Hey everyone,

I just started taking Ritalin (5 mgs, 3X per day) this morning and I have a few questions/concerns.

This is the 3rd type of ADHD med I've taken since I was diagnosed 2 years ago.

I started on Strattera, which didn't do anything for my ADD symptoms, but did help my mood and my stress levels.

Then I changed to Dexedrine, which did help my ADD but didn't do anything for my depression.

So my Doctor added the depression medicine Lexapro to the mix. I am very happy to have found that one, it really works!! The only problem is that once I was no longer so depressed, I started being a lot more hyperactive.

That's been an interesting experience. I was NEVER hyperactive as a child, except in one area: I am total chatterbox! But otherwise, everyone who knew me back then says I was definately on the inattentive side of ADHD. So when I was diagnosed as ADHD-Combined Type, I wondered if they had made a mistake.

Anyhow, since I have started taking the Lexapro, I've been a lot more hyperactive. I asked the doctor what the connection was and he said that it is entirely possible that I've been hyperactive my whole life, only I've been too depressed for it to show. In any case, I'm not complaining, I kind of like the extra energy.

The problem has been that with the addition of the Lexapro and the emergence of the hyperactivity, the Dexedrine stopped doing anything more than taking the edge off my restlessness and fidgeting. It wasn't doing a thing for any other of my ADD symptoms. And higher doses of Dexedrine didn't do any better, they only made me sleepier.

And so, my doctor has convinced me to try Ritalin. I started this morning and I've taken 2 doses so far. The good news is that yes, it does help with my hyperactivity and no, it doesn't give me headaches or make me nauseous (always a concern for me).

The bad news is that I am even more distracted and less motivated on the Ritalin than I was with no medication. And the worst news is that not only am I not hyperactive, my whole energy level is in the dumps. I think the best way to describe my mood on the Ritalin is apathetic. I know I have things I should be doing, but I don't want to. And I don't really care that I don't want to.

I don't really know what I want to do right now. Even thinking takes up too much energy. I'm not really that tired, but I am drowsy. I don't feel like sleeping, but I don't really feel like doing anything else either. It's sad, but I'm sitting here hoping that the dose will wear off soon so that maybe I can get some energy back and get something accomplished before I take the 3rd dose.

So please tell me, is this reaction normal? Does it get better? Will I probably get my energy levels back? If the Ritalin isn't doing anything for my ADD now, will I start seeing improvements later as I get used to the medicine? Why am I so tired and apathetic? Is my dose too high? Or too low?

Please help. Any advice or suggestions you have would be appreciated.

Amy

Hiya

How is it now? Has your distractabilty got any better?

My first week or two, maybe more was an interesting time. More tired than usual, a hell of a lot of sitting around just thinking, and a very very quiet mind.

With hindsight it was like a transition from chaos to calm. I can't really explain it so well. I am still not out of this completely, I had a lot of thoughts to catch up on I guess. Anyway...

3 x 5mg seems like a sensible dose to start with. It took me a few days to get used to, that was on 2 x 5mg. Give it a couple of weeks if you can (and if there are no extreme reactions of course!!).

Hey, thanks for the response. Actually, I'm off Ritalin and back on the Dexedrine now. I told my doctor about the side effects I was having and asked if I should just wait it out, but he said that for a lot of people, Ritalin either works or it doesn't. He said that waiting it out wouldn't make any difference and immediately put me back on the Dex. Not that I'm entirely happy with the Dex, but at least the side effects are much easier to deal with.

Amy

Dont for get that you are on a new medicine which will have to be titrated to find the therapuetic level (window) for you hang in there and dont give up!!

kattq

are ya doing ok A1A5KA?

just checking in on ya!! Come back comeback!!!

Hi kattsqueen,

Thanks for the response, I'm doing OK. Like I said in my last post, I decided to get off the Ritalin and go back to the Dexedrine. I'm still not sure about whether the Dex is the right medication for my ADHD, but I do know now that Ritalin absolutely definately is NOT. Well, I'll keep at it until I find something that works. Thanks again for checking in on me!

Amy