[Loww]

I tend to really, really over access things, so I'm sorry if I am making light of actual drug addicts, that's not my point in all of this.

I went to my psychiatrist yesterday and he understands that I don't have a addiction issue, so he'll just give me whatever. And he gave me amphetamines. And I'm already on benzodiazapines. And it took me forever to convince me to take small doses of benzodiazapines. I am on 5mg of valium twice a day. ( Which I tell myself is equal to .5mg of Ativan twice a day my body chemistry just prefers Valium)

But recently I got really depressed and couldn't function, so I went to my doctor and my energy was so low, I could not have just written that paragraph and he gave me dexadrine. And he started me on 15mg. I asked him why 15mg and not 5mg and he said that I had narcolepsy and I should have been taking stimulants years ago. That most narcolepsy patients take 50mg of dexadrine a day.

I just can't stop worrying about being on addictive drugs. I could move to provigil or nuvigil, but I was on them along with concerta/ritalin in 2010 and had bad side effects. The only stimulant I didn't try was amphetamines.

The Amphetamines are helping a lot. I put on make up today. Actually took a shower. I am meeting my sister in law for lunch tomorrow. I do feel much, much better.

But I am just so scared to be on both valium and dexadrine. Should I just trust my doctor? Get a second opinion? Be relieved that I am okay and healthy and not laying on the couch all day?

I think the good part is, is that the Benzodiazepines are helping so that the Amphetamines aren't making me crazy anxious. Like the Ritalin did. I wouldn't take Benzos back then.

[Lauliza]

If the medications are helping you then take them. Going from non functioning to taking care of yourself and going out is a major accomplishment and well worth any risk involved. Your pdoc likely will monitor your usage of the stimulant and benzos to be sure you are taking as prescribed.

I take both a stimulant and a benzo and I also worry constantly about addiction, I bring it up all the time. But the scripts are written in a way so that if you don't take them as prescribed (if you take too much), then you will run out before you can refill it. A good doctor will monitor you, so trust his judgement and continue getting better. You can always cut back the dosage if needed and once your body adjusts to the Ritalin (I was crazy anxious when I first began it butit was temprorary), you might not need the valium at all. Good luck!

[doglover1979]

I recently started ritalin and have been feeling very guilty when I take my klonopin.

Along with the three Bipolar meds I take to keep me stable, I can emotionally accept taking one or the other. For some reason taking both in one day makes me feel like a junky. Maybe its because I have a past with lots of substance abuse.

As long as I am taking my meds as prescribed, it must be OK. I'm not abusing them at all, but still having an upper and a downer in my daily routine bothers me.

Maybe its because I have known someone who would snort adderall all day and an then chew down a couple of ativan at night, along with a half bottle of wine and a blunt.

Any way. I know how you feel. Still, all of my meds are prescribed to me for a reason. My Pdoc is pretty cautious about putting people on high doses of these medications, and won't start them at all unless she sees it as neccesary. I have to trust her. She fixed me, and she is the first one to ever come close!

[DePressMe]

I also take an amphetamine and benzo--it is what some people need.

[Loww]

I am glad to know other people take stimulants and benzos. They are really helping, but making it harder to sleep at night time. I suppose I will adjust to that. I don't have the anxiety that I had with concerta and ritalin and the vigils. I like the dexadrine better.

[Travelinglady]

Loww, if you are not addiction prone, then being addicted is not a problem. I just taper off when I need to, although it does take awhile.

[Loww]

Traveling Lady- But I have heard so many stories of people gatewaying themselves into heroine, meth or cocaine because of their psychiatrists penmanship. I guess I just don't want to end up as one of them. Addiction makes recovery from a mental health issue that much harder. I am still somewhat young, 26. So although I can be a little bit easier on myself then when say I was 21, when I really cracked down hard about benzodiazepines and anything else addictive. I still don't know if I am capable of being an addict, I have never actually let myself get addicted to anything. I was bulimic for eight years. I was addicted to food and purging. It's a bit different, but I'm not taking a chance.

[vvector0000]

They work OK together, but I always have had problems keeping my benzo dose the same, probably because the methylphenidate dose is high.. and yeah, I used to drink so that's maybe why

[spemat]

I take 200 mg of Lamictal and 90 mg of Adderall (30 mg 3 times/day) for hyperactivity and bipolar I disorder.

I have PRN meds of Klonopin if I am having tons of stress and feel my mood rising and if I am acute, I have 15 days or Ativan and Haldol to get in somewhere.

I sometimes need Klonopin, rarely the other two and my stimulant makes me tired at the full dose but I often need it at full dose in the summer because that is when mania hits me the most.

I have done the best in the long run on this protocol. I fear the day I need to go to a new doctor because with my diagnosis, especially the psychotic part, he will want me on some long term antipsychotic and that treatment protocol never helped. The Ativan and Haldol also help PTSD related rages too.