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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 IAMtheWalrus on June 24, 2008, at 14:43:24
Just curious.
-W
Posted by dbc on June 24, 2008, at 15:50:52
In reply to What's the half life of Ritalin?, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 24, 2008, at 14:43:24
Depends on your metabolism but its generally 3-4 hours for the IR.
Posted by cumulative on June 24, 2008, at 18:46:29
In reply to What's the half life of Ritalin?, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 24, 2008, at 14:43:24
Yeah, 2-4 hours. The duration of effectiveness is often even shorter, as with dextroamphetamine's 10-hour half-life but typical 4-5 hour window of effect. The reason for this sort of thing is not completely known, but it may have to do with blood-brain-barrier mechanisms.
Posted by Molybdenum on June 25, 2008, at 4:12:05
In reply to What's the half life of Ritalin?, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 24, 2008, at 14:43:24
Quotes from two Novartis data sheets:
- prescribing information dated June 21, 2006 for Ritalin (immediate release)
- another dated 14 September, 2006 (Novartis Aust. version)Peak plasma concentrations achieved at 2 hrs but marked variability between subjects.
Mean half-life is 2.4 hrs in children, 2.1 hrs in adults.
Abstinence is recommended on weekends and school holidays (inasmuch as the clinical situation permits).
Dose should be administered 1 to 2 hrs before maximum effect is required.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Curiously FYI, I recall reading that if you take Ritalin at the same time as modafinil, the latter's absorption is delayed by 1 hr.
Posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 11:27:14
In reply to Re: What's the half life of Ritalin?, posted by Molybdenum on June 25, 2008, at 4:12:05
> Quotes from two Novartis data sheets:
>
> - prescribing information dated June 21, 2006 for Ritalin (immediate release)
> - another dated 14 September, 2006 (Novartis Aust. version)
>
> Peak plasma concentrations achieved at 2 hrs but marked variability between subjects.
>
> Mean half-life is 2.4 hrs in children, 2.1 hrs in adults.
>
> Abstinence is recommended on weekends and school holidays (inasmuch as the clinical situation permits).
>
> Dose should be administered 1 to 2 hrs before maximum effect is required.
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
> Curiously FYI, I recall reading that if you take Ritalin at the same time as modafinil, the latter's absorption is delayed by 1 hr.Average dosage of ritalin for depression?
Posted by dbc on June 26, 2008, at 14:22:40
In reply to What's an average dosage of Ritalin for depression » Molybdenum, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 11:27:14
As far as i know you're definetly not getting ritalin for depression.
Posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 15:03:35
In reply to Re: What's an average dosage of Ritalin for depres, posted by dbc on June 26, 2008, at 14:22:40
> As far as i know you're definetly not getting ritalin for depression.
you're wrong, my pdoc is talking about trying it for my TR depression.
-W
Posted by undopaminergic on June 27, 2008, at 18:19:06
In reply to Re: What's an average dosage of Ritalin for depres » dbc, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 15:03:35
The answer to the question of average dose of Ritalin for depression or any other condition depends on the patient population averaged. The effective dose varies greatly - sometimes 5 mg will suffice, and sometimes 60 mg may be required. There is no simple way to predict the dose that would be optimal for you, but you really have to test. Start with a low dose and gradually increase until the best balance between benefits and adverse effects is reached.
Posted by B2chica on July 2, 2008, at 9:57:26
In reply to Re: What's an average dosage of Ritalin for depres » dbc, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 15:03:35
i'm on 20mg for ADD, but also to help lift my mood.
i DO notice that it lifts my mood. mostly i notice if i don't take it...i drag and start getting pessimistic and don't care about stuff.
Posted by Merge on July 4, 2008, at 13:58:19
In reply to What's an average dosage of Ritalin for depression » Molybdenum, posted by IAMtheWalrus on June 26, 2008, at 11:27:14
I am taking 20 mg, twice a day, for depression. I have treatment resistant depression and the Ritalin is augmenting the 40 mg of Lexapro that I take every day.
I've done a lot of reading and it's hard to say that there's an "average" dose of Ritalin for depression, but that's what I'm taking.
I've only been taking Ritalin for about 3 weeks - and my doctor said that I'm the first patient he's tried this with. Is it helping? It's hard to say. During the first 2 weeks, I felt great! The last week, I haven't felt so great. But, if I take the last 3 weeks and compare to them the last few months, when I was severely depressed, I would say yeah, it's helping.
I don't know if this will be a long term solution for me or not. I think it's too early to tell. I have been on a number of antidepressants/combinations of antidepressants since I was 19 (I'm 36 now) and to be honest, none of them have ever made my depression go away...but at times, it's much more manageable.
From what I've read, treating depression by augmenting with a stimulant is a rather new thing, but I am glad that my doctor and I decided to try it. I need to make a lot of changes in my life (lose weight, fix my finances, get a new job, etc) and while those tasks are daunting, with the Ritalin, I am starting to get my energy back so that I can actually imagine making some of those changes.
Treatment resistant depression is horrible and there is some evidence that augmenting with Ritalin does help some people. I think it's worth a try.
Hope this helps, and good luck to you. I'd be happy to answer any questions about my experience with Ritalin so far.
Posted by Merge on July 4, 2008, at 14:06:23
In reply to Ritalin for depression - I'm taking it, posted by Merge on July 4, 2008, at 13:58:19
fyi...
My insurance would not initially cover the Ritalin or it's generic form (which I take) and I had to pay for my first month's prescription out of pocket. The explanation that I was given was that (my) insurance would only cover Ritalin for patients 19 and under, unless you had a prior-authorization from the insurance company.
My doctor had to call my insurance company and explain why Ritalin was medically necessary for me, and they did approve it...now they cover it and I only have to pay my regular co-pay, rather than pay full price out of pocket. Obviously all insurance plans are different but you might want to be aware of this if costs are an issue.
This is the end of the thread.
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