Posted by HannahBeGood on January 5, 2003, at 12:47:17
In reply to Re: does everyone get rebound depression on a stim?, posted by noa on December 31, 2002, at 9:27:35
I have the wonderful convenience of being able to keep Dexedrine Spansules 15 mgs. and Dexstrostat 5 mgs. on hand so I can fine-tune my needs on a daily basis. I am not sure what my exact diagnosis wd. be. My therapists are not big on trying to fit me into a particular 'slot' and I think we are all still trying to address my symptoms as more details concerning my 'obstacles' surface.
I certainly have had bouts of depression or perhaps varying degrees of dysthymia w/occasional major dep. episodes for 30 yrs. I have ADD, some OCD symptoms, pervasive anxiety (in varying degrees, which, coupled w/unrelenting daytime sleepiness, causes me to isolate myself to a debilitating degree) all of which were just assigned the Dx of 'garden-variety' depression by a couple of docs, but NO a-d's alone worked for me.
I kept trying to explain to the docs that I was not having my most disabling symptoms because I was depressed, but, rather that I felt terrible/depressed b/c I could not access the parts of my brain that galvanized action, organized thinking, creativity, and the concept of 'future'. I could not, when I got to my worst point, visualize the satisfaction I wd. feel after doing something that was necessary to my family and to me for my own well-being (eat, bathe, keep a more organized house) at all. My internal reward system, that carrot our brains hold in front of out noses, by necessity, forever, was simply not in operational mode, so I had no ability to motivate, activate or execute to completion, much of anything.
When I was finally formally dx'd w/ADD 9/01, and began stim therapy, a sense of hope entered my life for the first time in yrs.I finally had the most important tool my brain requires (& naturally lacks) to have a life. A real life.
Back to your question, yes, I do feel , the 'crash' if I don't take my meds in such a way as to avoid it. My doc allows me to do this, since it is not difficult for me to sleep even if I take a low-dose stim after 6 p.m. In fact, that is often when I need it most, so that I can stay alert while my 6 yr. old is still wide awake, but moving into her sub-level fatigued cranky period which is always a bit of a strain on both of us.So, my answer-take enough of whatever p-stim med you prefer until you are actually ready to 'shut down' for the night. I love my couple of hours quietly active time, after my child is asleep. I'm an avid reader, artist, designer, love to research many subjects just for fun, on the net or by reading, and I always fall asleep with a book in hand. I cannot simply lie down and sleep. Well, I probably could, but I love the feeling of not being able to keep my eyes open another second when I have read myself into that drowsy, soporific state that will not be denied. sometimes it only takes 10 minutes, but, it removes my mind from 'my day' and I like that detaching before boarding Starship Sandman.
I am allowed up to 60mgs. of dex spansules daily with up to 20mgs. Dextrostat, in 5mg. doses, as boosters, prn. I also use clonazepam and lexapro, as well as propanolol. All of my dosages fluctuate with my daily needs, except the Lexapro, which stays at 15mgs. I rarely use the full amt. of Dex I am allowed, but it lowers my anxiety level simply knowing I have it if I need it. I call it the "in the med. cabinet if I need it" placebo effect.
Noa, may I ask ur dosage on Adderall? I dev'd tolerance quickly, I was allowed to go quite high on it, but I was also taking Effexor at the time and I know FXR has a serious side-effect of pronounced somnolence (for me) that does not fade with time.It really helped me get through a protracted grief cycle when my parents died, but I had to drop it once I felt I had that under control, due to the 'sleepy' side-effect. I also felt detached anf emotionally flattened, which actually helped me at that time, in a weird way, because I needed to be de-sensitized abit, so that time cd. pass and I cd. process without being completely torn apart by my emotionality, and the lack of control I felt concerning it.Afterward, I needed to re-connect,and be as alert as possible, so I left the FXR.
Do you only dose early, or can you take stims later in the day? Does the Add'l last long enough for you? I did think it was quite smooth, so smooth that I was not given enuf oomph to deny myself many naps more than I can afford a day.
But, the Dex (SR & IR) really are my best p-stim fit, as ritilan made me positively dysphoric and miserable.
Long-winded as usual-Hannah
poster:HannahBeGood
thread:133594
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021230/msgs/134609.html