I will try to make it short but I'm 60 so lots behind...
In 73,I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and it was so hard to cope with that I went into depression but came out without medication. Over the years I saw many therapists, was diagnosed with bipolar and was on lithium for 4 years. The psychiatrist at the MS clinic took me off and put me on 1.5 mgs of clonazepam. After a few years others diagnosed me as chronic depression and then chronic anxiety.
This spring I asked to see a psychiatrist as I had reached bottom and she noticed that I had vocal and motor tics and presumed Tourettes, ADHD, and maybe mood swings related to ADHD which are different than bipolar. Since I had been on Effexor for the past 2 years, she added Epival and its been 8 months and there is no difference so will probably take it off . Last month she tried Ritalin but the tics were too much so she started me on Straterra at 40 mgs and since last week I'm at 80 mgs. I feel much better.I'm not as impulsive in conversations, not as hyperactive except that on 5 days of Ritalin I was able to read 2-3 column article in a newspaper article which I could never do before but apparently it takes 4-6 weeks for straterra to fully kick in.
As for my MS I'm lucky and still can do a good round of golf in a cart.
So here I am and so happy to have found you.
In 73,I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and it was so hard to cope with that I went into depression but came out without medication. Over the years I saw many therapists, was diagnosed with bipolar and was on lithium for 4 years. The psychiatrist at the MS clinic took me off and put me on 1.5 mgs of clonazepam. After a few years others diagnosed me as chronic depression and then chronic anxiety.
This spring I asked to see a psychiatrist as I had reached bottom and she noticed that I had vocal and motor tics and presumed Tourettes, ADHD, and maybe mood swings related to ADHD which are different than bipolar. Since I had been on Effexor for the past 2 years, she added Epival and its been 8 months and there is no difference so will probably take it off . Last month she tried Ritalin but the tics were too much so she started me on Straterra at 40 mgs and since last week I'm at 80 mgs. I feel much better.I'm not as impulsive in conversations, not as hyperactive except that on 5 days of Ritalin I was able to read 2-3 column article in a newspaper article which I could never do before but apparently it takes 4-6 weeks for straterra to fully kick in.
As for my MS I'm lucky and still can do a good round of golf in a cart.
So here I am and so happy to have found you.
