Taking Amphetamine with Bipolar

[Guest Burman]

I see some people on this board are taking stimulants like Adderall or Dexadrine while they are suffering from bipolar disorder. If a person is diagnosed with ADHD, wouldn't stimulants put you in mania or hypomania, even though your taking a mood stabilizer or combinations of mood stablizers? What meds can you take for ADHD when you are diagnosed with both ADHD and bipolar?

[bpladybug]

That is a very delicate alchemy. Someone should come along who is bp and takes stims.

It would make me crazy manic, I am bp1. But for some people it works.

[jarn]

I have taken Modafinal (Provigil) to help with sedation from Seroquel and been fine. But I don't think I tilt easily into mood episodes.

[bpladybug]

I have taken Modafinal (Provigil) to help with sedation from Seroquel and been fine. But I don't think I tilt easily into mood episodes.

Not, like me - one squirt of Flonase and I am up and away.

[Aurochs]

My personal belief: stimulants don't cause mania, they only imitate it. If the stimulant is withdrawn and the episode continues, it was most likely due to sleep disturbance. We're talking about a class of drugs that's used in animal studies to simulate mania. To say that they invariably cause manic episodes that last after the drug is gone just seems silly to me. I don't discount the possibility that, as a group, bipolar disorder patients may be more sensitive to stimulants than the general population, but I haven't actually seen any evidence of this.

You'll notice that all the bipolar people here who are taking stimulants are also on mood stabilizers. The likelihood of any sort of manic reaction goes way down when the patient is on a working mood stabilizer. Bipolar disorder is the more disabling condition anyway, so it deserves priority in treatment.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Aurochs

[kdbee]

I'm fine the vast majority of the time. Though if i'm going through a hypomanic period, I lay off the adderall. Also, 20mg of adderall is pretty much all I can take. It doesn't completely take care of the ADD but higher doses do not work well with me. Compromise.

[null0trooper]

I see some people on this board are taking stimulants like Adderall or Dexadrine while they are suffering from bipolar disorder. If a person is diagnosed with ADHD, wouldn't stimulants put you in mania or hypomania, even though your taking a mood stabilizer or combinations of mood stablizers?

ADHD is fairly well-known for causing "paradoxical" reactions to stimulant meds - for some people 10mg of Adderall can be a sleeping pill. Even so, you'd probably want to be on an antimanic med like lithium, or an anticonvulsant mood stabilizer, neither of which should reduce the effectiveness of the stimulant (or vice versa). At least one or two people have been on AAPs with a stimulant. After all, there's no rule preventing an anxiety disorder from also being present.

But you have to get the mood disorder nailed down and stable, to make sure the symptoms aren't all or mostly from that.

What meds can you take for ADHD when you are diagnosed with both ADHD and bipolar?

At least as long as you aren't hypomanic or manic, I think people are more comfortable with the noradrenergic antidepressants (Wellbutrin, Norpramin, Vivactil, etc.), non-stimulants like Strattera, and the beta-blockers that have been shown to also help manage ADHD. After all, even if you know better, the idea of taking "speed" at any dosage while trying to get bipolar disorder under control has to be pretty scary.

[SashaSue]

I've taken adderall, concerta, vyvanse, and dexedrine, with an assortment of mood stabilizers, and had no issues with them inducing mania. The only ADHD med I ever had any trouble with was straterra, but YMMV.

[etkearne]

I have no idea why I didn't find this topic earlier. Well, I am glad I have.

I am currently in the most stable remission of relatively severe, rapid-cycling Bipolar I Disorder, that I have experienced since my early teenage years. If you look at my meds in my sig., you will notice that I take Adderall IR at 30mg per day. I also am in remission from opiate addiction. This is sounding bizzare, isn't it.

Well, I just wanted to highlight what everyone has said, that these medications, when used responsibly, can be life savers for people whose Bipolar has ADD/ADHD characteristics as well as Bipolar Depressions that simply won't end even with all conventionally therapies tried. I fall into both. As I learned more of my illness' nature, with my pdoc, we realized that I actually present strong features of ADD (not ADHD), mainly the inattentive type. I also was near the end of the line with antidepressant treatment (not just SSRIs, etc.). Since I was first put on these drugs, I have even had mixed states, which for me are the most dangerous as they involve strong psychosis. The stimulants, at the dose I am on, never seemed to contribute to them. I voluntarily took a hiatus from them when mixed, but that was just because I wanted to let the antipsychotics knock me the heck out.

If you read about mania, psychosis, and the pharmacology of stimulants, you will note some similarities, like the neurotransmitter dopamine, but in reality things are quite different. The stimulants facilitate dopamine release all over the brain. The target areas of psychosis are two particular dopamine transmission pathways in the brain, and the area (nucleus) where they intersect. So, throwing a hell of a lot of dopamine around the brain will, in heavy doses, be enough to screw with these dopamine pathways of concern, but at low doses, the dopamine helps with things like learning and motivation. It is fascinating.

[Lotus]

I have bpII and ADHD. I take Cymbalta 60mg currently. Prior to the winter months I had gone off of the Cymbalta because I seem to teeter on the hypo side of life anyhow, and didn't want the AD in the way. My mood stabilizers and AP typically do a great job on their own. Once the days got shorter I wasn't feeling so fabulous, so Cymbalta had to come back. I was dx'd with bpII 6 years before I was dx'd with ADHD. My doc had me fairly stable before he introduced Strattera first, and then Adderall. I took Adderall 30 mg daily for over a year, but increasing to 40 mg wasn't doing much to control the ADHD, and seemed to be increasing the drive "to do". I sort of felt like a hamster on a wheel. I switched to Concerta 54mg daily and things are running much smoother now. I also take Strattera 60mg before bed. It makes me drowsy and didn't seem to be very affective during the day for ADHD. I was skeptical about taking a stimulant and being bpII. I was pleasantly surprised by how helpful Adderall was for me.

[ahalo]

I'm bipolar II and how adderall ir effects me is a little weird, maybe. I find that if I haven't taken it for awhile, the first few days it does induce some mania type feelings. Sleeplessness, racing thoughts, feeling like I can get a whole lot done (cleaning). But after a few days that starts to dissipate and the side effect disappears. So as long as i keep taking it regularly it mildly effects me the first few days then it does what it's supposed to do and controls the ADHD.

(The only time I don't take it is when I don't have the money to buy it.)

[Anna]

I take provigil for my comorbid adhd which i was orignially trying for hard to tx depression. did not work for that but it sure improved my and Mr. a's life, who is still in wonderment at how much more orgnaized I AM.

It has never led to hypomania for me, but some very, very sensitive folks may have a problem. on the contrary, for me though, i find it calming, a la the ADHD folks who won't abuse their stims because it's like 'huh? Why? where is the thrill in that?' i genuinely don't get it, if I WANT to get all amped up I will take some opiates which I DO have a paradoxical reaction to. No sleepy ass heroin addict over here, man.

Anna

[klingon001]

...

Edited September 12, 2016 by klingon001

[mcjimjam]

I was on Ritalin and I started that when I was hypo but it didn't seem to make it worse. It made my anxiety worse but when the drug wore off I was tired.

[NSpector]

My personal belief: stimulants don't cause mania, they only imitate it. If the stimulant is withdrawn and the episode continues, it was most likely due to sleep disturbance. We're talking about a class of drugs that's used in animal studies to simulate mania. To say that they invariably cause manic episodes that last after the drug is gone just seems silly to me. I don't discount the possibility that, as a group, bipolar disorder patients may be more sensitive to stimulants than the general population, but I haven't actually seen any evidence of this.

Well, I may be evidence that it can happen. I was given Adderall after a 13 year complete remission from manic depression. The drug triggered a relapse that was longer by eight to ten times than episodes I had experienced earlier. The hypomania continued for MONTHS after discontinuing the drug, followed by a cripplingly severe aggitated depression that incapacitated me for over four years.

No, I was not on a mood stabalizer at the time I took the Adderall. That is because I was completely so-called treatment resistent and, though I was on Tegretol for eight years during the 13 year remission, there is no correlation between taking the Tegretol and remission of my symptoms. They did not "disappear" until a year after I'd started the Tegretol, AND they remained in remission during the five years I was not on any mood stabalizer. I am a statistically non-existant case, granted, as with seven episodes when I was 18-21, I should have had a life sentence, not a 13 year remission that most likely would have lasted indefinitely if I had not been given the Adderall. Nevertheless, it is clear to me that the Adderall DID trigger hypomania followed by a cripplingly severe depression.

True, I cannot prove that the hypomania continued after I discontinued the Adderall (five weeks into taking it) because it triggered mania, as opposed to "imitating" it, causing sleep disturbance that continued the very same state as the "imitation" state, with that setting off a depression. But I don't know how anyone could prove that. I do think the severity of my reaction to Adderall suggests something more than an imitation of a manic state.

[Cade]

I haven't had any mood episodes on stimulants that I wasn't having before I started, though it hasn't been that long either, only about two months. I went hypomanic for a couple of weeks, dysphoric-hypomanic for four or five days, then back to mostly symptom-free in November. But October was stable, and I don't think the Adderall had anything to do with this mini mood switch.

[crtclms]

Nspector, this thread is two years old, and the person to whom you are responding isn't on the boards anymore. You can start a new thread if you have a question about anything.

[your_illusion97]

I'm Bi Polar and when I was first diagnosed we tried Adderall was on that many years up to 30mg then switched just recently to Vyvance 50mg. Havent seen an issue. Now even with my blood pressure, because I was diagnosed at 20 with High Blood Pressure,

[StolenDance]

I've taken adderall, concerta, vyvanse, and dexedrine, with an assortment of mood stabilizers, and had no issues with them inducing mania. The only ADHD med I ever had any trouble with was straterra, but YMMV.

 

Straterra caused you issues, but not stimulants?

Just noticed how old this thread is. My apologies...

[JustMe1381]

My pdoc out me on vyvanse because I just needed that extra kick in my step. I'm BP on lithium and lamictal. After trying to get to a dose where I felt something, I started going into a depression. At first I thought it was the crash after the pill wore off, but then all of sudden all my typical depression symptoms are right in front of me. I got off the vyvanse and feel better already. Nothing like having an amphetamine make you depressed!

[ahalo]

I'm on adderall for ADHD and also have a Bipolar II diagnosis. The ONLY time the adderall seems to trigger something for me is when I don't take it for awhile then I take it again. My normal dose is fairly high (22.5 mg 2X day and 15 mg 1X day) but if I even take 7.5 mg after being off it for more than 2 weeks, I can't sleep for two days and I feel euphoric, etc. Once the two days is over though it's done. I have to slowly increase the dose after that and don't have the effects otherwise.

[ovOidampUle]

Heads up: stimulants can be used to treat depressive symptoms, too. I'm BP2. A very small dose of adderal helps me stay a little more active and that helps with depression. 

[ahalo]

Heads up: stimulants can be used to treat depressive symptoms, too. I'm BP2. A very small dose of adderal helps me stay a little more active and that helps with depression. 

 

Yes I've noticed this as well. In 2010 when I was severely depressed, I would fall asleep randomly even while standing or sitting up. The doctors could find no physical cause so my pdoc raised my dosage of adderall temporarily, both to help keep me awake and help to alleviate the severe depression. It did help, and finally the falling asleep randomly subsided and I went back on my regular dose.

[sherryxox]

Like the first reply, it's different for everyone. I'm bipolar and I take Lamictal and started Adderall. It has taken away my depression and I also sleep better at night since starting it, my mind has stopped racing and the anger that consumed me has subsided, but I still have other feelings and in not numb. What something does for one may not for another.

[Lurksalot]

No worries Stolen Dance. I wanted to reply to Sue, too, now that the post was bumped.

. A few years ago I tried Straterra monotherapy for ADHD, and within a few days I went to emergency because of unrelenting wish that I were dead, and unbearable sensations in my legs. Not exactly akathisia, which usually makes people pace and unable to sit for more than a few seconds. My legs felt like they had their own emotions, like a gut feeling of dread. It was horrible.

I just found out last week that Straterra is an SNRI like Effexor, which explains it.

Emergency was awful. They almost locked me up, mocked me for asking for one Ativan, the first-line treatment for akathisia, and told me Straterra was "speed," which I now know is wrong.

I managed to get out by assuring them that there is a difference between wishing to die and wishing to kill oneself.

I would not have tried the drug if I had known it was an SNRI, given what I had read about discontinuation for some people. I thought it would be safer than The stimulants...oh boy, not for me. It took a few more weeks to fade away. Not good.

I wish the drugmakers would figure out what predicts these bad reactions. They have the data.

Edited April 18, 2015 by Lurksalot

[SoCold]

Im BiPolar and Ive been on amps almost my whole life and I always did worse off of them honestly but I think in general its probably a risky move.

[IcePrincess88]

This was exactly what I was thinking about stimulants! I have read about them helping depression and giving you that lift up. But how do you stop it from lifting you too far up into mania? Perhaps you could take an anti-psychotic with it, but wouldn't that then cancel out the stimulant feeling? I know many people have jumped on me from my ignorance about the subject, but I'm still just trying to understand.

[uncomfortable thoughts]

This was exactly what I was thinking about stimulants! I have read about them helping depression and giving you that lift up. But how do you stop it from lifting you too far up into mania? Perhaps you could take an anti-psychotic with it, but wouldn't that then cancel out the stimulant feeling? I know many people have jumped on me from my ignorance about the subject, but I'm still just trying to understand.

I think I saw you asking that before, I'm not being rude and I don't know what a stronger amphetamine can do to mania, my experience is: I'm taking Ritalin again, a mild stimulant, prescribed for depression and only for it since antidepressants sets me to manic episodes.

 I'm diagnosed as Bipolar 1 and the paradoxal effect between dopamine of a amphetamine stimulus and the block of dopamine from an anti-psychotic is debatable but not exactly a crime against medicine.

Since most of amphetamines if not abused just get out of our system very quickly (Ritalin 3-4 hours tops on a regular user without any condition) compared to other drugs (aka addictive) and we are using support drugs as mood stabilizers, it's not that dangerous in small dosages and without abusing.

In those five months using Ritalin, I had to take propranolol once at beginning because I abused it one day, just got the top safe dose at once without tolerance.  I had more a heart discomfort than a manic state, didn't even pop a benzo, another day I had a stress situation and popped a 0,25 alprazolam and that's it.

I'm talking about Ritalin, they over prescribe it for 6 years old kids, so, you're very interested in stimulants, Ritalin is funny because it can make you sleepy, first three times that I took I had to come back to bed and just took a three hours nap, every one reacts differently with drugs, can you handle not abusing stimulants? there are a lot of issues in prescribing stimulants for bipolar, not only get into mania.

Take care.

[IcePrincess88]

It's not that I can't handle abusing stimulants, I've been on Xanax for 10 years and don't abuse that. It's that I don't think I could handle the stimulant itself. I think it would push me too far up into mania land, even with all the other stuff I'm on. Like a month or so ago, my mom gave me one of her diet pills and I took it, and looked it up afterwards(so dumb, I know). It ended up being phentermine(which is stimulant) and I was extremely manic that day. I could sit still, I was all over the place. I'm glad it works for people, but I just don't think I could be one of them. Like you mentioned, I actually have a 6 year old son that is prescribed Zoloft, Concerta, and Ritalin. I'm glad you enlightened me. I just always wondered how people with bipolar could take a stimulant without being set off into mania, but I see it's possible now.

[Flash]

 

Ritalin is funny because it can make you sleepy, first three times that I took I had to come back to bed and just took a three hours nap, every one reacts differently with drugs

I had this reaction with Ritalin. Even nowadays it doesn't have much of any stimulant effect, and it puts me to sleep when it's wearing off. I've never had an antidepressant launch me into mania, either.

[uncomfortable thoughts]

Double post.

Edited June 22, 2015 by uncomfortable thoughts

[uncomfortable thoughts]

Triple post.

Edited June 22, 2015 by uncomfortable thoughts

[uncomfortable thoughts]

It's not that I can't handle abusing stimulants, I've been on Xanax for 10 years and don't abuse that. It's that I don't think I could handle the stimulant itself. I think it would push me too far up into mania land, even with all the other stuff I'm on. Like a month or so ago, my mom gave me one of her diet pills and I took it, and looked it up afterwards(so dumb, I know). It ended up being phentermine(which is stimulant) and I was extremely manic that day. I could sit still, I was all over the place. I'm glad it works for people, but I just don't think I could be one of them. Like you mentioned, I actually have a 6 year old son that is prescribed Zoloft, Concerta, and Ritalin. I'm glad you enlightened me. I just always wondered how people with bipolar could take a stimulant without being set off into mania, but I see it's possible now.

I didn't say you would, It's a medical concern "specially" in bipolar people just like it's a medical concern prescribing benzos too, same reason.  

I'm on benzos for a decade too, but I'm often off it, sometimes for more than a year. I never used it in a row. Honestly, I hate building tolerance to drugs and being dependent, I'm not advocating against benzos, so when I can, I just slowly stop taking it, my doctor loves to make plans for it. Once he said to me that isn't for everyone, He said some people need a low therapeutic dosage of benzos for a whole life, that was a first, I guess I don't suffer from severe anxiety or I just withdrawal from enough substances to know it will pass. If you have the time to this reading, I think it's very enlightening:Neuroplasticity 

Over this decade of use, my opinions of benzos?

It's always good having around but not so great when I use it everyday, it's like a temporary solution and a good one, I love the fact that for me the side effects are just a few, including tolerance and dependence, I just don't like those two, once the job is done I'm out. But just look how many are my options of benzos, I have three different ones just because I don't use daily and to be honest, my favorite isn't Xanax (here the brand has another name), Xanax I use when I'm already freaked out and still exposed to what's making me freaking out or when I don't have enough time to get sleep and need to boost some other drug for a rest, but that just because it get off my system quickly and is short acting, in general isn't good for sleeping, that's why for me it's almost only good during the day, I take one or two Xanax a month, most of the time I just use valium, day or night.

Well, never took but phentermine has a huge half hour and probably a hard one to tolerate and it's approved for a whole lot of different reasons than Ritalin, it probably mimic manic effects too, but it's just a guess. I'll give you an example, you know caffeine? Well, if I abuse caffeine in a day I become hypomanic, in fact I don't need to abuse it, isn't that something? If I take more than one expresso I start shaking, sweating, my stomach start to turn, I become anxious and coffee it's a legal and caffeine a stimulant, I don't like to talk but I used to tolerate more street stimulants, never did meth though, in my country we have other stuff that the whole world pay loads of cash for and here is cheap but I don't tolerate well caffeine, humans huh? 

I think you should talk to your kid's doctor just to clarify why he's taking two pills from the same substance, concerta and ritalin, they are both methylphenidate, wouldn't be something worth checking?

This is from another topic about ritalin and depression experience, you're in it, here's my response to the topic:

Hi,

I was prescribed Ritalin for depression, at first I took 10mg a day at morning.

I was only on Ritalin and 100mg of Topiramate.

At first Ritalin made me sleepy, somehow it regulated my sleep pattern.

Second month I was on 20mg, 10mg morning, 10mg at 1 p.m and things slowly started getting more interesting but still sleepy after the dose went off.

Third month I become more active, I would wake up, read for three hours straight or find something enjoyable, the afternoons were also very productive.

Fourth month I become angry and over preoccupied, but far from being manic, very far.

But most important thing, it created a good habit, every day I still wake and start reading or researching, thing that wasn't happening because I was too depressed to feel interest in things.

It's a great eating suppressant too but I think it's not good for other kinds of compulsive behaviors, I would spend some days on the same subject.

I don't have ADD or ADHD.

I was prescribed Ritalin because I said to my doctor that THC made improvements on my mood and made me have a new perspective of my on going residual delusions, he said what I already knew, that it was too dangerous, I could become manic and psychotic, so he said I could get dopamine from prescribed Ritalin. He watched me close, I took and had to return next day and on the next week for evaluation.?"

Flash, is another user who just said He also get sleepy on Ritalin, so, It's about talking to your doctor, I'm going to tell a little bit more about my experience with a mild stimulant for depression and being bipolar bellow if you want to keep up.

 

 

Ritalin is funny because it can make you sleepy, first three times that I took I had to come back to bed and just took a three hours nap, every one reacts differently with drugs

I had this reaction with Ritalin. Even nowadays it doesn't have much of any stimulant effect, and it puts me to sleep when it's wearing off. I've never had an antidepressant launch me into mania, either.

 

How long did you take it?

For me, It passed the sleepy phase around the second month and started the antidepressant effects, I started slowly getting more interested in things that I used to enjoy.

Ritalin will not make you run around and or start jumping through hoops, at least what I know, if it start making you that way, you have to stop it, after all, it's was known for treating hyperactivity, I guess I heard cocaine at first was for calming children too but that's another story.

So, Adderall and Ritalin, both stimulants that can bring us down, has something to do with dopamine pathways and reward system. (I know it better in my native language). It's not rare feeling sleepy on those drugs but can happen, after some time I benefit from daily Ritalin taken twice at small dose, 10mg, because it also gives me a progress in my life, it's not fast, but is happening so far, I spent a year in my bed and now I'm back to reading, have a better social life anyways, it took some time and I took a break on the fifth month of it because I become nervous, I guess the major blame was switching mood stabilizers, now I'm back of feeling calm and have disposition, that's the word, disposition, not wonders.

About antidepressants, well, I said in one topic that I never was hypomanic, by definition it can't be caused by drugs, those antidepressants that are in my signature all lead me to a anxious, kind of hypomanic states, sometimes angry and even social inept because of so much nervousness one exception for those I tried is Amitriptyline but at the time I couldn't handle the side effects.

That's all folks, sorry about grammar or incoherence, english is not my native language. 

Hope all the best.

[IcePrincess88]

I have the article pulled up. Now I just have to read it. Your very lucky you can go on and off of benzos. That's something I can't do. When I was 18, only 2 years after being on Xanax, I went IP and they took me off Xanax for 9 days. I thought I was going to die. It felt like I was coming off of heroin(I've never done heroin, but I just assumed that's like it would feel like). I was vomiting, had horrible headaches, and just couldn't get out of bed. I still don't see what the point of that was, because as soon as I got out and went back to my regular pdoc, he put me right back on it. I hate to say this, but I can't really imagine not taking Xanax. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it. Even though I don't abuse it, I am totally dependent on it. I feel like I'm going to be one of those people that have to stay on it forever. I just started seeing a new pdoc this year, and she doesn't prescribe her patients Xanax, if she has to use a benzo, then she gives Klonopin. But since I've been on it for 10 years, I couldn't be taken off of it now, thus resulting in the only reason she writes my script every month for Xanax: I've just been on it too long to suddenly stop.

As far as caffeine, I require a crazy amount of caffeine to stay awake during the day. It's probably from the Seroquel XR and the Elavil. But I'm usually constantly drinking Pepsi Max(It's basically a diet pepsi, but it has more caffeine than mountain dew), and I usually have 1 Monster energy drink a day. I can't stand coffee, it makes me nauseous for some reason.

The Concerta and Ritalin- I literally just found out last month that they were the same thing and that Concerta is just a XR version of Ritalin. I always wondered why the drug names were the same on the pill bottles. He just had his last appointment with his doctor last week, she's leaving the state because she said this state's mental health care system is shitty basically. He'll be seeing a new doctor soon, and who knows what they will think or prescribe. I guess she prescribes both because the Concerta tends to wear off mid-day and he was getting into alot of trouble at school. With this med combo, he seems to be doing alot better. We couldn't even have a conversation with him before, now we can. I think that's huge, to me at least.

I'm off now to read the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair issue. Just got the last one today. I still have the article pulled up, and that will be next on my reading list.

[Flash]

It's not that I can't handle abusing stimulants, I've been on Xanax for 10 years and don't abuse that. It's that I don't think I could handle the stimulant itself. I think it would push me too far up into mania land, even with all the other stuff I'm on. Like a month or so ago, my mom gave me one of her diet pills and I took it, and looked it up afterwards(so dumb, I know). It ended up being phentermine(which is stimulant) and I was extremely manic that day. I could sit still, I was all over the place. I'm glad it works for people, but I just don't think I could be one of them. Like you mentioned, I actually have a 6 year old son that is prescribed Zoloft, Concerta, and Ritalin. I'm glad you enlightened me. I just always wondered how people with bipolar could take a stimulant without being set off into mania, but I see it's possible now.

 

I didn't say you would, It's a medical concern "specially" in bipolar people just like it's a medical concern prescribing benzos too, same reason.  

I'm on benzos for a decade too, but I'm often off it, sometimes for more than a year. I never used it in a row. Honestly, I hate building tolerance to drugs and being dependent, I'm not advocating against benzos, so when I can, I just slowly stop taking it, my doctor loves to make plans for it. Once he said to me that isn't for everyone, He said some people need a low therapeutic dosage of benzos for a whole life, that was a first, I guess I don't suffer from severe anxiety or I just withdrawal from enough substances to know it will pass. If you have the time to this reading, I think it's very enlightening:Neuroplasticity 

Over this decade of use, my opinions of benzos?

It's always good having around but not so great when I use it everyday, it's like a temporary solution and a good one, I love the fact that for me the side effects are just a few, including tolerance and dependence, I just don't like those two, once the job is done I'm out. But just look how many are my options of benzos, I have three different ones just because I don't use daily and to be honest, my favorite isn't Xanax (here the brand has another name), Xanax I use when I'm already freaked out and still exposed to what's making me freaking out or when I don't have enough time to get sleep and need to boost some other drug for a rest, but that just because it get off my system quickly and is short acting, in general isn't good for sleeping, that's why for me it's almost only good during the day, I take one or two Xanax a month, most of the time I just use valium, day or night.

Well, never took but phentermine has a huge half hour and probably a hard one to tolerate and it's approved for a whole lot of different reasons than Ritalin, it probably mimic manic effects too, but it's just a guess. I'll give you an example, you know caffeine? Well, if I abuse caffeine in a day I become hypomanic, in fact I don't need to abuse it, isn't that something? If I take more than one expresso I start shaking, sweating, my stomach start to turn, I become anxious and coffee it's a legal and caffeine a stimulant, I don't like to talk but I used to tolerate more street stimulants, never did meth though, in my country we have other stuff that the whole world pay loads of cash for and here is cheap but I don't tolerate well caffeine, humans huh? 

I think you should talk to your kid's doctor just to clarify why he's taking two pills from the same substance, concerta and ritalin, they are both methylphenidate, wouldn't be something worth checking?

This is from another topic about ritalin and depression experience, you're in it, here's my response to the topic:

Hi,

I was prescribed Ritalin for depression, at first I took 10mg a day at morning.

I was only on Ritalin and 100mg of Topiramate.

At first Ritalin made me sleepy, somehow it regulated my sleep pattern.

Second month I was on 20mg, 10mg morning, 10mg at 1 p.m and things slowly started getting more interesting but still sleepy after the dose went off.

Third month I become more active, I would wake up, read for three hours straight or find something enjoyable, the afternoons were also very productive.

Fourth month I become angry and over preoccupied, but far from being manic, very far.

But most important thing, it created a good habit, every day I still wake and start reading or researching, thing that wasn't happening because I was too depressed to feel interest in things.

It's a great eating suppressant too but I think it's not good for other kinds of compulsive behaviors, I would spend some days on the same subject.

I don't have ADD or ADHD.

I was prescribed Ritalin because I said to my doctor that THC made improvements on my mood and made me have a new perspective of my on going residual delusions, he said what I already knew, that it was too dangerous, I could become manic and psychotic, so he said I could get dopamine from prescribed Ritalin. He watched me close, I took and had to return next day and on the next week for evaluation.?"

Flash, is another user who just said He also get sleepy on Ritalin, so, It's about talking to your doctor, I'm going to tell a little bit more about my experience with a mild stimulant for depression and being bipolar bellow if you want to keep up.

 

 

Ritalin is funny because it can make you sleepy, first three times that I took I had to come back to bed and just took a three hours nap, every one reacts differently with drugs

I had this reaction with Ritalin. Even nowadays it doesn't have much of any stimulant effect, and it puts me to sleep when it's wearing off. I've never had an antidepressant launch me into mania, either.

 

 

How long did you take it?

For me, It passed the sleepy phase around the second month and started the antidepressant effects, I started slowly getting more interested in things that I used to enjoy.

Ritalin will not make you run around and or start jumping through hoops, at least what I know, if it start making you that way, you have to stop it, after all, it's was known for treating hyperactivity, I guess I heard cocaine at first was for calming children too but that's another story.

So, Adderall and Ritalin, both stimulants that can bring us down, has something to do with dopamine pathways and reward system. (I know it better in my native language). It's not rare feeling sleepy on those drugs but can happen, after some time I benefit from daily Ritalin taken twice at small dose, 10mg, because it also gives me a progress in my life, it's not fast, but is happening so far, I spent a year in my bed and now I'm back to reading, have a better social life anyways, it took some time and I took a break on the fifth month of it because I become nervous, I guess the major blame was switching mood stabilizers, now I'm back of feeling calm and have disposition, that's the word, disposition, not wonders.

About antidepressants, well, I said in one topic that I never was hypomanic, by definition it can't be caused by drugs, those antidepressants that are in my signature all lead me to a anxious, kind of hypomanic states, sometimes angry and even social inept because of so much nervousness one exception for those I tried is Amitriptyline but at the time I couldn't handle the side effects.

That's all folks, sorry about grammar or incoherence, english is not my native language. 

Hope all the best.

I took it four four months or so, I think. It lifted my spirits a bit immediately, but that effect wore off over time. I kept having to bump the dose and frequency, plus It was making me so tired that I was sleeping half the day. 

[jt07]

The Concerta and Ritalin- I literally just found out last month that they were the same thing and that Concerta is just a XR version of Ritalin. I always wondered why the drug names were the same on the pill bottles. He just had his last appointment with his doctor last week, she's leaving the state because she said this state's mental health care system is shitty basically. He'll be seeing a new doctor soon, and who knows what they will think or prescribe. I guess she prescribes both because the Concerta tends to wear off mid-day and he was getting into alot of trouble at school. With this med combo, he seems to be doing alot better. We couldn't even have a conversation with him before, now we can. I think that's huge, to me at least.

 

If your son is taking generic Concerta, it is known to wear off sooner than the brand name.

[IcePrincess88]

The Concerta and Ritalin- I literally just found out last month that they were the same thing and that Concerta is just a XR version of Ritalin. I always wondered why the drug names were the same on the pill bottles. He just had his last appointment with his doctor last week, she's leaving the state because she said this state's mental health care system is shitty basically. He'll be seeing a new doctor soon, and who knows what they will think or prescribe. I guess she prescribes both because the Concerta tends to wear off mid-day and he was getting into alot of trouble at school. With this med combo, he seems to be doing alot better. We couldn't even have a conversation with him before, now we can. I think that's huge, to me at least.

 

If your son is taking generic Concerta, it is known to wear off sooner than the brand name.

It is the generic. Because both of the bottles say "Methylphenidate"

[uncomfortable thoughts]

I have the article pulled up. Now I just have to read it. Your very lucky you can go on and off of benzos. That's something I can't do. When I was 18, only 2 years after being on Xanax, I went IP and they took me off Xanax for 9 days. I thought I was going to die. It felt like I was coming off of heroin(I've never done heroin, but I just assumed that's like it would feel like). I was vomiting, had horrible headaches, and just couldn't get out of bed. I still don't see what the point of that was, because as soon as I got out and went back to my regular pdoc, he put me right back on it. I hate to say this, but I can't really imagine not taking Xanax. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it. Even though I don't abuse it, I am totally dependent on it. I feel like I'm going to be one of those people that have to stay on it forever. I just started seeing a new pdoc this year, and she doesn't prescribe her patients Xanax, if she has to use a benzo, then she gives Klonopin. But since I've been on it for 10 years, I couldn't be taken off of it now, thus resulting in the only reason she writes my script every month for Xanax: I've just been on it too long to suddenly stop.

As far as caffeine, I require a crazy amount of caffeine to stay awake during the day. It's probably from the Seroquel XR and the Elavil. But I'm usually constantly drinking Pepsi Max(It's basically a diet pepsi, but it has more caffeine than mountain dew), and I usually have 1 Monster energy drink a day. I can't stand coffee, it makes me nauseous for some reason.

The Concerta and Ritalin- I literally just found out last month that they were the same thing and that Concerta is just a XR version of Ritalin. I always wondered why the drug names were the same on the pill bottles. He just had his last appointment with his doctor last week, she's leaving the state because she said this state's mental health care system is shitty basically. He'll be seeing a new doctor soon, and who knows what they will think or prescribe. I guess she prescribes both because the Concerta tends to wear off mid-day and he was getting into alot of trouble at school. With this med combo, he seems to be doing alot better. We couldn't even have a conversation with him before, now we can. I think that's huge, to me at least.

I'm off now to read the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair issue. Just got the last one today. I still have the article pulled up, and that will be next on my reading list.

Take your time on reading it, you're no at gun point. I think it will help you kick any habit.

Every person is so different, you don't need to quit cold turkey your alprazolam (Xanax) and I think you're somehow under pressure to cease it, to be honest I don't know how you deal with the meds on your description, I tried most of, for me It's a high dosage, if I took 300mg of topiramate a day I probably couldn't think or eat and would feel sea sick every thirty minutes, but comes Seroquel to do the job of eating but 400mg would be half of the dosage of a full blown mania (for what I know), well, like I said, everyone  is so different, I don't know why I just compared myself to you, sorry about it.

Klonopin (Clonazepam) I've heard is great for anxiety and everything that comes in between, for me it makes me look and feel like a drunk, I tried for almost half a decade (on/off) but isn't for me, a lot of people benefit from it though (my mother), for most of the days mine are Valiums, works wonders and is supposed to be like Klonopin but for me it isn't and a lot of people when I say I prefer Valiums they think "meh" and make a face like it's not even a drug. I've heard (not so sure about it) something about the process of making Klonopin I think it's a sub product of Flunitrazepam, so don't underestimate it, kicking Klonopin isn't easy.

If I were you I would try something new but be safe, you're afraid of leaving your Xanax? One thing can be true about it, with the short life comes the short rebound of anxiety, so, why not try Klonopin having your Xanax as back up?

I abused valiums and klonopins for a while when I was a kid, I say I abused because I didn't need and popped the pills and mixed with drugs and haven't any diagnoses besides drug addiction, but long lasting benzos they can't be compared to Alprazolam (Xanax), that's why not only your doctor but every doctor that's concerned about addiction don't like prescribing Xanax, it's designed to be emergencial not exactly therapeutic. Maybe you could benefit for something with a long half life and don't even want to try it, but I would have the Xanax just in case, I have it, so...

I'm not lucky to get out of benzos and it isn't easy at least not the first time, that's why I sent you the article, your brain get used to not being with the drug or a habit, it's only easy quoting when I take it for one month or two.

Now you even using it for one decade, you can switch for Klonopin or another benzo, doing it with your doctor is much easier. You have to test with your doctor what's best for yourself, it's about trying, for me, being bipolar 1 like you, I can't handle welbutrin, that alone makes me nervous and violent, the Elavil (here is other brand name) worked great but I had side effects like bad blurry vision and dizziness like almost fainting. I would discuss why taking two antidepressants with my doctor, specially because in my case they can worsen anxiety and cycling moods or making me edgy. 

 About physical pain, I never had to be too far from codeine and tramadol, the accidents that I had never needed nothing for too long and I don't have any chronic pain, can't say a thing on that subject.

But if you're A-OK if what you're having ignore all of this, hey I'm not a doctor, just making my observations. 

 

I took it four four months or so, I think. It lifted my spirits a bit immediately, but that effect wore off over time. I kept having to bump the dose and frequency, plus It was making me so tired that I was sleeping half the day. 

Four months is too long for feeling tired, better off it.  

Until know I'm at low dosage and feeling good 5th month, one month off it, not feeling like adjusting the dose up, maybe worried about hair loss, but I don't know yet if it's from topiramate.

 

 

Edited June 22, 2015 by uncomfortable thoughts

[IcePrincess88]

I have the article pulled up. Now I just have to read it. Your very lucky you can go on and off of benzos. That's something I can't do. When I was 18, only 2 years after being on Xanax, I went IP and they took me off Xanax for 9 days. I thought I was going to die. It felt like I was coming off of heroin(I've never done heroin, but I just assumed that's like it would feel like). I was vomiting, had horrible headaches, and just couldn't get out of bed. I still don't see what the point of that was, because as soon as I got out and went back to my regular pdoc, he put me right back on it. I hate to say this, but I can't really imagine not taking Xanax. It gives me anxiety just thinking about it. Even though I don't abuse it, I am totally dependent on it. I feel like I'm going to be one of those people that have to stay on it forever. I just started seeing a new pdoc this year, and she doesn't prescribe her patients Xanax, if she has to use a benzo, then she gives Klonopin. But since I've been on it for 10 years, I couldn't be taken off of it now, thus resulting in the only reason she writes my script every month for Xanax: I've just been on it too long to suddenly stop.

As far as caffeine, I require a crazy amount of caffeine to stay awake during the day. It's probably from the Seroquel XR and the Elavil. But I'm usually constantly drinking Pepsi Max(It's basically a diet pepsi, but it has more caffeine than mountain dew), and I usually have 1 Monster energy drink a day. I can't stand coffee, it makes me nauseous for some reason.

The Concerta and Ritalin- I literally just found out last month that they were the same thing and that Concerta is just a XR version of Ritalin. I always wondered why the drug names were the same on the pill bottles. He just had his last appointment with his doctor last week, she's leaving the state because she said this state's mental health care system is shitty basically. He'll be seeing a new doctor soon, and who knows what they will think or prescribe. I guess she prescribes both because the Concerta tends to wear off mid-day and he was getting into alot of trouble at school. With this med combo, he seems to be doing alot better. We couldn't even have a conversation with him before, now we can. I think that's huge, to me at least.

I'm off now to read the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair issue. Just got the last one today. I still have the article pulled up, and that will be next on my reading list.

Take your time on reading it, you're no at gun point. I think it will help you kick any habit.

Every person is so different, you don't need to quit cold turkey your alprazolam (Xanax) and I think you're somehow under pressure to cease it, to be honest I don't know how you deal with the meds on your description, I tried most of, for me It's a high dosage, if I took 300mg of topiramate a day I probably couldn't think or eat and would feel sea sick every thirty minutes, but comes Seroquel to do the job of eating but 400mg would be half of the dosage of a full blown mania (for what I know), well, like I said, everyone  is so different, I don't know why I just compared myself to you, sorry about it.

Klonopin (Clonazepam) I've heard is great for anxiety and everything that comes in between, for me it makes me look and feel like a drunk, I tried for almost half a decade (on/off) but isn't for me, a lot of people benefit from it though (my mother), for most of the days mine are Valiums, works wonders and is supposed to be like Klonopin but for me it isn't and a lot of people when I say I prefer Valiums they think "meh" and make a face like it's not even a drug. I've heard (not so sure about it) something about the process of making Klonopin I think it's a sub product of Flunitrazepam, so don't underestimate it, kicking Klonopin isn't easy.

If I were you I would try something new but be safe, you're afraid of leaving your Xanax? One thing can be true about it, with the short life comes the short rebound of anxiety, so, why not try Klonopin having your Xanax as back up?

I abused valiums and klonopins for a while when I was a kid, I say I abused because I didn't need and popped the pills and mixed with drugs and haven't any diagnoses besides drug addiction, but long lasting benzos they can't be compared to Alprazolam (Xanax), that's why not only your doctor but every doctor that's concerned about addiction don't like prescribing Xanax, it's designed to be emergencial not exactly therapeutic. Maybe you could benefit for something with a long half life and don't even want to try it, but I would have the Xanax just in case, I have it, so...

I'm not lucky to get out of benzos and it isn't easy at least not the first time, that's why I sent you the article, your brain get used to not being with the drug or a habit, it's only easy quoting when I take it for one month or two.

Now you even using it for one decade, you can switch for Klonopin or another benzo, doing it with your doctor is much easier. You have to test with your doctor what's best for yourself, it's about trying, for me, being bipolar 1 like you, I can't handle welbutrin, that alone makes me nervous and violent, the Elavil (here is other brand name) worked great but I had side effects like bad blurry vision and dizziness like almost fainting. I would discuss why taking two antidepressants with my doctor, specially because in my case they can worsen anxiety and cycling moods or making me edgy. 

 About physical pain, I never had to be too far from codeine and tramadol, the accidents that I had never needed nothing for too long and I don't have any chronic pain, can't say a thing on that subject.

But if you're A-OK if what you're having ignore all of this, hey I'm not a doctor, just making my observations. 

 

I took it four four months or so, I think. It lifted my spirits a bit immediately, but that effect wore off over time. I kept having to bump the dose and frequency, plus It was making me so tired that I was sleeping half the day. 

Four months is too long for feeling tired, better off it.  

Until know I'm at low dosage and feeling good 5th month, one month off it, not feeling like adjusting the dose up, maybe worried about hair loss, but I don't know yet if it's from topiramate.

 

 

I've only taken Klonopin once, and it was when I was 19(so about 7 years ago). The only reason I took it is because I was going on a plane and I was out of Xanax, so my pdoc at the time wrote me a presciption for a couple of Klonopin. But since it was so long ago and because my memory is so horrible, I can't even remember how it was. I guess the main thing I'm worried about is: if I do  agree to give Klonopin a try and I don't like it, what if she won't let me go back to Xanax then? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but if she's like No your finally off Xanax, your not going back on. I'll really freak out then.

As for the Topamax, I've been on it for about 2 years. So it doesn't really affect me much. If anything, it just makes me not that hungry, but I could stand to lose some weight. The Seroquel has always been a must have in my cocktail of medications, I love it. The pain- I'm far past Tramadol level pain. Tramadol is like a sugar pill to me, it does absolutely nothing. I only take the Elavil at night, even though it's an antidepressant, my pdoc gave it to me to help me sleep. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about Wellbutrin.

[uncomfortable thoughts]

 

I've only taken Klonopin once, and it was when I was 19(so about 7 years ago). The only reason I took it is because I was going on a plane and I was out of Xanax, so my pdoc at the time wrote me a presciption for a couple of Klonopin. But since it was so long ago and because my memory is so horrible, I can't even remember how it was. I guess the main thing I'm worried about is: if I do  agree to give Klonopin a try and I don't like it, what if she won't let me go back to Xanax then? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but if she's like No your finally off Xanax, your not going back on. I'll really freak out then.

As for the Topamax, I've been on it for about 2 years. So it doesn't really affect me much. If anything, it just makes me not that hungry, but I could stand to lose some weight. The Seroquel has always been a must have in my cocktail of medications, I love it. The pain- I'm far past Tramadol level pain. Tramadol is like a sugar pill to me, it does absolutely nothing. I only take the Elavil at night, even though it's an antidepressant, my pdoc gave it to me to help me sleep. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about Wellbutrin.

I think you don't really want to give up Xanax, it's not the end of the world, you could just ask for both to feel safe, tell your doctor your worries, are you afraid of your doctor? 

Well, why would you come back to Xanax if something else is working better? You're too afraid, sorry but your worries are of an addict, looks like you're thinking of never getting the high again. if you take only 1mg of Xanax, 2mg of Klonopin, at least for me it's stronger, here we have the clonazepam as liquid form too, clonazepam in general takes longer to kick but takes longer to get out, don't believe in benzo charts, experience for yourself, everyone reacts differently, I prefer valium because I think it kicks faster and I don't feel drunk.

Did you notice that you're kind of worried about your Xanax intake and worried about letting it go?

About the pain meds, well, would be bad for you to enter in a major surgery with that kind of built up resistance, some heroin addicts are operated awake or maybe it's just a rockstar myth.

 

Edited June 22, 2015 by uncomfortable thoughts

[IcePrincess88]

 

I've only taken Klonopin once, and it was when I was 19(so about 7 years ago). The only reason I took it is because I was going on a plane and I was out of Xanax, so my pdoc at the time wrote me a presciption for a couple of Klonopin. But since it was so long ago and because my memory is so horrible, I can't even remember how it was. I guess the main thing I'm worried about is: if I do  agree to give Klonopin a try and I don't like it, what if she won't let me go back to Xanax then? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but if she's like No your finally off Xanax, your not going back on. I'll really freak out then.

As for the Topamax, I've been on it for about 2 years. So it doesn't really affect me much. If anything, it just makes me not that hungry, but I could stand to lose some weight. The Seroquel has always been a must have in my cocktail of medications, I love it. The pain- I'm far past Tramadol level pain. Tramadol is like a sugar pill to me, it does absolutely nothing. I only take the Elavil at night, even though it's an antidepressant, my pdoc gave it to me to help me sleep. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about Wellbutrin.

I think you don't really want to give up Xanax, it's not the end of the world, you could just ask for both to feel safe, tell your doctor your worries, are you afraid of your doctor? 

Well, why would you come back to Xanax if something else is working better? You're too afraid, sorry but your worries are of an addict, looks like you're thinking of never getting the high again. if you take only 1mg of Xanax, 2mg of Klonopin, at least for me it's stronger, here we have the clonazepam as liquid form too, clonazepam in general takes longer to kick but takes longer to get out, don't believe in benzo charts, experience for yourself, everyone reacts differently, I prefer valium because I think it kicks faster and I don't feel drunk.

Did you notice that you're kind of worried about your Xanax intake and worried about letting it go?

About the pain meds, well, would be bad for you to enter in a major surgery with that kind of built up resistance, some heroin addicts are operated awake or maybe it's just a rockstar myth.

 

I don't get "high" off Xanax. I've been on the stuff for entirely too long for that kind of nonsense. Within the first year of starting it, it used to make me sleepy. Now all it does is calm me down and take away the anxious feeling like it's supposed to. I have really bad anxiety, sometimes about nothing, and Xanax is the only thing that has ever helped me. I've taken Valium while IP when I younger, and it did nothing for me. Because my anxiety is so bad, I need something fast acting. Despite what my signature says, unless my anxiety is really bad, I rarely take a whole 1mg pill at once. I usually take a half of a pill. 

Same thing with my pain pills, except I ALWAYS only take a half a pill at a time. I will have to have major surgery on my back eventually, but they don't want to do it yet because they say I'm too young. It was my Spine Specialist that decided it should be managed through medication for now and referred me to my Pain Management doctor. But that's not about mental health.

I don't what you mean by 1mg of Xanax and 2mg of Klonopin. But I take 3mgs combined daily of Xanax. I'm pretty sure we don't have liquid Klonopin, or at least I've never heard or it, but I could be wrong. 

My pdoc can be a scary woman. This is the same woman that requires me to submit urine samples for drug tests every time I come into the office, which has been every 2 weeks lately. 

[uncomfortable thoughts]

 

I've only taken Klonopin once, and it was when I was 19(so about 7 years ago). The only reason I took it is because I was going on a plane and I was out of Xanax, so my pdoc at the time wrote me a presciption for a couple of Klonopin. But since it was so long ago and because my memory is so horrible, I can't even remember how it was. I guess the main thing I'm worried about is: if I do  agree to give Klonopin a try and I don't like it, what if she won't let me go back to Xanax then? Maybe I'm being paranoid, but if she's like No your finally off Xanax, your not going back on. I'll really freak out then.

As for the Topamax, I've been on it for about 2 years. So it doesn't really affect me much. If anything, it just makes me not that hungry, but I could stand to lose some weight. The Seroquel has always been a must have in my cocktail of medications, I love it. The pain- I'm far past Tramadol level pain. Tramadol is like a sugar pill to me, it does absolutely nothing. I only take the Elavil at night, even though it's an antidepressant, my pdoc gave it to me to help me sleep. I'm still trying to decide how I feel about Wellbutrin.

I think you don't really want to give up Xanax, it's not the end of the world, you could just ask for both to feel safe, tell your doctor your worries, are you afraid of your doctor? 

Well, why would you come back to Xanax if something else is working better? You're too afraid, sorry but your worries are of an addict, looks like you're thinking of never getting the high again. if you take only 1mg of Xanax, 2mg of Klonopin, at least for me it's stronger, here we have the clonazepam as liquid form too, clonazepam in general takes longer to kick but takes longer to get out, don't believe in benzo charts, experience for yourself, everyone reacts differently, I prefer valium because I think it kicks faster and I don't feel drunk.

Did you notice that you're kind of worried about your Xanax intake and worried about letting it go?

About the pain meds, well, would be bad for you to enter in a major surgery with that kind of built up resistance, some heroin addicts are operated awake or maybe it's just a rockstar myth.

 

I don't get "high" off Xanax. I've been on the stuff for entirely too long for that kind of nonsense. Within the first year of starting it, it used to make me sleepy. Now all it does is calm me down and take away the anxious feeling like it's supposed to. I have really bad anxiety, sometimes about nothing, and Xanax is the only thing that has ever helped me. I've taken Valium while IP when I younger, and it did nothing for me. Because my anxiety is so bad, I need something fast acting. Despite what my signature says, unless my anxiety is really bad, I rarely take a whole 1mg pill at once. I usually take a half of a pill. 

Same thing with my pain pills, except I ALWAYS only take a half a pill at a time. I will have to have major surgery on my back eventually, but they don't want to do it yet because they say I'm too young. It was my Spine Specialist that decided it should be managed through medication for now and referred me to my Pain Management doctor. But that's not about mental health.

I don't what you mean by 1mg of Xanax and 2mg of Klonopin. But I take 3mgs combined daily of Xanax. I'm pretty sure we don't have liquid Klonopin, or at least I've never heard or it, but I could be wrong. 

My pdoc can be a scary woman. This is the same woman that requires me to submit urine samples for drug tests every time I come into the office, which has been every 2 weeks lately. 

Well, don't be scared of her.

One thing is being IP another is out in the wild.

When I said you are worried in getting high was more about an expression of never getting the drugs, like when you quit smoking, you worry so much about your last one... anyways.

For me, 10mg of valium works better than 2mg of Xanax and mostly because rebound anxiety, so I only take the Xanax when I'm on an emergency, anyways, that's me.  

Good luck with everything, your back, your doctor and your kid.

Cya.

 

[Postictal]

I have type 1 BP and I take vyvanse or adderall IR depending on how long I need it for. It is a VERY delicate balance and you have to be aware of early signs of mania. I have to take an antipsychotic every day or I go manic - then add in an antidepressant and sometimes a stim, I'd be psychotic fast without the AP. Some days, I can tell it would be a bad idea to take a stim. I have to be very aware of how I feel and my warning signs, so I know that if I'm tilting even a little off equilibrium, that I should not take the stim until I'm normal'd out.

No worries Stolen Dance. I wanted to reply to Sue, too, now that the post was bumped.

 

. A few years ago I tried Straterra monotherapy for ADHD, and within a few days I went to emergency because of unrelenting wish that I were dead, and unbearable sensations in my legs. Not exactly akathisia, which usually makes people pace and unable to sit for more than a few seconds. My legs felt like they had their own emotions, like a gut feeling of dread. It was horrible.

 

I just found out last week that Straterra is an SNRI like Effexor, which explains it.

 

Emergency was awful. They almost locked me up, mocked me for asking for one Ativan, the first-line treatment for akathisia, and told me Straterra was "speed," which I now know is wrong.

 

I managed to get out by assuring them that there is a difference between wishing to die and wishing to kill oneself.

 

I would not have tried the drug if I had known it was an SNRI, given what I had read about discontinuation for some people. I thought it would be safer than The stimulants...oh boy, not for me. It took a few more weeks to fade away. Not good.

 

I wish the drugmakers would figure out what predicts these bad reactions. They have the data.

Before I had my first manic episode, I was given strattera for ADHD. It made me MEAN and literally homicidal. It was terrifying. I am normally very polite and passive, never would hurt anyone, but I want to violently harm people over NOTHING on Strattera. I had to stop it very quickly. I've taken a shitton of psych meds in my life, and by far, Strattera had the scariest effect on me out of ALL of them.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Postictal

[San]

I'm schizoaffective, BP type. Stimulants are for ADHD most of the time, and can have a calming effect on the person taking them. Some people do get sleepy, or less energized on stim's.

When I was first on Ritalin (which is a good med, regardless of if it's "over-prescribed for 6 year olds") it calmed me down a lot. Then I went back to more normal energy. I had a few hypomanic episodes, but I had those before the Ritalin.

I was just switched to Adderal (60mg XR, from Ritalin 40mg)  because it has more of an effect on cognitive functions, and it, so far, is pretty "smooth". I'm not hyped up, I have good energy, good focus, I can sleep at night.

Wondering if anyone could answer this: Antipsychotics can cause high prolactin due to their effect on dopamine. Stim's have the opposite effect (which is why you have to be careful), and I wonder if that keeps the prolactin down? I had been on meds causing high prolactin (Risperdal) in low doses years ago and had the lactation, no period, etc from it, but was on Risperdal Consta a year ago, the long acting injection, and later Invega Sustena, neither of which raised my prolactin, and I was on the highest dose of both, but taking Ritalin at the same time.

[Keaton]

I have narcolepsy and had a few "hypo manic-like" episodes while starting stims, but those were probably just normal side effects. The only ones that made me batshit were Nuvigil and Dextroamphetamine. I tip into psychosis much easier than mania.

[Stephnsean14]

I'm on Adderall and several mood stabilizers. We didn't even attempt to address the ADD until the mood was well under control. Adderall does not put me into a manic state. When I do start getting manic I stop the Adderall and increase some of my other meds. As Aurochs said, fixing the BP is the most important part. Whether or not the ADD is medicated is optional. I'd prefer to have it medicated because my life is much easier when it is but if it's between the BP and ADD, BP wins every time.

I agree. I am on 900mg lithium for my mood stabilizer.  Also on 25 mg xr adderall for adhd and also on 20 mg prozac for depression.  It seems to work fine but I am having a problem with my lithium levels being low.  First month they were. 7 then dropped to . 4 now they are. 3 and my doctor just added .25 mg of respirdal twice a daily.