Ritalin & Exercise...Should I Take Before?

[2Easy2Forget]

Hi all...

I recently began going to Tae Kwon Doe. My class is at 12 noon every day. This is also the time that my next dosage of 20 MG short acting ritalin is due. I am having no increase in blood pressure or pusle taking Ritalin so far, but I have always taken my BP/Pulse sitting down in a normal situation.

My question is.....if I take my Ritalin before excercise, do you think that it will make me to hyped up and make my breathing to hard etc??. Or should I wait and take my next dose right after the class.

Just wondering if anyone has had this experience, and what they did about it .

Thanks,
Jean

[Tara]

This an interesting question...

My question is do you need the medication to help you with do the Tae Kwon Doe? Is there any reason that taking it after the class wouldn't work out for you?

[2Easy2Forget]

No ...I was just more concerned with taking a dose on time more then anything else. I do see your point though....If I don't *need* it during class...then why not take it right after .

Jean

[Gregster]

It shouldn't cause you any problems, other than perhaps a slightly higher pulse rate & BP. If you have no problems with either of these, excersize shouldn't be a problem. I know I excersize while taking dexedrine, and I excersize pretty hard sometimes (without overdoing it too much) but I haven't had any problems yet - no difference in breathing, etc.
I find that taking dexedrine helps me with procrastination and motivation, so I am far more likely to go to the gym when I am taking it - this is why I don't time my meds to take it after.
You should ask your doctor about it, just in case.

[2Easy2Forget]

Thanks all! I appreciate your advice .

Jean

[KMiller]

When I first started Ritalin, I had very little problems in my martial arts classes (Bando - Burmese Kickboxing), except for when we sparred. When we sparred, my heart rate naturally went up, as it should have. The problem was after we were done sparring, it took me a very, very hard time to get my heart rate back down to normal. Basically, the stimulant didn't cause it to go up, but once it was up, the stimulant didn't want to let it back down.

This side effect did end up subsiding eventually, as my body got more used to it.

[VickiS]

Hi!
I am fairly new to meds (I was just diagnosed) But I have not missed a work out in 25 years, and I own a business in the fitness industry.
I flip back and forth between Adderall and Ritalin.
Ritilin does not seem to effect my stamina or heart rate (Adderall on the other hand makes me feel like Wonder Women- very scary and a topic for another day) But Ritalin slows down my reflexes tremendously (all that processing I guess) I tried my kickboxing class while on it and even my instructor said something. My 7 year old plays hockey and takes Concerta - he plays so much better when not on his meds.
I feel one of my ADD "gifts" is intuitiveness. For me one of the drawbacks of Ritalin is stifles that. I purposely take the short acting so I can pick and choose when I am medicated.

[spacegirlpsych]

wow, 20mg at once and I think that I would bounce off the walls..I usually bite the 10mg pills in half. As far as excercise, I run better and have more energy on the ritaline, also it gets me into my running clothes and shoes and out the door. People say I am an energizer bunny, lol. Unfortunately as with most meds the withdrawal from the med will give you opposing side effects so I'm a bump on a log when I'm not medicated and slower-moving. I don't see any problems with taking meds before the class, just watch for postural hypotension and that dizzy feeling.


Maybe part of the reason why I am hyperactive on ritaline is because I am inattentive-type, not ADHD. This is what my doctor put me on though. I am going to bring up the amph's with him.

Best,
SGP