I read that many people with ADD compensate with lots of caffiene, or something like that. How does caffiene react with the drugs you take? What if you have depression, do you take two different meds, do they react badly with each other? Do they react badly with caffiene? I looked at homeopathic stuff but that doesn't always work if you take caffiene or medecine (the cure for o.d.ing on homeopathic meds is to drink a Coke). Do homeopathic methods only work for mild to moderate ADD cases if at all or have any of you felt like the stuff does the trick? How do the drugs really make you feel? I know this is a subjective question, but honestly, how different do you feel? Does anyone know of a web site where they explain this biochemical mumbo jumbo in an ADD friendly way (as opposed to the long, drawn-out, medical yada yada I've been reading)? Thanks.

Yes lots of ADDers use caffiene and most are unable to give it up though it's better to give it up because the side effects are worse than ritalin & such with less benefit. Caffiene can interact badly with stimulating meds causing headaches, jitteryiness, anxiety etc.

Lots of folks take antidepressants with stimulants or even depressants and all kinds of extreme sounding combinations. The thing about meds is they work different for everyone so it takes a lot of experimenting usually.

The natural alternatives tend to be either a weaker version of similar type effects or nutritional supplements that get you in top shape so there are fewer problems since ADD can't be cured anyways it's ideal to correct other problems first. If your ADD is severe though, those things are relatively insignificant compared to the core symptoms.

Stimulants in small doses for people who it works on can be miraculous. For some people they don't work. They are basically speed, like cocaine so yes there is a number of people in there for whom the effect is the same as snorting a little bit of cocaine. Some hyper people respond dramatically but do become socially withdrawn zombies lacking their former creativity and zest for life. Some people get a bit of this but it's worthwhile to be able to hold a job, finish school, keep a marriage. Some people don't have any problems. I think it works well overall for most but there are all variations. Something similar could be said for antidepressants. The side effects are real, it's a matter of deciding if it's worthwhile.

http://www.crazydrugs.com is pretty good common sense info about antidepressants but they don't say much about stimulants.

HTH

true caffiene is a different type of cns it does not increase dopamine so it does not work as well if at all,
the homeopathic drugs are not worth anything
they are made by taking an active ingredient and diluting it till there is none left
they say the water carries a memory of the chemical
but if that is true then it carries a memory of other chemicals as well
like urea from the animals whose urine the water was a major part of.

i think pen and teller did a bit on it,

this is from the skeptics dictionary
http://skepdic.com/homeo.html

I am a caffeine addict.

I don't know if I drink Dr. Pepper / Coke / Coffee all of the time because of my ADD, or because of some sort of nervous oral fixation.

I also take adderal and prozac.

How could I tell *why* I take in so much caffeine? I doubt it is possible.... Is it?

I quit smoking with wellbutran...and straterra has curbed my need for caffine. before the meds i was inadvertantly self medicating with nicotine a pack and a half a day and 20-25 cups of coffee, with a coke or 2 thrown in.

now i have about 4 cups of coffee a day...although they are 12oz cups.

Before I was diagnosed with Ad/HD, I could drink one cup of coffee and it would make me hyper and jittery. Now I'm on Strattera and its doing the job....what I don't understand is why the coffee didn't help me concentrate...wasn't that a stimulant as well?