I'm wondering what is exactly the difference between Dexedrine and Ritalin? Because I use Ritalin now and I want to switch to Dexedrine. I also would like to know what is the difference in neuroscience and stuff like that (how it works on dopamin and stuff like that). Thanks!

Also how about safety? Is Dexedrine more "addictive" then Ritalin. Is Dexedrine more dangerous as Ritalin or do you think it's just as safe?

Everyone reacts to stimulants differently. So saying one is more addictive/powerful is all in the person I guess. They are both two different drugs, but are both stimulants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexedrine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritalin

I recently swithced Dex.....seems to be cleaner.....keep in mind I'm brand new to ADD meds and take very low doses....not sure how much of a tollerance you can develope over time

ahhh wikipedia. i visit at least 5 times a day

ahhh wikipedia. i visit at least 5 times a day

Wikie OWNS ALL....

too bad everyone thinks they are an expert...

too bad everyone thinks they are an expert...

Not true, just trying to help. Mostly everything I post should be taken with a grain of salt, as well as other posters comments. I usually research something anyways after someone has explained something to me. You care to explain more?

I'm wondering what is exactly the difference between Dexedrine and Ritalin? Because I use Ritalin now and I want to switch to Dexedrine. I also would like to know what is the difference in neuroscience and stuff like that (how it works on dopamin and stuff like that). Thanks!

Also how about safety? Is Dexedrine more "addictive" then Ritalin. Is Dexedrine more dangerous as Ritalin or do you think it's just as safe?

Dexedrine increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels. I believe ritilin is limited to dopamine. I had a bad experience with Ritalin, I found I was a little like a zombie with tunnel vision. Dexedrine is a little more energizing, probably due to the norepinephrine activity. You didn't ask, but Adderall contains l-amphetamine which has a much higher norepinephrine response. Some people tollerate it, I found it to be similar to a shot of epi. Everyone reacts differently and needs different levels of neurotransmitters, if ritilin isn't working for you, I recommend you ask to be switched to Dex. I can't speak for the addictive level of the drugs, I've never felt addicted, at least not to amphetamines.

To that end, I've never felt amphetamines cause the same dependence that drugs like opiates can. If you stop taking amphetamine, you feel very tired. Withdrawal from Vicodin is hell (plus, I have a chronic pain condition, but the doctor who'd been prescribing decided it was in my head). I don't claim to be an expert on this stuff, but I did take neuro-bio in college and have personal experience.

Actually, both amphetamine and methylphenidate work almost the same. Both work on dopamine and norephinephrine (with both working mostly on dopamine).
Adderall, being that it contains l-amphetamine has the unique ability to either work on norephinephrine and/or dopamine without preference.

When all is said and done, both work about the same when dosed in equally (takes about 1.5-2x the mg of methlyphenidate to equal dosage of amphetamine). One thing that favors amphetamine is the longer half-life. Methylphenidate kicks in quickly and drops like a rock off a cliff so it tends to have nasty rebound issues.

J

duration and in my case desperation.


Wikie OWNS ALL?......hmmmmm, I admit, I do love wilkie.



.......Have you been to Erowid's Amphetamine Vault?

http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/amphetamines/amphetamines.shtml

....I also love the vaults of Erowid.


Is meth the same thing as Amphetamines such as prescription drugs like adderall and ritalin?

http://www.erowid.org/ask/ask.php?ID=2846

pretty much answers the differences in all amphetamines ..

There have not been many researches that compare ritalin to dex. I think I came across one that concluded dex was more effective in helping people with add stay focussed than ritalin, but the percentages were close. I will try to get a link.

For me ritalin did not work at all, manic for two hours, depressed after that. Dextroamphetamine worked much much better. It works smooth, and it actually makes me understand why postponing everything in my life is not a good thing.
It does make me talk a lot tho, kinda like I am doing now, omg why is this post so long?
;)

There have not been many researches that compare ritalin to dex. I think I came across one that concluded dex was more effective in helping people with add stay focussed than ritalin, but the percentages were close. I will try to get a link.

For me ritalin did not work at all, manic for two hours, depressed after that. Dextroamphetamine worked much much better. It works smooth, and it actually makes me understand why postponing everything in my life is not a good thing.
It does make me talk a lot tho, kinda like I am doing now, omg why is this post so long?
;)

Not true, just trying to help. Mostly everything I post should be taken with a grain of salt, as well as other posters comments. I usually research something anyways after someone has explained something to me. You care to explain more?

Wikipedia is edited by everyone and anyone. And if representative democracy is any indication, the majority are not automatically correct.

i love both wiki and erowid. i like reading experience reports on the drugs that i've consumed in my life.

me too! ...pharmacology and psychology, are as good as stephen king.

....here's some more good ones.


this one, discovery, has a drug interaction checker.

....like, for example, to see if you can take other meds with adderrall.
from asprin to marijuana.

http://health.discovery.com/webapps/drugchecker.do?drug=Adderall+XR|42409&drug=Metoprolol+Tartrate|1073&&checkInteraction=true


drug digest, has a pill identifier.
...like if you find pills, you can't identify...you put in the description of the pill and
it will tell you.

http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Home


ask a patient, is certainly on topic for this thread, you can ask about specific drug cocktails prescribed for you, and they run the gambit of possibility.

http://askapatient.com/


*drools*

psych central has it all...

http://psychcentral.com/


the merick manuel- mental disorder pioneers

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15.html


and, I LOVE the web MD symptoms checker.
.....it's like a cyber doctor.

http://www.webmd.com/

i know ritalin seems to make me feel like i am fixed i cant remeber what the dexedrine felt like cause i was drunk i dont think it had much of an effect.,

For me, ritalin caused hyperfocusing on a task: I'd get caught on some irresistable detail, and really get in to it. I mean, for hours, and sometimes as if I was on a mission. Also, I could tell I was "on drugs". With dexedrine, I never got caught up on a detail for hours like that, and I never felt like I was "on something". For me, dexedrine was smooth, whereas with the ritalin, I could definately feel it "kick in" and then crash down.

Thanks for the answers.

Another question: Do you think that for you the Ritalin worked better against ADD or the Dexedrine worked better?

Hi

I just switched to dextro

while ritalin did help it seemed to work better some times than others and wore off really fast (10mg tabs). i also felt weepy and depressed on it. I have a friend who is a pharmacist and I asked her and she said that mostly kids were on ritalin and adults on dextro and that feedback she had from ppl she dispensed it to was that the dextrao seemed to work better for adults

but of course that is all individual and Ive seen ppl post here saying the dextro or adderal does nothing for them and ritalin was a god send. so i think at the end of the day everyone has to work out for themselves what is the right med/dose...

Me personally Ive always found any drug thats effects are dose dependant has not worked that well for me... ie having wisdom teeth out and being told i was given 1.5 times the usual amount of sedative, and i definatley wont remember it... and remembering it... same with three stomach procedures that were done under iv sedation.... i was given more than usual and still remembered, other ppl who have undergone the above that Ive met none remeber the procedure at all

then when I was a teenager i got terrible period pains, and I always had to take the painkillers every 2-3 hrs not the 4-6 recommended as they wore off that fast.. I also had to take about 2-3 times the std dose to get enough pain relief to not be screaming!

So I do wonder if anyone wondering how much they might need - can look at any history like that - when you took painkillers - did they work really well? or not that well and wear off... suspect my liver processes any drugs pretty quickly, and therefore I always need the high end of the dose... and often...

Personally I already feel that the dextro is going to be better for me. Ive read that keeping ur stomach & urine alkaline by taking baking soda or similar makes it last much longer (therefore lower dose needed) so i might experiement with that this week - try a day with that and a day without and see if my meds work better/longer or not...

otherwise Ill probably go for the slow release ritalin the tabs were just too short acting - it was like being on a rollercoaster...