I just started on various forms of generic ritalin about a week ago. I took 2x15mg instantaneous release (IR) ritalin for a few days before my prescription for the extended release (ER) form was available. I'm now taking 1x10mg ER per day (my pdoc likes me to titrate very slowly, as I have a history of medication sensitivity).

I've noticed that I feel more anxious since switching to the ER form. I just generally feel weird, whereas I just felt calm and collected with the IR form.

It's always possible that what I think of as "anxious" could be my teeny bit of hyperactivity not being controlled by the smaller ER dose. Or it could be aggrevated entirely by the two week span of time in which I had no meds and had to slog through mental sludge in order to get any work done. Or the fact that I'm also planning a wedding and starting to prepare for going on the job market. But all in all, I didn't feel anxious about all the latter stuff with IR and I do with ER.

So I guess I'm asking... has anybody else noticed these types of differences between IR and ER/XR meds?

I know it's possible to take a mix of the two in order to get through the day. Is this something that works well, or should I just plan to stick with IR because it seems to work better, despite the significant downside of having to remember to take it?

Thoughts?

Oh, and the ER form is making me feel sick to my stomach, and the IR doesn't.

Try Daytrana, it's a medicinal patch of Ritalin that you wear all day and then when you decide to take it off it stops working 3 hours afterwards

I know it's possible to take a mix of the two in order to get through the day. Is this something that works well, or should I just plan to stick with IR because it seems to work better, despite the significant downside of having to remember to take it?I have done this with Concerta and Ritalin and the combo worked quite well, yes. You might prefer to stick with an IR form if it seems to work best for you , though, many people do that too.