My Rxed Regimin (Involving Adderall, Zoloft, Xanax)

[curiousbystander]

Hey there. First off, I hope im posting this right and not breaking any rules. I am prescribed all of the following meds and just wanted to know a bit more about what they are doing to my brain.

I have been on 25mg of zoloft for a week (soon to be switching to 50mg)

I take roughly 20mg of adderall through the day

sometimes I take .5mg of xanax in between the adderall and one more before bed if im feeling anxiety.

Obviously, my goal is to be off all of these meds.

My questions are (1) Is there a danger taking all of these meds together? (My psychiatrist says no but dont make a habit of it)
and (2) What is physically going on with the specific regimin I outlined? (25 mg zoloft in the morning with 10 mg adderall. .5mg xanax a few hours later. Then an hour or so after that ill take another 10mg adderall, then .5mg again of the xanax a few hours after that.)

Thank You all for your help!

 

[pasha]

Xanax (alprazolam) - potent anxiolytic that will help reduce some of the anxiety that comes from using amphetamines. Operates on GABA.

Zoloft (sertraline) - antidepressant sometimes used to augment amphetamines. Operates on serotonin.

Adderall (dextro/levo-amphetamine) - potent stimulant used for attention deficit disorder. Operates on dopamine and norepinephrine.

So you just got on these medications, but you plan to get off them?

 

[curiousbystander]

Hey there. Thanks for the response. I was referring specifically to the up and down routine of taking adderall then xanax then adderall. I know why they are perscribed but I guess I just wanted to know exactly what is physically going on in my brain. I was wondering if taking any of these medications negates the benefits of the others. I wish I could just be fine on the zoloft, and maybe if I try harder I could kick the adderall everyday but for now its a bit difficult.

Re: Just getting on and planning o get off. I was diagnosed with panic disorder as well as add. So I dont wanna be on so many uppers and downers etc. Just really wanna be happy.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Alprazolam has the potential to cause organic decay if its used all the time, which it doesn't look like you do.

At that dose, your amphetamine shouldn't be neurotoxic.

That's a small dose of zoloft, and SSRIs are generally very safe drugs though some changes in the brain following usage have been noted.

Alprazolam and amphetamine will have some countering effects. The former will decrease concentration, may make you depressed, and stops neurons from firing; while the later is supposed to increase concentration, should help depression (though alprazolam can too), and makes other neurons fire when they wouldn't without it. Anything else?

 

[curiousbystander]

Thanks Ho-Chi-Minh for the reply! In all honesty I actually am taking the alprazolam everyday for about a month now. I started with .25mg but now that anything less than.5 mg and I dont feel it. Re: Adderall. I have been on it on and off for about 2 years now. Used to take XR but lost insurance so no im on IR. I usually dont go a day without it and ill take 10mg minimum but usually 20mg. Anything over 30mg has me really to hyper. Because of the crash, the xanax really helps me.

I read something online about the adverse effects of adderall and SSRIs.

Am I doing anything wrong with the medications I am taking together? Will taking adderall negate the good that that ssri is doing to my brain?

 

[pasha]

SSRI drugs and benzodiazepines can both dull the effects of amphetamines. Amphetamines on the other hand, can raise SSRI blood levels and help one achieve clinical benefit from them rapidly.

When I also mentioned augment, I meant that SSRI's and amphetamines are often co-prescribed in an attempt to diminish some of the negative side-effects of amphetamines such as anxiety, depersonalization, insomnia, narcissism, depression, and derealization. In clinically monitored dosages, you shouldn't be alarmed about any potential side-effects of this combinations (eg. SSRI toxicity, serotonin syndrome).

Benzodiazepines are usually prescribed along side amphetamines to help with the "come down", and the anxiety/insomnia that comes with it.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I would try to keep alprazolam usage to a minimum; doses tend to escalate with benzodiazepines until you're at ~2-6mg alprazolam, though some people need more like 10mg (definitely not good for you). If you're prescribed these medicines, I don't see a problem. And at such small doses, especially with the ways in which the three are supposed to round out the edges of the others, you should be functional.

 

[pasha]

I would try to keep alprazolam usage to a minimum

This x1000

Make sure you don't find yourself in a never ending juggle with benzodiazepines and amphetamines in an attempt to counter-balance each others negative side effects. Keep the benzodiazepines strictly PRN.

 

[curiousbystander]

This is what I'm concerned with. 1 month ago, I used to be able to take .25mg of xanax to cure an anxiety attack. Then it was . 5mg. Now I have to take 1 mg to feel what .25 mg used to do to me.

I think it escalated so fast. Is this normal?

I do not want to be dependent. I haven't tried weening myself off (am I at the stage where I can still quit cold turkey if I had to? I heard benzos should never just be... Quit)

They just make me feel so much more... Still.

Today there was a street fair and the crowds bugged me out (something that NEVER used to happen. I took .mg... Nothing really felt better so I waited 15 mins and took another .5) the sad thing is I still have a bit of anxiety... I want to take another but again, I fear as though I am getting into a cycle here.