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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 10:31:14
I have ADD inattentive type and I'm wondering what other people have tried besides the standard stimulant therapy.
Here is a list of things I have tried and the results...adderall (IR/XR) - great motivation and focus... on things I don't need to do. Makes me kinda dumb.
ritalin/focalin - similar to adderall, less euphoric feeling though.
desipramine - works wonders for my ADD. unfortunately exacerbates my SP, gives me GAD and make me very grouchy. I can stand it for about a month. Works the next day.
wellbutrin - works a little I think. Side effects always end making me quit it.
strattera - stuff is terrible. I wake up in the middle of the night on it, plus it makes me anxious and obsess about things. Just terrible.
Emsam - didn't seem to do much. Maybe I wasn't on it long enough (couple of weeks maybe). Felt a little weird on it.
guanfacine - I think this stuff works a bit. effect is very short lived. Seems to make me obsess less and painfully dumb tasks don't seem so bad.
abilify - tried this in a low dose w/ the despiramine and without. I think it might work a little bit even on its own. I had no side effects in the 2mg-4mg range.
phentermine - crap
requip - tried it for a couple of days, felt weird, stopped. Made me obsess.
effexor - works somewhat though makes me fatigued and LAZY. Seems ok for SP too.
pristiq - similar to effexor w/ less weird SEs.
cymbalta - just made me a space-case
lamictal + adderall - worked somewhat. weird weird side effects like being unable to read a map and strong anger flashes at nothing important.
Other TCAs - not much of an effect.
lexapro + wellbutrin - better than wellbutrin alone, though it set off my crohn's disease
provigil - made me chipper, though somewhat spacey.
I'm sure I missed a few.
Posted by SLS on March 29, 2009, at 12:36:17
In reply to Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 10:31:14
> desipramine - works wonders for my ADD. unfortunately exacerbates my SP, gives me GAD and make me very grouchy. I can stand it for about a month. Works the next day
Why not take the desipramine and aggressively treat the anxiety?
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on March 29, 2009, at 12:51:18
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by SLS on March 29, 2009, at 12:36:17
Aggesively treat the anxiety with which med? Phillipa
Posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 14:05:03
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by SLS on March 29, 2009, at 12:36:17
> > desipramine - works wonders for my ADD. unfortunately exacerbates my SP, gives me GAD and make me very grouchy. I can stand it for about a month. Works the next day
>
> Why not take the desipramine and aggressively treat the anxiety?
>
>
> - ScottHi Scott,
Good question - It seems to be more than just anxiety. Desipramine warps my thoughts - I get very negative on it. It also makes me depressed.
It makes my SP really really bad to, to the point where I feel like other people are a threat and I start getting hostile.
I'm nothing like this at all when I don't take desipramine (or when I take nothing at all).
I've tried mixing SSRIs w/ desipramine and only got serotonin-syndrome-ish symptoms. Abilify seems to remove some of the hostility but not all and the SP is still there strong.
I'm open to suggestions though on how to make the desipramine tolerable. :)
Thanks
Posted by diego on March 29, 2009, at 14:11:59
In reply to Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 10:31:14
I hate to point out the obvious, but have you given Dexedrine or Desoxyn a try?
Posted by Zana on March 29, 2009, at 14:40:41
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by diego on March 29, 2009, at 14:11:59
I take Provigil for depression but I add Gabapentin to it to take the edge off the anxiety the Provigil provokes. I take 300mgs 2 or 3 times a day. But it sounds like Provigil was not a good med for you if it made you spacey.
Posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 14:50:51
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by diego on March 29, 2009, at 14:11:59
Hi,
I have tried Dexedrine, but not Desoxyn.
Posted by dcruik518 on March 29, 2009, at 18:25:59
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD? » diego, posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 14:50:51
I think a good combination for you might be adderall plus nardil or desipramine + Nardil. The latter is safer, but you pdoc still might be reluctant to try it. Adderall with Nardil might work a little better, and it would also be better for you in terms of weight gain, as the adderall would tend to offset the weight gain you tend to get on Nardil. Nardil is great for social phobia and it also helps somewhat with ADD. I have the same thing you do: ADD, SP, and Dysthymia
Posted by SLS on March 30, 2009, at 7:09:58
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by dcruik518 on March 29, 2009, at 18:25:59
> I think a good combination for you might be adderall plus nardil or desipramine + Nardil. The latter is safer, but you pdoc still might be reluctant to try it. Adderall with Nardil might work a little better, and it would also be better for you in terms of weight gain, as the adderall would tend to offset the weight gain you tend to get on Nardil. Nardil is great for social phobia and it also helps somewhat with ADD. I have the same thing you do: ADD, SP, and Dysthymia
The Nardil + stimulant is a good suggestion, and is very safe. I would not choose desipramine simply because your reaction to it is so deleterious.
- Scott
Posted by metric on March 31, 2009, at 11:49:15
In reply to Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by TriedEveryDrug on March 29, 2009, at 10:31:14
> I have ADD inattentive type and I'm wondering what other people have tried besides the standard stimulant therapy.
>
>
> Here is a list of things I have tried and the results...
>
> adderall (IR/XR) - great motivation and focus... on things I don't need to do. Makes me kinda dumb.
>
> ritalin/focalin - similar to adderall, less euphoric feeling though.
Well, what do you expect? A stimulant can help you stay alert so you can fly the plane. It's not gonna kick you out of the cockpit and switch it to autopilot.
Posted by stargazer2 on April 5, 2009, at 3:13:51
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by SLS on March 30, 2009, at 7:09:58
Will you tell my doctor Nardil and Adderall are a safe combo? He will not prescribe together...
Posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2009, at 15:27:11
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by stargazer2 on April 5, 2009, at 3:13:51
How you doing? Love Phillipa
Posted by stargazer2 on April 5, 2009, at 23:04:51
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD? » stargazer2, posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2009, at 15:27:11
Hi Phillipa,
I guess not so well if I'm back here after many months of sort of maintaining myself.
Not sure what is going on but perhaps I can gleen some new info from the experts here. I've been out of the loop since last Spring, trying to work again, but you know with a life long history of depression, one is never cured, only maintained, so that is the situation I am facing.
Lots of anxiety and angst trying to keep my head above water in a very stressful work situation.
Interestingly today I was listening to a program on public TV and a Dr daniel Amen, who was speaking about depression, anxiety, ADD and how to help deal with these disorders more naturally. I thought of you and others suffering for years taking medications. He has a program involving brain Spect scans which he uses to determine what is missing or needed in someone's chemical makeup and life. I had read about him last year and printed out some of the information I found online about his theories. I want to research his theories again and thought with your anxiety, it made sense to try some of the more natural products.
I was mesmerized by his ideas on trying things like 5-HTP,which I never tried before. It might be time to try new things rather than just prescription meds, which are not always the best fix either. It sounded so refreshing and I have to say, despite everyone here using every medication known to men, the basis of treating depression or anxiety is that there are so many factors in the treatment of it, getting the right commbination of chemicals is the tricky part.
I don't feel like I'm any closer today than I was 30 years ago, it's frustrating.
And there's always a new group of members joining us here who are just beginning their journey with depression or whatever they are dealng with. That never changes. And Dr Amen said the influence of modern life is contributing to more and more brain diseases. I think that is true, there are probably more suffering than are not today.
Do you see many here getting better and staying better, you would know since you are the most consistent contributor.
SG
Posted by Phillipa on April 6, 2009, at 19:26:06
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD?, posted by stargazer2 on April 5, 2009, at 23:04:51
Stargazer seems some do and some don't . I do e-mail with posters who are well. I myself have been cutting back on benzos and plan to go off the luvox. Cutting back on both. Going to Bioidentical hormone doc here. Website is www.carolinahealthspan.com. Seems the bioidentical ones can help immensly will write you. Do hope you get some new ideas. Recently There was a thread on Dr. Amen on This Board. Believe his clinic is in Atlanta Georgia. Maybe he also has more? Love Phillipa
Posted by Sigismund on April 10, 2009, at 4:40:44
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD? » TriedEveryDrug, posted by metric on March 31, 2009, at 11:49:15
>A stimulant can help you stay alert so you can fly the plane. It's not gonna kick you out of the cockpit and switch it to autopilot.
What will?
Posted by diego on April 11, 2009, at 2:13:22
In reply to Re: Atypical treatments for ADD? » stargazer2, posted by Phillipa on April 5, 2009, at 15:27:11
> How you doing? Love Phillipa
Great way to sideline a conversation.
Ever thought about taking this to Social?
Posted by garnet71 on April 11, 2009, at 2:53:27
In reply to Re: Parnate stimulation/agitation -- SLS, posted by diego on April 11, 2009, at 2:13:22
> > How you doing? Love Phillipa
>
> Great way to sideline a conversation.
>
> Ever thought about taking this to Social?Well if your posting about the parameters of another's post, using your post to question to placement of another's post, have you ever thought about taking this to Administration?
Posted by diego on October 22, 2009, at 19:38:01
In reply to Re: Parnate stimulation/agitation -- SLS » diego, posted by garnet71 on April 11, 2009, at 2:53:27
Did't want to bother. Thanks for the suggestion, though.
This is the end of the thread.
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