This morning I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. My doctor warned me that it may take awhile to find the right medication and suggested we start out with ritalin. He prescribed a week's worth of 5mg tablets, twice a day. After that first week I'm up to 10mg twice a day.

I took my first 5mg about 10am this morning and my second about 10 minutes ago at 1pm. So far I haven't seen much increased productivity or concentration. I feel cloudy and really just want to sit down and do something mindless like watching TV. Unfortunately I'm at work for another 3 hours so that isn't an option.

I'm optimistic...really hoping that a few weeks from now I'll have a noticable improvement.

Congrats on the diagnosis and treatment plan! I know how frustrating it can be to feel like you've finally found the answer to your problems and then - whoah! - this medication isn't working the way I thought it would. Lots of doctors say that ADHD medication can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to really kick in. And chances are that 5 mg is not enough for you - many adults take 15-20 mg twice a day of Ritalin to manage their symptoms, so you should expect your dosage to go up to at least 10 mg. It may be that you won't feel any difference until you hit the right dosage, so patience is the name of the game. It sounds like you're realistic about that, but I hope things begin to look up soon. In the meantime, here are a few articles I thought you might find helpful...

You've Got Adult ADHD -- Help Is Here!: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/815.html

ADHD Medication: Say No to Side Effects: http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/957.html

Alternative ADHD Treatment Report:
http://www.additudemag.com/RCLP/sub/2729.html

I hope that helps!

I took my first 5mg about 10am this morning and my second about 10 minutes ago at 1pm. So far I haven't seen much increased productivity or concentration. I feel cloudy and really just want to sit down and do something mindless like watching TV. Unfortunately I'm at work for another 3 hours so that isn't an option.

I'm optimistic...really hoping that a few weeks from now I'll have a noticable improvement.
A 5mg start is normal, but pretty much everyone won't find this working at all, (unless you are hyper-sensitive to drugs). Your Dr will start you off on the minimum to rule out adverse side-effects, and then titrate you up until it's starts to make a difference.

Keep at it. It will take a while to find the optimum dosage level, and the right medication. Don't get sick of it all and take a large dose or start experimenting. Just keep up with the regular intake.

Oh, and be careful of the crashes...
There's several things to combat this, (please consult your Dr before taking this advice).
1. Take the second dose just 20 minutes before the end of the first dose.
2. Drink decaf coffee, or tea 20 minutes before the end of the last dose, (something with a light amount of caffeine in it).

Well, this is a similar question to mine, so I'll post here.

I've also just started on Ritalin: 10mg twice a day (morning and lunchtime). The first day has been horrible, and I'm really distressed.

I decided to get onto solving the ADHD problem since I recently started a new job and am at serious risk of losing it already.

How long will it be before any side-effects that might go away or smooth out do so?

Dry-mouth
Drowsiness
Drowsiness
Drowzzz *drops off*
Blurred vision
Headaches (though that could be from my neck injuries)
Dizziness (though only a little)
Nausea (not too bad, though)
Loss of appetite (though I'm just forcing myself to eat)
IRRITABILITY and sensitivity


I feel like a zombie.

Help, please? I'm feeling desperate after only one day.