How long? | ADHD Information

I am on Ritalin LA for the third week now.
How long does it usualy take to start working? one month? .IMac38947.396875First week was absolutely great. I found myself thinking about what i was going to say which was something i had never done. I felt excelent and my people relations improved dramaticly.

Second week and third week (this one) i found myself being impulsive again. Speaking withouth thinking, making careless mistakes and getting irritated quickly.
Im on 30mg and my only option would be to take two pills thus doubling the dosage.
Thanks jfla, i might try a double dose friday, as i have an exam tomorrow, to see how it works out. If it works i will indeed try to discuss it with my doctor as u sugest.

I started out on ritalin, but I metabolize way too fast.  After the first few days, Ritalin never gave me more than an hour or two of reliable focus.  I maxed out the recommended dosage without much improvement.  That is when my doc switched me to Adderall. 

I still metabolize it really fast, but I am nowhere near the max recommended dosage.

Welcome and good luck! Let us know how it goes. 

I live in Portugal and ADHD is virtualy unknown here as i believe it is in most of europe. Adderall doesnt exist and neither does stratera or concerta.
Im stuck on ritalin and got to make the best with it!
I just dont know about trying 60mg but i realy cannot afford another visit to the doctor so soon.
warman
When a whole cap of Ritalin LA seemed to be too much for my son, the doctor suggested opening it up and spilling some of it out.  I used to do this with his dose of 2@ 30mg.  So I suppose one could add a bit to the prescribed dose to try it out.  It is often suggested that Rit LA can be spilled onto apple sauce to take for those that have difficulty swallowing pills.  Of course it is always best to run this by the doctor.  Perhaps you could discuss this with your doctor and /or nurse on the phone and avoid another bill.
Good Luck
jfla238888.7662037037usually 20-30 mintues Man, just wrote a whole thing out for you IMac but it got erased somehow. No, he never mentioned anything about a diagnosis. I guess he's assuming (he does alot of this) that i'm telling the truth. He forgot to tell me what focalin is, side effects, health risks, etc, etc. Isn't he supposed to diagnose me, etc and all that stuff first before he goes ahead and gives me pills?

Anyway, no real complaint because I can of course look for the info myself (like i've been doing) but seems kind of dangerous you know?

But to be honest i'm not here to depend on medication in anyway, or therapy, not because i'm against it in any way, or because of this or that, i'm fine with all of that, but i just feel better if i can handle whatever my problems are---alone.

etc you know so i guess he's a good doc for me.

-Jon
Oh, and i forgot this last message too, thanks for the reply.
.IMac38947.3972453704Hey, I'm new here, and started taking a form of Ritalin called Focalin today.

It's kind of weird because when I sit still I feel like im kind of shaking or kind of dizzy. I guess it's just being a little light headed? I had a class today and did really well but.

Even now, which just could be me being kind of sleepy and tired, I feel on the verge of a nervous breakdown but I took the medication around 12 hours ago. I guess it could be because it's my first time but I don't know.

Anyway, I have I think severe anxiety problems and my psychiatrist, unlike my first one, doesn't seem all that interested and this is coming from the state of Maryland and probably doesn't even know that I have anxiety problems anyway.

So i'm not sure what I should do---probably just keep taking this because it's been working (I think) and hopefully not a placebo effect.

But i'm really wondering WHY some doctors choose ritalin over adderall and vice versa, when they initially try us out on either medications.

I mean, I know this stuff is working but not like 100%, more like 30 I think.

Oh and this is off topic (but i'm sure you guys are used to that here )
but I have a slight money problem and don't exactly have any health insurance.
I'm 18 right now, and pretty darn sure I have ADHD, cause it basically ruined me for the last 5 to 6 yrs, and even beating me down, all like that until... Today which was really quite different.

But anyway, do any of you guys talk to your psychs over the phone? Instead of meeting with him I mean, like about a few things, probably around 5 mins (max) and do any of your psychs give out prescriptions for you over the phone? I mean, man that would save me ALOT of money cause I have to pay 250$ every time I see that guy and nothing happens.. at all.

And is there any other way to keep getting prescripts without seeing a doctor? I mean, like not a psychs but a different kind of doctor who does this sort of thing, and you just see him every now and then, like every 3 weeks and just meet him up on more formal and superficial terms? And just explain stuff, but the guy doesn't give you any of that subjective talk? I don't know, maybe it's just this one guy but man, he is either really tricky and clever or just a bit too open.


Sorry I cut myself off there, and got worried my internet might freeze or something happen for that message to get deleted but...

Anyway what I basically should have just asked was

Any advice for someone taking medication for the first time (that actually works, I was put on Wellbutrin XR and Lexapro before this, which is anti-deps but i think that psychiatrist which i really liked, was being 'safe' with me because i dont think he was trying to swindle my money or anything)

Anyway, any advice?

OH and this question is really important.
Say this Focalin(Ritalin) starts to wear off or isn't just working that great (but working nonetheless) and i'm at that stage where I should go and up the dosage (i'm at 10mg right now which i think is really low) or just switch to adderall.

And the big thing about this is whether or not I have any choice in Which medication I can try? And in my case I really feel as if Adderall is going to do me some true magic.

I mean, have any of you said no to a doc making you try something, and asked for something else and he said yes?

Just a though I guess, but i'm over here tight on money, cause i'm paying for all my own stuff, like college which is gonna freaking cost me probably 350k for 4 years (with living expenses included), car insurance, paying my parents back, etc, etc etc. And i don't plan to get a loan so i'm sort of screwed.


Anyway, any tips?
What do you mean by psychotic scotmama?

Well, i did a DD and i believe it started to work again. No side effects that i could notice and no problem whatsoever sleeping. I was just a happier person and much easier to be arround with. Guess im sticking with 60mg.

The exam...I didnt go. I had very strong anxiety attacks and decided that it being too much. I postponed it and now my next one in wednesday. Im gonna start on lexotan tomorrow to see if i can study.
I'm glad you you could postpone the test until you are feeling right in yourself.  What's lexotan?

i started to feel dizzy after i took my first pill of retilin,then lightheaded,then really amorous and aggressive at the same time towards my hubby(poor guy must have thought he was married to freddy crueger)i wanted to phone eveybody,starting talking really fast pacing the floor about 10 things at the same time,my mind was twirling with thoughts,i was elated one time then really angry the next.got cold sweats,palpitations.i think that is all,oh i forgot wanted to get naked in the living room.

i am now in mythird day and am just back to normal nearly.

Are you still taking it?

yes i am feeling better and am posting some kind of day to day journal in the basement.i kind hope my personnal experience can help others

warman have you tried kalms tablets,i am taking them when i have a driving lesson  as i am a complete nervous wreck before hand

i took retilin for the first time yesterday and went completely psychotic ,i take 3 10mg a day

anyone got this effect?

Instead of a double dose,perhaps 50% more might be safer to try out or less. 
 Ds has also used a cup of coffee to boost his focus for more demanding classes.

Good Luck on your exam !
Lexotan is an anxiolityc named "Bromazepam".

Im realy going out of my mind...My anxiety is totaly out of control and i dont know if it was such a good idea to start Ritalin right in midterms. Anyway, there is no other option here as it is the only pharm available (no aderall or concerta exist).
I think i am stopping Ritalin until midterms are over.

I just cant study. The more i try, the more i feel sick and ADHD isnt recognized or helped as a condition over here. OMG what am i gonna do...

And every day i have to hear everyone tell me that there is nothing wrong with me that it is just a matter of "willpower". Even after being diagnosed by a psiquiatrist.
I am 30 now and my chances of having a degree and in that manner a life are running thin.

What are kalms tablets? BTW, im thinking of postponing the next exam which is wednesday.

I actually find that after a  year and a half on meds that really work that anxiety is nearly nil.  It's almost at the point where I feel too cocky with some situations.  The only anxiety I feel sometimes is a little agoraphobia (I prefer indoors with small crowds only).  But I can move around in the world with little prodding.

Anxiety is certainly a part of ADHD and needs to be conquered.  It needs to be talked about with a therapist and I know that takes guts.  I cancelled two appointments with my psych using all sorts of excuses until I buckled down to work on it.