Adderall xr can i open capsule

Stimulants may also carry risks for people with pre-existing mental health conditions. These can include:. Before beginning any stimulant, it's important that you or your child are screened thoroughly for the presence of any existing psychiatric condition, particularly psychosis and bipolar disorder. Stimulants also carry a low risk about 0.

Symptoms may include:. If symptoms occur, discontinuation of treatment may be appropriate. Aggressive behavior is a common symptom seen in children with ADHD. Although there is no evidence that stimulants cause aggressive behavior or hostility, patients who are starting treatment for ADHD should be monitored for increased aggression or hostility. Adderall XR carries other risks that you should be aware of.

For instance:. Together with the immediate-release version of Adderall, other common stimulants used to treat ADHD include:. Adderall XR is administered at the lowest effective dose, and dosages depend on the therapeutic needs and response of each individual.

All listed dosages are according to the manufacturer. Check your prescription, and talk to your doctor to make sure you are taking the right dose for you. In children who are between the ages of 6 and 12, medication is often started at 10 milligrams mg once daily in the morning.

The dosage may be adjusted in increments of 5 or 10 mg at weekly intervals. There may be times when a physician decides to start the dose at 5 mg once in the morning. The maximum recommended dose for children 6 to 12 years of age is 30 mg per day. Doses greater than 30 mg per day have not been studied in children, and Adderall XR has not been studied in children under 6 years of age. In adolescents with ADHD who are between the ages of 13 and 17, the recommended starting dose is 10 mg per day.

The dose may be increased to 20 mg per day after one week if their ADHD symptoms are not adequately controlled. In adults, the recommended dose is 20 mg per day. Adderall XR comes in capsules with several dosage options, each with differentiating color combinations:.

Capsules should be taken by mouth and swallowed whole. They should not be chewed or crushed, as this could release all the medication at once and increase the risk of side effects. The entire contents of a capsule may be sprinkled on a small amount of applesauce just before taking.

The mixture should be swallowed immediately and should not be chewed. This may be particularly helpful for young children who are resistant to taking the medication. Adderall XR can be taken with or without food as directed by your physician. It is usually taken once in the morning and should be taken the same way with every dose such as with or without food. Drink a glass of liquid after each dose. If you forget to take your medication, take it as soon as possible.

Take caution when taking it in the afternoon, however, as it may interfere with sleep when it's taken too close to bedtime. You should also avoid doubling up on this medication—if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the one you missed and go back to your normal schedule. Overdoses are possible with this medication, and they can be fatal. Symptoms include:. If you believe that you or a loved one has overdosed on Adderall XR, seek help immediately.

In the United States, you can contact the Poison Control Center at or call right away for help. This medication is a controlled substance and should be kept in a secure, safe place in a tightly closed container. Since Adderall XR is a controlled substance, you should consider planning ahead if you need to travel.

While Adderall XR is approved for use across the United States, you may need to comply with different drug labeling requirements while traveling from state to state. Your safest option may be to keep your medication in its original, prescribed container and ensure that you travel with roughly the amount you need—don't bring a large number of extra doses. If you plan to fly, you should keep your medication with you in a carry-on bag or purse, rather than checking it.

Traveling internationally with Adderall XR presents different problems, as this medication is not legal in certain countries. Check with the foreign embassy in your destination to determine if your medication is restricted in any way; if so, you'll likely need to comply with strict requirements for documentation. You should also speak with your doctor about what to do if you run out of medication while abroad.

Take the regular tablet in the morning and early afternoon. If you take the tablet in the evening, you may have trouble falling asleep at night. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label.

The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.

Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Do not double doses. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Dextroamphetamine and amphetamine combination should not be taken in the late afternoon or evening because it may cause difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take dextroamphetamine and amphetamine exactly as directed. Swallow the extended-release capsules whole; do not chew or crush them. If you are unable to swallow the extended-release capsule, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the entire contents on a teaspoonful of applesauce.

Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not store the applesauce and medication mixture for future use, and do not divide the contents of one capsule into more than one dose. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine and increase your dose gradually, not more often than once every week. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking dextroamphetamine and amphetamine from time to time to see if the medication is still needed.

Follow these directions carefully. The medication in each product is absorbed differently by the body, so one dextroamphetamine and amphetamine product cannot be substituted for another product. If you are switching from one product to another, your doctor will prescribe a dose that is best for you. The combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine should not be used to treat excessive tiredness that is not caused by narcolepsy. This medication may be prescribed for other conditions; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

If you miss your dose of the extended-release capsule the morning, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time the next day. Do not take a dose later in the day. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Dextroamphetamine and amphetamine may cause sudden death in children and teenagers, especially children or teenagers with heart defects or serious heart problems.

This medication also may cause sudden death, heart attack or stroke in adults, especially adults with heart defects or serious heart problems. Call your doctor right away if you or your child has any signs of heart problems while taking this medication including: chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting. Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication.

Dextroamphetamine and amphetamine may slow children's growth or weight gain. Your child's doctor will watch his or her growth carefully. Talk to your child's doctor if you have concerns about your child's growth or weight gain while he or she is taking this medication. Talk to your child's doctor about the risks of giving dextroamphetamine and amphetamine to your child. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature, away from light and excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all your appointments with your doctor and the laboratory.