kittykatbone
Member
Reged: 06/20/03
Posts: 150
Loc: City of lost Angels
|
|
as omeone stated above ~ what goes up must come down. i would compare it to a helium baloon. when you fill it, it slowly rises to the cailing. but when that ballon comes down or bursts, it becomes smaller & lands faster than when it went up. NOT good for releiving anxiety in the long run, & i find even use of a stimulant one day will deplete my seratonin (?) levels for the nex day. i take an ephidrine or 2 when i nees to get my @ss in gear, but i usually feel worse when they wear off. turning to benzos after speed ~ it usualy takes at least twice as much for me (xanax, klonipin, etc) thus creating another drug tolerance problem.
keep us posted!
sicerely ~ louis
--------------------
some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug
|
jbnugget
Newbie
Reged: 11/14/02
Posts: 44
Loc: Boston area
|
|
I have a severe, refractory depression, I've been on almost every antidepressant in the US Pharmacopaeia, including MAOIs. Even ECT (shock therapy) was of no help. Now, I see a Dr who, after a few months, decided to give Ritalin a try. He knows my history of addiction. Fortunately, stimulants in general (alcohol, too) are drugs I really don't like. So giving me a stimulant poses few(er) problems. I do have a friend who helps me by doling them out 5 days at a time. I won't abuse them cuz I hate the speed crash far more than the first rush. I'm on 20mg of time release 3x/day.
I've been disabled by my depression and on SSDI for almost 5 years. This drug has me out of bed every day (it used to be only 2-3 days & barely functional). My doc is a bit out there but considered by almost all of his colleagues to be top notch. Several of my friends who are MDs in this field actually checked him out for me. After almost 4 months I've stayed on the same dose w/no sign of tolerance building. My doc may not be planning to keep me on it forever, but he's made no mention of stopping. He's seen the turnaround it's helped me achieve.
Yes, it is HIGHLY unusual to do what we're doing, but it works very well for me. Maybe he did it because he saw how close to suicide I was getting. A previous letter (sorry, poster, I don't recall your name) mentioned such situations. Better a cautious risk than a sure death. I look forward to most days now, very unlike the 'life/existence' I was living.
I don't post often, but I'll try to keep y'all informed of our progress (or whatever the results).
Best to all,
jbnugget
|
night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
|
|
Nihil/Adamantos (hope I spelled that right!)
Amphetamines are notorious for KILLING the sex drives in men.
I don't know any adult men who take Adderall, so I don't know if it's true for that, but the men I've known who use/d methamphetamine...they come up---IT goes down! 
End of story!
Just wanted to clarify this.
Best regards!
--------------------
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
|
zorg
Veteran
Reged: 04/29/02
Posts: 559
Loc: Midwest
|
|
I take prescribed adderall during workhours (8-14 hours) and um, it drives the libido through the ROOF. Not sure if this is because it supposedly works "different" on me because I truly do manifest "ADHD" to such an extreme degree it's amusing to everyone. At least it only screwed up school/myself and didn't make me physically destructive. It also gave me my career, so I won't complain. But yeah, when I take it, I have the libido of myself at 16, and THEN some.
I also sleep like a baby when the day is done when it would keep most people up, bizarre. Most important thing about that drug is to ALWAYS take vacations, every week, at least 48 hours, without fail. If you abuse, oh man, you're frickin DONE.
|
Adamantios
Banned again
Reged: 10/23/03
Posts: 19
|
|
Quote:
Amphetamines are notorious for KILLING the sex drives in men.
I don't know any adult men who take Adderall, so I don't know if it's true for that, but the men I've known who use/methamphetamine...they come up---IT goes down!
Chronic and long-term use of stimulants (amphetamines, methamphetamines, cocaine) does decrease the sex drive, but short-term or occassional use actually increases it.
|
night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
|
|
Thanks, boys, that's always good information to have!
--------------------
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
|
shadowrose40
Stranger
Reged: 10/23/03
Posts: 21
Loc: NC
|
|
HI
Depression is usually caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain- a stimulant isn't going to help correct that at all.
As for anxiety- stimulants would likely make that worse- a lot worse.
Stimulants can help with the fatigue associated with chronic pain and pain meds, however. Provogil is often prescribed for this reason
--------------------
Please help promote fibromyalgia awareness. Visit http://www.fibrofoglights.org today 
|
astrophel2
Board Addict
Reged: 03/11/03
Posts: 301
Loc: Georgia
|
|
I also have social anxiety disorder. At one point, my doc had me on celexa, klonopin, wellbutrin, and propranolol. I doubt the wellbutrin did anything to energize me; I had trouble remembering lectures.
Lexapro has been treating me well, but I suspect that it's making me sleep too much! I took a seven-hour nap yesterday and STILL went to bed at my normal time (sleeping for ANOTHER 9 hours). I think i'm about to call my doc and ask about provigil!
--------------------
-Melissa
|
Nitzboy
Stranger
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 21
|
|
Wrong. Stimulants are often used to treat depression in those who cannot tolerate antidepressants, primarily the elderly. Where did you get the idea that stimulants don't effect chemical imbalances? Provigil is approved only for narcolepsy, but it does have off-label uses such as combatting the fatigue caused by other types of medications. And it is true, of course, that stimulants CAN (but don't always) worsen anxiety.
|
night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
|
|
Propanolol is a bizarre medication to be used in someone who is depressed as it can CAUSE depression. I really felt the most depressed in my life when I was on propanolol for blood pressure. You didn't state whether or not you took it for depression or for cardiac issues.
--------------------
Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
|
Nitzboy
Stranger
Reged: 11/02/03
Posts: 21
|
|
Inderal can cause depression. But, it is also used for social anxiety.
|
vol
Stranger
Reged: 08/19/03
Posts: 4
Loc: West of California
|
|
I've suffered from treatment resistent depression for many years and have found Buprenex (burenorphine) to be a life-saver. I've used it daily for over 6 months and my depression and social anxiety have almost completely disappeared. I take .3mg of buprenex three times a day w/ 12.5 mg of PaxilCR and the results have been amazing...within a week I was feeling almost normal again.
I have also used Provigil in the past as a stimulant for treating the depression. Only small doses seemed to be effective (100mg once a day). I did feel better for awhile on the Provigil but after a few months I started to really feel the physical dependence on the stuff and my moods became erratic on it...not severe, but enough for me to stop using it. I was going to go for ECT right before I started on the buprenex and am so glad I didn't go that route. Only side effects from the buprenex were constipation (using a mild laxative solved this).
I can't say enough about buprenex for depression...can't believe it's not more widely prescribed. Much easier on the body than any ssris or maois I've ever been on and I've been on just about all of them.
Dr. Bodkin of McLean Hospital (Harvard) has done a lot of studies with buprenex and depression...it's too bad that buprenorphine is being marketed now for treating opiate dependence in the forms of Subutex and Subonex (sp?) in the US. A lot of pdocs will be very skeptical about prescribing a narcotic agonist to treat depression, but this has been a wonder drug and a lifesaver for me.
Good luck and hope this helps.
|
Pocahontas
Enthusiast
Reged: 01/28/03
Posts: 214
Loc: North
|
|
Back in the day, when I was in nursing school doing clinicals, about 1995, I noticed many nursing home patients were on Ritalin for depression and low energy. I thought that strange but it made sense! That's the only experience I had with stimulants for depression.
A couple years ago, I went to a headache mgmt doc who put me on daily morphine for my persistant headaches and along with the MS he rx'd me Provigil to counteract the sleepiness that went along with the morphine. I'm not sure if it worked or not. I'm guessing "no" or I would remember it.
--------------------
~Princess Pocahontas
Aim for the moon, for if you miss you will always land amongst the stars ...
|
toe
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 10/09/02
Posts: 1443
Loc: MidWest USA
|
|
Odd. . .morphine doesn't cause me any sleepiness, If anything, opiates gently exacerbate my insomnia.
Here's something to throw out there though. . .
I don't remember where I read it, but I do recall hearing of the use of thyroid medication concurrent with initiating a new anti-depressant to give it a jump start. Don't anybody run out and buy a supply of synthroid to go with your lexapro! I just recall hearing that somewhere, and (aside from the fact that thyroid meds can make a non-hypothyrodic person terribly sick) some of the effects of hyperthyroidism mimic those of amphetamines.
--------------------
"It's the end of the World as We Know it. . ."
-REM "and I'm seeking asylum in Canada"-toe
|
Pocahontas
Enthusiast
Reged: 01/28/03
Posts: 214
Loc: North
|
|
Yes, I have heard of this before. My psychiatrist had once put me on Wellbutrin and when it wasn't working and "energizing" me, as well as Provigil, he did mention using a thyroid medication to speed me up.
Frightening that hydro does this and works like a charm....
--------------------
~Princess Pocahontas
Aim for the moon, for if you miss you will always land amongst the stars ...
|
sheenafur
Enthusiast
Reged: 04/25/03
Posts: 225
Loc: California
|
|
Hydro used to energize me, but for the last couple of weeks, I literally can't keep my eyes open sometimes. I haven't raised the dosage, but I feel much different. It's VERY annoying. I'm also taking Neurontin, however, and this may be the cause.
--------------------
Go easy, step lightly, stay free--J. Strummer
|
2muchpain
Enthusiast
Reged: 10/07/03
Posts: 274
Loc: USA
|
|
I'll bet it's the neurontin. Nasty stuff. At least it was for me. My MD prescribed it to be taken in the PM when he decided to quit prescribing the ambien he had been giving me for three years  . Well guess what - I was sooooo hungover in the morning, I had to call in sick. That made me furious.
|
sheenafur
Enthusiast
Reged: 04/25/03
Posts: 225
Loc: California
|
|
Yup--I quit drinking last July and it was so great to wake up feeling perky. I'm taking 900 mgs of Neurontin 3x a day. I wake up feeling like I drank a bottle of whiskey the night before. Plus, I've been on it for 9 weeks, and it hasn't helped my peripheral neuropathy at all. I had so much hope, as I'd read it worked wonders for that condition. ALL of my docs, however, seem to think that the answer is raising my dose even more. Yes, it's nasty stuff. My GP refers to it as a "really neat drug." Probably because the manufacturer sent him on a a "really neat" trip to Hawaii.
--------------------
Go easy, step lightly, stay free--J. Strummer
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit 
Reply 
Quote 
