Anyone taken a stimulant (Adderall) for dealing with arachnoiditis?

@sashadeltop, I adjusted the title of your discussion to reflect that question that you wish to ask fellow members with experience with arachnoiditis. I'm also tagging @arannek72 @ursweetpam @bobmiller001 @meri91364 @judithelaine @bear338 @Tbato622 @re1n4 @cebfw @cblank017 @janie6696 to see if they may have experiences to share.

Sasha, has your doctor suggested Adderall for you?

No adderall. Has anyone has success with any drugs for AA?

I have taken Adderall and I have the beginnings of this ailment. I also have other spine issues. Adderall tightens me up to the point of screaming; the pain gets that bad. While it helps with my head, it kills my back. I take massive amounts of flexiril to counteract the spasms and pain. I only take it now if I absolutely need it to focus, like doing my taxes. Be very careful if you decide to try it. My Dr thinks I'm nuts but I know what it does to me. It's almost crippling, well, it is.

So if you try it, be aware of the need for muscle relaxers. I hope it doesn't happen to you.

I have arachnoiditis and have used modafinil for it in the past. It does seem to lower my pain levels by 20-30%. Caffeine also helps a little.

What is Modafinil?

It is a mild stimulant that was originally formulated to treat narcolepsy. If you google it, there is plenty of additional information you can read. It does not carry an indication for chronic pain, so may be difficult to get a physician to prescribe it.