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Overview: Dextroamphetamine is a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Common side effects include trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, tremor, and fast heartbeat. Dextroamphetamine is a controlled substance because it can be misused or lead to dependence. Store dextroamphetamine in a safe place to protect it from theft. Dextroamphetamine is available as a tablet, capsule, and liquid.

Uses

What is dextroamphetamine used for?

Dextroamphetamine is commonly used for the following conditions.

Dextroamphetamine may also be used for other conditions as determined by your health care provider.

How does dextroamphetamine work (mechanism of action)?

Dextroamphetamine is part of a group of medicines called stimulants. It may work by increasing the levels of natural brain chemicals, such as norepinephrine and dopamine. These chemicals play a role in attention, alertness, and wakefulness.

How is dextroamphetamine supplied (dosage forms)?

Brands and other names

  • Dexedrine
  • Dextrostat
  • ProCentra
  • Zenzedi

Dosage forms and strengths

  • 5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg extended-release oral capsules
  • 5 mg/5 mL oral solution
  • 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg oral tablets

Dextroamphetamine is also available as a patch that is applied to the skin. See Xelstrym (dextroamphetamine) for more information.

How should I store dextroamphetamine?

Dextroamphetamine should be stored at room temperature, between 68 F and 77 F (20 C and 25 C). It can be exposed to temperatures between 59 F and 86 F (15 C and 30 C) for shorter periods of time, such as when transporting it. Store in a cool, dry, and safe place, such as a locked cabinet. Protect from light.

Side Effects

What are the most common side effects of dextroamphetamine?

The most common side effects of dextroamphetamine are listed below. Tell your health care provider if you have any of these side effects that bother you.

  • Fast heartbeat (see below)
  • Decreased appetite
  • Tremor
  • Headache
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Dizziness
  • Upset stomach
  • Weight loss
  • Dry mouth

There may be other side effects of dextroamphetamine that are not listed here. Contact your health care provider if you think you are having a side effect of a medicine. In the U.S., you can report side effects to the FDA at www.fda.gov/medwatch or by calling 800-FDA-1088 (800-332-1088). In Canada, you can report side effects to Health Canada at www.health.gc.ca/medeffect or by calling 866-234-2345.

What are the serious side effects of dextroamphetamine?

While less common, the most serious side effects of dextroamphetamine are described below, along with what to do if they happen.

Severe Allergic Reactions. Dextroamphetamine may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious. Stop taking dextroamphetamine and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.

  • Breathing problems or wheezing
  • Racing heart
  • Fever or general ill feeling
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat
  • Trouble swallowing or throat tightness
  • Itching, skin rash, or pale red bumps on the skin called hives
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or fainting
  • Stomach cramps
  • Joint pain

Risk of Misuse and Addiction. Misusing dextroamphetamine can lead to serious side effects, such as substance use problems, overdose, or death. Misuse means taking a medicine in a way other than how it was prescribed. Dextroamphetamine can also cause physical dependence, which means your body relies on the medicine. Take dextroamphetamine exactly as prescribed. Tell your health care provider if you feel that dextroamphetamine is not working. Call your health care provider right away or go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following serious symptoms.

  • Sudden confusion or feeling disoriented
  • Feeling paranoid
  • Suicidal thoughts or actions
  • Seizures
  • Trouble breathing

Increased Blood Pressure and Heart Rate. Dextroamphetamine may increase your heart rate or blood pressure. Keep all appointments with your health care provider to check your blood pressure and heart rate before starting dextroamphetamine and during treatment. If you measure your blood pressure and the top number (systolic) is 180 mm Hg or higher or the bottom number (diastolic) is 120 mm Hg or higher, get medical attention right away. Also call your health care provider or get medical attention right away if you have chest pain or a fast heartbeat or if you faint or feel your heartbeat more than usual.

Mental Health Problems. Dextroamphetamine may cause or worsen psychotic-like behaviors, such as hallucinations or mania. People who already have a mental health condition, such as bipolar disorder, may be at a higher risk of these side effects. Tell your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms or if you have been told by others that you have these symptoms.

  • Hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, or otherwise perceiving things that others do not
  • Delusional thoughts, such as false beliefs that you are being controlled
  • Disorganized thoughts, such as jumping between topics or having a hard time focusing
  • Sudden decline in self-care, such as personal hygiene or academic/work performance
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Very increased energy
  • Significant trouble sleeping
  • Racing, fast-paced thoughts
  • Reckless behavior
  • Unusually grand ideas
  • Excessive happiness or irritability
  • Talking more or faster than usual

Slowed Growth in Children. Children taking dextroamphetamine may be at a higher risk of not gaining height and weight as expected. Keep all appointments with your health care provider to check your child’s height and weight before starting and during treatment with dextroamphetamine.

Seizures. Some people who have taken dextroamphetamine have reported having seizures. There are many different types of seizures and some of them are not easy to recognize. Stop taking dextroamphetamine and call your health care provider if you have any of the following signs that a seizure is happening or could happen.

  • Muscle twitching, jerking, spasms, tremors, or other uncontrolled movements
  • Stiffening of your arms and legs
  • Feeling anxious, nervous, confused, or a sense of dread
  • Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
  • Falling or losing consciousness

Blood Flow Problems. Dextroamphetamine may cause blood flow problems, including a condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon, which occurs when the blood vessels in your fingers and toes overreact and lead to low blood flow. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms.

  • Fingers or toes feeling numb, cool, painful, or sensitive to cold
  • Fingers or toes changing color from pale to blue to red
  • Unexplained wounds on fingers or toes

Serotonin Syndrome. Serotonin syndrome is when there is too much of a substance called serotonin in your body. Dextroamphetamine may cause serotonin syndrome when it is taken alone or with other medicines that affect serotonin. This condition can be life-threatening. Get emergency help if you have any of the following symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

  • Sweating, fever, or flushing
  • Confusion
  • Feeling agitated or restless
  • Seeing or hearing unusual things
  • Dizziness
  • Fast or racing heartbeat
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
  • Muscle twitching, stiffness, or tremor
  • Seizures

Tics. Dextroamphetamine may cause or worsen tics, which are sudden, repetitive movements or sounds that can be hard to control. Call your health care provider right away if you have any new or worsening tics.

Warnings & Precautions

Who should not use dextroamphetamine?

Allergies to Ingredients. People who are allergic to any of the following should not take dextroamphetamine.

  • Amphetamine
  • Dexedrine
  • Dextroamphetamine
  • Dextrostat
  • ProCentra
  • Zenzedi
  • Any of the ingredients in the specific product dispensed

Your pharmacist can tell you all of the ingredients in the specific dextroamphetamine products they stock.

Drug Interactions. Dextroamphetamine should not be taken while you are using certain other medicines. Before taking dextroamphetamine, tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. See the Interactions section for more details.

What should I know about dextroamphetamine before using it?

Do not take dextroamphetamine unless it has been prescribed to you by a health care provider. Take it as prescribed.

Do not share dextroamphetamine with other people, even if they have the same condition as you. It may harm them.

Keep dextroamphetamine out of the reach of children. Dextroamphetamine is a controlled substance because it can be misused or lead to dependence. Store dextroamphetamine in a safe, preferably locked, place to protect it from theft. It is illegal to sell or give away this medicine.

There are multiple forms of dextroamphetamine available. They may be taken in different ways. Read and follow the instructions for the product you have and make sure you understand how to prepare, take, and throw it away properly. If you have any questions, talk to your health care provider.

Dextroamphetamine may affect your alertness or coordination. Do not drive or do other activities that require alertness or coordination until you know how dextroamphetamine affects you.

If you need to dispose of unused or expired dextroamphetamine, bring it to a medicine take-back program at an authorized collection site, such as a pharmacy or police station. If no take-back program is available, mix it with a nontoxic and unattractive substance such as dirt, cat litter, or used coffee grounds and place it in a container like a sealed plastic bag. Throw away the mixture in household trash. Ask your pharmacist or other health care provider if you are not sure how to throw away this medicine safely.

If you are taking dextroamphetamine liquid, use an accurate measuring device to measure your dose. A household spoon is not an accurate measuring device and may cause you to take the wrong dose. Ask your pharmacist what measuring device to use.

Dextroamphetamine may affect the results of certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers that you are taking this medicine before any lab tests or blood tests.

Keep all appointments, including those for blood tests and heart checkups, before and during treatment with dextroamphetamine. This will help your health care provider make sure it is safe for you to take dextroamphetamine.

What should I tell my health care provider before using dextroamphetamine?

Tell your health care provider about all of your health conditions and any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. This will help them determine if dextroamphetamine is right for you.

In particular, make sure that you discuss any of the following.

Substance Use Disorder. Tell your health care provider if you have ever misused alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs. Dextroamphetamine is a controlled substance and may be misused.

Mental Health Problems. Tell your health care provider if you or anyone in your family has had mental health problems, including psychosis, bipolar disorder, mania, depression, or suicide. Dextroamphetamine may worsen certain mental health conditions.

Heart Problems. People who have serious heart disease or heart defects may be at risk of sudden death if they take dextroamphetamine. Tell your health care provider if you have any heart problems, including heart disease, heart defects, cardiomyopathy, or an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Also tell your health care provider if anyone in your family has heart problems.

Other Current and Past Health Conditions. Tell your health care provider if you have or have had any of the following.

Pregnancy. It is not known if or how dextroamphetamine could affect pregnancy or harm a fetus. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Your health care provider will let you know if you should take dextroamphetamine while you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

Breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed while you are taking dextroamphetamine. Dextroamphetamine passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Interactions

Does dextroamphetamine interact with foods or drinks?

Taking dextroamphetamine with certain types of fruit juices may cause it to not work as well. Talk to your health care provider to see if you can drink fruit juices while taking dextroamphetamine.

It is unknown if drinking alcohol will affect dextroamphetamine. The risk of dizziness or other side effects may increase if you drink alcohol while taking dextroamphetamine.

Does dextroamphetamine interact with other medicines (drug interactions)?

Always tell your health care provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using.

In particular, make sure that you discuss if you are using any of the following before taking dextroamphetamine.

  • A monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the past two weeks, which is a medicine usually used for depression or Parkinson’s disease
  • A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, or sertraline, which is a medicine commonly used for anxiety and depression
  • A serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), such as duloxetine or venlafaxine, which is a medicine commonly used for anxiety and depression
  • A triptan, such as eletriptan (Relpax), sumatriptan (Imitrex and others), and others, which is a medicine commonly used to treat migraines
  • Lithium, which is a medicine for certain mental health conditions
  • Fentanyl, meperidine, or tramadol, which are medicines used to treat certain types of pain
  • Buspirone, which is a medicine used to treat anxiety
  • A tricyclic antidepressant, such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline, or protriptyline, even if it is not used for depression
  • Tryptophan, which is a supplement that may be used to help the body make proteins and certain brain signaling chemicals
  • St. John’s wort, which is a supplement that may be used for depression
  • Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C
  • A medicine for high blood pressure
  • Acetazolamide, which is a medicine used to treat fluid retention, glaucoma, and altitude sickness
  • A thiazide diuretic, such as chlorthalidone, hydrochlorothiazide, or indapamide, which is a medicine commonly used to lower blood pressure
  • A proton pump inhibitor (PPI), such as esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), or rabeprazole (Aciphex)
  • An antihistamine, such as chlorpheniramine or diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which is a medicine commonly used to treat allergy symptoms
  • Chlorpromazine, which is a medicine that may be used to treat certain mental health conditions or severe nausea and vomiting
  • Haloperidol (Haldol), which is a medicine used to treat schizophrenia and the symptoms of Tourette syndrome
  • Methenamine (Hiprex), which is a medicine used to help prevent bladder or kidney infections
  • A medicine for seizures, such as ethosuximide (Zarontin), phenobarbital, or phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek, and others)

Many other medicines may alter the blood levels of dextroamphetamine. Tell your health care provider about all medicines that you take or have recently taken.

This may not be a complete list of medicines that can interact with dextroamphetamine. Always check with your health care provider.

Does interact with other drugs you are taking?

Enter your medication into the WebMD interaction checker

Overdose/Missed Dose

What should I do if I accidentally use too much dextroamphetamine?

If you or someone else has used too much dextroamphetamine, get medical help right away, call 911, or contact a Poison Control center at 800-222-1222.

What should I do if I miss a dose of dextroamphetamine?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Avoid taking dextroamphetamine late in the evening because this can make it harder to sleep at bedtime. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and only take the next dose. Do not take double or extra doses.