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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 linkadge on April 25, 2009, at 14:01:59
Can anyone compare how these two medications have affected them in terms of attention problems with comorbid mood problems.
Which had a more beneficial (or less detrimental effect on your mood).
Linkadge
Posted by garnet71 on April 25, 2009, at 14:54:13
In reply to methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood, posted by linkadge on April 25, 2009, at 14:01:59
Hey Linkadge, don't know how much I can help, but I'll tell you about my recent experiences w/stimulants and you could see if helps or at least resonates with you somehow.
I've read others experiences online (there's some here too) about stims, and people say they feel real talkative and outgoing on stims....but it doesn't do that to me and I always wondered why. It could likely be the smaller dosage I take?
Anyway--I've taken Ritalin, Adderall, and now Dextroamphetamine-none were slow release, or whatever that's called (like concerta), and all were prescribed 10 mg twice a day.
I don't have depression though, so that may be a factor.
Ritalin - worked for 2 hrs, made me real tired and kinda blah. So more adverse on mood I'd say. I thought it sux.
Adderall - I'd wake up in the morning feeling 'brighter', like just happy about waking up. While I was on it, though, it didn't change my 'mood' but i felt a bit dulled somehow while it was in my system, but like in the morning before i took it, and I always waited a few hours after i got up, i did feel brighter. When it wore off, after taking it 5 days in a row, I started getting bronchial spasms, so I had to quit the trial. But even so, by the 5th day, it didn't seem to work as much already. Prior to the 5 days in a row, I'd take it 2 days on, 1 day off, etc. just experimenting.
Dextro - Only took it 2 days so far - what is real interesting w/it is that it does not alter my mood one single bit-i feel like it doesn't affect emotions or my personality at all-i really like that about it. I feel my normal self, but can dedicate myself to things I didn't have the motivation to do, am so much more focused. It is a lot stronger than Adderall and Ritalin, and I can only take 5 mg. instead of the 10 that was prescribed. It doesn't wear off though-it's smooth, there is no crash. Except-I get bad insomnia, so far, I can only sleep 4-5 hours, even from just about 4 mg, unevenly cut pill lol, I was up for too long. So the last 2 nights I'd had to take .5 Xanax to get to sleep, but will have to come up with some other plan, or maybe my body will get more used to it.
The affect of being productive again, however, has lifted my mood. Probably because I have been so overwhelmed, and everything has piled up over 6 months, and I just felt like I couldn't do anything--important stuff. So I'm not sure if it is actually improving my mood chemically, or if just doing what I want to do is making me happier.
When my son took Adderall, I think a bigger dose, he was real talkative and outgoing-and hypomania--it def. affected his mood. Though I'd seen him zombied out doing his homework and stuff while on it, personality dulled. He's out cutting the grass now, but when he comes back in I'll ask if he remembers what dosage he took when he got like that.
So my mood problem really is lack of motivation, not sure if that counts as mood, but in a nutshell, the Ritalin made mood worse, Adderall better when not actively on it, and Dextro doesn't affect mood but ancillary affect of being productive again has made me happier.
Posted by connor on April 25, 2009, at 16:47:22
In reply to Re: methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood » linkadge, posted by garnet71 on April 25, 2009, at 14:54:13
Adderall, or d-amphetamine will lift your mood, but at times when I'd crash I would hate everything and I would have the most cynical outlook ever. But when you're on it you're productive, optimistic, and you will pay attention. I simply did not like the way ritalin made me feel.
Posted by Zana on April 25, 2009, at 17:20:40
In reply to Re: methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood, posted by connor on April 25, 2009, at 16:47:22
On adderall and ritalin I was kind of speedy, talkative but anxious, not so good. For some weird reason D-amphetamine made me really dopey, not in a good way either. Have you thought about Provigil. It really works much better for me. Focuses me, gives me impetus to do stuff I wouldn't otherwise do, like Babble. Like other uppers, it seems to work great for 4 or 5 days and then kind of poop out. It's like it's used up whatever it is releasing in the brain and the brain needs a day, maybe 2 to resupply. But it's much less speedy than the amphetamine family, for me anyway.
Zana
Posted by Phillipa on April 25, 2009, at 23:07:43
In reply to Re: methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood, posted by Zana on April 25, 2009, at 17:20:40
Zana some say take a day or two off a week of providgil to capture the response. Sorry Link. Love Phillipa
Posted by Zana on April 26, 2009, at 12:34:37
In reply to Re: methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood » Zana, posted by Phillipa on April 25, 2009, at 23:07:43
Yup, unfortunately that's true for me.
Zana
Posted by theo on April 26, 2009, at 17:17:44
In reply to methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood, posted by linkadge on April 25, 2009, at 14:01:59
I took Vyvanse for the first time yesterday and it rocks. I didn't realize there would be such a drastic difference compared to Adderall XR. No jitters with Vyvanse and smooth great mood. Vyvanse is close to dextroamphetamine I believe.
Posted by stargazer2 on April 26, 2009, at 19:18:14
In reply to methylphenidate vs. dextroamphetamine for mood, posted by linkadge on April 25, 2009, at 14:01:59
I tried ritalin years ago and it made me feel too wired and jittery.
Adderall worked well in helping me focus and block our the background noise I struggle with daily. I really miss taking it since I'm now on Nardil and can't take it with it.
I have tried tiny doses of D-amphetamine, which is supposedly the generic form of the fast acting Adderall. It has some effect,but I can only take 2.5 or 5 mg at a time. Beyond that I have precipitated a hypertensive reaction, so that was unintended and scarey.
I just started Wellbutrin to see if that will be helpful for the ADD-like symptoms I have always struggled with, i.e. lack of focus, inability to read or follow movies, impulsiveness, overstimulation, etc.
I believe a big part of my recalcitrant depression is from these untreated ADD issues.
How about your symptoms for taking a stim?
SG2
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