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Re: And to follow up on something Fachad wrote . . . . » trialerror

Posted by sudhira on September 1, 2002, at 17:39:19

In reply to And to follow up on something Fachad wrote . . . ., posted by trialerror on August 31, 2002, at 20:03:59

Levels of stimulant paranoia vary from one doctor to the next. In WA I had a doctor who let me try ritalin as an AD augment after one session of discussing my symptoms. He supposed I may have inattentive ADD--but I was not evaluated by a specialist. Like you I have many but not all the symptoms that would indicate ADD--

I moved to OR and my new doc was very anti-stimulant; suspicious of my diagnosis because it was not "official". Before she would consider a prescription for a stimulant she first wanted to see if other less risky medications would address my symptoms of SSRI induced apathy and lethargy. Medications that "act" like stimulants. I tried Provigil, no luck. Used Wellbutrin for 2 months, same story. It became obvious that since the supposedly activating meds did nothing for me that adding a stimulant ought to be the next step. Have you tried any of the activating meds that "act" like stimulants? Docs are much more willing to prescribe these and sometimes they prove so helpful that real stimulants aren't needed.

So finally I was prescribed ritalin again. I don't know whether or not I have ADD. I do know that adding a stimulant has benefited me signifigantly. There are studies and posts that indicate that stimulants can further potentiate the positive effects of ad's. Doctors also use them in cases of refractory depression. I have noticed some mood improvement and better ability to organize my thoughts and be productive.

I read in a post that someone wrote a letter to a doctor before she met with him. She described her situation and detailed why she felt a trial of a stimulant might be helpful. She wanted to find out if he was open minded enough to have this discussion or not.

Basically in some cases the use of a stimulant is justified even if a person has not been diagnosed with ADD. I brought research to show my doctor. It might be helpful for you to share the article you provided in your first post with your doctor. If you have no history of drug abuse and have used prescription medications responsibly there's no reason why a closely monitered trial of a stimulant should not be considered. Especially if you feel that your ad does not address all of your symptoms.

Am I making any sense? I wish I wrote as clearly and effectively as you. I related to your situation. Docs can make you feel so defensive about wanting to improve the quality of your life. I recall thinking: Aargh! I'm not trying to get high, I just want to function better!


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poster:sudhira thread:118329
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020829/msgs/118445.html