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dexadrine use for non adhd reasons - 9/2/2008 10:41:38 PM

SavageFaerie

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Disclaimer: I am trying to contact my physcratrist (sp? one of those words I will never burn in my brain to spell)

I have severe chronic depression
General and severe anxiety disorder ( have battled agoraphohia episodes more than less.
Chronic insomnia

I had thought that the insomnia was inproving. I changed my sleep hours from whenever to 9-10pm at night as requested by my dr and for a good while it was working still with the aid of sleep inducing medication, getting up around 6am (so says the dr this is the prime time for restoritive sleep). Then I started waking up from 2am and on. I spent more time in twlight sleep than anything,
So being still tired would nap ( I know avoid naps when trying to adjust insomian) plus the depressive side pushes for it also, dont have to worry about things if your sleeping right.

So I speak to him about it a couple of weeks ago. In trying to adjust me staying awake he puts me on this dexadrine stuff, which is an amphetaime slow release. Sure I stay awake all day but it still acting late into the night. He ceased me taking anything at night medicaton wise. My appetite which at best was low, so has practically gone to none. (sure nice to drop a few pounds) But it doesnt set well with the stomach no having food. I was quite ill over the weekend with nausua and spent the better part hugging the toilet. While I did eat out once one Fri as it was my sisters birthday, the food I ate is nothing unusual, so I kinda rule out what I ate, plus I had a bout of out of the blue thing happen once the day before dining out, but I was fine after.

Not to mention I have always had a stomach of steel, and my immune systems it off the roof in a good way. I rarely if ever get any physical ailments othere than the aches and pains that come with my age.

I have zero experience with this medication as its a stimulant and primarily for adhd or add. I have a mental aversion to the medicaion itself as street speed was problamic with 2 of my now grown children. This was expessed with the dr before I agreed to the trial period.

I realize he is tryin to work out day sleepyness and insomnia, but this was replaced instead of anti-depressants. He stated if I was more active it could alleviate the feeling of depression and my need to sleep through the day.

Since it wasnt a taper down medication I stopped it, as its been counter productive. I know my body and this isnt going to work either physicially or mentally. But I did promise a two week try.

Now Im still depressed in a hyper mode and my OCD is more apparent. well till I stopped taking it when I could holp nothing in my stomach.

Thank god he didnt stop the xanax tho he reduced it but only to not take a night, thinking staying awake would do the job instead of a sleeping medication and I would get natural restful sleep.

The agoraphobia problems have been better since moving to nyc since its now up to me to go get what I need. I have found a way to keep the people of the street non threatening as much as in the past. And proud I can walk of out this apt alone and make it back safely. For me this has been a huge and amazing step.

Question one is does anyone have experience with this medication outside of adhd? I have heard that these type medication have opposite effect on that disease itself, but cant back it up.

Questions 2 is with depression playing a large part in insomnnia, is there a way to find a vaible combination of sleeping normal hours and relief of depression? I have been through the gammit of most all medication out there from older forms to the new fangled. Or should I just accept the fact that sleep comes when it does and to take advantage of it. Which would mean concentrating on the depressive and anxiety side. Plus the fact that SAD phase is moving closer, which hits hard every year.

Unfortunately over the years have found that insomnia is a common side effect of anti depressant.

I feel certain the dr will try something else. But damn treating one cause reactions to the other, which affect yet the other Plus the domino effect of okay take this , but you need this because that is gonna cause this, ect ect ad nausum.

10 years of this is enough, I would like to add to live instead of looking from the outside.

But Im interested in the dexadrine and if anyone has used it outside of what it was intended primarily for.

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RE: dexadrine use for non adhd reasons - 9/2/2008 11:41:26 PM

CalifChick

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Dexedrine used to be used for weight control (not sure how much it is being prescribed for that anymore) and it can be highly addictive; because it is an amphetamine, it is a "speed" drug, and nighttime insomnia is to be expected.

Have you tried Provigil (modafinil)? It is usually prescribed for narcolepsy, and some insurance companies will only pay for it with a sleep study showing a sleep disorder, but it also works for daytime sleepiness caused by things other than narcolepsy.

Cali
(not a doctor but will play doctor if asked)

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AKA "The Undisputed Goddess of Sarcasm", "Big Bad Cali" and "Yum Bum". Advisor to the Subbie Mafia, founding member of the W.A.C. and the Judgmental Bitches Brigade, member of the Clan of the Scarlet O'Hair-a's and Team Troll

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RE: dexadrine use for non adhd reasons - 9/3/2008 12:40:27 AM

SavageFaerie

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I knew it has been used as a diet drug, hell it speed for all intents and purposes. Oh I did drop weight, tho not from cutting down on food, but loosing all interest in eating. Always a once a day eater at best.

Plus what he did give me was a time release type. Bear in mind Im 115 at my top weight.

I havent had a sleep study. Not sure I could sleep in an enviroment regardless due to the anxiety part, unless they knocked me out cold and wouldnt that kind of make a sleep study pointless. (admits being clueless on how they work a sleep order study)

My insomnia is two fold, getting to sleep and getting to REM, which not getting the REM means little quality sleep. This has been ongoing with both combined for years.

Before I started this trial, I spent most of my time in twilight sleep which has now increased. Dreams are interesting tho as I can feel myself reacting to them, or talking. Had one dream where they really pissed me off and I backhanded them and I smacked a 2x6 board which was part of the bed. Made for a pretty bruise tho *snicker* But was conciously aware of doing it yet couldnt stop it.

He prefers I dont take 2 different benzos ( to late and lazy to look up the whole word) I had previously been on a maintenance dose of low dose xanax during the day with restoril at night, both in the benzo class. I have always been very careful about the xanax dosing reducing if anxiety levels are lower. Its been a fight to keep that particular medication at times due the popularity, but its the only one that has visible been successful and I have tried them all over the years. So while I do have dependency for more quality of life, its never been an addiction problems which thank god my records do show.

I do know I do not like the dexadrine and stopped taking it, well when I could hold nothing down, even sips of water.

I have no doubt my dr will work and try and find a suitable combo. He is by far no quack, as he is the medical director of a rehabilation and nursing center, who takes on a rare private patient. Who I suspect is doing this pro bono as he has yet to submit a bill in almost 5 months. He is active within the new york medical/mental field as a whole.. ( I did research him) I just have to catch him in the early morning on the phone and hopefully he will come up with something that might work better

Oh well this med backfired big time, not the first time its happened. Doesnt help that with anit-d's that my body builds up rapid tolerances either.

Back to the chemical drawing board LOL hope there is something new that I havent outgrown yet LOL

edited to add: cali you can be my dr anytime, does it mean I get a physical too?

< Message edited by SavageFaerie -- 9/3/2008 12:41:49 AM >

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RE: dexadrine use for non adhd reasons - 9/18/2008 6:12:43 PM

wordstoponder

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From: New Hampshire
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I was prescribed all sorts of medication in high school for depression, anxiety, and ADD. First was Prozac, then Zoloft, then Paxil, and after that, I was placed on Dexedrine.

Dexedrine made me lose weight and made me eat less (a good thing, I thought), but also made me jittery, and I also suffered insomnia because of it. It had only a little effect on my ADD. To make a story short, I was quickly prescribed something else.

I was prescribed Adderall, which has some of the same ingredients as Dexedrine, but also other stuff. It helped immensely with my ADD, helped me focus (stay awake) but faded out after a while (even the extended release!).. If I took it in the morning, I crashed in the afternoon.. my mood was usually good all day, but then dropped. I also heard that Adderall was similar to Cocaine - addictive, and the mood drop.

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RE: dexadrine use for non adhd reasons - 9/18/2008 7:51:44 PM

DommeChains

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Have you considered replacing most of the light bulbs in your dwelling with full spectrum bulbs? I have seen some pretty good results with those in some of my clients who have SAD and sleep disturbances. The light intensity is like full sun at noon. The idea is to help stimulate those portions of the brain and limbic system that rely on light cues to set your bio-rhythms for alertness and sleepiness. Most of my clients have fairly low cognitive function so the likelihood of them having a placebo effect from use of the bulbs is minimal. In other words they can't react favorably to the suggestion that the full spectrum bulbs will help them feel less sad and be able to sleep more easily at night.

You might also discuss with your physician his feelings on the use of complimentary or non Western medicine approaches such as nutritional supplements, acupuncture, yoga, etc. Drugs have their place but they are not always enough to help with complex problems.

Just my 2 cents worth.

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