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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:07:25
The reason I ask is that I've been informed that I recently had a Ritalin-induced psychosis. I didn't feel psychotic, meaning I wasn't hallucinating nor was I hearing voices. I'm confused because Ritalin has always been a safe med for me take.
Has anyone been told that they're experiencing something that they're really not experiencing just so someone gets to make a point? Like, "We just don't want you take Ritalin...even though it helps you."
I'm just confused on who to believe. Myself or the social worker who wants me off Ritalin.
Thanks for any insight. I hope this message makes sense.
- Johnny
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:26:43
In reply to How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:07:25
FYI, I took a some Ritalin earlier today and I feel perfectly fine. So, I don't understand what the social worker is going on about Ritalin being a bad med. I'm just puzzled, and wish she could see or talk to me now so she can discover for herself that Ritalin is the right medication for me! Argg! I don't want them to take me off Ritalin!
Posted by evenintherain on March 1, 2010, at 16:52:58
In reply to How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:07:25
Hi Johnny,
I think it seems like a reasonable question to ask, since there are certainly people out there that have an unfair bias in relation to certain medications (or all drugs, for that matter).
Who diagnosed you with the psychosis? Are you still seeing the same person who prescribed you the ritalin? And if so, is he or she suggesting you stop it, or is it just the social worker?
Did they tell you why they thought your symptoms were ritalin-induced and did you agree with any of the symptoms they told you you displayed?
Sorry for all the questions...i'm not a doctor or anything so i don't even know if i will be able to help, but maybe some background could help get another perspective?
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 17:25:22
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by evenintherain on March 1, 2010, at 16:52:58
Thanks for replying.
They were vague in explaining why thought my symptoms were induced by Ritalin. The hospital fabricated it I think because they didn't know what else to do with me. The ER indicated that I was experiencing audio and visual hallucinations, which is completely 100% false. I wasn't hallucinating period!
Now, I've taken Ritalin a few times already today and I feel fine. More than anything it appears that the social worker wants me to stop me....why? - That's unclear because I'm not psychotic right now, in my humble opinion.
I'm upset because the social worker is trying to get my father and me to believe what's not true, and asking me to stop a medication that I truly believe helps me, and that's safe for me to take (i.e. minimal side effects). And no, I didn't agree with their diagnosis to answer your question.
Please me know if you have any other questions!
Posted by Phillipa on March 1, 2010, at 17:32:48
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 17:25:22
Johnny a social worker can't prescribe meds? Some know nothing about them? What behaviors in you lead her to believe you're psychotic? Dad think so also?
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 18:38:25
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic? » JohnnyBLinux, posted by Phillipa on March 1, 2010, at 17:32:48
I just spoke with the doctor who prescribes my Ritalin and he said it was probably a reaction between psuedoephedrine and Ritalin that caused any psychotic-like symptoms. He doesn't think I'm psychotic, just ADD. Other than that OTC-med interaction, I think I was just having a bad day and I made a bad decision to go to the hospital!
Posted by bleauberry on March 1, 2010, at 18:43:59
In reply to How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:07:25
I would be curious to know exactly what behaviors are leading someone to think of you as psychotic.
Even a normal healthy person who takes ritalin for a few days can experience a change in behavior, some for the better, some for the worse. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them. Certainly you couldn't call someone freaking out on ritalin psycotic. It's a reaction to too much of stimulant. It goes away when the stimulant is reduced or stopped.
Your dose might just be a little too much. It doesn't mean it needs to be stopped. If it is helping you a lot, then it means the dose probably needs to be lowered. Or it may mean it needs a counterbalance...such as a low dose of lexapro, zoloft, or prozac. But it doesn't mean it needs to be stopped. That is unless you are throwing temper tantrems, getting delusional, going on spending sprees, feeling suspicious of others, getting emotionally sensitive to stuff that is meaningless, acting manic-like, getting in arguments, being unusually rebellious, engaging in excessive sex, stuff like that.
It really depends on what symptoms they are seeing in you and how severe or not they are.
Posted by evenintherain on March 1, 2010, at 18:50:20
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 17:25:22
i guess it would make sense for the social worker to want you to stop the ritalin IF you were diagnosed by a doctor with ritalin-induced psychosis. the problem is, maybe the doctor was incorrect in his/her diagnosis?
who made the diagnosis? an ER doc? if it was an ER doc and not a trusted psychiatrist, i would be skeptical as well. that doesn't mean they're wrong, just that they may not have the whole story and/or limited experience in this area? from what i can tell ER docs usually just guess at a diagnosis and then refer you to a hospitalist or specialist. and if they are wrong they don't learn from their mistakes because they don't have any follow-up. Did you see a pdoc at the hospital?
here are some symptoms of psychosis:
* Abnormal displays of emotion
* Confusion
* Depression and sometimes suicidal thoughts
* Disorganized thought and speech
* Extreme excitement (mania)
* False beliefs (delusions)
* Loss of touch with reality
* Mistaken perceptions (illusions)
* Seeing, hearing, feeling, or perceiving things that are not there (hallucinations)
* Unfounded fear/suspiciondo any of those sound like the ones that brought you to the hospital? i mean besides the hallucinations, which you didn't have. because i guess the first step is trying to figure out if you had psychosis, and then the second would be to try and figure out what caused it.
how long have you been taking the ritalin? had you recently increased your dose? were there any other drugs or alcohol involved?
Posted by evenintherain on March 1, 2010, at 18:58:16
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 18:38:25
oops, i replied before i saw this!
sounds like your doctor is making sense. not your fault for getting scared and going to the hospital.> I just spoke with the doctor who prescribes my Ritalin and he said it was probably a reaction
>between psuedoephedrine and Ritalin that caused
>any psychotic-like symptoms. He doesn't think
>I'm psychotic, just ADD. Other than that
>OTC-med interaction, I think I was just having a >bad day and I made a bad decision to go to the hospital!
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 20:31:59
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by evenintherain on March 1, 2010, at 18:50:20
Mainly, I was feeling depressed about a few things, and I was feeling off, like a bit weird. So, rather than wait for the weird-depressed mood to pass I walked my *ss to the hospital. Wow, what a mistake because I was locked up in the psych-ward for 2 weeks.
Posted by Phillipa on March 1, 2010, at 20:38:37
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 20:31:59
And they discontinued the ritalin? What did they replace it with? And what happened when off it mood wise? Love Phillipa
Posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 21:03:59
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic? » JohnnyBLinux, posted by Phillipa on March 1, 2010, at 20:38:37
The doctor who prescribes Ritalin wants me to continue taking it. The psych facility added Strattera while I was off the Ritalin. Right now I'm taking both and so far I'm doing well and feeling well. There's no interaction between the two as I checked on drugs.com. When I'm off Ritalin, I get lethargic, depressed, lack focus and follow-through, and am generally super lazy. This is why I would prefer to stay on my med. The social worker doesn't get it. She sees Ritalin as a bad drug that I'm abusing, which isn't the case. I need to stop running to the hospital for every little mental annoyance is what I need to do because that's when things start going topsy turvy for me in a bad way.
Posted by Phillipa on March 1, 2010, at 21:24:51
In reply to Re: How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 21:03:59
Johnny I agree you have closer resources. Love Phillipa
Posted by henryo on March 10, 2010, at 5:17:37
In reply to How do I know if I'm psychotic?, posted by JohnnyBLinux on March 1, 2010, at 15:07:25
I like Ritalin. but I have never tried to experiment with what would be too large a dose. I'm sure i could take to much fairly easily. Do you take so much that it restricts your ability to urinate? cause that is an indication that you might want to step it down a notch. as for psychotic maybe more ritalin could cure that. Joke. I don't know beans about psychotic. but you sound lucid. no bugs crawling on you yet, right? I'm serious about the urine thing though.
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