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help me - med related - anxiety/ADHD
So I've been on ADHD meds since around August, and for the most part, I've been pleased and think it has helped much more than any anti-depressant ever did.
But... I feel like my anxiety is higher than ever, and I've gone through a few med adjustments. It's almost like I get used to the meds and I slip back into the meds not doing a whole lot for me, if that makes sense. I take Vyvanse, fwiw. Like I feel zero motivation to do anything, which is part of my ADHD. So we up my dosage, and it's better, for awhile, and then it's back down again. Is that a me problem? I just don't know.
And the anxiety - I woke up around 3:30am this morning because my jaw hurt and I started to have a panic attack over it, which seems really excessive to me. If you take an anxiety med, are they all similar to ADs (like zoloft, wellbutrin)? Or are there other options? Is that something I should even pursue?
I know I should make an appointment with my doctor, but I guess I'm wondering if I really need to - is the lack of motivation just me? Something I need to deal with? Or a med issue? And I just feel like I don't even know what to say about it. "Oh hey, I feel like a waste of space and don't feel like doing anything?"
Thanks, y'all...
Re: help me - med related - anxiety/ADHD
What are YOU doing to motivate yourself?
Is depression part of your issues?
Meds only go so far and you have to do your part as well.
I would definitely talk with your Dr
Everyone has days when they do not feel motivated, but you cannot stay in that place. How to motivate yourself is different for each person. Do you set goals for yourself? Make a plan to implement them?
I take Lexapro for depression and anxiety, and while it has helped my depression, it has done wonders for my anxiety.
Definitely talk to your doctor about it. And if you aren't already, I'd recommend that you start seeing a therapist as well
Yes... I do make goals, plans, and lists, but then I tend to feel overwhelmed and shut down, which is ADHD related, IMO. Part of it is that I need to find a balance for planning and not overplanning... I will plan too much and then when it starts to overwhelm me and the goal is too lofty, I struggle with dialing it down, if that makes sense at all. Then I just tend to shut down and avoid.
Depression could be part of my issues, I suppose. I was only recently diagnosed, and up until then, I was being treated for suspected PPD. After the med switch (from ADs to Vyvanse), I definitely felt like the issue was ADHD, not PPD. My doctors thought that the my depression symptoms were ADHD related, as in, I would become depressed b/c I couldn't accomplish anything due to my ADHD/motivation issues (or more likely - I felt like I wasn't getting anything done and was really down on myself).
Definitely since starting ADHD meds, the depression symptoms are mostly gone, but anxiety remains a bit. My anxiety is probably a bit worse, just because the ADs were also treating anxiety and now I'm on a stimulant, which can exacerbate my anxiety.
I made an appointment w/ my doctor so I can discuss all this, though, b/c after reading what I wrote and thinking about it... it's clear I need to talk it all out with my doctor to pinpoint the issue b/c I can't figure it out on my own and it could be a combo of things (dosage, meds, myself).
What you are describing with the lack of motivation, feeling like a waste of space, etc sounds to me like how I feel when I am going through a depression phase (I struggle with it, and I am one of those people who "snaps out of it" after several weeks but then I'll cycle back into it every few months). so maybe depression is playing a larger role here than you realize?
Do you see a therapist? that might help too if you have the time and your insurance covers it.
good luck!
Yeah, it's definitely worse at night. I've noticed that I can go all day without biting my fingernails like crazy, but once the evening hits (and my vyvanse wears off), I am all over them and really don't notice I'm doing it until my nails are a complete mess.
Have you always been on Adderall? I know the s/e are supposed to be less with Vyvanse, but I also wonder if it is the right med for me at times. Usually when I read about side effects or feel zero motivation.
Thanks, everyone!
I definitely think seeing my doctor and potentially adding an AD to my meds might be what works (along w/ heading back to the therapist). We discussed it when I first started Vyvanse, but decided to wait and see if I needed it.
MrsBecky, you're right about the lack of motivation being a depression symptom - it was totally why I ended up at the doctor's office for PPD to begin with and then eventually moved to ADHD. And from what I've read, anxiety, depression and ADHD are frequently tied together.
I've always been on Adderall. I think Vyvanse came out after I started taking the Adderall and I was scared to mess with what was already working. Also, last time I checked, it didn't have a generic and my copay for it would be huge.
I pick my cuticles when I feel anxious, so I can relate to your nail biting.
I've got ADHD and depression. When my ADHD is properly managed, my depression goes away. I had PPD after the birth of my son. Due to life circumstances, 2.5+ years later, I'm still on an antidepressant.
I currently take Vyvanse (but I've also taken Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall). I saw an fabulous psychiatrist in Northern Virginia who is extremely good in treating adults with ADHD. He realized that, despite taking the extended release form of Adderall, now Vyvanse, my body burns through the meds quickly. I take a 40mg capsule when I wake-up and again in the afternoon (around 2:00pm). Otherwise, I'm a scattered mess in the evening. I can't increase a single dose because I then suffer from side effects of the meds (a tightness in the chest).
Your comment about feeling anxious in the afternoon makes me wonder if a second dose of Vyvanse would help you. I wonder if the anxiety is based on the "ADHD noise" returning as the medication wears off. Vyvanse has a very short half-life.
As for the waste of space feelings and lack of motivation--I think that those are common feelings for folks with ADHD. For me, when my ADHD is managed, those feelings aren't as frequent. I struggled with major depression for nearly a decade before getting my ADHD diagnosis. I lived half a life for too long, so now I can be hypersensitive to the normal ebbs and flows of life.
I hope your psychiatrist is able to help you. Not all docs are open to a second dose of an extended release med. The psychiatrist I saw when I lived in Nashville wouldn't hear of it. Thankfully, we moved and I was able to go back to my doctore in NoVA. (Though, we've moved again--though I understand my treatment needs better now and will make my concerns known!) Best of luck!
Sisugal - while for some people making an effort to "do things about it" might work, for most people with clinical depression and anxiety its not that simple. Medication and therapy can do wonders.
I was on Cipralex 10mg for my depression and anxiety, and got to the point where i was able to wean myself off and take control over my life (exercising, joining social groups, etc) BUT I couldn't have got to that point without meds. Trust me, I tried for two years.
I think you just have to be open to a combination of things- therapy, medication. Food and exercise also do wonders - you gotta eat right and exercise to keep your mind stable. Again though, the food/exercise tends to come after you get things under control via meds, therapy, or both.
Good luck - its a struggle, I know!
The bolded sounds like anxiety/depression to me, 1000%.
Anxiety and Depression are two different ways of reacting to the same chemical imbalance - sort of like "fight or flight" so that's why they are so often put together and treated with the same meds.
I know nothing about ADHD, but I know that having a panic attack means that your current med situation is not working for you.
I have known a few people who have been classified as ADHD on the road to later being determined to just have anxiety/depression and don't find a need to control any ADHD-like symptoms once they're meds are figured out.
I'm guessing you've seen me post this before, but other stimulants like caffeine and sugar (even if its just at breakfast) can make you crash HARD later in the day and negate the work your meds are trying accomplish. It could be worth it to see if a few days with caffeine and sugary drinks (and/or snacks) makes the difference in your PM issues.
GL!
ringstrue - I am currently making a very concentrated effort to eat well and make sure I am getting what I need, b/c it is very hard for me, so I definitely agree with what you said. I cut out caffeine awhile ago, and I only drink water, unless I am having some alcohol (which is rare these days).
My road to treatment has been the opposite though - I've been treated for depression and other things before being diagnosed with ADHD. I still think that that diagnosis is correct, but I may still be struggling with some anxiety and depression. The difference with ADHD being treated with meds vs. depression/anxiety has been huge... but I do think I need to address any anxiety/depression concerns.
Smudges*Mom - thanks for your post! I will definitely bring that up with my doctor. I do know that they are willing to prescribe an Adderall "booster" for the afternoon too, b/c my doctor has mentioned that in the past as well, and that I could take it as needed. So I might look into that. And I am so much happier (despite this post!) now that my ADHD is being treated. It has been a huge difference in my life and how I feel about myself and really my whole life (kids, husband, etc.). I'm so much happier and don't feel like I'm just getting by - even with just ADHD meds, the difference between that and being on an AD is pretty stark and noticeable. No AD I took ever made this much of a difference, that's for sure. I definitely feel better in the mornings, but I've been hitting a wall in the afternoons and been feeling very non-medicated, lol. To the point where MH is like "did you forget your meds?"
Currently, my PCP (general practitioner) Rx's my meds, but at the beginning I was seeing a therapist that they referred me to, as well. I do all my dosing/med changes/refills through my PCP, though.
I've made a list with the various things I want to bring up with my doctor, and I'll add this too (seeing a psychiatrist and possibly switching to them being the one prescribing). I do wonder about a med change... all of my doctors were so high on vyvanse but I don't know if I love what I've read and don't know for sure that it's the best for me. I'm certainly open to trying something else.
This except I'm not on anxiety meds ( although I should be....long story). My anxiety greatly lessens when I take adderlll and comes crashing back at night.
Hugs, Sibil.
I'm basically a perfectionist who can't get anything done and it kills me and sends me into a funk b/c I have no motivation. It's crippling, honestly.
I don't have ADHD, but I did take anxiety medication for a while. I weaned off to TTC and found that I did much better than I expected, largely because of things I learned in therapy. Keeping a regular sleep schedule as much as possible, for one, really helps my anxiety, because if I don't, I get into a "anxiety keeps me from sleeping, not sleeping makes me more anxious" cycle that spirals into batshitcrazy pretty fast.
If you aren't/haven't been in therapy for the anxiety, you might consider it. You might be able to help it a lot without taking an additional drug.
Sibil, I'm sorry to see that this sounds familiar. Once I knew what my "problem" was, I felt as though a weight had bee lifted off of me. I'd struggled for many years--and my diagnosis allowed me to see that while I have a "problem", I am not THE problem.
And on that note, this ADHDer needs to put the iPad away. It is 1:30am here in Germany and we've got fun plans in the morning. . . DH would rather I not sleep ALL morning.