Been on Ritalin for a week

[StreetBlues]

Hi everyone,

I finally went to get help for what ive had all my life, ADD or ADHD. Basically I have all the symptons and my worst symptons are not being able to focus on my priorities at work, and I get easily stressed, mood swings, and I constantly change my mind etc.

I take 3 10mg pills each day and I don't notice much except it calms me down and I don't feel too upset on it, but the reason I went to get help for ADHD in the first place was to be able to concentrate and focus better which it has only slightly done. It has also started causing me to be depressed in the late evenings and I have sleep problems so I'm up the whole night now feeling very upset.

I go to the Doc tonight to tell him if it worked or not and I don't know what to tell him, I am wondering if I need to ask him to try me on Concerta or Adderal or sleeping pills/anti depressants (non suicidal, never think of that).

Any help would be great so I can go to him prepared tonight. It is a physician and not a pyschiatrist, I personally can't wait months to get in with a pyhsciatrist.

thanks,
Brent

[KMiller]

Just tell him exactly what you just told us, and ask him if he has any ideas. It sounds like that dosage could be either too high or too low, depending. Causing depression after it drops off is pretty common, especially with Ritalin. Sleep problems are also common with Ritalin because it is a stimulant. Just let the Doctor know what's going on, and ask him his opinion. Maybe try Concerta or Adderall or Strattera. Sleeping pills and antidepressants shouldn't be used if the medication is the only thing causing those problems.

[StreetBlues]

Originally Posted by KMiller

Just tell him exactly what you just told us, and ask him if he has any ideas. It sounds like that dosage could be either too high or too low, depending. Causing depression after it drops off is pretty common, especially with Ritalin. Sleep problems are also common with Ritalin because it is a stimulant. Just let the Doctor know what's going on, and ask him his opinion. Maybe try Concerta or Adderall or Strattera. Sleeping pills and antidepressants shouldn't be used if the medication is the only thing causing those problems.

Thanks Kendra

I basically went and told him today and he says that Ritalin is addictive and thats why I am getting depressed after it wears off, he thinks anti depressants might be better and I think he might up the dosage of ritalin a bit. I go back on Thursday with the depression questionarre he gave, which I think is for more severe depression cases.(keep in mind I am negative and dwell on things lots, but I never really feel sorry for myself or hopeless I am always thinking of excelling).

[StreetBlues]

Holy smokes ! I didnt get depressed today ! I really hope it was just a side effect for the first few days on it. I feel so good now at 1am and I usually would feel really down. (ive only been on Ritalin for 6days) I am glad he didn't give me the anti depressants today or else I would of thought it was them !

[Gregster]

A lot of people take ritalin and anti-depressants. ADDers often have issues with anxiety and minor depression, etc, and find anti-depressants helpful.

[KMiller]

Yeah, Gregster is right on that count, I take Zoloft and Ritalin, for instance. Zoloft is for "all the anxiety disorders" heh. BUT if the ADD medication is the thing causing the anxiety problems, it is better to change ADD medications than start another medication. It's never a good thing to counter side effects with more medicines.

PS: My name is Keith

[andocrates]

If your doctor told you Ritalin was addictive, and he thinks he can treat ADD with anti-depressants, you need a better doctor. Ritalin is not addictive and Anti depressants are like the worse thing you could do an ADD patient. Seriously this guy is clueless, you need to do to a Psychiatrist. I know they are expensive but at least the understand the issues.

[exeter]

Err, Ritalin is addictive, but only in much much higher doses than are used to treat ADD. You're not gonna get "hooked" on 30 mg/day.

[QUICKzAND]

I guess Ritalin just needs a bit getting used to...

When I started ritalin, I took 5mg 3 times a day, I still remember the first pill I took, damn that thing had impact! but the second that day didn't hit that hard. I took this dose for about 2 weeks, then it got upped to 10 mg 3 times a day. when I got used to that it seemed the meds wore off a bit faster than hoped for, so I'm on 10 mg 4 times a day now, but my dr allows me to take an extra 10 mg when I feel like I "need" it, like when I'm going to a job interview...

I think this gradual build up of the dose can really help in keeping the side effects to a minimum.