Ritalin and Food

[Noxide]

I'm going to present two cases, let me know if any of these apply to you.


Case 1:
Take ritalin in the morning with a few sips of water, then take ritalin every 4 hours. Do not eat until I'm done with all of my doses (no food for 12 hours).
Almost 100% focus on any task I do.


Case 2:
Have a light breakfast (protein + water). Take ritalin, then take ritalin every 4 hours with snacks all day.
Feel as though I did not take any medication. Scattered thoughts, cannot read.



Skip the "ritalin will give you ulcers" crap, I know it can be irritating. Does anyone feel that ritalin works better on an empty stomach? Has anyone realized this and taken tums with their ritalin?

[Peripheral]

Originally Posted by Noxide

I'm going to present two cases, let me know if any of these apply to you.


Case 1:
Take ritalin in the morning with a few sips of water, then take ritalin every 4 hours. Do not eat until I'm done with all of my doses (no food for 12 hours).
Almost 100% focus on any task I do.


Case 2:
Have a light breakfast (protein + water). Take ritalin, then take ritalin every 4 hours with snacks all day.
Feel as though I did not take any medication. Scattered thoughts, cannot read.



Skip the "ritalin will give you ulcers" crap, I know it can be irritating. Does anyone feel that ritalin works better on an empty stomach? Has anyone realized this and taken tums with their ritalin?

For me
I need to eat or I can have some irritability issues.
Talk to your doctor. It's not good for me without eating.
Sure it might work faster, but it is not as balanced.
FunnyHead

[Fima]

Originally Posted by FunnyHead

For me
I need to eat or I can have some irritability issues.
Talk to your doctor. It's not good for me without eating.
Sure it might work faster, but it is not as balanced.
FunnyHead

I don't think that its work's better because the stomach is empty and its get's faster to blood, because if that's was the case then you can eat and use the Ritalin in a rectumal way... I preaty sure that I read somewhere that when the brain get's glukoz its somehow wroins the effect of ritalin, BTW(to the writer) are you over/normal/under weight?

[Driver]

Originally Posted by Noxide

Does anyone feel that ritalin works better on an empty stomach? Has anyone realized this and taken tums with their ritalin?

The consumer information sheet with Ritalin recommends you take it on an empty stomach for greater efficacy.

[peripatetic]

i take every dose on an empty stomach. however, i force myself to eat as regularly as possible. if i go the whole day without eating i'll end up nauseated in the evening and that brings on some raging irritability. i also skirt the underweight category, so i have to be careful.

if each dose is lasting 4 hours, perhaps try eating an hour or so after taking each one. that would give it time to be absorbed, but also keep you from running on empty all day. if food is repulsive to you on medication, then maybe drink juice or protein shakes to start.

best of luck with your meds

[andyum]

I have really not found a difference in effectiveness if I take it on an empty stomach or not. However, it definetly helps to eat well for me to lessen any crash.

[Stefan]

so all you eat is ritalin? lol

[joebel]

Ritalin works better for me on an empty stomach as well. Considering that I seem to have some reactive hypoglycemic troubles (according to the physician), that wasn't too suprising.

What I do nowadays is a form of intermittant fasting (IF). I don't eat untill 15.00 hrs. Works like a charm for me.

[Amburgular]

I take Ritalin on an empty stomach and then eat 45 minutes to an hour later, after my second dose (4-6 hours later later) I do the same.

I have had minor stomach irritation but this is how my Dr told me to take the Ritalin, I wasn't really aware of the stomach irritation being related to the Ritalin, I have always had stomach problems

As far as feeling the effects of the Ritalin, the once or twice I have taken it with food, I didn't notice a difference. There is no way, for me, that I could go 12 hours not eating. I would be irritable, not to mention I would worry that it would mess up my metabolism in the long term.

[ferosh]

i find if i take a ritaln on an empty stomach and then eat, it works well.

[alowan]

I'm wondering how folks do with combining Ritalin & caffeine. I've been taking mine right before breakfast, which for me is cereal & coffee or tea.

I tend to get quite grumpy, achy, and irritable when withdrawing from caffeine, not to mention waking up with a splitting headache. I'd prefer not to give it up unless I really have to.

What say you all?

[O'Doyle]

Ritalin + caffeine was a dirty, dirty ride for me. Finals week I'd basically chase my first 30mg Ritalin IR dose of the day with one of those '5-hour energy' shots.

25 minutes later, I'm like: "Holy crap, I can see through time!"
Not the greatest for my body, but it saw me through exams

FYI, if you're on instant release (ONLY!) Ritalin, there's a much safer way than caffeine to get it to work faster. Break your tablets into at least 4 pieces before swallowing & take with no more than 8oz warm water on an empty stomach; no food for 15 min.

It has to do with surface-area for breaking it down once it's in you. Warm helps it dissolve faster, and I found less liquid worked better than more—at least until your dose is on board.

[cisbrane]

i take it with an emtpy stomach in the morning... mainly because of my acid reflux. when my stomach is empty, for some reason my gerd symptoms with ritalin are not as bad.

i do try to eat after it wares off though. i know it suppress my appitite, but I need to eat and get nutrients as well. Luckly, my classes go from 10-2, then 3-4 so during that break (which is conveniet as it is after a 4 hr time period) i eat lunch and then take my next dose. I have to be careful though as it can make my gerd really bad...

then four hours later i eat dinner... basically, i just schedule to eat right around the time it wares off so I can handle food better.

(and this is why i prefer instant release as to delayed release... i have control...)

[weareacc]

Originally Posted by O'Doyle

Ritalin + caffeine was a dirty, dirty ride for me. Finals week I'd basically chase my first 30mg Ritalin IR dose of the day with one of those '5-hour energy' shots.

25 minutes later, I'm like: "Holy crap, I can see through time!"
Not the greatest for my body, but it saw me through exams

FYI, if you're on instant release (ONLY!) Ritalin, there's a much safer way than caffeine to get it to work faster. Break your tablets into at least 4 pieces before swallowing & take with no more than 8oz warm water on an empty stomach; no food for 15 min.

It has to do with surface-area for breaking it down once it's in you. Warm helps it dissolve faster, and I found less liquid worked better than more—at least until your dose is on board.

nice one- Im going to try this now as I struggle to get any benefit concerning focus.

I can't tolerate caffeine with Ritalin at all. It was bad enough without Ritalin!!

[String]

Ritalin + Food = Benefit
Ritalin - Food = Ditsy