Has anyone had any success with ADHD meds, particularly non-stimulant ones? I was diagnosed with bipolar 2, 2.5 years ago, and I've been stable (for the most part) on lithium since. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 12 and have been on stimulants somewhat consistently since (first Ritalin, now Adderall). I'm currently taking Adderall XR 5mg twice a day as needed for probably four years now, well before any bipolar symptoms. I've never had great experiences with ADHD meds; Ritalin made me feel like a zombie, I tried the Clonidine patch while impatient, which worked great, but dropped my blood pressure, so I'd pass out, and a higher dose of Adderall made me really jittery, so I've been on a really low dose that doesn't seem to help much. I've also seemed to develop a pretty severe tremor recently, which ik can be a side effect of Lithium as well as Adderall, but I'd be interested in coming off of stimulants to see if that helps (especially since they don't seem to be helping much).
From the research I've done, Strattera, Qelbree, and Intuniv seem to be the main non-stim options for ADHD. Intuniv has a side effect of low blood pressure that makes me a little nervous, considering how I've responded to meds in the past. That leaves Strattera and Qelbree, both of which are NRI's. SSRIs and SNRIs have triggered pretty severe manic episodes in the past, which makes me hesitant about trying an NRI, although I would be on a mood stabilizer this time. I just feel like I'm running out of options, and being in college, not medicating my ADHD, doesn't feel possible. If anyone has had any good experiences with ADHD meds, I'd really appreciate it.