Braaaaains again.

[substitute]

On 20 mg of Adderall XR, 300 mg of Wellbutrin, and 10 mg of Lexapro, I feel kind of normal. The way I felt on a pretty good day when I was 18.

This means that I have to tweak the fuck out of my dopamine and serotonin mechanisms to get to anything like a reasonable baseline, which sucks. Especially since the new drug (Adderall XR) cost me $96 for one month's dosage, after the discount on my plan. My total monthly cost for prescription and OTC drugs for my various diagnoses is about $250 now. Add therapy and psychiatric visits and my outlay for medical costs is almost $1000 per month. Good thing I've managed to make decent money.

Because the cool part is that some of this stuff actually works, and I'm not covered with roaches gibbering in an alley, or being trepanned, or dead, or in jail.

Comments

[satoribee.livejournal.com]

I hear ya. I don't even what to know what our monthly prescription bill is. The dog is costing us $50 a month alone!

Interesting about seeing Wellbutrin on your list. I was talking with mcbrennan about how the only time I felt I wasn't eating out of control was when I was on Wellbutrin. But once I figured out the reason I was so depressed is because I was married to a sadistic asshole, I got divorced and no longer needed the pills for depression. But I liked what it did to calm me down.

Thanks again for sharing. I think I'll talk to my doctor about ADD and how that might be affecting everything else I got going on.

Cheers!

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, Wellbutrin can be useful for ADD as well as depression. It has a longer-term and more subtle effect than a straight-out stimulant does, but it has a related effect on the dopamine mechanism.

[satoribee.livejournal.com]

Back in 1995-7 when I was taking it, I had to remember to take four doses a day at very specific times for fear of "seizures" ! Also, it made me a little jittery, but I noticed that more when I over dosed or missed a dose.

I know they use it for smoking cessation. It appears to be a generalized anti-addiction drug. Or maybe anti-obsessive/compulsive drug, but that's just my experience.

[substitute.livejournal.com]

The stuff has improved a lot with the extended release version. I took it back then and it made me barf like crazy; now I have no side effects.

And yes, although I was quite the cigar smoker before I started, now I don't much need nicotine.

Dopamine is funny stuff.

[satoribee.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've seen the ads since regarding time release. I'm sure it would help my low impulse control. I don't know... I hate having to take so many meds (I'm diabetic so four pills a day for that). I wish there was one cause to my problems, like ADD, and just one pill and all would be well. But no matter what the problem, there is some magical mix that is necessary.

Here's to your health!

[trinnit.livejournal.com]

The jail part comes when you need to steal to support your Rx needs.

[flipzagging.livejournal.com]

You may not believe it, but I've noticed, just from your LJ entries. It really tickles me that you've found something that words.

Can I ship you cheap Canadian Adderall? (Tout-additioner?)

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Sadly, Adderall XR has been banned by Health Canada for somewhat dubious reasons.

[love-oil.livejournal.com]

adderall was the most addictive thing ive ever swallowed

[love-oil.livejournal.com]

the most addictive thing ive ever ingested into my body, period.

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Addictive like "wow this is speed I want more!" or just "this makes me feel okay"?

Apparently if it gives you a speed high it's not doing what it's supposed to.