Wellbutrin or ADHD causing my depression?

[JEM300]

I'm 45, was diagnosed with ADHD in January at which time I started Wellbutrin XL 300mg/daily.  It seemed to be effective within a short time and my functionality and focus at work improved markedly. I was taking this medication in conjunction with weekly to bi-weekly therapy.

Within the last two weeks I have started on a downhill slide into depression.  I didn't feel particulary depressed before starting my ADHD treatment.  Now I feel lost, hopeless, alone, confused, and am crying all the time (secretively believe it or not...)  I feel paralyzed emotionally and cannot reach out to anyone I am close to right now.

Is the medication causing it or am I not handling my new diagnosis well?  I am actually so depressed that I stopped seeing my therapist as I feel ashamed and embarrassed that I was doing so well and now I feel like a "basket case".

Thanks for any help you can give me.

[minsnotux]

So sorry you are going through a difficult time.  Great reply though.  I am always amazed at how people are diagnosed with something but then not given additional info to help them understand the diagnosis.  Read "Driven to Distraction" and you will see what a gift ADHD/ADD is!!  I also know how frustrating it can be as I have gone years and years of my life undiagnosed.  I finally see what it is that has been the problem and am learnign how to live my life to it's fullest!  Your therapist might not be the right one if you're leaving there not feeling good about yourself.  There are many, many therapists in the sea!

[JEM300]

theckla~
I appreciate your reply greatly.  You are right, of course.  Easier for me to recognize this today as I'm feeling a bit better emotionally.  Seeing my doctor in three days so will talk about this with him as he was the prescribing physician after all.  Still trying to get my head around going back to see therapist...need to mull that over a bit more.  I know he's trying very hard to help me understand what this is all about.  I'm just feeling hypersensitive right now and I find I am taking his comments like criticisms sometimes.  Maybe  I should confess that to him that it's making me uncomfortable. ADHD...hmmm, I haven't started thinking of it as some kind of gift yet...but maybe someday I'll get there too.   Right now it feels a bit of a wretched curse!  ;-)  

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond and in such a eloquent and thoughtful manner.  

Be well...

[theckla]

Get back to your therapist!  It's very important to stay under professional care when you're on any of these medications! At the very least see your family doctor.  Only a professional can help you decide if its the meds or not.  Either way, it sounds to me like you need some help.  Don't be afraid to seek it.  There are more of "us" (people in crisis on psych meds) than there are of them (if there even is a them)--believe it!  You have nothing to be ashamed of.  In fact, be proud of your ADHD--it proves that you're above average in intelligence, creative and energetic.  Getting help means you're smart, not weak.  Hey, if you were bleeding instead of crying, you wouldn't feel bad about seeing a doctor for stitches. This is just a different kind of wound.