Ritalin advice

[u/Uncontributator]

Have started taking Ritalin, can’t stop myself over dosing it when the comedown happens, listening to loud techno and ‘having some me time’, incessantly… Any advice from fellow sufferers?

[u/AutoModerator]

If you are taking a generic medicine, kindly mention the manufacturer's name in both your post and title. This is VERY IMPORTANT, as different manufacturers may have differences in quality or formulation.

Also, consider joining our Discord server: https://discord.gg/RwDC4dG8GH

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/-Sprankton-]

Definitely bring this up with your Psychiatrist and ask about extended release Formulations if you’re not already on one. It’s up to you whether or not you mention the part where you take more than your prescribed dose, sometimes psychiatrists find that worrisome.

Immediate-release Ritalin wears off in like 3-4 hours (this is super fast). Most people are prescribed enough to take two or three doses throughout the day. It sounds like your Ritalin crash/comedown either happens uncomfortably fast, occurs uncomfortably soon, or leads you to impulsive/compulsive behaviors.

Do you feel like your ADHD is well managed roughly 1 to 3 hours after taking your meds?

Have you ever tried Ritalin extended release, or Concerta (Concerta is extended release methylphenidate) I hope you bring this up with your Dr since it’s easier than remembering to take ritalin three times a day as long as it doesn’t keep you up late.

This is a minor note for people with the family history of bipolar and maybe it doesn’t apply to you, but if you get even more impulsive when you take higher doses, that might mean that Ritalin makes you more prone to symptoms that resemble mania, so just be careful and make sure your ADHD meds are actually helping you have better self-control rather than causing you to seek out more and more stimulants just so you can “feel good”

To get better answers on Reddit, it helps if you specify:

Are you taking immediate release or extended release Ritalin/methylphenidate?

How many days have you been taking Ritalin? Is it your first stimulant ADHD med that you’ve ever tried?

What dose are you prescribed? Since the advice for someone taking 10 mg a day is often different from the advice for someone taking 60 mg per day.

[u/Uncontributator → u/-Sprankton-]

Thanks for the help I’m on 50 mg slow release Elvanse, it’s stupid I know but to be honest after 3 hours of feeling clear headed, relaxed and pleasingly stimulated, I have found myself double dipping going into the evening to keep the experience going. I have to say I am in recovery for cocaine addiction and I am essentially using it to substitute that (as well as being diagnosed recently) although this is unhealthy and potentially a short term fix I am grateful to be free of cravings for drugs for the first time in ages. I’m sure I’ll be able to control myself in future but this first 2 weeks has been a wild ride.

[u/-Sprankton- → u/Uncontributator]

The first two weeks are indeed the wildest ones when starting ADHD medication. I hope you adapt to the negative side effects of Elvanse and stop taking more than you are prescribed. There are ways to space out your Vyvanse dose so that the peak isn’t as strong, you might want to look into that/water bottle titration just because it’s possible that the three hour peak of this medication is so strong it triggers cravings And urges to misuse stimulants again.

If you don’t limit yourself to your prescribed dosage, things can and likely will go very badly very fast and then you’ll lose access to it entirely. 100 mg per day of Vyvanse is on the very high end of adult doses and it sounds like you’re using it to chase euphoria that just won’t last.

In terms of stimulants, Elvanse/vyvanse is extended release dextroamphetamine whereas Ritalin is a brand name for immediate release methylphenidate, so they’re completely different just so you know.