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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 TrishP on January 7, 2006, at 10:00:46
I'm seeing a new doctor on Tuesday. But I have a question.
Why is it when I take Phentermine, I don't get hyper, I just am able to conentrate, do a better job a work and feel more social and confident? I don't feel high or weird?
I've tried taking Wellbutrin, which makes me mean. At the theraputic dose it puts me to sleep! Effexor - at first I feel great, but then I get lethargic (plus the awful discontinuation syndrome).
I've tried numerous mood stabilizers with nothing really making me feel good.
Why is it that a little stimulant like Phentermine makes me feel normal? Could it be ADD or something?
Posted by bigcat on January 7, 2006, at 11:44:23
In reply to Why do stimulants make me feel better?, posted by TrishP on January 7, 2006, at 10:00:46
Trish:
What is Phentermine? I've struggled with awful depresison, anxiety, social phobia, lethargy etc. for years. high dose dexedrine and adderall were the only things that made me feel better (Nardil and Marplan helped briefly too). I too didn't feel wired, weird, or hyper mostly. At first I may have, but then it was just like you said- thinking clearer and quicker, more social, confident, clairvoyant, articulate, happy, calm, worrying less, enjoying more WITHOUT feeling like I was drugged into feeling better. It was in many ways true remission for me. Perhaps a stimulant + an AD and/or mood stabilizer could give you some kind of lasting relief. I know the Dexedrine took a while to settle in and keep me consistently at peak- it wasn't an immediate thing for me. I had to kick the dose way up to jumpstart it, then I moved the dose back down, and walah, it still worked (from 90 down to 30!). I think it helped me help myself. I was just riding the good vibes and felt like I needed less and less of the stimulant, totally the opposite of most (just about all) other people's reactions. Just because a stimulant may make you feel better, don't stigmatize the feeling because it is an amphetamine. MAOI's have a similar chemical breakdown to amphetamines. Just because people associate stimulant response to a "false" euphoria or sense of well-being doesn't mean that's how you should view it. Feeling better is feeling better, and if it's camel's piss that has that effect on you, then stick with the camel's piss and simply don't put too much stock in what the literature and other patients say, believe, or warn. Empirical results are what is important. Everything else is speculation. Good luck!
-matt-
Posted by blueberry on January 7, 2006, at 14:54:02
In reply to Why do stimulants make me feel better?, posted by TrishP on January 7, 2006, at 10:00:46
Perhaps, and it's just a personal guess, some of us have symptoms of weak electricity at the spark plugs...it's not a matter of how much or how little neurotransmitters we have, but rather how vigorously they are firing or flowing. For some us, it could be that our neuros are stagnant and lacking firing power. Stimulants kind of turn up the electricity and allow them to fire with enthusiasm the same way a normal healthy person's would. And that would be why you feel more normal instead of high. A normal healthy person's brain would feel high on a stimulant because the spark would be too much.
Just a crude theory of mine. Some people can only remain depression free on stimulants. And for them, it seems to me there is electrical underactivity as their underlying chemical problem, not lack of serotonin or anything else.
Posted by Phillipa on January 7, 2006, at 21:07:57
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better?, posted by blueberry on January 7, 2006, at 14:54:02
If you have high anxiety and depression as well. Will they help? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by vbAgent on January 8, 2006, at 16:22:39
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better? » blueberry, posted by Phillipa on January 7, 2006, at 21:07:57
hi Phillipa, anxiety and depression can coexist with ADHD as separate conditions, or they can be the result of (untreated or inadequately treated) ADHD. The anxiety and/or depression will likely disappear after the stimulant works its magic on a patient with verifiable ADHD. If they are indeed separate conditions that remain after the stimulant is introduced, then the pdoc will prescribe appropriate medication (anxiolytic or antidepressant) to alleviate those symptoms as well.
Patients with anxiety and/or depression who are not ADHD may or may not benefit from a stimulant. Phillipa, as you probably know, stimulants can aggravate these two conditions. I think they are reserved for those patients who are partial responders, or worse, non-responders to antidepressants.
Posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2006, at 18:11:38
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better?, posted by vbAgent on January 8, 2006, at 16:22:39
vbAgent, thanks you're the first to answer that question for me. I've asked it numerous times on other threads. Thanks so much, Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by vbAgent on January 8, 2006, at 18:43:40
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better? » vbAgent, posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2006, at 18:11:38
> vbAgent, thanks you're the first to answer that question for me. I've asked it numerous times on other threads. Thanks so much, Fondly, Phillipa
You're welcome. ;-]
Posted by fairywings on January 8, 2006, at 20:03:27
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better? » vbAgent, posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2006, at 18:11:38
hi phillipa, i have ADD, and i can tell you my experience is that when my stim. wears off i am much more anxious. have you ever been tried on a stim? is it poss. you have not only depression and anxiety but a bit of ADD? Just a thought.
fw
Posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2006, at 20:33:50
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better? » Phillipa, posted by fairywings on January 8, 2006, at 20:03:27
fairywings gosh I keep forgetting your old posting name could you babblemail it to me. What would I look for other than anxiety/depression. I do not tolerate AD's in any form. Right now I have no concentration to read my mind just kindda reads quickly without absorbing the content. But it never happened in the past or as a child. Can you become ADD later in life? And I had thought of it hence the question. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by bigcat on January 8, 2006, at 22:08:51
In reply to Re: Why do stimulants make me feel better? » fairywings, posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2006, at 20:33:50
sorry phillipa, but what meds have you tried, and have you given up on all ad's completely? it seems that you're depression has really just struck relatively recently, after retirement, am I right? just curious to hear where you stand on all of this, and what ed or others may have suggested (sorry, directed at you more than at this link).
This is the end of the thread.
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