[mossanimal]

Hi folks... I’m being treated for bipolar but there is some thought that adhd might be the larger underlying issue. I was put on Wellbutrin over a year ago for depression and ever since I’ve lost all of my enthusiasm for many things. No more spontaneous projects and near obsessive interests. I’m flat and out of it. I know that depression is an issue right now but I’m wondering if other adhd people have felt like this after being put on an adhd med like Wellbutrin.

[mossanimal]

Btw... I am only on Wellbutrin now and have stopped all mood stabilizers.

[healingme4me]

I'd go back to your doctor and tell him what it's doing to you.

[KTMC95]

I know that Welbutrin is sometimes used as an off-label treatment for ADHD alongside stimulant medication such as Adderall or Ritalin. Perhaps you are feeling so flat because the overactive thoughts have been squashed but you now don't have any motivation. I'm dealing with the same thing right now. On 300mg a day and waiting on an ADHD diagnosis. I'm having far fewer ups and downs which is good in some ways, but I feel like it's destroying my creativity. Still don't have the focus to actually get anything done

[Nate Jones]

You sure you are bi-polar? ADHD and Bi-polar are often misdiagnosed as the other. The difference between them is ADHD is reactive to external stimuli while bi-polar is internally on a chemical cycle and its shifts are not caused by obvious external events.

Gender plays a role in this too. Men with ADHD tend to tackle their disorder with tasks and goals. Women on the other hand have their ADHD flux with their serotonin levels, which drop heavily just before or at the end of their menstrual cycle and can cause severe withdrawal and sudden depression. Additionally, someone's comorbid traits throw a curveball into this too. With all these various factors in play, its possible to throw off the diagnosis.

Usually, you want to confirm ADHD vs bi-polar. The external vs internal catalyst is often obvious. If that doesn't clear it up, treating the ADHD with titrated stimulants should reveal one or the other. ADHDers don't have euphoria or other common reactions from stimulants. You just come into focus and feel more stable and less scattered or . distracted. Then once you have that cleared up, you can start identifying and working through the comorbid traits. Often, properly treating the ADHD helps lessen so comorbid traits (like stimulants actually claming you and then mellowing out anxiety for example, where the anxiety meds did nothing before or even made the ADHD worse). Of course, this is from my own experience with myself and my two daughters. You need to work with your medical professional (who should be intimately familiar with atypical disorders and compromised executive functions). Majority of primary care are not up on treating ADHD or related conditions.

Good luck!

[Harmonizer]

Originally Posted by mossanimal

Btw... I am only on Wellbutrin now and have stopped all mood stabilizers.

Mossanimal, you didn't say whether you're being treated by a primary care doc, psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. Since you have more than one mental health diagnosis, like many of us here, you should be seeing one of those last two. They are specialists and would probably work closely with you to get the right med combo. With ADHD/ADD, you should probably be on a stimulant, plus an antidepressant for your depressive symptoms. It sounds like you are having those now. Wellbutrin may or may not be the best antidepressant for you. You've just got to get a mental health prescriber who is easily accessible by phone or text so you can give them feedback about the meds, and get changes made when you need them. Good luck!

[MickeyCheeky]

((((mossanimal)))) I hope you're doing ok.