Ritalin Question | ADHD Information

I was recently diagnosed as add and was started on 5mg of Ritalin 2x daily.  That was soon raised to 3x daily.

Although I take the meds every 4 hours as recommended I feel like they're wearing off too soon.  I have a doctors appointment this Wednesday and was wondering if I should suggest to him to increase my dosage to 10 mg 3x daily.

What have been your experiences with thsi?  Thanks in advance for any assistance.

5mg is a pretty low dose, so increasing it to 10mg may help. Another thing you could do is take more doses closer together (maybe 4x daily, every 3 hours). Just because Ritalin is supposed to last 4 hours does not mean it will for you - Everyone responds differently to medication. Talk to your doctor about this first, though.

I take 10mg of Ritalin twice a day (Each dose lasts me 5 and a half hours). Unfortunately, this means I can't squeeze a third dose into my day without it messing up my sleep, so I just have to deal with being super hyper at night.

This may sound like an odd question (then again maybe not) but you are talking about the meds wearing off etc. and I have to know. How can you tell? What does it feel like?

My son who is just turning 9 has been diagnosed over the past 2 years with ADHD, NVLD (non-verbal learing disorder) and TS (tourette syndrome). Until now we have been trying to manage these things with behaviour modification etc. but it is just not working anymore so now I am considering putting  him on meds. But I want to know what that is going to be like for him.

I have heard of parents who have tried to take their kids medication to see what it was like but I have also heard that that does not help as your brain is starting from a different place than your childs and it does not effect you the same way it would a person with ADHD.

I just want to know what he will be feeling when he is on meds and I'm not sure that at age 9 he can really express it to me.

Thanks jimmo, and thanks to everyone for the information and words.

I have a perscription for dexedrine in my purse, got it yesterday. Can't bring myself to fill it right now, but I know that I will. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. Maybe it will be the next day that Brent decides to start painting the house with a spray can from the garage. Or maybe the next time I feel like I'm living in a hole that keeps getting deeper. But today is a good day, and maybe tomorrow will be too. I have been living one day at a time for the past several years, a few more won't hurt. I just really - really need to feel comfortable before I hand my son a pill.

I just started myself and came here today with the same questions as others. My doctor recommended starting with 5mg doses of Rital for the first few days, then move up to 10mg and see the difference. I have a little notebook, where I am writing my experiences (i.e. "still interrupting" "cannot focus well"). After a couple of weeks I will be going back to discuss my experiences. From what I have read and what people have posted here it will all depend on the person and you need to work with yourself and your doctor to find the dose that works best for you.

Specifically to Marci: I can completely understand your reaction. 100%!!! My son was diagnosed last year and I fought myself a long time with the issue. I read several books that talked against medication, but their arguments can apply to any condition. My wife was in favor of the medication from the start, but I was against it. After reading on both sides of the issue, I agreed that it was the best in his case. However, *you* must decided for your son. Some people *would* withhold insulin because it is a basic part of their beliefs. 

Considering that my son has been accepted at a German Gymansium (similar to a college prep school in the US), I think we made the right decision. Without the Ritalin he would not have made it. He is a bright kid and I think it would have been a tragedy for him not to be able to realize his potential simply because he has a little trouble in some areas. However, it is *your* decision.

Regards,

jimmo

Thanks Lisa,

Stories like that are encouraging.

Marci,

I support your attitude 100%. I am still not certain
without a shadow of a doubt that this is the right
things to do. I see the improvement. My wife sees the
improvement. My son's teacher sees the improvement. And,
just like Lisa's son, mine sees an improvement, too.
However, I am still not 100% "comfortable". It is a
psychoactive drug and I actually think you should be
happy about not being 100% comfortable with it. You just
need to weight the risks with the benefits. I did and
chose to give him the Ritalin. However, I *still* have
my concerns.

regards,

jimmo Marci, I know exactly how you're feeling but I want to tell you what my seven year old said last week.  He is adhd without any of the co-existing disorders, so the meds work GREAT for him.  He is small for his age (has been his whole life) so last week I decided to have him skip his meds so he would eat more that day.  He realized that I didn't give him the pill at breakfast and asked for it.  I told him he was going to skip a day and he told me he didn't want to.  I asked him just to try it.  He did eat lots more during the day, but also he told me he didn't feel nearly in control and didn't want to skip it again.  He KNOWS how much it helps him and after the first few months, the only side effect has been decreased eating.  Otherwise, he is his great self and personality, with the added ability to control his behavior and talking.   HTH  LisaI take my dosages about 3 hours apart, 10mgx3 times/day.  For a long time I had been at 4 hours, but the up & down of the drug was getting old.  My doc switched to the 3 hour cycle and it made a HUGE difference.  I can tell when the drug is wearing off as my appetite kicks in and my focus wanes.

Marci,

When my meds wear off I feel much more distracted and unable to focus on anything.  I start something and never finish it, because I'll see something else that needs to be done.  I'm sure it's different for everybody.

Boredomkills - thanks for the advice.  I'm trying to get my ducks in a row before my appointment Wednesday.  I experimented and took a 4th dose this past Friday around 7:30 because my husband and our friends wanted to play Monopoly and I wanted to be able to concentrate.  Surprisingly it didn't keep me up all night....as a matter of fact I think I slept better that night than I ever have.  Go figure.

Thanks Glen,

I guess I am just very aprehensive about the medications. There is so much negativity out there. I suppose most of the negative comes from those who don't truly understand what it is like to have adhd or be a caregive to someone who does.

My son's psycologist said to me that if I had a child with diabetis I would not withhold insilun so why would I withhold the medication that will help his ADHD. I do agree with that statement, but I guess I just have lots of my own "baggage" when it comes to societies views this topic.

I guess I need to be strong for Brent, (my son) and make it OK for him and for us so that he gets the help he needs. And, it doesn't have to be a lifelong commitment, we can do a trial which is how I plan on looking at it at first.

Our appointment with his dr. is tomorrow and I guess he will start the medication right after that. I'm just panicing right now. Thanks for talking me through it.

 

Hi Murried2.....the dose is probably wearing off quickly because your metabolizing it very quickly. Raising the dose will not make it last longer. The goal is getting the target dose with maximum benefit and minimal side effects. Generally, the effects of ritilan last between 2 and 4 hours depending on the metobolic rate of absorption. Another option you can discuss with your doctor is Concerta or Ritilan LA. Concerta and Ritilan LA are comparable to ritilan except its slow realease and lasts between 8 and 12 hours. Again, everyone is different in terms of how long the medication is effective in the system. You also mentioned that you took a dose of ritilan before bed. I know of many people who do that and they do get a full nights sleep. Reason being that the medication tones down the noise and filters out distractions allowing the person to fall into a restful sleep. This doesnt work for everyone and I am not a doctor nor would I recommend it. Ask your doctor what he recommends in order for you to get longer coverage. Good luck and keep us posted

Marci - I can't tell you what your son's experience with meds will be like exactly - but I can tell you what he is up against without it.

Trying to go it with just behaviour therapy is admirable.  But with some of us (I was a child with ADHD and still have it) it is not enough.  The harder I tried to change my behaviour - the more the urge to go astray became.  It becomes a viscious, never-ending loop in which the guilt becomes enormous.

As a youth I knew I was not behaving like the people around me and was not living up to what was expected - even if that was just to be happy and enjoy being a child.

With meds I could have had the control to listen - REALLY listen to what was being offered to me in help and advice.  With a good doctor and psychiatrist to monitor your child I think you will see someone with control over their emotions and future come out - happier and more adjusted.  It's not making him a robot - as I've heard said.  If I could go back and know about what meds are here now - I would have said "please give them to me" without hesitation.  I think your son would do the same.

The method of treatment may vary as will the meds but if monitored they are safe, and very  very effective.

I wish you and your son all the best life has to offer.  I have that now.

I think your right jimmo, now that you say it, I don't think I should be 100% comfortable because then I would lose my objectivity. I need to be continually critical of the choices I make regarding medication. Thanks for pointing that out - it makes a lot of sense.