stARTING MEDS AFTER TODAY’S VISIT

I am newly diagonosed  and wont bore you with the history blah blah blah of living wiht ADHD  43 yrs untreated. My car insurance was cancelled and my mortgage  is late  and I have 1800.00 in my checking account(about since i dont balance it) The chaos finally got too much and i sought help

Anyway, I abused drugs as a teen a bit. I am on tambacor for AFIB. It works great I never get it anymore. My Dad  has had it for 40 yrs and is 80 now and  got relief from the same drug  after suffering attacks for 30 yrs. MY concern  with ritaling  is the abuse potential and the AFIB. I called  my Cardiologist and he said i have no history on stress tests of funky beats and  the 3 I have had since getting the Afib for the first time all showed  my heart muscle was great. I do 2 hrs cardio a weekj and lift weights so no surporise there. He saiod I could try the ritalin  and if I had breakthroughs  just stop it. 

I had  been leaning toward trying Straterra  but have read some real scary stuff about daytime lethargy here. I crash mid afternoon badly now w/o help tyvery much.

I have no desire to abuse ritalin. I just want  to be able  to  remember  to pay my bills, find my keys, find  my wallet, rememember  appointments and important dates, be able to actually  organize my household,  maybe not  vibrate  ym leg  as soon as I sit... or at least  have the patience to  keep a day organizer to help remeber some of that stuff.

My Dr   said he felt Ritalin was the most  effective. I was sure my cardiologist would call me nuts  if I took it....he isnt.  So, now I am left  with the dilamma w= of a choice when I see the FR again today.  I have so far changed my mind about 50 times. Anyone have  any thoughts on the two drigs or experience  with funky heartbeats from them. At this point the idea of not trying one or the other is retty much moot.   I am sick and tired of living like I have an ankle weight  holding me back. Please  any thoughts would be appreciated

"My Dr   said he felt Ritalin was the most  effective."

Actually, different meds work differently for each person. Coincidentally, my doctor says that 75% of his patients prefer adderall to ritalin. My doctor has been specializing in behavioral practices and AD/HD for almost 30 years, so take it or leave it as you will...However, I am not saying that this is correct or that it is my opinion; it's just something to ponder.  

Bobel...abuse occurs when  medication is not taken as precribed. If it is inhaled it can cause a serious case of emphysema not because of the active ingredients in ritilan. People have died from abusing ritilan because of the talc. If it is injected, those same abrasive binders can irritate blood vessels and cause a massive circulatory system infection.

You taking the medication as prescribed and for what it is intended so I hope I have eased your fears a bit. Having quality of life is better than hitting lotto asyou feel like your reborn. Im doing the happy dance for you!!!!!! Good luck and keep us posted

I  started on a low dose of  Ritalin. The dosage may need adjustment a bit but I noticed a dramatic difference the first few hours and will be taking more in a few hours. It very much is a quality of life issue for me. I am Pigpen  trailing chaos in my personal life. It surely effected every relationship I have ever been in  although it did not end my marriage.  My pulse  and rythm have been fine.  The fast flushing was  the reason the DR  felt this was a better choice for me. Thank you for the input.  I trust  both my Drs. I am sure  after   all the missed appointments the Cardiolgists office wasnt shocked by my  question  I am a bit uncomfortable with the abuse potential for ritalin but, the potential benefit seems to far out way the risk. 

I feel like I have won the lottery. I knew I was ADHD for a long time and never sought help because I had  zoomed in on all the negative stories. If  this morning at work is what is awaiting me once  i get the proper dosage etc.....I FEEL LIKE I WON THE LOTTERY!  I cannot ever remember being  so centered  and focused on the task at hand rather than 20 other things 

My Dr   said he felt Ritalin was the most  effective. I was sure my cardiologist would call me nuts  if I took it....he isnt

Hi Bobel and welcome. Side effects of any medication are a very valid concern. Patients who are started on ADHD medication go on a trial of meds which means they are closely monitored by their doctors and the goal is to find the lowest, most effective dose for that particular individual. Ritilan has been around for over 50 years and has been proven to be the most safe, effective drug for adhd. Ritilan can be tried and stopped because it is not a blood level medication and therefore flushes out of the system. Straterra is a fairly new drug which is a blood level medication but there are many here that have experience with it that can perhaps shed more light in terms of side effects they have experienced. Trusting your doctors is the key element when making such decisions. While we all have opinions and experiences with medication, every individual responds differently to medication and only a medical expert can determine whether any drug is safe for that particular individual based on medical history and preexisting conditions if there is one. My decision to put my child on medication was made based on the fact that for him it was a quality of life issue. While no one here can tell you what the best decision possible is for you, we are here to support you emotionally and share our own personal experiences. Good luck and please keep us posted.