About Layla Yeganeh Expertise I have researched and studied medicine, pharmacy, psychology and biology in college, through medical journals and research studies, I also have personal knowledge of the side effects, interactions and uses of many drugs for: antidepressants, alternative depression treatments, sleep aids, ADD, ADHD, psychiatric meds, weight loss, fibro, thyroid (Armour) versus synthetic, endocrinology, HRT, natural homeopathic drug interactions, toxicology, steroids, blood pressure, anxiety, birth control pills, Migraines, headaches, pain medications, TMJ, antibiotics, sinus and otolaryngoloy medications, as well as Immune therapy and allergy treatments, and many more. I would like to extend my knowledge and exerience to you, and offer advice so please don't hesitate to ask if you have a question. Every question is important, and no question is too difficult.
Question QUESTION: I think that my adderall medication is making my OCD worse, I have started taking valium, to conteract the anxiety, but now I am depressed what should I do. I can't sleep either.
adderall XR 30mg
valium 5 mg
ANSWER: Hi Michelle,
Adderall is a potent mixture of amphetamines used to treat ADD/ADHD. Amphetamines increases the dopamine in the brain, and this can lead to Obesesive like behaviours in some people. The Valium is a CNS depressent, so it sounds like you may be setting youself up for a rollarcoaster situation. Not good. The adderall dosage may be too high for you, if you are unable to sleep at night.
Since Valium and adderall are both controlled and highly addictive substances, I would not want you to be on both at the same time.
Talk to your doctor and see if you would benefit from lowering the dose of adderall to no greater than 20mg per day, and perhaps adding in an SSRI in a low dose such as prozac 10mg per day, for the OCD and depression. And asses how you feel then.
Take care.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Do you know if its okay to split up the capsules to divide the dose?
Answer It is not ok to divide the XR capsules, because they consist of different time released beads and are not uniform. Some release right away and some 4 hours later, so you will not get a consistent mixture.
I would go to the doctor and get a new prescription for a lower dose.
Also what might help is eating with the adderall with a fatty meal, like peanut butter, or eggs, toast with butter etc. It delays the absorption of the medication and emptying of the stomach, and also taking it as soon as you wake up in the morning. If you forget and take it too late, say after PM you are likely to be up all night.
