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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
I have depression and anxiety which is mostly treatment-resistant, but psychiatrists have a great reputation for not wanting to prescribe the stimulants.
I find a lot of people talking about their stimulants (Dexedrine,Focalin,Adderall,Concerta), do all of you have ADHD?
I don't know if psychiatrists have a point when they don't want to prescribe them to depressives without ADHD. I once took the 4-hour acting Ritalin, I had to take it every 4-5 hours and any good effects wore off in a couple of days.
Can anyone tell me if the extended-release or sustained-release forms are any better and don't lose their effect with depression? And which of them is the best? I doubt they work well outside of ADHD because doctors still don't want to prescribe them to depressives, but I thought I'd still ask, I'm not up to date on these extended release forms.
Posted by Zana on June 9, 2009, at 8:58:05
In reply to Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
My pdoc has prescribed all the amphetamines to me at one time or another. To augment treatment for depression not ADD. I take provigil now - an entirely different class of meds - as a stimulant and some people think it has AD effects.
Zana
Posted by Zana on June 9, 2009, at 9:00:08
In reply to Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
PS Provigil has a half life of about 7 hours so I take it 2X a day and it does have an up and down effect which I buffer with klonopin and gapapentin. But it is a really helpful med for me.
Zana
Posted by Phillipa on June 9, 2009, at 11:58:17
In reply to Re: Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by Zana on June 9, 2009, at 9:00:08
Zana no anxiety with it? Love Phillipa
Posted by Zana on June 9, 2009, at 12:56:56
In reply to Re: Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD? » Zana, posted by Phillipa on June 9, 2009, at 11:58:17
Well, yeah, I think there is some anxiety with it which is why I take it with klonopin and gabapentin. It seems theres always a trade off.
Zana
Posted by shasling on June 9, 2009, at 14:00:10
In reply to Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
> I have depression and anxiety which is mostly treatment-resistant, but psychiatrists have a great reputation for not wanting to prescribe the stimulants.
>
> I find a lot of people talking about their stimulants (Dexedrine,Focalin,Adderall,Concerta), do all of you have ADHD?
>
> I don't know if psychiatrists have a point when they don't want to prescribe them to depressives without ADHD. I once took the 4-hour acting Ritalin, I had to take it every 4-5 hours and any good effects wore off in a couple of days.
>
> Can anyone tell me if the extended-release or sustained-release forms are any better and don't lose their effect with depression? And which of them is the best? I doubt they work well outside of ADHD because doctors still don't want to prescribe them to depressives, but I thought I'd still ask, I'm not up to date on these extended release forms.I take Vyvanse, which is methamphetamine with an amino acid attached that only gets unlocked in the stomach; keeps people from snorting it. Anyway, I don't have ADD, I just finally found a doc courageous enough to try me on stims, which turned out to be a VERY key piece of the cocktail that finally provided remission for me. We started on Provigil (I have atypical depr with all the oversleeping and fatigue) then a new doc said oh here try this instead, and gave me Vyvanse. I had to doctor shop to find one willing to actually treat me cause I needed meds that are clearly terrifying to most docs. Best of luck, truly, I know how much that sucks. btw I found my doc on the chronic fatigue doc referral board; maybe docs who already consider that a real condition are already thinking out of the box and may be more willing to try unconventional treatments. I've often thought that if we were all smart we'd start a doc referral of our own...
Anyway, good luck.
Posted by desolationrower on June 10, 2009, at 16:51:13
In reply to Re: Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by shasling on June 9, 2009, at 14:00:10
> > I have depression and anxiety which is mostly treatment-resistant, but psychiatrists have a great reputation for not wanting to prescribe the stimulants.
> >
> > I find a lot of people talking about their stimulants (Dexedrine,Focalin,Adderall,Concerta), do all of you have ADHD?
> >
> > I don't know if psychiatrists have a point when they don't want to prescribe them to depressives without ADHD. I once took the 4-hour acting Ritalin, I had to take it every 4-5 hours and any good effects wore off in a couple of days.
> >
> > Can anyone tell me if the extended-release or sustained-release forms are any better and don't lose their effect with depression? And which of them is the best? I doubt they work well outside of ADHD because doctors still don't want to prescribe them to depressives, but I thought I'd still ask, I'm not up to date on these extended release forms.
>
> I take Vyvanse, which is methamphetamine with an amino acid attached that only gets unlocked in the stomach; keeps people from snorting it. Anyway, I don't have ADD, I just finally found a doc courageous enough to try me on stims, which turned out to be a VERY key piece of the cocktail that finally provided remission for me. We started on Provigil (I have atypical depr with all the oversleeping and fatigue) then a new doc said oh here try this instead, and gave me Vyvanse. I had to doctor shop to find one willing to actually treat me cause I needed meds that are clearly terrifying to most docs. Best of luck, truly, I know how much that sucks. btw I found my doc on the chronic fatigue doc referral board; maybe docs who already consider that a real condition are already thinking out of the box and may be more willing to try unconventional treatments. I've often thought that if we were all smart we'd start a doc referral of our own...
>
> Anyway, good luck.its attached to dexamphetamine, not methamphetamine
glad it works
Posted by Biges on June 11, 2009, at 8:20:51
In reply to Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
I think the readon commonly given for not prescribing stimulants for depressed patients it that the sudden wave of energy could lead to increased chance of suicide behaviour.
Posted by Sigismund on June 13, 2009, at 20:03:11
In reply to Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by SadDoggie on June 9, 2009, at 7:13:22
Not legally in Australia.
Posted by linkadge on June 15, 2009, at 7:49:00
In reply to Re: Does anyone take stimulants without having ADHD?, posted by Biges on June 11, 2009, at 8:20:51
>I think the readon commonly given for not >prescribing stimulants for depressed patients it >that the sudden wave of energy could lead to >increased chance of suicide behaviour.
Or, perhaps the sudden wave of actually feeling good might prevent them from doing it. I remember months of SSRI therapy and still feeling suicidal. After a few minutes on a stim I remembers saying "I actaully feel ok".
This is the end of the thread.
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