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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by calamityjane on February 23, 2005, at 6:21:21
For those who responded with advice a couple of weeks ago when I wrote, thanks! You were all so helpful.
I finally went back to the doc a couple of days ago. My heart was racing so fast and I was just not feeling right. Got freaked out on the meds thinking there was something wrong with my heart. It happened with the Ritalin too, only the Ritalin would cause paranoia like no other. So, even though I should have known this b/c I have had panic attacks in the past, that is all that was wrong with the meds. So, I now take 1/2 of a .05 ativan when I take my 20mg Adderall. The panic is gone. No heart palpitations. No paranoia or thinking I am going to die! Its great. Still, the Adderall is not as effective as the first time, but I think going off of it a few days and planning for the days I know I am going to need it helps (like a big study day or cleaning the house). In between days I still have Ritalin I can use
The Ativan, however, is not something that I plan on continuing. It is only a temporary fix and I began to take Lexapro last night. Hopefully that will fix the prob. I personally don't want to be on Ativan, it scares me to be on controlled substances. I don't want to get hooked on them.
Anyway, thanks for listening to my story.
Posted by Glydin on February 23, 2005, at 7:02:46
In reply to heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob, posted by calamityjane on February 23, 2005, at 6:21:21
~~~It is very good to hear you got you difficulties under control.
>I personally don't want to be on Ativan, it scares me to be on controlled substances. I don't want to get hooked on them.~~~Uh, I'm not trying to be the devil's advocate here, but isn't Adderall a controlled substance? As a three year benzo montherapy user I have difficulty when it is implyed they are so "different" from some other chemicals used in terms of risk versus benefit. When used properly, they can all be of great help to some.
Again, I'm glad things are working out for you and I hope whatever treatment plan you desire to follow will work well.
Posted by SLS on February 23, 2005, at 7:45:30
In reply to heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob, posted by calamityjane on February 23, 2005, at 6:21:21
What about using a beta-blocker?
- Scott
Posted by calamityjane on February 24, 2005, at 21:49:13
In reply to Re: heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob » calamityjane, posted by Glydin on February 23, 2005, at 7:02:46
Hi Glyndin...
When I said controlled substances I should have really stressed the plural. Yeah, Adderall and Ritalin are definitely 100% controlled substances. Which makes me all the more wary of being on more than one at a time. My dad died because a crazy psyc doc gave him too many meds, got him hooked, caused him to be depressed. I am very scared of that happening to me, so I try to limit what I take. Ativan has helped somewhat, but today my heart was skipping again, so i am not sure what I'll do at this point.
Posted by Laree on February 24, 2005, at 21:51:57
In reply to heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob, posted by calamityjane on February 23, 2005, at 6:21:21
I had the same prob. with Ritalin, and even though I have been on Adderall for about 2 years in total now I recently have developed symptoms like you mentioned after taking a 20 mg. pill...
I too thought it might be a heart problem etc., but apparently I was having panic attacks? I cannot be certain if it is due to the Adderall or not at this point.
My pdoc reluctantly rx'ed a low dose of Klonopin but it has recently lost it's effectiveness for me and I feel a need to keep raising the dose to alleviate the panic & anxiety.
I am currently (and have been for over a year) on Lexapro.
Oh, in case you didn't know, while it is true Ativan is controlled, it is not as "tightly" controlled as Adderall or Ritalin. Ativan is a schedule IV drug whereas Adderall/Ritalin are schedule II drugs.
--LB
> For those who responded with advice a couple of weeks ago when I wrote, thanks! You were all so helpful.
> I finally went back to the doc a couple of days ago. My heart was racing so fast and I was just not feeling right. Got freaked out on the meds thinking there was something wrong with my heart. It happened with the Ritalin too, only the Ritalin would cause paranoia like no other. So, even though I should have known this b/c I have had panic attacks in the past, that is all that was wrong with the meds. So, I now take 1/2 of a .05 ativan when I take my 20mg Adderall. The panic is gone. No heart palpitations. No paranoia or thinking I am going to die! Its great. Still, the Adderall is not as effective as the first time, but I think going off of it a few days and planning for the days I know I am going to need it helps (like a big study day or cleaning the house). In between days I still have Ritalin I can use
> The Ativan, however, is not something that I plan on continuing. It is only a temporary fix and I began to take Lexapro last night. Hopefully that will fix the prob. I personally don't want to be on Ativan, it scares me to be on controlled substances. I don't want to get hooked on them.
> Anyway, thanks for listening to my story.
Posted by Glydin on February 25, 2005, at 5:23:58
In reply to Re: heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob, posted by calamityjane on February 24, 2005, at 21:49:13
Hi Jane,
My post to you did not come off very kind and I'm sorry for that. I let my oversensitivity show through and that wasn't fair. You are very correct, we must be cautious.
Maybe you might think of asking about a beta blocker if the Ativan doesn't prove to help you out as it should.
I'm also sorry to learn of your Father's death. Loss of a parent is, so far, the most impacting and worse loss I have experienced, so my sympathies to you.
Glydin
Posted by calamityjane on February 25, 2005, at 17:56:46
In reply to Re: heart racing Adderall doc fixed prob » calamityjane, posted by Glydin on February 25, 2005, at 5:23:58
Hey Glyndin...
Don't worry about your post, I wasn't offended. Thats the trouble with computers, you can't hear the other person's tone of voice, and tone of voice is a vital part of communication!
With that said, I don't want to come across as a medicine "snob". I think that meds are great and helpful to many people, including myself. Anxiety disorder is a really really scary thing to deal with, and there have been many times in the past that I could of greatly benefited from some meds but was just too uninformed to go for help.
Yeah, the way I lost my father is, in my opinion, a tragedy:
He went in for surgery, got hooked on pain meds, was given sedatives b/c he couldnt sleep (b/c of the pain meds i think), got depressed from sedatives, tried Antidepressant # 1 (didnt work), then they added yet another Antidepressant to his regimine on top of the first one, then he was trying to kill himself all the time. Finally they did ECT. Didnt work. After the ECT he was still on all the meds (a BIG "no no" according to a 1983 drug guide). Then, in 1986 he killed himself. The whole process began in 1984 (when he had his surgery).
I am sad, angry, and I miss the chance of having a dad. I was only 5 when he died, but I really lost him a whole year and a half before that because he was always in the hospital or threating to kill himself.
I am sure he would have had the whole depression thing no matter what, I think he was pre-disposed to it. However, I feel that the meds are what cost me my father. I think they were experimenting. Most of this took place at the National Institute of Mental Health (in Mass. I think...or one of those other "M" states..I can't remember)
Anyway, just wanted to share the story one more time....its a valuable lesson because it teaches you that, although you should trust your doctor, you should always be completely aware of the side affects and interactions of the drugs you are prescribed.
Thanks for reading, Ashley
This is the end of the thread.
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