Posted by michael on March 31, 2000, at 18:21:25
In reply to Re: ADD (pdoc update), posted by KarenB on March 31, 2000, at 12:18:56
> Hi Guys!
>
> I went to my pdoc yesterday and told him what I suspected about my diagnoses of Bipolar II actually being ADD with depression. He agreed that it was a strong possibility, especially since the only antidepressant that has ever worked for me is a psychostimulant (Amineptine), a dopamine uptake blocker. The same type of medication is used to treat ADD. Mood stabilizers have also failed to work or made me ill.
>
> I am giving serious re-consideration to certain events and problems in my life, especially during school and concerning jobs. They seem to stem from my inability to concentrate and a tendency to become easily bored. My depression may be a result of years of the disorder or a condition all on it's own, I'm not sure. Some of you who were also misdiagnosed say that once on the ADD drug, the antidepressants were no longer necessary. I hope that will be true for me as well.
>
> Doc started me on a low dose of Ritalin, to be increased early next week if all goes well. I am still reluctantly taking the Nortriptyline as an AD but will try to lower the dosage down as the Ritalin starts working, and see what happens.
>
> Thank you all so much for your input and help on this!
>
> Karen
Hello -There sounds to be a good deal of overlap between what you've been discussing, and dysthymia...?
Especially the fatigue, difficulty w/concentration or focus, sleeping...
I'm just wondering what would be specific to one or the other?
I mentioned a while back that I've used ephedrine in the past (self-medicating), which helped w/the lack of energy as well as the concentration, getting things done and organized, etc. I mention it again because I recently read that what it does is release the norepinephrine that is stored - it's a CNS stimulant. (at the time, I just knew that it made me a LOT more productive and able to focus)
Anyway, Just wondering, given my response to the ephedrine (a stimulant), does that suggest ADD as a possibility? I didn't have much trouble in school (ability to focus, study, learn, etc), but I sure would now!
Or would dysthymia (which is what my diagnosis is) be more accurate/probable - and my response to the stimulants is just what happens when you take stimulants?
Hope that wasn't too disorganized/incoherent.
Any opinions on whether stim's vs. AD's might be more appropriate, or more likely to help in such a case?
(btw, tried wellbutrin - nothing; effexor w & w/o the wellbutrin - made me sleepy; and now a few weeks on prozac w/the wellbutrin - nothing)
poster:michael
thread:28357
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000321/msgs/28590.html