add and medication general concerns

So I have been gone for a bit just been very busy. I been seeing a therapist for a few months now to cope with depression and hyper activity and was referred to a Pdoc to prescribe medication to do a combination of meds an therapy.

I myself I am not pro-prescription nor traditional medicine I think They are very dangerous but i felt very much like there was no other option after struggling with huge depression spiral. I take supplements for adrenal, liver, thyroid, vit C, calcium, iron, fish oil, and a whole foods vitamin along with probiotics at times if that gives you any clue haha along with eating a for the most part good diet.

My overall health has been pretty good but my psych has been struggling. I was on Concerta for about a month. In the meantime My thyroid and anemia blood work came back good. I Went from 18 to 36 back to 18 after going back down i started having varying results. To the point where I could recognize my own face couldnt sleep etc etc to now where I am a bit down and want to sleep all day. He decided to try me with adderall XR and see how that goes other wise he thinks we need to look into manic depression if I react badly again.
He always asks me what my opinion is and to be honest I am not sure. I really have no idea what to do. It is just so frustrating to feel like I am always having to catch up and effing up at work...
any advice or experience on what else maybe i should work on?

Alas, trying out meds on folks has to be a process of trial of error--of tinkering around with different meds and different doses. I would tell the doc your main concern is to be able to function effectively at work. If you do end up with a diagnosis of bipolar, then most people are eventually able to get put on a satisfactory combo of meds. It takes patience. But please speak up with your concerns. It sounds like you have a good doc.

I have tried 8 different meds for ADHD-combined type, including Adderall, Focalin, Stratera, guanfacine, Vyvanse, Ritalin (short and long acting), and Concerta. I also just started Zoloft 25 mg for anxiety and depression.

I'm taking that with Concerta 27 mg. I also have a mild case of Tourette sydrome, so most of the stimulants I tried left me twitching uncontrollably for an hour or so. FINALLY--after two years--I sort of figured it out. I was on Concerta 18 mg because 27 was too high, but then I had to augment with short-acting methylphenidate, and now I'm at 27. It's not perfect, and sometimes the side effects suck (ears ringing), but it helps me focus and be a little less fidgety.

As for the Zoloft, I think it might be making me more depressed, or maybe that's just me :/.

Point is, keep trying. It's actually kind of a reckless thing to do because I keep trying something new, so in a way, it is pleasurable. I guess it's all how you look at it.... I try to see one thing with a "glass half full" lens a day, no matter how I'm feeling. Not easy, but there you have it. Good luck!

I guess so its just very frustrating, I want to feel positive but it seems like im always fighting back and forth.

Did you have any good results from adderall XR? I take that one and it helps. Something to keep in mind, if u do end up with bp dx in addition to ADHD, doc may say no more stimulants. I pushed for it and got them back sooner, but pdoc initially threatened she needed to see me go 1-2 yrs without hypo/mania. I'm sure I cried and felt unsupported, how was I going to be able to focus and keep working? But I proved myself within a few months, she added lithium to the mix. I don't like psych meds either. But took lithium for about 10 months, pulled me well out of bp depression, but the weight gain became too much, so I stopped taking it in November and just riding the waves.

Its still up in the air right now. I was pissed off when i started taking it and the same was true this weekend when i went off of it an i was depressed as well. Today was a little better but i really dont know... Ill see how the next few weeks go

I am diagnosed with Bipolar I and ADHD. I take Saphris for bipolar and adderall for ADHD. I should also mention I take 15mg of adderall (instant release) twice a day. This med combo (along with psychotherapy) has absolutely worked wonders!

I was on adderall XR and absoutely HATED the affects it had on me. I had terrible come downs on the XR where I felt extremely irritable and it would sometimes put me in a manic state. I also couldn't fall asleep at night and still felt the effects of the drug long after it was "supposed" to have warn off. So if XR ends up being too much for you, you may want to ask about switching to the instant release.

Kuddos to you for being overall healthy though! Psych issues tend to me more difficult to find the right meds for than our physical ailments. But definitely my advice would be to keep an open communication between your pdoc and your therapist. It's all about trial and error but hopefully soon you will find out what works for you. Best of luck!

Hah well i try, thank you. Im still pretty good on the Adderall my pdoc is trying to refer me to a neuropsychologist for testing because even though he says i present with Adhd its atypical and he wants to know why and if it structural. He says My emotional regulation is out of control and hes still back on forth on wether we need to treat for manic depression.