Meds for ADHD with Anxiety??? | ADHD Information

I think they say to be cautious with taking these when people have anxiety bc it is an upper and as we know, uppers make you even more full of anxiety and paranoia. 

 

Hi Mom! So many meds say "use cautiously in patients with marked anxiety". I've always wondered about this also. My thought is: It states use cautiously, since those with marked anxiety to begin with may develop worse anxiety, which may lead to other complications. As with most warnings that meds state, the percentage is extremely low of those who develop complications from the meds, and they most likely had/have some deeper problem than just AD/HD and to which the meds may attribute. This is why it's so important to do follow ups with your doctor while on meds on a regular basis.

I believe most of us who have self-medicated, myself included, did so because we were never diagnosed until adulthood. We wanted to feel 'normal' and didn't understand why we were so different. As growing up, some turn to alcohol and/or drugs, or sexual promiscuity, or gambling (for stimulation).

And many of us self-medicate(d) with caffeine (pop, coffee, etc.) to slow our minds down. I actually drink a cup of coffee to help put me to sleep on nights I can't get sleepy.

I personally take an antidepressant to help with the anxiety, and it seems to work well.GypsyWomyn38490.414849537HEY Gypsywoman! I was wondering why I got out of bed so easily this morning. I had taken 2 Excedrin last night before bed for a headache (loaded with caffeine) and I popped right out of bed. I also wondered why caffeine doesn't make me as hyper as regular people. hehe It does if I skip a few days..

So many meds say "use cautiously in patients with marked anxiety". Don't most of us with ADHD also suffer from anxiety??? Thoughts anyone?? Or do you know of a med that's good for both?

When confused or stressed, I often use the phrase 

" I've just have to much running around up there" / meaning my brain...

I'm also Interested in how some of you have said you tried self medicating.

Any luck with that? Success stories... 

yeah gypsywomyn, I actually drink a cup of coffee to help put me to
sleep on nights I can't get sleepy.
me too. it really works.

For the anxiety thing, i did not find out what to do about that yet.
I got treated with paroxetin and fluoxetin because of my problems with
trains, bars and conference rooms. None of those worked. That was an
important fact that led to the adhd diagnosis. The hyperactivity and my
problem with noisy environments were misinterpreted. I'll have to see if
some stimulant medication will help. Maybe the anxity problems will
vanish as a side effect. The therapy also has to be adapted, i think. That is
how i understood it. Just my two cent...ADHiDsBest38491.2657638889I know what they mean by "use cautiously in patients with marked anxiety" as I suffer from "marked anxiety" myself.  I cannot take any stimulant medications as I have severe panic attacks when on them.  I even tried Gaba and that also worsened my anxiety to the point where I thought I was going to die one night.  Too much caffeine can exacerbate the anxiety as well -for me. I do think you are right about many ADHD people suffering  from anxiety-but perhaps more of a general anxiety and not an anxiety disorder.   Found this online:

Anxiety is a normal experience. Moderate or high levels of anxiety can increase alertness and performance in particular situations. However, people who experience continuous or recurring fears, or episodes of intense fear can feel powerless to manage their symptoms and their lives can become severely restricted. Anxiety Disorders affect at least 12% of Australians at some time in their lives. The increasing demands and stress of everyday life means that anxiety has become a problem in our society. All indications are that stress related mental health issues, such as anxiety disorders and depression, will represent a growing area of need in Mental Health resources within the next few years.

The five major anxiety disorders are Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety (sometimes referred to as Social Phobia), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Other types of disorders are Specific Phobia and Separation Anxiety.

Untreated or unrecognized anxiety disorders can lead to secondary conditions such as agoraphobia, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, or tragically in some cases, suicide.

Not intended to contradict any of your diagnoses with AD/HD, but from my research and my own experience (as well as other's) with AD/HD, I always thought if caffeine increased anxiety for someone, then they may not even have ADHD. Even if you're not diagnosed with the 'hyperactivity' ADD (which is usually physical hyperactivity) your brain still needs/wants to slow down, I'm sure. And the stimulants ought to help with that, including caffeine...unless of course you're drinking 10+ cups a day....and top of that taking a stimulant! lol Best to reduce or stop caffeine when on stimulants.

[quote=ADHiDsBest]...got treated with paroxetin and fluoxetin because of my problems with trains, bars and conference rooms. None of those worked.[/quote]
ADHiDsBest, when you tried the Paxil and Prozac, how long did you take either one before 'giving up'? Although I'm not sure they would work on the sensitivity to noise anyway, so they may not have worked regardless.


[QUOTE=wickedmeowmer] Sooo, what would be the difference between 'general anxiety' and 'anxiety disorder'? Just the severity? [/QUOTE]
I'd suggest searching on WebMD to find answers to this, or google if you don't find anything.Sooo, what would be the difference between 'general anxiety' and 'anxiety disorder'? Just the severity? Sorry, it's lengthy... Couldn't stop it.
[QUOTE=GypsyWomyn]
ADHiDsBest, when you tried the Paxil and Prozac, how long did
you take either one before 'giving up'? Although I'm not sure they would
work on the sensitivity to noise anyway, so they may not have worked
regardless.[/QUOTE]

GypsyWomyn, i took paroxetin (Paxil) for about 11 month with a
maximum dosage of 60mg (if i remember correctly). During some of the
time, i was meeting a therapist (got kicked out because i missed two
appointments -- jumped out of the train because i could not stand it). In
the last meeting, the therapist told me that she thinks that it did not help
anyways and that it seems that she tries to treat the wrong problem.

A few weeks later, i had to quit university and move back to my parents
because of my problems in attending lectures and missings some dead
lines. My new physician thought that fluoxetin (Prozac) might be the right
choice because of some additional signs of compulsive behavior in my
way to organize things. That medication lasted for about 3 to 4 month
(don't remember the dosage here).

After all, the best medication for traveling by train is to stick my fingers
into my ears. Some times it's even better to close only one ear. That
reduces the surrounding sounds to some garbled noise and it also shuts
up the revolving thoughts in my head. Looking out of the window and
seeing the landscape as a string of changing colors also helps some
times. But the other day, it might make it worse because i fear being
touched without knowing before it happens. Since i'm very sensitive to
touch, i might overreact and i prefer watching the situation for that
reason.

The right medication for lectures and conferences has yet to be found,
though :)

Problem in europe is, that there are no meds available for adults with
adhd. You can only try to get them prescribed as off-label-use, but then
you have to pay them yourself. Not the best therapy for unemployed
people :( The other choice is to participate in some survey but then you
might get placebo for free. I'm in the roulette lot for now.

Hope that helps.