Med update: Dexedrine

[beandelphiki]

Oh, yes, and med update:

Apparently, our insurance only covers medication listed under the Alberta Health And Wellness Drug Benefits Plan.

So I looked that up on the internets. It's a massive 364-page document (what, they needed a page for every day of the year? sheesh), and even better, the page numbers are numbered by section, so you can't jump to the correct page in Adobe Reader.

So I scrolled, and on two pages from the "Central Nervous System" section, I found the ADD meds covered:

Ritalin. And Dexedrine. That's it. *sigh*

Since the exception form I got from Dad asks you to list "other treatment methods tried," Dr. H figures we should give Dex a shot before applying for an exception. That makes sense, since they then can't deny the exception on the grounds that we haven't tried all the covered options.

So I now have half a prescription for Dexedrine tablets. The pharmacy miscounted and only gave us half the number of pills, but they realized their mistake when Mom called, so she'll pick up the other half later.

They're funny! Little triangles, and they look more significant than the EXTREMELY tiny Ritalin tablets.

I took my first 5mg last night (figuring that if it kept me up, I could sleep in today), and it was just odd when it kicked in. It was like being buzzed on caffeine, but without any physical effects like shaking or a speeding pulse. I had that sense for a while that the world was dragging behind me, and the view seemed to take a second to catch up with my eyes when I turned my head. But I was steady! So weird.

This afternoon I took the second one (okay, I need to get a regular dosing system going, I know, but my schedule is SO erratic, eh), but I don't know if the same thing happened because I fell asleep and pretty much napped for the first three hours I had it in my system. Eh, kind of a waste.

I DID however, drink a Monster energy drink a few hours ago, figuring the Dex would be out of my system.

I'm super jittery right now, something that normally wouldn't happen with only one Monster. WHOOPS. I don't know if it's the Monster plus the Dex (which seems odd, because I had a Monster and THEN Dex yesterday, and this didn't happen) or the Monster, the Dex, and the tea....oh, and the fact that I haven't eaten since two...

OH. Crap. I haven't eaten. That must be why I'm a jittery wreck.

Won't do that again, this is physically uncomfortable.


Anyway. This seems to be very similar to Ritalin, in that the only real effect I'm noticing is that the narcoleptic-like sleepiness I normally struggle with is banished. But that's it.

I don't know, I don't think this will work. *sigh* I was hopeful, since I've heard people say that amphetamines are better for inattentives than methylphenidate. I'll give it some time, though.

Is not feeling like crashing all the time enough justification to take this stuff? I might as well go back to Ritalin for that, since it's less habit-forming than Dex.

Blah. I'm starting to get sick of this game already. Just give me a brain that works, plz.

Comments

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

Dexedrine is the other Adderol. If it's working properly, you should feel more alert. The problem I had with speed is that I knew the instant it stopped working and my symptoms kicked in full force. It has those spikes and drops that made me very uncomfortable. Have you looked up the non-narcotic ADD meds?

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Such as? Are you thinking of Strattera? I've heard really bad things about that one, so I'm a bit reluctant to try it. Wellbutrin, I'd be more willing to try, especially since it really helps my aunt's depression.

Of course, I think those might require applying for an exception. *eyerolls at his insurance*

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

I heard good things about Stattera at first, but I'm kind of out of the loop on that one. I used to recommend Wellbutrin to my clients because it's not an antipsychotic and it can help with depression. The way it works for ADD is that it is highly caffienated and provides the stimulant you need without the druggy effects.

[emptygirl.livejournal.com]

I know everyone's chemistry is different, but I was prescribed wellbutrin and it really didn't work that well for me.
*shrug*

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

did you have really bad negative side effects?

[emptygirl.livejournal.com]

not really, it just didn't seem to help with my anxiety/depression. i took it faithfully for three months then just quit because it wasn't helping.
but no, no side affects.

[yakkette.livejournal.com]

Wellbutrin helped with some (situational, not neccessarily chemical) depression that I had but it didn't really help me stop smoking and it didn't help with my ADHD. As a drug for mild depression it's great - I didn't really have any side effects. But I do'nt know anyone who really felt it worked for ADHD well.

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

Wellbutrin didn't help me stop smoking either. My ADHD is mostly Hyperactive, and the stimulants in adderol actually helped me to not move so fast, and made my mind feel more alert. It worked well for me. I quit because I didn't like the addictive nature of it and I was already at the highest dosage. The desired effects usually wore off after 6 weeks before my dosage had to be upped. ADD is very different. I guess the strategy is if the brain is stimulated, it will perform better. That works to a small degree but any stimulant will make anybody feel better for a while. It's a hard call. I picked Wellbutrin for my clients because its a good test drug without (to my knowledge) harmful side effects. The best way IMO is to learn coping skills and how to accomodate your symptoms.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Curious, did/do you have a psychiatric practice, then?

Strattera's been pushed quite a bit, but it seems that, from what I've heard from people who've been on it:

70% - it completely doesn't work, and/or has horrible side effects

20% - it works, but the side effects still aren't worth it, OR it works but the positive effects stop dead after a few months and never return

10% - it's a miracle drug

*shrug* It particularly bothers me because it's so NEW, and long-term effects may yet appear. The stims are a fair bit older, and have a decent safety record, PROVIDED that they aren't abused.

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

I'm a Counselor, and we have to know about drugs. I'm out of the loop on Stattera because the only information you can get on it is from the company that makes it. I'm leary of drugs in general and new drugs particularly.

From what I understand, all the ADD/ ADHD drugs fail to have benefits over time and negative side effects. It is why I don't trust them.

[emptygirl.livejournal.com]

ever checked on concerta? just a thought. i like dexedrine myself, even over adderall.

hope you get the right med soon.
*love*

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's basically like long-acting Ritalin, right? Except that its format is somewhat different/more sophisticated. It'd be on my list I guess, if Dex doesn't work and then Adderall doesn't work (since that's next after Dex if I get no results).

Thanks for the thoughts. *hugs*

[yakkette.livejournal.com]

I was like, nearly a dex junkie. Even in very low doses the shit gave me total euphoria and seemed to aggrivate some aspects of my impulsiveness - I could drive around chain-smoking listening ot music for hours on that stuff and LOVE LIFE. And the comedowns were SO harsh. I swear my experience with it sounds like most people's experiences with speed.

I miss it, but I specifically told my doc not to prescribe it to me because I think it was becoming a problem. Rit focused me without the euphoria, although my comedowns still weren't great.

Shit, I need to get meds, like, NOW.

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

Dexedrine is speed.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

That's a huge oversimplification, though.

They are speed.

[ahianna-nia.livejournal.com]

It's not an oversimplification. They are sold on the streets as Dexxies. They were real popular in the 60's and 70's. Actually, Adderol is dexamphetamine with absorbant salts. Speed that processes better.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

I seem to be pretty immune to a lot of drugs. This whole ADHD thing has opened up this new world where people have side effects or feel bizarre on their meds, or whatever... "Side effect" almost wasn't even in my vocabulary before. I take drugs, they work or they don't, and usually I have to take more than most people to get them to work.

That's it.

*headshakes* Seriously, a new world. I used to think "side effects" only happened to people with very touchy systems, or something.

[yakkette.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty middle-of-the-road and typical in my reactions to drugs, which I take as a blessing, though. My ex was always having completely atypical or "opposite" responses to various meds and god, that was hell. Some SSRIS made him manic or so depressed that he was suicidal, it was bizarre to watch.

But for some reason, when it comes to rit and dex, I have a very low tolerance. It may just be me and stimulants in general. Everyone jokes about caffiene making them bounce of the walls, but a couple of cups of coffee used to do that to me like crazy (now I'm self-medicating with it and I've got a little more of a tolerance). Even low doses of rit will have me staying up all night cleaning the bathroom and shit, but hey, I don't mind that side effect because it's productive and better than waisting time being distracted and having no interia.

Also rit made me start displaying weird eating disordered behavior and thinking. I knew it would lessen my appetite and it did, hugely, to the point where I, miss foodie, had to force myself to eat even my favorite foods. I started getting freaked out because the less I ate the more "powerful" I felt and the less I watned to eat, but some nice people in my el jay told me that mild starvation kind of induces anorexic-typed thinking as a survival mechanism and no, I wasn't suddenly becoming anorexic. Once I knew that I relaxed about it but still had to force myself to eat. Is it wrong that one of the reasons I want meds is because I know I'd lose weight? Heh, probably.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

but some nice people in my el jay told me that mild starvation kind of induces anorexic-typed thinking as a survival mechanism

That's a survival mechanism (i.e. wanting to eat even less)? I'm honestly trying to work that one out, because that seems a bit counter-productive to survival, you know?

Dex might well be the reason I only ate once today and didn't even realize it, but then, it's REALLY hard to tell, because I swing from way too much appetite to way too little on a regular basis.

Is it wrong that one of the reasons I want meds is because I know I'd lose weight? Heh, probably.

Weeellll....I don't exactly want to lose much, but if they killed my appetite on the days where I would normally overeat/binge, I'd be real happy. Just as long as I don't starve.

[yakkette.livejournal.com]

I guess the idea is that if there's no food (or not a lot of food) available, it really helps to not crave it. You can save your mental energy for other things.

Just make sure you don't forget to eat much, because it's bad for you! Try to force yourself to eat, even if it's just some fruit or whatever, every few hours. I found that really helped me feel more balanced and less shitty on meds, and comedowns were that much worse if I hadn't eaten because low blood sugar makes my ADHD 10 times worse, as does coming off a drug.

[beandelphiki.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, that makes sense. Actually, I have no idea if this is related...but on some ADD board, quite a few people noted that going without food for hours actually seemed to HELP focus, and I've noticed that myself. Don't know why that would be so.

And will do regarding the snack thing. Small meals/snacks throughout the day are supposed to be better for you anyway, right?