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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by blueberry on May 13, 2006, at 13:03:32
I think I'm going to ask my doc for trials on stimulants. I know we all respond differently, but I'm wondering which of ritalin or adderall generally has the lesser amount of anxiety side effects? I know lexapro can handle my anxiety stuff, and maybe a tad of xanax if needed, but for the blah amotivational lack of interest lack of energy kind of depression I have I think a stimulant would be worth a shot.
I tried ritalin for a week and adderall for a week many years ago. I don't remember much about them except that they did boost my mood, interest, sociability and energy a lot. I think the reason I didn't stay with them was because I thought I was too young to start down that road. But hey, I'm a lot older now.
Posted by Tom Twilight on May 13, 2006, at 15:03:53
In reply to Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by blueberry on May 13, 2006, at 13:03:32
Dexedrine is considered by some to be least anxiety inducing of the stims.
In theory its better than Adderall because its only the D-isomer of Amphetmanine, were as Adderall is a mix of both isomers.
I never tried Methylphenidate or Adderall, so I can't directly compare.
Low dose Dexedrine caused less anxiety than caffeine for me.........Sorry if my spellings a bit off!
Posted by curtm on May 13, 2006, at 17:14:40
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by Tom Twilight on May 13, 2006, at 15:03:53
>> Dexedrine is considered by some to be least anxiety inducing of the stims.
>> In theory its better than Adderall because its only the D-isomer of Amphetmanine
What is the D-isomer? This sounds like something that might work for me because of my prev. stim. addict. I don't want something to re-trigger my brain to think/crave amphet. BTW bipolar, taking Lamictal
Posted by rjlockhart on May 13, 2006, at 18:20:52
In reply to Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by blueberry on May 13, 2006, at 13:03:32
I was on Stimulants on 10 years, all the most of them was Dexedrine that had less anxiety. Adderall is more stimulanting, with the other mixed amphetamines I isomer.
Matt
Posted by pseudoname on May 13, 2006, at 21:17:04
In reply to Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by blueberry on May 13, 2006, at 13:03:32
Hi, blueberry!
It sounds like Tom & Matt know what they're talking about. I can only say that since I started getting panic attacks earlier this year, neither Adderall-SR nor Metadate made them worse.
Caffeine, however, DID.
Posted by minimal on May 13, 2006, at 21:56:19
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety? » blueberry, posted by pseudoname on May 13, 2006, at 21:17:04
I've taken both ritalin and adderall and this is my experience: adderall actually decreases anxiety while ritalin tends to increase anxiety. I also find adderall better for adhd. Concerta version of methylphen. could be another story altogether as I have no experience with it.
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2006, at 22:27:00
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety? » blueberry, posted by pseudoname on May 13, 2006, at 21:17:04
Seriously? I'd think caffeine would be less stimulating than a stimulant. Love Phillipa
Posted by Racer on May 13, 2006, at 22:38:22
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by minimal on May 13, 2006, at 21:56:19
> I've taken both ritalin and adderall and this is my experience: adderall actually decreases anxiety while ritalin tends to increase anxiety. I also find adderall better for adhd.
And I had the opposite results. Adderall increased my depression, though, by a lot, which might have clouded the issue of cognitive hyperactivity.
Ritalin, for me, was great -- except for a side effect I wasn't quite able to live with in hopes it would go away. It boosted my mood, which is one of the things I was hoping for, but it also quietened my monkey brain. Until then, I'd never thought I had any sort of ADD. When I tried Ritalin, I realized I had just gotten so used to all that noise I didn't realize it was there. I think Ritalin actually decreased my anxiety, by quietening my negative ruminations.
The side effects I had on the Big Three:
Adderall -- significantly increased depression.
Dexedrine -- nothing. No side effects. It didn't work nearly as well as Ritalin, but it did a bit to boost my mood, and it seemed to maybe lower anxiety a bit.
Ritalin -- headaches, which would probably have gone away; feeling a little "high," which is very uncomfortable for me; and increased appetite along with decreased inhibitions about eating. The last one was the deal breaker for me. The other two would probably have gone away as I got past the adjustment phase, and I could have lived with them until then to see. The appetite/eating thing was a whole 'nother story for me.
At some point, though, I think I'm likely to revisit Ritalin with my doctor. Maybe there's some way to deal with the appetite thing.
Posted by minimal on May 14, 2006, at 0:20:41
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by Racer on May 13, 2006, at 22:38:22
I had increased appetite on Ritalin as well. I could down a ton of food. It could have been decreased inhibitions but I just attributed it to increased anxiety as I tend to "binge" eat when anxious/nervous.
Overall, Ritalin made me more nervous and the "high" feeling was uncomfortable too. I found adderall to be smooth and calming. I did take 10 mgs of prozac with it which may have been why I didn't feel that much depression on it.
Posted by linkadge on May 14, 2006, at 1:03:07
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by minimal on May 14, 2006, at 0:20:41
I've taken ritalin and found it to be good for depression. Not quite well but better.
I can't get over the study I read linking methlyphenidate to chromisomal dammge.
If it wasn't for that I might consider taking it again.
Linkadge
Posted by minimal on May 14, 2006, at 11:17:07
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by linkadge on May 14, 2006, at 1:03:07
Yeah Link, the chromosomal damage report is kind of scary. The other one that was kind of scary was the report on increased tumors in mice. The few reports of sudden death due to heart failure are equally worrisome.
Everytime I see such reports, I do get worried. On the other hand, people have been taking this for 40 years without any visible problems. This is why I try to limit doses and take prolonged breaks from stims (so that I am not endlessly increasing doses). Hopefully this approach makes me less prone to potential long-term health problems from use of the drug, but there are still no guarantees, with this med, or with life in general.
Posted by Tom Twilight on May 14, 2006, at 15:27:49
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety? » blueberry, posted by pseudoname on May 13, 2006, at 21:17:04
> It sounds like Tom & Matt know what they're talking about.
What ever gave you that Idea! :)
Seriously-I am no expert on Psych drugs
I deffinently found that Dexedrine did cause nasty anxiety if the dose was to high
I'm very sensitve to stims thoughCaffeine is probably the worst of all for anxiety
Regarding the whole Isomer thing this link explaines it much better than I can
http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/molecules/isomers.htm
Posted by linkadge on May 14, 2006, at 16:09:31
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by minimal on May 14, 2006, at 11:17:07
The tumors seemed to be restricted to liver tumors, am I right about that ?
Anyhow, the people who may be getting an incread rate of cancer are the people who took the drug 40 years ago. I guess without a well designed study, I don't know.
The problem is that on stims, you can become more sensitive to these kind of anxieties which makes it harder to take your medication.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on May 14, 2006, at 17:10:20
In reply to Re: Which stimulant has lesser anxiety?, posted by linkadge on May 14, 2006, at 16:09:31
What bothers me the most about these sorts of things is that you will likely not see a followup for a very long time, if at all.
If it were up to me, there should be a followup study with 100+ people conducted.
Linkadge
This is the end of the thread.
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