Bipolar Type II Support Group

I was recently put on Adderall 15mg 2x a day as needed for tiredness. This was due to sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness. I haven't had to take it in a while and did yesterday because I was feeling tired. I've been in a low level depression for months and within an hour of taking the Adderall I felt much better, not hyper but more focused and no depression. I'm starting to wonder if I have adult ADD. I have looked over the ADD sites and the symptoms and I do have many of them that do improve while on Adderall. This was something I had looked into before and my pdoc doesn't think I have ADD. I beg to differ and am going to discuss this with her. As far as the stimulant effect of Adderall it was very fleeting and we had to up the dose within 2 weeks. Taking it yesterday I did have some stimulant effect though the mental focus and being able to slow my mind down enough to think clearly does make me wonder if I do have ADD and we just missed it. My childhood has been riddled with ADD symptoms. I was in special classes for years because of day dreaming, scattered thoughts, becoming board with the way I was being taught. Back then they didn't know about ADD, now looking back and my recent experience I'm rethinking my view of it. How many others have ADD & BPII? I would like to hear of other experience with having both.

I have both, the ADD was not addressed until I was in college for the second time. By that time I was seeing a pdoc for depression, as this was pre-bipolar diagnosis. Anyway, I talked to him about the troubles I was having with studying, focusing in class, etc. He was really hesitant to give me something for it, but after we went through an extensive history, he agreed I seem to have ADD and put me on ritalin. At some point I was swtiched over to adderall. I find it helps immensely for the focus and getting things done. It is enough of a mood lifter that I can get up and going to work in the morning and stuff, and I can concentrate much better. I have taken extra in one day before, and the depression that follows when crashing from the stimulant effect is really terrible. Keeping the dose steady but taking short periodic breaks from it has helped adderall stay effective. Some of my pdocs have refused to prescribe it to me unless I am on a mood stabilizer of some kind, but currently I still get it even though we are on the hunt for the right mood stabilizer. They say it can throw your moods off like crazy, but honestly, I think the wellbutrin sends me into more of a tailspin than the adderall.

I have it and recently started taking Ritalin only while I'm in college...I have 1 more semester. I may see if I can stay on it permanently. I have heard and read that ADD and Bipolar are often found together. The only thing about the Ritalin is that it does agitate me. It helps me focus for studying but I get irritated easier. My pdoc said it can cause mania and she was very hesitant to prescribe it to me. Seems like these doctors ought to know ADD is found quite a bit w/bipolar.

Heard the same thing, that the stimulant can mess up the moods. So far the few times I've taken it it hasn't sent me anywhere but I am trying now to get a script. So we'll see. I think I need it for focus and motivation. I veg out way too much due to being down and feeling "weird" and antisocial. The adderall I've tried has definitely helped that for me.

H

I found that ritalin caused me to feel agitated so I switched to adderall and I do much better with that. I just have to keep to a low dose (10-20mg. xr) or I will start to have problems.

I may switch to Adderall eventually.