Posted by KaraS on October 29, 2003, at 1:08:28
In reply to Re: Does Ritalin make you drowsy? » KaraS, posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 28, 2003, at 17:45:10
Thanks again for all of the info. That's very encouraging that you haven't developed any tolerance/addiction problems with the amphetamines. (I knew that dextromethorphan was an NMDA antagonist but for some reason had never heard or read, even on this site, about anyone using it to prevent tolerance.) Getting back to the safety issue though - don't you consider amphetamines more dangerous than methylphenidate in terms of neurotoxicity? Do you take NAC, selegiline or anything else for that?
> > Thanks so much for your very helpful, informative response.
>
> No problem. :-)
>
> >I wouldn't be surprised if I have a mild case of ADD or it might be, as you said, that I am just one of the people who react to Ritalin by becoming sleepy.
>
> Yeah, who knows, lol.
>
> >I have tried Provigil but unfortunately it makes me feel like I have concrete limbs. I think that I will try to take 7.5 mg. of Ritalin, as you have suggested, and see what happens. I wasn't aware that Ritalin could be cardiotoxic. I'd always thought of Ritalin as "safer" than the amphetamines. I may eventually try Adderall as I could definitely use the physical energy. I am afraid of tolerance, addiction and rebound effect with the amphetamines though. Has any of that been a problem for you ... or do you take something like Acamprosate or Memantine along with the Adderall?
>
> Well, first of all, Ritalin is every bit as much a risk as amphetamines as far as tolerance, rebound effect, etc. go -- if not more so (it is incredibly similar to cocaine). I wouldn't worry about giving amphetamines a shot. I don't take Adderall currently, but I take DextroStat (dextroamphetamine) and haven't developed a tolerance after months of daily use at 30mg/day, and sometimes up to 120mg/day. I don't take memantine or acamprosate, but I recommend dextromethorphan (found in OTC cough syrups) which is also an NMDA antagonist, and a cheaper one at that. 15mg four times daily and I never even developed a tolerance of any sort to the Ultram I used to take, which is a narcotic analgesic. And now, with Robitussin CoughCaps having just been released, you don't have to drink that disgusting syrup, lol.
>
> The trick to avoiding rebound effect, by the way, is to take your next dose about 45 minutes to an hour before the first wears off (unless you take an extended-release form, like Adderall XR or Dexedrine Spansules, which will eliminate daytime rebound). That way it will be kicking in as the first dose declines in activity. At night before bed, when you obviously won't want to be taking stimulants, perhaps a bit of Ambien or something similar could be of assistance.
poster:KaraS
thread:274136
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031025/msgs/274515.html