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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 cherrie45 on February 10, 2004, at 17:49:07
Greetings all,
As a brief intro, I’m a 45 yr old woman who has been dealing with mild depression and mild general anxiety for years. I tried many SSRI’s, but if they worked at all, the side effects were too much to put up with. I’ve been researching adult ADD and realize I have many, many of the classic symptoms. I’ve recently hit a point in my life (keeping up with teenagers and caring for an aging mom) that my “let’s just wing it” approach to life is definitely not working. I am exhausted and exasperated and getting worse.
I’m currently not on any medication, but tomorrow is the big day when I finally see a psychiatrist to begin a stimulant medication trial.
Here’s my issue. I tried Strattera for 3 months but had too many side effects. Both Wellbutrin and Prozac make me very anxious and jittery. Is there any hope that I can take stimulant medication for ADD without it making my anxiety worse? I noticed one or two posts on this site where people actually had their anxiety improve with stimulants, but I also saw many where it got worse. Dexedrine was mentioned in two posts as a good choice. Any other thoughts?
I pray my doc will have the experience to hear my unique profile and give me something suitable, but it won’t hurt to have suggestions of my own.
Thanks for your help.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 10, 2004, at 20:10:51
In reply to Will stimulants for ADD make general anxiety worse, posted by cherrie45 on February 10, 2004, at 17:49:07
Dexedrine is what you want. Not Adderall, not Ritalin, not anything else except Dexedrine or Desoxyn. Proper dosage is key; too little or too much and you'll just feel agitated to varying degrees. At the right dose, you will most likely notice your anxiety go down and focus and mood markedly improve.
Posted by Viridis on February 11, 2004, at 3:04:20
In reply to Will stimulants for ADD make general anxiety worse, posted by cherrie45 on February 10, 2004, at 17:49:07
I find Adderall quite relaxing (at a low dose, which I use for ADD). I do take Klonopin with it, but in general amphetamines seem to have a calming/focusing effect for me. In contrast, SSRIs like Prozac make me very anxious, Wellbutrin just about put me through the roof, and even too much caffeine makes me very jittery. I should add that I was on Prozac and Wellbutrin for extended periods of time, and the anxiety never went away.
I liked Strattera at first, but it was a weird drug that either seemed to have too many side effects or just stopped working. I've discontinued it, although I suspect it could work well for some people.
I'd try Adderall (cautiously) and see how you react. Everyone responds differently, and just because one "stimulant" makes you anxious, it doesn't necessarily mean that another will.
Good luck!
Posted by micro on February 12, 2004, at 23:34:16
In reply to Will stimulants for ADD make general anxiety worse, posted by cherrie45 on February 10, 2004, at 17:49:07
> Greetings all,
>
> As a brief intro, I’m a 45 yr old woman who has been dealing with mild depression and mild general anxiety for years. I tried many SSRI’s, but if they worked at all, the side effects were too much to put up with. I’ve been researching adult ADD and realize I have many, many of the classic symptoms. I’ve recently hit a point in my life (keeping up with teenagers and caring for an aging mom) that my “let’s just wing it” approach to life is definitely not working. I am exhausted and exasperated and getting worse.
>
> I’m currently not on any medication, but tomorrow is the big day when I finally see a psychiatrist to begin a stimulant medication trial.
>
> Here’s my issue. I tried Strattera for 3 months but had too many side effects. Both Wellbutrin and Prozac make me very anxious and jittery. Is there any hope that I can take stimulant medication for ADD without it making my anxiety worse? I noticed one or two posts on this site where people actually had their anxiety improve with stimulants, but I also saw many where it got worse. Dexedrine was mentioned in two posts as a good choice. Any other thoughts?
>
> I pray my doc will have the experience to hear my unique profile and give me something suitable, but it won’t hurt to have suggestions of my own.
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
Cherrie, Please go to www.amenclinics.com. Here you will find over 200 Questions related to your symtoms. If you diagnosis is not correct, then the correct treatment plan will be harder to define.
True ADD [without any comorbid conditions] is calmed by the use of stimulants. If a stimulant has a calming effect on any adult, you have a case for adult ADD.Good Luck! Micro
P.S. Adderall works well for alot of adults.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 13, 2004, at 8:41:33
In reply to Re: Will stimulants for ADD make general anxiety worse, posted by micro on February 12, 2004, at 23:34:16
Then my ADD must be severe, because I can take 60mg+/day of dextroamphetamine and feel calm--with no tolerance!
Honestly, this "paradoxical effect" is a half-truth. At the right dose, amphetamine is calming for just about anyone.
Posted by cherrie45 on February 13, 2004, at 12:00:43
In reply to Re: Will stimulants for ADD make general anxiety worse, posted by micro on February 12, 2004, at 23:34:16
Thank you all for taking the time to answer! I saw the doc and suggested dexedrine as a starting point (thanks for the tip Chairman). Although he is willing to switch to dexedrine within a week, he suggested I start with 5mg a day Adderall. As some of you have mentioned he felt I might not have a true anxiety disorder, but anxiety and constant worry as a symptom of ADD.
Yesterday I took 5 mg Adderall in the morning (we're starting low because I told him I'm med sensitive) and another 5 at 2:00 since there were no problems. So far so good. I'm already noticing subtle differences. Typically when I make a to-do list there is a almost a physical restraint preventing me from doing a task. Yesterday I slowly and methodically accomplished most quick chores on a two week old list. As work related e-mails hit my computer I addressed the issue immediately. The unconscious resistance to doing something immediately when asked seems to be lifting. No improvement on starting big tasks that involve lots of planning, but I'm willing to give it time, and up the dose gradually. So far no anxiety, agitation, or sleep problems. In fact I definitely notice a calming effect and less brain chatter. I’m also going to ask for a Dexedrine trial at some point just to see the difference.
Micro- thanks for the advice on the Amen clinic. Actually I have done exhaustive research on ADD before getting to this point. I took the online test months ago and the results were “highly probably” for inattentive type ADD. I’ve also been reading a lot about my Myers Briggs personality type which is a strong INFP. Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving. My psychologist said the combination of a mild chemical imbalance coupled with a personality type that values ideals over facts and structure, easily explains some of my problems. In fact the research I’ve done into my personality type has been very validating.
Thanks for listening; I’ll keep posting progress reports in case there are others out there who are in a similar situation.
This is the end of the thread.
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