Posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 18:59:30
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin » IsoM, posted by Hattree on December 11, 2001, at 17:49:39
I did everything I wasn't supposed to but when you're desperate...
I was given a short-term prescription for Ritalin, one week, but the doctor refused to prescribe more. He said I was just using it as a crutch. He thought I looked awake enough to him. I'd been sent to a psychiatrist for a ADD diagnosis but he just asked me a lot bunch of questions about my past sexual life which I figured wasn't his business - that's not why I was there. AND he threw odd questions about history, & other unrelated things, at me & then told me I didn't have ADHD. That was the total of his "analysis". I was furious & consider him a total crack-pot with a perverse interest in other's sex.Here in Canada, all doctors are free with Medicare but psychcologists have to be paid out of pocket. A local psychologist gave me a battery of tests & said every indication showed ADHD but he couldn't prescribe any meds. My son has been prescribed Dexedrine for extreme lethargy by a hospital psychiatrist but tries to take them only as needed for work & school. When he's home, he'd rather try to sleep than stay awake. This means he always has some extra.
He agrees with me that doctors just don't believe that any older person could have ADHD or the one that did, figured if I got along this long without any meds, I could continue to do so. My son is very compassionate & gave me his extras to be carefully used so I had enough from each prescription of his. But after reading everything I could on adrafinil, he ordered some from the internet for me. He's had depression/Asperger problems almost all his life & because I've love him so much & always been supportive, no matter what, he now is with me.
So yes, I did go directly from Dexedrine to anafrinil but continued to take small doses of Dex till the adrafinil kicked in. I noticed a small difference after one week, but really felt good at around a month. The mood enhancement was such a bonus from it. I was only expecting help in staying alert & awake, but I feel so much more mellow & gently loving. Nothing overly mushy or sugary, but I'm incredibly patient with people & life. And winter, which I was absolutely dreading (I go way down & want to hibernate & not move even with my meds) doesn't feel bad. I'm actually enjoying the season. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it snows little but has bleary, dreary, dripping, cloudy days in winter... No problem now!
The Synthroid was started 10 years ago for a low thyroid but while it picked up my mood temporarily, it didn't last. Again I cheat. I've always had a fairly quick metabolism all my life, but when my thryoid went low, the doctor just wanted to bring it up a little. They're so worried about prescribing "too much" to women in case they lose too much calcium & develop osteoporosis. Most don't want to prescribe enough to help a person feel normal, so before I go for my testing, I stop my Synthoid for a few days first which makes my TSH level rise & the doctor is none the wiser but I get a decent dose. I'm careful to make sure I take calcium, magnesium, vit D extra & get lots of weight-bearing exercise. I don't want to develop osteoporosis either but also I don't want to drag myself through life only half-there. I did a lot of reading in medical journals before I decided to do this.
Sorry for such a long post. I always did run off at the mouth. :)
> Did you go directly from Dex to Adrafinil? How was that? And the synthroid is for thyroid or to augment something else?
> Thanks.
poster:IsoM
thread:86551
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011202/msgs/86611.html