Hi. I'm a first time poster. The reason I post is because I've searched the internet for many months looking for people with the similar problem with no results. This is a problem I and my doctor are working on but have run out of solutions. Here it begins:

1.5 years ago (I'mm 22 years old now) I was diagnosed with ADHD. I had been taking medications for depression many years before that, including Efexor and Zoloft and others. When I was diagnosed, I was prescribed 5mg of Ritalin 3 times a day. With it, I took Zoloft, 1.5 tablets x 50mg a day. The first day was difficult, my anxiety worsened but over a weekend it subsided and by Monday I was a new man. Something wonderful had happened as I suddenly could concentrate, sit tight, talk on the phone without walking around and overall feeling great! My grades at University soared, got much better than I ever got in college (I'm studying Electrical and Computer Engineering). It was a wonderful time. This positive effect remained unchanged over at least a 2 month period, probably more. During this period I skipped 0.5 tablets of Zoloft a day because it made me tired, so I was taking 0.5mg ritalin and 50mg of Zoloft. Now, gradually over time, the effects subsided. I tried taking more ritalin (10mg, 15,mg, 20mg) 3-5 times a day but that only made it worse. I switched from taking Zoloft to taking Noritren, a very small dosage, I don't remember the size exactly. It did nothing. I started Efexor 2x37,5mg tablets a day and again, nothing. The positive effects of the treatment slowly disappeared, although the fidgetitiveness( is that a word?) never came back.
Now recently, I got a girlfriend. Due to the side effect of Efexor (delayed ejaculation) I quit using it altogether for a period of 1.5 weeks but continued taking ritalin as ever.
Now comes the interesting part. I got very anxious and depressed when I stopped Efexor, so after 1.5 weeks I resumed taking it. Then suddenly, after 1 or 2 days, things fell in place! My concentration got way up and every ADHD symptom disappeared completely. I was again, a new man. But... after about 5 days, the effects wore off and disappeared completely. I ran to my doctor to tell him what had happened, and together we tried both upping the dosage of Effexor to 375mg a day and decreasing it to 37,5 mg a day. Nothing positive happened. Then I tried stopping it again, for maybe 6 days. When I started it again the positive effects again appeared, but to a lesser extent and only for a day or two.
Now I had become obsessed with this. I tried various combos, more Noritren, Cipralex, Effexor Depot, more Ritalin. Nothing.
Then we tried Wellbutrin 150mg extended release (Zyban) 1x a day for a week and then 2x a day after that and stopped all other medications. Suddenly, again (it only took one day) the positive effects appeared again and my ADHD symtops was a goner. I was yet again, a new man. Exams are closing in so I was a happy man. Then again, it started wearing off. And I got a nasty panic attack (very nasty) and my doc presribed to me 37,5 mg Efexor to taper it down. Now, my Wellbutrin has stopped working and my ADHD symptoms came back. I've tried taking a very small amount of ritalin ( <3mg ) with it but it makes my symptoms worse.
What is happening?????????????? Why does it always go away! My doctor treats about 400 people with ADHD but has never seen anything like this! Tomorrow I will be taking Strattera, but I fear the same thing, cause Strattera is a Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor just like Efexor (and to a lesser extent, Wellbutrin). I'm out of ideas. This is so frustrating. It's almost worse than if I didn't know I had ADHD. Btw. Adderall is not available at my location.

So if anyone has had a similar experience, please respond! This is my cry for help. Thank you. Sorry for the lengthy post.

[This message has been edited by confz (edited 04-03-2003).]

Your physician won't know about this because traditional medicine ignores the scientific literature. Essentially, all the meds you have been taking are inducing deficiencies in either vitamin B6 or in zinc. These meds are causing an imbalance in your key neurotransmitters, which in turn, inhibit the enzyme (pyridoxal kinase) that activates B6 as it enters the brain cell. B6 and zinc are cofactors for the synthesis of serotonin and dopamine, and indirectly norepinephrine. The medications you have been taking affect the levels of one or another neurotransmitter. You keep trying to correct the neurotransmitter levels with medication. As soon as you correct the level of one neurotransmitter, you cause a depletion in another, thus causing the reappearance of the symptom. You then treat the reappeared symptom and cause a deficiency in another neurotransmitter. Deficiencies in serotonin are often associated with depression, and poor appetite. Deficiencies in dopamine are associated with inability to focus and hyperactivity. Deficiencies in norepinephrine are associated with inattentiveness and low motivation.

Deficiencies in B6 and zinc can also cause sexual dysfunction. Unfortunately, it is not enough to just take zinc or B6 supplements, because the medications are blocking the absorption of these substances into the cells that need it. In order to start absorbing these critical nutrients again, you need to stop the medication and then supplement with a good strong multivitamin and multimineral mix (10X). In addition, you need to take about 100 mg per day of pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P), the active form of B6. You need to do this for 2 to 3 weeks after you are off the medications and then you need to wean slowly from the higher doses of vitamins/minerals. Taking Strattera at this point is only going to make matters worse, perhaps better at first, but then alot worse the longer you take it.

There are a number of natural compounds that help ADHD. Whether any of the natural compounds are effective depends upon the genetic make-up of the individual and their unique metabolism. The natural compounds that
help some people include L-carnitine (500 to 2000 mg per day); or vitamin B6, P5P, zinc and/or magnesium; or essential fatty acids, particularly DHA found in fish oil. Elimination of foods or environment that provoke an allergic response also helps. There are other supplements that can help, but the ones I listed are the ones most likely to work for most individuals.

If you really want to help yourself, find a physician and/or nutritionist who can help you get off the medication spiral for good.



[This message has been edited by moderator1 (edited 04-03-2003).]

thank you both, so very much, for your notes. on the 4th week of regular wellbutrin for our 14 1/2 y/o son with ADHD/Inattentive and associated learning disability. don't see any miracles here - nor did we with methylpenidate, adderall, or strattera. i feel discouraged and frustrated with him and for him, and i feel there is so much conflicting information from "professionals". we've tried several months of "efalex"/nutricia fish oil capsules with no appreciable effect, either. the school is finally trying to individualize his teaching in some subjects, but the accumulated failures is taking its toll. i've read about how people's lives are positively changed by the right med., but i'm losing hope. i would hate to see consequences/side effects from using wellbutrin - it's scary to a mother.