|
• vyvanse vs antidepressants?? details inside?
|
Ok so I know this is super long, but bear with me please :)
I have been dealing with serious depression since I was 14 years old; I am now 22. Before I start, please understand that I'm not one of those people who just had a bad day and went running to the doctor for some pills. Noooo no no. Depression, suicide, anxiety, and alcoholism run on BOTH sides of my family, so I got messed up genes. Plus, I have tried therapy, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercise...I've tried to do as much as possible without medication. These things help, but I still definitely need a lot of extra help, hence the meds.
So, that's the back story. I've tried Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Citalopram, Celexa, Trazodone, and probably a couple others that I can't remember. None of these antidepressants worked. I couldn't tell a difference AT ALL.
Then, my doctor suggested that maybe I had ADD/ADHD instead of depression. I took a little questionaire thingy and, as it turns out, I do have it. Sooo he prescribed Vyvanse. CHANGED MY LIFE! It was like all of the sudden the "real" me was unleashed from the mental prison that I felt like I'd been in all of that time. I was super happy, SUPER focused (at times I think a little too focused), got stuff done, etc etc. I was way more comfortable in social situations, friendlier, just all around happier and totally more "myself."
The only problem is, Vyvanse is sooooooo expensive! There's NO way I can pay 75 bucks a month. So my question is, what can I switch to that is as good as Vyvanse but not so expensive? I think I need something with a stimulant in it, since none of the antidepressants worked but Vyvanse made a HUGE difference. I've heard of Concerta, Strattera, etc, but I don't know how they are different/the same to Vyvanse. How exactly do these affect your brain? What are the long term side-effects? I am scared of ritalin and adderall because I've heard horror stories about people getting addicted and all kinds of stuff. I want to be on the lowest dose possible and take care of myself through eating right and exercising, etc. I don't plan on relying on a drug for everything, so I don't want something that I will get addicted to or something that will just work like a street drug and make me soar all the time, regardless of what's happening.
I've done a lot of research about different meds, add versus depression, etc. I just want someone else's perspective because I feel like I've hit a brick wall with my research...just trying to find the right med.
Thanks for reading!! :)
PS: how can I be sure if I have depression or if it really is just ADHD that has been misdiagnosed as depression? I mean, obviously the antidepressants didn't work and the ADHD meds did, so doesn't that mean i have ADHD? But sometimes I feel like the Vyvanse makes me a little too happy, if that makes sense. Or maybe it's just because I didn't know it was normal to feel that happy after being sooo sad all the time? How are you supposed to normally feel??
|
|
• vyvanse vs antidepressants?? details inside?
|
Ok so I know this is super long, but bear with me please :)
I have been dealing with serious depression since I was 14 years old; I am now 22. Before I start, please understand that I'm not one of those people who just had a bad day and went running to the doctor for some pills. Noooo no no. Depression, suicide, anxiety, and alcoholism run on BOTH sides of my family, so I got messed up genes. Plus, I have tried therapy, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercise...I've tried to do as much as possible without medication. These things help, but I still definitely need a lot of extra help, hence the meds.
So, that's the back story. I've tried Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Citalopram, Celexa, Trazodone, and probably a couple others that I can't remember. None of these antidepressants worked. I couldn't tell a difference AT ALL.
Then, my doctor suggested that maybe I had ADD/ADHD instead of depression. I took a little questionaire thingy and, as it turns out, I do have it. Sooo he prescribed Vyvanse. CHANGED MY LIFE! It was like all of the sudden the "real" me was unleashed from the mental prison that I felt like I'd been in all of that time. I was super happy, SUPER focused (at times I think a little too focused), got stuff done, etc etc. I was way more comfortable in social situations, friendlier, just all around happier and totally more "myself."
The only problem is, Vyvanse is sooooooo expensive! There's NO way I can pay 75 bucks a month. So my question is, what can I switch to that is as good as Vyvanse but not so expensive? I think I need something with a stimulant in it, since none of the antidepressants worked but Vyvanse made a HUGE difference. I've heard of Concerta, Strattera, etc, but I don't know how they are different/the same to Vyvanse. How exactly do these affect your brain? What are the long term side-effects? I am scared of ritalin and adderall because I've heard horror stories about people getting addicted and all kinds of stuff. I want to be on the lowest dose possible and take care of myself through eating right and exercising, etc. I don't plan on relying on a drug for everything, so I don't want something that I will get addicted to or something that will just work like a street drug and make me soar all the time, regardless of what's happening.
I've done a lot of research about different meds, add versus depression, etc. I just want someone else's perspective because I feel like I've hit a brick wall with my research...just trying to find the right med.
Thanks for reading!! :)
PS: how can I be sure if I have depression or if it really is just ADHD that has been misdiagnosed as depression? I mean, obviously the antidepressants didn't work and the ADHD meds did, so doesn't that mean i have ADHD? But sometimes I feel like the Vyvanse makes me a little too happy, if that makes sense. Or maybe it's just because I didn't know it was normal to feel that happy after being sooo sad all the time? How are you supposed to normally feel??
|
|
• vyvanse vs antidepressants?? details inside?
|
Ok so I know this is super long, but bear with me please :)
I have been dealing with serious depression since I was 14 years old; I am now 22. Before I start, please understand that I'm not one of those people who just had a bad day and went running to the doctor for some pills. Noooo no no. Depression, suicide, anxiety, and alcoholism run on BOTH sides of my family, so I got messed up genes. Plus, I have tried therapy, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, exercise...I've tried to do as much as possible without medication. These things help, but I still definitely need a lot of extra help, hence the meds.
So, that's the back story. I've tried Prozac, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Citalopram, Celexa, Trazodone, and probably a couple others that I can't remember. None of these antidepressants worked. I couldn't tell a difference AT ALL.
Then, my doctor suggested that maybe I had ADD/ADHD instead of depression. I took a little questionaire thingy and, as it turns out, I do have it. Sooo he prescribed Vyvanse. CHANGED MY LIFE! It was like all of the sudden the "real" me was unleashed from the mental prison that I felt like I'd been in all of that time. I was super happy, SUPER focused (at times I think a little too focused), got stuff done, etc etc. I was way more comfortable in social situations, friendlier, just all around happier and totally more "myself."
The only problem is, Vyvanse is sooooooo expensive! There's NO way I can pay 75 bucks a month. So my question is, what can I switch to that is as good as Vyvanse but not so expensive? I think I need something with a stimulant in it, since none of the antidepressants worked but Vyvanse made a HUGE difference. I've heard of Concerta, Strattera, etc, but I don't know how they are different/the same to Vyvanse. How exactly do these affect your brain? What are the long term side-effects? I am scared of ritalin and adderall because I've heard horror stories about people getting addicted and all kinds of stuff. I want to be on the lowest dose possible and take care of myself through eating right and exercising, etc. I don't plan on relying on a drug for everything, so I don't want something that I will get addicted to or something that will just work like a street drug and make me soar all the time, regardless of what's happening.
I've done a lot of research about different meds, add versus depression, etc. I just want someone else's perspective because I feel like I've hit a brick wall with my research...just trying to find the right med.
Thanks for reading!! :)
PS: how can I be sure if I have depression or if it really is just ADHD that has been misdiagnosed as depression? I mean, obviously the antidepressants didn't work and the ADHD meds did, so doesn't that mean i have ADHD? But sometimes I feel like the Vyvanse makes me a little too happy, if that makes sense. Or maybe it's just because I didn't know it was normal to feel that happy after being sooo sad all the time? How are you supposed to normally feel??
|
