I learned the horrifying risks of 'miracle' ADHD drugs and stopped taking them… but it was too late
Mandi Masterpole was one of 16 million Americans taking ADHD medications — the only catch? She didn't have the disorder.
She took drugs like Adderall and Ritalin without a prescription, using them to power through schoolwork, juggle babysitting jobs, and stay energized for parties.
By 22, Masterpole suffered a devastating heart attack after five years of abusing the stimulants — which she likened to 'legal speed.'
'I bought a few and I tried them and that was it. I remember my eyes lighting up, the colors seemed to be brighter,' said Masterpole from Hamilton, New Jersey.
'Everything seemed to be bright. I thought it was like heaven. I was like, 'Oh my god, this is amazing.''
One pill a day quickly became two as she chased that initial high.
Eventually she was snorting the drug four times a day with most of her $600 weekly paycheck going towards the cost.
ADHD drugs such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Vyvanse are designated schedule II drugs under the Controlled Substances Act.
Mandi Masterpole began abusing Adderall and Ritalin when she was 17. She enjoyed it for its ability to keep her awake and alert to keep up with her school work while also spending time with friends and partying
For people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they can be valuable medical tools as they simply replenish depleted levels of chemicals in the brain that help patients concentrate.
But for those who don't have the disorder, they overstimulate the brain with pleasure hormones, leading to performance-enhancing effects and an addictive euphoric 'high' that can prove dangerous.
Masterpole would take the drugs, typically crushed up and snorted, for six days a week.
'It got to the point where I would make a schedule. I would stop the pills on Tuesday, because I was off work on Wednesday,' she said.
'So I would stop on Tuesday, I would take Wednesday to eat and then I would start my pills again. I needed to take a day to eat because I wasn't eating anything.'
The drugs decimated her appetite with her weight plummeting from a healthy 140 lbs to a stick-thin 114 lbs.
The drugs were also doing insurmountable damage under the surface.
Aged 21, she became unexpectedly pregnant with her daughter, Shea, and though she says she stopped taking the drugs during her pregnancy, by that point the damage to her heart muscle was done.
'I knew when I went into labor, I was telling my mom, 'something's not right',' Masterpole recalled.
'The doctors asked me if I had taken anything, I ended up telling them that I had abused drugs and they basically said I had blown out my heart.'
On top of that, she was a type 1 diabetic and had not been taking her insulin as needed.
'I would tell people to steer clear of these drugs completely. It's not worth it. It may make you feel good but it's going to tear everything apart,' Masterpole, now 34, said. She is pictured with her daughter Shae
'The drugs had weakened my heart, plus the diabetes had made it so weak that when I went into labor my body couldn't handle it,' Masterpole said.
Years of heavy drug use in addition to mismanaging her diabetes made the young woman's heart 'ridiculously weak,' the doctor told her.
'There was nothing to it,' she said. 'He was like, 'you just shattered it.''
Now, the 34-year-old often requires a wheelchair to get around as her weakened heart has left her with fatigue and shortness of breath.
She can't have any more children due to the stress it would impose on her depleted body.
Masterpole is looking back on her experience in the hope of educating young people who opt to start taking the drugs without a doctor's order just to get ahead in academics or to party.
The irony, Masterpole says, is that even though she was abusing her body, she was excelling in her school work and social life.
She worked and studied all day to become a mortician but was still able to see her friends and party at night.
Years of heavy drug use in addition to mismanaging her diabetes made the young woman's heart 'ridiculously weak,' the doctor told Masterpole
After her heart stopped twice, doctors implanted an LVAD—a mechanical pump that supports a failing heart—to keep her alive
'Here I am telling myself I'm doing the right thing getting school done but I was blowing my heart out the whole time.'
Adderall and similar drugs boost concentration by increasing dopamine (motivation, focus, and reward) and norepinephrine (alertness and attention), helping the brain prioritize tasks and ignore distractions.
'I was telling myself, I'm getting so much done, I have time, I can still party, I can still hang out, I can get up and go to work.'
She was making money babysitting at the time and figured that, as long as she could still be a proper caregiver, her drug use wasn't be problematic.
'It's not like I'm nodding off in class, it's not like I can't see the kids. I'm washing them, I'm changing diapers, I'm doing everything I need to do,' she recalled thinking.
But taking Adderall in high doses puts undue stress on the heart, speeding it up and raising blood pressure, which over time can cause the heart muscle to thicken.
Amphetamines like Adderall and Ritalin also cause blood vessels to constrict, which reduces the supply of oxygen getting to the heart.
And they disrupt the regular electrical activity in the heart, causing a life-threatening disruption to normal rhythm known as ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation.
Stimulants can also cause spasms in the heart arteries, cutting off the flow of blood even without any buildup of plaque there, which exacerbates heart damage.
At the height of her addiction, Masterpole did not consider any of this and it led to irreparable damage.
Masterpole, pictured with her daughter when she was a newborn, remains on the heart transplant wait list
After giving birth to her daughter, her heart stopped twice during a week in the hospital and she was taken to the operating room to have a Left Ventricular Assist Device, or LVAD, implanted.
The device helps the heart mechanically circulate blood when the left ventricle – the heart's main pumping chamber – is too weak to function effectively.
Masterpole also had a pacemaker and defibrillator installed in her heart when she was 29.
A pacemaker acts like a metronome for the heart, sending small electrical pulses to maintain a steady beat. And a defibrillator monitors the heart's rhythm 24/7.
She is now on a waiting list for a heart transplant, which, in some cases, can take years.
Your browser does not support iframes.
She remains at the bottom of the list due to the fact that the interventions have worked so far.
And while she is doing better now, Mandi had to put her dreams on hold. Unable to finish her mortuary schooling, she returned later but found it too difficult to balance with her many health needs.
'I would tell people to steer clear of these drugs completely. It's not worth it. It may make you feel good but it's going to tear everything apart,' Masterpole warned.
'It's not the quick fix I thought it was. Everybody should know it's not what you think, it will lead you down a way that you do not want to go.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rockefeller Foundation Releases New Polling Data: Majority of Americans Want Food is Medicine Programs
Nearly 80% of Americans think food and nutrition should be covered by insurance to address chronic disease NEW YORK, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New polling data from The Rockefeller Foundation shows that more than four in five adults in the United States – across demographics, income levels, party affiliations, and geographies – support integrating Food is Medicine (FIM) programs into U.S. healthcare. The survey, conducted by Hattaway Communications, highlights high interest but low public awareness of FIM programs, which aim to treat and manage chronic disease by increasing access to nutritious foods. The research underscores the perceived benefits of Food is Medicine programs, with 79% of respondents reporting that FIM programs would personally help them eat better after they received a definition of the intervention. "Americans want nutrition and food solutions to help them eat better, improve their health, and save money," said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. "We know that these programs are effective in helping patients manage diet-related chronic disease and are cost-effective too. Now, it's even clearer that there is a huge opportunity to improve Americans' health outcomes by investing in low-cost, individualized Food is Medicine solutions that are both proven and popular." Chronic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease, impact an estimated 133 million Americans—more than 38% (or one-third) of the total U.S. population—and cost the United States $1.1 trillion per year (equivalent to what the U.S. spends on food itself). The vast majority of chronic conditions are diet-related: In the United States alone, poor diets contribute to 500,000 deaths annually. Modeling on medically tailored meals shows that investing in FIM programs could save an estimated $32.1 billion a year, significantly reducing Americans' healthcare costs. Even still, only 13% of Americans polled said they knew about FIM programs, which include interventions such as medically tailored meals and prescriptions for accessing fruits and vegetables, coupled with nutrition support. When presented with the definition of what they entail, survey respondents (84%) resoundingly supported the efforts. Some of the key findings include: More than 4 in 5 Americans believe U.S. healthcare should offer more food and nutrition programs to treat and manage illnesses. Nearly 9 in 10 patients would prefer to rely more on healthy eating than on medications to manage their conditions. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans think that Food is Medicine programs should be covered by both public and private insurance, including 85% of self-identified Democrats and 78% of Republicans. 84% of respondents believed FIM could help improve the overall quality of health in the United States. 79% of respondents said FIM programs could help them personally. 49% of the American public and 67% of healthcare workers view high costs of nutritious food as the single largest barrier to eating well. "We are seeing a growing awareness of diet-related diseases and their consequences in the U.S.," said Devon Klatell, Vice President for the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. "This polling data shows that Americans want more support to eat well and live well. Food is Medicine programs are one tool that health care practitioners and providers must be considering as they work to address chronic disease in America." The Rockefeller Foundation commissioned Hattaway Communications to conduct the survey, which polled respondents across all 50 states between February 28 and March 11, 2025. The survey sampled 2,271 respondents, including 1,135 patients and 399 healthcare workers. The sample was weighted by gender and education to align with the actual proportions within the population and is representative of racial demographics across the U.S. Since 2019, The Rockefeller Foundation has supported Food is Medicine programs and invested in research to improve their effectiveness and understand the benefits and costs. As part of this effort, The Foundation announced its $100 million investment to expand access to Food is Medicine, including supporting vital research like the American Heart Association's Health Care by Food Initiative. The Foundation also initiated partnerships with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to speed the integration of Food Is Medicine into health systems. In February 2025, The Rockefeller Foundation announced $3.5 million in grant funding to support small and mid-scale U.S. farmers, improve health outcomes for people with chronic disease, mitigate rising health care costs in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and advance state-based efforts to include FIM interventions as a medically covered benefit under Medicaid programs. About The Rockefeller FoundationThe Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the wellbeing of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation. Media Contact:Ashley Chang, The Rockefeller Foundation: media@ View original content: SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
RFK Jr.'s newest CDC vaccine panel includes critics of COVID shots, lockdowns
The Brief U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has replaced the government's vaccine advisory panel with eight new appointees. The new members include vocal critics of COVID-19 vaccines and pandemic lockdowns, such as Dr. Robert Malone and Dr. Martin Kulldorff. Public health groups have raised concerns that Kennedy's changes could undermine long-standing vaccination policies. NEW YORK - U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly dismissed earlier this week. His selections include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and transformed into a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, and a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns. RELATED: RFK Jr. ousts entire CDC vaccine panel Kennedy made the announcement in a social media post on Wednesday. The backstory Kennedy's decision to "retire" the previous 17-member panel was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations. Dig deeper The new appointees to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak. Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed. He has appeared on podcasts and other conservative news outlets where he's promoted unproven and alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19. He has claimed that millions of Americans were hypnotized into taking the COVID-19 shots. He's even suggested that those vaccines cause a form of AIDS. He's downplayed deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years. Other appointees include Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist who was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm. Dr. Cody Meissner, a former ACIP member, also was named. Big picture view The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC directors almost always approve those recommendations on how Food and Drug Administration-cleared vaccines should be used. The CDC's final recommendations are widely heeded by doctors and determine the scope of vaccination programs. The Source The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from a social media announcement made by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday, in which he introduced eight new members to the federal vaccine advisory panel. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
5 hours ago
Kennedy's new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation
NEW YORK -- U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday named eight new vaccine policy advisers to replace the panel that he abruptly dismissed earlier this week. They include a scientist who researched mRNA vaccine technology and became a conservative darling for his criticisms of COVID-19 vaccines, a leading critic of pandemic-era lockdowns, and a professor of operations management. Kennedy's decision to 'retire' the previous 17-member Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was widely decried by doctors' groups and public health organizations, who feared the advisers would be replaced by a group aligned with Kennedy's desire to reassess — and possibly end — longstanding vaccination recommendations. On Tuesday, before he announced his picks, Kennedy said: 'We're going to bring great people onto the ACIP panel – not anti-vaxxers – bringing people on who are credentialed scientists.' The new appointees include Vicky Pebsworth, a regional director for the National Association of Catholic Nurses, who has been listed as a board member and volunteer director for the National Vaccine Information Center, a group that is widely considered to be a leading source of vaccine misinformation. Another is Dr. Robert Malone, the former mRNA researcher who emerged as a close adviser to Kennedy during the measles outbreak. Malone, who runs a wellness institute and a popular blog, rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic as he relayed conspiracy theories around the outbreak and the vaccines that followed. He has appeared on podcasts and other conservative news outlets where he's promoted unproven and alternative treatments for measles and COVID-19. He has claimed that millions of Americans were hypnotized into taking the COVID-19 shots and has suggested that those vaccines cause a form of AIDS. He's downplayed deaths related to one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in years. Other appointees include Dr. Martin Kulldorff, a biostatistician and epidemiologist who was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, an October 2020 letter maintaining that pandemic shutdowns were causing irreparable harm. Dr. Cody Meissner, a former ACIP member, also was named. Abram Wagner of the University of Michigan's school of public health, who investigates vaccination programs, said he's not satisfied with the composition of the committee. 'The previous ACIP was made up of technical experts who have spent their lives studying vaccines,' he said. Most people on the current list 'don't have the technical capacity that we would expect out of people who would have to make really complicated decisions involving interpreting complicated scientific data.' He said having Pebsworth on the board is 'incredibly problematic' since she is involved in an organization that 'distributes a lot of misinformation.' Kennedy made the announcement in a social media post on Wednesday. The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC directors almost always approve those recommendations on how vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration should be used. The CDC's final recommendations are widely heeded by doctors and guide vaccination programs. The other appointees are: —Dr. James Hibbeln, who formerly headed a National Institutes of Health group focused on nutritional neurosciences and who studies how nutrition affects the brain, including the potential benefits of seafood consumption during pregnancy. —Retsef Levi, a professor of operations management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies business issues related to supply chain, logistics, pricing optimization and health and health care management. In a 2023 video pinned to an X profile under his name, Levi called for the end of the COVID-19 vaccination program, claiming the vaccines were ineffective and dangerous despite evidence they saved millions of lives. —Dr. James Pagano, an emergency medicine physician from Los Angeles. —Dr. Michael Ross, a Virginia-based obstetrician and gynecologist. Of the eight named by Kennedy, perhaps the most experienced in vaccine policy is Meissner, an expert in pediatric infectious diseases at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, who has previously served as a member of both ACIP and the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine advisory panel. During his five-year term as an FDA adviser, the committee was repeatedly asked to review and vote on the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines that were rapidly developed to fight the pandemic. In September 2021, he joined the majority of panelists who voted against a plan from the Biden administration to offer an extra vaccine dose to all American adults. The panel instead recommended that the extra shot should be limited to seniors and those at higher risk of the disease. Ultimately, the FDA disregarded the panel's recommendation and OK'd an extra vaccine dose for all adults. In addition to serving on government panels, Meissner has helped author policy statements and vaccination schedules for the American Academy of Pediatrics. ACIP members typically serve in staggered four-year terms, although several appointments were delayed during the Biden administration before positions were filled last year. The voting members all have scientific or clinical expertise in immunization, except for one 'consumer representative' who can bring perspective on community and social facets of vaccine programs. Kennedy, a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before becoming the U.S. government's top health official, has accused the committee of being too closely aligned with vaccine manufacturers and of rubber-stamping vaccines. ACIP policies require members to state past collaborations with vaccine companies and to recuse themselves from votes in which they had a conflict of interest, but Kennedy has dismissed those safeguards as weak. Most of the people who best understand vaccines are those who have researched them, which usually requires some degree of collaboration with the companies that develop and sell them, said Jason Schwartz, a Yale University health policy researcher. 'If you are to exclude any reputable, respected vaccine expert who has ever engaged even in a limited way with the vaccine industry, you're likely to have a very small pool of folks to draw from,' Schwartz said. The U.S. Senate confirmed Kennedy in February after he promised he would not change the vaccination schedule. But less than a week later, he vowed to investigate childhood vaccines that prevent measles, polio and other dangerous diseases. Kennedy has ignored some of the recommendations ACIP voted for in April, including the endorsement of a new combination shot that protects against five strains of meningococcal bacteria and the expansion of vaccinations against RSV. In late May, Kennedy disregarded the committee and announced the government would change the recommendation for children and pregnant women to get COVID-19 shots. On Monday, Kennedy ousted all 17 members of the ACIP, saying he would appoint a new group before the next scheduled meeting in late June. The agenda for that meeting has not yet been posted, but a recent federal notice said votes are expected on vaccinations against flu, COVID-19, HPV, RSV and meningococcal bacteria. A HHS spokesman did not respond to a question about whether there would be only eight ACIP members, or whether more will be named later. ___ ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
