stimulant with antidepressant | ADHD Information

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Does anyone have experience w/a child taking both a stimulant and an antidepressant (for anxiety)--is it beneficial?I don't, but I've read a number of other posts that mention it. Have you tried a search using the exact combo you're thinking of? Or perhaps change your settings to see older posts? I'm sure you'll hear from someone besides me, but a search might be a place for you to start.My son hasn't taken an antidepressant but he takes a stimulant and Tenex to help with the anxiety. He has anxiety and the stimulant aggravates it and makes it worse.  Tenex helps calm the anxiety and allows him to take the stimulant (that he so desperately needs!).

Hey Casmom My ten yr dd takes Vyvanse 50 mg and then 30 mg flouxtine (spelling?) for anxiety and her hair pulling disorder. She takes 10mg in am and then at six takes 20mg. Shes taken that combo for a year. It has help up unitl now but I think its the Vyvanse that has stopped. Because she has stopped pulling hair. Shes always taken them together so I dont know which is the really working. Were going to see a neuro. soon. because right now we see a quack of a dr.

 

i don't understand how an anti-depressant can work as an anti-anxiety.  depression and anxiety are two different conditions but i do understand how they can exist together.  to me, treating anxiety with an anti-depressant would be like paying the gas bill with the electric bill is due.  maybe someone can enlighten me how that all works? thanks.

jeaniejo - can't you go to a different pharmacy?

JeanieJo, have you asked your pharmacy if they can order the generic that works better?  I do this.  I also found one generic of sertraline didn't work well at all for my child.

To answer the op, my child also has ADHD and severe anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder).  The anxiety has been apparent since he's less than two years old.  A few years ago he started taking sertraline (generic Zoloft).  We find that high doses make the ADHD a lot worse.  It's been shown clinically that Zoloft can heighten impulsivity.  By combining a stimulant, sertraline, and guanfacine (at first Tenex, and now Intuniv), he's doing great in managing ADHD and anxiety.  The guanfacine helps lower his anxiety a lot and also helps with ADHD, so it allows us to keep other doses lower.

yes, DS takes Concerta, Clonidine and Sertraline (generic for Zoloft) Worked
great for the last year or more until our pharmacy switched the
manufacturer that they buy the sertraline from and our son has had
problems since then.