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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by noelle on July 1, 2002, at 14:09:54
I have been treated (unsuccessfully) for ADD and depression for since highschool, Prozac, Wellbutrin, Ritalin, Adderal, Provigil, Effexor etc. For meds, I have been seeing a p-doc but recently started couples counciling and was given an MMPI test. I was diagnosed with high-levels of anxiety and what he called (black hole depression). He recommended that I try Neurontin. Although I'm relieved to have an updated diagonsis, I'm not sure how to feel about this, and just wondered what everyone thought about this change.
Posted by katekite on July 1, 2002, at 15:22:38
In reply to Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what!, posted by noelle on July 1, 2002, at 14:09:54
I liked the mmpi: it felt like it was enough questions, complicated enough, that I could trust the answers.
Anxiety can be a primary and important problem. Or anxiety can be secondary to ADD or a part of depression. It could be all three.
I was just mentioning to John in a post above about a 'continuous performance test'... have you taken that? Is your ADD diagnosis a for sure thing? Is it possible that your attention problems could be because of being so anxious?
As far as neurontin goes, wow I loved that drug. After a few days I wondered if maybe other people had always felt like that (this weirdly nice calm state that I felt like I'd maybe had a few moments of once upon a time.) I hope it works for you as well as it did for me. There is also a 'new' neurontin, pregabalin, coming out maybe next year that might have more effect on anxiety with less risk of sedation.
Congrats on having new information to work with! Always helpful to have another piece of the puzzle.
Kate
Posted by Noelle on July 2, 2002, at 22:05:07
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what!, posted by katekite on July 1, 2002, at 15:22:38
As far as ADD, I have some learning disabilities, I am very disorganized and have been perpetually impulsive my whole life, leaped without looking, but I'm a bit weary of something that is sedative, I tend to feel recklessly relaxed on those types of meds, thats how effexor made me feel. I'm also wondering what life will be like without a stim, being in a sales (motivation a must) What do you mean by a weirdly calm state, what is Neurontin anyway? A mood stabilizer?
thanks for your help
Posted by katekite on July 3, 2002, at 10:55:44
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what! Kat, posted by Noelle on July 2, 2002, at 22:05:07
I just meant "weird" in that I hadn't felt that calm (in a nice way) in ages. It felt weird to actually have minutes in a row of calmness, vs the small moments I was used to. Plus some things that always had stressed me out just didn't at all anymore. Neurontin is an anti-epileptic, and was tried a lot for bipolar but seems to be pretty weak in that regard. It is used probably more for chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, and as an add-on drug for bipolar.
'recklessly relaxed'? Do you mean you felt less inhibited and so that was kind of bad since you are impulsive? I can relate to that. I do think neurontin was slightly disinhibiting for me, not sure what others would say about it. I felt much more organized on it for some reason that I don't understand.
Posted by noelle on July 3, 2002, at 18:20:22
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what! Kat, posted by katekite on July 3, 2002, at 10:55:44
by "Recklessly relaxed" Perhaps lackadasical (sp- i can't spell). I'm naturally lazy, messy, There needs to be some sort of urgency going or I wait untill the last minute, that is unless I'm on a stim then I become more proactive. The best combo has been Aerobic Exercise and a stim. By the way did you gain any weight on Neurontin?
I do appreciate your listening by the way.
Posted by katekite on July 4, 2002, at 17:05:12
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what! Kat, posted by noelle on July 3, 2002, at 18:20:22
Ah, that's a better kind of reckless relaxation. Me too -- at least in general -- a procrastinator, but amazingly alive and awake when I need to be, right at the end before the deadline. I like standing out in whipping wind -- thunderstorms, blizzards, etc, although in general don't seek novelty like some with ADD do.
I did not gain weight on neurontin. I lost a few pounds, but was also physically ill some -- so that might contribute.
take care,
kate
Posted by BarbaraCat on July 6, 2002, at 0:28:45
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what! Kat, posted by katekite on July 4, 2002, at 17:05:12
Hi Kate,
Oh joy! Another nutzoid who loves whipping winds and storms. Me too. In fact, I once jumped off my parent's second story when I was 8, in the middle of a raging hurricane and holding on to a huge beach umbrella! My poor mother was looking out the kitchen window when she sees her daughter floating by and practically fainted. I do love a good lightning storm as well - but not when I'm in the midst of an agitated depression! No sirree, I'm like a wounded and broken little bird during those times. But I so do love and appreciate that wildly alive side of myself. - BCat> Ah, that's a better kind of reckless relaxation. Me too -- at least in general -- a procrastinator, but amazingly alive and awake when I need to be, right at the end before the deadline. I like standing out in whipping wind -- thunderstorms, blizzards, etc, although in general don't seek novelty like some with ADD do.
>
> I did not gain weight on neurontin. I lost a few pounds, but was also physically ill some -- so that might contribute.
>
> take care,
> kate
Posted by katekite on July 6, 2002, at 9:40:18
In reply to Re: Anxiety not ADD who knew, but now what! Kat, posted by BarbaraCat on July 6, 2002, at 0:28:45
Hi BCat --
I've noticed in the last 3 months with my cortisol levels rising from whatever has gone wrong hormonally with me, that I now shy away from these things. I'm wondering if your wounded bird thing in agitated depression is also cortisol speaking. Sudden sounds now make my heart race.
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