Can the wrong Meds make ADHD worse???? | ADHD Information
Why the Lexapro? I agree it could be the Lexapro. It's an SSRI antidepressant, and I've taken about all of them at one time, although Lexapro isn't one of them. Any med can have serious side effects, but Lexapro takes about six weeks to kick in. Still, even short term, it can cause problems. I had problems early on both on Prozac and Zoloft, two cousins of Lexapro.[QUOTE=jonquiljo]
Ok people - this is the kind of third-degree that really is not fair. Doggiedoc asked a very real and substantial question which deserves to be answered in a positive fashion. [/QUOTE]
Thanks, I really need all the support i can get. I did feel that OlderMom seems a little accusitory (sp?) But have nothing to hide and if answering her questions helps me figure stuff out then all the better.
[QUOTE=jonquiljo] Week one you say - "Wow, I haven't had a day like this in years"! [/QUOTE]
This has NOT happend and that is a big reason why I am worried that I am on the wrong Med's. I am foggier than ever and to tired to get up and take care of myself (eat, shower, exercise ect...).
[QUOTE=OlderMom] I had problems early on both on Prozac and Zoloft, two cousins of Lexapro. [/QUOTE]
As a vet student you would think I would have looked up the Lexapro and known this... I TOLD the doc that I had been on Zoloft and the only effect it had on my was terrible insomnia.
The reason I am on it is because I start back to school in a few weeks. I am in my senior year in vet school which I think i equivelant to an intern in human medicine. No more classroom and we are expected to know it ALL (at least that is what it feels like) I am on leave right now as they were researching why I was having such a hard time. My problems were two fold 1) Inability to concentrate (and all that goes with it) 2) High anxiety when writing medical reports and speaking with the senior clinicians. THe hope was that starting me on an antianxiety now will help it kick in by the time I start school.
Thank you all so much for all your advice. Having people out there who really care about me when they don't even know me, means so much
So this is what I have decided to do. First and formost EAT and don't want to but somehow I will figure out how to make myself. Second I will call the doc today and ask him more about the Lexapro, maybe I should stop or take it at night. and finally EAT (yes I said it twice, but i am starting to realise the importance...lol)
BTW. I want to acknowledge Purdue College of Vet Med for how absolutley awesome they have been to me. I am in a program were I began my schooling out of the country and then my senior year (clinical year) in the states. So I am new there. I have failed 2 rotations and at any time they could have said "sorry kid this is not for you" but instead they are working with me hand and hand to find the problem and make sure I succeed...Corny and maybe to personal, but I have nothinkg to hide and I needed to make this public
It sounds like it gave you a short term "high" and now the effect is flattening out. : I NEVER felt a high since I have been on the meds. The productivity was from coaching and Omega3's. I have been extremely lethargic with no will to do anything I don't HAVE to since the first day I started on the med's.
What symptoms did you have that made you think you have ADHD? Who diagnosed you? : i was failing my senior year in veterinary school and I had been on the verge of failing through out the previous 3 years. The school recommended I be tested for LD's and ADHD. I went through 12 hours (over many weeks) of testing and interview and they interviewed my mother. The official diagnosis was made 3weeks ago by a team of university psycholigists.
I do not, in any way, doubt the diagnosis of ADD inatentive type. Reading books like "Driven to Distraction" are like reading my life story. I would list all my symptoms, but it is easier to say that for the descriptives of inattention in the DSMV-IV fit me perfectly...ALL OF THEM, and have for as long as I can remember. I finally know why my life has been so difficult and am looking for to a better future (As a vet
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Anything run in your family?: My mother and I are exactly alike. She always figured she was just less inteligent that her very successful sister and cousins. But she is VERY inteligent, just disorganized, unmotivated, absent minded ect... Sounds like ADD to me.
The signs are less obvious, but it is very likely that my older sister has it too.
Are you seeing a Psychiatrist?: I have weekly meetings with a psychologist plus weekly group coaching and I see the psychiatrist for med's. I have only had one meeting with the doc (last Tuesday) and i have a check-up meeting with him in a couple weeks. BUT I am in communication with him through my therapist.
I think that answers all your questions.
I am actually wondering, after reading the Lexapro thread, if the anti-d may be the problem. I take them both in the morning. I know Anti-D's take a few weeks to build up in ones system. I start back to my senior year in vet school and I afraid of going back without them....I get very anxious under the stress.
THis is some what a repitition of other posts I have made. I am just trying to get someone with experience to help me figure out if what I am feeling is a side effect or it's psychosematic.
I was just diagnosed a few weeks ago and have been On Concerta 18mg for 3 days, 36mg since 4/21 plus 5mg of Lexapro.
Before being placed on med's i started coaching, have been reading everything I could get my hands on and have been taking Omega3 regularly for several weeks. Just these few things made a noticible difference. I was cooking and eating and cleaning everyday. I am on leave from school and doing independent study (an ADDer doing independent study, talk about an oximoron) and i have been doing really well, not studying everyday but close. I was walking 3miles a day. I started feeling prodictive and purposseful.
I was hoping that when I started on the meds I would not only continue all the above but that they would be much more effortless. I was having days that i could not focus my mind on the work that I had to do and I was hoping those days would go away. I know that all the symptoms will not go away and I don't want them too, but none of what I was hoping would happen has happened.
I have a mild headache (all the time), I am so tired but not sleeping, I have little to no desire for food (the idea of forcing is good but I am to lethargic to try) In the past week i have not cooked dinner once, I have not studied once, I stopped making my bed. I only went walking once. The only thing I continue doing consistently is taking out (not long walks) and feeding my pets.
Today, i really tried. I made myself a schedule and i sat down to study and instead have spent many, many hours on this forum. I have eaten almost nothing today. I microwaved some left overs, but they were left uneaten.
As a "typical" female, I am not really upset about the lack of desire for food. The problem is that I am not sure if all the rest of the poblems (headache, lethargy ect...) are directly due to the meds or the fact that I am not eating enough. And if not eating is enough to change meds
There is also the possibility that this is all in my head and that it is way to soon to worry about changing meds and I am making excuses not to do my work. On friday the doc said to wait until Monday. It is now sunday evening and I still don't know what to tell him.
Help me figure my own brain out....Thanks
- It sounds like it gave you a short term "high" and now the effect is flattening out.
-What symptoms did you have that made you think you have ADHD? Who diagnosed you?
-Anything run in your family?
-Are you seeing a Psychiatrist?:
Ok people - this is the kind of third-degree that really is not fair. Doggiedoc asked a very real and substantial question which deserves to be answered in a positive fashion. I am no expert, but I will do my best.
To go to the bottom line. When you first go on stimulant meds - your body gets adjusted to the "stimulation". Your dose tends to go up rapidly in this phase as your body gets accustiomed to the changes that occur. One week you can be on 18mg Concerta - the next week, 36, and the next week even 54 or more. Eventually your response to these meds plateau - and you become stable at a particular dose. Everyone is different - but the overall patterns are the same - especially in adults. You also eventually become "used to" focusing better and expect more. Week one you say - "Wow, I haven't had a day like this in years"! The next week you expect to concentrate even better .... and so on. This, of course plateaus, as well - as there is so much good that these meds can do. Our expectaions, however, do not.
So we have bad days. Everyone has bad days. Hell, I can take a stimulant and want to go back to bed in the morning - thats life. Over time, our thinking improves, as do our expectations.
As far as the side effects - they improve as well. ADD meds give lots of people headaches - certainly in the beginning. Even worse, they all have a nasty habit of making us not want to eat. Not eating lowers blood sugar and tends to give people a worse headache - feel like "crashing" - and feel overall terrible. It takes a while to get things worked out. I still forget to eat - I did so today (not there was anything around worth eating, but thats another story). I got very tired, hypoglyceminc and crashed. I stil focused better and got from point A to point B via a straight line. I just expected more.
So doggiedoc, please give it more time. If it were me, I would expect that I might even need to go higher on the meds. Youre going to have good times as well as bad. Its easier in the beginning to get things correctly - because they usually have been so bad for so long. So give it time.
Many people I've known without ADD who have taken stimulants feel agitated from them. They generally do not find it pleasant. Lots of people who did stimulants (coke, etc) recreationally probably needed stimulants therapeutically. I would, however, force myself to eat a bit more regularly. It really helps me when I do.
Good luck, and the best to you.
jonquiljo38831.1075578704
What symptoms did you have that made you think you have ADHD? Could it be something else? The stims will make certain disorders worse. It is normal to feel more productive when you take a stim, as it is speed. Doesn't matter if you have ADHD or not. College kids take ADHD meds on study nights to stay awake. Who diagnosed you? Are you seeing a Psychiatrist? Anything run in your family? It sounds like it gave you a short term "high" and now the effect is flattening out. I tried stims too when family doctor thought I had ADHD, but I had bipolar and the stims had a weird effect on me and took me on quite a roller coaster ride. They also kill your appetite. Kids take them for that too. Perhaps you need a re-evaluation before continuing.
OlderMom38830.7870949074[QUOTE=chjones] it can sometimes take a bit of trial and error to find the right medication.
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I fully appreciate that and I understand that often the side effect are transient. I am willing to give everything the time it needs. BUT, I don't know exactly how much time is needed to decide that something is not working. I'm switching from the Concerta after only a week, is that to soon? On the other hand, I start back to school (currently on leave) on May 9th and the closer I am to the correct med and dose on that day the better.
I am trying to listen to my body and not be a whimp or a hypercondriac at the same time. I know I am the only one that knows what my body is telling me, but I appreciate a place were i can air things out.
UPDATE:
I ate breakfast and lunch today, plus I have drank LOTS of water and still feel like a sack of potatoes. So I called the doc. I have a meeting with him tomorrow and it sounds like he is going to put me Adderall.
Thanks again for the support
adderall 'll probably do wonders. whatever - good luck. it can sometimes take a bit of trial and error to find the right medication.
Update (2):
The doc put me on 10mg of adderal 2x/day and took me off the Lexapro. We decided that, though anti-d is important, right now the priority is getting the ADD under control.
I have taken 2 doses of the Adderal so far and there is not a huge "oh my God this is so much better!!!!). On the other hand I am not sick the way I was on the concerta and i guess I am a BIT more focused. My guess is that the dose is just to low and that I have to give it time. I go up to 15mg 2x/day in a week
Thanks again for all the advice and support