I put this in the "intro" thread as well, but then thought it might be better off here:

Hello every1.

Just registered on the site officially, though I've been lurking for a few weeks. I'm 28 and just recently diag w/ ADHD (inattentive) and I'm having a heck of a time finding the right meds that work well for me.

I don't drink coffee cuz it makes me feel like crap when it wears off, so I was mostly scurred of stims (adderall/Ritalin) being that way too. So far tried Adderall for 1 day, and I'm on day 3 of Ritalin (5mg 2-3 times a day). Feel so weird and not sure how long it's gonna take before the side effects neutralize, to make it worth taking. Right now, when it wears off I feel like biting someones head off, no patience, worry about stuff a lot, and really moody :(

Oh and I'm on Wellbutrin 300XL as well, have been for ~6 years now.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Halp?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Here's more effects when I'm on Ritalin.... Day1 I felt pretty much nothing for both doses. Day2 starting w/ 2nd dose: Feel "DURR" and can't seem to find the right words to say, when in conversation. Works well for getting things done at home, but at work I seem to want to focus on anything BUT work (like addforums and chats). And the aforementioned wave of crankyness/impatience and worry. Will add more as I go along...<!-- / message --> <!-- controls -->

Welcome to the forum.

I am 24 just recently diagnosed with the same ADHD as you. I was scared of stims also because I don't drink coffee. But caffeine stimulates your entire brain, whereas the medications only stimulate the parts of your brain that needs it.

I was prescribed ritalin first, and the first two days I didn't feel anything but a tummy ache and a clenched jaw, and I was VERY serious and kind of hazy. I had the same thing, felt very anti social and kind of stuck in my own head. I was very impatient and hyperfocused as well.

In the insert (and my doctor told me) that you need to take it for 2 weeks before it works to its full potential. My moodiness generally subsided, although I still had headaches and while I wasn't cranky, I felt unusually sad.

I eventually switched to adderall. I'm only on day two and so far I have felt nothing... again I think it takes a few days for it to kind of build up in your bloodstream. The adderall does not make me so hazy, and I definitely focus (although the motivation for work is still not there!) so you need to make sure you motivate yourself at least a little. What helped me get motivated tho is that once I get going, I want to keep going until it is complete ... and also once I get going, I find that work doesn't seem so bad and I'm actually interested in what I am doing for the moment.

So give the ritalin an honest shot, and if that doesn't work I would try the adderall again.

What are you on Wellbutrin for? My doc suggested that I try Wellbutrin OR a stimulant, but not both since both are treatments for ADHD. I also have anxiety, btw, but come to find out, it stems from the ADHD and actually isn't its own condition at all.

:)double welcome wishes to you both...enjoy your stay

Ive been taking Ritalin for 14 plus yrs/....the best med for me...

good luck...keep us posted...we care:)

I agree with most of the other posters above. Wellbutrin can be an odd bird. While classified as an antidepressant, it also acts as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor, which mimics that action of most ADHD stimulant medications. Although Wellbutrin utilizes a different metabolic pathway than your classic stimulant medication, the two medications can still combine in effects and play with your brain chemical balance. It's possible that these two are combining to have an overmedicated effect. Dr. Charles Parker writes a lot about this, I've read a lot of his writing and seriously recommend his work. Here is one of his articles on ADHD medication dosing and overdosing (http://ezinearticles.com/?ADD-ADHD-Treatment---7-Tips-on-Finding-the-Elusive-Top-of-the-Therapeutic-Window&id=1257427) (I also recommend his blog, which is currently down for a bit, but it's www.corepsychblog.com).

Thanks for the warm welcome and for sharing your stories! I will stick it out for the two weeks and will see how I do. I'll keep checking in with my psychiatrist too to keep him updated.

I am on Wellbutrin for depression. At the time I started wb, I was having anxiety about my weight (adding to my depression) so I did not want to try any SSRI's. My Psychiatrist knew that would add to my depression as well, so he OK'd the use of a non-SSRI. I did have TERRIBLE side effects at first, almost unbearable, but being that this was my only shot at trying an anti-depressant, I hung in there. I've been on it for about 6 years now and it's helped me immensely. Unfortunately, I still have a lot of ADHD symptoms which are annoying and ultimately bring me down, because I get so frustrated/upset w/ myself.

As far as an update w/ the Ritalin... I went down to taking it 2 times a day instead of 3, noticed I started biting my nails again (grr), and my work is still the last thing I am able to concentrate on. Tasks at home are being taken care of wonderfully though, which brings me so much relief :) ... now to bring that back w/ me to work ;) haha

I know this is late, but I thought I'd add to it.

Feel "DURR" and can't seem to find the right words to say, when in conversation. Works well for getting things done at home, but at work I seem to want to focus on anything BUT work (like addforums and chats). And the aforementioned wave of crankyness/impatience and worry.<!-- controls -->
Sounds pretty familiar. Those 'duh' moments, cyclic mood.

When I first went on Ritalin I had the same experience. My anxiety kicked in fully, and at one stage I found myself cycling between 'happy' and 'panic'. I gave up on it for a while, until my Doc convinced me to try it again.

After a couple of weeks of being on it everything settled down.

So give it a couple of weeks and see how you go.

So I'm on day 8 of Ritalin now. The first 4 days I took them 3 times a day. Then I knocked it back to 2 times a day. Told my doc about the side effects and how I didnt like them. He told me to knock it back down to 1 a day, so today I didn't take a 2nd dose....

at about the 5 hour mark (from 1st dose) I started feeling really sensitive, like 10 women pms-ing at once... I mean I'm like at work trying not to cry, failing miserably, trying to hide my face. So I go for a 20 min walk outside, all the meanwhile, my face has been flushed. The flushing has been getting worse and now I have a terrible headache. I just took aspirin, hope it helps.

This sucks. Makes me never wanna take it again... I might not after all this, jeez :(

The flushing has been getting worse and now I have a terrible headache. I just took aspirin, hope it helps.

Do you keep hydrated? I found that keeping hydrated stops the headaches entirely.

So it looks like when I did my last post, I was at the beginning of an allergic reaction... probably to something I ate for lunch.

The flushing got worse, as did the headache. I took Aspirin (and I'm not sure if that made it worse) but after 20-30 mins I was red and splotchy all over and I was feeling like I'd run a marathon every time I moved even slightly. I ended up going to the hospital to get treated for an allergic reaction, but I'm glad to find out that it wasn't related to the Ritalin. The other parts about feeling really sensitive still applied though, and today I have NOT taken any doses, I think I am done :(

hope your on the mend warth nd that your takening it easy dorm

I tried Ritalin for 3wks or so but felt like a zombie the whole time. It made me really lazy and antisocial and didn't quite have the effect I was hoping for.I think it almost made things worse in my head. I switched to Adderall a month ago and think it's fantastic. I am awake and motivated, more organized and just more productive in general. How come you only tried Adderall for one day? I have less side effects with this but I'm still trying to get the dosage right. I also take cymbalta and lamictal and xanax everyday too, but everything seems to work fine together.

I tried Ritalin for 3wks or so but felt like a zombie the whole time. It made me really lazy and antisocial and didn't quite have the effect I was hoping for.I think it almost made things worse in my head. I switched to Adderall a month ago and think it's fantastic. I am awake and motivated, more organized and just more productive in general. How come you only tried Adderall for one day? I have less side effects with this but I'm still trying to get the dosage right. I also take cymbalta and lamictal and xanax everyday too, but everything seems to work fine together.

I tried it for one day because after my first dose wore off, I felt kind of sensitive (like I do w/ the Ritalin). I took the second dose and I didn't get that effect the 2nd time, but my doc said I could stop it anyway, so I did. He then put me on Ritalin thinking it would have less of those side effects and, if anything, it's worse. At least on the Adderall I saw a bit of benefit at work, with Ritalin I see none, although at HOME I get a lot done. Weird.

Today I am on nothing and I feel a bit sleepy but otherwise I am doing ok and back to normal... whatever that means lol

I haven't been on this forum in a long time, but I thought I would add that I recently tried a half of Modafinil and it seemed to help, without so much of the negative side effects...

If anyone has any experience w/ this, maybe they can share their thoughts? (Particularly if you are on Modafinil and Wellbutrin!) I will also do a forum search to see what else comes up :)

It's so interesting how different meds affect people differently. I was on Adderall XR 10mg (generic), working up to 20mg on week 2, for 10 days when I was initially diagnosed about 5 weeks ago. I felt like a total zombie (was getting nothing done), had lots of side effects (headaches, weird taste in my mouth, nausea, dizziness, lack of appetite). My body just did not like it at all.

Have been on generic Ritalin IR (5mg 2x/day, working up to 10mg 2x/day) for 2 weeks now -- no side effects at all, and it seems to have improved my focus. I can't really tell I'm on a med except that I do seem to be functioning at a higher level (but that isn't dramatic; I just seem to be having more "good" ADD days than normal, if that makes sense). Am still in the process of increasing the dosage per my doc's instructions (slowly), but so far so good.

I tried Ritalin for 3wks or so but felt like a zombie the whole time. It made me really lazy and antisocial and didn't quite have the effect I was hoping for.I think it almost made things worse in my head. I switched to Adderall a month ago and think it's fantastic. I am awake and motivated, more organized and just more productive in general. How come you only tried Adderall for one day? I have less side effects with this but I'm still trying to get the dosage right. I also take cymbalta and lamictal and xanax everyday too, but everything seems to work fine together.

mdrider

How great to read a positive report on Ritilin....I start next week and have been freaking from all the threads in this forum from folks who started and switched due to no help or side effects....maybe I should start a thred called share your ritilin success stories?

squirrelywrath....I have read here in many posts that people on Wellbutrin 300mg had to back down when they started stimulants as the stimulant and wellbutrin complimented and improved effect of the other.

I take 300mg ER wellbutrin and will start ritilin this week and have plan to ask Dr if I should back off to 150mg on the wellbutrin.

Just a thought....

I would be very interested to hear if your psych agrees to down the dosage of your Wellbutrin.

I am in very similar situation. Just started Ritalin a fortnight ago, and depression has lifted, making me wonder if I could cut down on the 40mg Prozac daily (which was for depression)