He definately has ADD, but the doctor also said he believes he probably has bipolar, too. The doctor put him on 30 mg of Adderall and for the bipolar, he put him on Lamictal. Can anyone tell me what to expect with these drugs? How long will it take for him to start getting better? He has to see the doctor again in a month, and the doctor also wants him to go to counseling. I'm just wondering what to expect and what kind of changes I'll see with the meds. Thanks so much.

You should see some improvement immediately in the ADHD symptoms if the dosage and medication are a good fit for him. Often doses have to slowly tirated up to find the optimum amount. That doesn't mean all his ADHD symptoms will go away, hopefully just become less problematic. The bipolar medication takes longer to take effect -- I know know the exact time frame.

Scattered

Thanks for the info. He is honestly worried to death about being bipolar, and while I'm worried, too, I'm happy to have a diagnosis and a plan to work on it.

Thanks for the info. He is honestly worried to death about being bipolar, and while I'm worried, too, I'm happy to have a diagnosis and a plan to work on it.Your husband is lucky to have someone like you for support.

Your husband is lucky to have someone like you for support.
Thank you. I try. I'm not sure he always sees it, but I keep going on. I guess love will do that to you. :) His psychiatrist told him the same thing today.

Tamara,
Way to go. you/he/something got him calmed down and to the pdoc. Congrats all around. I know very little about bipolar, but from what I know being bipolar isn't a death sentence. It can be "contained" similar to ADD. You say your DH is worried about being dx'd as BP, what is he afraid of? Is it because he knows people who are BP and didn't like them? Does he think it will change who he is knowing he is BP? Or is he scared to death about it because he had never thought about it and it was a shock? He is playing up the emotions about being blindsided with the additional BP dx on top of ADD?

Some of these behaviours I think can be helped by the meds but they really are part in parcel with the "disorders".

So how has days 1 and 2 been with him on the meds? You will find that he changes but is grumpier. It took me a while to get over being grumpy. The grumpiness or depression in some people, is usually caused by really seeing how inaffective they ahve been in their lives. Once on meds I really saw what I wasnt' doing, what I was forgetting what I was neglecting. You have to mourn this and move on. Then things start to get better.

Twist

Hi Twist,
Dh is worried about being labeled. And, because he's known a few people who are bipolar but not on drugs, he is worried that people will think he's crazy. His pdoc said that it was nothing to be ashamed, that he had a chemical imbalance that he had inherited. It was all genetics. I thought for a while he might have bipolar, and I had said something to him about it, so he wasn't shocked when it was diagnosed. However, the whole label thing really gets to him.

I did get him calmed down over the weekend, until he spoke with his parents. They want him to leave me and are actually encouraging it. I believe his dad has bipolar, too, so him blowing up at me and calling me names is normal. They actually said "So what" to him when he confessed about calling me named. His dad was very, very abusive to him growing, but DH hasn't been able to break times with them.

His pdoc said that DH's mania presents itself as anger and rages. His anger and his rage basically come from the frustration and anger he feels toward his dad. So, the pdoc wanted him to cut off all contact with his dad. DH said he couldn't do it. So, the doctor wants him to limit his contact until the meds are working. I don't think DH is going to be willing to do even that. I don't understand the hold they have on him.

Anyway, he can definately see a change in his ADD symptoms already with Adderall. He is a little grumpier, but after the end of last week and part of the weekend, anything is better than that.

Thank you so much for all the advice. I just want him to get better. I really would like him to be the way he was for the first several years of our marriage. He just had the ADD then, and I didn't mind helping him cope with it. But, the rages with the bipolar are something else, and it really is hard to deal with.

hello tamma iam sooo pleased they saw the psy today an i hope things stat impoveing for DH as sactted said if it is truly add adhd ..........then they should see some impovement an.....again with bipoler .....iam shore some help will be there for them as well good luck with eveything let us all know how things go dorm