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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 1980Monroe on May 15, 2004, at 1:45:11
Hello everyone, well to explain, i stopped doing illegal drugs especially with cocaine. But still i am in a way dependent on presrciption medication. I take Dexedrine, Miltown (after xanax failed), and Wellbutrin.
Personally let you know, havent given one sign to my doctor of this slight problem, i dont WANT him to know. Let me explain, i have ADHD to a moderate-severe degree, im too spacey (really dangerous especially on the freeway) i swear i cant organize things well in general, scheduel, documents, and have many airhead attacks and stunts during the day. When im not on medication, my mood is generally unstable, i dont even want to rerember my life before medication, it was horrible.
When doing simple tasks, i often dont do a effiecient job, it just seems overwhelming to me, unmedicated.
My social skills......... dont ask, all i can say is they are bad, im not responsive sometimes to social interactions, this has always prevented my from peers, throught school and soo on, this may me linked to ADHD, and some issues during childhood. All these personal problems really was overwhelming, disorganized thinking, isolation, and already present dysphoric episodes i belive mainly just a reaction to how i function.
The Dexedrine does help, in a good way, my paperwork wouldnt even be existing if i didnt take it. But sometimes i take more than what its is prescribed, mainly becasue of a feeling of well-being. Usally the dose i take is about 50mg which im only prescribed 30mg. At this dose it does act as an antidepressant, my thinking is more positive, my baseline personality is pure pessimism. I usally do it to cope with problems when i am overwhelmed which i easily do.
I take Miltown for anxiety when needed, i went through a round of benzo's they didnt really work well. Tried trazadone, too many side effects, and paxil which caused irrtiblity. I usally take it when im about to have stress breakdown, i took xanax for a while, but i had a opposite anxiety reaction with it. I do sometimes depend on it because it eases inner friction and make eases some things, but still i shouldnt stay on it, and i know ill have to go off.
I know dependency is defiently not a good issue, im know im not addicted, i could stop both of them, i can handle that, but i many bad moods would comeback, and ofcourse my disorganized thinking.
I need your advice, Does anyone have an opinion on how i can tell this to my doctor? or just give me some advice.
Thanks for your time.
Posted by Sebastian on May 15, 2004, at 16:38:11
In reply to slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by 1980Monroe on May 15, 2004, at 1:45:11
Ivan
My problems I belive are related to being bulyed as a child and through out the years till I was in my twenties. Always was someone/ones with an advantage over me. Bigger, older, stronger, attacked from behind, in groups. I hated it. I would take so much and get defensive, start walking around with a small knife or something, saying I'm going to get the next one. Then they would leave me alone. Till it wore off,and repeat.
Posted by Sebastian on May 15, 2004, at 16:39:09
In reply to slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by 1980Monroe on May 15, 2004, at 1:45:11
Guess I don't know how to live without drugs anymore. illegal or legal.
Posted by chemist on May 15, 2004, at 18:04:06
In reply to slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by 1980Monroe on May 15, 2004, at 1:45:11
> Hello everyone, well to explain, i stopped doing illegal drugs especially with cocaine. But still i am in a way dependent on presrciption medication. I take Dexedrine, Miltown (after xanax failed), and Wellbutrin.
>
> Personally let you know, havent given one sign to my doctor of this slight problem, i dont WANT him to know. Let me explain, i have ADHD to a moderate-severe degree, im too spacey (really dangerous especially on the freeway) i swear i cant organize things well in general, scheduel, documents, and have many airhead attacks and stunts during the day. When im not on medication, my mood is generally unstable, i dont even want to rerember my life before medication, it was horrible.
>
> When doing simple tasks, i often dont do a effiecient job, it just seems overwhelming to me, unmedicated.
>
> My social skills......... dont ask, all i can say is they are bad, im not responsive sometimes to social interactions, this has always prevented my from peers, throught school and soo on, this may me linked to ADHD, and some issues during childhood. All these personal problems really was overwhelming, disorganized thinking, isolation, and already present dysphoric episodes i belive mainly just a reaction to how i function.
>
> The Dexedrine does help, in a good way, my paperwork wouldnt even be existing if i didnt take it. But sometimes i take more than what its is prescribed, mainly becasue of a feeling of well-being. Usally the dose i take is about 50mg which im only prescribed 30mg. At this dose it does act as an antidepressant, my thinking is more positive, my baseline personality is pure pessimism. I usally do it to cope with problems when i am overwhelmed which i easily do.
>
> I take Miltown for anxiety when needed, i went through a round of benzo's they didnt really work well. Tried trazadone, too many side effects, and paxil which caused irrtiblity. I usally take it when im about to have stress breakdown, i took xanax for a while, but i had a opposite anxiety reaction with it. I do sometimes depend on it because it eases inner friction and make eases some things, but still i shouldnt stay on it, and i know ill have to go off.
>
> I know dependency is defiently not a good issue, im know im not addicted, i could stop both of them, i can handle that, but i many bad moods would comeback, and ofcourse my disorganized thinking.
>
> I need your advice, Does anyone have an opinion on how i can tell this to my doctor? or just give me some advice.
>
> Thanks for your time.hello there, chemistst here...it sounds to me as if you are doing quite well with your medications, and that you have an issue with having to take them for (perhaps) the rest of your life. your occassional dabble in dexedrine at a higher-than-prescribed does is no worse than taking an extra xanax if, for instance, you are feeling particularly anxious. you do mention a ``high'' associated with the dexedrine, but i wonder - and i take dexedrine myself - is this ``high'' comparable to the ones you got from, for example, cocaine? unfortunatley, i haven't had the experience, so i cannot campare the two, but this is something to consider when you are mulling it over in your head. i, personally, do not feel euphoric on dexedrine, but rather quite stimulated. as for informing your doctor, i think that your concerns as outlined above are the sort of concerns one has when it become apparent that they will likely be medicated forever: we have an aversion to taking DRUGS because, well DRUGS are things like heroin, cocaine, and so forth. if you
are queasy about wellbutrin, too, then you are clearly a responsible person, as being a wellbutrin junkie isn't the end of the world. perhaps you can really try to be objective about your use of dexedrine and miltown and discuss your concerns with your doctor, as it does not sound (from what you posted) that you are in a drug-seeking behavioural pattern or that you are routinely crossing the line.....all the best, chemist
Posted by utopizen on May 16, 2004, at 17:13:30
In reply to Re: slight case of prescription drug dependency » 1980Monroe, posted by chemist on May 15, 2004, at 18:04:06
Sounds less of a dependency than an unresolved diagnosis.
You mention "disorganized thinking." This is not unusual to report, since anxiety can cause this, as well as ADD. But you should realize it may be an issue with the overall way your mind processes thoughts, and it may be in your advantage to explore the possibility of Abilify, Straterra, and Provigil cocktails.
Straterra, if you are patient with it, may help you reduce your desire to take Dexedrine.
I took Dex at 15mg at a time when I first got it, being prescribed 10mg/day. I thought the euphoria was cute, and realized I wasn't going to stay on it for more than a week or two, so I didn't care.
The more you think you have an "addiction" the more you will not tell your doctor your underlying problems-- disorganzied thoughts, etc. And especially mood issues. The big, hard to accept, depression word.
You should focus on targeting your depression, not "addiction." Add some Abilify to an antidepressant, possibly add Straterra or switch to it, and be patient, as these things take a couple of months. You can either wait out the side effects/non-effects for two months of your life, or feel like Dexedrine controls your life for eternity. It's all up to you. But be open about discussing your mood with your doc, regardless-- you don't need to say you take more than prescribed, just say you want to "focus" more on your depression and he'll add some Abilify for your cocktail.
Abilify will also help your Dex issue. It modulates dopamine, and helps organize your thoughts. It is fast-acting, unlike other atypicals, and works in like 7-10 days.
I used it for two weeks, and remember trying to organize my bookmarks in my browser often and going to the library and going through work with ease. That was a big deal for me. And the sleepiness, it goes away in a day or two-- take it at night, then switch to an AM dose once the energetic effect kicks in.
Dexedrine isn't an antidepressant. I have tried all the stims. If you're depressed, it will get worse unless you take a modulating med. If you don't combine something to your antidepressant soon, your depression will get worse, and your Dexedrine problem will as well. And before you know it, no dose is good enough.
Posted by 1980Monroe on May 16, 2004, at 22:00:28
In reply to slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by 1980Monroe on May 15, 2004, at 1:45:11
Abilify? i think i've heard of it a couple times on the posts, but never intrested in what it was. Isnt it like an antipschotic-antidepressant cocktailed. I dont know.
Anyways, you said someting about modulates dopamine, what does that mean?
I take Wellbutrin, its a really lousy dopamine reptake inhibitor, absoltuly nothing compared to cocaine, even methylphenidate. Anyone who is a Wellbutrin junkie is dumb, actually causes dysphoria, sometimes i have to pop a miltown level it out.
I brought it up to my doctor a while back, because i reseached it levels out dopamine levels, adn i assumed that it could level the dexedrine, high's and low's). But mainly i told him, its for the cocaine withdrawl, and depression.
But my prediction didnt turn out to my theory, even if i take high doses which is near the siezure threshold, like 400mg single dose, its still not very reinforcing, but its somewhat acceptable sometimes.Now, ive already tried strattera, well i did the sample experiment with freebies, did a trial for about 6 weeks, no diffrence, to me it was a placebo. Provigil? yea ive heard of it, i thought it would be similar to caffine, ive read its not like the standard stimulant, but it effcts adrosine receptors, same as caffine, but it still doesnt effect dopamine.
What really are the actions of dopamine by the way? i think organizational actions, memory, motivation. But tell me if there is more.
But still Abilify catches my attention, i may talk to talk to my doctor next appontment about it.
Posted by 1980Monroe on May 16, 2004, at 22:12:59
In reply to Re: slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by Sebastian on May 15, 2004, at 16:39:09
Hey man,
That sounds hard, i dont blame you. Hey, have heard of hypnotherapy? where they hypnotize you and litterly change your personanlity to what you want. I'm gong to a session soon, to change some of my personality and forget cheap ass memories.
You can them any suggestion you want, "i have a ultra ego", i dont know just anything. They have also there own pre-planned sessions with confidence and everything but its up to the patient.Its not that cheap, but its not royalty snob shit.
Just thought that it may be a helpful suggestion.
Posted by utopizen on May 16, 2004, at 23:57:18
In reply to Re: slight case of prescription drug dependency, posted by 1980Monroe on May 16, 2004, at 22:00:28
Abilify came out in January of 2003.
It's possible your doc may not have heard of it, unless he's cool about listening to sales people.
Also, docs tend to take their antipsychotics very personally, as though they invented them themselves in their basement one night. I've never met a doc who doesn't "pride" him or herself in their choice antipsychotic to give everyone.
Hopefully your doc will bend to Abilify, because let me tell you, the others will make you incredibly tired, and for me, dysphoric/depressed.
Abilify is a dopamine antagonist, otherwise known as an atypical antipsychotic. It has the fewest side effects, doesn't require blood monitoring, is clinically insignifigant to induce fatigue versus placebo, and acts rapidly in the body.
While most drugs take several weeks to notice any change at all, you're likely to notice an effect within 7-10 days, and any side-effects should go away within just a few days or within a few weeks.
Side-effects are minimal, and it is helpful for patients who have difficulties with responding to amphetamines (e.g., are depressed, and require increasingly higher doses just to seem to feel any effect at all). It would help you feel less depressed, more motivated to do work, increase your energy levels, and drastically reduce your desire that Dexedrine is necessary at doses higher than your doctor prescribes.
While I sound like a textbook, I am merely relaying to you what I felt when I was on it. I wish I didn't stop taking it when I felt restlessness, since many drugs can quell this effect. I hope I go back on it again, but you know how it goes-- docs have a focus, and they like to deal with one drug at a time, and I'm about to go on Straterra and Provigil combined.
Abilify can easily and safely be added on to your Wellbutrin to potentiate a response from the Wellbutrin. The two should help your ADD quite well, allowing you to feel more control with your symptoms along with reasonable doses of a stimulant and/or Straterra.
You should also talk to your doctor about Straterra if he is either opposed to Abilify or you go on Abilify and don't become the superhero I felt after just a week of taking it.
(Wait a couple of months with the Abilify if you trial it, and try escalating to doses in weekly intervals, since responses are noticed in 7-10 days in clinical trials for schitzophrenics).
It clears your thoughts up, motivates you to do stuff, and makes you feel in control of things without sucking up your energy. Unlike the other meds out there, it actually GIVES you energy within a week rather than suck it away and making you feel depressed while you "adjust" to it.
This is the end of the thread.
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