[krazzy77grl]

Ok so I went to the doc today and she definately agreed that I should try some meds. She gave me concerta 18mg to start off with. She said to try that for 5 days to a week and if it's not enough take 2. I will go back to her in 2 weeks.

I also take paxil for anxiety and wellbutrin off and on. I told her i was still taking it so she wrote me a refill for it but I'm not sure if that will be too much with the concerta. I've never given the wellbutrin a fighting chance to work I don't think. So i'm just nervous now about taking too much medicine at once. What do you guys think? Any insight is SOOO helpful!

Have a great day!!!

[Simcha]

Originally Posted by krazzy77grl

Ok so I went to the doc today and she definately agreed that I should try some meds. She gave me concerta 18mg to start off with. She said to try that for 5 days to a week and if it's not enough take 2. I will go back to her in 2 weeks.

I also take paxil for anxiety and wellbutrin off and on. I told her i was still taking it so she wrote me a refill for it but I'm not sure if that will be too much with the concerta. I've never given the wellbutrin a fighting chance to work I don't think. So i'm just nervous now about taking too much medicine at once. What do you guys think? Any insight is SOOO helpful!

Have a great day!!!

I've read and replied to your other posts, so forgive me if I am repeating myself somewhat, although I'll try to avoid that.

To be honest there are some red flags I see that indicate that your doctor does not pay attention to detail. While it's not uncommon that you'd have a less-than-attentive doctor, it does concern me a bit as it means you'd not be getting the best care possible. I'd be really interested in knowing your doctors theory behind her treatment decisions. I also know that medication is not the long-term answer to anxiety treatment. At best meds. work only for the short term, and it's best to look at the root causes of your anxiety problems and work it out with a therapist. Anxiety disorders have excellent response to therapy. It is interesting that you would be prescribed two separate antidepressants, of which the Wellbutrin you only take sporadically. Does your doctor know you only take the Wellbutrin sporadically?

I think you should call your doctor about the Wellbutrin and Paxil issue. If you go off Wellbutrin without weaning off of it you can have undesirable side effects too, so it's worth looking into. I do not know how Concerta might react with Wellbutrin and Paxil, or if you would even need to take more than one AD. It does seem a bit much to me, but only your doctor can tell you for sure. You should take notes and write down what your doctor says the next time you go--and also write down questions before you go. With ADHD I find that I have to be super organized or I become very forgetful and chaotic. I have a friend who brings a voice recorder to his appointments with his doctor.

GOODLUCK!

[katheryn]

the concerta you have been given is a low does , and if not mistaken they are slow release so you wont get full dose in one go
sons on 36mg and 18mg

maybe docs starting you on new med before weening you of the old ones

you could go to the pharmacy were you get your meds from and ask there advice about mixing the meds,

if you start on concerta they will monitor how it effects you before they up the dose to much

watch out though it can be a appetite supresant (spelling is not good) so try to eat regular meals

[sunrise]

krazzy, I think it is good to add one med at a time, see how you react on that, and then progress to the next "tweak" by adding or removing meds, changing doses, etc. Unfortunately, you don't really know how you do on Wellbutrin, as you haven't given it a fair chance by taking it regularly. When people are on SSRIs, like Paxil, it is not uncommon to give Wellbutrin to help them be more "up", as some people experience a kind of numb/zombie effect with SSRIs, and that is not what most people are seeking. Another bit of info--according to my PNP, people usually do not have the same difficulties stopping Wellbutrin as they do stopping SSRIs.

I started on Wellbutrin for ADHD symptoms, as it is effective for this in some people. It did help me a lot, but I felt it wasn't enough, so I added the stimulant Vyvanse. At the time of starting Vyvanse, my PNP decreased my dose of Wellbutrin from 300 mg to 150. She said I wouldn't need as much since I was adding the stimulant (they both act on the dopamine pathway). I've done fine on this combination.

I also have anxiety, and my PNP told me neither Wellbutrin nor Vyvanse would help with that, and could make it worse. But I was more concerned about dealing with my ADHD symptoms than the anxiety, so I made this trade-off. I use non-medical approaches (deep breathing, etc.) to handle my anxiety, as well as psychotherapy. (I have xanax I can use in a pinch if I really need it, but I rarely take it.)

I think you should have a good talk with your doc about all your concerns about these meds. Ask questions about why you are taking each one, how you will know if you should give up any of them or decrease their dosages, etc. Good suggestion from Simcha--write down all your questions before your doctor visit.

One last question--is it the same doctor who is prescribing you Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Concerta? Some of your comments made me think you originally got the Paxil from a different doc. It would be very helpful if the same doctor was prescribing all of your psychoactive meds. You need a unified treatment plan.

Good luck.

You are probably horrified by what I have been prescribed but for 10 years or so with some "tweaks" along the years this is what I have been taking: Abilify, Lamictal, Provigil, Klonopin, Trazodone,Topamax. (Bipolar I)

Concerta 72 mg for ADHD--been on that for 10 years--couldn't function without it.--Suzy

[scooterb]

Thank you for sharing your experience with ADHD. I think I might have this and am going to talk thoroughly with my Psych next week.
I have been diagnosed with Depression and GAD for many years and am currently taking Effexor SR and Ativan when needed. I also have trouble sleeping and can take Trazadone if I want. I think medication is a part of the solution, but don't want to end up living my life around my meds. So, I rarely take the Trazadone and am fully aware of the consequences of Ativan. I use exercise, meditation, and lots of positive friends and activities to deal with my symtoms. So, if I have ADHD would they give me another medication??? Would it make my insomnia worse???
My concern with the ADHD comes from negative experiences in my last two jobs. I am college educated and pretty darn smart, but I have the hardest time focussing on certain aspects; i.e. remembering trivial info like phone numbers, scheduling appointments on the computer on the correct day, and recalling the correct order of documents in a folder. Does this sound like ADHD?
Just interested in some feedback.
Scooterb