I have adult ADD and take Adderall. It's helped with my attention span, motivation and focus and as an added bonus my social anxiety too. On the other hand it wears off and I still feel like I deal with depression and anxiety and have now for years when I'm honest with myself. I am wondering if maybe Effexor could help me but I've read you can't take the two together. So I'm a little afraid to give up the Adderall. Hence the subject of this post.
Some background on me. My depression started about 10 years ago. I'm 36. At 26 I was diagnosed with IBS. At 28 started developing problems with anxiety and was put on Paxil. I completely lost my sex drive and I gained 25lbs in 4 months. The rapid weight gain made me feel worse, so I stopped it and was now afraid to take any antidepressants. Shortly after I started having insomnia, which eventually turned into unrestorative sleep. In other words 10 hours felt like 2 hours of sleep. Every morning I was exhausted. At 31, I was diagnosed with stage 3 endometriosis and had surgery to remove it along with 3 large fibroids. Felt a little better, lost 10lbs but my anxiety just continued to get worse. I started to experience joint and muscular pain ( mainly in my upper back and shoulders.) At 33 I got pregnant with twins and overall my mood and anxiety improved quite a bit with the pregnancy. I was not in as much pain physically either but still had unrestorative sleep.
Less than a month after giving birth, I totally crashed. First I rapidly lost all my pregnancy weight plus 10lbs more in less then 2 months. I was as thin as I was in my early 20's (I'm actually not complaining about that part.) My joints were stiff and achey and every muscle in my body hurt. I was so tired I could hardly function. After a routine checkup, my bloodwork came back positive for Mono. Mono at 35? (and taking care of newborn twins.) I was sorta shocked. My doctor said it would take a month or two to recover. But I never did. Worse I became this super irritable person and experienced these intense emotional outbursts. I was always a little moody but I almost felt out of control now. I wasn't really weepy but I felt depressed and super angry My whole life had changed and I was not dealing well at all with it. Worse I felt intense guilt, sadness and shame over these feelings. Wasn't I supposed to be happy? Although I loved my girls intensely, I felt so alone. My girls also had colic so they cried 24/7 for almost 5 months, it was a very difficult experience. It actually took me over 6 months and therapy to realize and admit I had postpartum depression. Therapy helped a lot and soon it was like a fog lifting. I began to mentally feel less angry and the outbursts stopped completely but I could not shake this melancholy. Physically though things never improved and this winter I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Adult ADD and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I see a therapist who specializes in treating people with Chronic pain conditions. Some days are worse then others but I am always in pain. My anxiety especially socially got worse, which made me feel even more isolated, insecure and depressed. Savella has done nothing for me, Adderall at least gives me energy, helps with the brain fog and my concentration and even the pain a little. Surprisingly to me it also helps with my social anxiety too. But I'm ready to deal head on with my depression and anxiety. Hey if I am going to be in constant pain I might as well be semi-happy if I can. My girls deserve a happy mom.
I hope that you will be able to find a combination that dosent involve the Adderall I have been using the weight loss/stimulant for relief of depression moreso than weight loss it was having me a mental lift but the big problem is that I came to depend on my phentermine (weight loss) med to relieve depression but I have become resistant to it and am left with a deeper depression than ever. Now I have to try and get thru the withdrawal depression and the original depression.
Votes: +0
TL
tlease
7 Nov 2011
I would like to share my experience with taking effexor and adderall I am 53 yr old and for years (since 1979) I have been treated for depression and anxiety. I never really felt depressed, but had all the symptoms of anxiety. I have been prescribed and taken almost every drug that treats depression and anxiety. Nothing really seemed to control the symptoms until I started on Effexor. I took Effexor for 3 years and when my daughter was diagnosed with ADD in third grade (she is 27 now), I started researching ADD and realized I too, had all the symptoms of ADD, but with hyperactivity. My daughter was started on Adderall and her symptoms improved almost immediately. I wanted off Effexor because of the side effects I was experiencing and after learning that the two drugs could not be taken together. Of all the medications I have been on, Effexor was the absolute worse to stop taking.
It took me 6 months to wean myself off of Effexor, and even after being off of it, the next 6 months I was still experiencing what I called the "head spin," that whenever I would turn my head I felt dizzy and my head would keep spinning, like being on a carnival ride that goes round and round. It took me 2 years of searching for a Physician that would even test me for a diagnosis of ADHD. After I "flunked" every test that was available for diagnosis of ADHD, I was placed on Adderall 20mg, twice a day. That was 8 years ago and Adderall has completely changed my life for the better. Effexor was the worse drug I have ever taken and had to get off of. I have had to increase my dosage of Adderall over the years, but when I want a "drug holiday," I can stop my taking my Adderall and have few withdraw symptoms compared to Effexor. Also, I found in my research that amphetamines are being used to treat fibromyalgia pain. From my own experience in controlling my RA pain, Adderall works the better than anything, including narcotics, at relieving my pain. I have the most wonderful Physcian now that only specializes in treating ADD & ADHD, and understands the differences it has on females compared to males. I wish you luck in finding the right treatment for your symptoms, and don't stop searching until you feel good again. Your mental health is so important to being a proactive parent and raising two wonderful girls to become productive adults. Good luck and take care of yourself first!!
Votes: +1
AD
ade1971
24 Sep 2011
I'm not an expert but I ADHD, learning disabilities and have had major depression most of my adult life so I've learned a bit... If Adderall works well for the ADHD and you've noticed a difference while on it, would it be possible to ask your doc to prescribe an anti-depressant that can be used with Adderall? I take Wellbutrin XL for my depression (which has worked well for me) and it CAN be taken with Adderall (I take both together with good results and see a therapist as well which makes it all a bit easier.) So there might be another option besides Effexor. I think that there are also anti-depressants that treat pain as well (Cymbalta is one I think)... So I think there are options... hope things get sorted so your life gets better if not perfect yet
Votes: +0
RE
redhdbk
26 Sep 2011
I've thought of that and will likely ask her but I wanted to research drugs first. Unfortunately I'm super allergic to Wellbutrin. I am also super afraid of the weight gain associated with most antidepressants. When I took Paxil I rapidly gained 25lbs in 4 months, my body literally felt out of control and it made the depression so much worse. I am finally almost back to my pre-Paxil weight of 128lbs, I am 134lbs and a size 4/6 now and feel pretty happy where I am. I heard Cymbalta causes weight gain so I am not very interested in trying it. That's why I thought about Effexor.
AN
angielee
24 Sep 2011
Could be. ADD symptoms can also be associated with depression as well as your other symptoms of Fibromyalgia,and chronic fatigue. Go for it. If you haven't had your thyroid function checked lately consider it. Hypothyroidism ( also causes these symptoms) is often overlooked in postpartum exams but can occur with the "hormone shakeup" that occurs during this time. Adderall is great but "speed" helps just about anybody that takes it,and can contribute to anxiety- I watch the beast in my sister show up around 10am everyday she takes Effexor and Adderall. Good luck and God bless.
Votes: +0
RE
redhdbk
24 Sep 2011
lol had to laugh over the beast comment... my sister was on a high dose of adderall and would literally become this clenched jaw humorless er... rhymes with witch ,every time she took it. You could just tell when she was on it. I'm on a super low dose. 10mg a day, so if anything i'm a bit happier and chatty on it, but yeah cocaine will do that too hence my post, maybe its better to try something more long lasting.
J7
j7880m
4 Feb 2012
I take prozac for depression, and just started Savella for fibromyalgia..i WISH my doc would give me adderal, cuz i am tired all the time... truly, i could sleep 22 hours a day, like my cats do! I wouldnt give up the adderal at all... good luck!
J7
j7880m
4 Feb 2012
I take prozac for depression, and just started Savella for fibromyalgia..i WISH my doc would give me adderal, cuz i am tired all the time... truly, i could sleep 22 hours a day, like my cats do! I wouldnt give up the adderal at all... good luck!
