Hi All,
I had a frustrating appointment with my doc 2 days ago and I could really use some input from everyone. Here's my sitch:

I am on Strattera 100mg for 9 months now. Up until about a month ago it worked pretty well. My job has become MUCH more stressful in the past month and I have been totally bombarded and overloaded with work. It seems now when I'm in the office my ADHD symptoms are returning. Not only am I late for work again every day, but throughout the day I am disorganized again, I can't focus at all and when the papers start piling up I get those anxious knots in my stomach like before. I get home and I'm totally exhausted. So, my impression of it was maybe my Strattera isn't working as well as before.

I went to the doc and told him. He wants to put me on Paxil. I am very leary of taking more meds. I seem to get hammered with side effects and the Strattera already makes me a little sleepy. I am really nervous to add another script into the mix.

My doc thinks I may have an anxiety disorder on top of ADHD. I don't dismiss the possibility, I've never been officially evaluated for anxiety. But what I don't understand is up until now Strattera has taken care of the anxiety issues I had before meds. So I assumed that it was a "side effect" of my ADHD - not a seperate comorbid condition. I only have problems with the anxiety in the office which I attributed to my workload and added stress.

I thought maybe I needed to try a different ADHD med - not take more drugs. But he insisted on either Paxil or Prozac. I tried Wellbutrin a few months ago - another suggestion of his - and had a bad reaction to it. But when I asked him about other ADHD meds he responded like I was "drug seeking".

I am frustrated with this doctor. I am shopping around for another at the moment which makes me weary just thinking about it. I know that it's totally common to prescribe anti depressants/anti anxiety meds with ADHD meds, but I am not sure how to sort out whether or not I have an anxiety disorder or if it's just my ADHD acting up due to the added stress.

Any thoughts??? Please!!!

Vero

Is this Dr familiar with ADHD or are you one of only a few he's treated? Have you tried any other ADHD medications? Are there any reasons he might not want to give you a stimulant? It's hard to say if the recent problems are due to the Strattera not working as well, or added anxiety from your job, but my gut feeling is that it's the job, since that's when you are seeing the symptoms - but if the Strattera wasn't working fully and you are worried about job performance, etc, that will cause anxiety too - so it's not an easy call. ADDers are often fairly anxious just due to the negative stuff they've heard all their lives - God knows I am!

Your doctor may be cautious about giving you stimulants because you seem anxious and stimulant sometimes make this worse - what was the bad reaction you had with Wellbutrin - it's "stimulant like" so if your reaction was bad he may be worried it'll be worse with a stimulant.

If I were you I would ask him his reasoning behind the treatment you are currently receiving and why he isn't considering changing the Strattera. I'd be concerned that the combination of Strattera and Paxil or Prozac might make you sleepier still. If I was in this situation I'd maybe ask to try a combination of Ritalin and Paxil - and I'd be looking for a Dr that I was comfortable with - I've had one GP that was very smart but so completely arrogant that I didn't feel comfortable talking to him, since he didn't listen to what I had to say anyway and I was glad to be rid of him - bedside manner counts for a lot!

Good luck,

Greg

Hi, I was on Paxil when I got diagnosed, and my doc weaned me off slowly. Paxil is supposedly not compatible in the liver with Strattera. I was switched to Zoloft at PMS time only. (Its too soon to tell if this is working)

Hi, Talking about Straterra- probably mispelled - I tried it and my stomch hurt so badly and after 6 days I quit. The doctor - a great psychiatrist - put me on Dexadrine 10mg. and graduallyworked up to 20mg. then 30mg. It made a brand new person of me. I was a nursing supervisor and some days I would come in and have no idea what I should do first. The Dexadrine has changed my life! It's an older med than the straterra, but it's great! I'm on Prozac, and it works great! I tried Paxil, but it threw me for a major loop. I couldn't have worked on it! Try Dexadrine! And if you don't feel depressed, just unorganized, don't get on an antidepressant! I've battled depression many years, but Prozac works for me!! I'm on 40mg. a day. Started on 20mg. but after a while I knew I needed to up my dose. Now it's been quite a while and it's still working well. I just feel normal. It's like I'm living, not just existing! Emilie LaFave in NC

Vero,
I sent you a link via PM
"Cons: Tends to poop-out rapidly for some. Approved only for ADD/ADHD"


Pretty scary that your doc was going to RX you drugs that should not be taken together. I would take that as a run-as-fast-as-you-can lesson and get another doc IMMEDIATELY!!!

Hi Everyone,
Update to my last post - I have switched doctors. My new doctor wanted me to try a low dose of Lexapro with my Strattera and that has been working like a charm. I wasn't depressed - my main problem was anxiety. The new doc said he wouldn't have picked Paxil for me because it is not very well tolerated. The Lexapro was a breeze as far as side effects go. So, all's well in Vero-land! Thanks for your posts!

Vero