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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lectronic on December 11, 2001, at 9:25:13
I'm taking Adderall 20 mg twice a day which is great for
the daytime but when it wears off I get a slump a little too early.If I take the adderall too late it keeps me up. I have some ritalin
left from an earlier prescription and tried taking a little in the early evening.
That seems to work well, I can take my second dose of adderall about 1 pm, take the ritalin
(not time release) about 5 pm and when the ritalin wears off around 10 or so I get sleepy and go to bed.Has anyone else tried this schedule/combination. I don't have any other issues other that
the mild depression accompanying add and it seems to be gone now.Lectronic...
Posted by cmcdougall on December 11, 2001, at 10:27:36
In reply to Adderall and Ritalin, posted by Lectronic on December 11, 2001, at 9:25:13
Hi - I recently switched from ritalin to adderall. I REALLY like the adderall. I had taken ritalin (20mg/3xday) for about 7 years, and it just wasn't doing things for me anymore.
Like you, I am having to play with the timing of my adderall dose to get optimal benefit. My pdoc prescribed 20mg/3xday. That is WAY too stimulating for me. Two doses a day is usually enough. I too had some ritalin left over and my doctor has no problem with me using those in the early evening to stay sharp. He said to use up the ritalin, and when its gone, start taking 5-10mg adderall in the afternoon if I need it. I have a pill slicer, and its easy to divide the tablets.
After reading this board over the past month, I realize how lucky I am to have a doctor that lets me play with my dosages. I have been seeing him for about 10 years, and he trusts me to listen to the messages my brain and body give me.
Currently I am taking:
Celexa 40mg - depression
Desipramine 25mg/2xday - depression, motivation, lack of energy
Adderall 20mg/2xday - motivation, fatigue
Trazodone 50-100mg - as needed for sleepGood luck to you, and let us know how you like the difference between the ritalin and adderall.
Carly
> I'm taking Adderall 20 mg twice a day which is great for
> the daytime but when it wears off I get a slump a little too early.
>
> If I take the adderall too late it keeps me up. I have some ritalin
> left from an earlier prescription and tried taking a little in the early evening.
> That seems to work well, I can take my second dose of adderall about 1 pm, take the ritalin
> (not time release) about 5 pm and when the ritalin wears off around 10 or so I get sleepy and go to bed.
>
> Has anyone else tried this schedule/combination. I don't have any other issues other that
> the mild depression accompanying add and it seems to be gone now.
>
> Lectronic...
Posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 15:23:50
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin, posted by cmcdougall on December 11, 2001, at 10:27:36
Just my own experiences with Ritalin & Adderall (except I had it as Dexedrine - same thing). I, too, prefer Adderall over Ritalin but both when they wore off, left me feeling slumped, tired & no drive. I also found that taking them regularly tends to lessen the effects.
Now that I take adrafinil (Olmifon), I have so much more motivation & drive. I'm no longer sleepy all the time, seem to need less sleep (I was sleeping 9-11 hours & still feeling sleepy), feel alert & bright. For me, adrafinil does everything that the stims did but with none of the negative aspects. Personally, I love it & can't say enough about it! I would guess though that it may depend on your own body chemistry. For me with ADHD & mild narcolepsy (plus depression) it proves to be as good as they say. I do take Celexa & Synthroid too.
> Hi - I recently switched from ritalin to adderall. I REALLY like the adderall. I had taken ritalin (20mg/3xday) for about 7 years, and it just wasn't doing things for me anymore.
>
> Like you, I am having to play with the timing of my adderall dose to get optimal benefit. My pdoc prescribed 20mg/3xday. That is WAY too stimulating for me. Two doses a day is usually enough. I too had some ritalin left over and my doctor has no problem with me using those in the early evening to stay sharp. He said to use up the ritalin, and when its gone, start taking 5-10mg adderall in the afternoon if I need it. I have a pill slicer, and its easy to divide the tablets.
>
> After reading this board over the past month, I realize how lucky I am to have a doctor that lets me play with my dosages. I have been seeing him for about 10 years, and he trusts me to listen to the messages my brain and body give me.
>
> Currently I am taking:
> Celexa 40mg - depression
> Desipramine 25mg/2xday - depression, motivation, lack of energy
> Adderall 20mg/2xday - motivation, fatigue
> Trazodone 50-100mg - as needed for sleep
>
> Good luck to you, and let us know how you like the difference between the ritalin and adderall.
>
> Carly
>
> > I'm taking Adderall 20 mg twice a day which is great for
> > the daytime but when it wears off I get a slump a little too early.
> >
> > If I take the adderall too late it keeps me up. I have some ritalin
> > left from an earlier prescription and tried taking a little in the early evening.
> > That seems to work well, I can take my second dose of adderall about 1 pm, take the ritalin
> > (not time release) about 5 pm and when the ritalin wears off around 10 or so I get sleepy and go to bed.
> >
> > Has anyone else tried this schedule/combination. I don't have any other issues other that
> > the mild depression accompanying add and it seems to be gone now.
> >
> > Lectronic...
Posted by Hattree on December 11, 2001, at 17:49:39
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin, posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 15:23:50
Did you go directly from Dex to Adrafinil? How was that? And the synthroid is for thyroid or to augment something else?
Thanks.> Just my own experiences with Ritalin & Adderall (except I had it as Dexedrine - same thing). I, too, prefer Adderall over Ritalin but both when they wore off, left me feeling slumped, tired & no drive. I also found that taking them regularly tends to lessen the effects.
>
> Now that I take adrafinil (Olmifon), I have so much more motivation & drive. I'm no longer sleepy all the time, seem to need less sleep (I was sleeping 9-11 hours & still feeling sleepy), feel alert & bright. For me, adrafinil does everything that the stims did but with none of the negative aspects. Personally, I love it & can't say enough about it! I would guess though that it may depend on your own body chemistry. For me with ADHD & mild narcolepsy (plus depression) it proves to be as good as they say. I do take Celexa & Synthroid too.
>
> > Hi - I recently switched from ritalin to adderall. I REALLY like the adderall. I had taken ritalin (20mg/3xday) for about 7 years, and it just wasn't doing things for me anymore.
> >
> > Like you, I am having to play with the timing of my adderall dose to get optimal benefit. My pdoc prescribed 20mg/3xday. That is WAY too stimulating for me. Two doses a day is usually enough. I too had some ritalin left over and my doctor has no problem with me using those in the early evening to stay sharp. He said to use up the ritalin, and when its gone, start taking 5-10mg adderall in the afternoon if I need it. I have a pill slicer, and its easy to divide the tablets.
> >
> > After reading this board over the past month, I realize how lucky I am to have a doctor that lets me play with my dosages. I have been seeing him for about 10 years, and he trusts me to listen to the messages my brain and body give me.
> >
> > Currently I am taking:
> > Celexa 40mg - depression
> > Desipramine 25mg/2xday - depression, motivation, lack of energy
> > Adderall 20mg/2xday - motivation, fatigue
> > Trazodone 50-100mg - as needed for sleep
> >
> > Good luck to you, and let us know how you like the difference between the ritalin and adderall.
> >
> > Carly
> >
> > > I'm taking Adderall 20 mg twice a day which is great for
> > > the daytime but when it wears off I get a slump a little too early.
> > >
> > > If I take the adderall too late it keeps me up. I have some ritalin
> > > left from an earlier prescription and tried taking a little in the early evening.
> > > That seems to work well, I can take my second dose of adderall about 1 pm, take the ritalin
> > > (not time release) about 5 pm and when the ritalin wears off around 10 or so I get sleepy and go to bed.
> > >
> > > Has anyone else tried this schedule/combination. I don't have any other issues other that
> > > the mild depression accompanying add and it seems to be gone now.
> > >
> > > Lectronic...
Posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 18:59:30
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin » IsoM, posted by Hattree on December 11, 2001, at 17:49:39
I did everything I wasn't supposed to but when you're desperate...
I was given a short-term prescription for Ritalin, one week, but the doctor refused to prescribe more. He said I was just using it as a crutch. He thought I looked awake enough to him. I'd been sent to a psychiatrist for a ADD diagnosis but he just asked me a lot bunch of questions about my past sexual life which I figured wasn't his business - that's not why I was there. AND he threw odd questions about history, & other unrelated things, at me & then told me I didn't have ADHD. That was the total of his "analysis". I was furious & consider him a total crack-pot with a perverse interest in other's sex.Here in Canada, all doctors are free with Medicare but psychcologists have to be paid out of pocket. A local psychologist gave me a battery of tests & said every indication showed ADHD but he couldn't prescribe any meds. My son has been prescribed Dexedrine for extreme lethargy by a hospital psychiatrist but tries to take them only as needed for work & school. When he's home, he'd rather try to sleep than stay awake. This means he always has some extra.
He agrees with me that doctors just don't believe that any older person could have ADHD or the one that did, figured if I got along this long without any meds, I could continue to do so. My son is very compassionate & gave me his extras to be carefully used so I had enough from each prescription of his. But after reading everything I could on adrafinil, he ordered some from the internet for me. He's had depression/Asperger problems almost all his life & because I've love him so much & always been supportive, no matter what, he now is with me.
So yes, I did go directly from Dexedrine to anafrinil but continued to take small doses of Dex till the adrafinil kicked in. I noticed a small difference after one week, but really felt good at around a month. The mood enhancement was such a bonus from it. I was only expecting help in staying alert & awake, but I feel so much more mellow & gently loving. Nothing overly mushy or sugary, but I'm incredibly patient with people & life. And winter, which I was absolutely dreading (I go way down & want to hibernate & not move even with my meds) doesn't feel bad. I'm actually enjoying the season. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it snows little but has bleary, dreary, dripping, cloudy days in winter... No problem now!
The Synthroid was started 10 years ago for a low thyroid but while it picked up my mood temporarily, it didn't last. Again I cheat. I've always had a fairly quick metabolism all my life, but when my thryoid went low, the doctor just wanted to bring it up a little. They're so worried about prescribing "too much" to women in case they lose too much calcium & develop osteoporosis. Most don't want to prescribe enough to help a person feel normal, so before I go for my testing, I stop my Synthoid for a few days first which makes my TSH level rise & the doctor is none the wiser but I get a decent dose. I'm careful to make sure I take calcium, magnesium, vit D extra & get lots of weight-bearing exercise. I don't want to develop osteoporosis either but also I don't want to drag myself through life only half-there. I did a lot of reading in medical journals before I decided to do this.
Sorry for such a long post. I always did run off at the mouth. :)
> Did you go directly from Dex to Adrafinil? How was that? And the synthroid is for thyroid or to augment something else?
> Thanks.
Posted by JohnDoenut on December 11, 2001, at 22:00:18
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin » Hattree, posted by IsoM on December 11, 2001, at 18:59:30
> I did everything I wasn't supposed to but when you're desperate...
Are you taking liver tests if you are on Adrafinal? You should be doing that. What about getting a prescription for Modafinal/Provigil? Its a newer version of Adrafinal without the liver problems from what Ive read here.
Have you looked at http://www.sleepnet.com/ ?
Give these doctors a copy of the book Driven To Distraction about adult ADD/ADHD.
Posted by IsoM on December 12, 2001, at 1:46:05
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin, posted by JohnDoenut on December 11, 2001, at 22:00:18
> Are you taking liver tests if you are on Adrafinal? You should be doing that.
Thanks John, & yes, I'll be taking regular liver tests. I don't ever want to have liver problems - I only have one. I've just starting taking it for one month. There's all sorts of warning signs of liver trouble too which I'm aware of.
************************************************************************What about getting a prescription for Modafinal/Provigil? Its a newer version of Adrafinal without the liver problems from what Ive read here.
Impossible for me to get a prescription for Provigil without waiting a year for the sleep lab appointment at the nearest university & they want you off ALL meds for a few weeks before hand. I don't ever want to go through that hell again. I'd rather be dead.
********************************************************************> Have you looked at http://www.sleepnet.com/ ?
>
I've read books on narcolepsy & accessed info from university sites on it. I've already checked out the above site. My old doctor who was making the appointment for the sleep tests believed my symptoms about narcolepsy, but he wasn't allowed to prescribe without all the tests. He ended up moving to a different city where the hospital wwas more understanding.
***********************************************************************
> Give these doctors a copy of the book "Driven To Distraction" about adult ADD/ADHD.I've tried the book & articles tactic before but have been told that they're so busy (which is true) that they can't read everuthing their patients bring in. If I'm serious about narcolepsy, they figure I should go the conventional route of sleep labs.
If I stay healthy on it, I figure I know how my body feels better than a doctor does. They can perform tests but they can't tell me my constant sleepiness & all-day on & off yawning is just my imagination. AND I'm a very active person too. I need to be not to fall asleep. Now with adrafinil, I can actually sit & read without dozing off no matter what time of day it is. I can also sit through a movie without having to stop the VCR every 15 minutes & mvoing about to stay awake.
Posted by JohnDoenut on December 12, 2001, at 12:00:40
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin » JohnDoenut, posted by IsoM on December 12, 2001, at 1:46:05
It sounds like while people think Canada's medical system is better than America's, that really its not all that its cracked up to be. Not just from this post but others.
Posted by IsoM on December 12, 2001, at 15:07:13
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin , posted by JohnDoenut on December 12, 2001, at 12:00:40
Great system if you don't have much money & I wouldn't knock it for the world. but I think too many doctors are 'brain-washed' into thinking the less benzos, the better, & I also think that many doctors are overworked. Mine said that people come in for every sniffle & ache they feel & expect prescriptions for antibiotics whether they'll help or not.
My doctor personally is great, but because he doesn't understand depression a lot, he'd rather refer tough cases to the specialists - psychiatrists. Unfortunately, the waiting period is fairly long, a couple of months at least, & the only ones around our town are crazier than their patients.
> It sounds like while people think Canada's medical system is better than America's, that really its not all that its cracked up to be. Not just from this post but others.
Posted by undead on December 15, 2001, at 7:34:19
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin » JohnDoenut, posted by IsoM on December 12, 2001, at 15:07:13
> I AM 18 , AND HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED 3 TIMES,(NONE RECENTLY), AND HAVE BEEN A GUNIEA PIG FOR NUMEROUSE DOCTORS. THINKING BACK ON HOW MANY DIFFERENT DRUGS THEY PRESCRIBED TO ME, AT ONCE, CHANGING THEM DAYTODAY BASIS,ETC...REALLY AGGRIVATES ME, AND MAKES ME WONDER IF IT HAS SLUMPED MY BRAINS NATURAL ABILITY TO FEEL HAPPY,
ANYWAYS, I HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED "ADDERALL" AND "KLONAPIN" BOTH OF THEM TWICE A DAY, ADDERALLS WERE 20MGS, AND KLONAPINES WERE 0.5
IM SURE ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN ADDERALL HAS SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY ABOUT IT, DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT MAY MAKE ONE FEEL "HIGH", BUT THIS MEDICATION,WHEN USED ON A MAINTAINED SCHEDULE,HELPED ME ATROUCIOUCLY,IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING I USED TO FEEL ALL THE TIME AS A KID, THAT GRADUALLY FADED OVER THE YEARS.ANYWAY, I ,FOR SOME REASON, DIDNT TAKE MY MEDICATION ON A CERTAIN DAY, AND WENT INTO MY SORT OF 1 TRACK THOUGH PROCESS OF MAKING EVERYTHING I WAS CURRENTLY THINKING OF WORSE,AND WORSE TILL I WAS
IN A RAGE, LAYING DOWN, SO PISSED I DIDNT EVEN WANT TO TAKE THE ADDERALL,EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE REASON FOR THIS OCCURANCE WAS THE MISSED DOSE.
I HAVE HAD VARIOUSE DIAGNOSIS BY NUMEROUS DOCTORS,AND THEY HAVE GIVEN IT ALL TO ME,PROZAC,LUVOX,CLONIDINE,RISPERDAL,LITHIUM,SERZONE,PAXIL(MAKES YOU COMPLETELY NUTTY),BUSPAR,INDERALL,CELEXA,ZOLOFT, YOU NAME IT, IVE TAKEN IT, BUT THROUGH ALL MY OBSERVATION, ALL THIS MEDICINE CONFUSED MY BRAIN,REGARDLESS OFWHAT THE MEDICATION WAS DOING, SO MUCH AT ONCE, AND CHANGING THEM SO FAST MOST DEFINATELY MADE ME SOME NEURON DAMAGE. THEN, AT MY NEXT DOCTORS VISIT,(HE IS A CHILDCARE DOCTOR,MY INSURANCE ONLY PROVIDES THAT UNSTABLE SERVICE),I TOLD HIM ABOUT THIS OUTRAGE I HAD.SO PLAIN AND SIMPLE, WITHOUT ANY WUESTIONS, TOOK MY RIGHT OFF THE ADDERALL,NO QUESTIONS ASKED!HIS REASONING FOR THIS WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A "STIMULANT". (I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ON IT FOR 4 MONTHS, WITH GREAT RESULTS, UNLIKE ANYOTHER MED IVE EVER TAKEN,ANOTHER DOCTOR HAD PRESCRIBED ME THE MEDS, THEN SHE HAD TO "CHANGE COMPANYS" OR SOMETHING, LEAVING ME WITH AN IGNORANT,NOT SECURE IN HIS OWN SELF, PERSON WITH A TITLE TO PRESCRIBE MEDS TO CHILDREN,) SO THE DAYS AFTER THIS HAVE TOTALLY SUCKED, I STILL TAKE KLONAPIN, BUT I AM NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL,I FEEL, WITHOUT SOME FORM OF FRONTAL STIMULATION. WHAT DO I DO?? SHOULD I EVEN GO ABOUT PROCURING MORE ADDERALL, OR SHOULD I JUST SAY SCREW IT, AND GO WITHOUT, BACK TO MY UNSTABLE,DISTRACTIBLE,AND ANXIOUSE STATE THAT IVE BEEN IN MY WHOLE LIFE????I FEEL LIKE IVE BEEN TEASED, THEY GIVE ME SOMETHING THAT WORKS GREAT FOR ME, WITH no SIDE EFFECTS EXPERIANCED, AND THEN THEY TAKE IT AWAY!THAT SUKS! ..ANY HELP ABOUT THIS WOULD BE APPREICIETED GREATLY!!!(OTHER OPTIONS, OR IF YOU BELEIVE I SHOULD GO ABOUT PROCURING MORE, HOW? I DONT WANT TO FEEL LIKE IM HUNTING DOWN AMPHETAMINES LIKE A KRAZY!!!!!!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, -TUCSON,AZ
Posted by Lectronic on December 15, 2001, at 9:03:16
In reply to Re: Adderall and Ritalin, posted by undead on December 15, 2001, at 7:34:19
Jeez guys,
I just don't feel like I'm taking enough different
kinds of drugs or have enough mental problems to
be on this list. I feel like such an amateur. I just
wanted to stay up for a while after my kids went to bed
so I could do some recording.
(Wry grin)...Lectronic
This is the end of the thread.
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