NeuroTalk Support Groups - Using Vyvanse with Lexapro or Zoloft

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Runner (Post 540807)

My son (17 years old) was diagnosed with ADHD in the 3rd grade. He had the classic symptoms - Can't stay focused in class, can't sit down, breaks pencils, etc. We tried numerous medications including Adderall, Straterra and Vyvanse. Nothing seemed to make a big difference except for the Vyvanse. Of course, we saw some improvement with most medications but nothing significant. Vyvanse seemed to have the best response with minimal side effects coming off the medicine at the end of the day.

Recently he was diagnosed with OCD after spending some time with a Psychologist and Psychriatist. He asked to see the doctors because he was experiencing anxiety attacks. Due to the ADHD, his mind would always race with numerous thoughts. Beginning this year his thoughts became a never-ending chain of random images that he could not control. At times it became more than he could handle and the anxiety attacks would occur.

The Psychriatist put him on Lexapro in conjunction with his existing Vyvanse prescription. He began experiencing severe mood swings. At times he became violent. We gradually took him off the Lexapro and started Zoloft this week. Tonight he had another severe reaction and he became near-suicidal. It's hard to saw if he would really harm himself, but I've never tonight's reaction before.

Clearly, something is wrong. Has anyone encountered similar reactions with Vyvanse and meds like Lexapro and Zoloft. There is nothing more depressing or hopeless than seeing your son crying to end it all because he can't take it anymore.

I would appreciate any comments or thoughts...Thanks

I understand your circumstances. My wife is a kindergarten teacher and see's this all of the time. My youngest boy, (22), and I have very similar make ups and are consequently on the same meds., Zoloft, and Vyvanse. When we first started taking meds for our anxiety and ADHD, (incidentally we both are OCD), we were in heaven but it wore off after a couple of months. We've gone through a rough patch of trying a couple of different meds as well as different combinations and dose amounts for the past couple of months. I think we're both on the right track with the right combinations and dose amounts. It's a very frustrating process but I think it's well worth it. You have to be a very strong yet polite advocate for yourself and/or your child when it comes to changing the meds when they are clearly not working. We are fortunate because our family physician is one of my best friends and we see him weekly at church. We always respect his bounds and do not take advantage of him however, we won't let much time go by if nothings working or if it's making it worse. Don't give up everything will be just fine, just stay on top of things with your child and keep a detailed journal of him every day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runner (Post 540807)

Has anyone encountered similar reactions with Vyvanse and meds like Lexapro and Zoloft. There is nothing more depressing or hopeless than seeing your son crying to end it all because he can't take it anymore.

This post is a couple years old now, and I don't know exactly when they began to appear, but all three of those medications (and many more anti-depressant medications) now carry some pretty stern "Black Box Warnings" ordered by the FDA concerning use by minors and suicidal depression, severe mood swings, and more, and in the case of Vyvanse, tolerance and dependence issues.

In the links below, the "Black Boxes" are those warnings with the Yellow Bar across the top.

Vyvanse
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000397/

Lexapro
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000214/

Zoloft
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001017/

HTH,

Doc

Don't mix vyvanse and zoloft(sertraline)

Do NOT take vyvanse and zoloft together. I'm prescribed Zoloft (75mg) and used to take vyvanse every now and then when a friend had extra. It would always make me focus, more energy, all the good effects from it. Until last night. I took the 40mg vyvanse around 10am, went to work all was good. Came home ate dinner and then went to go watch TV. Well all of a sudden my heart started beating really fast. I didn't think much of it because it was pretty cold in my house. After about 3 hours of it beating faster and faster, i started to get concerned. So i started looking up the interactions of the two drugs. Turned out i had serotonin syndrome. At first i didn't believe it. Then i almost passed out, started losing muscle control and i couldn't make a full sentence come out of my mouth. Then seeing that a lot of the cases end up fatal.. well that's when i went to the hospital. It's a good thing i got there in time. They gave me a benzo to relax me and an IV to flush the drugs out. That happened about 7 hours ago. I just got home from the hospital and wanted to warn everyone to not mix the two! Even if it's worked in the past (it worked for me all the time), it's not worth the risk. If you are having symptoms of SS, seek help immediately!!

to all you who are commenting under this.... I have two words for you adderall the non extended release with Prozac... I have tried combinations of almost every medication including the ones you guys are speaking wrong, this combination right here is the only one that has ever worked for me, I feel like I am normal like I can participate and be a part of the world where I could not before even more so on these medications they were prescribing... I suggest starting to Prozac for at least two months to find what dosage is good 10 or 20 possibly more depending on age and once that starts working and is in your system or their system then I suggest adding the Adderall starting at small dosages depending on age of course... For so long I would look at other people and wonder why I was so different from them and why I couldn't be apart of what they were doing or enjoy life the way they were... Finally with the combination of Prozac 40 milligrams and adderall 20 milligram actually able to function like the rest of them... I'm 27 years old and have been going through this since I was 10... I wish you all the best