Providers turn to Adderall alternatives as medication shortage persists
Jan. 10—A nationwide shortage of ADHD medication is leaving many patients with difficulties filling their prescriptions — if they are able to fill them at all.
Patients began experiencing difficulties finding a pharmacy to fill their prescriptions of amphetamine mixed salt — commonly referred to by the brand name Adderrall — over the summer.
In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration officially declared a nationwide shortage of the drug in its instant release tablet form.
Doctors turned to prescribing patients with the extended release version of the medication as an alternative. This soon led further shortages.
According to ADPH District Medical Officer Wes Stubblefield, the problem with prescribing an alternate medication is not every person tolerates every medication the same.
"It's a trial and error process. You're trying to figure out which side effects are worse on one particular medicine versus another and what dose is the right dose because you really don't have anything to go by other than just how well the person responds," Stubblefield said. "When someone is stable and doing well on a particular medication, it can be challenging to switch."
This is especially true during particularly stressful times due to the loss of effectiveness as a patient comes off of the original medication and dosage.
This can mean that someone who is unable to treat their condition may seem less attentive at home or have difficulties regulating their emotions. At work, they may be less productive or punctual. As difficulty in finding medication continues, several patients have turned to alternative drugs such as Vyvanse, Concerta, Ritalin, or Focalin.
"If you're switching to a completely different medicine, you have to sort of start over and go down to a lower dose and figure out what the side effects are going to be and so that's really the problem that it gets into," Stubblefield said. "Even though there are alternatives, alternatives might not work out for a particular person."
As the medication shortage continues, Stubblefield recommends seeking guidance from your medical provider.
"The first thing you need to do is have a have a conversation with your provider that originally prescribed your medicine, to see what the options are and alternatives and how you might move forward," Stubblefield said.
Stubblefield also explained that ADHD medication are generally expensive.
"Insurance coverage can vary from insurance plan to insurance plan in terms of what's covered and what's not," Stubblefield said.
This can cause problems in finding an affordable alternative, as the patient may already use the option that is most affordable to them.
