I need your honest opinions here. I will try to make this as short and to the point as possible, altho that is difficult for me!
executive summary
if you don't want to read this all: what do you think of taking
adderall for major recurrent depression as well as an antidepressant? How long do you take the adderall for? What about addiction? Does it really help "augment" an antidepressant?
More details:
I suffer from Major Depression, recurrent. 20 years on/off. A/Ds used to work for me, but now it's becoming more difficult to find something that does. So I think my doc is almost considering me "med resistant" althugh I still think there is a combo out there for me. The past 3 years have been so difficult that my psych prescribed adderall (as well as a new antidepressant Pristiq) .. at first he said to combat fatigue I was fighting (I also have autoimmune problems - let's say "AI" for short). The AI stuff is mostly under control, but (before adderall) my depression has gotten worse to the point where my appetite is gone, I cannot concentrate, I can't enjoy anything, I cry during most conversations, it's pretty bad. Anxiety, too. SO he says this will "augment" the antidepressant. I think really what it means is he hopes it will get me by until my antidepressant kicks in.
<ok, post is not short and sweet. >
The adderall helps. At one point taking it, my appetite returned even tho it's an appetite suppressant (because it alleviated the depression a bit). It's been about 2 months taking it. Some days lately it gives me a horrible headache and does not help at all. One day my shoulders were SOOOOOOOO stiff that I had to take the next day off, I think the headache/stiff shoulders were related.
I tried two days not taking it, and my depression itself is not better, if not worse. I don't need the fatigue back again, which I hear is very commonafter stopping adderall (as well as depression!)
I am SCARED TO DEATH of becoming addicted to this stuff. Especially on the days where it makes things worse (headache).
I question taking it every single day. Today I am going out after work and I wanted to at least try to enjoy myself a WEE bit so I took it.
Today I took 10 mgs less (so today I took 20 mgs, usually 30) and the effect is not as good, but I suppose somewhat helpful.
How am I supposed to know if my depression is lifting if I'm on adderall?
Has anyone taken adderall for depression, and if so, were they able to stop after an antidepressant kicked in, or, did they need to stop for another reason, and if not (what a run on!) did you need your dose increased and increased?
I will not take this for depression forever and I don't know "when" to stop. I do see my doc next week. Honestly I think he'll say I'm overreacting and it will all be fine (because I had the same reaction a couple of years ago when he kept upping my
xanax dose).
Will adding
Wellbutrin help me taper off the adderall?
As usual my post is loooooooooooong. Thanks if u made it this far.
adderall for depression 
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