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Post by Rich B on Mar 27, 2019 8:36:25 GMT
I am 48. I have been diagnosed with adhd several times. I have a bit of depression and some anxiety. I have done all the questionnaires since way back and I laugh when just about every answer is 'always' or 'often'. My son has add
The problem is that seemingly whichever drugs I get put on I get wired. I cant sleep. Time seems to pass slowly. I get pretty anxious. I rush things. If anything I am more adhd.
As a result I have a cycle of trying drugs, their not working and giving up.
I am always on citalopram.
I have tried: Ritalin, dexamphetamine, strattera, buproprion, mirtazipine, venlafaxine, some tca's which i cant remember.
I reckon that anything that stimulates noradrenaline just doesnt work for me. So I am stuck really.
I have all the usual work problems, forgetfulness self esteem issues an inability to relax or sit still. I do cope with it but its pretty hard sometimes.
I think after prescribing a few drugs professionals think either I dont know what to do with this guy, or he must not have adhd after all.
Does this resonate with anyone? Are there any other options? Are there any other stims I should try? Is there any merit in taking higher doses of stims in the hope that might work where low doses have not? Anyone tries Clonidine or Tenex on its own?
Thanks for any advice.
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Post by Rich B on Mar 28, 2019 8:36:53 GMT
Hi
Sorry I must have deleted the text first time. I wondered why no replies.
As the heading suggests I have tried most things over the last 6 odd years. I give up, it gets pretty bad, I go back to a psychiatrist, we try something else. Anything that messes with noradranaline means no sleep, anxiety, rushing ( as in doing things too quiclkly, aggression and a general attitude of stay the f**k out of my way
I have tried ritalin, dex, strattera, buprprion, mirtazipinbe, venlfaxine, amitrytyline.
Whenever I look at the ADD questionnaires I think this is 100% me. I have the usual concentration and impulsivity issues
I take an SSRI. I suffer from depression and anxiety too.
Basically, can I be sure I even have ADHD.
Are there any meds that are worth a try that I havent tried?
Should I take smaller doses? Should I take larger doses, which seems counter-intuitive in the circumstances
Should I take anything with stims that might help
Thanks
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Post by vagueandrandom on Mar 29, 2019 13:27:10 GMT
Hi Rich It looks like your posts got stuck in admin approval limbo. I’m also finding it difficult to find a medication which helps my ADHD. How long have you tried each med for? Maybe you need to keep taking it a bit longer for side-effects to settle/to find the right dose? Citralopram can affect the effect/efficiency of stims and Strattera. Have you been able to try guanfacine? If you’re in work, you can get help, including coaching from Access to Work www.gov.uk/access-to-workI found coaching really helpful.
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richb
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Post by richb on Mar 29, 2019 23:38:51 GMT
Hi
Yes, looks that way. I have registered now so maybe that will help.
Basically was saying I have tried Ritalin, Dex, Buproprion, Strattera, nortryptyline, mirtazipine
I try, anything affecting noradrenaline means no sleep, anxiety, time standing still, aggression, going too fast. Wost thing no sleep really. Seems to get worse not better over time. Time on them really depends on how bad I feel. Mirt tried twice for one day each time never again (until next time ha ha). Strattera about 2 months, rest 2-5 weeks.
Sometimes wonder should I take less but normally I start on a low dose, or even more which seems counter-intuitive and quite scary
Sometimes I think 'have I not got ADD at all' but whenever I look and the surveys I am so off the scale its funny. I have considered other things eg a mild form of bi-polar but ADD fits better really.
Definitely I have depression and anxiety but thats not unusual, is it?
Anyway, no I have not tried guanfaxine nor Clonidine and my original question was whether anyone had, with what else and how it went.
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richb
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Post by richb on Mar 29, 2019 23:42:56 GMT
Hi again. Thanks btw, for replying.
Interesting nobody has ever said come off the citalopram, I am pretty sure I have taken it right through.
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Post by vagueandrandom on Mar 31, 2019 12:07:08 GMT
Hi Yes, looks that way. I have registered now so maybe that will help. Basically was saying I have tried Ritalin, Dex, Buproprion, Strattera, nortryptyline, mirtazipine I try, anything affecting noradrenaline means no sleep, anxiety, time standing still, aggression, going too fast. Wost thing no sleep really. Seems to get worse not better over time. Time on them really depends on how bad I feel. Mirt tried twice for one day each time never again (until next time ha ha). Strattera about 2 months, rest 2-5 weeks. Sometimes wonder should I take less but normally I start on a low dose, or even more which seems counter-intuitive and quite scary Sometimes I think 'have I not got ADD at all' but whenever I look and the surveys I am so off the scale its funny. I have considered other things eg a mild form of bi-polar but ADD fits better really. Definitely I have depression and anxiety but thats not unusual, is it? Anyway, no I have not tried guanfaxine nor Clonidine and my original question was whether anyone had, with what else and how it went. It seems like you’ve now posted enough for them to come through on the main site as well as the mobile one, but I’ve quoted this one as it’s not got through. If you’re on Facebook, the AADDUK closed group is good to ask meds questions on. It’s where I found out that citalopram can effect meds. This is specifically about combining with Elvanse: “Some people do okay on this combination, but it's important not to rush into it, even if you've been fine on citalopram before.This is because Elvanse changes how the body deals with SSRIs, and there's evidence that SSRIs may change the pharmacodynamic action of stimulants in a way which can potentially lead to complications.Not all specialists seem to be aware how significant the interaction between antidepressants and stimulants can be, and it doesn't help matters that the side-effects from this interaction are very easily mistaken for symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders.You might get more benefit by tweaking the dose of Elvanse first, as this can often have surprisingly good results. If you do feel the need to add an SSRI, it may be a good idea to stick to as low dose as possible with the SSRI.” I run a support group and one of our members takes guanfacine, Strattera, methylphenidate and Venlafaxine together. My psych is very cautious about prescribing and has only recently started prescribing Elvanse after years of only prescribing 10mg x 3 IR methylphenidate to anyone with ADHD, so it’s unlikely I’ll get to try any of the ‘off-label’ meds
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richb
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Post by richb on Apr 1, 2019 8:28:27 GMT
Thanks a lot. Maybe I will have a go without citalopram and see what gives. I will run it past my psych next time.
Cheers
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Post by Reggie12 on Apr 18, 2019 16:47:19 GMT
Hi
There are many factors that can contribute. Age, gender, metabolism, lifestyle, food and drink and routine.
Maybe the medication is effective and it could be the depression and anxiety that is exacerbated is causing you to overload your mind and chainging the way you feel on the medication.
ADHD symptoms, for me anyway, are separate from the depression and anxiety as a result of years of negative emotions (probably as a consequence of social feedback when performance in school or at work is negative) so there is a separate task alongside the treatment of ADHD symptoms to manage the depression and anxiety.
It is quite brave that you've cycled through the medication options, following all prescriptions where possible to the letter and still expectations are thwarted then considering the above factors may really help.
I only say this because I'm sensitive to everything and suffer from both anxiety and depression and your post felt familiar 🙂 medication can only lightly hold my hand, the rest of the work is up to me! I have yoga, meditation, a fairly robust sleep routine, frequent breaks and a finite amount of sugar for the day. If I don't take regular breaks, like every 10-20mins for my cognitive process to catch up or decide to stay up late hooked on my mobile or skip meditation for the sake of a TV show or got carried away with a task then I seriously suffer and I mean suffer seriously.
This condition is a brutal beast, I never had a helping hand before and the medication is simply there to guide me so I can function. I'm not like every one else who can stay up late and binge on caffeine as I'll go absolutely nuts. When stimulants were suggested, it took me a while to come round you can imagine. So I ensure that medication is taken on time and I follow my rules otherwise the quality of life soon diminishes.
That's my experience so far in this journey, I know it's really difficult when you're in bed and the brain is overwhelmed with ADHD'ness, medication and the usual life stress however hang in there and keep trying all your availabile options. I can only suggest the above bits and pieces and wish you well.
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richb
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Post by richb on Apr 19, 2019 11:49:01 GMT
Hi
Thanks a lot for replying. Yes I am always pretty sensitive to all drugs not just the stims.
I agree with you; the better my routine the better I am. Routine and sleep = well. It never seems to work long term though, or rather I have cycles.
Like most people here, I expect, I really need to walk the line between order and chaos. On the one hand being bored or having nothing to do is dangerous for me, bored means too much thinking and depression. Alternatively too much stimulation in my life (drugs or not)feels good but to start with but in the end I take on too much and the wheels fall off. I am also a master of self-sabotage and harder on myself than others are on me.
So yeah, maybe best to develop some coping ideas and a better routine, but I really need something to help with that because I am very stop start with it.
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Post by Reggie12 on Apr 24, 2019 14:33:25 GMT
I re-read my post and felt I may have been overstepping myself. Sometimes when I am in the zone I can feel a little too confidant in my projections especially after a saffron tea! I was speaking what works for me, typical of all of us to relate to ourselves without really thinking about what you have going on in your life. I wanted to come back to you and give you something else to look at the helped me get a little insight into the medication and our diagnoses (it is American I warn you). There is this book I can’t recommend enough, I stumbled on it by accident on a medication related quest like you in a reddit post - it has some tips and ideas about medication, co-morbidity and diet. Diet is the big one, although medication can be trialled, if your diet is pretty good then most medication should work to some degree, that said, the metabolic process is very important I.e. digestion timings and efficiency. That’s the authors opinion anyway. It helped me see that metabolism, diet, dosage times and mental health problems are all playing a role in the medication movie, that sounds like a bad one of what you are going through. This is the book: www.amazon.co.uk/New-ADHD-Medication-Rules-Science/dp/1938467221 The drugs help with focusing on building a routine, getting in touch with psychotherapeutic treatments and being able to implement them. If the drugs don’t work for you then it must be so hard to hit a moving target. I apologise if I sounded a little one-sided. I don’t know you or what you are going through, I am not a doctor meaning I can’t propose a real solution. Can I ask if you found any of it useful in this thread and has it helped or are you still going around in classic ADHD circles! Stay well.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2019 0:19:43 GMT
One drug to rule them all.
Low dose elvanse first thing. Bananas. Protein shake and some magnesium before bed, perhaps.
Duration? At LEAST 3 - 6 months before you have any meaningful break. Create a thread here and document your progress, if that helps.
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