Ritalin side-effect?

[Ari Gold]

First post

I was diagnosed with [moderate] ADHD-I near the beginning of the year and had great success with Ritalin 6x10mg per day for a month or two, before switching to Concerta 2x32mg per day.

Not long after switching to Concerta, it's beneficial affects felt like that we're waning, and I began getting anxiety from it (which I had never experienced before), and even a panic attack. Aside from this, the twelve hour long jitteriness and teeth grinding were becoming intolerable.

After an extremely anxious and depressing two weeks without Concerta (I stopped using it after this), I began trying to switch back to Ritalin. The shorter durations were less anxiety inducing, and for some reason they generally worked better. However, from this point onward it was like every time I had even one Ritalin tablet there'd be a disproportionate worsening of my ADD symptoms for a day or two, beyond the usual three or so hour comedown, which was unbelievably paralysing and depressing. I couldn't get out of bed; I had a total lack of motivation and clarity of thought, though I have no past experience at all of depression, anxiety, or mood swings. I feel normal and rational again over a day later.

It worked well enough initially to give me an epiphany on productivity and ambition, so I understand it's usefulness, but at the same time I am disgusted that people, children younger than I am may have to experience the same confused, intolerable state of demotivation as I do now after I take Ritalin or Concerta.

I'm just wondering how many of you feel this bad (i'm talking far beyond the usual Ritalin comedown) in the day/s following methylphenidate cessation, whether this reaction is heard of, and any other advice on medication in general?

I'd be open to trying again if I could be convinced of methods to make the stimulant experience more comfortable.

[sarahsweets]

It sounds like the methlyphenidate class of drugs doesnt suit you. Have you considered amphetamines>?

[fracturedstory]

You were on 60mg which by the way is twice the legal adult dosage limit in Australia, my doctor would say. He had me on 30mg a day and I couldn't even take that. I had the same side effects except I'd also get really sleepy. I took two months off and went back on starting as low as 5mg for like a year and now I'm on 10mg. I take only one dose a day and it works for me. I know it increases anxiety so I keep it in mind and that helps to decrease it to a controllable level.

I'll walk you through what happened to me, I did write a blog on this but it could take some time to find it. In about 3 weeks due to appetite suppression I went from 55 to 49kg. And 55 is skinny enough already. I still had no appetite but would get weak, dizzy, jittery, anxious. Then the convulsions started.

I have autism too so I have these things called shut downs where my whole brain slows down. This lasted for about 3 weeks. Then I went to a new town (I don't well with change) and I was anxious about meeting some band members backstage. I was barely eating because I couldn't and I stayed on my full dose because it made me talk more easily to people.

So I had some cognitive regression. Then when I tried taking 10, or even 5mg of Ritalin I'd get instantly tired or convulsive.

Like I said 60mg is too high and children are often given lower doses than adults so hopefully no little ones ever have to go through this.

My Ritalin withdrawal wasn't so bad, a lot of tiredness and crazy vivid dreams.

I'm back on because the seizures are permanent anyway and I just take a daily 10mg dose, break on the weekends. I actually need it to decrease my sensory issues which were a result of the regression.

So if you're game take a very long break, try a fiver and if you still have problems either switch to a non-stimulant or go to the doctor and see what they say. On 5mg the meds don't work as well I got something out of them. Just during that time of the month 5mg hardly works and I've got severe PMS and this month I've been getting into arguments, having meltdowns and feeling extremely depressed/ suicidal and the only thing easing that is my meds.

[silivrentoliel]

Out of curiosity, is it formulated differently in Australia? I remember as a kid (back in the 80s) I was taking about 60-80mg of Ritalin ... granted, as an adult I take 36mg Concerta (which is similar to, what, 8mg 3x day) and a 10mg boost which I don't feel much of, but it calms the rebound significantly.

[Buffie1313]

I feel you!! You should try the AMP meds.

[fracturedstory]

Originally Posted by silivrentoliel

Out of curiosity, is it formulated differently in Australia? I remember as a kid (back in the 80s) I was taking about 60-80mg of Ritalin ... granted, as an adult I take 36mg Concerta (which is similar to, what, 8mg 3x day) and a 10mg boost which I don't feel much of, but it calms the rebound significantly.

Hmm I don't know. Me and my friend take instant release Ritalin 10mg tablets. And you can not take any more than 30mg. Maybe I'll ask my psychiatrist next time I seem him if you can take more. I'm pretty sure he said it was the maximum allowed adult dosage.

[Ari Gold]

I was put straight onto the 60 mg over a one month acclimation period.

It was as though the comedown from it, the feeling of being more ADHD than before I was diagnosed (this lasts for at least a day or two after the immediate effects wear off) was just unbearable. Those "brain shut downs" you describe are coincidentally a good way to explain it (though I'm sure it wasn't as severe); I'd be bed ridden and confused, unable to see why I'd even get up and have a shower or how.

My doctor offered me Dexamphetamine. I'm considering taking that and getting help from my family to establish the best possible exercise, diet and sleeping habits possible to minimize the chances of going insane again. It's a scary prospect though.

[Ari Gold]

Originally Posted by Buffie1313

I feel you!! You should try the AMP meds.

Amp? As in amphetamines?

[BR549]

Originally Posted by Ari Gold

Amp? As in amphetamines?

Yes, amphetamines. You said that your doctor recommend dextroamphetamine? It might be worth looking into. Methylphenidate might not work as well for you as dextroamphetamine.