d88888

6/1/01

I am 52 years old and have had a lifetime of symptoms and signs characteristic of ADD. I have been under psychiatric care for a total of six years, all in adult life. No definitive diagnosis has ever been given to me and various medications have been tried, including benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax, TCA's such as desimpramine, SSRI's such as Effexor, Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, and others such as Tenex, Cylert, depakote, Neurontin, Buspar,and Wellbutrin. A three week trial of ritalin was successful in that it made me able to concentrate and decreased my irritability; however, treatment had to be stopped because of the roller coaster effects of the multidose Ritalin (this was before the long-acting forms of Ritalin were marketed).

I have been off all medications and psychotherapy now for one year (last tried was Celexa with development of tremors) and my maladaptive behavior has escalated. I returned to my psychiatrist who wanted to try Prozac again but I reminded him that I had previously responded to Ritalin (the relief with the first dose was profound and I can only describe the feeling as that monkey finally got off my back); therefore he has started me today on a trial of Provigil. I am extremely restless physically and have problems not only with focusing but also with outbursts of anger, compulsive behavior, and irritability and wonder if the Provigil will intensity these traits.


Are there any others who have used Provigil for ADD and who can pehaps compare Provigil with Ritalin and amphetamines and other drugs?