Stimulant Medication and Comorbid Anxiety | ADHD Information

My son is diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety and Impulse Control Disorder.  He currently takes Adderall XR for the ADHD, and we added Lexapro for the Anxiety.  We just recently added Clonidine for the impulsive behaviors.  He is doing very well.  Without the Lexapro for the Anxiety however, he was chewing holes in his mouth and lip and pulling his hair out of his head, and never even knew he was doing it.  Occasionally still on a real bad day he will pinch his stomach, without even knowing it until he bruises.  Typically this occurs during state exams and stressful school events, like having to talk in front of others. 

Anxiety can make ADHD symptoms worse and make the meds not work or not work as well. It would be worth discussing with the doc.

This is probably a stupid question, but has anyone with ADD who also has anxiety found that stimulants work (or work better) after treating the anxiety?  I was diagnosed just under a year ago with inattentive ADD and social anxiety disorder, and found stimulant treatment to be unsuccessful.  I have been on 300mg of Wellbutrin SR per day for the last 6 months which definitely helps my ADD, but not as much as I would like or expect.  Over the same period I have been taking 20mg of Paxil per day which has improved my anxiety significantly 

I have been thinking of asking my psychiatrist if I can try a stimulant one last time, just so I can completely rule it out as an option.  Should I bother now that my anxiety is under control - or would this make no difference?  I do know that stimulants can cause anxiety, but I did not find this to be the case previously.
I have anxiety and I just started concerta, 27 mg, upping to 36. the 27 is doing nothing so far and I'm concerned it won't work. For me, anxiety comes and goes, but I'm still trying to work that out, so maybe if I help the anxiety I'd respond better to the stimulant? Good question...I just hope one of the methylphenidate meds work for me...just being amphetamines, I'm skeptical about taking them..I don't know if I'm being reasonable or if methylphanidate is any less dangerous..

sorry for rambling...you may respond better now that you've controlled the anxiety, try and see, if the doc lets you.

 

 

I take a daily stimulant dose (40 mg Adderall xr) for ADD inattentive, plus Lorazapam (Ativan) on an as needed basis for anxiety.

Hi. My 14 yr old son has Inattentive ADHD and co morbid anxiety. We found trying to treat the ADHD was absolutely useless until we got the anxiety under control!

Since age 9 he has been on Zoloft for the anxiety and it was like a miracle drug for him.  He's been on up to 150 mg but is down to 100 mg now.

At age 10 we started the stimulant roller coaster. We've tried them all but he is currently on Concerta augmented with guanfacine (generic Tenex).

He's doing well on this combo.  I couldn't believe, however, the difference we saw when we added the SSRI antidepressant Zoloft on the anxiety.  Meds alone, of course, were not perfect.  We also started therapy....mainly CBT...cognitive behavioral therapy, to help the anxiety.

Okiemom

 

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