So my pshrink decided today that I need to add an anti-depressant to my Adderall world. I don't think that I'm clinically depressed but, whatever. She prescribed an SSRI which doesn't make me a happy girl but I can get over that.

She's at least good at slow titration so that isn't a worry and I have some level of control. I'm generally good at compliance so I'll do this regardless of my current misgivings. What the heck? I may BE depressed given this last year. My mother passed away in late August and my dad isn't doing so hot. I have been heard to say that I was becoming a stress junkie.

Anyway, here's the question I hope that someone can help me with. The scrip is 50mg Zoloft in the morning. I take 20mg Adderall IR in the morning and another 20mg around 2:00 pm. I do all my vitamins at night- B Complex, Fish Oil, Green Tea, Vit C, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc, and Ginko Biloba.

Does anyone have experience with a stim and Zoloft? I totally understand that everyone is different and your experience may not be the same as mine, but every experience I have ever had with an anti-depressant was less than thrilling and frankly, I'm a bit nervous with this. I'd love to hear anything that you have to share.

For anyone wondering why I am even bothering with this, I don't have a whole lot of choice. The program I'm in for treatment of the ADHD is voluntary and compliance to doctor's orders is a written agreement. I am a learning experience! I am allowed to challenge a treatment direction but only if I either try it first or provide a rationale for not doing it.

Thanks, everyone. You are the best resource that anyone could ever want. Can't tell you ho much I appreciate you all!

I told the first Dr I saw, a GP, that my day to day life was becoming overwhelming and very confusing. I was becoming more and more anxious every day. So, he started me off on various anti-depressants and Zoloft seemed to work the best for me. I ended up taking 100mg 2x/day. He had me see a Psychologist which on the first visit could see my main problem was ADHD. She sent me to a Psychiatrist which eventually prescribed Adderall IR 20mg 4x/day. I was also continuing the Zoloft. This went on for about a year. I noticed the Zoloft was flat lining my emotions. No highs, no lows just flat. I wanted to feel life going on around me, so I discontinued the Zoloft. I figured I was depressed and confused because I had ADHD and didn't know it. I've been taking Adderall alone for about a year now without any repercussions. I still have all the typical ADHD problems, but at least I know where they're coming from. Other than what I mentioned above, I had no physical or mental problems from the Adderall/Zoloft combination. For me they complimented each other very well.

Limbo

I take Vyvanse/Lexapro....i take my lexapro for anxiety, take it at night, the combo seems to be working very well for me
SSRIs like Zoloft and Lexapro can completely kill sex drive...does to me, hate it (wife also!)

I saw my therapist today and "mentioned" (rather forcefully) that I was not happy about being medicated for a non issue. Back in the dark ages, you "grew out" of ADHD (no one told my brain apparently) and there came a day when I was taken off Ritalin. The problem was that I still had ADHD. From about age 16 until around 22, I actively tried to find out what was wrong. I ended up taking a whole slew of anti-depressants. Oddly enough, none of them did anything for the ADHD. After that, I simply refused to see any doctor with the ability to prescribe. Fortunately, my therapist doesn't agree with the depression thing either so has decided to delay starting the Zoloft until she has had a chat with the pshrink.

With the exception of a short time in 2003, this is the first time that I have done anything about the ADHD. I would say that I am in reasonably good spirits most of the time, generally even tempered, reasonably social, and not experiencing mood swings... except during that "special" time of the month. I know that there is a direct relationship between estrogen levels and the efficacy of the stim so it would seem that if that is what she is trying to solve, there would be much better ways of going about it. Why use an anvil when a fly swatter will do nicely?

And, oh joy! I am ever so certain that my partner will just love the whole sex drive thing! </sarcasm> Somehow I think that taking a med that kills the sex drive is NOT going to be helpful to my relationship!

Thanks everyone! I appreciate hearing about your experiences!

And, oh joy! I am ever so certain that my partner will just love the whole sex drive thing! Somehow I think that taking a med that kills the sex drive is NOT going to be helpful to my relationship!

I sure would hope that he can look past himself and be happy/excited/etc for you that you are trying to increase your well being of mind...something that is kind of important....lol.
To add though, despite my drastically lowered sex drive, it's honestly been really beneficial overall (probably is more so in guys though, I imagine).

It's really interesting though, the more I read up and learn about ADHD, the more plethora of misdiagnoses I seem to come across. Not just other people, but even in my own family. ie A doctor will treat them for depression and not even think about ADHD until the person brings it up years and years later, asking if this could be a causation or a connection to their other problems.

To combat the lower sex drive, an increase of testosterone would be needed... Working out will naturally increase it.

To combat the lower sex drive, an increase of testosterone would be needed... Working out will naturally increase it.
Not to hijack the thread, but I gotta say, I hate how adderall affects me when I'm trying to workout. It's really hard to push myself in a session, in fear of my heartrate reaching really unsafe 'levels'.

Not to hijack the thread, but I gotta say, I hate how adderall affects me when I'm trying to workout. It's really hard to push myself in a session, in fear of my heartrate reaching really unsafe 'levels'.

have you measured your heart rate when you are resting... is there that much of a difference compared to not taking it?

To combat the lower sex drive, an increase of testosterone would be needed... Working out will naturally increase it.
i workout cardio and weights, it doesnt help much for sex drive for me

have you measured your heart rate when you are resting... is there that much of a difference compared to not taking it?
I never really checked my pulse when I wasn't on Adderall.
To add though, the workout/training program I'm doing is very explosive orientated. I imagine that in itself contributed to my quickly raised heartrate, but I have never experienced feeling my pulse throughout my entire body as if it were some kind of internal speaker. And it was also the first time I ever felt my pulse in my neck prominently, just throbbing away.

what u r referring to is heart palpitations, or the self awareness of ones heart beating and its common with stimulants (have something ever scared the crap at of you and you feel your heart pound??)

is usually ok, but to be safe check with doc cause in some cases could be cardiac condition too

i workout cardio and weights, it doesnt help much for sex drive for me
Try to do movements such as squats and deadlifts

http://www.bodybuildingweb.net/blog/squats-deadlifts-and-release-of-testosterone-and-growth-hormone/

I never really checked my pulse when I wasn't on Adderall.
To add though, the workout/training program I'm doing is very explosive orientated. I imagine that in itself contributed to my quickly raised heartrate, but I have never experienced feeling my pulse throughout my entire body as if it were some kind of internal speaker. And it was also the first time I ever felt my pulse in my neck prominently, just throbbing away.

Or how about measuring your heart rate while on adderall and working vs. just working out... big difference?

Try to do movements such as squats and deadlifts

http://www.bodybuildingweb.net/blog/squats-deadlifts-and-release-of-testosterone-and-growth-hormone/

hehe....i've been doing for 5yrs....front squats, full squats, stiff leg deadlift, sumo deads, i only do core exercises...no sassy cable x-overs or leg extensions crap

hehe....i've been doing for 5yrs....front squats, full squats, stiff leg deadlift, sumo deads, i only do core exercises...no sassy cable x-overs or leg extensions crap

Have your testosterone levels checked... if they are low, the doc will give you HRT.

I would like to say to you STAY AWAY from the generic form of Zoloft. I never felt quite right on it and felt an unsettling anxiety no matter what i did while on it. I switched to the brand name after tons of reading and found myself in a much better mental state than before. I also stopped craving carbos and my weight returned to normal.

I take both Adderall XR and Zoloft (50mg)...and they work wonders for me together. I started Zoloft first, however, to get my panic disorder condition under control, which it did - I'll have a panic attack very, very rarely these days. Also, I take Zoloft at night - and it doesn't interfere with sleep at all. When I started taking Adderall, I didn't experience anything negative at all, or any lessening of the effects of Zoloft. I'm very grateful for how well they both work for me :)