Anxiety meds helping? | ADHD Information

Yes, good idea getting some books for your hubby to read. Or...you could drop your antipressant into his morning coffee!

I don't believe antidepressants ever did much for my short-term memory. And I've been taking them for many years. I suppose some research on the internet for some 'natural' assistance would be good for both of us. If you come up with something, please let me know and visa versa.

20 mg is a moderate dosage. I know people who have been on that dosage for years, as well, and are quite happy with it.

Meanwhile, you do have a good attitude. Keep it up!

Consider taking Welbutrin. My dr decided 20 yrs ago that "If you weren't an adult, I would dx ADD, but adults don't get it, only kids. Kids with ADD outgrow it." He said I had what looked like a classic case.

He tried all kinds of different things which didn't work. When it became apparent that adults do have ADD, he put me on Welbutrin and what a difference! He never told me what it was for though.

I would take myself off (no insurance) and then when the depression and anxiety symptoms got too bad to deal with and I was messing up at work, etc., I'd go back in and renew it. It can take a while to rev up but I always noticed an immediate difference.I have never taken anything else for ADD and am considering trying a very low dose of ritalin for focus. I've seen people who posted that they were taking a combination.

The welbutrin by itself seems to have little effect on my memory although its possible I just don't remember how bad it was without it! I do think it helps but not as much as I've read that the other meds. do.

Autumn, let me know if helps with your short-term memory?

Also, what dosage have you started on? Whatever it is, if it's working that's great!

And I'll repeat what I always do when people start a new med, especially antidepressants. If you DO decide to stop taking it, please, please wean yourself off.
[QUOTE=autumnstar] I actually think it's [Fluoxetine]helping me. I feel calmer, that I can handle irritations better. And this is the perfect time for me to get this help - I have a new boss (she started June 1st) and she's ripping our team apart unintentionally. It's just amazing watching her trying to be nice as she's pissing every one off. I've noticed my reactions to her have gone from extreme anger to just shaking my head and wondering what's next.

I've noticed that I'm not having the racing thoughts as badly as before. I still have many thoughts and interrupt tasks still. But I find that I can force myself to finish tasks before moving on to the next item.

I'm not on any other medication but I'm beginning to think that my ADHD is mild (I have been diagnosed with ADHD w/Anxiety) and my Anxiety makes it worse.

Can anyone relate?[/QUOTE]
Autumn...I can most definitely relate. I'm so glad you're reacting more positive while taking Fluoxetine (Prozac). Once I began an antidepressant (Prozac for many years, now Paxil, because it helps with my Tourettes tics better), my anxiety level also dropped considerably. I no longer have panic/anxiety attacks. I've also been able to control my anger at least 95% of the time...and when I do get angry now, I find I can usually step back and look at the situation and walk away when necessary.

The fact that you can now 'force' yourself to complete tasks and move on to another demonstrates that you are working with your antidepressant.

I truly believe if none of the ADHD meds work for me (which looks like it may be the case), that the antidepressant alone, along with my knowledge of ADHD and some tools/tips available I can use to cope...I'll probably do just as well as you seem to be. I just forget sometimes, to work with and 'force' myself to accomplish things. Although, you are an inspiration and motivation for me. Thank you!

If you find at times it doesn't seem to work as well as other times, Autumn, or you don't seem as motivated, don't fret, it may just be because of you've diet, how much you've been 'exercising,' how much you've been actually working 'with' the med, etc.

Just keeping a positive attitude is half (or more) the battle!

GypsyWomyn,

Thanks for your replies. My dr put me on 20 mg once a day. My pharmacist says that's a 'moderate' dosage.

I would have to say that right now, it's not improving my short term memory. Maybe even hindering it. There's several things that I was to help remind my husband on this week (and 1 for myself) and I didn't remember them until it was too late. It's funny to me though because I don't get upset over these things like I once would have.

I see what you mean about "if there are days that it doesn't seem to be working", I had one of those the other day. Then the rest of the time, it's working so well that I feel "back to normal" and that I can just stop taking it. That's when I have to remind myself - "that means it's WORKING".

I too believe that I might just try using this to see if I can handle my ADHD with other coping skills. My husband is concerned because he feels that the doctor is wrong in giving me the meds this time and that I'm becoming a hypochondriac. Which is funny to me because this is the ONLY med I'm taking right now.

Isn't it common for ADHDers to be labeled 'hypochondriac's until their diagnosis? I really need to get my husband to read some books on ADHD. Maybe then he'll ease up when he wants to nag me about things.

Autumnstar

Hi - it's been a little while since I've posted. I've been working @ 60 hours a week. That got to be too much for me, thought I was having an asthma attack. I went to the dr and he said he thought it was an anxiety attack. He prescribed me Fluoxetine. My pharmacist said that it'll either help or will have no effect on me at all. That it could take 2 weeks to a month before I notice anything. Well, I've been on it almost 2 weeks now.

I actually think it's helping me. I feel calmer, that I can handle irritations better. And this is the perfect time for me to get this help - I have a new boss (she started June 1st) and she's ripping our team apart unintentionally. It's just amazing watching her trying to be nice as she's pissing every one off. I've noticed my reactions to her have gone from extreme anger to just shaking my head and wondering what's next.

I've noticed that I'm not having the racing thoughts as badly as before. I still have many thoughts and interrupt tasks still. But I find that I can force myself to finish tasks before moving on to the next item.

I'm not on any other medication but I'm beginning to think that my ADHD is mild (I have been diagnosed with ADHD w/Anxiety) and my Anxiety makes it worse.

Can anyone relate?

Autumnstar

I also was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety. I've tried a few different antisdepresants, Zoloft, Prozac, some other one that I can't remember. I do remember that the Zoloft caused sexual side effects, so I stopped that before I became depressed as well and with the Prozac I felt too much brain fog (and sexual side effects).

Prozac, as far as I know, is indicated for depression, Bulimia Nervosa, and OCD (an anxiety disorder). A somewhat newer SSRI, and the one I take is Lexapro.

It is the only antidepressant (SSRI) I know of that is indicated for either depression or GAD (generalized anxiety disorder).

I take it (a small dose of 5mgs) (the recommended dosage is 10mg) and I don't have any side effects. It has worked wonders for me!

I also take a low dose of Adderal XR - 20mgs, for help with motivation, organization, follow through, ect.

We're all individuals, but this is what works best for me.

Here s link with some more info on Lexapro:

http://www.lexapro.com/english/about_anxiety/lexapro_and_gad .aspx

bepatient,

Like you I have ADHD w/anxiety. I was at first put on 10mg of Lexapro and it is a miracle drug. But as soon as I started on the short acting Adderall it caused my anxiety to get worse. I started eating the skin around my fingers again until they were bleeding. It seemed the higher I went on the Adderall the more it felt like I was on speed. Even on the lower dosage, I was still drinking a pot of coffee/day to get the awake feeling. I was still late, couldn't remember what I had for dinner the previous night, it would take me 10 hrs to clean my 2,000 square ft house, I was still thinking a million miles an hour. Now, starting on Monday my Dr wants to try me on Provigil. I was thinking about mentioning Wellbutrin since I was on a low dosage for about a year for my IBS (my primary MD put me on it for stress). I wonder if that would help with the ADHD now that I'm on Lexapro.

Believe it or not, the Lexapro has helped with my hyperactivity. I can now sit down to eat dinner, it has helped with me not getting angry over the little things, I no longer cleaning every second of every day. I dont have panic attacks when things aren't where they are susposed to be.

But I still can't sit still long enough to read a book. I have never been depressed.

As you can tell, I am having a ADHD moment since being off the Adderall for 2 days now. I am rambling. Oh, by the way did I mention that I get distracted very easily. I went out & bought a 16x20 dry erase board to help me remember things to do for the day along w/the calendar I have posted & that still hasnt helped. For instance, last week I was 20 mins late for my Dr appt because I had to do the dishes before I left. So, I guess the Adderall didnt help that issue.

Thanks for letting me ramble on.

Tracy

[QUOTE=bepatient]

Prozac, as far as I know, is indicated for depression, Bulimia Nervosa, and OCD (an anxiety disorder). A somewhat newer SSRI, and the one I take is Lexapro.

It is the only antidepressant (SSRI) I know of that is indicated for either depression or GAD (generalized anxiety disorder).

I take it (a small dose of 5mgs) (the recommended dosage is 10mg) and I don't have any side effects. It has worked wonders for me!

I also take a low dose of Adderal XR - 20mgs, for help with motivation, organization, follow through, ect.

We're all individuals, but this is what works best for me.

Here s link with some more info on Lexapro:

http://www.lexapro.com/english/about_anxiety/lexapro_and_gad .aspx

[/QUOTE]

Well, I'm not sure that the Prozac is helping me out completely. My pharmacist said that I'll know it's working because it'll give me more energy. Up until Friday, I was working 60 hour weeks. So I was exhausted all the time. I figured that over the weekend I'd get more sleep and be caught up.

This week, I'm back to working my 40 hour stretch. But I'm still tired. I went home yesterday and crashed out for a couple of hours. Then I'm tired again today. This isn't normal for me.

So now I'm wondering, has it been helping me at all? Maybe not, could just be a placebo effect that I THOUGHT it was helping so I was able to deal with my anxiety better. OR it actually could be helping with my anxiety but I'm having a side effect of tiredness. All day long, I am exhausted. That can't be good.

[QUOTE=dtsjor]

But I still can't sit still long enough to read a book. I have never been depressed.

I am on Lexapro and Strattera. I agree with what you said. I feel so much calmer when things go awry. It helps me with the children at school too. I can stop and take a breath before dealing with an issue; where before I just jumped!

I can really tell how it helps me because there was a time last winter when I could not afford to refill my prescrip for a week. By the end of the week, my emotions were all over the map!

As for reading the book...I love to read but cannot do it for long periods of time. So what I have discovered helps is to read a chapter, then go do a task around the house, and then come back and read another chapter and so on. That accomplishes two things for me. I am enjoying reading my book and breaking my tasks down so that I do not feel so overwhelmed!