Posted by Viridis on March 24, 2003, at 14:36:24
In reply to Re: Klonopin- more articulate on it!, posted by Ted1962 on March 24, 2003, at 14:07:44
Hi Ted,
You sound pretty similar to me. One thing I plan to try (when my life isn't quite so hectic) is Strattera (atomoxetine). You've probably seen all the discussion here about it -- it's a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that's being marketed for ADD but also has strong AD properties for some people. My pdoc is quite enthusiastic about it, and eager for me to try it.
However, I do find Adderall very useful for both ADD and depression, and not at all anxiety-provoking like WB was. So, if Strattera fails, I'll stay with Adderall. I seem to do well on a very low dose (5 mg 2X/day) and haven't developed any tolerance after over a year.
In any case, I'll also stay with the benzos, because they've worked wonders for anxiety and anxiety-related depression. I seem to have two distinct kinds of depression. One is very agitated, involving obsession with very specific problems, insomnia, loss of appetite, etc. This is the most serious, and the benzos are extremely effective for this. But with benzos alone, I still experience periods of more apathetic/lethargic depression, feeling hopeless etc. It comes and goes, and I'm quite sure it's not caused by benzos, since I've experienced this episodically for as long as I can remember. Adderall keeps this at bay, while helping me concentrate more effectively.
I'm a little skeptical about the "BP 2" thing. I'm sure there's something to it, but my impression is that a lot of people with complex disorders seem to get shunted into this category, which can limit use of certain meds that could be very useful (like stimulants).
Good luck!
Viridis
poster:Viridis
thread:210959
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030319/msgs/212223.html