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Namenda vs. Adderall

Are Namenda and Adderall the Same Thing?

Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) and Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts) are used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

Namenda is used off-label for ADHD. It is approved to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's type dementia.

Namenda and Adderall belong to different drug classes. Namenda is an orally active NMDA receptor antagonist and Adderall is an amphetamine.

Side effects of Namenda and Adderall that are similar include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, headache, fast heart rate, weakness, or anxiety.

Side effects of Namenda that are different from Adderall include tiredness, body aches, joint pain, swelling in your hands or feet, easy bruising or bleeding, aggression, skin rash, redness or swelling of or around your eyes, or urinating more than usual.

Side effects of Adderall that are different from Namenda include nervousness, restlessness, excitability, irritability, agitation, fear, tremor, blurred vision, sleep problems (insomnia), dry mouth or unpleasant taste in the mouth, stomach pain, fever, hair loss, loss of interest in sex, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm, increase blood pressure, and heart palpitations.

Both Namenda and Adderall may interact with sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer) or diuretics (water pills).

Namenda may also interact with cimetidine, nicotine, ranitidine, quinidine, antiviral medications, cold or cough medicines containing dextromethorphan, medicines to treat glaucoma, or oral diabetes medicines containing metformin.

Adderall may also interact with heart or blood pressure medications, cold or allergy medicines (antihistamines), acetazolamide, chlorpromazine, ethosuximide, haloperidol, lithium, meperidine, methenamine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, reserpine, ammonium chloride, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), potassium phosphate, antacids, potassium citrate, sodium citrate and citric acid, sodium citrate and potassium, stomach acid reducers, or antidepressants.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Namenda?

Common side effects of Namenda include:

  • tiredness,
  • body aches,
  • joint pain,
  • dizziness,
  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • diarrhea,
  • constipation,
  • loss of appetite,
  • weight loss,
  • headache,
  • swelling in your hands or feet,
  • fast heart rate,
  • easy bruising or bleeding,
  • unusual weakness,
  • anxiety,
  • aggression,
  • skin rash,
  • redness or swelling of or around your eyes, or
  • urinating more than usual.

Many people using Namenda do not have serious side effects.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Adderall?

Serious side effects include:

  • slowing of growth (height and weight) in children
  • seizures, mainly in patients with a history of seizures
  • eyesight changes or blurred vision
  • Serotonin syndrome. A potentially life-threatening problem called serotonin syndrome can happen when medicines such as Adderall are taken with certain other medicines. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include:
    • agitation, hallucinations, coma or other changes in mental status
    • problems controlling your movements or muscle twitching
    • fast heartbeat
    • high or low blood pressure
    • sweating or fever
    • nausea or vomiting
    • diarrhea
    • muscle stiffness or tightness

Common side effects include:

  • stomach ache
  • decreased appetite
  • nervousness

Adderall may affect your or your child's ability to drive or do other dangerous activities.

Talk to your doctor if you or your child have side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What Is Namenda?

Namenda (memantine hydrochloride) is an orally active NMDA receptor antagonist used to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's type dementia.

What Is Adderall?

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant prescription medicine. It is used for the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Adderall may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD.

Adderall should be used as a part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other therapies.

Adderall is also used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

Adderall is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Adderall in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Adderall may harm others, and is against the law.

Tell your doctor if you or your child have (or have a family history of) ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.

What Drugs Interact With Namenda?

Namenda may interact with cimetidine, nicotine, ranitidine, quinidine, sodium bicarbonate, antiviral medication, cold or cough medicine containing dextromethorphan, diuretics (water pills), medicine to treat glaucoma, or oral diabetes medicine containing metformin. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. Namenda should be used only when prescribed during pregnancy. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

What Drugs Interact With Adderall?

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Adderall and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects.

Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Adderall.

Your doctor will decide whether Adderall can be taken with other medicines.

Especially tell your doctor if you or your child take:

  • anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
  • blood pressure medicines
  • seizure medicines
  • blood thinner medicines
  • cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants
  • stomach acid medicines

Know the medicines that you or your child take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not start any new medicine while taking Adderall without talking to your doctor first.

How Should Namenda Be Taken?

The recommended starting dose of Namenda is 5 mg once daily. The recommended target dose is 20 mg/day. Dosage is increased in 5 mg increments to 10 mg/day (5 mg twice a day), 15 mg/day (5 mg and 10 mg as separate doses), and 20 mg/day (10 mg twice a day). The minimum recommended interval between dose increases is one week.

How Should Adderall Be Taken?

  • Take Adderall exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.
  • Adderall tablets are usually taken two to three times a day. The first dose is usually taken when you first wake in the morning. One or two more doses may be taken during the day, 4 to 6 hours apart.
  • Adderall can be taken with or without food.
  • From time to time, your doctor may stop Adderall treatment for a while to check ADHD symptoms.
  • Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart, and blood pressure while taking Adderall. Children should have their height and weight checked often while taking Adderall. Adderall treatment may be stopped if a problem is found during these check-ups.
  • If you or your child take too much Adderall or overdoses, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.
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