I have Bipolar type II and A.D.D.
I have not been able to get organized because I cannot tolerate the stimulants for treating my A.D.D.
The sad thing is that if I am not very organized in my home, then I can't find anything and I tend to get depressed.
Has anyone here found anything that does not aggravate the Bipolar when taking A.D.D meds?
Maria

Hey its me the Icelander again :cool:

I also have bipolar2 and ADD (I wonder if we are related). For me it was really hard to start on stimulants but I think we just need to take a longer time to get used to them than other people. For me I could speed it up by trying a high dosage for couple of weeks and then take it down one level. When I did that I realized I could handle the medium dosage much better than before because my body tuned into the higher one and then got pulled out of it.

Also I think its about mixing the right way. If you are on good medicine for anxiety/depression then it should make it easier to go on stimulants.

Hi Maria,

It's probably not what you want to hear but the safest way to treat your ADD without aggravating your bipolar would be without meds. You might look for a "life coach" who could help you with your organizational issues. There are also a number of good books on the subject. My favorite is called "Organizing From The Inside Out".

If you aren't already, you might also consider taking fish oils for the Omega 3's. Recent studies have shown promise using them to treat ADD.

Good luck!

<<removed - do not post personally identifying informaiton - use the board anonymously please>>

Right now my doctor will not treat my ADD until we get the bipolar straight first. I guess the ADD medicine I was on, Adderall (which I love by the way) can cause mania in bipolar. But damn that stuff was good, it made me clean my entire house in one day, and I have a very big house too.

Maria






Hey its me the Icelander again :cool:

I also have bipolar2 and ADD (I wonder if we are related). For me it was really hard to start on stimulants but I think we just need to take a longer time to get used to them than other people. For me I could speed it up by trying a high dosage for couple of weeks and then take it down one level. When I did that I realized I could handle the medium dosage much better than before because my body tuned into the higher one and then got pulled out of it.

Also I think its about mixing the right way. If you are on good medicine for anxiety/depression then it should make it easier to go on stimulants.

I´m so glad its becoming popular worldwide.

Here it has been a part of the culture for a very long time and you could find it probably in half of the homes here 10 years ago. However I have taken it since I was a teen but I didn't notice it helping my ADD. But recently I doubled the dosage (after reading that ADD people should take 2-3x more than average dosage) and now I feel some difference.

Maybe you could ask your pdoc about a non-stimulant like concerta or strattera? That is one that my pdoc has mentioned (but she forgot to call me back so I haven't talked to her in a week like she wanted me too...jeez). Just an idea. :)

LOL concerta is as stimulant as it can get.

Sorry, I didn't think it was a stimulant. Just trying to help. :(

Yes, Concerta is a stimulant. My son is ADD/BP. he is on Abilify & Lamictal for the BP, but it's been hard to find an ADD medication for him. Until the mood swings are under control, i will not give him a stimulant. he was put on the Concerta again about a month ago.........well, needless to say, after the 3rd day i quit giving them to him. He got VERY defiant with a teacher at school, and ended up with ISS. and i know it was the Concerta that did it. He goes back to doc on tuesday, maybe we'll try the Straterra again. he had that in the past, like a year & 1/2 ago. it seemed to work at first, but then it seemed as though it quit working. willing to give it a try though, as it is not a stimulant. I wish we didn't have to even worry about this #^$% meds!!!