Am I addicted or misdiagnosed or both?

Posted by davidwk @davidwk, Oct 8, 2023

For about 30 years I have been diagnosed with either anxiety, depression, or both. About 8 years ago diagnosed with ADD via the IVA test, which made sense looking back at my childhood & adulthood. Then a PA told me I was misdiagnosed with ADD and that I have Bipolar depression, which also made sense because the symptoms are very similar. Additionally I have used sleeping pills for 25 years, started out on Ambien, but it now takes 30-50mg to help me sleep. Tried Benadryl which only worked temporarily, then Ashwaganda which worked for
about a year then like the others, I needed more to sleep. Finally began taking THC pills which seems to work the best but again now I have to take from 10mg to 20-50mg and it’s getting very expensive at around $200 per month . There have always been times when I don’t need as much one night and then other nights it doesn’t matter how much I take, I don’t sleep. The Vyvanse for ADD definitely made sleeping more difficult, so I weaned off. It’s my understanding that if I have bipolar depression that sleep gets worse with age and if I am manic then sleeping medication might not be effective until the mania is controlled. The local behavioral health providers will just do whatever I tell them but no answers and no remedy? They currently have me on clonazepam every AM & Wellbutrin. I also have some mild sleep apnea which I treat. I also work in healthcare and need to sleep in order to function safely. I have considered weaning myself off all sleep meds but it’s never convenient when I need to be at my best the next day. I have other health issues and have used all of my sick pay traveling to Mayo for appointments, so now, trying to get a correct diagnosis and/or rehab is even more difficult.

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Hi, I'm sorry that I don't have any answers for you. I do have a question, though-- I was wondering if you get to work a consistent schedule, or if your hours vary?

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I am so sorry for all you have been through. I empathize with the sleep problems. I know if I can't sleep, it effects so many of my health and cognitive problems, making them so much worse! It is a vicious cycle, and so very frustrating. I havw stated before on Mayo Connect that, I think, there are many Drs out there, in my experience, who just "throw diagnoses out there", without nay reseacrch, having no idea if that Dx is correct! My heart goes out to you!
❣️P

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@scolio

Hi, I'm sorry that I don't have any answers for you. I do have a question, though-- I was wondering if you get to work a consistent schedule, or if your hours vary?

Jump to this post

I work 12 hour days with rotation weekends and holidays.

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I don’t know about diagnosis but I want to say I feel your pain with problems with sleeping. During my Klonopin withdrawal one of the side effects is sleeping problems. After 2 weeks of this horror I am very tired.
I hope you will find peace and rest.

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Have you considered whether the Wellbutrin may be impacting your sleep?
https://www.drugs.com/answers/wellbutrin-long-insomnia-wears-716037.html
May also trigger hypomania? (something I am susceptible to and one of the reasons I prefer to avoid antidepressants)
https://www.goodrx.com/wellbutrin/wellbutrin-side-effects
I asked before about sleep schedule because I find disruptions to my sleep schedule can trigger hypomania. If it's because of your work, though, I guess there's not much you can do about it.

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