Ritalin woes/worries/questions!

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Hello guys and dolls, I haven't been around here much lately but I had to post some questions and concerns that are on my mind today.

As some here may know, I am diagnosed AS and ADHD. Well, recently my doctor began to try experimenting with medications for me in order to see what works best for me. Well, I was prescribed Ritalin on Monday and actually began taking it first thing Tuesday. I have been instructed to take 1-2 10mg pills twice daily, so due to the extreme nature of my focusing problems I've taken the higher dosage option, 2 10mg pills twice daily (once at 8am and once at noon). One thing I have noticed so far is that I actually seem to be even worse at focusing on important tasks such as my daily work. I find myself wanting to do even less work than before but wanting to doodle more. In fact, I have always been a doodler but now my doodles are turning more into drawings than just doodles. I'm getting very creative with them because I am spending so much time on them. For some odd, unknown reason, I enjoy drawing the letter 'S' in many different styles and I have been more focused on that than anything for the past couple of days. My energy level is up and I want to leave my desk to go for a run, which is something that would probably kill me since I weigh 315 lbs at the moment (but I am on a diet and losing weight once again!) I am glad to have the extra energy, but I really want to be able to focus on my work and not my doodling. My stereotypies are MUCH worse, as today I realized I had been rocking in my chair intensely for a good portion of the day. But it felt SO good and calming! Though I must say, this is one stereotypy I had NEVER experienced before, and now I suddenly find myself doing it while on Ritalin. But my biggest worry is the fact that I cannot make myself do my work, I'd much rather doodle! It is so much worse with the Ritalin than before, and I'm not sure if I am taking too high of a dose or too low of one. If this persists into next week I will call my doctor and tell her about it.

One other thing, I noticed that when my dosages end for the day and begin to wear off, I crash pretty hard. I was tired today because I was up too late last night, and when my second dosage began to wear off around 3:30pm, I got EXTREMELY sleepy and it was hard to stay awake at my desk. I crashed REALLY hard. That didn't happen to me Tuesday or Wednesday since I got more sleep on both of those nights. I realize my lack of sleep is mostly to blame, but until last week my sleeping habits were like that constantly (bed at 1-2am, up at 6am) and I was never as sleepy as I was today when my Ritalin began to wear off. I now know that I need plenty of sleep if I will be taking Ritalin so as not to crash so hard every day.

Ritalin may not be something that works for you. I tried it and it didn't work for me. Try it for a little while; you're not getting unacceptable side-effects, so it's worth it to give it a fair shot; but whatever you do, if it doesn't work, don't just keep gulping those pills 'cause the doctor said so!

re. stereotypies getting "worse"... may not be a bad thing, by itself. I'm saying this because when I move constantly, I think better. You may be moving more because you're trying to make yourself think better. But stereotypies (stims, repetitive movements, whatever) are pretty much benign, in most cases, and can (as in my case) be beneficial. If you're ADHD, you've probably noticed the effect that if you are moving, you think better--which is why many people with ADHD are hyperactive. (I've got inattentive type ADHD traits, no real hyperactivity unless you count ASD stimming; but I do better when I'm moving, too.)

Re. running: Actually, there are quite a few 300+ pound people who do run, bike, swim, etc., even competitively. If you happen to want to exercise, do NOT let your weight stop you. The two things you have to worry about are starting too quickly and exhausting or injuring yourself (which means: Start with walking, work up to running), and joint problems (yes, running can hurt your joints--it happens to thin people, too, though). I'm a 200-pound girl and I prefer not to run for exercise, mostly because I'm so clumsy that it's difficult to get a good rhythm going (and, y'know, not faceplant into the pavement); but walking, biking, and swimming are all very pleasurable for me. You will have to up your calorie intake to make the extra energy for exercising (don't worry, you'll burn it off). Actually, if you have the choice between diet or exercise, pick the exercise. You're better off, health-wise, being fat and in shape than thin and out of shape.

I never tried Ritalin. I kinda wanted to fake ADHD to get some after I had kids and was done breastfeeding for some energy. Thanks to all the meth users, there's nothing really good offered OTC. But I was afraid I'd be dependent upon it to go about my normal day. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and things like childbirth and stress kicks it in a lot, and children take more energy than usual, so I need something strong for myself. I took Hoodia for a long time, and now I find myself struggling pregnant because I can't take things like that. Thank goodness I wasn't taking anything as strong as Ritalin or I'd be sleeping at this point all day long (instead of requiring a nap).

But it sounds typical that you'd have more energy, hard time sleeping at times and other times a huge crash and burn. Ritalin is an amphetamine cocktail and according to the FDA, it has the same chemical makeup as cocaine and Methamphetamines, which makes it just as addicting as some point. Really, it's speed. I should also add that nobody knows the cause of ADHD for sure, and the part of your brain that psychostimulants stimulate is only a theory to be a factor of ADHD. In other words, you might be stimulating a part of your brain that doesn't really need it. I still think there are long term side effects from long term usage that they have yet to study, or that they just choose not to publish. I just know too many cocaine users for someone to tell me that this drug is a lot like cocaine except that it doesn't have all the nasty side effects.

I wouldn't take it unless you needed it to survive or to benefit your health overall. No pill makes everyday life easier. If it does, it also creates other problems which defeats the purpose. Now, you might consider to keep on it if it's making weight loss easier for you, but as far as treating ADHD symptoms, I would attempt therapeutic ways of dealing with it as opposed to pharmaceutical ways. Also, keep in mind that most doctors benefit from prescribing you something, so maybe consider seeking advice and counsel from a psychologist who has no prescribing power.

I think it's a bit of an odd thing (an American thing?) that you start with 10mg.

Adults where I live often start with 2,5mg or 5mg and then go higher slowly.

What I found for myself when I was on ritalin:

Ritalin:

1. Dramatically increased my obsessive tendencies.

2. Made it difficult or near impossible to change focus when I needed to.

3. Made me into a "zombie", so I would walk around in a fog.

4. Made me less adaptable so I was more prone to lashing out when harassed. Note that this will probably result in more meltdowns for some aspies by reducing coping skills.

5. Made me even worse socially, from not good to begin with to completely hopeless.

6. Made me very easy for people to manipulate.

I tried Adderall later. Its negative effects weren't nearly as severe. Ritalin is a first-generation drug, whereas Adderall is a newer one. I didn't keep taking Adderall, though, because I didn't like even traces of those effects.

There are other treatments for AD/HD that don't involve Ritalin. I have ADD (with overactivity rather than hyperactivity) and I've been told that I am not allowed to have Ritalin because I have got Tourette syndrome and it could make that worse. I've been told that maybe I could have Atomoxetine because it is quite effective, isn't a stimulant and has less side-effects. I'm thinking of asking for it soon because I am having a b***h of a time with my concentration lately.

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I have HFA, ADHD, OCD & Tourette syndrome. I love animals, especially my bunnies and hamster. I skate in a roller derby team (but I'll try not to bite )

Yep, ADHD and Tourette's both involve dopamine, and medication for either one could make the other worse. I'm surprised your doctor is aware of that, since many people seem to pile on meds without thinking about which neurotransmitters they're affecting. Good for him, in any case.

Regarding meds for ADHD, especially in adults, I really think there is a lot more to it than medication. ADHD can be called a "Neurodevelopmental Disorder" just like autism, and that means your brain develops with ADHD differently than without it. I am extremely convinced that the optimum treatment almost always includes learning, or being taught, how to organize yourself, how to deal with impulsivity, and how to use the external environment to channel your attention where you want it to go--basically, how to work with your attention-deficit brain. It may or may not include medication. It often does. Sometimes medication is absolutely necessary because your focus is so poor you can't even begin learning those cognitive and behavioral strategies that help you learn what you need to know. But in almost every case, those things need to be learned, whether that means (in the milder cases) teaching yourself, (for stronger cases) getting a coach to help you, and (almost always for children living at home) getting the parents to pitch in and offer support and dependable structure instead of constantly nagging.

I have ADHD traits. I don't know if I have ADHD, technically, because I also have extreme-hyperfocus in some areas. The problem, for me, is that if something doesn't interest me very strongly, I have trouble paying attention to it. I compensate mostly by spending about six hours trying to do a project that would take most people an hour, and then completing it in the last half hour. So I have no idea whether that is autistic inertia or ADHD. It doesn't particularly matter because both things are relatively responsive to the external-structure strategy, in the form of lists, routines, and a small amount of accountability with a counselor at my university. I also find I learn better when I am moving; this usually takes the form of rather classic "stimming", though I have been known to crochet or doodle, too.

It may be my imagination, but I think I do better when I have some physical activity. Could just be because when I'm moving, I think better, and going out and walking or something lets me subconsciously pick apart whatever problem I've been stuck on; or it could be the endorphins you get when you're moving. No idea. It works, though, and I think it's keeping me from getting depressed again, too. All-around bonus. Highly recommended.

Some things that might help to know;

1. Ritalin works against ADHD/ADD but not Aspergers traits.

2. Ritalin is completely ineffective in some cases. (Some people are immune).

3. Ritalin helps you focus - it doesn't choose what you focus on - that's up to you.

4. Too much Ritalin will increase side-effects, notably stimming/tics, sleeplessness and lack of appetite.

5. Ritalin dosage is usually calculated on Weight. If your weight increases, so does the dosage.
10mg twice per day is approximately suitable for a 30kg child though it varies on so many factors that you need to individualise.

6. As a child gets older, they should be able to control much of their own behaviour and focus without the need for Ritalin. If the child's focussing abilities improve, the dosage should be reduced. (this should balance off nicely with 5).

7. Ritalin is arguably the safest of the drugs available today to treat ADHD. There are natural alternatives though no firm research has established for sure that they are effective. Coffee too seems to be quite effective though again, there is no firm research.