Potential Mental Health Breakthrough – ADHD/OCD - thoughts?
June 14, 2019 12:20 PM Subscribe
A search of my Ask history will reveal that I have been struggling with depression for my whole life. It has been severe for the last decade despite therapy, psychiatric drugs and even ketamine. I think that it perhaps is due to incomplete diagnosis. Details within
I have had lifelong OCD and depression. Over the last few years I have had constant obsessive thoughts. My brain is never at peace and I cannot relax. I started meds again with a new fancy NYC psychiatrist. Serotonin treatments have never helped, despite being the recommendation for OCD. I have thought that I might have ADHD too. I stumbled across this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu0mN68rkEs&t=1s
This is very interesting because Adderall is one of the very few things that ever made me feel better. I told my Dr this, but stated that it felt like a recreational drug high when I was on it. I was almost euphoric. I chalked this up to it being an amphetamine. It also came up as increased risk on my Genomind test due to 2D6 being the primary metabolizing enzyme. He rx’d me Intuniv on top of the Prestiq that I have been taking for over a year.
After watching Dr Parker’s video, I called him for a phone consult. He thinks that I should try Adderall, but just smaller doses throughout the day instead of the big 20MG once or twice a day…..that I may tolerate it better.
Has anyone here had dopamine AND serotonin problems together. ADHD and OCD? The other weird thing is that numerous docs are recommending to take 5htp with the Pristiq I am on and the Luvox that I am getting off. I thought that you were never supposed to do this due to Serotonin Syndrome risk, but two psychiatrists have recommended it.
I have to admit to being a little bit nervous about taking Adderall multiple times daily due to it being an amphetamine. Eating is one thing that I enjoy about life. This is huge when you are depressed. I am not looking forward to the appetite killing quality of this med.
I am currently on Latuda, Pristiq and Intuniv .... getting off of Luvox
I have had lifelong OCD and depression. Over the last few years I have had constant obsessive thoughts. My brain is never at peace and I cannot relax. I started meds again with a new fancy NYC psychiatrist. Serotonin treatments have never helped, despite being the recommendation for OCD. I have thought that I might have ADHD too. I stumbled across this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu0mN68rkEs&t=1s
This is very interesting because Adderall is one of the very few things that ever made me feel better. I told my Dr this, but stated that it felt like a recreational drug high when I was on it. I was almost euphoric. I chalked this up to it being an amphetamine. It also came up as increased risk on my Genomind test due to 2D6 being the primary metabolizing enzyme. He rx’d me Intuniv on top of the Prestiq that I have been taking for over a year.
After watching Dr Parker’s video, I called him for a phone consult. He thinks that I should try Adderall, but just smaller doses throughout the day instead of the big 20MG once or twice a day…..that I may tolerate it better.
Has anyone here had dopamine AND serotonin problems together. ADHD and OCD? The other weird thing is that numerous docs are recommending to take 5htp with the Pristiq I am on and the Luvox that I am getting off. I thought that you were never supposed to do this due to Serotonin Syndrome risk, but two psychiatrists have recommended it.
I have to admit to being a little bit nervous about taking Adderall multiple times daily due to it being an amphetamine. Eating is one thing that I enjoy about life. This is huge when you are depressed. I am not looking forward to the appetite killing quality of this med.
I am currently on Latuda, Pristiq and Intuniv .... getting off of Luvox
I have to admit to being a little bit nervous about taking Adderall multiple times daily due to it being an amphetamine.
Can you ask your doctor about a controlled release option? I took Concerta controlled release for many years and only had to take one at breakfast and one mid-afternoon. It did kill my appetite somewhat but not in a way where I actively didn’t want to eat. I ate normally. Food just didn’t come to mind unprompted. I didn’t have those moments where you’re walking outside on a hot summer day and think “wouldn’t an ice cream cone be lovely right now?” or smelling fresh bread and having your mouth water.
posted by sallybrown at 12:52 PM on June 14, 2019
Can you ask your doctor about a controlled release option? I took Concerta controlled release for many years and only had to take one at breakfast and one mid-afternoon. It did kill my appetite somewhat but not in a way where I actively didn’t want to eat. I ate normally. Food just didn’t come to mind unprompted. I didn’t have those moments where you’re walking outside on a hot summer day and think “wouldn’t an ice cream cone be lovely right now?” or smelling fresh bread and having your mouth water.
posted by sallybrown at 12:52 PM on June 14, 2019
Try a low dose non extended release adderall. I can’t take the extended release because of the “high” feeling and crash it gave me, but I do well on 5mg in the morning and 5mg again around noon, it feels infinitely more “normal.” You can also control your dose better that way.
Edited to add: the low dose doesn’t effect my appetite at all, if anything it seems to increase the frequency I need to eat without me physically feeling bad. The extended release killed my appetite completely, which is another reason I hated it.
posted by katypickle at 1:00 PM on June 14, 2019
Edited to add: the low dose doesn’t effect my appetite at all, if anything it seems to increase the frequency I need to eat without me physically feeling bad. The extended release killed my appetite completely, which is another reason I hated it.
posted by katypickle at 1:00 PM on June 14, 2019
Did Adderall make the OCD thoughts go away?
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:31 PM on June 14, 2019
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:31 PM on June 14, 2019
Response by poster: yes i said yes i will yes,
It makes me see everything as glass is half full.
posted by kbbbo at 1:39 PM on June 14, 2019
It makes me see everything as glass is half full.
posted by kbbbo at 1:39 PM on June 14, 2019
It makes me see everything as glass is half full.
Sure, that's speed for ya. But did it do anything for the OCD?
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:55 PM on June 14, 2019
Sure, that's speed for ya. But did it do anything for the OCD?
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 1:55 PM on June 14, 2019
Response by poster: yes i said yes i will yes,
I don't think it helped it or made it worse. I just felt better about things. I guess in that way, it helped my obsessions.
Thank you
posted by kbbbo at 2:09 PM on June 14, 2019
I don't think it helped it or made it worse. I just felt better about things. I guess in that way, it helped my obsessions.
Thank you
posted by kbbbo at 2:09 PM on June 14, 2019
I found Strattera to ramp down my ruminating really well, probably better than Vyvanse. It made my mind amazingly quiet. I took it with Zoloft, and the effect only lasted a couple years. By the time we realized the Zoloft had stopped working, I was already off the Strattera. I’d love to go back to it.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 3:09 PM on June 14, 2019
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 3:09 PM on June 14, 2019
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I can’t speak to the 5htp or atypical antipsychotics for depression, at least first-hand. I make do with an Effexor/Vyvanse combination, and it’s not perfect but it’s enough.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 12:48 PM on June 14, 2019