannot get rid of this hunger. I used to forget to eat without my meds. Not anymore. It is (and this is a reminder to myself as well) important to write it all off as Narcolepsy as Diabetes and other endocrine issues can cause the same issues.
Paula
I struggled with anorexia athletica and purging as a teen. Counseling and group therapy helped, but I think the thing that helped the most was Dad#2 coming into my life and feeling loved again - unconditionally. Everyone is different though physiologically and psychologically. Talk to your primary care doc and get blood work done and a referral to the best possible care provider. ((hugs))
Haley
I had never ever thought of this wow, it makes a lot of sense. I eat very healthy and I think if I was a "normal" person I would actually be quite thin but the lack of energy makes me feel like I need to eat a lot more often than I do. Now I have the opposite problem where Concerta makes me eat maybe 1/2 meal a day and even that is hard to do.
LA
I've been on and off it for years and it hasn't gone away. But, it's one of the few things I like about it. So far, it works best for keeping me alert and it helps me lose weight. Double win for someone trying to shed baby weight. I do have to be careful and make sure that when I do eat, it's the good stuff so my body has what it needs. I don't need scurvy or for my teeth to start falling out! My only qualm is that I can't replace the vitamins D and B12 that I'm lacking in severity through my diet when I barely eat, so I have to make myself take those in pill form.
Brian
Ok, things I do for this. I usually take it with food, if I have to wake up fast I take it on an empty stomach and eat 30 minutes later. Also, increase your protein, stimulants, especially adderall because it used to be a diet pill burns up a lot of protein, eating more can soothe your stomach and milk and yogurt help a lot, I don't let our supply of yogurt run out, ever. Breads, chips and sugars should be greatly increased because it just confuses your brain and body, increasing your vegetable and fruit content will help a lot too because it gives your body a source of natural sugar and vitamins. I don't know why but pizza seems to help me when I don't want to eat, that icky dry stomach with the acidy feeling goes away, maybe it's because it has everything, veggies, dairy, bread and meat. Pasta helps too but not as much as pizza.
B12
yeah, adderall is amphetamine salts, so it's very salty, probably a whole bag of chips salty. Drink lots of water, if you need to counteract the effects of it, drink juices that aren't full of added sugar, orange juice and mixed cranberry juice, the kind that says no added sugar are my favs, also, large doses of vitamin c will totally flush it out, like 1000-2000mg, but be sure you only do that if you're ready to rest, it only takes a few hours to get it out of you.
Sandra
I was on adderall for over ten years I lost a lot of weight in the first few years then I got better w my eating ... I had to eat small amounts because trying to force myself to eat would make me gag :/ so I just ate more times a day In smaller amounts .. I started to put on a bit more weight and stabilized my weight the rest of the time ..
Sarah
I struggle with my appetite a ton. I eat as big of a breakfast as I can and try to have a good protein with it and then often a protein shake for lunch and sometimes dinner. I was told to be careful about making too much of my diet liquid, but sometimes that's all I can do! And ditto 'bout dehydration - trying to increase my water intake as my skin is painfully dry and I've been getting bloody noses.
Tony
I lost 12lbs my first 6 weeks on Nuvigil 250, I have no appetite whatsoever. I didn't even realize it, I knew my clothes were getting loose, but I didn't think I'd lost 12lbs. Now that I'm paying attention I haven't lost any more, but I have to make a conscious effort to eat. It's so frustrating though because eating, even just a sandwich makes me so sleepy!!!
Che
My doctors wouldn't let me stay on Ritalin back four years ago, because I had a history of an eating disorder and it gave me no appetite and back then I really did enjoy it. Now I am on Dexedrine and am very disturbed by my lack of appetite.

As far as the lactose problem do you drink other types of milk or not really interested in them? Like almond milk, soy milk, etc? Because you can easily make smoothies with frozen fruit and milk/milk substitute in a blender. Of course when I was coming back from my eating disorder and didn't want to eat a (naive about eating disorders) doctor once told me to close my eyes and picture something that looked good to eat, then eat that. People with eating disorders are clearly different, because they do want to eat. It's more of a mental resistance then a physical one.
Gary
I have found with Adderal I have to take calcium and magnesium or I muscle and joint issues. More then the RDA of magnesium for sure. I take a combo of Adderal IR, XR and Provigil. And I use Creatine Monohydrate to help with the fatigue. But I am happy that Vyvanse worked for you! Life would be so much more simple if it did.

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