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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 10:33:08
Hello there,
Just wondering if someone has a tendency for anxiety, would taking stimulants increase anxiety..as in create more anxiety that wasnt there before taking them??
Look forward to replies/experiences
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by The Resistance on May 24, 2005, at 10:40:45
In reply to Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 10:33:08
> Just wondering if someone has a tendency for anxiety, would taking stimulants increase anxiety..as in create more anxiety that wasnt there before taking them??
>
That deppends very much on the individualSome people find that stimulants make them more anxious, others find stimulants actually help anxiety and make them feel calmer.
Thats what supposedly happens with ADHD I thinkSome people apparently even find them sedating
>
In my experience the anxiety effect of a stimulant deppends very much on the dose and the type of stimulant.
Caffeine always make me feel more anxious
Dexedrine on the other hand doesn't make me feel anxious as long as the dose is low enough.
To much makes me very jittery.
>
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Posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 11:19:35
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by The Resistance on May 24, 2005, at 10:40:45
Hello Risistance,
When I tried lamotrigine, although not a stimulant this made me way to jittery and my anxiety increased way too much at such a low dose of 25mg. After 1 month i had to stop it I was a nervous wreck. - Would hate to go through something like that again.
How are you doing?..still on the venlafaxine/mirtazepine combo?
Do you also still take Dexedrine now?
Posted by Ritch on May 24, 2005, at 12:21:07
In reply to Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 10:33:08
> Hello there,
>
> Just wondering if someone has a tendency for anxiety, would taking stimulants increase anxiety..as in create more anxiety that wasnt there before taking them??
>
> Look forward to replies/experiences
>
> Kind regards
>
> Nick
I've had good and bad effects from taking stimulants (along with bipolar meds). They seem to reduce anxiety at the beginning (esp. dexedrine)for a few weeks and I have a general sense of fearlessness. But it tends to fizzle with time and I start getting panicky and hypervigilant and burnt out. Oddly enough though, they seemed to have an anticycling effect. But the mood I was left with after a couple of months was a chronic icky quiet aloof feeling that I didn't like. I'd rather have the mood cycles!
Posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 15:30:56
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety??? » Nickengland, posted by Ritch on May 24, 2005, at 12:21:07
Hello Ritch,
So am I right in thinking you don't use them anymore then?
Thats pretty interesting what you say about the anxiety effect and cycling.
Your like me aswell in that you respond good with Tegretol if I remember correctly?..Possibly the stimulants could have the same effect on me with good and bad issues.
I'm pretty curious about these kind of meds, if I had them to try i'd definately experiment with them to see if I could gain benefits, thing is its unlikely from hearing from others on here if I'd be able to get them prescribed in england lol although i'm moving to australia later this year maybe i'll get them there?!
Lastly, is there addictive issues with dexedrine?
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by ed_uk on May 24, 2005, at 15:33:02
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 15:30:56
Hey Nick,
>i'm moving to australia later this year
I hope you'll still post :-)
Ed.
Posted by ed_uk on May 24, 2005, at 16:17:48
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 15:30:56
Dear Nick,
As an adult, it is VERY difficult to get a stimulant prescribed in the UK. Child psychiatrists sometimes prescribe stims to children, especially Ritalin.... but occasionally Dexedrine- Adderall is not available in the UK. The vast majority of adult pdocs never prescribe stimulants.
Part of the reason for this attitude/behaviour is because of what it says in the BNF (British National Formulary). The BNF is like the UK 'Drug Bible', doctors and pharmacists alike take it very seriously, which actually makes me feel a bit sick. On the pharmacy degree, we are constantly told that the BNF is VERY accurate and reliable blah blah blah. <puke>
Here is a excerpt from the BNF- that little book that our docs love so much...............
'They (stimulants) have very few indications and in particular, should NOT be used to treat depression.............
The amphetamines have a limited field of usefulness and their use should be DISCOURAGED as they may cause dependence and psychotic states. They have NO PLACE in the management of depression.........'
Kind regards,
Ed.PS. I emailed the editors of the BNF a few weeks ago to point out some errors. They said that they will correct them by the next edition. Perhaps I should send them a further email with a few more suggestions LOL. The section on MAOIs is particularly poor and in need of an update!
Posted by Declan on May 24, 2005, at 17:13:04
In reply to Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 10:33:08
Hi Nick
There is a great movie called "Spun". I almost never like American movies, but anyway it's described as Trainspotting on speed. They look pretty wired up, they're not just tense. Great acting.
Declan
Posted by Phillipa on May 24, 2005, at 21:30:50
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Declan on May 24, 2005, at 17:13:04
Took some sort of diet drug in the 70's. It gave me a lot of energy. Took it every other day. After about a month I started to have trouble sleeping. Maybe that's when my sleep problems began. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Ritch on May 24, 2005, at 23:34:16
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 15:30:56
> Hello Ritch,
>
> So am I right in thinking you don't use them anymore then?
>
> Thats pretty interesting what you say about the anxiety effect and cycling.
>
> Your like me aswell in that you respond good with Tegretol if I remember correctly?..Possibly the stimulants could have the same effect on me with good and bad issues.
>
> I'm pretty curious about these kind of meds, if I had them to try i'd definately experiment with them to see if I could gain benefits, thing is its unlikely from hearing from others on here if I'd be able to get them prescribed in england lol although i'm moving to australia later this year maybe i'll get them there?!
>
> Lastly, is there addictive issues with dexedrine?
>
> Kind regards
>
> NickI'm not on stimulants now, no. I went through various trials a few years ago with dexedrine, adderall, focalin, ritalin with depakote, etc. I only took Tegretol once for about a week back in 1991 as a switch from lithium during a bad depression. Not a good move. I've found that switching mood stabilizers (antimanics) during a depressive episode is not a good idea. Lithium beat Tegretol and Depakote for "pure" lethargic anergic depression. But it(Li) doesn't touch the rapid cycling, and I would still get intense explosive mixed stuff on lithium even at high doses (1200-1800mg/day). When you get to Australia.. I'd say tinker away with the stims if you want, but if you don't have a clear ADD problem (w/o meds), you can have a pretty rough ride if you aren't careful. Dexedrine can be reinforcing. I was looking at my watch a lot, wondering when the crash would happen, when I needed to take the next incremental dose.. it can lead to being too obsessive with the "schedule". Adderall was a take it and forget it type of thing for me due to its duration, but it provoked a lot of anxiety and unwanted vigilance I didn't like that dexedrine didn't.
Posted by Bill LL on May 25, 2005, at 11:18:20
In reply to Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Nickengland on May 24, 2005, at 10:33:08
That's a really interesting question that addresses 2 types of anxiety; worrying and agitation.
I just started on Concerta 8 weeks ago. It's the first time I have ever tried a stimulant of any kind. My life long conditions are extreme agitation and ADHD. I have never had a problem with excessive worrying, just extreme agitation that I mostly feel in my chest or heart.
During the first 2 weeks on Concerta, I felt more calm and focused. But after that, I still felt focused, but my agitation (jitteriness) returned. But it did not return to a level that was greater than before. Then I upped my beta blocker (Toprol XL) to 100 mg and that made the jitteriness go away.
> Hello there,
>
> Just wondering if someone has a tendency for anxiety, would taking stimulants increase anxiety..as in create more anxiety that wasnt there before taking them??
>
> Look forward to replies/experiences
>
> Kind regards
>
> Nick
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Posted by Nickengland on May 26, 2005, at 14:21:23
In reply to The BNF » Nickengland, posted by ed_uk on May 24, 2005, at 16:17:48
Hello Ed :-)
Good to see your emailing the BNF!! lol
I know exactly what you mean about doctors using it as their bible. I've actually registered with the version they have online so I could find about some medications afew months back.
Your right about some of it needing up-dating from some of the information I read. I remember in the past I've had side-effect from a medication and been to my GP to discuss it, he's looked it up in his "BNF Book"...seen the side effect is not listed and so totally dismissed it!!
Oh well I was only curious abouts stimulants lol..doesnt surprise me about the strictness of uk stimulants issues....Just for a laugh though, when I next see my psychiatrist I'm going to mention stimulants to see he's view on them...He will probably think I'm talking about a cup of coffee! lol
Kind regards
Nick
Ps, I won't have so much easy access to a pc when I move to Oz, but i'll be sure to keep my babbles going!
Posted by Nickengland on May 26, 2005, at 14:22:51
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Declan on May 24, 2005, at 17:13:04
Hello Declan,
Cheers, i'll have to keep my eye for that movie lol
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by Nickengland on May 26, 2005, at 14:25:59
In reply to Re: Stimulants...Are they bad for anxiety???, posted by Bill LL on May 25, 2005, at 11:18:20
Hi Bill
Hope they work out of you :-)
Kind regards
Nick
Posted by ed_uk on May 26, 2005, at 14:38:28
In reply to Re: The BNF Ed, posted by Nickengland on May 26, 2005, at 14:21:23
Hi Nick!
Don't mention Dexedrine, you're doc will have a heart attack!
>............. but i'll be sure to keep my babbles going!
:-)
>...seen the side effect is not listed and so totally dismissed it!!
Yep, they think it's the font of all knowledge!
Kind regards,
Ed.?
This is the end of the thread.
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