Question about a certain ADHD med.

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Does anyone here currently use (or has used in the past) the Daytrana patch to treat their ADHD? How good does it work for you? How long does it work?

Daytrana is methylphenidate, same as Ritalin and Concerta. I'm on Concerta right now, which is extended-release Ritalin. I don't know whether the patch has the same extended-release effect. I assume so.

My experiences have been pretty good. When I tried Ritalin, it made me feel drugged because the dose was so sudden. Concerta allows a more gradual delivery--same substance, just without the sudden onset of the dose. I feel a little more focused when I'm on it, like I'm drinking coffee, only without the caffeine jitters. It makes it a little easier to stay focused and organized--it's no magic bullet, but it does give me an edge.

If you have a bad effect, like the zombie effect I mentioned (feeling really out of it and spacey), it'll happen the first time you take it and you'll know that medication isn't for you. Methylphenidate has a rather short half-life in the body, so once you took the patch off the effects would disappear pretty quickly, within hours to a day.

Sometimes things are better if you start with a very low dose. If you tend to be sensitive to medication, ask the doctor to start you off at a low dose and go up slowly. It's worth trying a lower dose if you overreact to the medication the first time around.

Works great for me. The crash is actually tolerable (in my opinion) compared to the IR formula. It does take a while to get into your system 1~2 hours depending on the person. Works about 9 hours, then lasts a couple in your body. Timing is everything, but it's absolutely great. Everyone I've spoken to on the patch gets the same red mark on the skin where the patch was.

I'm a pharmacological nerd so I'll be happy to discuss this with you further and in detail if you wish.

Also, if "crashes" are the worst part of your ADHD medication problem, ask your doc about Tenex. It's an alpha agonist, and makes the crash a lot less harsh and not as long. This is also known in the extended release formula as Intuniv - Just cleared for ADHD on it's own. Just be advised because of the class of medication it is in - it can lower bp slightly.

cheers.


Also - I have a chart for mg vs mg needs which compares daytrana, ritalin IR, concerta (Ritalin osmotic release), etc. Just ask.

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