Do you take a stimulant WITH an anti-depressant?

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Does anyone out there use this combination with success? I just read that some people respond better to a lower dosage of a stimulant coupled with a low dosage of an anti-depressant.

My son's stimulants often lose effectiveness after a while.

I take Ritalin for the ADD and Cymbalta for Panic Disorder. I've been prescribed this combo for about 2 years and have found it works fairly well. I do take a bit of xanax if I have a serious PA.

Yes, but I think it depends on what antidepressant you're on like MOI Inhibitors. I probably shouldn't be taking any but I'm so tired all the time. Anyway, I've never had any side-effects.......yet.

Legitiment post #2...

Yes, I take a coffe as a stimulant and a cigarette as an antidepressant to ease my uncharitaristic perfect genetoc balance of energy and happiness for the benifit of the american people. Is this odd?

"I got a humidifier and a dehumidifier for Christmas. I didn't know what to do, so I put them in a room and let them fight it out. Then I put wax in the humidifier, and made the room all shiney" - Steven Wright.Sorry, just sounds like a strange combo to me...

Yeah, why would a depressant and a stimulant play nice together?
The human body is strange and nonsensical.

I've taken effexor xr for 3 years now at a fairly high dose--had a major depressive episode in high school. The higher dose of the effexor also helps with anxiety and ocd like behaviors. I've taken concerta for 2 years for inattentive add. My mood is much more stabilized and I have some energy/motivation to go about my day. I haven't had any negative effects. But meds won't do it alone.. I definately need like a life coach or something.

And I'm not sure, it kind of seems its being suggested that a stimulant and an anti depressant are opposites? I don't think I agree with that.. Id say the odd combo would be taking a stimulant with a depressant..like ritalin with valium or xanax. And even being an odd combo I'd say that it's not that unusual to take a depressant to take some of the edge off of the stimulant? I mean you're family doc isn't going to prescribe such a combination..def need to see a psychiatrist who will monitor the effects of the meds.

I ask because I've seen the depressive effects of certain stimulants in my son -- whereas one stimulant HELPS, but is losing its effectiveness. In terms of my son's Inattentive ADD, my research has come up with this combo of low stimulant with low anti-depressant, and after observing him for a while, I really think that combo could be helpful.

Yes, ritalin, citalopram and lorazepam.

I take Zoloft and drink coffee.

That's some combination... stimulant, antidepressant and depressant!


I take Celexa (citalopram) and never used to drink coffee much because I didn't like the taste, but it makes me feel so good I'm thinking of drinking it all the time.