Posted by fachad on April 24, 2002, at 19:20:06
In reply to Concerta vs. Ritalin also Dextrostat, posted by 3 Beer Effect on April 23, 2002, at 23:58:43
I think Concerta lasts about 8 hrs, but it comes on and wears off so subtly that it's hard to say for sure.
For me 36mg Concerta was about equal to 10mg methylphenidate 3 X day.
As far as the MPH vs. DEX vs. ADDERALL conversion, for me it is about 20mg MPH = 15 mg Adderall = 10 mg Dex, but YMMV.
> The best ADD medicine I have ever taken was 20 mg Ritalin 2x per day. Unfortunately, Ritalin only lasts about 3.5 hours so I have been looking for a longer lasting alternative (i've already tried 200 mg Provigil- much less effective & major "poop out effect").
>
> How does the 56 mg Concerta compare in efficacy to Ritalin 20 mg bid? How long does it last-i've heard differing reports of 12, 11, & 8 hours?
>
> Currently I am taking 10 mg of Dextrostat (dextroamphetamine) 2x per day. Dextrostat feels much like Ritalin & lasts slighty longer (4 hours) although it takes an hour to start working, but makes you more sociable (almost like a social disinhibitor) while Ritalin makes me inhibited & shy. Adderall seemed to cause me more nervousness, distractability, & less 'focus' but is also good for sociability.
> Dextrostat is Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine) and although cheaper, is technically a 'brand-name' & is made by Shire pharmaceuticals, the makers of Adderall. Both Dextrostat & the even cheaper generic dextroamphetamine are the only way to get 10 mg tablets (Dexedrine only comes in 5 mg tablets). So as you raise the dose, Dexedrine becomes a real pain, 40 mg/day would equal 8 tablets/day.
> But, I haven't tried both Dexedrine and Dextrostat at the same dosages- anyone noticed much of a difference between the two?
>
> Anyways, in all the psychopharmacology books, 10 mg of Dexedrine is supposed to equal 20 mg of Ritalin, but personally I haven't found this to be true. It seems more like 20 mg of Dextrostat= 20 mg of Ritalin.
>
> Is Dextrostat weaker than Dexedrine even though it has the exact same ingredient, or are the books just wrong on the 10mg Dexedrine=20mg Ritalin matter? Any similar experiences, or experiences to the contrary?
>
> (Complicating the situation is that I also take Lamictal 150 mg per day which I think may be blunting the Dextrostat- I read Lamictal lowers the activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, the enzyme that converts l-tyrosine eventually to dopamine. But no one really knows how Lamictal works, so I could be incorrect on that. Other mood stablizers like Lithium blunt amphetamines but not Ritalin or Cocaine.)
>
> I guess i'll ask the psychiatrist tommorrow to raise the dose to Dextrostat 20 mg 2x per day or switch to Concerta 56 mg qd.
poster:fachad
thread:103962
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020416/msgs/104024.html