View Full Version : Vast disparity of reactions of meds


mtchica
06-29-06, 06:24 PM
Hello everyone! I'll make it as concise as possible- curious as to if anyone else has had a similar experience to mine and what works for them.

In college, I was diagnosed with ADD and immediately given Desoxyn- strange first-line treatment I must admit; but at the time, I really knew nothing about the disorder or treatment. I had no idea anything was wrong. Looking back, it was completely obvious to everyone around me: although coming from the midwest, we tend to think disorders are a bunch of excuses for being unproductive. Nonetheless, without disclosing that I was medicated; everyone around me saw huge positive differences in every aspect of my life. I stopped and started several times and always thought I was cured each time I stopped.

Fast forward a decade...... I hadn't taken Desoxyn in years, and consulted with my physician about again being treated. In his 20+ years of medicine, he hasn't once prescribed the drug, so he wanted to try some other things first. I wasn't opposed in the least- I simply wanted to shut my brain off a bit as the years of sleepless nights were catching up with me.

Strattera was horrible. I absolutely hated everything about it. It seemed to make my ADD much more pronounced rather than curb it. And I felt really icky (like I needed to jump out of my own skin). Wellbutrin was the same. Ritalin and Concerta were OK, but not worth the price considering I only saw minor (if any) improvements. Dexedrine was the strangest. About 10 minutes after taking it, I felt like I was in a cloud. I was so groggy I was completely unable to function, although I couldn't sleep either. We adjusted the dosage several times before giving up.

I typically have a low sensitivity to most prescriptions, so this was very confusing. I stopped all meds about 6 months ago. My physician recently wrote me a script for Adderall, but I am afraid to fill it. I have little or no short-term memory right now- I didn't notice any loss until the dexedrine, but I'm unsure if it was the cause.

Has anyone had a similar experience (maybe a possible similar chemical make-up) to mine? I suppose I will try the Adderall anyway and go from there, but any info or ideas would be much appreciated!!

Lunacie
06-29-06, 09:33 PM
I may be completely wrong, but... some ADD meds are 'uppers' and some are 'downers'. For some people the uppers work best, for some the downers work best. There is often a lot of experimenting to see which meds work best and at what dosage, in order to limit negative side effects. ;) Just letting you know that from I've heard from people in a real life support group as well as what I've read online - YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

I have a life-long history of strange reactions to meds. Some make things worse for me, some don't do anything and seem to be a waste of money, some I've been dreadfully allergic to. I lost my health insurance 3 years ago when I was divorced and can't afford to see a specialist to get a proper diagnosis or try a bunch of different meds, even I was willing to play 'Russian Roulette' with the way they might effect me. I decided to try some natural supplements, and have been very happy with the improvements I've seen since I started taking an Omega 3 (fish oil) supplement. I wish you good luck in finding something that helps you without causing any unhappy side effects. http://www.addforums.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif