Addiction Drug Use Prescription Medications How Long Does Dexedrine Stay in Your System? Detection of Common ADHD Drug Depends on Many Variables By Buddy T Buddy T Facebook Twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 25, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Mind content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Andrea Rice Print FatCamera / Getty Images The length of time that Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine), a commonly prescribed medicine for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), remains in your body can vary. The period may depend on each individual's metabolism, body mass, age, hydration level, physical activity, and health conditions. Generally, the drug remains in urine for about 2 days, and in blood and saliva for 1 to 2 days. It can be detected in hair follicles for as long as three months. Timetable for Detecting Dexedrine Urine, blood, and saliva recycle through your system quickly. But hair follicles act more like the rings on a tree trunk that record the seasons. Your hair can store metabolites or a molecular history of what your body has ingested over time. Type of Test Detection Window Urine Detectable for 2 days Blood Detectable for 1 to 2 days Saliva Detectable for 1 to 2 days Hair Follicle Detectable for up to 90 days What Is Dexedrine? Dexedrine is a central nervous system stimulant and type of amphetamine, also known by the brands Dextrostat and ProCentra. Dexedrine is used as part of a treatment program to control symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. It is also used to treat narcolepsy. Dexedrine works by increasing brain chemicals like dopamine in the brain to improve attention and alertness. By making these areas more active, the drugs can help a person focus their attention. Surprisingly, stimulants can help calm a person with ADHD. Why It's Important to Take Dexedrine as Prescribed It is important to know how long Dexedrine remains in the system because taking too much can have negative consequences. The product comes with a warning that it can be habit-forming so it should not be taken in larger doses or for a longer time than prescribed. Although prescription stimulants have been shown to be relatively safe and effective in managing the symptoms, there exists a significant potential for misuse. Studies show that individuals with and without ADHD misuse stimulants to enhance performance. Although stimulants may improve an individual's performance when given a rote-learning task, they do not improve IQ or work as a "smart pill." People who use the medication may be tempted to take larger amounts of Dexedrine than prescribed to further control symptoms, however, this can have negative effects. These negative effects include difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, irritability, hyperactivity, or changes in personality or behavior. How Long Does It Take for ADHD Medication to Work? Symptoms of Dexedrine Overdose If you suspect someone is suffering from a Dexedrine overdose, seek immediate medical attention or call 911. Symptoms of Dexedrine overdose may include the following: Vomiting Agitation Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body Muscle twitching Sleep disorders Seizures Loss of consciousness Inappropriate happiness Confusion Hallucinating Sweating Flushing Headache Fever Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat Widening of pupils Dry mouth or nose Heart Attack or Sudden Death Overusing Dexedrine can also cause heart complications or sudden death in children, teenagers, and adults, especially those with heart defects or serious heart problems. Additionally, Dexedrine has been known to cause heart attack or stroke in adults. Managing Side Effects of ADHD Medications 9 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Moeller KE, Kissack JC, Atayee RS, Lee KC. Clinical Interpretation of Urine Drug Tests: What Clinicians Need to Know About Urine Drug Screens. Mayo Clin Proc. 2017;92(5):774-796. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.12.007 American Addiction Centers. How Long Does Adderall Stay in Your System? Gryczynski J, Schwartz RP, Mitchell SG, O'Grady KE, Ondersma SJ. Hair drug testing results and self-reported drug use among primary care patients with moderate-risk illicit drug use. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014;141:44-50. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.05.001 Brown KA, Samuel S, Patel DR. Pharmacologic management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: a review for practitioners. Transl Pediatr. 2018;7(1):36-47. doi:10.21037/tp.2017.08.02 Advokat C, Scheithauer M. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications as cognitive enhancers. Front Neurosci. 2013;7:82. doi:10.3389/fnins.2013.00082 Lakhan SE, Kirchgessner A. Prescription stimulants in individuals with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: misuse, cognitive impact, and adverse effects. Brain Behav. 2012;2(5):661-677. doi:10.1002/brb3.78 U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Prescribing Information Dexedrine. MedlinePlus. Dextroamphetamine. Bazmi E, Mousavi F, Giahchin L, Mokhtari T, Behnoush B. Cardiovascular Complications of Acute Amphetamine Abuse: Cross-sectional study. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2017;17(1):e31-e37. doi:10.18295/squmj.2016.17.01.007 Additional Reading American Association for Clinical Chemistry. Lab Tests Online. Drugs Abuse Testing. LabCorp, Inc. Drugs of Abuse Reference Guide. OHS Health & Safety Services. How Long Do drugs Stay in Your System? By Buddy T Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! 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