Posted by IsoM on December 7, 2001, at 20:36:49
In reply to What AD next? Please help if you can, posted by manowar on December 5, 2001, at 15:05:19
Tim, I'll plead ignorane about a number of things -
I know nothing about Concerta. After I post this I'm going to look it up to see what it is & what it does.
I also know nothing of "prefrontal cortex functioning" & how a person would know how his/hers function.What I can say is I do have ADHD (among other things) but as for the hyperactivity part, I generally seem to have only two speeds - idling or full-steam ahead. I seem to have trouble doing things at a reasonable speed like most people. I tend to either be sluggish feeling, little movement, or when I do get going, I'm in very fast mode. If I slow down much, I get very sleepy & want to quit or crawl back to bed to sleep. I also have mild narcolepsy, not so bad as to fall asleep but I drag about feeling *sleepy* all the time, but not necessarily *tired*. I have other symptoms of narcolepsy, my former doc was pretty sure it's narcolepsy.
Anyway, I started adrafinil (as you've read from my previous posts) about a month ago. It IS working. Whether it'll keep on working, I'll just have to find out. The effects still seem to be coming. Here's some of the benefits I've noticed so far:
- not sleepy all the time & no longer yawning constantly (it's such a THRILL not to drag myself though the day)
- feeling much more alert & "with it"
- not nearly as forgetful about simple everyday things as before
- better able to remember what I hear or read (my auditory memory has always been notoriously bad, but it's improved immensely - at least for me)
- being able to mentally keep track of what I've been trying to think out. If I had a list of items to follow through mentally before, I'd feel lost after the first few items. My thoughts felt like a slippery bar of soap - the harder I tried to hold them in mind, the more likely they'd go shooting out my head. It doesn't happen so badly now.
- and lastly, mood enhancement. I kept this last as I've read it doesn't happen for everyone.I'm going about my daily routine with a gentle smile on my face & often singing quietly or humming to myself, something I do when I'm at peace with myself. I even looked outside the other day at the dripping rain falling from the bare trees, something that always felt so dreary before, & I was struck with how beautiful it looked!
I already take Synthroid for low thyroid functioning (which of course helps with mood) & Celexa. I'm weaning myself off Paxil (which worked very well but I hated the dependence on never missing a dose or even being late taking it). I tried going off Paxil completely before but sadly had to go back on it - Celexa wasn't enough. Now with adrafinil, I don't seem to need the Paxil. Hurrah!!
Sorry this is so long, but when I want to know drug reactions, I always want to know *every* last little detail that may be beneficial to understand.
I found that Ritalin and/or Dexedrine helped in my focus & alertness but I hated the peaks & valleys. None with adrafinil. It's a nice level feeling. Also it gives me an alertness without the hyper feelings that the other stimulants gave me, making me almost too jittery & talkative but not necessarily more productive.
> Hello,
> I’m trying to figure out what AD I should try next. I would invite anyone to read my post and give me suggestions. I’m tired of fruitless experimentation and I’m ready to get on the fast track of wellness. Thank you very much for your help.
>
> I have been diagnosed with Cyclothymia (predominantly depressed mood), ADHD (inattentive type with features of the limbic subtype) and Frontal/Temporal Lobe Disorder.
>
> My SPECT pdoc (acting as a consulting physician) thought it would be a good idea to find a mood stabilizer like Tegretol, Neurontin or Depakote. I started on Neurontin (100mg x 3 times a day) a couple days ago. So far it seems to make me feel spaced out. I hope this will wear off. Is there anyone out there that has had success with GABA, fish oil or whatever or offer me any advice at all on the mood stabilizers? I’m brand new to them.
>
> He suggested an activating AD. I’ve been taking Wellbutrin for a couple years and it doesn’t seem to do anything for me at all. I guess the only reason I continue to take it is because it doesn’t give me the horrible side effects like the SSRIs (pretty dumb huh?), and maybe it can help me as an augmenting med. I also have tried Effexor (sexual side effects), Desipramine (worked before, but when I tried it last year-no help), Reboxetine (no help), along with a slew of SSRIs, which I have grown to despise. I don’t think I have a Serotonin problem. I think that a drug that affected D or NE might do the trick.
> What should I try next?
> Should I go back to a TCI? If so, what?
> Could Desipramine+Wellbutrin be helpful
> Imipramine is still considered the “Gold standard” for ADs, should I try that next?
>
> I know that Elizabeth highly praises the MAOI’s. Should I go that route next?
>
> I’m now taking 72 mg of Concerta +20 mg of Ritalin in the late afternoon for ADD. I started taking Adderal about three weeks ago, and it seemed to be working fine at first- but it threw me in a major black hole a couple weeks ago, and because of polypharmacy it took me a week and a half to find out that the Adderal was the culprit. My pdoc told me that depression was a common side effect from Adderal. It sure was a great diet pill though!
>
> I’ve read that prefrontal cortex functioning heavily affects mood. I don’t know if the dose of Concerta is enough to normalize cortical functioning. Maybe I need to add a dose of Modafinil or Adrafinil? Any suggestions?
>
> He lastly suggested that a memory enhancing med at a later date to enhance temporal lobe function. He suggested Aricept.
>
> I’m so frustrated and I’m ready to get on with my life and start getting better. Any suggestions, opinions or comments would be greatly appreciated.
> --Tim
poster:IsoM
thread:86080
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011202/msgs/86244.html