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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by michael on January 9, 2001, at 0:00:37
Hello -
Just wondering - it seems from what I've been reading here that in reality, 3 hours (+/-) is the actual length of time that people find a dose of ritilan to last (and the extended release versions roughly 4 hours)... Is that more or less the consensus?
If so, do people dose more than the 8am, 12pm, 4pm suggested schedule?
For example, 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm, for a typical 15 hour day? (4 or 5 doses/day?)
Or do you just suffer through the hour or two of tme between when the first dose wears off, and the next dose is scheduled? (a couple times a day, every day?)
(I haven't really seen any info on those issues...)
Also, dosage... seems 10mg doses are what I've seen mentioned most regularly...? (not sure about that - is that right?) Is 20mg/dose considered kind of high? 30mg/dose? The reason I ask is that 20mg did nothing for me, but 30mg was very helpful... of course, only for about 3 hours...
So, just basically looking for feedback on others' experiences re: 1) ?mg/dose; 2) duration/how long a dose lasts; and 3) scheduling/frequency of dosing. (talking w/my doc tomorrow...)
Thanks for any insight/feedback. michael
Posted by Noa on January 9, 2001, at 9:49:14
In reply to ritalin questions, posted by michael on January 9, 2001, at 0:00:37
I found the regular ritalin to last about 2.5 to 3 hours, the sustained release, about 4-4.5. I took three doses of the short acting, and two of the sr. I then switched to adderall--I usualy take 2 doses, which seem to last around 6 hours. If I have a very early start (5 am), I sometimes dose 3 times that day. Still, even when the adderall wears off, I don't have the let-down, or rebound, that I did with ritalin.
I did read somewhere on the web that one doctor recommends dosing regular ritalin every 2.5-3 hours. Sorry, I cannot remember the source, so consider this not-very-reliable info. It struck me at the time as a pain in the neck to have to dose that often.
Posted by Sigolene on January 9, 2001, at 11:56:06
In reply to Re: ritalin questions, posted by Noa on January 9, 2001, at 9:49:14
For me the SR version of Ritalin lasts up to 8 hours. I know that because when i take it after 2 pm, i can't get to sleep at 10 mp.
Sigolène
> I found the regular ritalin to last about 2.5 to 3 hours, the sustained release, about 4-4.5. I took three doses of the short acting, and two of the sr. I then switched to adderall--I usualy take 2 doses, which seem to last around 6 hours. If I have a very early start (5 am), I sometimes dose 3 times that day. Still, even when the adderall wears off, I don't have the let-down, or rebound, that I did with ritalin.
>
> I did read somewhere on the web that one doctor recommends dosing regular ritalin every 2.5-3 hours. Sorry, I cannot remember the source, so consider this not-very-reliable info. It struck me at the time as a pain in the neck to have to dose that often.
Posted by stjames on January 9, 2001, at 19:58:31
In reply to Re: ritalin questions, posted by Sigolene on January 9, 2001, at 11:56:06
Some people metabolize Ritalin very quickly.
james
Posted by JackD on January 9, 2001, at 23:29:22
In reply to ritalin questions, posted by michael on January 9, 2001, at 0:00:37
I've taken ritalin 5mg 3x a day (9am, 1pm, 5pm). If I stayed up late I'd take an extra one. During the 4th hour of each dose I'd usually notice a little drowsiness, but it was never much of a problem. I know it sounds corny, but it changed my life!
If you're bothered by the ups and downs of repetitive dosing, why not try Concerta? It's the latest extended release ritalin and is supposed to last a while (10-12hrs). I don't know much about it but my pharmacist told me it works great.
Just out of curiosity, why are you taking Ritalin? If 20mg doesn't do anything to you, maybe ritalin isn't the right med. My 5mg dose is slightly low; the most common dose is 10mg. I know friends of mine who have experimented taking 20mg pills who experienced marked responses. It made then wired and/or gave them a buzz, but regardless they definitely all said they felt it. We're all big guys too (180-200lbs).
If you've been diagnosed with ADD, maybe you should consider that you've been misdiagnosed. ADD symptoms such as inattentiveness and impulsivity can be the result of countless disorders.
Posted by Shell on January 10, 2001, at 17:14:46
In reply to ritalin questions, posted by michael on January 9, 2001, at 0:00:37
I agree with JackD. If you are going to talk to your doctor, you should ask about Concerta. I have been taking it for a few weeks. It seems to take a while to start working (about an hour and a half to two hours - but that may just be me), but it lasts (evenly) for about ten hours after that (or twelve from the time it was taken).
For a 15-16 hour day, you could either combine Concerta with one dose of regular Ritalin or, if you are on 36 or 54 mg of Concerta, you could take the second dose a few hours after the first one. For example, 36 mg is two Concerta pills. Take the first one at 7 am and the second at 11 am. The first one will last until 7 pm and the second until 11 pm. The only down side is that only from 11 am - 7 pm will you have the combined dosage of 36 mg, but you might not mind having less in your system later in the evening anyway.
Shell
PS - I really can't take credit for those ideas. They came from Chris A. and medlib. They kindly responded to a similar question I had posted about Concerta a few days ago. You may want to look back at it...they said it better than I did!
Posted by PB/J.C. on January 10, 2001, at 17:39:07
In reply to Re: ritalin questions » michael, posted by Shell on January 10, 2001, at 17:14:46
I've taken Ritalin for the past 9 years as an
adjunct to my anti-depressants and mood stabilizers
(I'm Bipolar II) - and I've had great success. I
currently take 60mg/day - 40mg @ 6:00 a.m., a dose that
lasts until my next dose, 20mg @ noon. Noon is my last
dose of Ritalin for the day for fear that it would
interfere with my already disrupted sleep.As for the Concerta, my pdoc was anxious for me
to try it, so I did; for me, it was like I had not
taken any methylphenidate until it had been in my system
for 3-4 hours, and then the effects of the Concerta
were minimal compared to my regular Ritalin. My little
experiment with Concerta lasted 5 days - a disastrous
work week for me! I do know, however, that my pdoc has
had success with Concerta in some of her other patients.From his message, it appears that Shell has responded
well to Concerta.Good luck!
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