I'm curious if any ADDers are able to cope with taking just anti-depressants for their ADD rather than stimulants.

I'm 34 and was diagnosed a year ago and have been taking 20mg of Adderall XR per day. It does wonders for my concentration but I don't feel like myself, and I tend to withdraw and lose track of time. If I take less than 20mg it doesn't work well enough. All in all I miss the positive aspects of my personality while on this drug. Not only that but I've been getting odd flutters in my chest that feel like a moth beating its wings and moving about an inch or two across my heart. I recently tried switching to straight Adderall and that felt a little "cleaner" but the heart flutters increased and I don't feel safe taking it.

I have not tried antidepressants for this yet but I think I need them because I've been depressed for most of my life thanks to ADD. I took a drug holiday last week and found myself interrupting during meetings at work, doodling, making paper airplanes and generally being the same class clown I was throughout school. At the end of the day as I'm going to my car I find myself saying under my breath, "I hate my life" and similar things. Of course up until a year ago I just lived with it and had no idea it was ADD.

I haven't been able to afford seeing a psychiatrist because my wife is seeing one right now (and a therapist). However, my GP fills my Adderall scripts so I was hoping to find more info on what antidepressants work well for ADD (I'm the compulsive variety) and perhaps then he can prescribe them for me. Maybe if I can find something that calms me down a bit I will stop acting compulsively and will have less bad behavior to regret. I still need help concentrating but perhaps antidepressants help there, too?

Thanks for any feedback!

Desimipramine is about as effective as stimulants for ADD. Wellbutrin did very well in a 6 week clinical trial for ADD. Zoloft increases vigilance, which is thought by some researchers to be synonymous with ADD. Zoloft alone helped me tremendously to stay on task and concentrate. A lot of people have had very good results with a combination of Zoloft and Wellbutrin, which is what I'm presently taking.

Every one has their own unique brain chemistry - antidepressants like Welbutin have helped many people with ADD, and Strattera was originally developed as an antidepressant because its affects on brain chemistry are similar to those of Welbutrin. For me though, any antidepressant that raised the serotonin levels in my brain caused me to have psychotic like symtoms which the doctors mistook for bipolar disorder. I needed an increase in norepinephrin rather than serotonin. It's important to try meds until you feel you are getting the best relief of your symptoms - this might take awhile, but it's worth it to be on the right meds. Good luck!

In answer to your question. I just diagnosed myself with ADD but have been on antidepressants for 3 years. I think my problem has always been ADD related. The antidepressants have helped with my constant worrying, feeling of doom, sensitivity that sort of thing but it has done nothing for my ADD symptoms. If anything they are worse, my mind is is on overdrive, my anxiety levels are really high and I seem to be hyperfocused most of the time. I am on Effexor XR 150 mg so I'm not sure if maybe I am just not on the right medication. I'm going to go see a psych on the 16th and I will post what my doc has to say. Hope this answers your question.

Blessings,
Mary