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Does Adderall Help In Treating Depression And Anxiety?
Question: How likely is Adderrall able to help with depression and anxiety in addition to being on Prozac?
Brief Answer:
It often helps
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing through HCM
I have read your query and understood your concerns.
Adderrall often helps patients of depression not responding properly to other antidepressants. Adderrall works by increasing the level of dopamine in brain while prozac increases level of serotonin in brain. So both works by different mechanisms, that is why there are higher chances of improvement when person is on both.
Dopamine is responsible for attention, concentration, perception of XXXXXXX happiness and is related to reward center of brain. All the substances like nicotine, alcohol, opioid etc. directly or indirectly increases the level of dopamine and gives perception of being high and euphoric.
So, according to me if a person is on prozac and not responding well then adding adderrall will give extra benefit and improves depression, but it can worsen anxiety. I don't know about the percentage of likeliness but according to me it always helps unless it is causing some significant side effects.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further query then I shall be happy to help.
Wish you good health.
It often helps
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing through HCM
I have read your query and understood your concerns.
Adderrall often helps patients of depression not responding properly to other antidepressants. Adderrall works by increasing the level of dopamine in brain while prozac increases level of serotonin in brain. So both works by different mechanisms, that is why there are higher chances of improvement when person is on both.
Dopamine is responsible for attention, concentration, perception of XXXXXXX happiness and is related to reward center of brain. All the substances like nicotine, alcohol, opioid etc. directly or indirectly increases the level of dopamine and gives perception of being high and euphoric.
So, according to me if a person is on prozac and not responding well then adding adderrall will give extra benefit and improves depression, but it can worsen anxiety. I don't know about the percentage of likeliness but according to me it always helps unless it is causing some significant side effects.
Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further query then I shall be happy to help.
Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Brief Answer:
Your doctor must have something in his mind
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Actually lithium is given in a patient of mania and bipoar depression. If a person with bipolar disorder is given adderrall or prozac then there are high chances of switch to mania.
I don't know why you are receiving lithium but your doctor must have somerhing in his mind. When you shall meet him in future, ask about the rational of using all these drugs. He will give you satisfying answer.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Your doctor must have something in his mind
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Actually lithium is given in a patient of mania and bipoar depression. If a person with bipolar disorder is given adderrall or prozac then there are high chances of switch to mania.
I don't know why you are receiving lithium but your doctor must have somerhing in his mind. When you shall meet him in future, ask about the rational of using all these drugs. He will give you satisfying answer.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
I am on lithium because I have been diagnosed as bipolar but in a manic depressive state for an extended period of time Prozac is my 13th medication, I've titrated to 30 mg with the goal being 40mg. How long after I get to the 40 mg would you estimate desired results? My doctor suggested Adderall as a stimulant to try to help but it possibly makes me more anxious, should I try another stimulant?
Brief Answer:
Any stimulant will make you anxious
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
After titrating upwards to 40 mg, prozac will show extra benefit only after 15 to 20 days and better results by a month.
Adderrall is very potent stimulant, so it is making you anxious. There are other drugs which can be used like atomoxetine, bupropion etc. There drugs have less stimulant effects but they can make you better.
Discuss about this drugs with your prescribing doctor and follow his advice.
Modafinil and armodafinil are also stimulant drugs used for narcolepsy, they can also be tried.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Any stimulant will make you anxious
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
After titrating upwards to 40 mg, prozac will show extra benefit only after 15 to 20 days and better results by a month.
Adderrall is very potent stimulant, so it is making you anxious. There are other drugs which can be used like atomoxetine, bupropion etc. There drugs have less stimulant effects but they can make you better.
Discuss about this drugs with your prescribing doctor and follow his advice.
Modafinil and armodafinil are also stimulant drugs used for narcolepsy, they can also be tried.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Pradeep Vitta
After hearing that it could take 15- 30 days to reach desired affects on Prozac, it made me wonder if I stayed on lithium once I reached 450mg bid long enough? Would it be up to a month for that too?
If Prozac doesn't work for me, it was suggested that I try Zyprexa and a stimulant prn.
Thanks again,
~XXXXXX
If Prozac doesn't work for me, it was suggested that I try Zyprexa and a stimulant prn.
Thanks again,
~XXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Yeah, lithium need time to show effects
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Lithium is a kind of drug that is to be taken for 2 to 3 years once started and requires strict monitoring and regular follow ups. It takes time to show it's effects but 4 weeks are enough to get better.
Zyprexa is a brand name of the antipsychotic olanzapine which is sedative and increases weight to significant level. It is not a stimulant but it can be helpful in the treatment of bipolar depression. The combination of prozac and zyprexa is approved for the treatment of bipolar depression by FDA.
Zyprexa works as a mood stabilizer also, so it prevents your mood swings. But if you start the combination of prozac and zyprexa, you do not need lithium. You can stop it.
Visit your doctor and discuss this with him. Do not make changes without his permission.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Yeah, lithium need time to show effects
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Lithium is a kind of drug that is to be taken for 2 to 3 years once started and requires strict monitoring and regular follow ups. It takes time to show it's effects but 4 weeks are enough to get better.
Zyprexa is a brand name of the antipsychotic olanzapine which is sedative and increases weight to significant level. It is not a stimulant but it can be helpful in the treatment of bipolar depression. The combination of prozac and zyprexa is approved for the treatment of bipolar depression by FDA.
Zyprexa works as a mood stabilizer also, so it prevents your mood swings. But if you start the combination of prozac and zyprexa, you do not need lithium. You can stop it.
Visit your doctor and discuss this with him. Do not make changes without his permission.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Does Zyprexa cause weight gain because it makes the patient eat more? If you eat a healthy diet already and not eat more on Zyprexa, does it continue to cause weight gain regardless?
Brief Answer:
It increases appetite
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Zyprexa increases appetite by it's actions in brain. So if a person eats healthy diet and goes for exercise, walking etc., he can maintain his weight and avoid weight gain.
After starting zyprexa one should avoid meat, rice, junk food, burgers, pizzas etc. Occasionally, it is cool but regularly it will make you obese and can cause many problems.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further clarifications then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
It increases appetite
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Zyprexa increases appetite by it's actions in brain. So if a person eats healthy diet and goes for exercise, walking etc., he can maintain his weight and avoid weight gain.
After starting zyprexa one should avoid meat, rice, junk food, burgers, pizzas etc. Occasionally, it is cool but regularly it will make you obese and can cause many problems.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further clarifications then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Pradeep Vitta
I have been taking Prozac for about a month, I am now at 30mg and I believe I am increasing to 40 mg today. I understand that it could take 12-30 days for desired results to be achieved after I reach my desired dose of 40mg, but the fact that there doesn't seem to be any improvement so far and in addition, increased anxiety, do you believe that Prozac could still be helpful to me? I'm taking Ativan 1-2 mg per day and that sometimes helps a little. I started taking the amino acid Tyromine 500mg and wondered if I should double the dose or split 1000mg bid, the bottle says 1-4 tabs on an empty stomach a day. I also googled it and some reported immediate relief while others reported severe anxiety.
Brief Answer:
Prozac won't help further
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
There are guidelines for prescribing antidepressants, adding another or switching to other antidepressant.
If the prozac is not giving you relief by at least 25% in your symptoms, in last 4 weeks then there is no need to continue it further. Prozac can be stopped and another drug can be started.
If the symptoms have improved more than 25% and less than 50% then you need to increase the dose and wait for at least 3 weeks. If after 3 weeks you do not have any further improvement then prozac need to be augmented with other antidepressants or other add on drugs. [like remeron, wellbutrin, pristiq etc.]
I feel that in my patient with similar clinical profile, I would have augmented prozac with remeron 15 mgs at night and waited for 4 weeks for response.
Another option is to completely stop prozac and start paxil.
Tyramine is a amino acid compound I would give cautiously to my patients. It can cause severe hypertensive crisis in patients taking MAO inhibitor drugs. It increases level of dopamine, epinephrine as well as norepinephrine in brain and can cause severe headache and rise in systolic blood pressure. It can cause anxiety because of increase in heart rate and BP. It can give you benefit but you have to take it very cautiously. If any of the above side effects occurs, you need to stop it immediately and visit your physician. Instead of tyramine you can have reboxetine, pristiq, cymbalta etc. drugs.
Discuss these issues with your prescribing doctor and follow his advice.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further clarifications then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Prozac won't help further
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
There are guidelines for prescribing antidepressants, adding another or switching to other antidepressant.
If the prozac is not giving you relief by at least 25% in your symptoms, in last 4 weeks then there is no need to continue it further. Prozac can be stopped and another drug can be started.
If the symptoms have improved more than 25% and less than 50% then you need to increase the dose and wait for at least 3 weeks. If after 3 weeks you do not have any further improvement then prozac need to be augmented with other antidepressants or other add on drugs. [like remeron, wellbutrin, pristiq etc.]
I feel that in my patient with similar clinical profile, I would have augmented prozac with remeron 15 mgs at night and waited for 4 weeks for response.
Another option is to completely stop prozac and start paxil.
Tyramine is a amino acid compound I would give cautiously to my patients. It can cause severe hypertensive crisis in patients taking MAO inhibitor drugs. It increases level of dopamine, epinephrine as well as norepinephrine in brain and can cause severe headache and rise in systolic blood pressure. It can cause anxiety because of increase in heart rate and BP. It can give you benefit but you have to take it very cautiously. If any of the above side effects occurs, you need to stop it immediately and visit your physician. Instead of tyramine you can have reboxetine, pristiq, cymbalta etc. drugs.
Discuss these issues with your prescribing doctor and follow his advice.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further clarifications then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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