Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on May 18, 2009, at 22:57:48
In reply to Re: drug for motivation!, posted by garnet71 on May 2, 2009, at 18:50:44
This may help. I have atypical depression: it's not that I can't get out of bed, it's that I have some days where I am "in the tank" so to speak, and others where I seem to function okay. Typical of atypical depression, harharhar, is that my mood depends on what's happening around me--very situational, in a micro way.
At the same time, I have ADD, subtype inattentive. I had a bunch of tests, including the neurolex test (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22136)--have you had tests yet, a confirmation?
Like you, it is hard for me to get motivated. That's obviously part of depression, but it happens when depression lifts, too. Unlike you, I get distracted easily, unless I am really "into" what I am doing. I can also get very overfocused, spending hours more time on something than I should. Hard to pull myself away.
Still, because anxiety has become such a huge part of the picture lately, my therapist questions whether a mood stabilizer would help. But I am totally resistant. I have read that Lamictal, for instance, can impact word recall--not something a writer/editor needs!!
It's all really confusing. One thing I know--I too need something for motivation. I have also asked my pdoc for Provigil and have not gotten it. I don't understand why they are so resistant. Is it an insurance thing? My sleep study doc said that insurance's algorithm is first the doc tries you on Ritalin and Adderall, then Provigil. But I have just about the best insurance ever, and a diagnosis of ADD (and have not tolerated Adderall). So wtf? I'm ditching my pdoc anyway. He doesn't seem to think the ADD is worth working on. Baaaahhhh.
> see - that's the thing! I am interested/motivated in some activities/people but not others......it seems like ADD amplified...symptoms have progressed real bad at this point...which is a reason I had previously asked if ADD could be progressive......so if I was in a depressive state-not just based soley on your ancedotal experience--but taking everything else into account--it would be 'all or nothing'. I remember being depressed years ago too. Well, a little bit. See what I mean, jellybean?
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> Well I'm going to try a little experiment-I don't think it's harmful at all...I'm going to take dextro one day, Ritalin the next. I just remembered I have a bunch of Ritalin left. I need some nicotine gum though...i wonder if you can get that free anywhere? I don't want to start up w/cigarettes again - when I almost had a breakdown in January, i started cigarettes again, but recently quit again.
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> I don't want to get caught up in mood stablizers/anti-convulsant trials unless necessary. I'll probably try the Pristiq next week. Just worried it will make me too tired to function for a while. But I could see how the dextro/ritalin experiment works first...only 2 more weeks till I graduate from UG school, can't screw it up now. and gotta sell my home. what to do - ? -
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> Thanks for all your help and advice Scott! Have a nice evening! :-)
poster:Amelia_in_StPaul
thread:893899
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090515/msgs/896526.html