[aaronsmack]

A brief introduction and history

I'm an adult male, age 46, who lives with unmedicated ADD. I've been unmedicated for about a month now, and I can tell you unequivocally that it sucks. You could say I'm unmedicated by choice, and you'd be partially correct. I got tired of the side effects of stimulant meds like Adderall (massive migraine headaches), and although Strattera worked fairly well for me for a few months, somewhere along the way , about a month ago and also very close to the time it became available as a generic (imagine that!), it from out of the blue stopped working for no reason Include determine, so I stopped taking it. A secondary reason I decided not to try any other ADD meds was to see if somehow they contributed to my regular and excruciating migraine headaches. I really needed to know this, and that's the real reason I continue to remain unmedicated today.

I also take Wellbutrin for depression. Looking and behold about 2 weeks ago my pharmacy switched generic manufacturers. I went from Actavis (a small, white, circular pill) to Global/Ampax (a medium-size, yellowish, oval pill).

Bottom line is the last week or two have been extremely difficult at work. I don't care what all the med-free advocates say, all the strategies and techniques in the world can't begin to scratch the surface of what a working ADD meds can do. None of them put a dent in my ADD right now, and it's killing me.

I started taking a magnesium supplement as a preventative for my migraines, and I'm happy to say that I've been mkgraine-free for 10 days now. That's a new modern record for me, so I'm very grateful for that. Once I get to two weeks mkgraine-free, I'm going to call this a success and figure out what I'm going to do next.

I think I'm done with generic meds. I don't care what any medical or pharmaceutical professional tells me, generic meds manufactured by different drug makers do no have the same effect on me. I've seen this many times, and I'm tired of pharmacies throwing unforseen variables into my life. Whatever I choose to do next, it will almost certainly involve brand name medications.

Where I am today

Living with my ADD unmedicated is killing me. I struggle mightily most days to be productive at work. Sometimes a cup of coffee really helps, and other times like today it seems to do nothing for me. It's gotten so bad for me at work that I dread going ginto work every day. Because my efforts to be productive aren't working very well, I'm feeling more and more depressed and even anxious about losing my job.

Thanks for reading.

[kkrrhh]

I'm sorry you're going through this.
I feel like most of these suggestions might be obvious things you've tried, but is there any chance upping your Wellbutrin could help a little? Also, have you tried asking your pharmacy if they can order the other manufacturer for you, or considered calling other pharmacies to see if any carry the manufacturer that works best for you? I did this once with another med, and they didn't mind.

Have you ever seen a medical doctor for your migraines specifically?

[aaronsmack]

Originally Posted by kkrrhh

I'm sorry you're going through this.
I feel like most of these suggestions might be obvious things you've tried, but is there any chance upping your Wellbutrin could help a little? Also, have you tried asking your pharmacy if they can order the other manufacturer for you, or considered calling other pharmacies to see if any carry the manufacturer that works best for you? I did this once with another med, and they didn't mind.

Have you ever seen a medical doctor for your migraines specifically?

kkrrhh,
First, thanks for replying. I'm not very active on this board, and when I do post, it seems more like rants and complaining to me. I imagine people reading my posts and thinking, "Why is this guy posting this? WTF does he even want?"

I haven't tried calling around to different pharmacies about the Wellbutrin manufacturer, but that's a possibility. I get a 3-month supply at a time, so I'm stuck with what I have for a little over two months. I did some reading recently about generic meds. Anyone reading this should Google "Dr. Oz generic meds". He explains FDA regulations regarding generic meds very clearly, and it's eye-opening.

I haven't seen a doctor about my migraines because I have very little doubt that, just like most any kind of Western doctor, the first thing they're going to do is put me on yet another med. I a!ready take two meds, Wellbutrin (depression ) and L-Thyroxine (hypoactive thyroid). I was also on Lipitor (high cholesterol) and Strattera (ADD), but I've since cut those two out after conferring with my doctors. I still need some kind of ADD med, so that plus a migraine med would put me on four meds which I'd be dependent upon daily as a regularly-exercising 45 year-old man. Should my doctor want me to go back on Lipitor, that'd put me at five freaking prescription meds which seems absolutely ridiculous to me and definitely more variables than I want to deal with in this generic medication world.

As a side note, the magnesium supplement I had hoped would keep my migraines at bay wasn't effective in the end. I'm going to increase my dosage and see if it helps, but pessimistic me isn't holding out much hope. Having migraine headaches a few days in a row every 6-10 days and seeing all of my non-prescription attempts at remedying them fail is very depressing to me, but I'm going to do all I can before I put yet another medicine in my system.

Again, thank you so much for replying. It means a lot to me.

[Nike007]

Hi. So I personally have no experience with generic medications, but if you notice there is a difference, could you just explain to your doctor this fact so they can prescribe you a non-generic medication? If your current place doesn't prescribe it, you can easily just go to a different pharmacy. Just ask your records to be transferred to the new place. The current place isn't going to hate you if you change. They don't care. You just need to do what is right for you.

Also, it may seem bad about taking x amount of medications a day, but if it helps you, why not? It may be "unnatural" in your body, but the medication is used to help treat or prevent conditions. Medication just leaves your body through your urine in the end anyways.

If migraines impact you, I would suggest seeing a doctor about it. In my opinion, or at least I see it this way, is that functioning and being on x amount of medications is better than not functioning and being on zero.

If you still don't want to try medications, you can ask your doctor about alternative methods or see a naturopath about it. Good luck.

[aaronsmack]

Hi Nike007,
Thanks for your reply. Here are my replies to your reply. 😁

Originally Posted by Nike007

Hi. So I personally have no experience with generic medications, but if you notice there is a difference, could you just explain to your doctor this fact so they can prescribe you a non-generic medication? If your current place doesn't prescribe it, you can easily just go to a different pharmacy. Just ask your records to be transferred to the new place. The current place isn't going to hate you if you change. They don't care. You just need to do what is right for you.

My doc will gladly prescribe me non-generic meds, and I'd gladly take him up on it if he'd also pay the difference. ☺️ As for pharmacies, I have no problem shopping around different pharmacies, but (currently anyway) I get my a 3-month supply of my meds thru mail-order pharmacy, and they, just like every other pharmacy, give no notice when they change generic manufacturers. Still workable if necessary but a pain in the *****.

Originally Posted by Nike007

Also, it may seem bad about taking x amount of medications a day, but if it helps you, why not? It may be "unnatural" in your body, but the medication is used to help treat or prevent conditions. Medication just leaves your body through your urine in the end anyways.

I don't mind taking meds when they are needed. I'm definitely pro-med! But each med adds another variable to the equation, and if I don't absolutely need a medication, I'm gong to eliminate it.

Originally Posted by Nike007

If migraines impact you, I would suggest seeing a doctor about it. In my opinion, or at least I see it this way, is that functioning and being on x amount of medications is better than not functioning and being on zero.

If you still don't want to try medications, you can ask your doctor about alternative methods or see a naturopath about it. Good luck.

I'm not against seeing a doctor about my migraines, and if I'm unable to make any headway with them I certainly will. But not until I've exhausted all reasonable non-medical possibilities. I'd rather prevent them from occurring in the first place than to spend a lot of $$$ covering up symptoms.

[Nike007]

Originally Posted by aaronsmack

Hi Nike007,

Thanks for your reply. Here are my replies to your reply.


My doc will gladly prescribe me non-generic meds, and I'd gladly take him up on it if he'd also pay the difference. As for pharmacies, I have no problem shopping around different pharmacies, but (currently anyway) I get my a 3-month supply of my meds thru mail-order pharmacy, and they, just like every other pharmacy, give no notice when they change generic manufacturers. Still workable if necessary but a pain in the *****.


I don't mind taking meds when they are needed. I'm definitely pro-med! But each med adds another variable to the equation, and if I don't absolutely need a medication, I'm gong to eliminate it.


I'm not against seeing a doctor about my migraines, and if I'm unable to make any headway with them I certainly will. But not until I've exhausted all reasonable non-medical possibilities. I'd rather prevent them from occurring in the first place than to spend a lot of $$$ covering up symptoms.

I see... Sorry, I did forget how other places in the world have different costs for medication. I am in Canada, so the government does pay for a lot of the medication costs. For example, my brand name antidepressant cost me $4 a month, but I have insurance. Without insurance, it would be about $35 per month.

Are you able to change your pharmacy place after this patch of medication? Are you able to call different pharmacies and ask them where your medication is made, or the generic company that makes them so you can determine where to go? I know it is a pain, but it will make your life much more worth it in the end.

I see... sorry, but I did read you originally as a person against medications. But I do understand that medications do costs a lot of money for some people. I just forgot about that variable. And I do understand it gets more complicated the more medications you add, since the doctor has to check interactions and you may have to avoid certain medications or food so you don't have an interaction. It can get a lot more complicated.

Anyways, I hope you do find a solution to your problem.

[anushka]

Hi... I am sorry to hear that you are having a hard time.

I have been suffering from bad headaches for a long time and now, for the last 2 years, i got headaches almost everyday. Earlier it was lesser frequent, about 2 days a week. But now it has worsened and so i finally decided to visit a neuro doc. Earlier, i too thought of avoiding meds, just like you. But now that i have started meds, i can tell you, it's such a bliss and peace now. It really feels great to be able to work with ease without getting headaches all the time, and putting those balms all the time and massaging my head all the time etc etc.

If money is an issue, you can try to get same composition meds which are less costly. But i can tell you, its worth it.

This was the headache part, which i could tell you from experience. And i wanted to ask you about the adhd medication part. I have finally decided to visit a doctor for adhd. Did the meds really help your adhd? Could you tell me, is it really worth it? You say you are worse now without meds. Are you finding your headaches reduce now that u r not taking med?

[Miswimmy1]

I personally also have found that the generic version of ADHD meds haven't worked as well for me. What I've done is had my psychiatrist check the little box at the bottom of the prescription that says "do not substitute". This requires the pharmacy to fill it with the brand name drug. I did have an issue at the beginning because my insurance would not cover the brand name if there was a generic alternative on the market (I had this issue with Focalin when it became generic). I had my psychiatrist write an appeal to my insurance company (essentially write a letter explaining that after trying the generic, I found it to not be as beneficial as the brand name, and to please cover the brand name). He also supplied them with my medication history to show that I had been taking the brand name, with success, for years prior to the release of the generic. Fortunately, the insurance company accepted the appeal and now covers the brand name drug for me. It might be worth a shot if you think that you would like to go back on ADD meds and would prefer the brand name.

Also, I know that Wellbutrin is sometimes used for ADD. My psychiatrist considered it for me when I was deciding whether to go the non-stimulant route after having little success with Straterra. He said that it might help reduce some of the inattention but not really with focus. I'm not sure if it would be much help but since you're already taking it, it might also be worth talking to your psychiatrist about upping that dosage just to see if it helps.