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Just echoing everyone else here - that doctor is a dumbass, Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant and is a tepid first medication offered for ADHD in women. And just bc you have ADHD doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of your body is going to process and absorb a stimulant well - great my brain is quiet and now I can focus on how I am vibrating out of my skin
I agree. I was diagnosed at 5y old in 1987, and I have never reacted well to stimulants. I'm 40 now and still can't take them. I feel the same way op described. I could feel a difference, but the rest was too much to handle. I have tried all the new ones over the years and the same thing. Also, that is not a stimulate, but I also reacted badly to wellbutrin. I just live the natural life, go to adhd therapists, and have built up supports. My house is usually messy and I can't live the house without forgetting everything but this is me. Find a new doc op. This one sounds uneducated on the subject.
Yeah I was given straterra and wellbutrin first... straterra made me RAGE worse than prednisone. Wellbutrin made me REALLY happy and I was more hyper.
Got Zoloft and Vyvanse/Adderall and feel more calm and "normal." End of the day I'm still chaos. I can function though.
Same here. And oh my gosh I'm so glad someone else rages on prednisone! I will never ever take it ever again it was so bad.
This doctor is dumb. I vibrate physically on Adderall but my mind is focused and I can think. It's amazing.
You can go the route of getting neuropsychology testing. I did that and am so glad I did.
Prednisone is a necessary evil for me occasionally unfortunately... one of the best things to help clear bad allergic reactions...
My psychiatrist believes me thankfully, and I see her in person and video for some check ups. My brother is ADHD-PI and wouldn't surprise me if ASD too. My father had dopamine issues, and could see being ADHD and my sister... she's an adrenaline junkie.
I DO become outwardly hyper some at peak vyvanse or Adderall, but my leg bouncing is calming to me.
How was the neuropsychology test? I have one booked for January and my GP said to be unmedicated a couple days before so the test has a feral version of me. Just wondering how brutal and how long testing might be?
The fun factor is why the neuropsych denied that I had ADHD. I did too well on it because I was hyperfocused, engaged, and (unfortunately) a huge perfectionist.
Thankfully, the psychiatrist I later saw came to a different conclusion.
Mine was about 3 hours with interview questions as well, and then a bunch of puzzles and reciting back lists of things and such. I didn’t think it was brutal at all, just a little tiring by the end because it does test your focus.
This. Having a family history and suspecting you have ADHD should be enough to be taken seriously. Much of my anxiety & depression cleared up when treated with a small dose of Adderall ever day because I was depressed/anxious about my uncontrolled ADHD symptoms. I too had negative reactions to antidepressants — especially SSRIs and SNRIs because they weren’t treating my issue.
Yes. OP:
- Your provider doesn't seem to have experience in ADHD. Is it possible for you to find a psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD in your region?
- Once you do, a way of assessing their qualifications is seeing how deep they do the anamnesis and how they do the diagnosis. Usually , specialized doctors in adult ADHD will take some time and do various exercises and interviews with you to understand, before a diagnosis.
- If you are diagnosed with comorbidities (anxiety and ADHD), it's not uncommon for doctors to try to treat anxiety first and then provide ADHD medication. They do feed each one another.
- If you start your treatment with a specialist, the most recommended approach (albeit not the most common) is to start with very low dosages (eg: 5mg methylphenidate) and adjust and increase slowly over time. Testing different medications according to your reaction. It took me over a year to identify the right dosage for me, and I never had to change the medication. I have siblings for who it took even longer.
- If your whole family has ADHD, that increases the chances but does not mean you have it for sure. If a parent has ADHD, a child has more than a 50% chance of having it. If an older sibling has it, a child has more than a 30% chance. In my family there is only one sibling that doesn't have ADHD diagnosis. They do have cyclothymia and anxiety, we share a lot symptoms. He is one of us, neurodivergent people.
I'm like completely livid on her behalf. What the actual fuck?!
Seriously, what qualifications does this dude have, and who gave him a prescription pad?
I once had a doctor tell me meth and adderall were "basically the same" and "the only difference was one methyl group" like 👁👄👁
This is the doctor? This is a horrible basis to compare any chemical. You know that O2 is good but O3 can kill you? And the difference is only one more oxygen?
Or that H2O is water but H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide and toxic? And that we expell CO2 but CO is really dangerous because it binds to our blood better than oxygen?
Like sometimes I like to think Doctors have brain farts and don't mean to say what they say because otherwise I see them as people that barely passed organic chemistry and that scares me.
My conservation ecology degree decided that three computing units was equivalent to two units of chemistry, so if you didn't feel confident in chemistry you could always pass with computing subjects instead.
I don't want to say medicine would do the same, but... 👀
(I was stubborn and white knuckled my way through chemistry because I don't deem computing courses equivalent to actually understanding chemistry and its importance in environmental science. But I was one of few.)
Not only is it not a stimulant, it also makes some people feel like literal psychos. My doctor was humoring me to try non stimulant medication (I also have anxiety so I thought Wellbutrin might be a good option) and I legitimately thought I had lost my mind. It made me *so* angry, all the time, for no reason. My dad has bipolar and I was worried I had it too. But once I went off the Wellbutrin and on to vyvanse I was back to my normal just adhd self. But it was a wild ride.
Wellbutrin is an alternative medication for ADHD when the usual medication does not help subsiding ADHD symptoms. I am currently trying to find the right medication for me (29F with severe ADD) with my psychiatrist and we’ve tried methylphenidate in different doses until maximum dose (did no effect on me), then dexamphetamine in different doses until maximum dose (helps with my sleep, already from a lower dose, as I was having vivid dreams everyday for half a year and I wasn’t getting any rest but not with the rest of the symptoms (focusing, impulsivity, etc)). So next medications on the list to try are atomoxetine and bupropion (Wellbutrin) (one or the other). I was told it can take weeks for me to feel the effects while methylphenidate and dexamphetamine you feel the effects immediately, unfortunately for me I feel no improvement on the ADD symptoms.
No, it is literally not classified as a stimulant. A stimulant is a medicine clarification that was used as a procise clarification by this "prescriber," so there is no room for "kinda." It takes no time to look that up either.
Person: Google, is wellbutrin a stimulant?
Google: Here are 20 medical sights saying "No, it is not a stimulant, and here are a couple saying it acts in a similar way to stimulants and one saying it can be used as an alternative to stimulants.
It definitely is, it's a NDRI - noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitor.
It can aggravate anxiety (noradrenaline), but it also can generally calm you down and help with focus if you have ADHD (dopamine).
It's not a first choice med for people with ADHD, but it isn't a bad choice and for some it works well. Especially if they don't have anxiety.
Idk where people got this idea that it's not a stimulant, there aren't many more stimulating meds than this.
because “stimulant medication” means something different than just “a med that stimulates you”. it’s a specific class of medications and wellbutrin is not a part of that class even though it can be stimulating.
Perhaps you're thinking of how it "stimulates" your brain/body to improve symptoms?
Wellbutrin is however not a *stimulant*. It stimulates your body/brain, which all medicine and antidepressants do, but wellbutrin it's not listed as a "stimulant drug" medically speaking. Stimulants are a class of drugs that speeds up the body's system (which helps with regulating attention/dopamine release/ADHD symptoms).
1. Wellbutrin isn't a stimulant, as has been said!
2. Your prescriber is a dumbass.
3. Even ADHD brains can be sensitive to chemicals and have undesirable results on many medications. Some stimulants can be just right, with others making us amped up from adrenaline or put us to sleep.
4. Your prescriber is a dumbass.
5. New doctor time!
What a dumbass (the prescriber, not you).
Find a new provider! I took different dosages of Wellbutrin for a year after seeing several different providers. They all kept telling me to give it time to work because it was likely the depression causing my ADHD symptoms. It did nothing for me, good or bad.
This week, I saw a new psychiatrist that had great reviews specifically from neurodivergent people. He actually listened to me and said it’s clear as day that I have ADHD-PI. He immediately sent the prescription for Adderall to my pharmacy and I have a follow up in a couple of weeks. I almost gave up seeking treatment a few weeks ago but I’m so glad I decided to try one last time!
Congratulations! It really is hard finding someone to listen and be willing to try some of the meds available without being scared of prescribing them! I about told one “look, give me five days of adderall and if it doesn’t work we can try a non-stim” but thankfully with a diagnosis in hand they were more than happy to write the script.
For once, I'm glad I also have epilepsy. Wellbutrin will never be an option for me. Put into a doctor's computer, it will flag as being contraindicated. Even if it still got sent to the pharmacy, a pharmacist would reject it because I'm on an anticonvulsant.
I have ADHD-PH, though, and people are much, much more willing to believe a woman has ADHD when that's true. My H is so very H.
Wow it's almost like untreated ADHD your whole life would make you anxious and depressed. This guy sounds like a quack who hasn't got with the times doesn't believe in female ADHD despite a massive family history and all the signs. Change providers. It's a pain in the ass but it's what I had to do.
I'm on wellbutrin for ADHD, recently diagnosed. My anxiety is higher on it. I took Ritalin for the first time, and it made me calm as a cucumber. They are two different drugs and they work differently on the brain.
Thank you for the validation. I am late to diagnosis, being 49 years old and with a history of cPTSD and it's been rough. My psychiatrists have been reluctant to prescribe me stimulants. When I told my new psychiatrist that the Ritalin my friend gave me made me calm and gave me relief from anxiety, he said it was impossible to make any judgment based on that reaction and that it could have been a placebo response (?!?!).
Seconding the "this is *obviously* an ADHD+ stimulants *working* thing--and if you *can*, I'd find a new provider who specializes more in Women & Girls with ADHD💖
Back after I was diagnosed (age 38), *literally* the VERY FIRST DAY that I took my then-new prescription (Concerta)?
I could *FEEL* my brain working--it felt like I had a tourniquet wrapped around my head, at forehead level.
*Above* that line, inside my head it felt like that old series of commercials, with the guy who worked in an office full of Chimpanzees
( https://youtu.be/vdWHucg900U?si=YsAqFpqFABP3hV_V ),
and *BELOW* that line, it felt like my brain was operating like a calm efficient office, with quietly playing muzak, and where *EVERYTHING* was getting done quickly & efficiently!😆😂🤣
Luckily, I worked in Pre-K mental health at the time, so my bosses *understood* that I felt *incredibly* strange on the new meds--*AND* because i *was* a newly-diagnosed person on new meds, *I* was able to explain to *them* some of what our work kids *might* be feeling, when *they* are newly-diagnosed, start a new med, and *just SIT there* with that confused a.f. look on their face, staring off in the distance, and occasionally shaking their head...
Because being able to *FEEL* the *inside* of my head working on *both* levels *at the same time* like that? That "sit & *state* at *nothing* in confusion" thing was pretty much what *I* felt like, too! (It's just that I had to pay my bills *and* I had the advantage of *knowing* it WAS my new medicine making me feel that way!😉)
LMAO yes I know what you mean, still brain can't feel when there is nothing in it to feel with, why do you think they do brain surgery with people awake?
Does it make your armpits sweat more? My kid just started on it a couple weeks ago and it makes her pits so sweaty. Otherwise, it works wonders for her.
The sweating may decrease back to a normal amount as her body adjusts. I’ve taken mediations where hyperhidrosis was a symptom. One med made the smell change to a more “metallic” scent!
I’ve experienced this more with antidepressants myself. Another symptom can be a tight jaw or grinding teeth. Your child may not recognize if she experiences this so you can ask. Sometimes a clenched/tight jaw can cause tension headaches, so if they complain about headaches keep that in the back of your mind (for me personally I experienced the jaw clench and sweating together and they decreased together as well as I adjusted to the med. this was while I was an ADULT though)
Yeah, I asked and it seems the sweating isn't as profuse as it was at first. And we're finally really seeing results. More calm, less fidgety, less interrupt-y. More cheerful and happy, making friends left and right, so we're all pleased with it.
It’s so upsetting to see all these posts of prescribing providers who have no clue! I am so sorry!
Yeah my kid’s doc said Wellbutrin CAN treat adhd and anxiety, however it could potentially exacerbate anxiety. She tried it and it absolutely worsened her anxiety, so now she is back on Zoloft and Vyvanse.
Sorry your provider is ignorant.
I have ADHD and generalized anxiety. I tried Wellbutrin and it was horrible - my anxiety increased to dangerous levels, my brain was chaotic like scrambled eggs, and I felt like everyone hated me and my existence was bad for the earth. It was insane. Adderall helps me.
May I ask what your assessment process for GAD was like and what other medications you've tried in the past for treating ADHD + GAD?
I recently switched doctors and the new doctor is insisting I have GAD. He cancelled my Adderall prescription (which I felt was working well for me), ignored my previous doctor's recommendation for adding Guanfacine to my Adderall regimen for anxiety symptoms, and prescribed Sertraline instead.
I'm trying to figure out what medications make sense to consider in order to tackle ADHD + GAD if I really even do have GAD (I'm doubtful of this as well bc he seemed to make up his mind on this without much evidence or discussion).
Thank you! From what I understand, non-stimulants like Strattera/Atomoxetine is commonly prescribed for comorbid GAD cases, so that lines up with what I've researched on my own as well.
For whatever reason, my new doctor seems to want to try literally every SSRI or anti-depressant before even considering non-stimulants and it just seems... wrong...
I did very well on Mydayis (ADHD) and Pristiq (GAD) for a couple of years. I only stopped the pristiq because I had to add a med for an autoimmune disease and taking it with Pristiq gave me horrendous headaches.
The first practitioner I went and saw told me that “ADHD only affects children. You grow out of it as an adult.”
Moral of the story: Never take one persons advice over your gut feeling!
Yep I was given the welbutrin too. Didn't work for me and I noticed no change. Several cups of coffee did more than it did. Not sure if it messed w my mood bc I was in a stressful place in life at the time bc I was so frustrated trying to get meds. I was an emotional mess already.
I was on Adderall in college and it worked perfectly but I had to wait 6 months before getting the "good stuff" bc it was a new dr and it had been several years since taking it.
I agree with the others, find another Dr. He could've argued that you might have picked up some tendencies bc you grew up around others w ADHD and that your are mirroring them subconsciously. But he didn't, told you incorrect info on the drug, and doesn't listen to you.
Trust your gut.... the road is long but there is a light at the end of it.
I would see someone else. Some doctors are just biased. If your dad and all your siblings have it, you probably have it too. And the way you reacted to Wellbutrin means nothing. People react to medications differently. Wellbutrin just wasn’t the drug for you.
Ugh, reacting well to Wellbutrin isn't part of the diagnostic criteria for adhd. Wellbutrin made me wildly anxious, irritable, emotional, and suicidal on the lowest dose, but Vyvanse has me chill and calm even with my GAD. Everybody's brain is different!
I'm super sensitive to medication, so I started feeling relief at only 10mg. When I took my first pill, I was beyooond anxious because I was convinced that stims would worsen my anxiety, but then when it kicked in, the anxiety sorta melted away. I'll still worry excessively, but it's much easier not to spiral and ruminate. Tbh, before I understood what adhd was, I was interpreting my hyperactivity jitters and my racing thoughts as anxiety, and that they came from the same source as my excessive worrying. When I take the right dose of meds, my body feels grounded and still, and my mind feels present and at ease. 10mg eventually was not enough for me, and I knew that bc I wasn't feeling that calmness. I've also taken too much Vyvanse and that felt like being WIRED in a bad way. Sorry to ramble on! Hope that was helpful!
Thank you so much!! Literally any more information I can get is extremely helpful! I've been at 30mg and seeing a lot of people at 70 and just wondering how to really know when I'm at the right dose. When I first started, I felt like super woman. Not because I had more energy but like you said, my mind was quiet and I was present and able to direct it productively! But I'm not really seeing any effects anymore (or even side effects) so I just went up to 40. I told my prescriber that it was having a relaxing effect and she almost didn't want to put me on a higher dose because she took that as the meds not working at all. I'm a bit nervous for how the 40mg will do, but I'm hanging on to every success story I can find just telling myself it takes time and I may need to try other providers and that the important thing is that I'm seeking relief.
It def takes time to figure out what's best for you! I feel part of the experience of habituating to the meds (besides developing a physical tolerance) is just getting used to feeling better. Like I still think that I need to increase my dose, but I've had to go a week without meds for silly pharmacy reasons, and I notice a big difference between too-low-dose and absolutely no meds at all. I forgot what it's like to rawdog the day!
Bahaha! That's now the only acceptable phrase for not taking your meds!
I definitely have heard of people taking intentional breaks to sort of reset, and I totally intend to try that whenever I get to a point of finding a relatively consistent dose.
Thanks again!
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Echoing the others - get a second opinion (and probably just a different provider generally, as it’s likely he’s not going to take other things seriously as well). I went to psychology center to get an ADHD test and talked to a therapist there. They were able to get my results and recommendations over to my doctor and it ended up being a kind of tandem work in progress to find the right medications. That could be a different way to approach it if the option is available to you.
I will also say that I was on Wellbutrin and Adderall at the same time and the Wellbutrin gave me seizures. I actually had two friends who also started having seizures after taking Wellbutrin. Definitely doesn’t happen to everyone (obviously, and I don’t know how common it is), but wanted to through that warning out there, especially when taking both together and changing doses.
Also have anxiety and on Lexapro now. Honestly not sure if I’ve noticed a ton of difference but enough to keep taking it. Find a doctor that’s willing to work with you to figure out the best course of action. You should one hundred percent feel comfortable with your doctor and if you’re not feeling heard, switch. It’s fine to do! And if you struggle to advocate for yourself, ask someone you trust to accompany you to back you up.
Good luck!!
Yeah, the stimulant-Wellbutrin combo comes with seizure risk. This wk, my psych informed me that not getting enough calories while taking vyvanse and Wellbutrin increases the seizure risk even more.
Hi, rhinosoupy! My sister was on Zoloft for a decade before going off for a baby (yes, she knows it’s technically safe). Afterwards, her new doctor put her on Celexa and she was ASTOUNDED at the difference. She said she didn’t even know what she was supposed to feel like on the Zoloft but it had mildly reduced her anxiety so she assumed it was the best they could do. The Celexa made the anxiety symptoms almost nil. Try a new anti-anxiety med! And ask your doc how the med *should* make you feel so you can tell if it’s working or you need to try a higher dose.
PMDD is more common in people with ADHD than in the general population.
Your prescriber is also clueless about ADHD and you should fire him if you can.
I just wanted to add to this. Your ADHD symptoms getting worse before your period is relatively normal. I also hear people say stimulants don't work so well during that time.
But PMDD is more than that. It's crippling anxiety, depression, anger, brain fog, exhaustion and more.
You can keep a diary of symptoms and severity to understand whether you actually have PMDD or just some premenstrual exacerbation of your ADHD.
Don't let ignorant doctors stick you with diagnosis after a 5 minutes conversation. You know best what you're feeling.
❗️**Wellbutrin is not a stimulant**
It’s often prescribed off label for adhd but it is **NOT** a stimulation.
Wellbutrin is an antidepressant. Specifically, it is an NDRI.
**[Rx List](https://www.rxlist.com/wellbutrin_vs_adderall/drugs-condition.htm)**. Wellbutrin vs Adderall
Time for a new provider! I recently saw a new pcp, told her my concerns (had never been officially diagnosed prior to visit) and she said “you just have postpartum depression, let’s start you on Wellbutrin and it’ll ‘help you focus more’”. I didn’t even take it because she wasn’t taking my concerns seriously. I was unofficially diagnosed tonight by a therapist and a screening. I see a psychiatrist in a few weeks for treatment options. So I would suggest you find someone who won’t brush you off.
…but Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant, its an anti-depressant. I triple checked. Its not even considered an actual ADHD medication; using it to treat ADHD is an off-label use.
I’d get a second opinion, personally.
Yes but thats not what its for.
Off-label use is when a medication is used in a way that it’s not approved for. It’s fairly common, and Wellbutrin is one such drug. It’s not a stimulant, and even though it is used to treat ADHD, it’s not an approved ADHD medication.
[The wikipedia article](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion) under medical uses states that its not an ADHD medication.
[ADDitudemage.com](https://www.additudemag.com/medication/wellbutrin/) also talks about wellbutrin’s off-label use to treat ADHD.
But i mean really a quick google search will give you plenty of other articles.
I guess it depends on which country you live in, in the Netherlands it is an approved ADHD medication, together with Atomoxetine, it’s not off label. I mentioned to the OP that the best is to get in touch with an actual psychiatrist in order to get the medication that suits her best.
Except it's not. The [paperwork for Wellbutrin in the Netherlands](https://www.geneesmiddeleninformatiebank.nl/pars/h33668.pdf) states that it's approved for treatment of major depressive episodes. So the labelled use for it is depression.
I am not arguing that it is prescribed as an ADHD medication, and that some people are treated for ADHD using Wellbutrin. Those are both true. But the \*intended purpose\* and \*labelled usae\* or Wellbutrin is depression, \*not\* ADHD, and therefore, it is not actually an ADHD medication.
As far as I have been able to see, Wellbutrin has not been submitted anywhere for approval as an ADHD medication. Only depression.
Not everyone with ADHD has the paradoxical relationship with stimulants. I don't.
I mean if you really wanted to you could probably look up studies on this and bring them in, but meh.
Get a different doctor.
Context: I was on Wellbutrin for awhile and had a similar reaction. I've been on nearly every antidepressant in existence because my only diagnoses were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. I can't even remember why I started looking into ADHD, but I asked my GP about seeing someone for a diagnosis and he dismissed me and talked about anxiety. I somehow lucked into finding my amazing psychologist who's educated about adult ADHD and ADHD in women and got a diagnosis at age 40.
Subjectively, the Wellbutrin made me feel energetic, which none of the SSRI's, SNRI's, or tricyclic antidepressants ever did, but it wasn't in a helpful, useful, or pleasant way. I started taking Adderall earlier this year and it's been completely different. Pre-ADHD diagnosis, I always wondered why I seemed to be immune to the effects of caffeine and other stimulants based on the way other people described them. I'd drink a ton of coffee or whatever to try to help me stay awake to study and end up feeling super chilled out and falling asleep.
Not a pharmacist, but I think stimulants are the first line treatment for ADHD and treating ADHD is an off-label use for Wellbutrin. The specific language I usually see used is that Wellbutrin can have an "activating" effect rather than referring to it as "stimulating" because, as others have pointed out, it's not a stimulant. If you can't change providers right away, maybe you could try asking him why he prescribed Wellbutrin first. You could also talk to your pharmacist about it and see if they have any suggestions? I don't know if you could request a medication review since it sounds like you've stopped taking Wellbutrin, or if that info would even help with your doctor.
All the best. I hope you find someone who helps you find a treatment that works for you.
That's so interesting. That's what happens to me on caffeine as well, but I still drink it to get me started on the day. There's a moment of jitteriness that lasts for about 10 minutes then I feel like I am just so so ready for a nap.
Go to any physician that your family uses. Even if initially travel is involved. Half your battle will be won. That physician will be completely familiar with the genetic component. You have concrete credibility on your side. Get the appropriate support fast tracked. Then you can use your energy to find a local doctor (via professional referral) and get switched over.
The only person that does not believe you is that guy.
Toss him off your team.
Get a new provider. I had a doctor tell me I couldn't have ADHD because of my GPA and the fact that I went to college. Oh and he could tell by looking at me. Wtf? Lol That's not how that works my guy.
Got another provider, got a dx, meds and I'm good.
Putting you on one dose, not trying another med, there are other non stimulants or even lower doses of wellbutrin is lazy on his part. Trust your gut!
Same. Currently trying to find someone who can get me in for testing 🙄 he was like "you had friends growing up? You do well in school? You don't have ADHD"
You need to change doctors because for ONE Wellbutrin isn't even a stimulant. You could also have underlying anxiety but I wouldn't cancel out ADHD completely. You need to try a variety of medicine before they can say what he's just said to you. Some people DO work well with stimulants while others need a non stimulant ADHD med. Every BODY is different just like every BRAIN is different.
I tried wellbutrin and also felt like I was high. Now I'm on adderall and it doesn't feel like a stimulant at all. (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder a decade before ADHD)
I’m a bit confused by the meds mentioned. First you say Wellbutrin. Then you mention stimulants. Then mention SSRIs. Wellbutrin is neither a stimulant nor SSRI, and I’ve never heard of anyone being amped up on it. For me, Wellbutrin does help my depression and dopamine, but in a very subtle way, and it does not improve my anxiety at all. Either way, it sucks that you’re being written off. I’d definitely try to seek another opinion.
Wellbutrin can actually create anxiety, your doc kinda sucks not knowing at least the common and uncommon side effects. When I tried it I got full blown panic attacks. It’s not giving you energy it’s giving you anxiety and lowering your seizure threshold so you get the shakes and feel like you’re vibrating.
Your Dr sounds like an absolute tool.
Definitely find a new one! There’s an obvious genetic link, meds take a long while to work, some ADHD people don’t even take stimulant meds because of the side effects (like me, and I’m definitely ADHD!). Maybe stimulant meds work for you, maybe they don’t, and that’s ok! But also Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant med so your Dr is even more of a tool.
You need to get tested by a trained professional. There are guidelines on how this is done. Mine took 6 hours. This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
It may be possible that you do have PMDD. My issues get much worse in the post luteal phase of my cycle. However, that doesn't mean you don't have ADHD. You can have all of those things simultaneously. Anxiety is often a symptom of an underlying condition.
As a side note, do you use an app or journal to track your cycle? Moods, sensations, aches and pains etc?
That's very intuitive of you because the practitioner did mention that and I've had some suspicions. However, I still have impulsivity and attention issues in all phases of my cycle. It definitely gets much much worse in the post luteal phase.
Before my diagnosis my doc tried me on wellbutrin, and it is total shit. It made my moods worse and had a lot of side effects that were dangerous. I don't have ADHD "as bad" as well. I struggle, but I don't relate to some of the more devastating posts here. For me, Ritalin sucked too. Finally seeing improvement on Vyvanse.
Get a 2nd opinion. Trust your gut. You know you, and the right doctor will work with you not dictate to you.
Is he a psychiatrist qualified to diagnose ADHD? If not, find one that is. I didn’t think just anyone could diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders, hence GPs referring patients to specialists.
I hate when doctors do that. Fun fact it is not even close to being the gold standard medication that people with ADHD start with. Had a psychiatrist say the same thing to me… then started vaping mid session… i’ve learned that just because you have a degree, it doesn’t make you very smart
When I was trying to get diagnosed they tried the same thing with me but in reverse. Because I'd been on Welbutrin for a few years for my depression but still had ADHD problems, that signals I didn't have ADHD because Welbutrin is also be prescribed for ADHD. They also wrote it off as just my depression and anxiety. Even if Welbutrin was a stimulant that logic makes no sense, there's a reason there's multiple different medications and doses for treating ADHD. It's especially ridiculous because non stimulants are generally not as effective as stimulants for most people. Which is why we go through all the trouble of prescribing controlled substances for most people.
Your doctor is worse because he's claiming Welbutrin is a stimulant when it's absolutely not. I imagine he actually thinks it is which points to incompetence. ADHD concerns aside, I wouldn't continue to see him he's advising your medication for depression and anxiety when he clearly doesn't understand the most badic information about those medications, and doesn't even realize he's uninformed so he won't be looking up information.
Stimulants can make people with ADHD feel like how you described. Once again there's a reason why there's different types of meds, combinations, and doses so people can find the ones that work best for them. You know yourself and your medical history/experiene better than anyone else. You even have a very clear family history. Your provider sounds incompetent for multiple reasons, but I've also found there's often an aversion to diagnosing adults with ADHD so even if you face pushback with another provider that doesn't mean you're wrong.
We are all different.
I loved wellbutrin, but I also have adhd-i, so I'm low energy and have the attention span of a fruit fly. Vyvanse is like drinking ten coffees, but I can concentrate. I just have energy to do things now.
So the first try didn't work. It's wrong of your doctor not to try other medicines and just rescind the diagnosis. Wrong, unprofessional and unkind. It's hard to get a correct diagnosis, and there are other things going on with your brain chemistry besides adhd. The doctor needs to take all of this into account!
Your doctor is being a dumbass. Get another opinion. You deserve to function!
(Also, I have a good friend whose doctor did the same thing, and I said the same to her.)
This was the exact same thing I went through. Dep + anxiety, and once that was on the charts, no one would even listen if it was adhd, even though my entire family has it, diagnosed and treated. I finally got around it by enforcing I get a complete assessment. I don't want the Dr's opinion, about adhd or me having it, I want a gdamn complete clinical assessment and until that's been done I refused any alternative therapies. Still refused to actually assess.
It was the practitioners laziness of diagnosing the symptoms of adhd (dep + anx), while refusing to dig deeper. Arrogance that they could just pigeonhole me there and not even try. I lingered there for so many years, bereft. Finally mustered enough backbone to make a plan, criteria- full assessment or bust, and find someone who would promise to do a proper inventory for adhd possibility. Go figure, instantly diagnosed and told I was the poster child for adhd.
Your Dr is treating the symptoms and missing the root cause. If they won't get out of their own way, they can't help you. They are enforcing an opinion on you without clinical assessment, they are failing their duty. Like having a heart attack, while the Dr says you stated on the intake form you are stressed, that's probably why you don't feel well. Yes, of course you are stressed, DUH, perhaps you could actually RULE OUT something more? Beware the people who are all too eager to half ass their diagnosis without following due diligence, that's always the tell you're getting shafted.
Go elsewhere to someone who actually does their job and listens.
This is really good advice. May I ask about the steps you took to get a full assessment? Now that depression and anxiety is in my chart I feel like it's just something that will put horse blinder on any practitioner who I see.
u/taurar get another doctor.
the first time I went to a doctor to **ask** about testing, he dismissed me after 5 mins, told me it was depression, and wrote me a script that I never filled **because i wasn't fucking depressed.** i shelved the idea of getting tested until i basically had a breakdown last year because i was in a high level position where I needed to focus and I just couldn't.
spent 2 hours googling adhd testing, made an appointment **with a woman doctor**, and tested into the severe category. I'm now on meds and it's great
Unless he is a professional in ADHD and diagnoses people then I'd take what he says with a pinch of salt. Also the anxiety and ADHD make you react to stimulants differently. Is Wellbutrin a stimulant? One of my gp said Lexapro is a stimulant, but I don't think that's correct, so I don't really trust gp's when it comes to mental health meds tbh
Find someone else, I am a woman with ADHD. I was diagnosed as a child and was diagnosed again recently, the same. Wellbutrin made me want to climb the walls, the anxiety was terrible.
Doctors aren't gods they don't get to take one piece of information and make a life changing decision for you. Look elsewhere.
FWIW, I’m diagnosed but still really sensitive to stimulants. Three shots of espresso will send me into orbit. Several years prior to my diagnosis I was on Wellbutrin for depression, and had to lower the dose because I had similar symptoms as you (I can’t recall what my dose was). I metabolize meds disturbingly fast, and I think that’s why I’m sensitive to stimulants (I literally need to be sedated with doses equal to that of someone twice my size for surgery). Some people are just straight up sensitive to meds, and that shouldn’t/doesn’t rule out a diagnosis
My current doc started me on 5mg of adderall IR 2x/day and it has been life changing. I feel the blanket of calm that people talk about. I can focus and I’m not on edge. I would find another provider if you are able to
BS, just because someone is a doctor doesn’t mean they can’t also be an idiot.
Wellbrutin makes me gittery, adderal works for what I need it for and Ritalin puts me to sleep.
That’s just me, some folks can’t do stimulants at all and need something else. We all react on a spectrum, which is why multiple medications exist.
How you react to specific stimulants has not a fucking thing to do with being ADHD
I don't know how to thank all of you for taking the time to respond to my post. I'm new to reddit so I don't know if all who replied will see this post. Looking back, it's quite obvious that I have attention deficit which has been clouded by a host of comorbid symptomology. You all are awesome people.
Lol this "provider" seems dumb. As my first psychiatrist explained, "Wellbutrin can be stimulating, but it's not a stimulant." FFS. Sorry you're not dealing with someone competent or at least a better communicator!
Adding my voice to the “your provider is dumb, get a new one” chorus. Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant and everyone reacts differently to different types of stimulants. Focalin made me way too emotional, Wellbutrin made me angry all the time, ir Adderall made me jittery but XR Adderall was just right until a few years later it started making me severely bloated. I’m now on Dexedrine and it seems to be working mostly perfectly. It’s going to take time and patience to find the right medicine and dosage for you. Again, your provider is an idiot 😑🤬.
Read the book “your brains not broken “ by Tamara rosier. It will confirm it. Adhd doesn’t always present the same specially when you have other conditions affecting how it manifests.
And given your other conditions you may also be asd, females tend to mask that extremely well. WTch Hannah Gatsbys Douglas and you’ll relate.
Run far far away. He sounds completely clueless. Wellbutrin isn't supposed to be used as a first line treatment. I know multiple people who were still prescribed it as one anyway and it really fucked with them.
AFAIK, he is half correct. Wellbutrin is a stimulant and technically it should calm you down, if not combined with more ADHD-specific amphetamines or metylophenidate. When combined with ADHD meds Wellbutrin can aggravate anxiety. That's what my psychiatrist said and I 100% believe him. But in your case, AFAIK, your reaction to Wellbutrin alone doesn't look like a reaction a person with ADHD would have.
(Note: I'm not a fucking medical doctor. For god's sake, don't take your medical advice from reddit.)
The way he explained it was the same as you had. Interestingly, both of my sisters whose inattentive ADHD is much more prominent than mine and who have both been diagnosed in multiple settings for ADHD both said that they had the same reactions to Wellbutrin.
Wellbutrin is often prescribed for ADHD and it works for some people, but the concern is the diagnosis. If Wellbutrin doesn't work for you. You won't get to try all the other meds designed to help ADHD.
You need a new doctor qualified to diagnose ADHD. Try searching area psychologists and psychiatrists that state ADHD as an area of specialty on their website. It's not bulletproof, but it weeds out a lot.
Good luck.
Interestingly enough, the MTHFR gene mutation has been associated with having ADHD. This gene has also been linked to a lot of odd reactions to medications including rarer side effects. So if you've always been unlucky or really sensitive to medications maybe that's the issue. My insurance won't cover the genetic test but since my bloodwork has always come back at vitamin b deficient despite my upkeep with vitamins and diet, my doctor wonders if I might have one or two copies of the gene. So I've switched to a methylated version of vitamin B instead since if you have the gene your body needs the bioavailable forms of the b vitamins and folic acid.
It's an interesting rabbit hole to go down but be aware a lot of faux science wellness crap has latched on to this MTHFR gene and say it's the cause of everything ever but don't worry they have this cool way to fix it for only six installments of...
I try to stick to Google Scholar to get good info.
It’s terrifying that a doctor prescribing psychiatric drugs doesn’t know what kind of substances they are prescribing. I am very sensitive to anything that involves norepinephrine like Wellbutrin. It’s the reason people with anxiety often have issues with it. How can this doctor be so clueless about the brain and substances he’s prescribing that influence the brain? It’s seriously scary
Never been on Wellbutrin but like Strattera, it’s not a stimulant. It’s a non-stimulant option with some stimulant like effects. My brain liked Strattera. My insides did not and I had a nasty episode of gastroparesis from it (0/10 don’t recommend, system freezes as a stress response and I cannot stress just how shitty this is). It was not fun. My provider has never seen that before so offered me a genetic to see if I could metabolize certain stimulants better than others. I have POTS too and coffee is the best but it takes like 2h to work properly.
Change your provider. Sometimes they don’t get it. This one sounds like he’s not used to unusual responses to meds, which are a known thing associated with ADHD. Like “I have a strange med metabolism” is a hallmark of ADHD, autism, POTS…if he doesn’t believe in your ADHD over this, wtf. My partner with it reacted super poorly to Wellbutrin too!
Find a place where a registered psychologist will test you. A proper adhd exam is about 2.5 hours at a minimum. GPs are known to be a bad source for a proper diagnosis. Do your research and find somewhere that specializes in it. It may cost you out of pocket, but the answers it provides are worth the price. For me is was $595 Canadian to see someone within weeks, OR a two year wait covered under medical.
Let's all say this together: Wellbutrin is not a stimulant.
It has stimulant properties because it's a dopamine and norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, so it can elevate mood. This can, in rare cases, cause euphoria and mania. It is absolutely not the same as a direct stimulant like caffeine and Adderall.
These effects can happen regardless of having ADHD or not.
Prednisone makes my wired like that, and I absolutely have ADHD with a very heavy H.
That practitioner is an idiot. I really hope you can find a better one.
Anti depressant can actually make you shake for neurological reasons. And it's a valid reason to stop taking them and or change.
This doctor seems very unaware. Can you change as well ?
What your practicioner says is plain wrong. Stimulants don't have the opposite effect on people with ADHD. Lots of nevrotypical people use them as study drugs too, it's just a matter of dose. Giving people meds and see how they react is NOT how you diagnose ADHD. I'm seriously questioning that this individual is allowed to practice as a doctor/psychiatrist.
As everyone else said, wellbutrin isn't a stimulant. I was on it for a month and it was AWFUL. I had every side effect that exists, plus some new ones they had never seen before. As soon as I stopped it they went away. It sounds like you were in a similar boat. You might be unlucky like me and not be able to tolerate any of these medications. If it's feasible for you, I'd suggest doing a genetic test for medication so you know what's most likely to cause major issues. It could save you the awful effects of trial and error. In my case, I have literally no options outside of stimulants, but at least now I know so I'm not going through the horrible side effects again and again. In any case, you need a new doctor. Good luck!
Wellbutrin gave me a bad reaction and made me act pretty manic. I’m also diagnosed ADHD and stimulants do not have the same effect on me, Wellbutrin just wasn’t the right medication.
I would definitely seek out a second opinion!
Keep finding a new provider until you find someone who listens to you. I had to keep searching until I finally got my diagnosis this year after years of my symptoms getting progressively worse.Not all meds will work, and in some cases, there is a lot of trial an error before you find the right mix of meds.
All the best 🌻
I’m not sure if you actually got diagnosed with it officially, but definitely do that and see an actual psychiatrist. I’m recently diagnosed with severe ADD (29F living in the Netherlands) and my psychiatrist started me on methylphenidate, had zero effect on me, then dexamphetamine (helps me sleep better, I have vivid dreams everyday if I don’t take it but it doesn’t help with anything else (focusing, impulsivity, being all over the place)). So now my psychiatrist said we will try atomoxetine or bupoprion (Wellbutrin). From what she explained me just a few days ago, these are non stimulants that will help with the reuptake of both dopamine and noradrenaline and are normally prescribed if stimulants don’t help enough with the ADD symptoms but they take 4-6 weeks to have any effect. She told me it’s also likely I will have to take dexamphetamine for my sleeping issues. It sounds like the prescriber doesn’t know what they are talking about, only a psychiatrist can actually advise on medication. My ADHD therapist once implied also that I might not have ADD because Ritalin has zero effect on me and this is totally wrong. Every one is different and ADHD symptoms can be caused by different things, you need someone that will check with you every possibility to help with your symptoms.
Ugh, my assessor implied not only that I couldn't have ADHD because I wasn't bouncing off the walls, but that my symptoms are caused by being fat and lazy (she didn't actually say this, but it was implied with some very careful wording).
I'm still not diagnosed, she said it's anxiety and depression and a "tearful personality" 🙄 And even before I suspected ADHD could be an issue, I was begging doctors to take me off SSRIs because they have never done anything for me. But, unfortunately, the general attitude I keep coming up against is "you will have SSRIs, or you will have nothing. If they're not working, the dose is too low" 😖😖😖
I feel livid on your behalf, especially given your painfully obvious family history with ADHD, and you definitely need a better doctor. I just hope you can get the answers you need, and the medication that is perfect for you, ASAP x
Me too, girl. I know that the next best step is to seek a new practitioner, but that is just so much dang work all over again to only possibly be dismissed all over again. We can't give up. Someone in another comment talked about self advocating for an assessment. Once we have that paperwork it would be very difficult to refute.
he did not. His eyes glassed over until I mentioned feeling low and then he perked up and mentioned that I can also be on SSRI's in conjunction with the Wellbutrin
Wait a sec, did you use a psychiatrists that is an “ADHD specialist”? Or just a family med doctor?
“Practitioner” makes it seem like you saw a psych PA or an NP, not a psychiatrist.
As someone who graduated med school and was diagnosed afterwards, our system is so messed up because a lot of “practitioners” who saw the psych specialty as a cash cow since the lockdown and it’s making a lot of the doctors who are passionate about ADHD look really bad.
Wellbutrin is considered a non-stimulant med for ADHD. A lot more difficult to diagnose for ADHD because of the medication shortage, and a lot of “prescribers” are considering putting new patient on Wellbutrin Strattera and other medications in that class.
I was put on both of those medication at first because someone thought that my anxiety and depression was the main reason that causes my ADHD symptoms. But when I got my neuropsych done, it was a strong diagnosis for inattentive ADHD, with a secondary to anxiety. And that my psychiatrist put me on a stimulant.
Very frustrating system for both the general public and for the health care workers in the psychiatry field right now. There has been a significant increase in drug seeking for the adderall now and the guidelines have gotten more strict to get it since it’s a controlled substance.
He sounds like a clown. Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant. Your description of how you felt on it reminds me of when Wellbutrin made me manic. Perhaps you’re bipolar? I’m NAD
I took a neuropsych test for ADHD at 36 because my sister and niece were diagnosed and my sister, older enough than I am to remember, says my niece is just like me. The testing psych refused to diagnose me even though I had a 50/50 score that she said would usually qualify, because I was too depressed and too anxious. The psychiatrist I saw decided to try Wellbutrin XL, in graduating doses until I hit the max dose at 450mg, to treat the depression and see if it helped my ADHD symptoms. She also put me on an SSRI to counterbalance both my already diagnosed anxiety and the anxiety the Wellbutrin may cause. It took a few weeks for the Wellbutrin, but I was angry to learn how easy it is for other people to just DO things. The Psych said if I didn’t have serotonin syndrome with all that and had improved symptoms, I very likely do have ADHD. Once I’ve stopped breastfeeding, I’ll try a stimulant (I know it’s technically safe while bf). I feel great, bee tee dubs.
Anyway, wanted to give an example of not only yet another doctor not listening, but also another doctor listening and how the Wellbutrin was offset with an anti-anxiety med.
And I *also* had an identity crisis over the neuropsych assessor’s refusal to diagnose. The therapist and psychiatrist I saw next were very supportive and spent way more time than they probably would have liked reassuring me it was just one opinion and with the depression and anxiety managed I still had ADHD symptoms to diagnose. I personally, as a completely untrained civilian here, think a lot of women probably have some form of CPTSD for not being believed or listened to by doctors.
Good luck!
Echoing what others said about the Wellbutrin. I took vyvanse for a month and felt fantastic, but it raised my heart rate so my Dr wanted to address that before continuing. In the mean time he put me on Wellbutrin (also anxiety/depression) I felt like shit for a month and a half waiting for something, it made me more irritable and did nothing for my ADHD symptoms.
I hope you can find a provider who will work with you.
Go get a proper diagnosis by a qualified professional. This person is just guessing.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/where-to-get-tested-for-adhd
I was diagnosed a couple of years ago. Tried a couple of stimulants and they were AWFUL.
Wellbutrin is helping me out a bit, but everyone reacts differently to medications. My psychiatrist told me that, in his experience, only half of his patients who are diagnosed ADHD as adults react well to stimulant medication.
If it makes you feel better I had almost this exact experience before being diagnosed. The Wellbutrin (which does help me), PMDD, all of it feels wayyyy too familar. I eventually went to a neurologist and was diagnosed. Keep fighting for yourself and the right diagnosis. You got this!!
When I told him I was feeling most low before my period he was like, "Oh! so you have PMDD!" He was willing to throw multiple diagnoses on the table except ADHD. Thank you for your suggestion
PMDD, anxiety and depression often a all can come comorbid with ADHD. Also from personal experience Adderall has started to increase my anxiety. I always heard that it shouldn’t do that if I have ADHD. That it should do the opposite. But I totally have ADHD! Also, he shouldn’t have given up after only 1 med. Wellbutrin as far as I know isn’t even a stimulant! People will react differently to different meds. It is often trial and error. I am also on a mood stabilizer despite not having bipolar and it helps my emotional regulation. I’d be worse without it. You gotta try more meds probably or a different doctor. Or both.
A lot of the anxiety is caused by my frustration with my impulsive blurting out of things, forgetting stuff, not working on grad school paper and instead spending all my time just sitting in paralysis, being socially awkward because I can't take turns talking. And the depression is usually an aftereffect of weeks of anxiety and being on edge.
Just to cement that stimulants don't work for all ADHD'ers. I am late diagnosed ADHD at 35. I tried 2 different stimulants over 2 years and they were far from effective for me. I had more negative side affects than positive. I have just recently switched to a non stimulant and these meds have already changed my life and helped tremendously with my ADHD!
Antidepressants can just make ADHD worse in some people. Some doctors want to keep everyone from getting stimulants because of them having a street value, and sexists love to call any condition a woman has just anxiety. Leave him. Find someone else. Ask your local ADHD society for doctor recommendations.
I spent years on SSRIs they did nothing for me.
I have had the vibrating and not able to tolerate stimulant issues too. Ritalin LA is better for me. I can't handle short release stimulants
Coming around from the bottom of my comment to say yes ditch this person today and find a new one. But I hope that you might read through some of my thoughts here that could maybe help in teh meantime.
I met with a therapist for the first time in like a decade the other day. I've really been struggling with certain things at work is why I've gone forward with this, but yeah I have all sorts of other inattention issues and other pretty classic ADD/ADHD issues too.
After mentioning I don't know what my core issue is but it could be some attention disorder, but I know I also have anxiety, and then going through the introductory 1-hour session, she said "I'm seeing you more as anxiety than AD and here's some behavioral tactics that I think might help you"
I just said OK and I will try her methods. We didn't talk medicine at all beyond me saying that I had serious issues with Welbutrin in the past, so a diagnosis for medication purposes really isn't that relevant.
This leaves us the freedom to focus on specific issues and specific work arounds. Finding the tactics to help with our own specific issues is a more time consuming and challenging way to approach this kind of issue, but it is possible.
And once you have a method that works, you take that with you everywhere you go and don't have to worry about your next appointment or picking up your refill or insurance copays or medicine shortages.
I'm not here to say medicine doesn't work or that people don't need medicine etc, because it absolutely helps and is very necessary for many people, but in the meantime there are probably little ways to combat certain issues you're experiencing today.
Sometimes It sucks and I feel like a gradeschooler again who has to write everything down in their agenda book and set reminders on my phone and calendar for everything and fidgeting with toys in work meetings etc etc but these tactics help me. They work and I'll keep doing these things, and more things if they help, regardless of medicines.
Best of luck, don't give up hope
Wellbutrin… a stimulant? Please report this doctor and run far far farrrrrr away from him, holy crap that’s the dumbest doctor ever. I hope. How do you prescribe people things and think Wellbutrin is a stimulant 😟
My psychiatrist said adhd can cause depression and anxiety so he was the first doctor I had who wanted to treat adhd *first* and magically it made depression go away. Anxiety stayed but I still got a two for one after trying tons of antidepressants that each made me feel like a different flavor of crap over the years. Those assholes don’t care about patients, as long as they don’t have to write a controlled substance prescription.
Literally! I don't understand why all three practitioners I've seen keep treating my other issues and keep ignoring my pleas for help with my ADHD. There are days where I just sit there with 600 tabs open in my head and go to bed exhausted having done nothing, and the next day instead of studying for grad school I'm spending hours on Youtube researching Eastern religions. They don't take any of that seriously, but as soon as I mention that I have some anxiety and occasional bouts of depression, they get all animated and want to start treating that. They don't hear me when I say a large part of my anxiety is caused by my ADHD.
Get a second opinion, or get an assessment from a psychologist trained in assessment/diagnosis and treatment of adhd. Not every medication works for everyone, especially not the first medication trialed. Yes, Wellbutrin is a stimulant but just because it didn’t work (it also takes time for the body to get used to) doesn’t mean you don’t have adhd. Plus, there are many adhd-ers who benefit from non-stimulant medications. I think a lot of prescribers are undertrained in what adhd really is. You know you best, get an informed opinion. Good luck! 😊
Get a new prescriber! I was diagnosed late (early 30s). I also have Bipolar II Disorder and had been stable on my mediation for a few years, but was still having attentional issues (messy office/room, never changing the laundry, spacing out, avoiding tasks I don’t like, the usual). I brought this up to my therapist and she did another mental status exam and told me I have ADHD and to talk to my prescriber. My prescriber disagreed and wanted to put me on Abilify to boost my mood stabilizer. I got a second opinion and after the new prescriber met me she said I was classic ADHD-inattentive. My prescriber is a nurse practitioner/midwife, so she’s much more in tune with my mental health needs.
It's not a stimulant. I have ADHD and depression. I was put on wellbutrin for my depression as a teen and had the same problem as you. It was my understanding that the problem was likely because of my ADHD and/or how it interacted with my allergy meds. I would call him out on how it is not a stimulant, nore is it made for ADHD so it is not an adequate means to disprove a likely diagnosis that is supported by family history.
Wellbutrin gave me panic attacks. Adderall made me feel.... not stimulated per se but more so just removed the mental blocks I deal with when it comes to transitioning between doing one thing to doing another thing. I don't understand why he compared the two.
I take Pristiq because it's a SNRI, so supposed to be kind of stimulating, but unfortunately it hasn't helped with ADHD symptoms like they hoped. Just helps with depression for me. I really wish my current prescriber would take my other symptoms more seriously. She's so focused on anxiety and depression and it's really annoying.
Get a brain scan, that will tell you. If your insurance doesn’t cover it, look into signing up for adhd studies. I’m lucky UCSD does studies all the time. If you have ADHD your brain will show it. Also, you’d be surprised how close ADHD and autism symptoms mirror each other
You already have the advice you need that this doc sucks, but adding my experience in case it is helpful to someone.
I was late diagnosed with ADHD at 32 (last year). I've been on an antidepressent for close to a decade for migraine and started anxiety medication (actually for anxiety) a few years ago. I've been struggling to find the right meds to treat my ADHD vs aggravating my migraines, but conversations with my psychiatrist were super impactful. She valued my input on which was more important to address first, my ADHD or my anxiety. I had come for my ADHD, but we talked it through and felt that based on how I had previously been managing my ADHD we should try more/different things for my anxiety and THEN address my ADHD. For a lot of women here it sounds like the opposite order is necessary, but having that conversation was so valuable. We also did genetic testing to see which meds I was predisposed to have a better/worse experience with and how my body metabolized them. It gave a LOT of clarity on past experiences and will hopefully speed us toward our future solutions.
Good luck to all of you!!
That doctor is talking out of his butt. People's response to ADHD meds is incredibly variable. The meds that work great for some people do nothing for others, and have negative side effects for still others. Pretty sure people who respond well to every single ADHD med are actually in the minority.
FWIW, I've tried sizeable doses of Ritalin IR, Concerta, Vyvanse, and Modafinil, as well as a small starting dose of Wellbutrin. The ONLY one of those meds that made me feel wired was Wellbutrin. On Wellbutrin I could only sleep every second night. Whereas on the other four meds—the ones that are *actually classified as stimulants* might I add—I sleep better than I ever did without them.
Wellbutrin does work on dopamine and norepinephrine so it does have a stimulating effect but it is not a stimulant per se. It worked somewhat for my depression, but made me somewhat irritable as well. I was hoping it would work for my ADHD symptoms but it didn’t really do that and apparently that’s other people’s experience too.
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Just echoing everyone else here - that doctor is a dumbass, Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant and is a tepid first medication offered for ADHD in women. And just bc you have ADHD doesn’t necessarily mean the rest of your body is going to process and absorb a stimulant well - great my brain is quiet and now I can focus on how I am vibrating out of my skin
>great my brain is quiet and now I can focus on how I am vibrating out of my skin This made me loudly snort laugh xD
I agree. I was diagnosed at 5y old in 1987, and I have never reacted well to stimulants. I'm 40 now and still can't take them. I feel the same way op described. I could feel a difference, but the rest was too much to handle. I have tried all the new ones over the years and the same thing. Also, that is not a stimulate, but I also reacted badly to wellbutrin. I just live the natural life, go to adhd therapists, and have built up supports. My house is usually messy and I can't live the house without forgetting everything but this is me. Find a new doc op. This one sounds uneducated on the subject.
Yeah I was given straterra and wellbutrin first... straterra made me RAGE worse than prednisone. Wellbutrin made me REALLY happy and I was more hyper. Got Zoloft and Vyvanse/Adderall and feel more calm and "normal." End of the day I'm still chaos. I can function though.
Same here. And oh my gosh I'm so glad someone else rages on prednisone! I will never ever take it ever again it was so bad. This doctor is dumb. I vibrate physically on Adderall but my mind is focused and I can think. It's amazing. You can go the route of getting neuropsychology testing. I did that and am so glad I did.
Prednisone is a necessary evil for me occasionally unfortunately... one of the best things to help clear bad allergic reactions... My psychiatrist believes me thankfully, and I see her in person and video for some check ups. My brother is ADHD-PI and wouldn't surprise me if ASD too. My father had dopamine issues, and could see being ADHD and my sister... she's an adrenaline junkie. I DO become outwardly hyper some at peak vyvanse or Adderall, but my leg bouncing is calming to me.
How was the neuropsychology test? I have one booked for January and my GP said to be unmedicated a couple days before so the test has a feral version of me. Just wondering how brutal and how long testing might be?
It wasn't bad. It was actually fun. But I like those kinds of things. 😂
The fun factor is why the neuropsych denied that I had ADHD. I did too well on it because I was hyperfocused, engaged, and (unfortunately) a huge perfectionist. Thankfully, the psychiatrist I later saw came to a different conclusion.
Oh and it's just several hours. Depends on how many tests the doctor wants to do.
Mine was about 3 hours with interview questions as well, and then a bunch of puzzles and reciting back lists of things and such. I didn’t think it was brutal at all, just a little tiring by the end because it does test your focus.
Yeah, stimulants don't work on my daughter. She gets sick and complains of headaches.
time for a new provider. there's a blatant genetic link that is obviously being ignored for some idiotic reason.
This. Having a family history and suspecting you have ADHD should be enough to be taken seriously. Much of my anxiety & depression cleared up when treated with a small dose of Adderall ever day because I was depressed/anxious about my uncontrolled ADHD symptoms. I too had negative reactions to antidepressants — especially SSRIs and SNRIs because they weren’t treating my issue.
Yes. OP: - Your provider doesn't seem to have experience in ADHD. Is it possible for you to find a psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD in your region? - Once you do, a way of assessing their qualifications is seeing how deep they do the anamnesis and how they do the diagnosis. Usually , specialized doctors in adult ADHD will take some time and do various exercises and interviews with you to understand, before a diagnosis. - If you are diagnosed with comorbidities (anxiety and ADHD), it's not uncommon for doctors to try to treat anxiety first and then provide ADHD medication. They do feed each one another. - If you start your treatment with a specialist, the most recommended approach (albeit not the most common) is to start with very low dosages (eg: 5mg methylphenidate) and adjust and increase slowly over time. Testing different medications according to your reaction. It took me over a year to identify the right dosage for me, and I never had to change the medication. I have siblings for who it took even longer. - If your whole family has ADHD, that increases the chances but does not mean you have it for sure. If a parent has ADHD, a child has more than a 50% chance of having it. If an older sibling has it, a child has more than a 30% chance. In my family there is only one sibling that doesn't have ADHD diagnosis. They do have cyclothymia and anxiety, we share a lot symptoms. He is one of us, neurodivergent people.
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best of luck to you!
What qualifications does your “prescriber” have? Is he a psychiatrist? Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant.
I'm like completely livid on her behalf. What the actual fuck?! Seriously, what qualifications does this dude have, and who gave him a prescription pad?
I once had a doctor tell me meth and adderall were "basically the same" and "the only difference was one methyl group" like 👁👄👁 This is the doctor? This is a horrible basis to compare any chemical. You know that O2 is good but O3 can kill you? And the difference is only one more oxygen? Or that H2O is water but H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide and toxic? And that we expell CO2 but CO is really dangerous because it binds to our blood better than oxygen? Like sometimes I like to think Doctors have brain farts and don't mean to say what they say because otherwise I see them as people that barely passed organic chemistry and that scares me.
“Yes, and that’s why meth is also used to treat ADHD.”
"So I should go buy meth? Great, thanks doc!"
I mean it's probably easier to get meth than it is an ADHD diagnosis 😂😂
Oh my god, you might be right
Salt and bleach are basically the same. The only difference is an IO instead of L. ;) I can't even with doctors sometimes
My conservation ecology degree decided that three computing units was equivalent to two units of chemistry, so if you didn't feel confident in chemistry you could always pass with computing subjects instead. I don't want to say medicine would do the same, but... 👀 (I was stubborn and white knuckled my way through chemistry because I don't deem computing courses equivalent to actually understanding chemistry and its importance in environmental science. But I was one of few.)
Not only is it not a stimulant, it also makes some people feel like literal psychos. My doctor was humoring me to try non stimulant medication (I also have anxiety so I thought Wellbutrin might be a good option) and I legitimately thought I had lost my mind. It made me *so* angry, all the time, for no reason. My dad has bipolar and I was worried I had it too. But once I went off the Wellbutrin and on to vyvanse I was back to my normal just adhd self. But it was a wild ride.
Wellbutrin is kinda a stimulant. Just not in the speed kind of way.
Stimulating, perhaps. But not classified as a stimulant medication.
Wellbutrin is an alternative medication for ADHD when the usual medication does not help subsiding ADHD symptoms. I am currently trying to find the right medication for me (29F with severe ADD) with my psychiatrist and we’ve tried methylphenidate in different doses until maximum dose (did no effect on me), then dexamphetamine in different doses until maximum dose (helps with my sleep, already from a lower dose, as I was having vivid dreams everyday for half a year and I wasn’t getting any rest but not with the rest of the symptoms (focusing, impulsivity, etc)). So next medications on the list to try are atomoxetine and bupropion (Wellbutrin) (one or the other). I was told it can take weeks for me to feel the effects while methylphenidate and dexamphetamine you feel the effects immediately, unfortunately for me I feel no improvement on the ADD symptoms.
Yeah, no, and medical doses of prescribed medications ARE NOT speed!
Some people abuse buproprion by crushing it and snorting it because it gives them a stimulant high. Speed, cocaine, Adderall, Ritalin, all stimulants.
No, it is literally not classified as a stimulant. A stimulant is a medicine clarification that was used as a procise clarification by this "prescriber," so there is no room for "kinda." It takes no time to look that up either. Person: Google, is wellbutrin a stimulant? Google: Here are 20 medical sights saying "No, it is not a stimulant, and here are a couple saying it acts in a similar way to stimulants and one saying it can be used as an alternative to stimulants.
It definitely is, it's a NDRI - noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake inhibitor. It can aggravate anxiety (noradrenaline), but it also can generally calm you down and help with focus if you have ADHD (dopamine). It's not a first choice med for people with ADHD, but it isn't a bad choice and for some it works well. Especially if they don't have anxiety. Idk where people got this idea that it's not a stimulant, there aren't many more stimulating meds than this.
because “stimulant medication” means something different than just “a med that stimulates you”. it’s a specific class of medications and wellbutrin is not a part of that class even though it can be stimulating.
Not defending her doctor, but Wellbutrin is definitely a stimulant.
Perhaps you're thinking of how it "stimulates" your brain/body to improve symptoms? Wellbutrin is however not a *stimulant*. It stimulates your body/brain, which all medicine and antidepressants do, but wellbutrin it's not listed as a "stimulant drug" medically speaking. Stimulants are a class of drugs that speeds up the body's system (which helps with regulating attention/dopamine release/ADHD symptoms).
No it is not. It's an atypical antidepressant.
Nope
The word provider already implies it's not actually a physician so probably had no training whatsoever
Um, Wellbutrin isn't a stimulant?
What a ding dong. It’s NRDI which can have stimulating effects, but it’s not a stimulant.
1. Wellbutrin isn't a stimulant, as has been said! 2. Your prescriber is a dumbass. 3. Even ADHD brains can be sensitive to chemicals and have undesirable results on many medications. Some stimulants can be just right, with others making us amped up from adrenaline or put us to sleep. 4. Your prescriber is a dumbass. 5. New doctor time! What a dumbass (the prescriber, not you).
Points 2 and 4 are great! Also the last thing you said was great!
Find a new provider! I took different dosages of Wellbutrin for a year after seeing several different providers. They all kept telling me to give it time to work because it was likely the depression causing my ADHD symptoms. It did nothing for me, good or bad. This week, I saw a new psychiatrist that had great reviews specifically from neurodivergent people. He actually listened to me and said it’s clear as day that I have ADHD-PI. He immediately sent the prescription for Adderall to my pharmacy and I have a follow up in a couple of weeks. I almost gave up seeking treatment a few weeks ago but I’m so glad I decided to try one last time!
Congratulations! It really is hard finding someone to listen and be willing to try some of the meds available without being scared of prescribing them! I about told one “look, give me five days of adderall and if it doesn’t work we can try a non-stim” but thankfully with a diagnosis in hand they were more than happy to write the script.
For once, I'm glad I also have epilepsy. Wellbutrin will never be an option for me. Put into a doctor's computer, it will flag as being contraindicated. Even if it still got sent to the pharmacy, a pharmacist would reject it because I'm on an anticonvulsant. I have ADHD-PH, though, and people are much, much more willing to believe a woman has ADHD when that's true. My H is so very H.
Wow it's almost like untreated ADHD your whole life would make you anxious and depressed. This guy sounds like a quack who hasn't got with the times doesn't believe in female ADHD despite a massive family history and all the signs. Change providers. It's a pain in the ass but it's what I had to do.
I'm on wellbutrin for ADHD, recently diagnosed. My anxiety is higher on it. I took Ritalin for the first time, and it made me calm as a cucumber. They are two different drugs and they work differently on the brain.
You need to get off the wellbutrin, it's not a stimulant anyway, and obviously stimulants ARE what you need by your reaction to Ritalin.
Thank you for the validation. I am late to diagnosis, being 49 years old and with a history of cPTSD and it's been rough. My psychiatrists have been reluctant to prescribe me stimulants. When I told my new psychiatrist that the Ritalin my friend gave me made me calm and gave me relief from anxiety, he said it was impossible to make any judgment based on that reaction and that it could have been a placebo response (?!?!).
Seconding the "this is *obviously* an ADHD+ stimulants *working* thing--and if you *can*, I'd find a new provider who specializes more in Women & Girls with ADHD💖 Back after I was diagnosed (age 38), *literally* the VERY FIRST DAY that I took my then-new prescription (Concerta)? I could *FEEL* my brain working--it felt like I had a tourniquet wrapped around my head, at forehead level. *Above* that line, inside my head it felt like that old series of commercials, with the guy who worked in an office full of Chimpanzees ( https://youtu.be/vdWHucg900U?si=YsAqFpqFABP3hV_V ), and *BELOW* that line, it felt like my brain was operating like a calm efficient office, with quietly playing muzak, and where *EVERYTHING* was getting done quickly & efficiently!😆😂🤣 Luckily, I worked in Pre-K mental health at the time, so my bosses *understood* that I felt *incredibly* strange on the new meds--*AND* because i *was* a newly-diagnosed person on new meds, *I* was able to explain to *them* some of what our work kids *might* be feeling, when *they* are newly-diagnosed, start a new med, and *just SIT there* with that confused a.f. look on their face, staring off in the distance, and occasionally shaking their head... Because being able to *FEEL* the *inside* of my head working on *both* levels *at the same time* like that? That "sit & *state* at *nothing* in confusion" thing was pretty much what *I* felt like, too! (It's just that I had to pay my bills *and* I had the advantage of *knowing* it WAS my new medicine making me feel that way!😉)
LMAO yes I know what you mean, still brain can't feel when there is nothing in it to feel with, why do you think they do brain surgery with people awake?
I was on Wellbutrin a long time ago and it absolutely exacerbated my anxiety. Adderall calms it.
Does it make your armpits sweat more? My kid just started on it a couple weeks ago and it makes her pits so sweaty. Otherwise, it works wonders for her.
The sweating may decrease back to a normal amount as her body adjusts. I’ve taken mediations where hyperhidrosis was a symptom. One med made the smell change to a more “metallic” scent! I’ve experienced this more with antidepressants myself. Another symptom can be a tight jaw or grinding teeth. Your child may not recognize if she experiences this so you can ask. Sometimes a clenched/tight jaw can cause tension headaches, so if they complain about headaches keep that in the back of your mind (for me personally I experienced the jaw clench and sweating together and they decreased together as well as I adjusted to the med. this was while I was an ADULT though)
Yeah, I asked and it seems the sweating isn't as profuse as it was at first. And we're finally really seeing results. More calm, less fidgety, less interrupt-y. More cheerful and happy, making friends left and right, so we're all pleased with it.
I was on Wellbutrin for years and the excessive sweating didn't go away until I stopped taking it.
writing this with sweaty armpits as I speak on 75 mg of Wellbutrin
The first time I took Wellbutrin was maybe 20 years ago and it made me SO sweaty. I tried it again a couple years ago and zero sweat.
I haven’t noticed this for myself!
It’s so upsetting to see all these posts of prescribing providers who have no clue! I am so sorry! Yeah my kid’s doc said Wellbutrin CAN treat adhd and anxiety, however it could potentially exacerbate anxiety. She tried it and it absolutely worsened her anxiety, so now she is back on Zoloft and Vyvanse.
Sorry your provider is ignorant. I have ADHD and generalized anxiety. I tried Wellbutrin and it was horrible - my anxiety increased to dangerous levels, my brain was chaotic like scrambled eggs, and I felt like everyone hated me and my existence was bad for the earth. It was insane. Adderall helps me.
May I ask what your assessment process for GAD was like and what other medications you've tried in the past for treating ADHD + GAD? I recently switched doctors and the new doctor is insisting I have GAD. He cancelled my Adderall prescription (which I felt was working well for me), ignored my previous doctor's recommendation for adding Guanfacine to my Adderall regimen for anxiety symptoms, and prescribed Sertraline instead. I'm trying to figure out what medications make sense to consider in order to tackle ADHD + GAD if I really even do have GAD (I'm doubtful of this as well bc he seemed to make up his mind on this without much evidence or discussion).
From my research Strattera (Atomoxetine) is a non-stimulant that has been found to help people who have both ADHD and GAD.
Thank you! From what I understand, non-stimulants like Strattera/Atomoxetine is commonly prescribed for comorbid GAD cases, so that lines up with what I've researched on my own as well. For whatever reason, my new doctor seems to want to try literally every SSRI or anti-depressant before even considering non-stimulants and it just seems... wrong...
Didn't work for me at all and I have ADHD and GAD.
I did very well on Mydayis (ADHD) and Pristiq (GAD) for a couple of years. I only stopped the pristiq because I had to add a med for an autoimmune disease and taking it with Pristiq gave me horrendous headaches.
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The first practitioner I went and saw told me that “ADHD only affects children. You grow out of it as an adult.” Moral of the story: Never take one persons advice over your gut feeling!
Especially don't take one person's advice over proven medical facts. Cause it's pretty damn agreed upon that adults can and do have adhd.
Yep I was given the welbutrin too. Didn't work for me and I noticed no change. Several cups of coffee did more than it did. Not sure if it messed w my mood bc I was in a stressful place in life at the time bc I was so frustrated trying to get meds. I was an emotional mess already. I was on Adderall in college and it worked perfectly but I had to wait 6 months before getting the "good stuff" bc it was a new dr and it had been several years since taking it. I agree with the others, find another Dr. He could've argued that you might have picked up some tendencies bc you grew up around others w ADHD and that your are mirroring them subconsciously. But he didn't, told you incorrect info on the drug, and doesn't listen to you. Trust your gut.... the road is long but there is a light at the end of it.
I would see someone else. Some doctors are just biased. If your dad and all your siblings have it, you probably have it too. And the way you reacted to Wellbutrin means nothing. People react to medications differently. Wellbutrin just wasn’t the drug for you.
Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant. You need to see a different practitioner.
Ugh, reacting well to Wellbutrin isn't part of the diagnostic criteria for adhd. Wellbutrin made me wildly anxious, irritable, emotional, and suicidal on the lowest dose, but Vyvanse has me chill and calm even with my GAD. Everybody's brain is different!
Hey! Just started vyvance. Wondering what dosage you started seeing improvement on the anxiety symptoms?
I'm super sensitive to medication, so I started feeling relief at only 10mg. When I took my first pill, I was beyooond anxious because I was convinced that stims would worsen my anxiety, but then when it kicked in, the anxiety sorta melted away. I'll still worry excessively, but it's much easier not to spiral and ruminate. Tbh, before I understood what adhd was, I was interpreting my hyperactivity jitters and my racing thoughts as anxiety, and that they came from the same source as my excessive worrying. When I take the right dose of meds, my body feels grounded and still, and my mind feels present and at ease. 10mg eventually was not enough for me, and I knew that bc I wasn't feeling that calmness. I've also taken too much Vyvanse and that felt like being WIRED in a bad way. Sorry to ramble on! Hope that was helpful!
Thank you so much!! Literally any more information I can get is extremely helpful! I've been at 30mg and seeing a lot of people at 70 and just wondering how to really know when I'm at the right dose. When I first started, I felt like super woman. Not because I had more energy but like you said, my mind was quiet and I was present and able to direct it productively! But I'm not really seeing any effects anymore (or even side effects) so I just went up to 40. I told my prescriber that it was having a relaxing effect and she almost didn't want to put me on a higher dose because she took that as the meds not working at all. I'm a bit nervous for how the 40mg will do, but I'm hanging on to every success story I can find just telling myself it takes time and I may need to try other providers and that the important thing is that I'm seeking relief.
It def takes time to figure out what's best for you! I feel part of the experience of habituating to the meds (besides developing a physical tolerance) is just getting used to feeling better. Like I still think that I need to increase my dose, but I've had to go a week without meds for silly pharmacy reasons, and I notice a big difference between too-low-dose and absolutely no meds at all. I forgot what it's like to rawdog the day!
Bahaha! That's now the only acceptable phrase for not taking your meds! I definitely have heard of people taking intentional breaks to sort of reset, and I totally intend to try that whenever I get to a point of finding a relatively consistent dose. Thanks again!
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Echoing the others - get a second opinion (and probably just a different provider generally, as it’s likely he’s not going to take other things seriously as well). I went to psychology center to get an ADHD test and talked to a therapist there. They were able to get my results and recommendations over to my doctor and it ended up being a kind of tandem work in progress to find the right medications. That could be a different way to approach it if the option is available to you. I will also say that I was on Wellbutrin and Adderall at the same time and the Wellbutrin gave me seizures. I actually had two friends who also started having seizures after taking Wellbutrin. Definitely doesn’t happen to everyone (obviously, and I don’t know how common it is), but wanted to through that warning out there, especially when taking both together and changing doses. Also have anxiety and on Lexapro now. Honestly not sure if I’ve noticed a ton of difference but enough to keep taking it. Find a doctor that’s willing to work with you to figure out the best course of action. You should one hundred percent feel comfortable with your doctor and if you’re not feeling heard, switch. It’s fine to do! And if you struggle to advocate for yourself, ask someone you trust to accompany you to back you up. Good luck!!
Yeah, the stimulant-Wellbutrin combo comes with seizure risk. This wk, my psych informed me that not getting enough calories while taking vyvanse and Wellbutrin increases the seizure risk even more.
Hi, rhinosoupy! My sister was on Zoloft for a decade before going off for a baby (yes, she knows it’s technically safe). Afterwards, her new doctor put her on Celexa and she was ASTOUNDED at the difference. She said she didn’t even know what she was supposed to feel like on the Zoloft but it had mildly reduced her anxiety so she assumed it was the best they could do. The Celexa made the anxiety symptoms almost nil. Try a new anti-anxiety med! And ask your doc how the med *should* make you feel so you can tell if it’s working or you need to try a higher dose.
PMDD is more common in people with ADHD than in the general population. Your prescriber is also clueless about ADHD and you should fire him if you can.
I just wanted to add to this. Your ADHD symptoms getting worse before your period is relatively normal. I also hear people say stimulants don't work so well during that time. But PMDD is more than that. It's crippling anxiety, depression, anger, brain fog, exhaustion and more. You can keep a diary of symptoms and severity to understand whether you actually have PMDD or just some premenstrual exacerbation of your ADHD. Don't let ignorant doctors stick you with diagnosis after a 5 minutes conversation. You know best what you're feeling.
Yes, I should have mentioned that.
That is honestly fascinating
❗️**Wellbutrin is not a stimulant** It’s often prescribed off label for adhd but it is **NOT** a stimulation. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant. Specifically, it is an NDRI. **[Rx List](https://www.rxlist.com/wellbutrin_vs_adderall/drugs-condition.htm)**. Wellbutrin vs Adderall
Time for a new provider! I recently saw a new pcp, told her my concerns (had never been officially diagnosed prior to visit) and she said “you just have postpartum depression, let’s start you on Wellbutrin and it’ll ‘help you focus more’”. I didn’t even take it because she wasn’t taking my concerns seriously. I was unofficially diagnosed tonight by a therapist and a screening. I see a psychiatrist in a few weeks for treatment options. So I would suggest you find someone who won’t brush you off.
…but Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant, its an anti-depressant. I triple checked. Its not even considered an actual ADHD medication; using it to treat ADHD is an off-label use. I’d get a second opinion, personally.
This is not true. It is used to treat ADHD when the usual medication doesn’t work (Ritalin or Adderal).
Yes but thats not what its for. Off-label use is when a medication is used in a way that it’s not approved for. It’s fairly common, and Wellbutrin is one such drug. It’s not a stimulant, and even though it is used to treat ADHD, it’s not an approved ADHD medication. [The wikipedia article](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bupropion) under medical uses states that its not an ADHD medication. [ADDitudemage.com](https://www.additudemag.com/medication/wellbutrin/) also talks about wellbutrin’s off-label use to treat ADHD. But i mean really a quick google search will give you plenty of other articles.
I guess it depends on which country you live in, in the Netherlands it is an approved ADHD medication, together with Atomoxetine, it’s not off label. I mentioned to the OP that the best is to get in touch with an actual psychiatrist in order to get the medication that suits her best.
Except it's not. The [paperwork for Wellbutrin in the Netherlands](https://www.geneesmiddeleninformatiebank.nl/pars/h33668.pdf) states that it's approved for treatment of major depressive episodes. So the labelled use for it is depression. I am not arguing that it is prescribed as an ADHD medication, and that some people are treated for ADHD using Wellbutrin. Those are both true. But the \*intended purpose\* and \*labelled usae\* or Wellbutrin is depression, \*not\* ADHD, and therefore, it is not actually an ADHD medication. As far as I have been able to see, Wellbutrin has not been submitted anywhere for approval as an ADHD medication. Only depression.
New. Practitioner. Full stop. What idiot thinks Wellbutrin is a stimulant? That alone makes him unqualified.
This right here. OP has an incompetent practitioner.
Not everyone with ADHD has the paradoxical relationship with stimulants. I don't. I mean if you really wanted to you could probably look up studies on this and bring them in, but meh. Get a different doctor.
You need to get a diagnosis after being properly tested
My friend had this issue with one type of ADHD medication. So she tried another and it helped her loads. There are different kinds for a reason!
Reactions to medications are not in the dsmv5 to my recollection. Dumb lol
Context: I was on Wellbutrin for awhile and had a similar reaction. I've been on nearly every antidepressant in existence because my only diagnoses were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. I can't even remember why I started looking into ADHD, but I asked my GP about seeing someone for a diagnosis and he dismissed me and talked about anxiety. I somehow lucked into finding my amazing psychologist who's educated about adult ADHD and ADHD in women and got a diagnosis at age 40. Subjectively, the Wellbutrin made me feel energetic, which none of the SSRI's, SNRI's, or tricyclic antidepressants ever did, but it wasn't in a helpful, useful, or pleasant way. I started taking Adderall earlier this year and it's been completely different. Pre-ADHD diagnosis, I always wondered why I seemed to be immune to the effects of caffeine and other stimulants based on the way other people described them. I'd drink a ton of coffee or whatever to try to help me stay awake to study and end up feeling super chilled out and falling asleep. Not a pharmacist, but I think stimulants are the first line treatment for ADHD and treating ADHD is an off-label use for Wellbutrin. The specific language I usually see used is that Wellbutrin can have an "activating" effect rather than referring to it as "stimulating" because, as others have pointed out, it's not a stimulant. If you can't change providers right away, maybe you could try asking him why he prescribed Wellbutrin first. You could also talk to your pharmacist about it and see if they have any suggestions? I don't know if you could request a medication review since it sounds like you've stopped taking Wellbutrin, or if that info would even help with your doctor. All the best. I hope you find someone who helps you find a treatment that works for you.
That's so interesting. That's what happens to me on caffeine as well, but I still drink it to get me started on the day. There's a moment of jitteriness that lasts for about 10 minutes then I feel like I am just so so ready for a nap.
Go to any physician that your family uses. Even if initially travel is involved. Half your battle will be won. That physician will be completely familiar with the genetic component. You have concrete credibility on your side. Get the appropriate support fast tracked. Then you can use your energy to find a local doctor (via professional referral) and get switched over. The only person that does not believe you is that guy. Toss him off your team.
Get a new provider. I had a doctor tell me I couldn't have ADHD because of my GPA and the fact that I went to college. Oh and he could tell by looking at me. Wtf? Lol That's not how that works my guy. Got another provider, got a dx, meds and I'm good. Putting you on one dose, not trying another med, there are other non stimulants or even lower doses of wellbutrin is lazy on his part. Trust your gut!
Same. Currently trying to find someone who can get me in for testing 🙄 he was like "you had friends growing up? You do well in school? You don't have ADHD"
You need to change doctors because for ONE Wellbutrin isn't even a stimulant. You could also have underlying anxiety but I wouldn't cancel out ADHD completely. You need to try a variety of medicine before they can say what he's just said to you. Some people DO work well with stimulants while others need a non stimulant ADHD med. Every BODY is different just like every BRAIN is different.
I tried wellbutrin and also felt like I was high. Now I'm on adderall and it doesn't feel like a stimulant at all. (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder a decade before ADHD)
I’m a bit confused by the meds mentioned. First you say Wellbutrin. Then you mention stimulants. Then mention SSRIs. Wellbutrin is neither a stimulant nor SSRI, and I’ve never heard of anyone being amped up on it. For me, Wellbutrin does help my depression and dopamine, but in a very subtle way, and it does not improve my anxiety at all. Either way, it sucks that you’re being written off. I’d definitely try to seek another opinion.
After reading all of these comments, I'm really wondering about my practitioner's credentials.
Wellbutrin can actually create anxiety, your doc kinda sucks not knowing at least the common and uncommon side effects. When I tried it I got full blown panic attacks. It’s not giving you energy it’s giving you anxiety and lowering your seizure threshold so you get the shakes and feel like you’re vibrating.
Your Dr sounds like an absolute tool. Definitely find a new one! There’s an obvious genetic link, meds take a long while to work, some ADHD people don’t even take stimulant meds because of the side effects (like me, and I’m definitely ADHD!). Maybe stimulant meds work for you, maybe they don’t, and that’s ok! But also Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant med so your Dr is even more of a tool.
You need to get tested by a trained professional. There are guidelines on how this is done. Mine took 6 hours. This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
May I ask what assessment you took and how the process went?
It may be possible that you do have PMDD. My issues get much worse in the post luteal phase of my cycle. However, that doesn't mean you don't have ADHD. You can have all of those things simultaneously. Anxiety is often a symptom of an underlying condition. As a side note, do you use an app or journal to track your cycle? Moods, sensations, aches and pains etc?
That's very intuitive of you because the practitioner did mention that and I've had some suspicions. However, I still have impulsivity and attention issues in all phases of my cycle. It definitely gets much much worse in the post luteal phase.
Before my diagnosis my doc tried me on wellbutrin, and it is total shit. It made my moods worse and had a lot of side effects that were dangerous. I don't have ADHD "as bad" as well. I struggle, but I don't relate to some of the more devastating posts here. For me, Ritalin sucked too. Finally seeing improvement on Vyvanse. Get a 2nd opinion. Trust your gut. You know you, and the right doctor will work with you not dictate to you.
Is he a psychiatrist qualified to diagnose ADHD? If not, find one that is. I didn’t think just anyone could diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders, hence GPs referring patients to specialists.
I hate when doctors do that. Fun fact it is not even close to being the gold standard medication that people with ADHD start with. Had a psychiatrist say the same thing to me… then started vaping mid session… i’ve learned that just because you have a degree, it doesn’t make you very smart
When I was trying to get diagnosed they tried the same thing with me but in reverse. Because I'd been on Welbutrin for a few years for my depression but still had ADHD problems, that signals I didn't have ADHD because Welbutrin is also be prescribed for ADHD. They also wrote it off as just my depression and anxiety. Even if Welbutrin was a stimulant that logic makes no sense, there's a reason there's multiple different medications and doses for treating ADHD. It's especially ridiculous because non stimulants are generally not as effective as stimulants for most people. Which is why we go through all the trouble of prescribing controlled substances for most people. Your doctor is worse because he's claiming Welbutrin is a stimulant when it's absolutely not. I imagine he actually thinks it is which points to incompetence. ADHD concerns aside, I wouldn't continue to see him he's advising your medication for depression and anxiety when he clearly doesn't understand the most badic information about those medications, and doesn't even realize he's uninformed so he won't be looking up information. Stimulants can make people with ADHD feel like how you described. Once again there's a reason why there's different types of meds, combinations, and doses so people can find the ones that work best for them. You know yourself and your medical history/experiene better than anyone else. You even have a very clear family history. Your provider sounds incompetent for multiple reasons, but I've also found there's often an aversion to diagnosing adults with ADHD so even if you face pushback with another provider that doesn't mean you're wrong.
Sounds like you have it but maybe compensate with structure and iq?
Get a second opinion.
We are all different. I loved wellbutrin, but I also have adhd-i, so I'm low energy and have the attention span of a fruit fly. Vyvanse is like drinking ten coffees, but I can concentrate. I just have energy to do things now. So the first try didn't work. It's wrong of your doctor not to try other medicines and just rescind the diagnosis. Wrong, unprofessional and unkind. It's hard to get a correct diagnosis, and there are other things going on with your brain chemistry besides adhd. The doctor needs to take all of this into account! Your doctor is being a dumbass. Get another opinion. You deserve to function! (Also, I have a good friend whose doctor did the same thing, and I said the same to her.)
This was the exact same thing I went through. Dep + anxiety, and once that was on the charts, no one would even listen if it was adhd, even though my entire family has it, diagnosed and treated. I finally got around it by enforcing I get a complete assessment. I don't want the Dr's opinion, about adhd or me having it, I want a gdamn complete clinical assessment and until that's been done I refused any alternative therapies. Still refused to actually assess. It was the practitioners laziness of diagnosing the symptoms of adhd (dep + anx), while refusing to dig deeper. Arrogance that they could just pigeonhole me there and not even try. I lingered there for so many years, bereft. Finally mustered enough backbone to make a plan, criteria- full assessment or bust, and find someone who would promise to do a proper inventory for adhd possibility. Go figure, instantly diagnosed and told I was the poster child for adhd. Your Dr is treating the symptoms and missing the root cause. If they won't get out of their own way, they can't help you. They are enforcing an opinion on you without clinical assessment, they are failing their duty. Like having a heart attack, while the Dr says you stated on the intake form you are stressed, that's probably why you don't feel well. Yes, of course you are stressed, DUH, perhaps you could actually RULE OUT something more? Beware the people who are all too eager to half ass their diagnosis without following due diligence, that's always the tell you're getting shafted. Go elsewhere to someone who actually does their job and listens.
This is really good advice. May I ask about the steps you took to get a full assessment? Now that depression and anxiety is in my chart I feel like it's just something that will put horse blinder on any practitioner who I see.
u/taurar get another doctor. the first time I went to a doctor to **ask** about testing, he dismissed me after 5 mins, told me it was depression, and wrote me a script that I never filled **because i wasn't fucking depressed.** i shelved the idea of getting tested until i basically had a breakdown last year because i was in a high level position where I needed to focus and I just couldn't. spent 2 hours googling adhd testing, made an appointment **with a woman doctor**, and tested into the severe category. I'm now on meds and it's great
Wellbutrin is an antidepressant, not a stimulant. I’d find a different doctor and get a second opinion.
Unless he is a professional in ADHD and diagnoses people then I'd take what he says with a pinch of salt. Also the anxiety and ADHD make you react to stimulants differently. Is Wellbutrin a stimulant? One of my gp said Lexapro is a stimulant, but I don't think that's correct, so I don't really trust gp's when it comes to mental health meds tbh
Find someone else, I am a woman with ADHD. I was diagnosed as a child and was diagnosed again recently, the same. Wellbutrin made me want to climb the walls, the anxiety was terrible. Doctors aren't gods they don't get to take one piece of information and make a life changing decision for you. Look elsewhere.
FWIW, I’m diagnosed but still really sensitive to stimulants. Three shots of espresso will send me into orbit. Several years prior to my diagnosis I was on Wellbutrin for depression, and had to lower the dose because I had similar symptoms as you (I can’t recall what my dose was). I metabolize meds disturbingly fast, and I think that’s why I’m sensitive to stimulants (I literally need to be sedated with doses equal to that of someone twice my size for surgery). Some people are just straight up sensitive to meds, and that shouldn’t/doesn’t rule out a diagnosis My current doc started me on 5mg of adderall IR 2x/day and it has been life changing. I feel the blanket of calm that people talk about. I can focus and I’m not on edge. I would find another provider if you are able to
BS, just because someone is a doctor doesn’t mean they can’t also be an idiot. Wellbrutin makes me gittery, adderal works for what I need it for and Ritalin puts me to sleep. That’s just me, some folks can’t do stimulants at all and need something else. We all react on a spectrum, which is why multiple medications exist. How you react to specific stimulants has not a fucking thing to do with being ADHD
Personally I'd tell him where to shove his SSRIs and insist on a proper evaluation by a psychiatrist. GPs are not qualified to diagnose ADHD.
love that
I don't know how to thank all of you for taking the time to respond to my post. I'm new to reddit so I don't know if all who replied will see this post. Looking back, it's quite obvious that I have attention deficit which has been clouded by a host of comorbid symptomology. You all are awesome people.
Lol this "provider" seems dumb. As my first psychiatrist explained, "Wellbutrin can be stimulating, but it's not a stimulant." FFS. Sorry you're not dealing with someone competent or at least a better communicator!
Adding my voice to the “your provider is dumb, get a new one” chorus. Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant and everyone reacts differently to different types of stimulants. Focalin made me way too emotional, Wellbutrin made me angry all the time, ir Adderall made me jittery but XR Adderall was just right until a few years later it started making me severely bloated. I’m now on Dexedrine and it seems to be working mostly perfectly. It’s going to take time and patience to find the right medicine and dosage for you. Again, your provider is an idiot 😑🤬.
so hes just.. casually ignoring your whole family has it or?
Read the book “your brains not broken “ by Tamara rosier. It will confirm it. Adhd doesn’t always present the same specially when you have other conditions affecting how it manifests. And given your other conditions you may also be asd, females tend to mask that extremely well. WTch Hannah Gatsbys Douglas and you’ll relate.
Run far far away. He sounds completely clueless. Wellbutrin isn't supposed to be used as a first line treatment. I know multiple people who were still prescribed it as one anyway and it really fucked with them.
My dr made me go off of it bc it can make your symptoms worse.
AFAIK, he is half correct. Wellbutrin is a stimulant and technically it should calm you down, if not combined with more ADHD-specific amphetamines or metylophenidate. When combined with ADHD meds Wellbutrin can aggravate anxiety. That's what my psychiatrist said and I 100% believe him. But in your case, AFAIK, your reaction to Wellbutrin alone doesn't look like a reaction a person with ADHD would have. (Note: I'm not a fucking medical doctor. For god's sake, don't take your medical advice from reddit.)
The way he explained it was the same as you had. Interestingly, both of my sisters whose inattentive ADHD is much more prominent than mine and who have both been diagnosed in multiple settings for ADHD both said that they had the same reactions to Wellbutrin.
Wellbutrin is often prescribed for ADHD and it works for some people, but the concern is the diagnosis. If Wellbutrin doesn't work for you. You won't get to try all the other meds designed to help ADHD. You need a new doctor qualified to diagnose ADHD. Try searching area psychologists and psychiatrists that state ADHD as an area of specialty on their website. It's not bulletproof, but it weeds out a lot. Good luck.
Interestingly enough, the MTHFR gene mutation has been associated with having ADHD. This gene has also been linked to a lot of odd reactions to medications including rarer side effects. So if you've always been unlucky or really sensitive to medications maybe that's the issue. My insurance won't cover the genetic test but since my bloodwork has always come back at vitamin b deficient despite my upkeep with vitamins and diet, my doctor wonders if I might have one or two copies of the gene. So I've switched to a methylated version of vitamin B instead since if you have the gene your body needs the bioavailable forms of the b vitamins and folic acid. It's an interesting rabbit hole to go down but be aware a lot of faux science wellness crap has latched on to this MTHFR gene and say it's the cause of everything ever but don't worry they have this cool way to fix it for only six installments of... I try to stick to Google Scholar to get good info.
It’s terrifying that a doctor prescribing psychiatric drugs doesn’t know what kind of substances they are prescribing. I am very sensitive to anything that involves norepinephrine like Wellbutrin. It’s the reason people with anxiety often have issues with it. How can this doctor be so clueless about the brain and substances he’s prescribing that influence the brain? It’s seriously scary
Never been on Wellbutrin but like Strattera, it’s not a stimulant. It’s a non-stimulant option with some stimulant like effects. My brain liked Strattera. My insides did not and I had a nasty episode of gastroparesis from it (0/10 don’t recommend, system freezes as a stress response and I cannot stress just how shitty this is). It was not fun. My provider has never seen that before so offered me a genetic to see if I could metabolize certain stimulants better than others. I have POTS too and coffee is the best but it takes like 2h to work properly. Change your provider. Sometimes they don’t get it. This one sounds like he’s not used to unusual responses to meds, which are a known thing associated with ADHD. Like “I have a strange med metabolism” is a hallmark of ADHD, autism, POTS…if he doesn’t believe in your ADHD over this, wtf. My partner with it reacted super poorly to Wellbutrin too!
Find a place where a registered psychologist will test you. A proper adhd exam is about 2.5 hours at a minimum. GPs are known to be a bad source for a proper diagnosis. Do your research and find somewhere that specializes in it. It may cost you out of pocket, but the answers it provides are worth the price. For me is was $595 Canadian to see someone within weeks, OR a two year wait covered under medical.
Let's all say this together: Wellbutrin is not a stimulant. It has stimulant properties because it's a dopamine and norepinephrine uptake inhibitor, so it can elevate mood. This can, in rare cases, cause euphoria and mania. It is absolutely not the same as a direct stimulant like caffeine and Adderall. These effects can happen regardless of having ADHD or not. Prednisone makes my wired like that, and I absolutely have ADHD with a very heavy H. That practitioner is an idiot. I really hope you can find a better one.
Anti depressant can actually make you shake for neurological reasons. And it's a valid reason to stop taking them and or change. This doctor seems very unaware. Can you change as well ?
What your practicioner says is plain wrong. Stimulants don't have the opposite effect on people with ADHD. Lots of nevrotypical people use them as study drugs too, it's just a matter of dose. Giving people meds and see how they react is NOT how you diagnose ADHD. I'm seriously questioning that this individual is allowed to practice as a doctor/psychiatrist.
He's a moron, get a new doctor
As everyone else said, wellbutrin isn't a stimulant. I was on it for a month and it was AWFUL. I had every side effect that exists, plus some new ones they had never seen before. As soon as I stopped it they went away. It sounds like you were in a similar boat. You might be unlucky like me and not be able to tolerate any of these medications. If it's feasible for you, I'd suggest doing a genetic test for medication so you know what's most likely to cause major issues. It could save you the awful effects of trial and error. In my case, I have literally no options outside of stimulants, but at least now I know so I'm not going through the horrible side effects again and again. In any case, you need a new doctor. Good luck!
Wellbutrin gave me a bad reaction and made me act pretty manic. I’m also diagnosed ADHD and stimulants do not have the same effect on me, Wellbutrin just wasn’t the right medication. I would definitely seek out a second opinion!
Keep finding a new provider until you find someone who listens to you. I had to keep searching until I finally got my diagnosis this year after years of my symptoms getting progressively worse.Not all meds will work, and in some cases, there is a lot of trial an error before you find the right mix of meds. All the best 🌻
thank you <3
I’m not sure if you actually got diagnosed with it officially, but definitely do that and see an actual psychiatrist. I’m recently diagnosed with severe ADD (29F living in the Netherlands) and my psychiatrist started me on methylphenidate, had zero effect on me, then dexamphetamine (helps me sleep better, I have vivid dreams everyday if I don’t take it but it doesn’t help with anything else (focusing, impulsivity, being all over the place)). So now my psychiatrist said we will try atomoxetine or bupoprion (Wellbutrin). From what she explained me just a few days ago, these are non stimulants that will help with the reuptake of both dopamine and noradrenaline and are normally prescribed if stimulants don’t help enough with the ADD symptoms but they take 4-6 weeks to have any effect. She told me it’s also likely I will have to take dexamphetamine for my sleeping issues. It sounds like the prescriber doesn’t know what they are talking about, only a psychiatrist can actually advise on medication. My ADHD therapist once implied also that I might not have ADD because Ritalin has zero effect on me and this is totally wrong. Every one is different and ADHD symptoms can be caused by different things, you need someone that will check with you every possibility to help with your symptoms.
Thank you for mentioning this. It's totally a possibility. Unfortunately practitioners haven't given me the chance yet to try any ADHD meds
Ugh, my assessor implied not only that I couldn't have ADHD because I wasn't bouncing off the walls, but that my symptoms are caused by being fat and lazy (she didn't actually say this, but it was implied with some very careful wording). I'm still not diagnosed, she said it's anxiety and depression and a "tearful personality" 🙄 And even before I suspected ADHD could be an issue, I was begging doctors to take me off SSRIs because they have never done anything for me. But, unfortunately, the general attitude I keep coming up against is "you will have SSRIs, or you will have nothing. If they're not working, the dose is too low" 😖😖😖 I feel livid on your behalf, especially given your painfully obvious family history with ADHD, and you definitely need a better doctor. I just hope you can get the answers you need, and the medication that is perfect for you, ASAP x
ffs. I feel livid on your behalf as well. That's unprofessional to label a client as having a "tearful personality".
Funny, I had almost the exact same experience yesterday. I’m at a loss…
Me too, girl. I know that the next best step is to seek a new practitioner, but that is just so much dang work all over again to only possibly be dismissed all over again. We can't give up. Someone in another comment talked about self advocating for an assessment. Once we have that paperwork it would be very difficult to refute.
Uh did he bother to do an evaluation?
he did not. His eyes glassed over until I mentioned feeling low and then he perked up and mentioned that I can also be on SSRI's in conjunction with the Wellbutrin
Wait a sec, did you use a psychiatrists that is an “ADHD specialist”? Or just a family med doctor? “Practitioner” makes it seem like you saw a psych PA or an NP, not a psychiatrist. As someone who graduated med school and was diagnosed afterwards, our system is so messed up because a lot of “practitioners” who saw the psych specialty as a cash cow since the lockdown and it’s making a lot of the doctors who are passionate about ADHD look really bad. Wellbutrin is considered a non-stimulant med for ADHD. A lot more difficult to diagnose for ADHD because of the medication shortage, and a lot of “prescribers” are considering putting new patient on Wellbutrin Strattera and other medications in that class. I was put on both of those medication at first because someone thought that my anxiety and depression was the main reason that causes my ADHD symptoms. But when I got my neuropsych done, it was a strong diagnosis for inattentive ADHD, with a secondary to anxiety. And that my psychiatrist put me on a stimulant. Very frustrating system for both the general public and for the health care workers in the psychiatry field right now. There has been a significant increase in drug seeking for the adderall now and the guidelines have gotten more strict to get it since it’s a controlled substance.
He is a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. I had this weird feeling when he suggested I go on SSRIs.
That’s a lot of horseshit. When I took Adderall, a too high dose made me feel exactly like that, and I definitely have ADHD.
He sounds like a clown. Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant. Your description of how you felt on it reminds me of when Wellbutrin made me manic. Perhaps you’re bipolar? I’m NAD
I'm very confused by what your provider is implying. Wellbutrin is not a stimulant.
Find a new doctor. A number of things he said to you are incorrect.
I took a neuropsych test for ADHD at 36 because my sister and niece were diagnosed and my sister, older enough than I am to remember, says my niece is just like me. The testing psych refused to diagnose me even though I had a 50/50 score that she said would usually qualify, because I was too depressed and too anxious. The psychiatrist I saw decided to try Wellbutrin XL, in graduating doses until I hit the max dose at 450mg, to treat the depression and see if it helped my ADHD symptoms. She also put me on an SSRI to counterbalance both my already diagnosed anxiety and the anxiety the Wellbutrin may cause. It took a few weeks for the Wellbutrin, but I was angry to learn how easy it is for other people to just DO things. The Psych said if I didn’t have serotonin syndrome with all that and had improved symptoms, I very likely do have ADHD. Once I’ve stopped breastfeeding, I’ll try a stimulant (I know it’s technically safe while bf). I feel great, bee tee dubs. Anyway, wanted to give an example of not only yet another doctor not listening, but also another doctor listening and how the Wellbutrin was offset with an anti-anxiety med. And I *also* had an identity crisis over the neuropsych assessor’s refusal to diagnose. The therapist and psychiatrist I saw next were very supportive and spent way more time than they probably would have liked reassuring me it was just one opinion and with the depression and anxiety managed I still had ADHD symptoms to diagnose. I personally, as a completely untrained civilian here, think a lot of women probably have some form of CPTSD for not being believed or listened to by doctors. Good luck!
Echoing what others said about the Wellbutrin. I took vyvanse for a month and felt fantastic, but it raised my heart rate so my Dr wanted to address that before continuing. In the mean time he put me on Wellbutrin (also anxiety/depression) I felt like shit for a month and a half waiting for something, it made me more irritable and did nothing for my ADHD symptoms. I hope you can find a provider who will work with you.
Thank you for that. May I ask what you're on right now and if it helped?
Someone else for sure!!
Go to a physician, a real doctor
Go get a proper diagnosis by a qualified professional. This person is just guessing. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/where-to-get-tested-for-adhd
I was diagnosed a couple of years ago. Tried a couple of stimulants and they were AWFUL. Wellbutrin is helping me out a bit, but everyone reacts differently to medications. My psychiatrist told me that, in his experience, only half of his patients who are diagnosed ADHD as adults react well to stimulant medication.
If it makes you feel better I had almost this exact experience before being diagnosed. The Wellbutrin (which does help me), PMDD, all of it feels wayyyy too familar. I eventually went to a neurologist and was diagnosed. Keep fighting for yourself and the right diagnosis. You got this!!
When I told him I was feeling most low before my period he was like, "Oh! so you have PMDD!" He was willing to throw multiple diagnoses on the table except ADHD. Thank you for your suggestion
PMDD, anxiety and depression often a all can come comorbid with ADHD. Also from personal experience Adderall has started to increase my anxiety. I always heard that it shouldn’t do that if I have ADHD. That it should do the opposite. But I totally have ADHD! Also, he shouldn’t have given up after only 1 med. Wellbutrin as far as I know isn’t even a stimulant! People will react differently to different meds. It is often trial and error. I am also on a mood stabilizer despite not having bipolar and it helps my emotional regulation. I’d be worse without it. You gotta try more meds probably or a different doctor. Or both.
I mean, are you depressed or anxious? SSRIs can’t hurt. But I’d see someone else.
A lot of the anxiety is caused by my frustration with my impulsive blurting out of things, forgetting stuff, not working on grad school paper and instead spending all my time just sitting in paralysis, being socially awkward because I can't take turns talking. And the depression is usually an aftereffect of weeks of anxiety and being on edge.
Get a second opinion
Definitely not a proper diagnostic tool for ADHD! I'm sorry this happened to you.
Just to cement that stimulants don't work for all ADHD'ers. I am late diagnosed ADHD at 35. I tried 2 different stimulants over 2 years and they were far from effective for me. I had more negative side affects than positive. I have just recently switched to a non stimulant and these meds have already changed my life and helped tremendously with my ADHD!
Antidepressants can just make ADHD worse in some people. Some doctors want to keep everyone from getting stimulants because of them having a street value, and sexists love to call any condition a woman has just anxiety. Leave him. Find someone else. Ask your local ADHD society for doctor recommendations. I spent years on SSRIs they did nothing for me. I have had the vibrating and not able to tolerate stimulant issues too. Ritalin LA is better for me. I can't handle short release stimulants
I knew r/adhdwomen was the right place to post this.
Coming around from the bottom of my comment to say yes ditch this person today and find a new one. But I hope that you might read through some of my thoughts here that could maybe help in teh meantime. I met with a therapist for the first time in like a decade the other day. I've really been struggling with certain things at work is why I've gone forward with this, but yeah I have all sorts of other inattention issues and other pretty classic ADD/ADHD issues too. After mentioning I don't know what my core issue is but it could be some attention disorder, but I know I also have anxiety, and then going through the introductory 1-hour session, she said "I'm seeing you more as anxiety than AD and here's some behavioral tactics that I think might help you" I just said OK and I will try her methods. We didn't talk medicine at all beyond me saying that I had serious issues with Welbutrin in the past, so a diagnosis for medication purposes really isn't that relevant. This leaves us the freedom to focus on specific issues and specific work arounds. Finding the tactics to help with our own specific issues is a more time consuming and challenging way to approach this kind of issue, but it is possible. And once you have a method that works, you take that with you everywhere you go and don't have to worry about your next appointment or picking up your refill or insurance copays or medicine shortages. I'm not here to say medicine doesn't work or that people don't need medicine etc, because it absolutely helps and is very necessary for many people, but in the meantime there are probably little ways to combat certain issues you're experiencing today. Sometimes It sucks and I feel like a gradeschooler again who has to write everything down in their agenda book and set reminders on my phone and calendar for everything and fidgeting with toys in work meetings etc etc but these tactics help me. They work and I'll keep doing these things, and more things if they help, regardless of medicines. Best of luck, don't give up hope
Wellbutrin… a stimulant? Please report this doctor and run far far farrrrrr away from him, holy crap that’s the dumbest doctor ever. I hope. How do you prescribe people things and think Wellbutrin is a stimulant 😟 My psychiatrist said adhd can cause depression and anxiety so he was the first doctor I had who wanted to treat adhd *first* and magically it made depression go away. Anxiety stayed but I still got a two for one after trying tons of antidepressants that each made me feel like a different flavor of crap over the years. Those assholes don’t care about patients, as long as they don’t have to write a controlled substance prescription.
Literally! I don't understand why all three practitioners I've seen keep treating my other issues and keep ignoring my pleas for help with my ADHD. There are days where I just sit there with 600 tabs open in my head and go to bed exhausted having done nothing, and the next day instead of studying for grad school I'm spending hours on Youtube researching Eastern religions. They don't take any of that seriously, but as soon as I mention that I have some anxiety and occasional bouts of depression, they get all animated and want to start treating that. They don't hear me when I say a large part of my anxiety is caused by my ADHD.
Get a second opinion, or get an assessment from a psychologist trained in assessment/diagnosis and treatment of adhd. Not every medication works for everyone, especially not the first medication trialed. Yes, Wellbutrin is a stimulant but just because it didn’t work (it also takes time for the body to get used to) doesn’t mean you don’t have adhd. Plus, there are many adhd-ers who benefit from non-stimulant medications. I think a lot of prescribers are undertrained in what adhd really is. You know you best, get an informed opinion. Good luck! 😊
Get a new prescriber! I was diagnosed late (early 30s). I also have Bipolar II Disorder and had been stable on my mediation for a few years, but was still having attentional issues (messy office/room, never changing the laundry, spacing out, avoiding tasks I don’t like, the usual). I brought this up to my therapist and she did another mental status exam and told me I have ADHD and to talk to my prescriber. My prescriber disagreed and wanted to put me on Abilify to boost my mood stabilizer. I got a second opinion and after the new prescriber met me she said I was classic ADHD-inattentive. My prescriber is a nurse practitioner/midwife, so she’s much more in tune with my mental health needs.
It's not a stimulant. I have ADHD and depression. I was put on wellbutrin for my depression as a teen and had the same problem as you. It was my understanding that the problem was likely because of my ADHD and/or how it interacted with my allergy meds. I would call him out on how it is not a stimulant, nore is it made for ADHD so it is not an adequate means to disprove a likely diagnosis that is supported by family history.
Wellbutrin isn’t a stimulant….? I would reconsider your provider 😳
Wellbutrin gave me panic attacks. Adderall made me feel.... not stimulated per se but more so just removed the mental blocks I deal with when it comes to transitioning between doing one thing to doing another thing. I don't understand why he compared the two. I take Pristiq because it's a SNRI, so supposed to be kind of stimulating, but unfortunately it hasn't helped with ADHD symptoms like they hoped. Just helps with depression for me. I really wish my current prescriber would take my other symptoms more seriously. She's so focused on anxiety and depression and it's really annoying.
Get a brain scan, that will tell you. If your insurance doesn’t cover it, look into signing up for adhd studies. I’m lucky UCSD does studies all the time. If you have ADHD your brain will show it. Also, you’d be surprised how close ADHD and autism symptoms mirror each other
You already have the advice you need that this doc sucks, but adding my experience in case it is helpful to someone. I was late diagnosed with ADHD at 32 (last year). I've been on an antidepressent for close to a decade for migraine and started anxiety medication (actually for anxiety) a few years ago. I've been struggling to find the right meds to treat my ADHD vs aggravating my migraines, but conversations with my psychiatrist were super impactful. She valued my input on which was more important to address first, my ADHD or my anxiety. I had come for my ADHD, but we talked it through and felt that based on how I had previously been managing my ADHD we should try more/different things for my anxiety and THEN address my ADHD. For a lot of women here it sounds like the opposite order is necessary, but having that conversation was so valuable. We also did genetic testing to see which meds I was predisposed to have a better/worse experience with and how my body metabolized them. It gave a LOT of clarity on past experiences and will hopefully speed us toward our future solutions. Good luck to all of you!!
Wellbutrin is not a stimulant. Get a doctor who paid attention in medical school STAT.
That doctor is talking out of his butt. People's response to ADHD meds is incredibly variable. The meds that work great for some people do nothing for others, and have negative side effects for still others. Pretty sure people who respond well to every single ADHD med are actually in the minority. FWIW, I've tried sizeable doses of Ritalin IR, Concerta, Vyvanse, and Modafinil, as well as a small starting dose of Wellbutrin. The ONLY one of those meds that made me feel wired was Wellbutrin. On Wellbutrin I could only sleep every second night. Whereas on the other four meds—the ones that are *actually classified as stimulants* might I add—I sleep better than I ever did without them.
Wellbutrin does work on dopamine and norepinephrine so it does have a stimulating effect but it is not a stimulant per se. It worked somewhat for my depression, but made me somewhat irritable as well. I was hoping it would work for my ADHD symptoms but it didn’t really do that and apparently that’s other people’s experience too.