Wow, Cymbalta is still the one... | ADHD Information

Thanks!  It's moving along.  It's still with legal.  We're hoping to get that part done, and then hopefully execute.

All the best,

Mr. B

Sounds good...

Cymbalta aka duloxetine, should be a huge upgrade from the SSRI's because of it's effect on norepinephrine.  Norepinephrine is a vital transmitter for mental energy, motivation and drive.  NE inhibitors also block Dopamine in the executive prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain implicated in ADD.  Cymbalt should be like other NE inhibitors like Desimpramine and Bupropion that have been proven to be effective on ADD core symptoms.   You could also add Tyrosine for Dopamine to equal out the transmitters.  I'll be glad when they come out with a med tha increases all three equally.  For now I'm taking zolft (serotonin + dopamine) and wellbutrin (norepinephrine + dopamine), which is working well.

How have your core ADD symptoms improved?  How has your working memory improved?  Are you able to remember phone numbers and menial things better?  How is youre planning going?  Are you more prompt for work and appointments...do you have a better awareness of time?

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am glad everything is still going well for you.  How is the business doing?

Glad things are going so well for you and you found the right med combination. 

Hey everyone,

I had announced my joy with the phenominal results I was having with Cymbalta.  After being on 7 other medications, it was surprising for me to have reached success with Cymbalta.  I am pleased to announce that it's been two months now, if not more, and the results are still great, if not a little better.  I say a little better because I'm not sleeping as badly as when I was first adjusting to it.  I'm on 20 milligrams, and it's just right.  A colleague of mine who had not seen me in a long time, commented that he and his dad are in complete shock with the way I'm behaving now.  Last time they were with me in a supposedly professional get together over dinner, they had not forgotten how over the top and manic I was acting, especially with a few drinks in me.  My colleague mentioned that his dad could not believe how calm and collected I've been acting socially and in business.  He is litterally speechless apparently.  I haven't had the urge to go act out my angst and hyperness by going out and wasting time at bars or just not doing anything to get me ahead.

I still haven't had a drink, or grubbed a cigarette, or had any pot.  I'm perfectly content staying at home, reading, watching movies on the weekend, if I'm not exercising.  I look forward to getting to my office on Monday mornings to advance my plans in my new business venture.  I hope that all of you find the same peace I've been able to find recently.

Mr. B

 

 

 

Opent your eyes,

So far you've made me think outside the box the last time two times you've responded to my posts.  As you might remember, I had listed diseprimine and wellbutrin on my list of drugs that did not work for me.  Wellbutrin made me very aggressive, along with lots of anxiety.  I don't know what it is, but the idea of taking more than one thing at a time, doesn't sit with me well.  Maybe it's having been brought up in a medical family, they had me watching things like my cholesterol when I was nine or so.  I'm worred that I can damage my liver, or invite other trouble, if I was to put a cocktail of pills in my system for a long period of time.  I commend you for the ease with which you try this and that, on a more multiple scale.  Anyway, just when I think I'm feeling ok, and I don't doubt that I do, your comments above makes me wonder if I could be better.

I think it's difficult for me to make a self analysis of my working memory to the extent that some tests could do.  For example, I do know that in school, my ability for math was none existent.  I did well with humanities where I would just cram information into my short term memory, and of course forget some of it naturally as time went on.  I'm a visual learner, and also speak a another language fluently without ever having studied it.  But when I studied French in School, I just couldn't learn to think in the other language, and could not excel.  So, as far as being able to take text, like a movie script, and memorize the lines, I don't know that I can do that now, and definitely couldn't before.  My problem with work, is that I could not sit still long enough to do things if there was down time.  I'm an entrepreneur.  Self motivation is very important for me.  I am much better with finishing tasks at one sitting now.  Before, if I had paperwork, I would get up multiple times, because of low frustration tolerance.  Now, I can actually sit for longer periods of time.  Secondly, sales is a significant portion of my business.  I can't telemarket, so I'm about to secure funding to hire that piece.  Nonetheless, with the Cymbalta, I'm less obsessed with a particular deal.  I know when it's out of reach to the extent that I know that I'd be more more efficient with time to walk away and move to the next, instead of hammering away at the prospective customer to achieve the close.  You've raised an interesting question about memory.  You see, I don't know or haven't felt my memory at a different level.  So, I don't know the difference.  I do know, that in the past, I was recognized by an acting coach when I was younger, that I had supposedly, a lot of raw talent for Acting.  However, I felt it too painful to memorize scripts.  It was just too difficult.  I just couldn't memorize the lines.  The Cymbalta has really reduced significantly, my impulsiveness, which sucked.  I basically just feel quite normal, whatever that is.

Now with respect to time and numbers etc.. I've always been quite responsible.  I have an alarm clock that wakes me every morning miserably.  I really have great difficulties waking up, but I do it.  I still like to have a large Star Bucks to start the day.  I use a palm pilot on my smart phone for appointments.  Now that you mention it.  A little more focus maybe good, but not necessary, especially if it meant adding anxiety to the picture.  I wonder though, based on your question, if I'm at the optimal level, or how much different the well functioning brain is.  The reference I have now since Cymbalta, is the best I've had so far.  One thing that has also drastically changed, is that I used to be hypersexual.  I am not that way anymore.  I think I'm probably normal in that sense.  I assume an increase in Dopamine would bring it up a notch.  Am I correct?  I guess what I'm asking, is what benefit would I have by getting the level of my dopamine up at this point?  I must say, there are times of course where I think it's kind of nice to have such a strong libido.  I'm not suggesting that I need to be such a driven person as I used to be, because it was a little bit over the top, and quite distracting.  I don't know, how does one know where the right level is I suppose?

I guess what I'm getting at, is how do I know at this point, if I would want to get one of these transmitters more in to play like for example, Dopamine.  I do know that the Dopamine increase with the Cymbalta, is most likely responsible for calming me down.  Those who used to know me are quite shocked to see me calmer. 

It seems that you are not necessarily ready to call it a day when you experiment with scripts.  For example, I think last time you said that you were on Zoloft and something that starts with an Rex... that's available in Europe.  Now I'm reading that you're on Zoloft and Wellbutrin.  Am I correct?  Have you changed your regimine since last time?

Mr. B

 

 

 

 

I'm experimenting with different medications that will increase Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepenephrine together. I have classic signs of low serotonin and therefore need to take something that will raise it.  The problem with SSRI's is that they only increase serotonin.  When Serotonin is increased, Dopamine is decreased, which causes apathy, decreased vigilance and amotivation.  Zoloft, which increases Dopamine as well as Serotonin is the only SSRI that doesn't reduce vigilance.  A core symptom of ADD is decreased vigilance, which is why taking SSRI's alone is not good for people with ADD, excluding Zoloft. 

Another good thing about Zoloft is that it is relatively non-toxic, and very easy on the liver.  But, Zolft alone doesn't increase dopamine or norepinephrine enough, the two chemicals implicated in ADD, nearly enough.   I was using Reboxetine, which is a selective NE blocker, but the sexual side effects were too much.  The only NE stimulator that does not reduce sex drive or vigilance is Wellbutrin, because of it's effect on Dopamine.  I've been taking only 150mg of XR / day.

Dopamine is important for sex drive, vigilance, and the prevention of apathy.   People who fall in love have low serotonin and high dopamine.   Cymbalta does potently increase dopamine where it is needed to treat ADD, the prefrontal cortex, but not in other places in the brain.  You could see some loss in interest in things, such as sex and other normal things that you are normally passionate about, a condition known as anadonia, by not keeping the dopamine levels high.   Wellbutrin is one of the only treatments for Adenonia, because of its ability to increase dopamine.

If it becomes a problem you can lower your dosage of cymbalta, or add a small dose of stimulant or wellbutrin, or if you want to do it natural you can take 500mg L-Tyrosine 3 times a day on an empty stomach.  Exercise is also a good way to increasing dopamine.  L-Tyrosine is a precurser to Dopamine.  The good thing about taking medications for ADD is that smaller doses seem to be more effective than the same dosage of medication used for other problems such as depression.

OpenYourEyes38377.8969791667