ADHD/Bipolar...

[lovin cayden]

hi ,
I'm new and have a few questions. I went to a psychiatrist last night to once and for all talk about my ADD (i'm almost 35 years old) and the end of my discussion with her she said she wasn't really sure what was going on and thinks it might be bipolar or ADHD.
So she wanted me to up my Wellbutrin to see if it helps with ADD. Well i upped my W and i was a mess today, so anxiety ridden (i'm on lexapro for anxiety) so by the end of the day i couldn't take it anymore and called her to let her know what was going on. She left me a VM wanting me to still tryit if i can and to take something else for anxiety. anywho that part is rather here nor there.

Is there anyone else that was seen by a dr and the dr teetered between ADD and bipolar. How the heck does a dr finally come to a realization as to what it is? I always thought it was ADD but now i see parts of me that are symptoms of bipolar... more the mania than depression.
Anyways any support or stories would be greatly appreciated.

[EYEFORGOT]

Hi lovin, welcome to ADDF.

I was in my early thirties when I was diagnosed with bipolar II and ADD. The bipolar being the one treated with meds, the ADD not anymore. I was on straterra. I believe I tried Wellbutrin briefly but it also made me feel anxious. That and anti-depressants threw me into a hypomanic state that was most unpleasant.

Perhaps this thread will help.

[daveddd]

the problem is 90% of disorders all have similar symptoms

look up anxiety and it also describes inability to focus and other items that can appear as hyperactivity, there just all caused by different issues

so most people who go to the doc telling him what they have , the doc will agree get his money and send you on your way

go to a good pyschcologist , let them come to their own conclusion and work from there

some people say that well butrin makes anxiety worse so that can be your problem too

[lovin cayden]

Originally Posted by daveddd

the problem is 90% of disorders all have similar symptoms

look up anxiety and it also describes inability to focus and other items that can appear as hyperactivity, there just all caused by different issues

so most people who go to the doc telling him what they have , the doc will agree get his money and send you on your way

go to a good pyschcologist , let them come to their own conclusion and work from there

some people say that well butrin makes anxiety worse so that can be your problem too

thankfully this dr didn't come to any quick conclusions. She wants to first see how the extra dose of W does with me. i definitely think the W has bothered my anxiety.

[daveddd]

thats good

adhd likes to hang around with anxiety, bipolar,social anxiety, you name it

by the way my first post is based off my nine pdocs in 8 years and 5 or 6 or who knows how many dxs

[lovin cayden]

All right i'm pizzed off that it is 11pm and i am wide awake. I'm usually in bed by 9-10pm. I've taken half of a unisom...like i do every night , just had the other half. Why does this have to be so difficult?

[formychildren]

My daughter was dx first as adhd, now as her preteens she's dx bipolar. I know it may not compare to you, she's young etc, but she had some really bizarre behaviors that lead to us (being parents/psych) that it was more than adhd, she had some very very highs (hypomania, I think it's called?). Also she had many many lows, wanting to die etc- it was devistating for us. She's been seeing therapists, dr's etc since she was 4 yrs old. Oh it was so hard- Plus, over the years she's tried many different adhd meds but the last year or so there's a huge difference. She takes Wellbutrin (which does help her adhd too), Ablilfy and Folcalin. With this combination, she's doing great. You might be on the right track, I don't know I am not a dr. But by me sharing this with you... maybe it'll make you feel a bit better even though I don't know much.
Best of luck.

[lovin cayden]

Originally Posted by formychildren

My daughter was dx first as adhd, now as her preteens she's dx bipolar. I know it may not compare to you, she's young etc, but she had some really bizarre behaviors that lead to us (being parents/psych) that it was more than adhd, she had some very very highs (hypomania, I think it's called?). Also she had many many lows, wanting to die etc- it was devistating for us. She's been seeing therapists, dr's etc since she was 4 yrs old. Oh it was so hard- Plus, over the years she's tried many different adhd meds but the last year or so there's a huge difference. She takes Wellbutrin (which does help her adhd too), Ablilfy and Folcalin. With this combination, she's doing great. You might be on the right track, I don't know I am not a dr. But by me sharing this with you... maybe it'll make you feel a bit better even though I don't know much.
Best of luck.

thank you for sharing your story. I don't have the depression aspect, more mania. Before i went on lexapro i thought the world was out to get me. After i went on Lex i realized A) the world doesn't give a rats azz about me and B) I didn't care anymore. I let things roll off my shoulders. Now that i'm on lex i feel much better in that aspect. I'm not sure if people with bipolar get that way. Feeling people don't like you , thinking you always say teh wrong thing etc. Those were my anxiety issues. Now i just go through periods , usually 2 weeks before my period where i get out of control , in a way. I can get tipped off by someone and spin into a sort of depression, i guess. Where i get hung up on lifes failures and my parents screwed me up. anyways i'm rambling and i'm sure no one understands. As i don't really.

[gettingitdone]

I have been diagnosed as Bi-Polar with rapid cycling. I have even been admitted due to a manic episode that just wouldn't go away. I used to enjoy the "up" times, but then I would have depression also.

I have always had ADD tendencies and all of my other dr.'s said that it was due to the Bi-polar. Well, now that my bi-polar has been in control for a year and a half my dr is now actually addressing the inattentive piece. She felt that since I could read a novel then I probably didn't have it. Well, after filling out the questionnaire...I came out at the higher end of ADD. I am still trying to learn about adult ADD in an effort to see which diagnosis impacts my symptoms the most.

The only thing is now I'm taking a stimulant and am nervous that it will trigger a manic state. But maybe my manic state was just hyperfocus.

[letsrockit]

This is not indended as a fact, just my experience with my doctor.

When I first started seeing him he put me on the stimulants and wb. I stopped the wb - made me feel weird.

Anyway - he mentioned bioplar and was asking me if I was (cuz I should know? lol) He told me that when taking the stimulants if I were bipolar it would show b/c the stimulants would bring out the severe mood swings. I don't have those, and am not bipolar--- this is what he told me.

Not sure this is the right doc - thinking of switching for other reasons so don't take it too seriously. Just relaying waht I was told. Maybe you could ask your doc about the stimulants and bioplar thing..

Hope it helps

[Meadd]

Originally Posted by lovin cayden

hi ,
I'm new and have a few questions. I went to a psychiatrist last night to once and for all talk about my ADD (i'm almost 35 years old) and the end of my discussion with her she said she wasn't really sure what was going on and thinks it might be bipolar or ADHD.
So she wanted me to up my Wellbutrin to see if it helps with ADD. Well i upped my W and i was a mess today, so anxiety ridden (i'm on lexapro for anxiety) so by the end of the day i couldn't take it anymore and called her to let her know what was going on. She left me a VM wanting me to still tryit if i can and to take something else for anxiety. anywho that part is rather here nor there.

Is there anyone else that was seen by a dr and the dr teetered between ADD and bipolar. How the heck does a dr finally come to a realization as to what it is? I always thought it was ADD but now i see parts of me that are symptoms of bipolar... more the mania than depression.
Anyways any support or stories would be greatly appreciated.

I was dxd bipolar 4 years ago...thank god for thats how I was able to get disability benefits...I was put on several diff mood stabilizers and finally the combo of abilify and lamictol helped... My previous doctor did not want to prescribe adderal or any ADD meds for me... I changed Drs and now I am doing ok on cymbalta, xanax and adderal... I am afraid to relapse my manic episodes tho because I am not currently taking mood stabilizers...(I have not had episodes of mania for the last 4 years)... go figure...

Originally Posted by daveddd

the problem is 90% of disorders all have similar symptoms

look up anxiety and it also describes inability to focus and other items that can appear as hyperactivity, there just all caused by different issues

so most people who go to the doc telling him what they have , the doc will agree get his money and send you on your way

go to a good pyschcologist , let them come to their own conclusion and work from there

some people say that well butrin makes anxiety worse so that can be your problem too

I agree with ya daveddd. They all want money...A few of them are moral and good docs but they are far few and in between...

[formychildren]

Originally Posted by lovin cayden

thank you for sharing your story. I don't have the depression aspect, more mania. Before i went on lexapro i thought the world was out to get me. After i went on Lex i realized A) the world doesn't give a rats azz about me and B) I didn't care anymore. I let things roll off my shoulders. Now that i'm on lex i feel much better in that aspect. I'm not sure if people with bipolar get that way. Feeling people don't like you , thinking you always say teh wrong thing etc. Those were my anxiety issues. Now i just go through periods , usually 2 weeks before my period where i get out of control , in a way. I can get tipped off by someone and spin into a sort of depression, i guess. Where i get hung up on lifes failures and my parents screwed me up. anyways i'm rambling and i'm sure no one understands. As i don't really.

Well, I do believe from what my daughter "use to" say was that everyone talked about her behind her back and she did think that we/world was against her. She doesn't show those symptoms anymore, but she does have her moments of rage which I seem to misunderstand many times. Or at least, I don't see why she's so angry when (in my mind) there's nothing to be upset about. I try to calm her down or give her love... Either way, those types of things would create the depression or the downward spiral... like you said it only happened at times, but the times became excessive. She would feel so rotten, she would be herself up and really consider herself worthless on this planet and isolate herself, push her only friends away or say/do something to cause trouble, but not realizing it and blaming it on the world. She's had a rough life (not because of me, but other things/trauma she's been through), overall I can understand her bitterness at times. So far she's doing wonderfully even w/those brief moments or fits etc and I am so happy to see that something I wrote was worth saying thanks over even if it was just for sharing. I am happy to share with others and learn from others, thank you too for hearing me out. Glad to hear the update.