Depression, ADD, Narcolepsy,Drug Abuse?

Posted By Dana on April 18, 1999 at 17:09:51
I am a 33-year old female diagnosed with ADD and Depression. My problem is hypersomnolence and fatigue. I can sleep for days on end and the more I sleep the harder it is to wake up. From the age of 15 to 25 I was severely alcoholic and bulimic (and able to hide it well). I have a family history of alcoholism (my father, a NYC police office, committed suicide when I was 7 years old, his father was sober 37 years before dying at age 72)While living in Los Angeles after graduating college, I tried repeatedly to stop these inherited, behaviors with counselling and twelve-step programs, to no avail. When I tried methamphetamine, my life did a complete and instant turn around for the better and I immediately was able to quit alcohol and the bulimia, hold a job, start a business, have a serious relationship and two children. However, when my boyfriend started to spiral downward from his methamphetamine use (he introduced me to it and used much more than I did), I left him and moved back home to Connecticut.
In Connecticut, without methamphetamine, I became very depressed and hypersomnolent (understandable). But rather than getting better, over the next four months it got much worse, so I sought help thinking there must be a chemical reason for my positive reaction to methamphetamine that could be medically valid. I dragged myself to a doctor who diagnosed me with ADD and depression. He prescribed Paxil which made me sleep for two weeks and very weak. Then he prescribed Prozac and Dexedrine, 60 mg. which worked alittle, but not much. A switch from Prozac to Zoloft helped by keeping the Dexedrine in my system longer and this worked for about two years, even though waking up was still extremely difficult.
Now nothing works and I sleep constantly again. I've tried Ritalin, Cylert, Wellbutrin and Norpramin. Norpramin worked great so my doctor swtiched me to Effexor, which failed. Then he tried Wellbutrin, no help. When I wanted to try Norpramin again, he said I shouldn't switch around so much and to try the Wellbutrin for a longer amount of time (it's been three months now, no change, it doesn't even help me quit smoking at 300 mg/day!). He won't prescribe MAO inhibitors, so that and Selegine is out of the question.
I have had symptoms of narcolepsy such as excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, uncontrollable urges to nap, and restless leg syndrome (being awakened by excrutiating cramps in the arches of my feet, for which I have to stand and apply pressure to relieve). Should I try Provigil?
I seem to have developed a tolerence to amphetamines, but nothing else works. Is it possible to be deficient in all the neurotransmittors? By genetics? What is the relationship to dopamine D2 receptors (or lack of), if any?. Am I just a speed addict, drawing out the withdrawal process, as my doctor seems to think, though he knows without it I'll go back to drinking and bulimia, even more dangerous and debilitating? Short of just moving back to L.A. and using methamphetamine (but at least feeling very much alive), what are my alternatives? I feel catatonic when I am awake, which isn't too often these days. I have absolutely no motivation. I've been trying to solve this dilemma for four years now and am running out of any other answers. Thanks for listening.










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Re: Depression, ADD, Narcolepsy,Drug Abuse? HFHS M.D.-TB 4/26/1999
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