Adderall vs. Ritalin | ADHD Information

Has anyone here ever taken Adderall and Ritalin at separate times?  I was thinking of trying Ritalin and was wondering what some of your experiences with each one were and how they compared to each other.  My doc seems to think Ritalin is better for ADHD and Adderall is better for inatentive type.  I like Adderall but if Ritalin would work better, I'll try it.  I took Ritalin as a child, but don't remember that much about it.  My mom said the change in me when I was medicated was like night and day.  Anyone tried both?Reisa, were you on the time released ritalin or the short-acting one? Were the effects of Ritalin pretty much the same as Adderall?  And do you think your ritalin dose was high enough? Also, what fewer side-effects did ritalin have?  You and I are very similar in the fact that we metabolize meds quickly, as I only get only about 5 or 6 hours out of Adderall XR.  I wonder if increasing the dose would make it last longer, but then, do you have to keep increasing the dose?  Don't wanna get maxed out and then nothing works!  Stimulants are tricky and just when u think you've found the right dose, it quits working for as long.  Sucks, huh?

Short acting ritalin, I maxed out the dosage.  Ritalin didn't decimate my appetite.  I get 5-6 hrs out of Adderall XR (30mg)  I take another 15mg of regular Adderall in the afternoon to get me through the rest of the day.  I haven't had to increase my Adderall dosage, except to add the afternoon dose. 

It doesn't have the same "military" effect on my attention span that it used to.  But that is probably because I am not hyperfocused on my coping mechanisms like I used to be - which is actually a good thing for my self esteem. 

I have been content with my meds/dosage for a couple of years now.  I added the afternoon dose a few months ago.  I find that if I get my day off to a fairly motivated and organized start I tend to stay in the groove.  If I am kind of scattered in the morning - the whole day keeps on that way regardless of meds.

I have taken both - ritalin had slightly fewer side effects, but didn't last long enough to be worth a flip.  But that is just me and my metabolism.  I have the same problem with adderall, but at least it lasts more than a couple hours.Your body decides what med will work and what won't. There is no medication that is better for inattentive or hyperactive types.

I've taken both meds (for severe ADHD combined type if that matters) Ritalin did nothing for me. Adderall helped a lot. It wasn't a miracle pill but it made life a bit easier and made things that were once impossible possible for me.