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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KristiVegas on November 10, 2006, at 23:41:41
I'm 55 yrs old and just diagnosed with ADHD. I've been treated in the past for depression with a number of different meds. Now I'm on 225mg Effexor and no ADHD med because my pdoc doesn't believe in ADHD meds. I tried Wellbutrin because he has had good results in treating both depression and ADHD in adults. The Wellbutrin made me extremely sick to my stomach once I hit the 150mg mark so he changed me to Effexor (started at 37mg and slowly worked up to 225mg). He said I have to reach 300mg to feel the full benefit of the med. I'm having some strange side effects and am wondering if I really need to be on this med or if I would benefit from an ADHD med only. Can anyone out there comment? I really would like to hear your expriences. Thanks, Kristi
Posted by lymom3 on November 11, 2006, at 4:23:34
In reply to Depression and ADHD, posted by KristiVegas on November 10, 2006, at 23:41:41
I would find another doc then that is willing to prescribe ADHD meds but that alone isn't going to touch the depression. Been there, done that. If you are having enough issues that you are first dx'd at 55 with ADHD, then I would think that it is significant enough to be treated...
Posted by med_empowered on November 11, 2006, at 10:18:20
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD, posted by lymom3 on November 11, 2006, at 4:23:34
A doc who "doesn't believe in ADHD meds" really isn't worth your time or money--you shouldn't sacrifice your well-being for his/her precious "beliefs" (psychiatry is a medical practice, not something based on beliefs and what not). If you live near a hospital, you can probably find a shrink who specializes in ADHD--a growing number of them will have experience in (or even expertise in) RXing for adults with ADHD w/ comborbid conditions.
Plus...your shrink's emphasis on Effexor as *the* solution is pretty lame...I say get a new shrink who will work *with* you, not *on* you. Think of it as a better investment of your $$$.
Posted by Sonny Liston on November 11, 2006, at 10:59:24
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD, posted by med_empowered on November 11, 2006, at 10:18:20
So what would be a worthy medicinal combination for ADHD and depression? Granted everyone reacts differently. Your thoughts? I also have been trying Wellbutrin for ADHD along with Zoloft. My Doc wants to move on to the stimulants which kind of scares me.....
> A doc who "doesn't believe in ADHD meds" really isn't worth your time or money--you shouldn't sacrifice your well-being for his/her precious "beliefs" (psychiatry is a medical practice, not something based on beliefs and what not). If you live near a hospital, you can probably find a shrink who specializes in ADHD--a growing number of them will have experience in (or even expertise in) RXing for adults with ADHD w/ comborbid conditions.
>
> Plus...your shrink's emphasis on Effexor as *the* solution is pretty lame...I say get a new shrink who will work *with* you, not *on* you. Think of it as a better investment of your $$$.
Posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2006, at 11:33:29
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD » med_empowered, posted by Sonny Liston on November 11, 2006, at 10:59:24
I truly don't understand how you get dx'd with ADD at age 55. I'm 60 and when younger always did well in school and got high grades. How were you in school? Or doesn.t that matter. It always confuses me to hear of adults getting dx'd with Add.? Education please. Thanks phillipa
Posted by med_empowered on November 11, 2006, at 11:57:21
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD » Sonny Liston, posted by Phillipa on November 11, 2006, at 11:33:29
Antidepressants generally don't do much for ADHD. They might help if the lack of focus is secondary to depression/anxiety or if they're stimulating enough, but generally speaking...stimulants are the treatment of choice.
If you have good insurance, I'd say try Provigil. You can get refills on it, so its less of a headache to deal with than Ritalin or Adderall, plus it seems to help depression, too, with a minimum of typical stimulant side effects (like jitteriness, etc.). But, it is expensive,and it isn't as proven in ADHD as typical meds...
If you take normal stimulants, I'd really recommend going for dexedrine or adderall; to me, they're smoother and better, dose per dose, than Ritalin. That said..some people respond well to Ritalin.
Posted by lymom3 on November 11, 2006, at 12:26:41
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD, posted by med_empowered on November 11, 2006, at 11:57:21
Adderall was the best ADHD med that I ever took. My problem was that it made my already irritable personality just that much worse and everyone who had to live with me was going to kill me!!
ADHD meds are nothing to be afraid of if they are taken and prescribed correctly. You will know in a hurry if your dose is too high but when it's the right med and you are dosed right, it really can make a huge difference. I can actually start AND finish things; in a timely manner...all of that stuff. The bills get paid on time because they are not lost.
The choice is really yours in the end, but I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't try them. It can be amazing how much you take for granted that you "muddle through". You've become used to it; that's the way YOUR life is.
Posted by Racer on November 11, 2006, at 14:07:02
In reply to Depression and ADHD, posted by KristiVegas on November 10, 2006, at 23:41:41
I gotta agree with everyone else that if your doctor is unwilling to consider trying psychostimulants because he "doesn't believe in ADHD meds," you're probably not getting the best treatment possible.
That said, if you're concerned about conventional psychostimulants, you might consider asking about Strattera. I took it for depression for a while, and I think it was doing a reasonable job for me. (Hard to tell, since about three drugs were added at once, and they were all activating. My anxiety became a problem on the combination -- although, frankly, that could easily have had a lot to do with situational factors.)
As far as stimulants go, we all respond differently. I do pretty well with Ritalin, which brightens my mood, but experienced increased depression on Adderall. {shrug} A lot of other people seem to have the reverse experience. Unless you try them, you won't really know whether one will help you or not.
Good luck!
Posted by Sonny Liston on November 11, 2006, at 21:44:26
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD, posted by lymom3 on November 11, 2006, at 12:26:41
Well said lymom3. So how did you deal with ADHD without Adderal?
> Adderall was the best ADHD med that I ever took. My problem was that it made my already irritable personality just that much worse and everyone who had to live with me was going to kill me!!
>
> ADHD meds are nothing to be afraid of if they are taken and prescribed correctly. You will know in a hurry if your dose is too high but when it's the right med and you are dosed right, it really can make a huge difference. I can actually start AND finish things; in a timely manner...all of that stuff. The bills get paid on time because they are not lost.
>
> The choice is really yours in the end, but I think you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you don't try them. It can be amazing how much you take for granted that you "muddle through". You've become used to it; that's the way YOUR life is.
Posted by lymom3 on November 12, 2006, at 20:25:57
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD » lymom3, posted by Sonny Liston on November 11, 2006, at 21:44:26
I've tried a lot of different stimulants. Dex gave me such bad insomnia. I have tried some CBT, had some success with other stimulants, mostly trial and error to see what works for you. I'm taking Provigil now and am happy with it. To some extent I've had to learn that I'm not going to be able to do things as effortlessly as others; I know I need a PDA that beeps at me to remember appointments, things like that.
I'm still on samples from the doctor's office and god only knows if I'll be able to get my insurance to cover it but it, in conjunction with my other meds are doing a good job. It really comes down to, for me at least, that I'm not an effective parent, wife or employee when I'm not on meds and quite frankly, I probably have no business driving either. Everyone that knows me calls me Mario Andretti during the unmedicated periods. I have a lot of attorney fees and hefty fines to keep tickets off my record to show for it. For me it's a quality of life issue, you know?
Posted by KristiVegas on November 16, 2006, at 16:27:54
In reply to Re: Depression and ADHD, posted by lymom3 on November 12, 2006, at 20:25:57
Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts. Everyone pretty much said the same - get a new doc!!! I'm changing ins in Jan07 and I'm unsure if the new ins covers this doc so now might be a good time to find a new one. My psychologist feels I would benefit from Adderall so I'm having a chat with psychiatrist on Monday. I would like to try because life is very complicated for me. I can't finish anything because I lose interest so quickly. I am easily distracted at work and I have no interest in anything outside of work. I don't think the Effexor is helping. I really don't feel much better than I did when I started a few months ago. Are Effexor and Adderall a good combo? What are some other combos that have worked well for some of you?
Thanks again,
KRISTI
This is the end of the thread.
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