First of all, I'm sure this is going to be a long post, so bear with me. I'm only simply needing some feedback and I want to help my husband.

First a general run down of what my husband has: He has been diagnosed as Bi-Polar, has ADHD, Hep C, is a recovering alcoholic and a recovering addict as well. Hubby thinks he might also have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (from childhood issues)but hasn't been diagnosed with it. My husband also had a VERY TOUGH childhood (by that I mean that he grew up with a mom that abused drugs and he was treated very unfairly by her at times and also by his step mom) I won't go into details about this.

Hubby is currently taking Effexor XR (375 mg/day), Lithium (600mg/day), Zyprexa (10mg/night). He was taking Adderall also. He developed an abusive problem with that (Adderall) a while back, the Dr. took it away from him (wouldn't refill because of problems with it)..so hubby was very very depressed while he was off of it..for almost a month. Recently (about 3 weeks ago) they decided to let him back on it (with the agreement that if he abused it again, they would never give it to him again). Well things went fine for a couple weeks when he was back on the Adderall. Someone was dispersing it to him on a daily basis (it wasn't in the house). We felt it was better that way. He recently got his meds back from the person that had them and he decided that he needed (for himself) to be responsible with his meds.

Ok, fine and dandy, things are going ok (as far as I knew)..I find out that he hasn't been taking the Adderall because it is making his mind go places and makes him want to do wild and illegal things. He still won't share with me what all was going on in his mind. Regardless, he says he hadn't taken the med for a while because he felt that if he did, he was going to relapse and go out and drink and/or use..and that scared him. Keep in mind hubby (about a month ago) relapsed and got a DUI and had been drinking off and on for a few months and smoking pot as well. He said the pot helped him. So he flushed his Adderall.

Now, knowing all this...and knowing that hubby has a problem with Adderall, but yet we (hubby and I) know that he needs some kind of stimulant...because if he doesn't have it he goes into a DEEP depression and can't get off the couch...what are his alternatives to Adderall? He needs something that will stimulate him, give him the energy to get up and face life but yet be non addictive.

Does anyone have any suggestions or have any of you experienced any of this yourself? If so, what did you do?

I'm desperate here...my hubby is the "house mouse" and I work during the day (except today..took the day off to see if I can get him some help). He is back on the couch (since dumping his Adderall down the toilet on Thursday). I can't sit back and do nothing...we have a 9 year old son he is responsible for caring for in the afternoons and some evenings while I work. How can he do that if he is sleeping while our son is home?

Have any of you (who have similar diagnoses, and stuff) taken Straterra or tried Serenity? If so, how has it worked for you?

Thanks in advance for ANY feedback...critical or supportive..

Since there are no real biological tests for these disorders or standard levels known(for example, a doc would know the normal levels of blood sugar), the drugs are not always going to work. In fact, it is known that past chemical abuses, such as alcohol or drugs, can be a factor that most bi-polar people share although they are not always the only factor, and this raises the question if chemicals themselves cause chemical imbalance. I think that may go for the prescription stuff too, as they act on the brain simular to street drugs. If only your husband had a few years alcohol and/or drug free, he might have recovered. But now being on psych drugs, those are dangerous to cold turkey and must be tapered, around 10% of dose no sooner than every two weeks is the standard. Staying on drugs or getting off would be his decision so I'm not saying he should get off his drugs. Something to consider, though.

Zyprexa may be causing the tiredness...it is a major tranquilizer, stronger than the benzodiazepines like Xanax/Valium family, which are the minors. It's a major downer which could be why it's hard to get off the couch.