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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by LibbyH on February 21, 2003, at 15:56:13
I had been taking the following cocktail for 3-4 years for ADD & major depression with good results until recently:
- 300 mg/day Wellbutrin SR
- 20 mg/day Prozac
- 40-60 mg/day RitalinThe Wellbutrin "pooped out" a few weeks ago & my mood has been in a fast downward slide ever since. I am about as depressed as I can remember being right now AND have started having panic attacks!
So my doc change my meds today to:
- 20 mg/day Lexapro
- 40 mg/day Straterra
- 1 mg/day of KlonopinHas anyone else taken Lexpro & Straterra together? Any ideas about what I can expect during the transition?
Also, has anyone out there with ADD tried Klonopin? Will that worsen the ADD?
Thanks,
L.
Posted by IsoM on February 21, 2003, at 16:58:25
In reply to ADD/Maj Depression: Straterra, Lexapro Klonopin, posted by LibbyH on February 21, 2003, at 15:56:13
Klonopin doesn't worsen ADD at all but helps give a calmness that can come with the edgieness of ADD. Viridis is a great one to talk to about the two as he has ADD & anxiety, & takes Klonopin plus Adderall (I think it's that stim) for it. His experiences have always been good with Klonopin.
Posted by Ritch on February 21, 2003, at 22:28:44
In reply to ADD/Maj Depression: Straterra, Lexapro Klonopin, posted by LibbyH on February 21, 2003, at 15:56:13
> I had been taking the following cocktail for 3-4 years for ADD & major depression with good results until recently:
> - 300 mg/day Wellbutrin SR
> - 20 mg/day Prozac
> - 40-60 mg/day Ritalin
>
> The Wellbutrin "pooped out" a few weeks ago & my mood has been in a fast downward slide ever since. I am about as depressed as I can remember being right now AND have started having panic attacks!
>
> So my doc change my meds today to:
> - 20 mg/day Lexapro
> - 40 mg/day Straterra
> - 1 mg/day of Klonopin
>
> Has anyone else taken Lexpro & Straterra together? Any ideas about what I can expect during the transition?
>
> Also, has anyone out there with ADD tried Klonopin? Will that worsen the ADD?
>
> Thanks,
> L.
>The Klonopin was probably added to get immediate control of the panic attacks until the Lexapro can start helping down the road. The Straterra is there probably to replace the Ritalin which would worsen your panic otherwise. You may get some "dumbed-down" cognitive effects from the Klonopin for awhile, but if you are having a burned-out stim induced panic thingie going on you probably aren't go to mind that for the time being. Been there done that.
Posted by viridis on February 22, 2003, at 1:05:46
In reply to ADD/Maj Depression: Straterra, Lexapro Klonopin, posted by LibbyH on February 21, 2003, at 15:56:13
As IsoM said, I think it's unlikely that Klonopin will worsen ADD -- it certainly doesn't for me. And as Ritch said, it might make you feel a bit dulled out for a while, but that should subside pretty quickly (that lasted about a week for me).
Klonopin didn't "fix" my ADD, but it sure helps with anxiety and allows me to function normally. I take Adderall as well for ADD, and it helps a lot, but I've stayed with the Klonopin for anxiety relief and general well-being. As I described in a post above ("Benzodiazepines as antidepressants"), the two are a powerful combination, addressing anxiety, depression, and ADD simultaneously. Perhaps Klonopin + Straterra could have a similar effect.
I'd give Klonopin a chance, especially while you're adjusting to new meds that could cause anxiety. You may even find that, once you get used to it, Klonopin actually helps with focus (it does for me).
Posted by JohnL on February 22, 2003, at 9:33:48
In reply to ADD/Maj Depression: Straterra, Lexapro Klonopin, posted by LibbyH on February 21, 2003, at 15:56:13
There is just no way to know how this is going to work out for you.
The really difficult thing here is that you are going to be experiencing withdrawal type effects from the meds you have stopped, while at the same time you will be experiencing new side effects from the new meds, not to mention how all this will affect your mood from hour to hour or day to day. It sounds to me like you are in for a rough transition period. I hope not. But it could reasonably be expected.
Sometimes we get lucky though, and we just happen to choose the right meds and they start working pretty fast and everything goes well. There's just no way to tell though.
I've heard of people with lifelong anxiety and failures of dozens of drugs who found complete cure within 24 hours with Lithium. People who suffer treatment resistant depression often get better with the antipsychotic Zyprexa. Some people with depression actually get worse on antidepressants. And other examples go on and on and on. So will Klonopin affect your ADD? Who knows. In theory you might think so, but you just never know for sure until you try. Sometimes these meds have paradoxical reactions and do exactly the opposite of what you would expect.
Best wishes during the transition. Hang in there!
> I had been taking the following cocktail for 3-4 years for ADD & major depression with good results until recently:
> - 300 mg/day Wellbutrin SR
> - 20 mg/day Prozac
> - 40-60 mg/day Ritalin
>
> The Wellbutrin "pooped out" a few weeks ago & my mood has been in a fast downward slide ever since. I am about as depressed as I can remember being right now AND have started having panic attacks!
>
> So my doc change my meds today to:
> - 20 mg/day Lexapro
> - 40 mg/day Straterra
> - 1 mg/day of Klonopin
>
> Has anyone else taken Lexpro & Straterra together? Any ideas about what I can expect during the transition?
>
> Also, has anyone out there with ADD tried Klonopin? Will that worsen the ADD?
>
> Thanks,
> L.
>
Posted by LibbyH on February 23, 2003, at 0:08:47
In reply to Re: ADD/Maj Depression: Straterra, Lexapro Klonopin, posted by JohnL on February 22, 2003, at 9:33:48
THanks for the feedback. I guess it's nothing to worry about. I've changed meds many times before. Just never had anything work as long as this last mix did - almost three years til I started getting panic attacks.
The Klonopin seems to have wiped out the panic attacks already. I slept all night last night, most of the day today, and I'm headed back to bed in a bit for the night. I'm sure some of the sleep is due to the depression & hopefully will ease as the new meds kick in. I also think some of the sleep is because I slept so poorly for so long. I woke up with panic attacks almost every night for two months. When they got so bad that I considered checking myself into the hospital, I finally told my doc about them & he changed all my meds.
For right now, the sleep feels so much better. I was burning out so fast on the other meds!Thanks for the replies...
L.
Hopefully the Lexapro & the Straterra will kick in before too long and I can function again. Right now, I guess I need the sleep...L.
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