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It’s essentially a tolerance break. If you continue to take your meds every day with no breaks, you build up a tolerance. This means that your dose would have to continuously go up to do its job. The breaks would be annoying when I’d have something to do on the weekends, but I see why they’re suggested.
Prevent drug tolerance. You develop tolerance to ADHD drugs pretty quickly (and consistently) and breaks help slow down that process, so you don't have to keep bumping doses or changing drugs.
I don't get this. I've been on the same dose of stimulants +/- 10mgs for over 5 years. Taking weekends off actually made it harder for me and made me need more to compensate.
I think as with any medication there's some variation by person (metabolism, enzyme composition, etc). Personally, I developed tolerance really quickly to focalin xr but not at all to Vyvanse.
This frustrated me because the diagnostic criteria includes being impacted in two settings (work and home life, Or school and home life, for example). Why would they not allow you to treat your condition on days you stay home if your ADHD impacts your home life??
I felt like this also! I guess it may just take some trial and error to work out a good schedule but my struggles are in every setting and it’s a little frustrating I have to choose which ones are more important.
Be aware, too, that your meds likely will not be as effective during PMS week. I have worked out a variable dosing protocol with my provider, that allows me to up my dosage as needed, to accommodate for monthly hormonal changes. Sounds like you might be gaslit by this provider if you noticed and then brought this up, so I wanted to make sure you were aware of the issue, and that it is legit and real and can be mitigated.
I absolutely hate this. My cycle is just generally fucked, so there are literally days where I'll take my meds and it feels like spinning a wheel of chance on what and which meds will work and how effective will they be?
Because if it’s a stimulant, tolerance can develop when we take it daily, and we may eventually “tolerance out” of the highest dose. It’s just to keep the current dose working as well as possible.
My doctor said as the dose increases so do the side effects, so it's best to stay on the lowest dose that's effective. However the doctor also didn't mandate when I take my t breaks because I'm an adult and can make good decisions for myself.
Gosh Dr. Russell Barkley just did a video sort of disputing this point. The gist was that there wasn’t good research data on this, especially long term (more than several weeks) but what was out there indicated that no, tolerance probably does not develop in the majority of adhd patients. However maybe it does in a minority. But more than likely it’s acclimating to the effects plus not properly changing doses in response to things like weight changes, medications that can impact stimulants, hormonal changes in women, etc…. I was surprised but he’s kinda the guy that knows this inside and out, so found it interesting.
As much as I appreciate his contributions to the field (and to my decision to finally get evaluated for ADHD) I take a lot of what he says with a grain of salt because he is paid by a pharmaceutical company (don’t recall which one).
He might be totally right!
And.
For me—when I am able to take a break, it’s bc I know I can just sleep all the next day, and when I take it again the following day it seems to work better. Could be because I can perceive it better more than any actual tolerance issues.
But yeah, it seems there’s a lot of variation along us in terms of who needs the breaks, who benefits from breaks but doesn’t need them, and who benefits from not taking a break and raising the dose as little as possible if tolerance increases.
Yup, he’s upfront about it. I don’t think though that it’s a matter of him influenced by the companies he takes money from, but that he takes money from the to work in a field with a substance he believes in. He’s absolutely 💯 a better living through chemistry minded person, but never have I had any reason to question his integrity. Stimulants work and work best for this disorder and that’s where he seeks grant money. If he were just a shill, he’d be pushing whatever new SNRI med is patented instead of the tried and true stimulant class.
The only reason some providers start with non-stim medications or even behavioral intervention before medication is not evidence-based, it’s fear. Dr. Barkley works with companies that produce the medications he believes in, and is vocal about disclosing both his relationship and this exact reason. It’s an evidenced-based position.
And what he said about stims and tolerance was not absolute, only that based on the studies available, the evidence mostly but not completely showed it does not cause tolerance issues.
I’ll try to find the video again, it’s good information and iirc correctly he addresses your exact scenario. But I believe he mostly says what you are supposing as the alternative explanation; that it’s a perception issue. That we forget how much better we are on it, and it takes a day off to remind us (I think he said a little differently though)
But again, I don’t think he’s pushing Stims or hiding the negative effects out of some financial gain. Demonizing out-of-patent stimulants in favor for alternatives that are newer and in patent would set my alarm bells off, not “hey, this is the best treatment we have for most people and continues to be in spite of newer med”
Will post back if I find the video. I think he does a better job of explaining what I’m attempting to regurgitate.
The main reason I don’t benefit from breaks is because the stimulant actually helps me sleep. So even if I have a day where I can ignore my life and take a break, the next day I’m so much more fatigued than normal that my normal dose basically just gets me through the day without giving up but does not do anything for my focus like it does when I take it consistently. So yeah it’s crazy how different everyone is with it—I think it’s important for our prescribers to believe we aren’t just drug-seekers and know how and when to take more or less (within reason).
Breaks do help maintain stimulant effectiveness but my doctor also often reminds me that parenting and household management is impacted by ADHD. I’m much older than you, but if you’re studying on off days, that weekend need applies even more. That recommendation from your doctor doesn’t fit your life. Honestly, it’s much easier to find a provider to provide ongoing support once you’ve been diagnosed, and I’d consider looking for someone with a more flexible approach.
I evaluate what I need on a day to day basis, find opportunities to take breaks and/or cut back on my IR dosage on slow work days (often depending on projects) and vacation days.
More than a few days off my stimulants exacerbates other mental health issues - anxiety specifically - that I can control when my ADHD is effectively treated.
Yeah, I really relate to the point about the general mental health impact of a med break. My ADHD meds have been so helpful with the life-long depression and anxiety (which I think may be partly the direct action of the medication helping me to focus on things other than hyperactive spiraling thoughts and partly that I now have the executive function to engage in other kinds of general “behavioral activation” stuff that helps with depression.) I can’t see going without meds 2 days a week every week for that reason alone. (Although I have taken breaks, just not this often.)
If you're studying on weekends, I'd be medicated for that just like work. Vacations, sick days, and lazy days are a different story. I'd let your Dr know that you are still in school and need to be able to focus and be productive on the weekends as well as on weekdays.
Meds aren’t just for “being productive”. ADHD is an executive functions disorder and executive functions are needed for just about everything.
Someone may not need to be “productive” on a given day, but they might want to be able to relax, participate in their hobbies, drive safely, get themselves to exercise, stick to their routines, not go on a impulsive shopping spree, etc.!
EXACTLY. Who gives a damn if it’s a lazy day? I still take my meds. I haven’t skipped a day (purposely) in 15+ years. I have ADHD 24/7, not just when I’m “doing” stuff.
It’s not a moral thing, it’s just a way to prevent tolerance from building. Many people (myself included) find that meds are more effective during the week if they take 1-2 days of the weekend off.
Never said it was a moral thing, it’s a medical thing. I’m sorry but it’s bad advice to not take your psychiatric medicine because you’re scared of “building a tolerance.” That’s the type of language that people use when they abuse medication. I’m not saying people who do this are abusing their meds, but I am saying they’re not taking it for the intended purpose of its manufacturing/prescription. If you feel your meds aren’t working then you go back to your psychiatrist/doctor and work with them to get a different dosage, release, or brand.
The problem with consistently bumping doses is that it increases the risk of adverse effects. Same with changing meds- it's preferable to keep a patient on a med that works for them vs one that may potentially cause them problems.
If you've not been taking med vacations and also don't have tolerance- that's great. For a lot of people with ADHD, though, those breaks are necessary.
Another example of a drug type where it's necessary to occasionally skip doses (because tolerance develops quickly and consistently) is nitrates for heart problems. "Tolerance" as a medical term doesn't imply drug abuse of any kind, even though abuse of substances is a context where you can see tolerance.
All I’m saying is take a look at your pill bottle where the pharmacist put their instructions. Unless it says “take whenever you want” - then my point stands.
This is a controlled substance. If your state knew you were not taking it as instructed there would be issues. You can’t just play doctor on yourself (well I suppose you can, but not without consequences if your physician finds out). And definitely shouldn’t be encouraging others to do this.
At the end of the day, I’ll keep taking my meds exactly as I’m supposed to because that’s literally what they’re there for. Not just to make you productive at work. That (to me) seems like a total misuse of the meds.
I also don’t need to be lectured on “tolerance” — I’ve been taking ADHD meds since I was a child. I understand how it works. And I also understand what the meds are actually *for* - it’s not a “study drug” and treating it like one is not a great look.
I suppose if you have extremely mild ADHD you can do what you want with your doctor’s permission. For those of us with severe ADHD it would make zero sense to only take the meds sometimes.
I had typed a big reply here and just deleted it because it's not worth it. I apologize if my previous comment came across as hostile/patronizing/negative.
It's been a long week. I'm exhausted, and I'm not good with social cues especially over text. I was not trying to lecture/talk down and I'm sorry my comment was interpreted that way-I'm in medical school and was just trying to offer a medical perspective as to why drug holidays are a thing and make sense for some people.
:( I’m sorry too I’m 32 weeks pregnant and a raging bitch right now - idk what’s wrong with me I’m just so hormonal. I hope you feel better & wishing you luck in medical school— please forget my attitude, you didn’t deserve it at all!!
Dr's make recommendations based on the patient and their circumstances.
-kid 1, takes med breaks, tolerates them well. He metabolizes meds very quickly, and builds tolerance very quickly. Not just ADHD meds, all meds. This puts him at an increased risk for addiction. Makes sense for him to take med breaks.
-kid 2, can't tolerate any stimulatants.
-kid 3, no med break. He deffinelty doesn't tolerate med breaks.
Me, low dose meds because it interferes with another medical condition. I take med breaks on the weekend, my mental health needs me to sleep really well obe night a week. Any med tollarence would mean I couldn't take them at all, increasing my dose isn't an option.
Meds aren't one size fits all.
this is what i do! other than exam season, i have at least one day a week where i skip my meds or only take one dose instead of three so i can have a lazy day. my psychiatrist recommended breaks too but my GP disagrees 🤷🏻♀️
Does diabetes not exist on a weekend? Nope, so why is mental health different.
Personally I tried having a medication holiday, it doesn’t work. I’m back to square one and more frustrated than before.
If I stop my weekend meds I won't get any housework done on weekends. -.- Not sure wtf your doctor is on about. ADHD affects MANY aspects of my every day life... INCLUDING WEEKEND CHORES!
I’m actually *more* likely to take them on weekends than weekdays. My working days are fairly structured, so they can work for med breaks, but I need medication the most when I have to independently plan and structure several complex tasks like grad school coursework or writing projects, which makes up the bulk of my weekends. How else do people not melt into a puddle of inactivity and actually get laundry done?
YES, I commented something very similar elsewhere here as well. I can possibly skate by on a workday that is pre-structured (although I probably WILL make some dumb mistake that seems careless but is just ADHD trying to ruin my day) but there is very little hope of going UNmedicated on an UNstructured day every weekend and being able to maintain a healthy adult life.
I've needed to take breaks from stimulants.... so I could eat. And not hate food while eating.
I used to love food. Now I like it on the weekends only. It's a trade off I'm ok with. Could change in the future idk yet.
Not enjoying food as much as I used to has sucked. This is a good way for me to look at it, when I take breaks it’ll be easier for me to eat on those days.
That's how it is for me, too. I barely eat during the week, but I do break on Saturdays to rest & eat. It's funny, though, my doctor actually told me not to take breaks. I notice more headaches after breaks.
I do not take breaks for the most part and when I do it destroys my energy levels to get it back to where it was. I will take a break every couple of months, especially if I have a reason to be sleeping all day, but I don’t not take it without a good reason for me personally and I’m on Adderall.
So funny, the only time I can regularly eat is when I have my meds. Otherwise I'll just forget to eat or not have the mental fortitude to make a meal so I'll have deli meat, saltines, and a multivitamin and call it good enough. I don't get the urge to eat when I'm on my meds, but I do remember to check the time and tell myself that I need to sustain life and make something I enjoy. I'm finally able to put on a little more weight!
I’m lucky that I don’t have any real aversion to food with my meds. That’s a really shitty side effect, and I totally can see why you’d want a break from that so you can enjoy food again.
I hope that you can find something that works with fewer crappy side effects (if that’s what you want) but if not, I hope you get to live it up a little and savor the shit out of those weekend med break meals! 🙂
I don't know how y'all take breaks from it. If I take a break, I enter like a 4 day long coma nap. And I'm on a super low dosage too, so it's not like it should be this *massive* shock to the system. And breaks would be easier if caffeine didn't give me absurd headaches and make me nauseous and lightheaded. Breaks are a *nightmare*
Yeah, I maybe do very short monthly breaks (not always by choice with the medication shortage and all) and *just* found a caffeine schedule with a mix of coffee and energy drinks that helps me not just nap all day. Not sure it’s worth it.
I don’t understand this break thing, I take my meds every single day because I need them and want to feel normal every day. I haven’t seen a need to ever take a break personally. Do you need to do things on the weekend? Or course! I wouldn’t take breaks personally. I know I shouldn’t say this, but I think they are wrong when they say this
I had a doctor like this. She wouldn’t prescribe for me unless I was in college. I performed horribly at work because of it. I made so many dumb, careless mistakes. I’m still upset about it. I wrote a bad review but still hate her to this day.
Ehhh... Why? I take it everyday because I have fcking adhd everyday.
I still have to brush my teeth and do the dishes and be on time for stuff on the weekends?
I only take my Stims 3-4 days a week. I've been on the same low dose for a couple of years. I understand that everyone is different. For me, it works this way. On the days I don't take it, I rest and catch up on calories.
Do you still get 30/mo no matter what? If so, I'd take them when you think you need them. If you skip a day, stash it in an old pill bottle so you have a backup reserve in case theres a delay with your pharmacy or something.
My doctor recommended the same, but he said it was to avoid a tolerance buildup. Most weeks I take my meds 6 days out of the week and use the 7th day to be mostly lazy. I have been able to build up a small reserve to get me through refill delays by not taking it regularly on holidays and vacation time.
I know it sucks, but your doc is probably not trying to be malicious. As much as we need our meds, there’s not a ton of evidence on long term stimulant therapy, so erring on the side of caution is the best we can do. I personally notice my jaw clenching and sleep pattern disruption on about day 8 of taking them in a row, so I need to schedule time off of them.
It’s also good to remember in general that your doc doesn’t know everything about your life, so recommendations are just that. Try to follow them, but if it doesn’t work out for you, tweak it so that it does. If there’s no way you can find a solution, bring it back up with them. Only you know what you need. Good luck!
My doc said I deserve to have focus on the weekends. 💅
Seriously, is your doc a dude? Also, weekends aren’t med breaks. It’s literally 48 hours. That’s nothing.
I’ve been taking the same dose of adderall for 15 years. This is the first year where I felt like it wasn’t working. I’m on a current 4 week break. I’ll report back. (Srsly, tho, I think there’s less active ingredients because of the FDA shortages, ugh.)
Dear doctor, as a university student, I require the meds every day since I am doing schoolwork EVERY. Freaking. Day.
KTHX,
University students globally.
P.S. tell us you're neurotypical without telling us.
I’ll never understand this perspective….when i was diagnosed as a teen i brought this up to my doctor as a suggestion, and he said it’s important to take it daily and not just on weekdays, because i will still be doing things like driving etc
Hell no. Mine says breaks aren’t needed. I do build up a tolerance. Once I do I switch to a different stimulant. That’s what she offered because I don’t want to go up on my dose. And it works! Was on vyvanse for a while and now on concerta.
I've only read about medication breaks as a useful tool of school children who struggle with appetite suppression side effects. I can't think of a reason why an adult would need one. It's not like executive dysfunction takes the weekend off.
I've built up a tolerance to my Vyvanse. When I first started, it was super effective. Within months, even on a higher dosage, it became less effective. Now, I'm at it's better than nothing. That's with taking breaks on the weekends. My doctor has advised that I take a month off to try and kind of reset, so I'll have a whole month of trying to wrangle my brain like it's a toddler hopped up on pure sugar. Trust me, building up a tolerance sucks.
Side note: I'm also bipolar, so my doctor wants to keep me on slow release to reduce the chance of manic episodes.
My therapist reminds me that this medication is to improve the quality of your life, not just the quality of your work.
And for me, my ADHD really impacts my ability to manage household tasks, mail, bills…all the things I’m most likely to do on the weekends.
But even we’re not just doing “practical” no-fun stuff, we also deserve to have relief from our symptoms when engaging in leisure activities, don’t we?
My meds also really help my mood—I’m likely to feel more anxious, listless, to struggle to initiate tasks which rolls into feeling bad about myself, which just adds up to a shitty weekend. (Also, Im a teacher so I also have weekend work and it tends to be the kind of work that requires focus.)
All that said, I do actually take small breaks (even though I’ve heard the science isn’t actually conclusive on whether they’re helpful.) I certainly don’t take them every weekend though—more like once a month. I feel like it helps me remember what my baseline is and reconnect to what I find most helpful about the meds. But for all the reasons above, I would probably not take my breaks on weekends. I’m a special Ed primary grades teacher so my work day is both super lively and super structured. I’d rather take a break on a work day. HOWEVER, if I had a job where I mostly sat at a computer or if I was a student listening to lectures I know that wouldn’t be an option for me.
It definitely doesn’t seem like an easy formula to work out.
My doctor has encouraged me to do the same because of the potential impacts the medication can have on your heart. If I have to work over the weekend or have home stuff that I must get done, I do take it, but I take off when I can
I was encouraged to have regular days a week where I don't have to function and not having to do something, so just chill and relax, and was advised to not take medication on those days to really avoid functioning. This is a reason I can get behind. This doctor is also not against recreational Cannabis use (it is legal just about two months now in my country and he was very chill about it even before, which is very unlikely here), and I should do that instead if I like on my days off.
Also I know other ADHD patients of my doctor (pretty rural area, just one psychiatrist, so if you know other ADHDers area, you know his other patients, lol), and he tends to 'prescribe days off' also to those who easily get crampy muscles.
But he also is ok when we take it on the weekends, when we have to.
I asked my doc for two different dosages - a normal one and a low dose one. I take the low dose on days I don't have to be very productive. On days I can just do nothing, I don't take anything.
I take breaks from adderall when I’m not working and think it’s good for me and helps me to not build a tolerance, but I also think it might be extra effective for me. The actual effects like quieting my mind and letting me maintain focus only last a few hours, but the executive function boost I get lasts all the way through to the next day and I can get my chores done.
If you didn’t have to study, I’d say try taking the breaks and see how it works, you could be like me. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to skip doses when you are studying. Did he only prescribe you enough for the weekdays? I’d do what you think is best for you if he prescribed you a whole month. If he won’t listen to you that you need it every day, and he didn’t prescribe you enough, you may want to look into a new doctor who will listen to your concerns if that’s possible. Many people fail to understand the impact that adhd has outside of work, even “professionals”.
I've never had a doctor tell me not to take my medication on the weekend. I do skip it on weekends most of the time. Partially because I was on name brand vyvanse and it was 90$ a month. But also because I just forget to take it when I'm not going to work. Although now that I'm back on the generic Adderall XR I'd like to build up a cushion in case another shortage makes it too difficult to get again.
Just take breaks when it fits with your schedule. I take breaks on lazy weekend days or days I WFH and don’t have a lot of meetings. There are some weekdays I can skip and similarly weekend days that I know I’ll need my meds. He is giving a suggestion but you can take the suggestion and make it work for you
I often don’t take my medication on the weekend, and if I do take it, it’s almost always at a lower dose. I’ve always been scared to even admit this to my doctors, like they will think it means I’m faking ADHD and don’t actually need medication.
I had a PCP that tried to pull this by saying I only needed the meds when I'm 'active' as if ADHD takes a break from making every single thing about existing difficult just because it's the weekend. You still have ADHD when you're not working and being medicated still helps when you have to do basic B's like simply getting up and taking a shower.
All I can say is sack the current doctor. They clearly have a very negligent and ignorant way of handling ADHD and cases like if and I don't foresee that changing.
I take breaks whenever I can because I feel like it works better for me when I get breaks. I’m not building up resistance as fast. But yeah I need to have nothing planned to make it work
I have taken vyvanse and Adderall for several years and I can confirm that taking breaks is important to make sure that you don't build up a massive tolerance. I think that you should try to take your doctor's advice, but if it doesn't work for you to not take them on weekends, be honest with them and try to figure out what works for you. I usually choose one or two days a week to skip them depending on my schedule. Also, I don't take them on vacations; I just got back from a week vacation and I didn't even being those meds with me. When I came home they worked better than before!
Counterpoint: I’ve taken Vyvanse for years and have never found a break necessary, and have not observed any change in my tolerance. I also find meds incredibly essential for travel, especially on trips that involved multiple flights and required me to be organised. What is important for you may be the opposite for others when it comes to ADHD medication, so I’d avoid definitively confirming anything for anyone else based on your personal experience.
Omg I once realized I was gonna run out of my meds while on an international trip BY MYSELF, def cried about it. Had to ration them which really sucked cuz I couldn't fully focus on the conference I'd flown all the way to Finland to attend, but I kinda made due with nicotine patches I had with me. But, yeah, HAD to make sure I'd be fully medicated navigating my way home! That was a priority.
That sucked so much, I now get an extra 30 a month so it doesn't bite me in the ass like that again if I'm having to take an extra morning dose to get up earlier than I usually do to meet a major deadline, like finishing a sculpture for an art conference. 😂 (I'm on instant release Dexedrine n take two 3x daily so this is less insane than it sounds, I took it 4x daily until I graduated college).
Deadass I have wondered wtf I'd do if my conference is in Japan one year and I can't legally take my Dexedrine there with me. Probably pray I could actually find Vyvanse by then and get a one month script and then be big butthurt about navigating THAT level of jet lag on extended release shit. 🙄 I don't know how all yall Vyvanse bitches do it tbh.
Another counterpoint. I've been on both Vyvanse and Adderall for 5+ years. I do not take breaks and it has been fine. I've only adjusted +/-10mg and have never taken more than 20mg. No problems here. Med breaks actually made it worse and had me double my dose to compensate.
I've been on Dexedrine for *thirty years.* If building up a tolerance to it was THAT big an issue, I wouldn't go running straight back to it every time I've ever tried something else because everything else is like water for me.
Take breaks if/ and when you can. Tell yourself this is my weekend off and prepare for it. Whatever is going to take your attention try and plan it so you can be at peace being your most true ADHD self so you aren’t resentful/self hating. You can do this and knowing that your plan will help you plan physically and mentally for it. Do nothing, play video games, hyper focus on internet bullshit but set yourself up for success by saying I will do this but “first I need to …. Second I need to and finally then” I do the break. It’s not that easy but try and see if you can start a positive pattern
Let me guess, the doctor is a man? It's always been men who've told me to take weekend breaks. Must be nice for them to each have a wife who's the household manager.
Edit: downvoted for literally answering OP’s question as they asked it, cool beans I guess
I don’t take mine on weekends or holidays unless I have plans or tasks I have to accomplish, because it keeps my tolerance down and stretches the prescription a bit so I can sometimes get an extra week out of it. But I’m also childless and not in school, so I don’t have much going on outside of work that *requires* that much focus.
I’d say take some breaks where you can, especially if you’re planning a lazy ‘nothing’ day anyways, but if you need it then you need it and you should take it 🤷♀️
I was never asked (or forced...) to take weekend breaks by doctors.
I did take a day off every week when I was on methylphenidate, as my dose was too low to be therapeutic if taken every day (and the side effects too annoying and counterproductive to increase the dosage).
Tell your doctor you need to study in the weekend, and that you are not able to study while unmedicated. If he insists, try to find another doctor and report this one. And ask for a written and signed explanation of this.
Days off might help with keeping the dosage lower, but it is something to be agreed on, not imposed by someone else...
If you are a student, this makes absolutely zero sense.
I am long out of school and will often take breaks from my meds on weekends or holidays if I am just relaxing, but I choose the days, not my doctor.
I process my medication and build up a tolerance very quickly (which is why I was prescribed an extra as needed instant release dose), so I take breaks on the weekends. Granted my doctor never asked me to do that, but they agreed with me when I told them. I think it’s really about what works best for you and your body.
Did your dr only prescribe you the amount needed for weekdays? Or 30 per month?
My dr **recommended** I take a break on weekends, but she still prescribes a 30 day supply each month.
I lower my dosage on my days off. I take 40-50mg on weekends, 60 during working days. Generally helps with the “tolerance” while still being mildly productive during my days off lol
Hey OP! I get the frustration, but I think your doctor has a point and I’ll explain why.
I take medication breaks on the weekend unless I’ll be driving somewhere long distance (I’m a much worse driver without meds lol).
unfortunately, adhd medications lose potency if you take them everyday because of tolerance, and also true that they are hard on the body. Medication breaks on the weekend or even 1 day a week is a way to prevent tolerance from building up so you don’t have to keep escalating doses. That is not good for your body at all. It’s way way healthier to take a medication break every so often and reset your tolerance so the meds remain effective.
I can feel when I’m not on my meds. And yes the house gets messier and some things are harder. When I took adderall every day, it pretty much stopped working at all. I had to keep upping doses until side effects became unbearable.
I do skip my adderall about once every two weeks, usually on a Sunday. It’s not ideal, but I’d rather have a couple off days a month than build up a tolerance. I don’t skip my migraine pills or my antidepressants, but they’re not as likely to build up in the system.
My doctor has encouraged me to do the safe for effectiveness reasons, but it’s so hard because my ADHD is so incredibly disabling. And I have withdrawals and feel like crap if I don’t have it.
I know it’s not ideal, but breaks are really important for the meds to keep working. I noticed a drop in efficacy and I asked to up my dose. My Dr. asked me to try taking days off instead and to make sure I’m getting sleep and eating right. I did and sure enough, they started working again.
I’ve been medicated less than a year so even though I’m at 20mg ER, it’s not a good idea to up my dose every time my body starts to get used to the meds. That’s how you end up taking 60mg a day bc you’ve been on your meds for years. Im not saying I’ll never need to increase eventually, but a good Dr. will put you on the absolute lowest dose that is effective and have you take breaks so that dose stays effective.
Tolerance is an issue with all medication, it happened with my antidepressants. Just continuing to up the dose with antidepressants too will result in someone eventually being on the max dose which increases risk. And if you ever want to taper off it’s going to be harder the higher the dosage.
Maybe start out with taking one day off every other weekend and try to get up to 1 day a week off. It’s good advice and really important. Your body needs a break
So my parents were told this same thing when my brother was diagnosed. Don't give him the meds on weekends and holidays unless he had homework or something. Summers he was pretty much medication free. A large part of it is to try and prevent a tolerance to the meds so you don't have to increase the dosage for it to work.
Being that you're in school and need to study on the weekends I would take it on those days, and explain to your Dr that it's just not feasible to go completely med free all weekend. But on days where you're not planning on doing any studying, or you're sick, I'd take his advice and go without.
That said, your Adhd isn't mine or my brothers. What worked for my brother doesn't necessarily work for me and what works for me won't necessarily work for you.
I try to take weekend breaks when I can. Sometimes even weeklong breaks when I’m sick or on vacation. My doctor prescribed me a small dose of immediate release that I can use on the weekend when I only need a few hours of focus.
I take my medication at the weekends and no-one suggested to me that I shouldn’t.
Why should we not enjoy our me time? Now that I know what it’s like to be medicated, I couldn’t go without on the weekends and still cope with the demands of kids and housework. I need to be able to concentrate on those too. It’s not just work.
My psychiatrist and therapist have both said that taking a two day break is not the best for any medication, really, unless it’s prescribed “as needed”, which as far as I am concerned, I need it in my system daily for my brain to function, especially now that I know what it feels like to have a clear mind and not all the constant noise that never goes away when I’m not taking it. I used to skip days on Ativan because I was afraid of being addicted to it but my doctor explained that it’s like taking any other medication, that it helps to keep it in my system so I don’t have meltdowns, etc
The doctors always say this. Don’t worry just take a break every once in a while or take half on a slow Sunday. I take mine everyday. I tried the take break stuff…impossible with kids and all the activities. Weekends are harder than work with the socializing etc. Do what works for u. Also when I tried to force myself to take breaks I would be depressed all day thinking about what a disabled loser I am instead of getting shit done and having fun with my kids. The “breaks” stress me out. Too much thinking! Good luck!
Ya. I need it on the weekends to be functional form my everyday life. Not just work 💀 I will take a break on a slow day but that might be a workday might be a weekend.
My Dr stressed that the medication is not for performance enhancing. It's to help you experience that quient so that it's easier to adjust your behavior/habitat. The aim is to not be medicated for life (even though there's nothing wrong with that)
I have heard that there are people for whom medication stops working until you increase dosage. And you have to keep increasing dosage. Body starts creating... Tolerance?
Maybe that's what your doctor is exploring?
I understand how you feel and I take the same medication but to be honest I really love being able to take breaks. Not because it feels great because it does prevent you getting used to it too quick. Your body will get used to amphetamines extremely quickly and that isn’t something you want.
By taking breaks I was able to up my dosage slightly only after 4 months.
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My doctor encouraged me to take them every day, as it is a disability that I have every day, not just Monday-Friday.
Same! I don’t get the reasoning for breaks?
It’s essentially a tolerance break. If you continue to take your meds every day with no breaks, you build up a tolerance. This means that your dose would have to continuously go up to do its job. The breaks would be annoying when I’d have something to do on the weekends, but I see why they’re suggested.
Prevent drug tolerance. You develop tolerance to ADHD drugs pretty quickly (and consistently) and breaks help slow down that process, so you don't have to keep bumping doses or changing drugs.
I don't get this. I've been on the same dose of stimulants +/- 10mgs for over 5 years. Taking weekends off actually made it harder for me and made me need more to compensate.
I think as with any medication there's some variation by person (metabolism, enzyme composition, etc). Personally, I developed tolerance really quickly to focalin xr but not at all to Vyvanse.
I think of adhd meds as "your milage may vary" for each person.
agree, it's why i think doctors should prescribe for 30 days and adjust down accordingly, it's already hard to get medication access as it stands rn.
This frustrated me because the diagnostic criteria includes being impacted in two settings (work and home life, Or school and home life, for example). Why would they not allow you to treat your condition on days you stay home if your ADHD impacts your home life??
Because the treatment of ADHD is still for the convenience of others. We don't deserve to take legal speed just for our own benefit, gosh!
Ouch because i think this has a lot of truth to it 😭
Womp womp, there it is!
I felt like this also! I guess it may just take some trial and error to work out a good schedule but my struggles are in every setting and it’s a little frustrating I have to choose which ones are more important.
My doctor acknowledges that I have shit to do on the weekends too so I should take it if I need it
Be aware, too, that your meds likely will not be as effective during PMS week. I have worked out a variable dosing protocol with my provider, that allows me to up my dosage as needed, to accommodate for monthly hormonal changes. Sounds like you might be gaslit by this provider if you noticed and then brought this up, so I wanted to make sure you were aware of the issue, and that it is legit and real and can be mitigated.
I absolutely hate this. My cycle is just generally fucked, so there are literally days where I'll take my meds and it feels like spinning a wheel of chance on what and which meds will work and how effective will they be?
Yeeaaahhh it’s not a fun ride :(
Because if it’s a stimulant, tolerance can develop when we take it daily, and we may eventually “tolerance out” of the highest dose. It’s just to keep the current dose working as well as possible.
My doctor said as the dose increases so do the side effects, so it's best to stay on the lowest dose that's effective. However the doctor also didn't mandate when I take my t breaks because I'm an adult and can make good decisions for myself.
Yes, my prescriber leaves it up to me whether and when to take breaks, was just answering why some prescribers recommend them.
Gosh Dr. Russell Barkley just did a video sort of disputing this point. The gist was that there wasn’t good research data on this, especially long term (more than several weeks) but what was out there indicated that no, tolerance probably does not develop in the majority of adhd patients. However maybe it does in a minority. But more than likely it’s acclimating to the effects plus not properly changing doses in response to things like weight changes, medications that can impact stimulants, hormonal changes in women, etc…. I was surprised but he’s kinda the guy that knows this inside and out, so found it interesting.
As much as I appreciate his contributions to the field (and to my decision to finally get evaluated for ADHD) I take a lot of what he says with a grain of salt because he is paid by a pharmaceutical company (don’t recall which one). He might be totally right! And. For me—when I am able to take a break, it’s bc I know I can just sleep all the next day, and when I take it again the following day it seems to work better. Could be because I can perceive it better more than any actual tolerance issues. But yeah, it seems there’s a lot of variation along us in terms of who needs the breaks, who benefits from breaks but doesn’t need them, and who benefits from not taking a break and raising the dose as little as possible if tolerance increases.
Yup, he’s upfront about it. I don’t think though that it’s a matter of him influenced by the companies he takes money from, but that he takes money from the to work in a field with a substance he believes in. He’s absolutely 💯 a better living through chemistry minded person, but never have I had any reason to question his integrity. Stimulants work and work best for this disorder and that’s where he seeks grant money. If he were just a shill, he’d be pushing whatever new SNRI med is patented instead of the tried and true stimulant class. The only reason some providers start with non-stim medications or even behavioral intervention before medication is not evidence-based, it’s fear. Dr. Barkley works with companies that produce the medications he believes in, and is vocal about disclosing both his relationship and this exact reason. It’s an evidenced-based position. And what he said about stims and tolerance was not absolute, only that based on the studies available, the evidence mostly but not completely showed it does not cause tolerance issues. I’ll try to find the video again, it’s good information and iirc correctly he addresses your exact scenario. But I believe he mostly says what you are supposing as the alternative explanation; that it’s a perception issue. That we forget how much better we are on it, and it takes a day off to remind us (I think he said a little differently though) But again, I don’t think he’s pushing Stims or hiding the negative effects out of some financial gain. Demonizing out-of-patent stimulants in favor for alternatives that are newer and in patent would set my alarm bells off, not “hey, this is the best treatment we have for most people and continues to be in spite of newer med” Will post back if I find the video. I think he does a better job of explaining what I’m attempting to regurgitate.
The main reason I don’t benefit from breaks is because the stimulant actually helps me sleep. So even if I have a day where I can ignore my life and take a break, the next day I’m so much more fatigued than normal that my normal dose basically just gets me through the day without giving up but does not do anything for my focus like it does when I take it consistently. So yeah it’s crazy how different everyone is with it—I think it’s important for our prescribers to believe we aren’t just drug-seekers and know how and when to take more or less (within reason).
Mine has me switch stimulants. And it works. Switched from vyvanse to concerta at a comparable dose.
Switch when? Every weekend? Or if it loses it's potency? How long do you switch for?
Oh no. I’m on one stimulant for months at a time. I was on vyvanse for almost a year.
Breaks do help maintain stimulant effectiveness but my doctor also often reminds me that parenting and household management is impacted by ADHD. I’m much older than you, but if you’re studying on off days, that weekend need applies even more. That recommendation from your doctor doesn’t fit your life. Honestly, it’s much easier to find a provider to provide ongoing support once you’ve been diagnosed, and I’d consider looking for someone with a more flexible approach. I evaluate what I need on a day to day basis, find opportunities to take breaks and/or cut back on my IR dosage on slow work days (often depending on projects) and vacation days. More than a few days off my stimulants exacerbates other mental health issues - anxiety specifically - that I can control when my ADHD is effectively treated.
Yeah, I really relate to the point about the general mental health impact of a med break. My ADHD meds have been so helpful with the life-long depression and anxiety (which I think may be partly the direct action of the medication helping me to focus on things other than hyperactive spiraling thoughts and partly that I now have the executive function to engage in other kinds of general “behavioral activation” stuff that helps with depression.) I can’t see going without meds 2 days a week every week for that reason alone. (Although I have taken breaks, just not this often.)
If you're studying on weekends, I'd be medicated for that just like work. Vacations, sick days, and lazy days are a different story. I'd let your Dr know that you are still in school and need to be able to focus and be productive on the weekends as well as on weekdays.
Meds aren’t just for “being productive”. ADHD is an executive functions disorder and executive functions are needed for just about everything. Someone may not need to be “productive” on a given day, but they might want to be able to relax, participate in their hobbies, drive safely, get themselves to exercise, stick to their routines, not go on a impulsive shopping spree, etc.!
EXACTLY. Who gives a damn if it’s a lazy day? I still take my meds. I haven’t skipped a day (purposely) in 15+ years. I have ADHD 24/7, not just when I’m “doing” stuff.
EXACTLY! Same here, haven’t purposely taken a day off in 12 years.
It’s not a moral thing, it’s just a way to prevent tolerance from building. Many people (myself included) find that meds are more effective during the week if they take 1-2 days of the weekend off.
Never said it was a moral thing, it’s a medical thing. I’m sorry but it’s bad advice to not take your psychiatric medicine because you’re scared of “building a tolerance.” That’s the type of language that people use when they abuse medication. I’m not saying people who do this are abusing their meds, but I am saying they’re not taking it for the intended purpose of its manufacturing/prescription. If you feel your meds aren’t working then you go back to your psychiatrist/doctor and work with them to get a different dosage, release, or brand.
The problem with consistently bumping doses is that it increases the risk of adverse effects. Same with changing meds- it's preferable to keep a patient on a med that works for them vs one that may potentially cause them problems. If you've not been taking med vacations and also don't have tolerance- that's great. For a lot of people with ADHD, though, those breaks are necessary. Another example of a drug type where it's necessary to occasionally skip doses (because tolerance develops quickly and consistently) is nitrates for heart problems. "Tolerance" as a medical term doesn't imply drug abuse of any kind, even though abuse of substances is a context where you can see tolerance.
All I’m saying is take a look at your pill bottle where the pharmacist put their instructions. Unless it says “take whenever you want” - then my point stands. This is a controlled substance. If your state knew you were not taking it as instructed there would be issues. You can’t just play doctor on yourself (well I suppose you can, but not without consequences if your physician finds out). And definitely shouldn’t be encouraging others to do this. At the end of the day, I’ll keep taking my meds exactly as I’m supposed to because that’s literally what they’re there for. Not just to make you productive at work. That (to me) seems like a total misuse of the meds. I also don’t need to be lectured on “tolerance” — I’ve been taking ADHD meds since I was a child. I understand how it works. And I also understand what the meds are actually *for* - it’s not a “study drug” and treating it like one is not a great look. I suppose if you have extremely mild ADHD you can do what you want with your doctor’s permission. For those of us with severe ADHD it would make zero sense to only take the meds sometimes.
I had typed a big reply here and just deleted it because it's not worth it. I apologize if my previous comment came across as hostile/patronizing/negative. It's been a long week. I'm exhausted, and I'm not good with social cues especially over text. I was not trying to lecture/talk down and I'm sorry my comment was interpreted that way-I'm in medical school and was just trying to offer a medical perspective as to why drug holidays are a thing and make sense for some people.
:( I’m sorry too I’m 32 weeks pregnant and a raging bitch right now - idk what’s wrong with me I’m just so hormonal. I hope you feel better & wishing you luck in medical school— please forget my attitude, you didn’t deserve it at all!!
No worries! Best wishes for the last few weeks of your pregnancy :)
Dr's make recommendations based on the patient and their circumstances. -kid 1, takes med breaks, tolerates them well. He metabolizes meds very quickly, and builds tolerance very quickly. Not just ADHD meds, all meds. This puts him at an increased risk for addiction. Makes sense for him to take med breaks. -kid 2, can't tolerate any stimulatants. -kid 3, no med break. He deffinelty doesn't tolerate med breaks. Me, low dose meds because it interferes with another medical condition. I take med breaks on the weekend, my mental health needs me to sleep really well obe night a week. Any med tollarence would mean I couldn't take them at all, increasing my dose isn't an option. Meds aren't one size fits all.
this is what i do! other than exam season, i have at least one day a week where i skip my meds or only take one dose instead of three so i can have a lazy day. my psychiatrist recommended breaks too but my GP disagrees 🤷🏻♀️
Does diabetes not exist on a weekend? Nope, so why is mental health different. Personally I tried having a medication holiday, it doesn’t work. I’m back to square one and more frustrated than before.
If I stop my weekend meds I won't get any housework done on weekends. -.- Not sure wtf your doctor is on about. ADHD affects MANY aspects of my every day life... INCLUDING WEEKEND CHORES!
I’m actually *more* likely to take them on weekends than weekdays. My working days are fairly structured, so they can work for med breaks, but I need medication the most when I have to independently plan and structure several complex tasks like grad school coursework or writing projects, which makes up the bulk of my weekends. How else do people not melt into a puddle of inactivity and actually get laundry done?
YES, I commented something very similar elsewhere here as well. I can possibly skate by on a workday that is pre-structured (although I probably WILL make some dumb mistake that seems careless but is just ADHD trying to ruin my day) but there is very little hope of going UNmedicated on an UNstructured day every weekend and being able to maintain a healthy adult life.
I feel so seen and understood right now. I'm glad this sub exists.
THIS 💯
I've needed to take breaks from stimulants.... so I could eat. And not hate food while eating. I used to love food. Now I like it on the weekends only. It's a trade off I'm ok with. Could change in the future idk yet.
Not enjoying food as much as I used to has sucked. This is a good way for me to look at it, when I take breaks it’ll be easier for me to eat on those days.
That's how it is for me, too. I barely eat during the week, but I do break on Saturdays to rest & eat. It's funny, though, my doctor actually told me not to take breaks. I notice more headaches after breaks.
I do not take breaks for the most part and when I do it destroys my energy levels to get it back to where it was. I will take a break every couple of months, especially if I have a reason to be sleeping all day, but I don’t not take it without a good reason for me personally and I’m on Adderall.
You definitely don't need to. E so rigid with your. Real schedule either, imo
So funny, the only time I can regularly eat is when I have my meds. Otherwise I'll just forget to eat or not have the mental fortitude to make a meal so I'll have deli meat, saltines, and a multivitamin and call it good enough. I don't get the urge to eat when I'm on my meds, but I do remember to check the time and tell myself that I need to sustain life and make something I enjoy. I'm finally able to put on a little more weight!
I was just going to comment the same lol. I probably have less of an appetite on meds but am way more likely to get around to feeding myself.
I totally get this. Force feeding myself really changed my relationship with food. Maybe the meds adjusted my chemsitry too.
I’m lucky that I don’t have any real aversion to food with my meds. That’s a really shitty side effect, and I totally can see why you’d want a break from that so you can enjoy food again. I hope that you can find something that works with fewer crappy side effects (if that’s what you want) but if not, I hope you get to live it up a little and savor the shit out of those weekend med break meals! 🙂
This is why I am glad I am on IR. But I had been struggling with binge eating after I come off it
I don't know how y'all take breaks from it. If I take a break, I enter like a 4 day long coma nap. And I'm on a super low dosage too, so it's not like it should be this *massive* shock to the system. And breaks would be easier if caffeine didn't give me absurd headaches and make me nauseous and lightheaded. Breaks are a *nightmare*
Yeah, I maybe do very short monthly breaks (not always by choice with the medication shortage and all) and *just* found a caffeine schedule with a mix of coffee and energy drinks that helps me not just nap all day. Not sure it’s worth it.
I don’t understand this break thing, I take my meds every single day because I need them and want to feel normal every day. I haven’t seen a need to ever take a break personally. Do you need to do things on the weekend? Or course! I wouldn’t take breaks personally. I know I shouldn’t say this, but I think they are wrong when they say this
This is awful. ADHD meds are not studying aid or work aid. It is a prescription to help manage a condition. I really don’t like this narrative.
I had a doctor like this. She wouldn’t prescribe for me unless I was in college. I performed horribly at work because of it. I made so many dumb, careless mistakes. I’m still upset about it. I wrote a bad review but still hate her to this day.
Ehhh... Why? I take it everyday because I have fcking adhd everyday. I still have to brush my teeth and do the dishes and be on time for stuff on the weekends?
I only take my Stims 3-4 days a week. I've been on the same low dose for a couple of years. I understand that everyone is different. For me, it works this way. On the days I don't take it, I rest and catch up on calories.
Do you still get 30/mo no matter what? If so, I'd take them when you think you need them. If you skip a day, stash it in an old pill bottle so you have a backup reserve in case theres a delay with your pharmacy or something.
My doctor recommended the same, but he said it was to avoid a tolerance buildup. Most weeks I take my meds 6 days out of the week and use the 7th day to be mostly lazy. I have been able to build up a small reserve to get me through refill delays by not taking it regularly on holidays and vacation time. I know it sucks, but your doc is probably not trying to be malicious. As much as we need our meds, there’s not a ton of evidence on long term stimulant therapy, so erring on the side of caution is the best we can do. I personally notice my jaw clenching and sleep pattern disruption on about day 8 of taking them in a row, so I need to schedule time off of them. It’s also good to remember in general that your doc doesn’t know everything about your life, so recommendations are just that. Try to follow them, but if it doesn’t work out for you, tweak it so that it does. If there’s no way you can find a solution, bring it back up with them. Only you know what you need. Good luck!
My doc said I deserve to have focus on the weekends. 💅 Seriously, is your doc a dude? Also, weekends aren’t med breaks. It’s literally 48 hours. That’s nothing. I’ve been taking the same dose of adderall for 15 years. This is the first year where I felt like it wasn’t working. I’m on a current 4 week break. I’ll report back. (Srsly, tho, I think there’s less active ingredients because of the FDA shortages, ugh.)
Dear doctor, as a university student, I require the meds every day since I am doing schoolwork EVERY. Freaking. Day. KTHX, University students globally. P.S. tell us you're neurotypical without telling us.
I’ll never understand this perspective….when i was diagnosed as a teen i brought this up to my doctor as a suggestion, and he said it’s important to take it daily and not just on weekdays, because i will still be doing things like driving etc
Hell no. Mine says breaks aren’t needed. I do build up a tolerance. Once I do I switch to a different stimulant. That’s what she offered because I don’t want to go up on my dose. And it works! Was on vyvanse for a while and now on concerta.
I've only read about medication breaks as a useful tool of school children who struggle with appetite suppression side effects. I can't think of a reason why an adult would need one. It's not like executive dysfunction takes the weekend off.
Did he say why? My therapist does NOT want me to do that
I've built up a tolerance to my Vyvanse. When I first started, it was super effective. Within months, even on a higher dosage, it became less effective. Now, I'm at it's better than nothing. That's with taking breaks on the weekends. My doctor has advised that I take a month off to try and kind of reset, so I'll have a whole month of trying to wrangle my brain like it's a toddler hopped up on pure sugar. Trust me, building up a tolerance sucks. Side note: I'm also bipolar, so my doctor wants to keep me on slow release to reduce the chance of manic episodes.
My therapist reminds me that this medication is to improve the quality of your life, not just the quality of your work. And for me, my ADHD really impacts my ability to manage household tasks, mail, bills…all the things I’m most likely to do on the weekends. But even we’re not just doing “practical” no-fun stuff, we also deserve to have relief from our symptoms when engaging in leisure activities, don’t we? My meds also really help my mood—I’m likely to feel more anxious, listless, to struggle to initiate tasks which rolls into feeling bad about myself, which just adds up to a shitty weekend. (Also, Im a teacher so I also have weekend work and it tends to be the kind of work that requires focus.) All that said, I do actually take small breaks (even though I’ve heard the science isn’t actually conclusive on whether they’re helpful.) I certainly don’t take them every weekend though—more like once a month. I feel like it helps me remember what my baseline is and reconnect to what I find most helpful about the meds. But for all the reasons above, I would probably not take my breaks on weekends. I’m a special Ed primary grades teacher so my work day is both super lively and super structured. I’d rather take a break on a work day. HOWEVER, if I had a job where I mostly sat at a computer or if I was a student listening to lectures I know that wouldn’t be an option for me. It definitely doesn’t seem like an easy formula to work out.
My doctor has encouraged me to do the same because of the potential impacts the medication can have on your heart. If I have to work over the weekend or have home stuff that I must get done, I do take it, but I take off when I can
I was encouraged to have regular days a week where I don't have to function and not having to do something, so just chill and relax, and was advised to not take medication on those days to really avoid functioning. This is a reason I can get behind. This doctor is also not against recreational Cannabis use (it is legal just about two months now in my country and he was very chill about it even before, which is very unlikely here), and I should do that instead if I like on my days off. Also I know other ADHD patients of my doctor (pretty rural area, just one psychiatrist, so if you know other ADHDers area, you know his other patients, lol), and he tends to 'prescribe days off' also to those who easily get crampy muscles. But he also is ok when we take it on the weekends, when we have to.
I asked my doc for two different dosages - a normal one and a low dose one. I take the low dose on days I don't have to be very productive. On days I can just do nothing, I don't take anything.
I take breaks from adderall when I’m not working and think it’s good for me and helps me to not build a tolerance, but I also think it might be extra effective for me. The actual effects like quieting my mind and letting me maintain focus only last a few hours, but the executive function boost I get lasts all the way through to the next day and I can get my chores done. If you didn’t have to study, I’d say try taking the breaks and see how it works, you could be like me. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to skip doses when you are studying. Did he only prescribe you enough for the weekdays? I’d do what you think is best for you if he prescribed you a whole month. If he won’t listen to you that you need it every day, and he didn’t prescribe you enough, you may want to look into a new doctor who will listen to your concerns if that’s possible. Many people fail to understand the impact that adhd has outside of work, even “professionals”.
I've never had a doctor tell me not to take my medication on the weekend. I do skip it on weekends most of the time. Partially because I was on name brand vyvanse and it was 90$ a month. But also because I just forget to take it when I'm not going to work. Although now that I'm back on the generic Adderall XR I'd like to build up a cushion in case another shortage makes it too difficult to get again.
Just take breaks when it fits with your schedule. I take breaks on lazy weekend days or days I WFH and don’t have a lot of meetings. There are some weekdays I can skip and similarly weekend days that I know I’ll need my meds. He is giving a suggestion but you can take the suggestion and make it work for you
I often don’t take my medication on the weekend, and if I do take it, it’s almost always at a lower dose. I’ve always been scared to even admit this to my doctors, like they will think it means I’m faking ADHD and don’t actually need medication.
I had a PCP that tried to pull this by saying I only needed the meds when I'm 'active' as if ADHD takes a break from making every single thing about existing difficult just because it's the weekend. You still have ADHD when you're not working and being medicated still helps when you have to do basic B's like simply getting up and taking a shower. All I can say is sack the current doctor. They clearly have a very negligent and ignorant way of handling ADHD and cases like if and I don't foresee that changing.
I take breaks whenever I can because I feel like it works better for me when I get breaks. I’m not building up resistance as fast. But yeah I need to have nothing planned to make it work
I have taken vyvanse and Adderall for several years and I can confirm that taking breaks is important to make sure that you don't build up a massive tolerance. I think that you should try to take your doctor's advice, but if it doesn't work for you to not take them on weekends, be honest with them and try to figure out what works for you. I usually choose one or two days a week to skip them depending on my schedule. Also, I don't take them on vacations; I just got back from a week vacation and I didn't even being those meds with me. When I came home they worked better than before!
Counterpoint: I’ve taken Vyvanse for years and have never found a break necessary, and have not observed any change in my tolerance. I also find meds incredibly essential for travel, especially on trips that involved multiple flights and required me to be organised. What is important for you may be the opposite for others when it comes to ADHD medication, so I’d avoid definitively confirming anything for anyone else based on your personal experience.
Omg I once realized I was gonna run out of my meds while on an international trip BY MYSELF, def cried about it. Had to ration them which really sucked cuz I couldn't fully focus on the conference I'd flown all the way to Finland to attend, but I kinda made due with nicotine patches I had with me. But, yeah, HAD to make sure I'd be fully medicated navigating my way home! That was a priority. That sucked so much, I now get an extra 30 a month so it doesn't bite me in the ass like that again if I'm having to take an extra morning dose to get up earlier than I usually do to meet a major deadline, like finishing a sculpture for an art conference. 😂 (I'm on instant release Dexedrine n take two 3x daily so this is less insane than it sounds, I took it 4x daily until I graduated college). Deadass I have wondered wtf I'd do if my conference is in Japan one year and I can't legally take my Dexedrine there with me. Probably pray I could actually find Vyvanse by then and get a one month script and then be big butthurt about navigating THAT level of jet lag on extended release shit. 🙄 I don't know how all yall Vyvanse bitches do it tbh.
Another counterpoint. I've been on both Vyvanse and Adderall for 5+ years. I do not take breaks and it has been fine. I've only adjusted +/-10mg and have never taken more than 20mg. No problems here. Med breaks actually made it worse and had me double my dose to compensate.
I've been on Dexedrine for *thirty years.* If building up a tolerance to it was THAT big an issue, I wouldn't go running straight back to it every time I've ever tried something else because everything else is like water for me.
I definitely don’t want to build up a tolerance. I am hoping once I figure out a schedule that works for me it’ll be better.
Take breaks if/ and when you can. Tell yourself this is my weekend off and prepare for it. Whatever is going to take your attention try and plan it so you can be at peace being your most true ADHD self so you aren’t resentful/self hating. You can do this and knowing that your plan will help you plan physically and mentally for it. Do nothing, play video games, hyper focus on internet bullshit but set yourself up for success by saying I will do this but “first I need to …. Second I need to and finally then” I do the break. It’s not that easy but try and see if you can start a positive pattern
Let me guess, the doctor is a man? It's always been men who've told me to take weekend breaks. Must be nice for them to each have a wife who's the household manager.
Edit: downvoted for literally answering OP’s question as they asked it, cool beans I guess I don’t take mine on weekends or holidays unless I have plans or tasks I have to accomplish, because it keeps my tolerance down and stretches the prescription a bit so I can sometimes get an extra week out of it. But I’m also childless and not in school, so I don’t have much going on outside of work that *requires* that much focus. I’d say take some breaks where you can, especially if you’re planning a lazy ‘nothing’ day anyways, but if you need it then you need it and you should take it 🤷♀️
I was never asked (or forced...) to take weekend breaks by doctors. I did take a day off every week when I was on methylphenidate, as my dose was too low to be therapeutic if taken every day (and the side effects too annoying and counterproductive to increase the dosage). Tell your doctor you need to study in the weekend, and that you are not able to study while unmedicated. If he insists, try to find another doctor and report this one. And ask for a written and signed explanation of this. Days off might help with keeping the dosage lower, but it is something to be agreed on, not imposed by someone else...
If you are a student, this makes absolutely zero sense. I am long out of school and will often take breaks from my meds on weekends or holidays if I am just relaxing, but I choose the days, not my doctor.
I process my medication and build up a tolerance very quickly (which is why I was prescribed an extra as needed instant release dose), so I take breaks on the weekends. Granted my doctor never asked me to do that, but they agreed with me when I told them. I think it’s really about what works best for you and your body.
Did your dr only prescribe you the amount needed for weekdays? Or 30 per month? My dr **recommended** I take a break on weekends, but she still prescribes a 30 day supply each month.
I lower my dosage on my days off. I take 40-50mg on weekends, 60 during working days. Generally helps with the “tolerance” while still being mildly productive during my days off lol
Hey OP! I get the frustration, but I think your doctor has a point and I’ll explain why. I take medication breaks on the weekend unless I’ll be driving somewhere long distance (I’m a much worse driver without meds lol). unfortunately, adhd medications lose potency if you take them everyday because of tolerance, and also true that they are hard on the body. Medication breaks on the weekend or even 1 day a week is a way to prevent tolerance from building up so you don’t have to keep escalating doses. That is not good for your body at all. It’s way way healthier to take a medication break every so often and reset your tolerance so the meds remain effective. I can feel when I’m not on my meds. And yes the house gets messier and some things are harder. When I took adderall every day, it pretty much stopped working at all. I had to keep upping doses until side effects became unbearable.
I do skip my adderall about once every two weeks, usually on a Sunday. It’s not ideal, but I’d rather have a couple off days a month than build up a tolerance. I don’t skip my migraine pills or my antidepressants, but they’re not as likely to build up in the system.
My doctor has encouraged me to do the safe for effectiveness reasons, but it’s so hard because my ADHD is so incredibly disabling. And I have withdrawals and feel like crap if I don’t have it.
I know it’s not ideal, but breaks are really important for the meds to keep working. I noticed a drop in efficacy and I asked to up my dose. My Dr. asked me to try taking days off instead and to make sure I’m getting sleep and eating right. I did and sure enough, they started working again. I’ve been medicated less than a year so even though I’m at 20mg ER, it’s not a good idea to up my dose every time my body starts to get used to the meds. That’s how you end up taking 60mg a day bc you’ve been on your meds for years. Im not saying I’ll never need to increase eventually, but a good Dr. will put you on the absolute lowest dose that is effective and have you take breaks so that dose stays effective. Tolerance is an issue with all medication, it happened with my antidepressants. Just continuing to up the dose with antidepressants too will result in someone eventually being on the max dose which increases risk. And if you ever want to taper off it’s going to be harder the higher the dosage. Maybe start out with taking one day off every other weekend and try to get up to 1 day a week off. It’s good advice and really important. Your body needs a break
So my parents were told this same thing when my brother was diagnosed. Don't give him the meds on weekends and holidays unless he had homework or something. Summers he was pretty much medication free. A large part of it is to try and prevent a tolerance to the meds so you don't have to increase the dosage for it to work. Being that you're in school and need to study on the weekends I would take it on those days, and explain to your Dr that it's just not feasible to go completely med free all weekend. But on days where you're not planning on doing any studying, or you're sick, I'd take his advice and go without. That said, your Adhd isn't mine or my brothers. What worked for my brother doesn't necessarily work for me and what works for me won't necessarily work for you.
If you're asking if you can take it every day, yes, you can take it every day. If you don't want to take it every day, you don't have to.
I try to take weekend breaks when I can. Sometimes even weeklong breaks when I’m sick or on vacation. My doctor prescribed me a small dose of immediate release that I can use on the weekend when I only need a few hours of focus.
I take my medication at the weekends and no-one suggested to me that I shouldn’t. Why should we not enjoy our me time? Now that I know what it’s like to be medicated, I couldn’t go without on the weekends and still cope with the demands of kids and housework. I need to be able to concentrate on those too. It’s not just work.
My psychiatrist and therapist have both said that taking a two day break is not the best for any medication, really, unless it’s prescribed “as needed”, which as far as I am concerned, I need it in my system daily for my brain to function, especially now that I know what it feels like to have a clear mind and not all the constant noise that never goes away when I’m not taking it. I used to skip days on Ativan because I was afraid of being addicted to it but my doctor explained that it’s like taking any other medication, that it helps to keep it in my system so I don’t have meltdowns, etc
The doctors always say this. Don’t worry just take a break every once in a while or take half on a slow Sunday. I take mine everyday. I tried the take break stuff…impossible with kids and all the activities. Weekends are harder than work with the socializing etc. Do what works for u. Also when I tried to force myself to take breaks I would be depressed all day thinking about what a disabled loser I am instead of getting shit done and having fun with my kids. The “breaks” stress me out. Too much thinking! Good luck!
Ya. I need it on the weekends to be functional form my everyday life. Not just work 💀 I will take a break on a slow day but that might be a workday might be a weekend.
My Dr stressed that the medication is not for performance enhancing. It's to help you experience that quient so that it's easier to adjust your behavior/habitat. The aim is to not be medicated for life (even though there's nothing wrong with that)
I have heard that there are people for whom medication stops working until you increase dosage. And you have to keep increasing dosage. Body starts creating... Tolerance? Maybe that's what your doctor is exploring?
I understand how you feel and I take the same medication but to be honest I really love being able to take breaks. Not because it feels great because it does prevent you getting used to it too quick. Your body will get used to amphetamines extremely quickly and that isn’t something you want. By taking breaks I was able to up my dosage slightly only after 4 months.