Ritalin

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Permalink Reply by Laura on January 29, 2013 at 10:27am

I have not taken Ritalin, but I am currently on Adderall which I believe works similarly.  I was nervous about going on Adderall as well.  Just the idea of taking a medication that effected my brain was unsettling and I was afraid it would make me feel weird.  What I did to cope was start small.  My doctor first prescribed me 10mg twice a day.  I cut them in half and started with 5mg for about a week before moving to 10mg.  Same when the dose was increased to 20mg.  I started at 15mg for a week and then increased to 20mg.  

In the end, I dont feel anything physically different when I take my medication (except for managing my ADHD), it was just in my head to even be worried.   If you are concerned about side effects, I havent had any except for loss of apetite, but that wore off after about three weeks once I found the right dose.    

Hope this helps!  Im sure you will be much happier and feel more in control once you start the medicine.  It has made a huge positive difference in my life.  

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Permalink Reply by Yvette on February 1, 2013 at 1:49pm

Thanks for that. I started on the Ritalin last week and was put on a half dose for the first week (18mg). I could not sleep AT ALL so I've already stopped taking them. I've been like this for 37 years so would sooner find some other way to manage my problems now that I've been diagnosed, rather than suffer with the horrors of sleep deprivation and all that brings with it. If I can't manage a nights sleep after a half dose then I dread to think how lousy I'll feel after the double dose. I guess meds just arent suited to everyone.
Good luck yourself.

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Permalink Reply by Mewithadd on February 5, 2013 at 4:20pm

I thought Ritalin came in strengths of 5 or 10mg and Only lasts 4 hours so I don't see it interfing with sleep.  However, Concerta which is a longer lasting Ritalin lasts up to 12 hours which would interfer with sleep if you are not taking it early enough in the morning.  The other issue is it takes a couple of weeks for some side effects to where off.  I think if you found the correct medication for your body you would be amazed with the results.  Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by blivinlife7 on February 18, 2013 at 9:30pm

Does anyone feel body aches or internal discomfort from taking Ritalin? I also feel like I don't do anything anymore. But it is so nice to have a quiet mind. I am focused but also don't feel the need to do anything chore wise. I didn't take the med today and got laundry done. And my body feels less tense and achy

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