ADHD Support Group

So, I have been struggling for many, many years with concentration, depression, EXTREME restlessness, anxiety, panic, my mind never slows down or shuts off, etc. I have been being treated for depression and anxiety for around 12 years and all my meds just kept on quitting on me. I was starting to feel super hopeless and super frustrated. I considered ECT and wanted to ask about it. So I went to see my wonderful psychiatrist and he assessed the situation and all of the things we had talked about in therapy over the past few months. I finally just told him, "I am becoming exhausted by this yo-yo of chaos I live in. I feel hopeless that anything will ever be better and i am, frankly, just tired of it all."

He told me he has been thinking about the situation and after much deliberation, said he wanted to try treating me for adult ADHD because it seemed to him that my depression and anxiety could possibly be secondary to all the chaos my mind gives me. Not ever being able to truly relax can be very depressing and anxiety-provoking. I also have severe PTSD and so my doc thinks that the comorbidity there has made ADHD an "overlooked" possibility. SO he gave me an RX for 20 mg's of immediate release adderall to take once a day.

I tool my first dose Wednesday and felt a little hyper, but different in a good way. After my fifth dose as of today, I am noticing that the hyperness has subsided, which is good, and I just feel... at ease. I am sincerely blown away at the difference in my state of mind.

After speaking with my mother, who said I was a very hyperactive child, and speaking with others in my family, I feel confident that this is an accurate diagnosis. I am trying to learn all I can about it. Because I really know NOTHING and never even considered it before. I guess my first question is... IF this is the case, that I have ADHD, will the adderall eventually quit on me too? And also, is it common to have muscle aches and joint pain with Adderall? I have been waking up every day with pains that weren't there before, which is disconcerting because I am currently in the process of being tested for rheumatoid arthritis, which began prior to the medication and was only in my hands.

Any info, thoughts, input, etc, will be greatly appreciated!

I can't speak to the pain you are experiencing. WebMD has a pretty good data base for medications so you could try there or even call your pharmacist.

I also have the same problem with meds working for a while and then quitting on me. You are taking a fairly low dose of Adderall so there is plenty of room for you for upping your dosage. I take 60mg extended release every day and it has been a God-send for me. Although I still have some of the depression, it isn't as overwhelming as it was prior to the Adderall and I have a lot more energy. My house was falling apart because I couldn't muster the energy to do anything. I'm still playing catch-up but feeling a lot better since the increase in the Adderall. If it stops working, I'll just have to take it as it comes. My previous pdoc had me on so many different meds that I lost track of them and couldn't supply a list to the new pdoc.

I also take Prozac 20mg. a day, Klonopin for anxiety and insomnia and another drug that I believe is Olantazine or something like that. That is just my mental health medication, it doesn't include the supplements I am supposed to be taking from the gastric bypass surgery, meds for dizziness, Vit. D deficiency, potassium deficiency meds for gout and my pain meds. When I am taking my meds as I should, I spend half the day downing pills. I really need to get back to taking everything I'm supposed to.

There are so many symptoms that cross over from one disorder to another that it's a miracle when these doctors get it right. It's good that you have a pdoc that will listen to what you are telling him.

Colleen

Post edited by: Colleenj, at: 03/25/2012 09:55 AM

My pdoc is amazing. He is in his 70's, practices from his home, and has so much experience and compassion it's incredible. He was hit by a drunk driver around 25 years ago and it physically disabled him for life. I asked him once what ever happened to the person who did that to him and his response was, "I didn't press charges. He was a young kid and I didn't want to ruin his life over one mistake." I feel that is the definition of selfless and compassionate. I am lucky to have him. He has changed my life more than any other practitioner I have seen (and there have been a lot!!)

Wow foxmachine19, your story is very similiar to mine! I also have been dealing with anxiety for a long time and just recently (3wks ago) been diagnosed ADHD. The joint and muscle pain is a side effect that I have also been experiencing. Hoping this subsides the longer I take it.I also got tested for RA, which came back negative and hope yours does to.

Fox,

It sounds like you have a gem of a pdoc. I'm glad you have someone who is taking good care of you!

Colleen

A great find in your Dr !

All the best !

same problems here, I've been on adderall so long I can't function without it and I can't sleep because of it so I take ativan to sleep , then I can't get going in the mornings so I have to take the adderall, now I have high blood pressure because of the adderall and my doc has given me lisinopril, but I'm thinking about trying to just stop the crazy cycle and get off all of it. I have been thinking I had fibromyalgia for all these years and now I think maybe its just the adderall. Who knows! I hope you have found some peace.