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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by axc100 on September 6, 2003, at 15:27:24
What 5 mg of Ritalin, taken every few hours, did for me used to be stunning. A quiet, focused energy would come over my mind. After some months 5 mg no longer worked. I moved to 7.5 mg, at first feeling jittery but then achieving the same effect 5 mg used to have. Now this, too, has become unpredictable.
I don't want to get on Strattera, given what so many on this site say about its side effects, but I find Ritalin for me is too dependent on too many things. What I've eaten, when I've eaten, how empty (and hence acidic) or full my stomach is, whether I've taken any already in the day, etc. I just can't get a single formula working!
Now it's come to the point where I almost have to go hungry all day to keep my stomach empty enough for each 5-7.5 mg dose.
Does anyone else here feel Ritalin is like THE prima donna of medicines?
One last thing: I find Ritalin, like any CNS stimulant (such as caffeine) acts as a diuretic for me. I have to urinate a bit more when I've taken a string of 7.5's on basically an empty stomach -- and end up somewhat dehydrated. Anyone else had this problem?
Posted by HenryO on September 7, 2003, at 4:10:02
In reply to Maintaining the Effectiveness of Ritalin, posted by axc100 on September 6, 2003, at 15:27:24
7.5mg sounds like a fairly small dose. I don't know how big of a person you are body mass wise, but I usually take 20mg at a time. Sometimes 10 if its getting late in the day and I don't want to be kept up. I usually take it twice a day. Maybe if you took a higher dose you could take it on a full stomach. Ritalin works great for me for several months, then I have to take a vacation from it for a while. Have you considered Concerta? Concerta has a much smoother delivery. It is Ritalin just in a slow release form. Ritalin is a really great med for me.
Posted by axc100 on September 7, 2003, at 9:32:38
In reply to Re: Maintaining the Effectiveness of Ritalin, posted by HenryO on September 7, 2003, at 4:10:02
Yup, you're right that 7.5 is small (I'm a male that's 6'1" and 170 lbs.), and maybe that's where the problem with the food comes in. But I think I am very sensitive to the stuff. Just taking 10 mg makes me feel jittery, like I've had too much coffee or something, and so the focusing effect goes away.
I've also found that the more you push the edges of your existing tolerance, the more tolerant you become. If I were to keep graduating from 5 to 7.5 to 10 to 15 to 20, I think I would start getting used to each new dose (just a hunch from some past experience).
Your idea of a drug holiday is a good one. Trouble is I've always been on the go, both as a student and as a professional. It's sometimes impossible for me to try taking a week off and getting the same amount done! But for my longer-term interests, I think I'll have to take your advice. The holiday does seem to be effective whenever I do it.
This is the end of the thread.
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