Help, Husband Addicted To Ritalin

[batgrl2000]

I'M REALLY AT THE END OF MY ROPE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 6 YEARS AND THIS ADD, RITALIN THING MIGHT BE THE END OF US. HE WAS SUPPOSEDLY "DIAGNOSED" WITH ADD WHEN HE WAS 22 AND HE'S BEEN ON IT FOR 9 YEARS NOW. I KNEW HE WAS ON IT WHEN WE WERE MARRIED BUT I HAD NO IDEA THE HOLD IT HAD ON HIM. I HAD NEVER SEEN HIS RITALIN BOTTLE, HE HID IT, AND HE NEVER REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT. HIS 3 BROTHERS AND MOST OF HIS FRIENDS ARE ALSO ON IT. I FOUND OUT A FEW YEARS AFTER WE WERE MARRIED THAT HE WAS "DOSING" HIS RITALIN(TAKING DOUBLE OR MORE OF HIS DAILY PRESCRIBED AMOUNT). ALL OF HIS BEHAVIOR IS SO "ADDICT-LIKE" I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE'S ON THE MAXIMUM DOSAGE ALLOWED, 60 MG A DAY, AND HE STILL TAKES EPHEDRINE AND DRINKS ENERGY DRINKS TO GET THE "RUSH". WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS DOCTOR. I MEAN, 9 YEARS ON RITALIN AND HIS DOCTOR HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING BUT INCREASE HIS DOSAGE. HE'S NEVER TAKEN A "DRUG VACATION" OR ANYTHING. I NEED TO FIND OUT INFO ON THE DRUG AND WHAT THE LAW IS TO PRESCRIBE IT CORRECTLY. I AM SO ANGRY AT THIS DOCTOR. HE HAS TURNED MY HUSBAND INTO A DRUG ADDICT. DON'T THESE DOCTORS HAVE SOME KIND OF RESPONSIBLITY TO THEIR PATIENTS WHEN PRESCRIBING THIS KIND OF DRUG. IF ANYONE HAS ANY INPUT OR SUPPORT I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

LISA

[Tara]

Other than the fact that he is taking twice the ammount that the MD has prescribed, why do you think he is addicted?

[exeter]

So, he's been prescribed 60 mg/day and he's taking 120? And still needs to take ephedrine and drink energy drinks?

The problem might be that Ritalin doesn't do anything for him.

I'm not real surprised that his brothers are all on it. It's interesting that you say most of his friends are, too, but so what?

It's possible he might be addicted. Ritalin can be addictive, especially if it's injected or snorted. What "addict-like" behavior does he have? Have you talked to him about it?

P.S. Please try not to post in all caps. Preferably use capital letters at the beginning of sentences and wherever else grammatically necessary.

[RhapsodyInBlue]

Bargrl, if your husband's doctor has prescibed this dosage, how is your husband "addicted"? I may be misunderstanding you, but is your hubby taking double doses of what the Doc prescribes, or is the Doc prescribing the amount hubby takes?

If the Doc has placed him on that dose, then he's probably on it for a reason, if he's taking extra on his own, then I think he probably needs re-evaluating. Perhaps the rialin isn't working for him, and he's self-medicating to get through tough times.

Doctors have responsibility, but are you certain hubby is only getting the meds from one Doc? If not, there are ways in some countries where that will eventually come to his Docs attention.

Have you spoken to your husband about this? I hope you can write back

[batgrl2000]

He usually goes through his 30 day script in two weeks. Then he buys and borrows more from his friends and family. He has admitted to me that he feels like he's addicted to it and the only thing he can think about during the day is taking more. He told me he takes more than his script because he only gets the "speed" feeling if he takes a higher dose. I think he was misdiagnosed the the Ritalin doesn't do for him what it should in someone with ADD. On top of him taking double sometimes triple his daily dose he also takes ephedrine and drinks those power/energy drinks to get the jolt. I'm afraid he's going to give himself a heart attack taking so many stimulants. He's also had issues with taking pain killers he wasnt prescribed and he uses the stimulants to come up all day then he would take dramamine to come down at night and sleep.

[Tara]

Am I getting this right?? He is only prescribed 30 mg per day but he takes 60mg a day?

[Tara]

30 mg per day is really not that high of a dosage. 60 mg really isn't a crazy dosage either. There many people who are prescribed over 100 mgs per day of Ritalin or Concerta.

What type of MD is he seeing? Is it an AD/HD specialist?

[Duckie]

Your husband may not react to the Ritalin as well as other people. If so, yo should persuade him to talk to the doctor to switch to another drug. I heard that the drug works for different length of time for different people. For example, it may work for someone else for 4 hours until that person have to take another pill. The problem may be that the drug wears off faster with your husband and that makes him take it more frequently to keep up. There are many options besides Ritalin. If he 's not happy with it then he should try out a ne one.

[Sc@tterBr@in_UK]

Whether he has ADD or not nobody here can tell, but he is definitely abusing the meds if he is taking them to get the "speed feeling".

[hoosiergirl]

Have you tried calling his Dr and see if he can assist with the situation? His Dr. needs to know about everything you just told us.

[Tara]

Lisa,

Can you give us any updates on this situation? Has your husband communicated with his MD at all?

[GuitarBritanica]

now, while i was reading this thread it got me thinking,

is he addicted isnt he addicted...........is that really the issue? i mean cmon think about, whats someone who is addicted to a certain thing , what are some txt book signs?

withdrawal, craving, eratic behavior,


YOU PUT SOMEONE ON SPEED FOR 9 YEARS AND YANK IT ALL AT ONCE OF COURSE THERE GONNA DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO OBTAIN MORE.

Sorry...

and hes still at a 30mg dose? believe me if he was ADDICTED, hed be goin thru that bottle in 4 days, and itd be going into his arm.