Posted by IsoM on March 29, 2003, at 22:06:45
In reply to Re: PROVIGIL acts in enhancing mood? IsoM » IsoM, posted by LA on March 29, 2003, at 13:55:12
I don’t have normal depression but can feel bleak and dark when depression’s on me. ADs keep it at bay but not quite enough. Winter can be very difficult and there’s no way I want to unnecessarily increase my dose.
I originally started on TCAs - some worked and some didn’t. When SSRIs came along, I tried them instead as TCA side effects were very bothersome. Again, some worked and some didn’t. A few years ago, I wanted off Paxil as even being late for a dose brought on discontinuation/withdrawal symptoms. But after a spell of no ADs, my mood was thunderous black so I went back on. I asked my doctor if I could try Celexa and it worked very well without the short half-life of Paxil or Luvox.
I’ve long suspected I might have narcolepsy but one day dismissed the idea outright without even asking further. My next doctor thought it a strong possibility and made an appointment at a university sleep lab for me. The appointment was a year away and I found that I’d have to be off all meds for a week to a month before testing. I’d been through that hell before and decided not to bother. My current doctor was very receptive to discussing whether I had narcolepsy. Because he had another patient who has it, he’s familiar with what it’s really like. I fit all four criteria for diagnosis (it’s not needed to have all four but because I do, it was pretty obvious to him I had it).
Stims are used to treat narcolepsy but I asked if I couldn’t try Provigil (Alertec here in Canada) instead. He said he’d never tried it on any one else but didn’t have a problem with seeing how it’d work. Unfortunately, it did nothing to help me stave off the heavy sleepiness (not tired but sleepy - if someone would wake me up mentally, I had lots of energy). After a couple of months, I stopped it and went back to ask for regular stims instead.
He prescribed Dexedrine that I’d used temporarily before as I told him I hated the effects of Ritalin. The Dexedrine kept me awake and helped me focus as I also have ADHD (it’s funny - either I’m high energy, super enthused or sleepy, hardly functioning). But I noticed that I was losing my “brightness” - my “up” feeling and realized that Provigil had made a huge difference in that area even if it didn’t keep me awake. But then, I can take Dexedrine and head right to bed and sleep for 3 hours.
I went back and asked my doctor for Provigil again and he was surprised I wanted it again. I explained and he said it was fine. It’s because of Provigil that I made it through a pretty stressful winter (my worse time) without feeling down. The Celexa does help with depression - don’t know how I can tell you but I “know” it does - and the psychologist who tested me for ADHD said ADs help with the impulsiveness that ADD people often show. For me the impulsiveness comes in what I say or react like rather than what most consider impulsive behaviour.
Provigil enables me to feel a deep seated feeling of contentment and quiet satisfaction in my life. It doesn’t cover up feelings or emotions but I feel gives me a “clear, unclouded view” of what’s good about life without blinding me to the horrors and sadness of what’s happening around us. And Dexedrine does keep me awake when I need to especially when tasks are monotonous or when I need to do something that’s low physical activity.
Celexa - 40 mg
Alertec (Provigil) - 100 mg (in the dead of winter, I take a second dose in the afternoon)
Dexedrine - 5 mg in the morning and another 5 in the afternoon. This one I play with a lot. Some days when it’s not so important to be alert, I leave off the afternoon dose. I try to give myself a day or two break every week or two, and if really needed, I’ll take 3 pills in a day, but I do my best to take ONLY what is needed and don’t take extra that could raise my tolerance for it. I want my doctor to know his trust in my judgment is well deserved. I also take Eltroxin for my thyroid.Extra note: My ongoing battle with trying not to fall asleep started well before I ever took ADs. And over the years, it was becoming harder & harder to fight, to the point reading for more than a few minutes put me right to sleep. ADs can have the effect of causing one to become sleepy or tired, but mine was different.
poster:IsoM
thread:212476
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030329/msgs/214209.html