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Post by owling on Jun 27, 2014 9:50:58 GMT -5
After a couple of months of bupropion (zylban), I realized I can't take it anymore because of high blood pressure and high pulse . I never had these issues before, but it's listed as possible side effects, so I think this is what's been causing them. I gave it up for 3 days and I'm waiting to see if my blood pressure and pulse go back to normal. I can't say I ever felt much of a difference with it, I had a little more energy and slept somewhat less (and lousier); I don't even feel much different now that I've stopped it. But this is the only real choice of a medication I had. Everything else is horribly expensive (about one fifth of my salary expensive!), very hard to find, not approved to be prescribed to adults (psychiatrist can prescribe them off-label, but I assume they'd rather not) and will probably also cause high blood pressure and raise pulse if I'm predisposed to it. The only "natural" things which made me feel somewhat better, green tea and black tea, also cause the same side effects, everything else, omega 3, vitamins, ginkgo, lecithin being nothing but hot air for me. I feel a little hopeless at the moment. I was really hoping for some sort of treatment, because I really need it, since I need to learn lots of new things for my job and zylban was almost too good to be true: affordable, easy to find and few side-effects. Now I'm back to the drawing board. And my psychiatrist doesn't know any better than I do when it comes to treating adult ADHD... I feel kinda sad right now...
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Post by Amtram on Jun 27, 2014 12:00:30 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that - but you know, there are other formulations of buproprion that might not do the same thing to you. I've found (too many times) that a different formulation or even a different brand of a medication can have a wildly different effect. I don't know what the cost is on the different meds, but it's worth looking into. Also check manufacturers' websites for coupons and discount programs for every medication you get. We save a ton every year on a couple of expensive ones.
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Post by owling on Jun 30, 2014 5:25:13 GMT -5
There is also Elontril on the market, but it's very hard to find (it was my initial prescription, but I couldn't get it anywhere). Coupons and discount programs don't exist around here. And the manufacturers for ADHD medication don't even have websites for my country, since the market is too small.
My hope is that I'll be able to get a prescription for Ritalin or Adderall and take it as needed (very little, that is, and hope that once the effect wears off, so will any potential side-effect).
Maybe, in a couple of years there will be more drugs for ADHD available. A couple of years ago, you could barely find drugs for anxiety, not the stores are full of them.
The good part is that my blood-pressure is great now and I'm getting lots and lots of sleep! In fact, I'd sleep all the time, if I could. I just don't feel like doing anything else.
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Post by Amtram on Jun 30, 2014 12:00:31 GMT -5
Sorry - hadn't thought about the US options not being available everywhere. That being said, never stop checking, because programs come and go.
I know how you feel about the lack of motivation. If I could sleep, I'd have more motivation, but they took away my sleep meds, so that's no longer an option. AND the insurance company made it so difficult to get my Adderall prescription filled that I still don't have it, three weeks later.
It's cruel to make people jump through so many hoops, especially when they have enough trouble just dealing with normal life problems. ((()))
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