After 10 long months of being on Strattera through a clinical trial I finally started taking stimulants. And what a difference! I think I was in a partial coma for a good chunk of the Strattera time.

Now I can feel again and it's very strange, different from even before I started meds. It's like my brain and my heart are connected in away it never has. I can do both now. I can keep in touch with my feelings while I am in a thinking mode and retain my thinking abilities while I am having strong feelings.

I used to either shut down emotionally and get very analytical and do what was logical, (but unpleasant) or I'd get upset, flip out, let my hurt feelings cloud my judgment and then never ever back down.

But now my decision making is different. And it's hard. And although I am feeling much more together, I am not doing anything to get my house in shape. I think it because I haven't caught up with myself yet.

Any tips in how to make this transition?

Hi,

Wow, emotions.... Yup, I got them. I am on adderall and sometimes I will feel surges of overwhelming contententment and sometimes a little bit of dread. I am also on other medication since ADD is not the only thing I was diagnosed with so for the most part I am ok, but I think the up and down of the meds kicking in give me those odd feelings. Well, I like the contentment one, but they are always fleeting.

I take trazodone at night and that helps me sleep so I don't lay awake with adderall lingering in my system but I would think I might have more wild emotions if I wasn't sleeping well.

LauriEllen

Hi jennx, I wish I had a good response, but I don't.

I am, however, curious. Are you still around? Can you give us an update as to how you're doing?

Well, I hope.

It took me a while to make the transition between feeling better and getting my house cleaned up. I gradually was able to start making more steps in getting things done. I find that having deadlines helps (IE: planning to have someone over) and also focusing on getting one project accomplished a day. It may seem small but the cumulative effect builds and is encouraging. Over time it seemed like my task oriented ability continued to improve -- I guess I had to relearn some things and meds made that easier. Good luck to you -- it's definately a process.

Scattered

Hi,


I take trazodone at night and that helps me sleep so I don't lay awake with adderall lingering in my system but I would think I might have more wild emotions if I wasn't sleeping well.

LauriEllen
hey, I'M ON THE SAME COCKTAIL YOU ARE! ADDERALL AND TRAZADONE (Zoloft during the day too) but it is too funny how wired I can be and after a few minutes of taking the Trazadone ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I could probably fall asleep standing up!

I don't like the idea that I will have to be on these meds forever, per se, they do alter who I am--although most of the time, I like it. I just had a baby and now that I'm back on the Adderall--Miraculous 10 pounds gone in 2 weeks! The first time I was on them I went from 142 pounds to 113--which I looved, but here is my question:

DO YOU GET WITHDRAWAL WHEN YOU DON'T TAKE ADDERALL SINCE YOU SAID YOU TAKE IT SOMETIMES? I DO and then I'm all frantic looking for my darn pills to make me okay again!

I've never tried strattera or adderall, but I was on ritalin for 5 years and I felt like a robotic zombie with major headaches etc etc and I was on dexies for 2 years and I actually felt next to "normal" on them and it was good.

Hi,

I was just recently diagnosed with ADD, although I've suffered with it all of my life. I just started taking Focalin XR and at 20 mg was feeling very jittery and nervous. My doctor told me to take 5mg for a week and then we would try to up it to 10mg. I am very sensitive to any stimulants even diet pills. My only other choice (I think) is to try strattera. Has anybody had any luck with a low dose (5-10mg) of Focalin a day or is it a lost cause? Also, has anybody had any luck with strattera?

I'm feeling discouraged because of the feeling I'm getting with the stimulants and I'm afraid that I won't get the help I need. Don't want to suffer with ADD anymore!! Would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks so much,
Melissa :)

Its amazing isnt it?Its almost like there was this other woman inside that I hadnt met!

It has taken some getting use too, some soul searching and alot of confused friends and family.I am much happier now.
Sometimes its a rush of emotion over responsabilities and past memories(pre med days)I just live every day knowing that I love being happy,sad,angry and everything in between because now I know what Im sad for,angry for happy for.

The self control thing is GREAT!!!!!You just have to harnass it to positive goals.

I'm on AdderallXR and Zoloft. Some days I wonder where my emotions actually are. I can tolerate a lot more stress than I could before the meds and have much more patience with my kids. I'm not a zombie, but sometimes I sense that I should be feeling and reacting to more than I do.

I am on strattera and I find that it makes me more "level"-- less likely to lash out irrationally, more able to handle my emotions without necessarily doing so publiclly.

Some times it also makes me feel like someone has applied an anesthetic to my heart-- I just do not feel in the same way that I do when I am off of the medication. This can be hard for me at times-- while being able to control my emotions is an advantage, the loss of feeling that I at times endure bothers me and makes it hard for me to cope. It feels like while I have the focus and energy to get up and do things, I no longer feel the fire in my belly-- the passionate anger that would drive me to change the world.

I'm am on Adderall 30 mg. as well as Lexapro and Klonipin. I, too, see a new person emerging, but have not gotten to the point where I can get the house clean. I can get started, but never seem to finish it, and it is soon filthy again. I try doing just a few things and then taking a break. It's getting me a little further, but I'm still not there yet.

Oh, One more thing. I wanted to ask Crazygirl79, what is sensory integration disorder?

I was just having a similar conversation with my therapist. While on concerta I was able to really work on all the "mental" stuff. Concentrating on the reading I had to be doing. Actually being able to not engage in arguements, not losing my mind when things don't go right. But although I can do all the mental work I am stalled in the physical work, ie laundry, dishes, cleaning etc. I have to take only small baby steps and take breaks to actually make a dent, but the mess grows faster then I can clean.

Now I am pregnant and can't take Concerta.. so who knows how my mood and motivation will be like now:eek: So far I alternate between sick and sleeping..... Hopefully it is temporary.

A side note... strattera was horrible for me... emotional wreck, jitters, heart palpitation.. etc. Adderall was also a major mistake. Having taken Wellbutrin and anything else that has to do with the norendorpine transmittors (sp?) I think my imbalance is strictly seratonin. Any one else pin point that for themselves?

If you are a wreck, you might find that exercise (when you are not sleepy!) during pregnancy helps immensely.

It also helps reduce the #1 serious complication in late pregnancy -- Toxemia and Severe Hypertension/Kidney problems (aka Pre=Eclampsia).

Emma

Anyone experience a sudden surge of anger late in the day? Lately, when we get home-oh about 3:30, I go into what i thought was panic attack mode, but now its pure anger?

Yep -- for me it was related to rebound and coming off my meds. It's like everything suddenly hit me and my filter was turned off. Over time that seemed to lessen but I did end up taking my Concerta twice a day and while I was adjusting I took a little caffeine in the afternoon to ease the come down. I've also heard that exercise helps with the rebound, if that's what you're experiencing.

Scattered

i've got the exercise part covered-workout mostly 6 days a week. it does help, just ask my kids!lol

this is a new thing, maybe just some serous stress? i will be fine running my errands, visiting friends, whatever, while the kids are at school. once i hit the door at 3:30 i fall apart! its scaring me, and i know its scaring my younger 2 girls. i just try to separtate myself from everyone for about 30 minutes when we come in. i'll see my doctor next week-i'll see what he says about it. i don't like talking about it to him over the phone-can't clearly get my point across if its not face to face.