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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 marip on November 20, 2003, at 6:45:51
Hi--
Im 27 and recently been diagnosed ADD--Ive been taking various SSRIs and Wellbutrin for the past 2 years--(PRozac, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Effexor). Except Effexor, all worked for a while and then stopped--some helped me feel more "together" like the prozac, others didnt really address the ADD feelings at all.My MD wants me to take Zoloft now, but I wonder if I should try a specific ADD med also--what are people's personal experiences with the ADD meds, stimulant like Ritalin, and not like Adderal and Strattera? Do they increase your anxiety if you have it? Do they add to the effects of other ADs and help you feel even better? Or do they have bad side effects like everything does that just makes you feel medicated? I want to feel organized and "together" in mylife but I cant stand anxiety on top of everything--or depression for that matter!!
Thanks anyone for sharing,
Marip, again
Posted by Francesco on November 21, 2003, at 17:49:01
In reply to ADD meds, anxiety, depression, posted by marip on November 20, 2003, at 6:45:51
Hi Marip, in my opinion the good thing of
stimulants is that you don't have to wait weeks
to know what kind of effects they have on you.
You can try one of them and then decide.
I tried Ritalin, which I didn't like, but it
didn't improve anxiety, it made me calm.
I didn't feel medicated (like when I took ADs),
just different. The side-effects were almost
nonexistent compared to the AD's ones.
my personal suggestions are as follows:
1. there is no reason to try Zoloft if you have already tried other two SSRIs and if your diagnosis is ADHD.
2. take a tour on amenclinic.com and get the test to discover which subtype of ADHD you resemble more. For each sub-type Dr. Amen suggests different meds (not necessarily stimulants).
3. consider that there are alternatives. many people have unexpected effects from non traditional meds. I'm one of them. I thought they were just placebo, but after the first dose of L-tyrosine I had to change my mind. so if you like, take a tour also on psychobabble alternative.
hope this helps
> Im 27 and recently been diagnosed ADD--Ive been taking various SSRIs and Wellbutrin for the past 2 years--(PRozac, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Effexor). Except Effexor, all worked for a while and then stopped--some helped me feel more "together" like the prozac, others didnt really address the ADD feelings at all.
>
> My MD wants me to take Zoloft now, but I wonder if I should try a specific ADD med also--what are people's personal experiences with the ADD meds, stimulant like Ritalin, and not like Adderal and Strattera? Do they increase your anxiety if you have it? Do they add to the effects of other ADs and help you feel even better? Or do they have bad side effects like everything does that just makes you feel medicated? I want to feel organized and "together" in mylife but I cant stand anxiety on top of everything--or depression for that matter!!
>
> Thanks anyone for sharing,
> Marip, again
Posted by marip on November 21, 2003, at 22:38:51
In reply to Re: ADD meds, anxiety, depression » marip, posted by Francesco on November 21, 2003, at 17:49:01
Thanks a lot for your suggestions--Im going to go check out that website right now. Its interesting that L-tyrosine is so helpful for you (is that thyroid related?) A recent blood test showed that I have low thyroid functioning and taking naturopathic thyroid-supporting supplements that include L-tyrosine have really helped me feel better (in other areas not necessarily ADHD related). I really appreciate your thoughtful ideas--marip
Posted by francesco on November 22, 2003, at 3:49:46
In reply to Re: ADD meds, anxiety, depression, posted by marip on November 21, 2003, at 22:38:51
> Thanks a lot for your suggestions--Im going to go check out that website right now. Its interesting that L-tyrosine is so helpful for you (is that thyroid related?)
I have heard it is but I don't know anyting more about it. Try to ask on PsychoBabble Alternative, there are a lot very informed fellows and this seem a basic level question for most of them ;-)
A recent blood test showed that I have low thyroid functioning and taking naturopathic thyroid-supporting supplements that include L-tyrosine have really helped me feel better (in other areas not necessarily ADHD related). I really appreciate your thoughtful ideas--marip
Why did you decide to check your thyroid ? I mean ... which are the main syntoms related to low thyroid functioning ? I have never had my throid checked and maybe I should do it.
Did you get the test ? : ) what result ?
Posted by Sooty on November 29, 2003, at 12:20:04
In reply to ADD meds, anxiety, depression, posted by marip on November 20, 2003, at 6:45:51
> Hi--
> Im 27 and recently been diagnosed ADD--Ive been taking various SSRIs and Wellbutrin for the past 2 years--(PRozac, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Effexor). Except Effexor, all worked for a while and then stopped--some helped me feel more "together" like the prozac, others didnt really address the ADD feelings at all.
>
> My MD wants me to take Zoloft now, but I wonder if I should try a specific ADD med also--what are people's personal experiences with the ADD meds, stimulant like Ritalin, and not like Adderal and Strattera? Do they increase your anxiety if you have it? Do they add to the effects of other ADs and help you feel even better? Or do they have bad side effects like everything does that just makes you feel medicated? I want to feel organized and "together" in mylife but I cant stand anxiety on top of everything--or depression for that matter!!
>
> Thanks anyone for sharing,
> Marip, againMarip: I wouldn't totally discount Zoloft as I have ADD and discovered by accident while taking Zoloft for depression that Zoloft helped my ADD GREATLY! Before Zoloft, I would have so much trouble taming my mind that I couldn't even do Algebra II without my brain spinning around and jumping. Once on Zoloft (low dose - 50mg every other day), I was able to go on in my math courses...I even finished the three calculus courses and got my degree. I know this sounds maybe silly, but I am not kidding! For the first time in my life, I could start at the beginning of an idea and follow it step-by-step in a linear fashion instead of jumping around and having to try to hold onto the right idea. Zoloft also got rid of some obsessive/fearful-type thinking I've experienced during my lifetime...and also helped me to sleep better at night. My physician and my therapist both said that Zoloft was not known for helping with ADD; they had not heard of this before. I had no weird sensations while taking Zoloft, or trouble going off of the drug. My therapist wants me to try Ritalin, but I am doing fine for the demands (or non-demands) of my life right now. Each person is so different; you just have to find the right help for YOU. Good luck to you - at least there are lots of ideas and things to try these days. ----Sooty
Posted by Francesco on December 1, 2003, at 5:18:44
In reply to Re: ADD meds, anxiety, depression, posted by Sooty on November 29, 2003, at 12:20:04
Daniel Amen (see http://brainplace.com and http://amenclinic.com) says that Sertraline (Zoloft) is his first choice among the SSRIs for people who have OVERFOCUSED-ADHD. According to him there also other five types of Adhd who are not helped or worsen with serotoninergic meds.
Also for overfocused-adhd Amen suggests a mixed strategy that consists in adding a stimulant to an SSRI because he finds that SSRIs by themselves "tend to help the overfocus but can cause additional problems with focus and motivation". (Healing the brain, p. 246)
Marip, if you have been diagnosed with Adhd your first step might be taking the adhd-test subtype at the sites above, which is very useful to figure out which meds could help you. Not every type of Adhd on the converse is helped by stimulantants (alone).
This is the end of the thread.
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