Posted by Mitch on November 6, 2001, at 13:29:29
In reply to Adderall help, posted by Peter on November 3, 2001, at 13:57:19
> Hello all:
> I've been diagnosed over the years with mild bipolar/SP. I've been on many mood stabilizers, finally settling on depakote, and have tried many SSRI's, which resulted in problems. I'm also on daily klonopin for SP/panic. It wasn't until I decreased the depakote as a test over a few months (my pdoc monitered me closely) that alot of other things about my mood rose to the surface (I think the years of depakote might have masked these new mood tendencies instead of targeting them). All of these newly apparent mood problems fall under the catagory of ADD, especially since I began to remember I had the same tendencies when I was a little kid. So, my pdoc told me at our last session that I have a combo bipolar/SP/ possible ADD diagnosis, and he just prescribed Adderall. I just took my first 2.5mg dose about 4 hours ago, and I noticed that I started feeling pretty good when it kicked in. I was calmer, more focused, and mildly euphoric. But I've also experienced a bit of nausea and spaciness. Now I feel sort of 'crashy' - low energy, low mood, and I feel like taking my second dose. My questions are: 1) Anyone experience these feelings (both the good and the side-effects)? 2) I don't want to be on this drug if I don't have ADD, especially since I had a past drug abuse problem. Are the effects the same for someone who has ADD and for someone who doesn't? I mean, I would think that either way anyone would feel good on it. Is it possible to tell if you have ADD by how you respond to the first few doses? I'd really like some input. Thanks.I have been dx'ed in the past two years with BPII, SP, Panic, and ADD. The Adderall worked for me quite well and it actually had an anti-cycling effect and improved my sleep/wake architecture. I was taking Neurontin instead of Depakote with it however. I have trouble with SSRI's too, but if I don't take a serotonergic med, I tend to get panicky. I had to stop it because of panic that developed-although I wasn't taking a Benzo or antidepressant with it at the time.
The best way you can tell if it is really making a difference is at work and when you are listening to music (just my opinion). I found that I could be busy on the computer doing something very complex and there could be a group of people standing nearby busily talking and if they wanted to talk to me or ask a question about something they had to *get my attention*. Whereas before I got so distracted by their conversation I had to STOP what I was doing and wait for them to go away so I could concentrate on my work! As far as the music goes-there are scores of CD's I own that I have only faint clues what the lyrics are in the songs or even what the CD (as a whole) is about. When I was taking Adderall I could actually hear the words in the song and more importantly *understand contextually* what the song was about! Otherwise lyrics just seem like a lot of sounds with no meaning to them.
I also had some mild euphoria and insomnia the first couple of days I took it as well, and then that disappeared and I just felt focused. Another thing: Ordinary mundane tasks didn't seem so dreadfuly *boring*. They just became tasks with lots of little discrete steps to them that you do one after the other. Another thing: Games. I NEVER could follow the rules on how to play most card games. Someone would tell me a bunch of stuff that I would half-ass understand, the game would start, and then I would be asking everybody what I was supposed to do. I couldn't keep track of who had what, what cards they just discarded, etc. It was just another big blur. On the Adderall (5mg/day), it was like another world. When someone wanted to do something that I previously considered boring, my attitude was just "sure-why not?", and I would go through the motions and not feel bored/agitated/restless/need to escape!
As far as the effects on SP went it was kind of mixed. I felt more interested in being around people and doing more ordinary things, but I really picked up any negativity from people a lot easier than before, and that would make me more anxious and edgy. But on the other hand, I didn't feel the pressure to talk as much, and I generally was a lot more quieter.
Hope this helps,
Mitch
poster:Mitch
thread:83085
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011104/msgs/83346.html