A nationwide shortage of ADHD medication is leaving many patients with difficulties filling their prescriptions — if they are able to fill them at all.

Patients began experiencing difficulties finding a pharmacy to filling their prescriptions of amphetamine mixed salt — commonly referred to by the brand name Adderall — over the summer. In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration officially declared a nationwide shortage of the drug in its instant release tablet form.

Doctors soon turned to prescribing patients with the extended release version of the medication as an alternative. This soon led further shortages.

Sharon Murphy with McSwain’s Pharmacy said that they have had difficulty obtaining either version of the medication for roughly six weeks.

“It’s been both tablets and extended release capsules that have been on backorder,” Murphy said.

The shortage follows production delays from Teva Pharmaceuticals, who after reporting a difficulty finding workers, were unable to keep up with increased demand.

A report from Trilliant Health shows that prescriptions for Adderall given to people between 22 and 44, increased by 15% between 2020 and 2021. Owner of Borden Family Pharmacy, Chris Borden, said that he believes this increase in prescriptions is also a leading cause of the shortage.

“One of the idiosyncrasies of the FDA when it comes to stimulant medications like this, is that they will give manufacturers a certain quota on how much they can produce in a year. If demand shoots up part of the way through the year, and they’ve already met that quota, they can’t make anymore,” Borden said.

Borden said that his pharmacy has mostly been able to keep ahead of the shortage and that his patients have not experienced any disruption in their medications. He is however, having to turn away daily calls from new patients whose pharmacy is unable to fill their prescriptions.

Withdrawals can be common for people who have been using the medication for extended periods of time. Symptoms can include depression, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, irritability, nausea and stomach cramps.

This can mean that someone who is unable to treat their condition may seem less attentive at home or have difficulties regulating their emotions. At work, they may be less productive or punctual. As difficulty in finding medication continues, several patients have turned to alternative drugs such as Vyvanse, Concerta, Ritalin or Focalin. Borden said that this is leading to shortages in those drugs as well.

Demand has also increased in illegal suppliers causing a higher likelihood of receiving fake medications from a source other than a licensed pharmacist. In October the U.S. Department of Justice arrested and charged 23 people with the trafficking of fake Adderall that was later found to laced with methamphetamine.

Borden is hopeful that manufacturers will be able to increase supply in January.

“I’m hoping that once January comes and the quotas are renewed, they will be able to start producing more and people can start having an easier time,” Borden said.