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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by HelenInCalif on April 6, 2003, at 22:49:16
I'm trying to figure out why my generic dexedrine didn't feel like it worked last week. Could this be an effect of high stress levels leading to mild depression? In turn, could the depression be related to a gap in taking the dexedrine?
Here is why I ask- I am susceptible to mild depression in reaction to stress. I wonder, if dexedrine acts as an antidepressant (as I've read here), could dexedrine have been helping me deal with stress- i.e. otherwise I might have become depressed ealier in reaction to stress?
Then if I stopped dexedrine for a week could that have allowed depression to kick in? And then the depression grew to the point of preventing the generic dexedrine from working? Because after a week of high ADD and low productivity, my stress level is worse than a week ago, and I probably am depressed.
Here is the timeline:
4 months to 2 weeks ago: Took Dexedrine each workday. Felt it working well- able to focus.
4 weeks ago: work became very stressful- boss is often angry at me. Dex still worked.
2 weeks ago: prescription for Dex ran out.
10 days ago: started on ambien for insomnia.
1 week ago: started new prescription for generic dex. New prescription not working even when doubled dose to 10 from 5 mg.I haven't had depression and and dexedrine/ritalin at the same time before, so I haven't experienced if it might prevent the ADD med from working, or if an ADD med reduced depression.
(With one exception: I was depressed right when I was diagnosed with ADD, because the untreated ADD caused work stress. As soon as I started Ritalin I stopped Prozac: the stress and depression simultaneously disappeared for good reason. Now is different, the stress is external to the ADD.)
Posted by HelenInCalif on April 7, 2003, at 5:26:57
In reply to depression interferes with Dexedrine for ADD?, posted by HelenInCalif on April 6, 2003, at 22:49:16
A couple of other points-
I don't think the depression right now could be from Dexedrine withdrawal- this is because before I never took it on weekends, sometimes long weekends, and didn't feel any withdrawal effects. Although this time the gap was one week, if that makes a difference.What I think might be my mild depression isn't a feeling of sadness or hopelessness, but is more feeling slow and ponderous and unable to think creatively.
Posted by michael on April 17, 2003, at 8:00:22
In reply to That is, if I'm now depressed will Dex not work?, posted by HelenInCalif on April 7, 2003, at 5:26:57
> A couple of other points-
> I don't think the depression right now could be from Dexedrine withdrawal- this is because before I never took it on weekends, sometimes long weekends, and didn't feel any withdrawal effects. Although this time the gap was one week, if that makes a difference.
>
> What I think might be my mild depression isn't a feeling of sadness or hopelessness, but is more feeling slow and ponderous and unable to think creatively.HelenInCalif -
I can't be certain from my personal experience, but you may be right about generic vs. brand name being the issue (saw you discuss that some in a previoius thread).
My experience was w/regular (immediate release) dex. I find the generic to be helpful - but not to the same degree that my first trial w/Dexedrine was. I have always wondered if there is truely a difference between them, or if perhaps it just seemed so, since the relief was such a pleasant surprise when I first tried it, and my expectations were simply too high (pun intended) after that first trial.
Actually, now that I think about it, I think the first doctor that prescribed the Dex may have even mentioned that some people do find that there is a noticeable difference between the two... and it also seems that I've read that somewhere too (other than your posts).
In fact, I've been considering asking for the brand name Dex - just to try it and see if I do notice a difference - at my next appt.
Sorry that I don't have anything more definitive than that to offer - but it seems that it would be worthwhile to try going back to what worked. That seems to be the only way to know for certain.
Hope that helps some...? Btw - if you do, I'd be interested in what you find out, to hear a first hand experience. My next pdoc appt. isn't for another couple of weeks... (hopefully I won't forget to ask, and hopefully he'll be willing to let me try the experiment)
michael
Posted by Festus on April 20, 2003, at 21:05:55
In reply to Re: That is, if I'm now depressed will Dex not work? » HelenInCalif, posted by michael on April 17, 2003, at 8:00:22
Hi Helen,
I,too,take Dex for ADD,as well as Xanax and Paxil.I always get generic(no insurance at present)and so I don,t have a brand name to compare.I do know that I try and purposely take a 6-7 day abstinence from the Dex every month(like 3 weeks on,1 week off)because of tolerance.I do not want to end up taking higher and higher doses so it will keep on working and I know that the stims are one of the worst med groups for building tolerance.Worse than that,I don,t want to take this drug every day for the next so-and-so months,years and then be taken off of it for whatever reason and have to go through the mental agony of Amphetamine Withdrawals.It may be 1 of many reasons you are feeling the way you do,but it does make sense that a generic drug would not act the same as the brand would.I,ve seen it happen too many times.Can you switch to brand?
Festus
This is the end of the thread.
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