My boyfriend was diagnosed with ADD when he was in his teens (He's 27 now). He has the usual ADD symptoms: Easily distracted, angry outbursts that come from nowhere, complete
disorganization, unfinished projects, extreme unexplained moodiness, etc. He also has GAD (generalized anxiety disorder).

He just went to a psych. and he gave him Effexor XR explaining that this medicine will help with the anger, moodiness, depression, GAD and, overall, the ADD. I was surprised that he gave him this med to try. Can anyone explain the prescription to me??

Thanks a bunch! M

I really do not know much about this medicine, but this is also what the dr. gave my husband to use for his add. He told my husband that it had the least amount of side affects and wanted to start him on it first before trying stronger medication. He has been on it forabout a month and it has worked very well. My husband hasn't had any side affects at all. It took almost two weeks before we could really see any progress, but now I see it every day! Good luck

Hey jodi thanks!

I do hope this med works for my boyfriend. He is experiencing some bad tiredness so far but has been directed to stay on the meds a bit longer to see if this side effect will go away. Did your husband have any troubles with side effects? I'm more concerned about the "Sexual" side effects with this med.

M

I am curiouse about how this works also.
My son is adhd and bi-polar.
His Dr. told me that children w/ Bi-Polar
are often diagnosed as add or adhd.
Has you husband or boyfriend been reevaluated sence they were children.
Violent out burst are not a trate of add but it is of bi-polar.

hi smackliet,

My boyfriend was, in fact, diagnosed with bi-polar and ADD when he was a kid. Yes, he was rediagnosed just last week with GAD, mild depression and ADD combined.

Angry outbursts are indeed a trait of ADD. Get the book called, "Driven to Distraction" by Hallowell and Ratey for a nice overview of AD/HD and all the symptoms which include extreme moodiness, emotional outbursts, a tendency to 'zoneout', unable to complete projects, among others.

I'll keep in touch about the meds.

Good luck to you!

I agree that angry outbursts are an add trate however they usually do not go as far as becoming violent.
My sons problem was that he was very violent.
My mistake for replacing angry with violent there is a big difference.

My husband was just diagnosed with add. As a child he was never violent. He still isnt. His problem was anger. I was as a child diagnosed with bi-polar, although they were wrong I do know a little about it. Does your son have extreme highs also or does he seem to only have the extreme lows?

Without the meds he spends most of his time on an extreme high. He is euforic but can become violent at the snap of a finger. He has short bouts of deep depreesion.
With the meds he is doing really good.

Yeah the effexor will cause sexual side effects most likely ive been on it before and had to stoap due to a bad headache..

Ask you doctor about prescribing wellbutrin at the same time...I think you can take it at the same time effexor in order to counteract the sexual side effects.

Hope this helps
http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

My 22 year old son tokk Ritilin from about the 7th grade until he turned 18 at which he did not want to get a pschycological exam so that his doctor could keep prescribing it. His last 4 years without medication has been a hectic ride. Briefly he has totaled a car, plus recieved several tickets, he has had numerous jobs that last about 6 months, thats after he quit going to junior college. He's in a relationship that has lasted 2 years, allthough they break up once a month and he is 2 months away from being a first time father. He has asked me to help him with his ADD as he now admits it causes problems in his life. He has fought getting help for the last 4 years as he claimed there was nothing wrong with him. What concerns me after I read your posting is that in the last couple years he becomes very angry and loses his temper. He is moody a lot, one day he is happy go lucky the next day hes depressed.He was not like this as a child so much as he was very hyperactive and could not concentrate.I know he has ADD but now I wonder if He could have GAD also. He has an appointment with his M.D. who I guess will refer him to the proper doctor. Thanks

My 22 year old son tokk Ritilin from about the 7th grade until he turned 18 at which he did not want to get a pschycological exam so that his doctor could keep prescribing it. His last 4 years without medication has been a hectic ride. Briefly he has totaled a car, plus recieved several tickets, he has had numerous jobs that last about 6 months, thats after he quit going to junior college. He's in a relationship that has lasted 2 years, allthough they break up once a month and he is 2 months away from being a first time father. He has asked me to help him with his ADD as he now admits it causes problems in his life. He has fought getting help for the last 4 years as he claimed there was nothing wrong with him. What concerns me after I read your posting is that in the last couple years he becomes very angry and loses his temper. He is moody a lot, one day he is happy go lucky the next day hes depressed.He was not like this as a child so much as he was very hyperactive and could not concentrate.I know he has ADD but now I wonder if He could have GAD also. He has an appointment with his M.D. who I guess will refer him to the proper doctor. Thanks

Please help me out here. What is bi-polar? My son is ADD, interested in the medic you are talking about. Bet I have no idea what bi-polar means, silly me!

Did his doctor explain the side efexs of withdrawl from effexor xr[venlafaxine]or long term health considerations.

The link below might explain http://www.dispace.com/message_boards/drugs/EffexorSR/default.htm
http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/317/7161/787/a#top