Tenex, Adderall, and doctor. Advice and experiences please

[CHG2000]

Hi everyone, first post and have been reading for a couple months.

I'm writing now, no surprise, because I have concerns about my treatment and would love to get my mind at ease. I apologize for the length.

First the facts, I've had ADHD my whole life, diagnosed at seven but never treated, never medicated, never had an IEP. Recently I've seen a doctor to explore medication because I want to be the best I can be. The pressures of life have made things more difficult as my responsibilities have increased (family and work) and the time I have to use my old methods of ADHD management (video games, reading, exercise) are non-existent. I'm currently taking 1.5 mgs of tenex in morning and evening(3 total) and 10 mgs of adderall IR (generic barr) morning and lunch (20 total). I am 5'11 200 pounds, not fat, and 30. I've been taking meds since mid jan.

I found a doc that is supposed to be good with Adult ADHD and I drive a good distance to see him. Given my symptoms(occasional irritability, difficulty focusing and completing tasks, difficulty changing tasks and finding things interesting) he started me on 1 mg of tenex half in the morning, half in the evening, later he bumped me up to 1mg in the morning and evening. This made me sleepy and very spacey though I believe I felt calmer, I wasn't getting more done though.

He added Adderall IR to the tenex, 5 morning and 5 lunch. I felt it, it helped me concentrate well for about an hour or two, but I really felt it go up and down and I felt wore out by it. I wasn't sure it was right for me but when I described my symptoms my doc bumped my up to 10 in the morning and at lunch and WOW! It was amazing. I felt wonderful, I felt sociable, I got so much done, I enjoyed doing things I hated to do in the past, my relationship with y wife improved. I had patience, I felt like me. For about two weeks, and then things kinda became blah.

I became more irritable and I worried I too quickly developed tolerance. I read how some people took holidays, I tried that and I was miserable and irritable. I tried lowering my dose and taking more when I needed it and then it worked ok but not well.

I went to see my doc earlier than or next scheduled appointment because I was concerned and thought maybe I should go up in dose or try something new. When I mentioned that I was feeling more socially anxious again he kinda focused on that more than I thought was an issue. He said what I described was typical of social anxiety, that adderall works great at first and then not so much relatively quickly (this was over the course of about four or five weeks, having started the smaller doses and tenex about a month and a half before the increase in adderall). He said we might consider adding an antidepressant (i think lexapro) and that could help or try no medicine at all. I was concerned at the time and a little surprised by this turn of events and ended up leaving with a bump up in tenex instead, 1.5 morning and night (3mg total).

Since I've tried playing around with the adderall and worked my self down to a 5 tab in the afternoon. The next day I took no adderall, curious to see how just the tenex would do and I was extremely irritable and and angry. I thought adderall worked out of your system quickly an I wasn't taking much so I didn't think it would be withdrawal, not sure. could it be the Tenex, don't know?

I've since decided to stop messing around and take things as prescribed, 1.5 tenex morning and night, and 10 adderall IR morning and noon. I'm miserable, frequently irritable, unmotivated. I told my wife I have "rgae chest" sometimes, my chest feels like when I've been in a mean personal argument for sometime and anything could set me off, except I've been in no argument. My mind is calm but I feel the slightest thing could set me off and often does. Spilled coffee had me swearing this morning.I know Tenex can cause this but I also know adderall can too. I'm at about a week at this dose of tenex.

I have an appointment coming up. I'm nervous about adding an antidepressant when I've only tried two things at different doses. I don't know which med is doing what. I don't want to get of meds because they are helping somewhat now, and because Adderall was amazing for about two weeks. I felt like me for the first time in my life and it was amazing. I'm frustrated, sad, and hoping for some advice or even some shared experiences.

[phoenixdreamer]

Were you irritable, prone to outbursts before ever taking meds??

I was told stimulants can often exacerbate that...

It almost seems that u could benefit from an anti depressant. I have taken an anti depressant for yrs now. One of my major symptoms of depression was rage. I don't have anything close to rage now. Yeah, if a situation would make the average person mad, I may get somewhat mad. But nothing over the to.

The other suggestion I have is taking an extended release form of adderall and maybe an instant release as a booster to it.

[phoenixdreamer]

Oh, and the anti-depressant I take is lexapro. Ive had awesome results w it at ten Mg for 3 yrs now. Never had to mess w dosage.

[CHG2000]

I was irritable at times, and could be pushed over the top before meds, but not like this. I also have never felt so ready to burst before. It usually only happens in the morning, about an hour after taking all my meds, and sometimes in the evenings. It lasts fr about an hour, it doesn't happen after I take my second dose of adderall. thanks for the input.

[tortilaman]

it takes around four days for adderall to entirely leave your sytem chemically. That isn't the same as it having effects obviously. Your temperment when your adderall is acting, and your temperment when it is not might be very different, so consistency should be something you look at. If you're going to change things around, you shouldn't do it more than once a week. Change it, give yourself a week to gauge the effects, and move on if necessary. Don't change more than one thing at a time and in a given week otherwise you won't be able to separate what's doing what.

[sarahsweets]

Why don't you try taking the tenex and adderall seperatly to see which one may he giving you side effects?

[CHG2000]

thanks sara, I spent a week reducing the amount of adderall to one 5 mg in the morning and I went that one day without and was awful. I guess I can work on being patient and maybe spend some more time adjsting and getting used to my meds, although I feel like I'm not sure what direction I'm heading and I'm not sure I'm hugelly confident in my doctor. I just miss those two amazing weeks I had.

I was wondering if anyone elseheard a similar thing about how adderall works for social anxety like that. Everything I've read says that adderall is used to treat social anxiety.