Obesity is a condition where a person’s body holds too much fat. Attention deficit disorder is a condition where people find themselves in trouble paying attention and controlling impulsive behavior. These two conditions are rapidly growing in the USA every year. Adderall (ADHD treatment pill), and Adipex / Phentermine (weight loss med), are the most common medications prescribed for these two conditions. But, what if a person has both conditions? There might be a lot of questions on both medicines. In this blog, ‘Adipex Vs Adderall’ we will clarify the differences and similarities between both medicines.
What Is Adipex or Adipex-P?
The names ‘Adipex’ and ‘Adipex-P’ are used to refer to the same drug. The generic drug phentermine is sold as a branded variant with the name ‘Adipex-P’. Adipex-P belongs to the classes of drugs called ‘CNS stimulants and ‘Anorexiants’. It is a prescription-only drug, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What Is Adderall?
Adderall is a branded medicine which is comprised of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. The Adderall immediate-release is approved by the FDA for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Adderall XR is approved only for the treatment of ADHD. Both variants belong to a class of drugs called CNS stimulants.
Adderall Vs Adipex Forms
- Adipex-P: Apidex is available in tablet form and capsule form, the only available strength is 37.5 mg.
- Adderall: It is available in immediate-release (IR) and extended-release forms (XR). Immediate-release drugs start their work immediately after ingestion, while extended-release medicines release slowly into the body.
Uses Of Both Adipex & Adderall
Uses of Adipex and ADHD are mentioned in this section. The doses mentioned are initial doses, which might be changed as the treatment goes on.
Use Of Adipex
Adipex-P is used in the treatment of obesity and helps in weight loss. It is used along with dietary changes and exercises to improve the overall life of patients. Apidex-P is approved by the FDA for the short-term treatment of obesity.
Dosage of Adipex: The daily recommended dose of Adipex is 15 to 37.5 mg per day, for adults. This drug should be taken before breakfast or 1 or two hours after breakfast, to help reduce appetite.
Use Of Adderall
Adderall is used for multi-purpose, but it has 2 forms IR (Immediate release), and XR (extended release). Both are prescribed differently;
(i) Adderall (IR):
Adderall is FDA-approved for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy.
For Treating ADHD
- In individuals of ages 6 and above, 5 mg once or twice a day is administered.
- Children of ages 3, 4, and 5 are given 2.5 mg one or two times every day.
- This medicine is not used in children who are less than 3 years old.
For the Treatment of Narcolepsy:
- Children of ages 6 to 11 years are recommended to start the treatment with 5 mg of Adderall, one time a day.
- Patients who are 12 years of age and older are administered 10 mg, once a day.
- Adderall is not used for the treatment of narcolepsy in children who are 5 years or less in age.
(ii) Adderall XR:
Adderall XR is approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD only, this medicine is not approved for the treatment of narcolepsy.
- Children ages 6 to 12 are recommended to use 5 or 10 mg of Adderall XR every day.
- Individuals who are between the ages of 13 and 17 are recommended to use 10 mg of Adderall XR daily.
- Adults are administered a dose of 20 mg one time a day for the treatment of ADHD.
- Weight-loss: Adderall is sometimes used for weight loss. Some health care providers use it as an off-labeled medicine to help promote the reduction of weight.
- Using a medicine for a purpose that is not approved by the FDA is called ‘off-labeled’ use.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Adderall are nausea, insomnia, faintness, anxiety, and reduced appetite. The serious side effects such as heart problems or stunted growth (in children) can also be seen in rare cases.
Adipex-P also shows some of the common side effects like dry mouth, difficulty falling asleep, stomach problems (diarrhea and constipation), and restlessness. Severe side effects of Adipex-P are nosebleeds, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc.
Differences Between Adipex-P and Adderall:
- Apidex-P belongs to the classes of Anorexiants and CNS stimulants, while Adderall is only a CNS stimulant.
- Apidex-P is approved by the FDA for weight loss, while Adderall is used as an off-labeled drug for the same.
- Adipex-P is only available as an oral tablet, while Adderall is available is the forms of oral tablets and oral capsules.
- Adderall is a CSA Schedule 2 drug, and Adipex-P is a CSA Schedule 4. This means that Adderall has a much higher potential for abuse than Apidex-P.
Precautions
Both Adderall and Adipex are prescription-only medicines and should be used by the doctor’s guidance, failing to do so may lead to addiction.
- Neither of the medicines should be administered to individuals who have used an MAO inhibitor in the last 14 days.
- Alcohol consumption should be avoided, while in the treatment course of Adderall and/or Apidex-P.
- Suddenly stopping the use of Adderall and/or Adipex-P can lead to withdrawal symptoms.
- Store the medications in a bottle, away from moisture and heat.
- Patients should avoid driving while they are influenced by these drugs, as they have a tendency of making the user dizzy.
Conclusion
Adderall and Adipex are both very effective drugs, and should only be used as per the doctor’s guidance. They do not have similar uses, only common use is that Adipdex is used for weight loss, while Adderall is used as an off-label medicine for the same.