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Simcha · Oct 25, 2008, 02:49 AM

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Originally Posted by chaotic13

Thanks Simcha.I had to include this... my inner feral child needed to feel some no-touch love this week.

I always knew you were really a feral child at heart, chaotic!

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Yes, the Propranolol (a fast acting version at a low dosage 30mgs, I think) was Rx'ed for use "as needed." It is not really part of my treatment for ADHD. During one doctor’s appointment…after dismissing the perky PA, I told my neurologist/Pdoc/Candyman that I was struggling with chilling out during therapy (elevated BP, knot in throat, racing heart, muscle tension, and the feeling of someone sitting on my chest). Propranolol is a beta-blocker and in higher dosages is used to lower BP and heart rate and to treat tremors, angina (chest pain). Unofficially it can be used to treat…short-term anxiety symptoms and migraines.

Yeah, I'd be scared to take it myself, but I'm hesitant with most pills that can affect my cardiac system. Since I don't have cardiac problems, I don't want to create one either. I've had some physician experiences that I didn't care for (regarding asthma that was diagnosed in May). I'm not so sure they all take the time to properly evaluate you, as they tend to prefer the "hurry up rush rush" appointment these days. IMO, they don't always know what is best. I usually run things through with my T to evaluate if I should take something or not. I don't always think logically when it comes to trusting physicians.

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I’ve only used my Propranolol anxiety treatment a few times, one being last session. It does seem to help with my physical symptoms. They don’t totally go away but they seem more manageable. The last time I tried to talk about a particular issue in therapy…I thought my heart was going to bust right out of my chest and I was dry heaving in the parking lot afterward. Last week I still felt very anxious…but not where near this ways.

Have you made your T aware of the extent to which you get these anxiety reactions after difficult sessions? It sounds like you are experiencing a panic attack during these episodes. I would tell him in detail if you haven't already. Talking about the symptoms and precipitors to panic attacks can be very difficult, but must be done in order to overcome them. I have Panic Disorder myself; not everyone who gets panic attacks has Panic Disorder, as they can happen as stand-alone episodes, or due to a specific phobia or medical condition (probably other reasons as well). Hopefully you don't have Panic Disorder, but either way, panic attacks are terrible. Every time you experience one, it reinforces the tendency to get one (physiologically and mentally). Better to get to the source and kill it altogether---have you talked to your T about this?

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Yes, I take 60 mg of the Adderall XR in the morning.

How long does the beneficial effects of the Adderall XR last for you? Do you have negative side effects that are notable? Do you have negative side effects when the drug wears off for the day?

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Actually the whole reason I visited this forum today was because …somehow the pharmacy companies have gotten my email address…(hopefully not from PC!) and I was sent an article/advertisement from Medscape.com on DAYTRANA. This apparently is a “once-daily transdermal patch formulation of methylphenidate, available in 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg dosage strengths, provides day-long symptom control.” I know nothing about this medication but thought I would check to see if anyone was using it.

LOL--- that is really crappy about the pharmacy companies now spamming you. I doubt it was PC; I imagine the spam came from one of Medscape.com's advertisers (or affiliate's advertisers).

I haven't known anyone on Daytrana, but I hear that it is optimal for children who have a hard time taking pills for one reason or another. All I really know off the top of my head about it is that methylphenidate is the drug in Ritalin (and one of the drugs in Adderall), and it is a stimulant. If the ad said "day long symptom control", I would assume that it might be a long-acting extended release form of the methylenphenidate, but don't take my word for it. I'll have to look it up now when I'm done browsing on PC (I try to do one activity at a time now

--sometimes it works, sometimes not). I'd be hesitant of it as I wouldn't want it to come off or accidentally be absorbed by someone else (and have my kitty eat it

). I also wouldn't like the risk of skin irritation. The plus I see with the patch versus a traditional pill form is that you can control to a certain degree--how much of the drug gets released at once (because you can always take off the patch if you are experiencing negative symptoms).