RITALIN Reviews (METHYLPHENIDATE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.4 (214 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare RITALIN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on RITALIN: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR RITALIN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | Narcolepsy | Irritable and agitated when it wears off, increased heart rate but not to a dangerous level | Ritalin helps me stay awake most of the time. But I'm a college student and it tends to wear off when I'm trying to do homework, which is bad because I get both tired and upset/panic-y. The daily ups (when it's working) and downs (when it wears off) are annoying. | F | 21 | 3 months 10 MG 2X day | 5/31/2011 | 4 | ADHD that was not treated in my childhood | im not sure about the side effect but i get some nasty backpain after sleep when i wake up, till i take my med again 10 or 20mg then it goes away, can anyone feedback me whats causing it? | Im very satisfied with ritalin, it helps me relax. as an adult im not physically hyper much anymore like in my childhood where i was not treated having ADHD, now it gives me the inner calmess, a stabilized mood it also made me quit drinking alcohol and it wasnt really planned by me it was a little miracle, i just felt i dont need it. Another thing it helped me with is the frustration i carried with me for some years not knowing what my real issue was, some therapists have diagonised me as a depressed, and anxious person, which i knew wasnt really the core bein of my problem since im an open and outgoin person. the worst thing i did personally was putting my hands on benzos(clonazepam), feeling misunderstood i tried to look for every single way to cure myself alone. benzos helped me relax but also got me hooked, im withdrawin again based on my own senses, im now on 1.5mg , i used to be on 6mg a day. Im withdrawing slowly, since i dont find the need to rush it up and end up with a new problem which is common after rehab, the recovery and its black days ive read allover the web, i also bought a book and read about it too. however back to Ritalin or any other adhd med,im most comfortable with the original and dont go for generics and second mades which gave me lots of sideffects. I only have one or two side effects, 1) I dont feel like sleeping, (I have slept long enaugh during my life, thinking about sleep is a waste of time, dont misunderstand me, i konw its one of the most | M | 25 | 5 months 20 mg 4X day | 5/24/2011 | 5 | adult adhd | none. this drug basically saved me...... | 30 years ago, I was the typical impulsive adhd kid whom nobody including my loving parents understood......my life was a wreck...luckily after HS, I met a psychiatrist who asked me: "why are you flunking college courses but qualifying to enter the USAF Academy"?...good question, at age 18 I was a disaster...but she convinced me to take Ritalin...fast forward 30 years..I completer several advanced degrees, retired from the USAF reserves as an O6 and flew jets for over 4,000 hours (cheated on the drug tests)...and now at age 56, I have a family, financial security and the "good life"...all because of a few cents of a stimulant (ritalin) per day | M | 55 | 30 years 10 4X day | 5/9/2011 | 3 | Adult ADHD | Extreme nausea (sometimes leading to vomitting), high irritability, anger, depression, fatigue, headaches, loss of sex drive | My insurance only makes the generic form of Ritalin (Methylphenidate) affordable to me. I have been struggling with it for the last two years. When on breaks from school I will not take it. The nausea is the worst for me, as well as the feeling of being "stuck inside my head" like a zombie. The irritability, anger, and loss of sex drive are effecting my boyfriend the most, they're not so bad to where I'm getting complaints from work or friends, only when I'm at home. If you are able to take something else, I would. It is a daily battle for me to choose between not accomplishing any tasks due to my ADHD or to literally feel like s**t all day. It makes me feel like an angry, hungover drone all day and then come night, I am not able to relax. I look forward to days where I have no schoolwork so I can feel like myself again/ | F | 21 | 2 years 20mg XR 1X day | 5/2/2011 | 4 | N/A | No hunger , dont want food , Ridiculously good concentration , unable to sleep for up to 6 hours after ingestion , Sex drive reduced significantly | Before use , if I wanted to sit down and study for a test , I would procrastinate , eat, brouse web , game tv etc , After use I cant help BUT study , only want to study and not interested in any thing else. | M | 17 | 3 days 40mg 1X day | 4/10/2011 | 4 | exhaustion from MS | feel shaky inside for awhile and legs and arms feel weak | Ritalin has helped the extreme exhaustion I was experiencing | F | 59 | 2 months 20mg,10mg 1X day | 3/1/2011 | 4 | Excessive drowsiness, fatigue | mildly irritable at times (I think when it runs its course) | This will be different for each person taking it. Due mostly to my background in chemistry and healthcare, I was VERY unenthusiastic about people, certainly children, taking a drug that essentially is a legal "slum" and "overdose waiting to happen" drug, working on the same part of the brain as cocaine. But, like most all medications, it can improve a person's life, sometimes substantially. For me, it has been quite substantial. I don't have time to bore you with the difficulties I have had over the years getting through a day of work without wanting to lock myself in my office and fall asleep on my desk. Or my lack of enthusiasm in life. It works very well for me at 10mg twice a day. It has only been, however, 30 days. Now, it is a dangerous drug as far as addiction goes. I think if people would simply use it as prescribed and do not look for a miracle drug that puts you in a euphoria to fly around in, it's a solid med. Unfortunately, a lot of people are, and do, abuse this drug. If you try it, please use it to help normalize and better your life. If you search for a high, the probabilities are that you will only damage your life and your health. Also, know that everybody has different chemistry (called biochemical individuality), so no chemical agent, or drug, will work the same for everyone. | M | 38 | 30 days 10mg 2X day | 1/23/2011 | 4 | Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue/MPS | Enlargening of eyes followed by extreme STARING, bowel stimulant, increased heart rate | The staring thing is funny. I have big eyes as it is and this just makes that worse. It helps with the chronic fatigue. It makes me very personable. I have mixed it with coffee (caffeine) and the two of them together really get me going- cleaning the house, doing the laundry, etc. Though I like this drug, I do not like the wear-off effect. I will go right to sleep. If I don't remember to take this drug, I will go to sleep and not wake up for several days. It has gotten to the point where family members check to see that I am still alive. It is a god send when taken correctly | F | 34 | 45 days 10mg 2X day | 1/6/2011 | 3 | ADHD | sexual dysfunction, insomnia | fantastic medication for concentration and with the added benefit of mood enhancement. Only issue seems to be that my sex drive is somewhat dampened while taking ritalin and oftentimes erections are difficult to achieve. I should mention that I am in the process of adjusting other meds so this issue may not be entirely attributable to ritalin alone. | M | 35 | 6 weeks 10 3X day | 12/29/2010 | 5 | ADHD | Relaxed and at ease. | I don't blurt out things as I did before Ritalin. Everything feels "Normal" now and I actually do what I have planned for every day. I take the Watson generic and experience a smooth up and a smooth down. Avoid the Methylin generic...it's like a rollercoaster. | M | 23 | 2 months 5mg 3X day | 12/21/2010 | 4 | ADD | Anger/irritation, dry mouth, thirst, mild depression for short periods off it. Useful anti-depressant side benefits. | I used to take the 5MG Ritalin/Methylin 4-hour tabs twice daily. These resulted in a nasty 30 minute angry/irritated state about 6 hours after ingestation as they wore off. I felt really good on them however with lots of willpower and energy. Oh well. I take an odd combo of Ritalin LA and Focalin now to increase work-task focus and decrease the anger when dosages wear off. Less fun but more effective. I was able to stop an embarrassing 30-year finger skin-picking habit on the 5MG Ritalin 4-hour tabs!! Totally unplanned. My new combo with Focalin is a bit less effective for this but I can still resist doing it. I think these have an effective off-label use as anti-depressants. | M | 41 | 1 years 10MG 1X day | 11/18/2010 | 5 | anxiety, panic, mild narcolepsy | urinary difficulties at times,.incountenence.. | prescribed to help me to get out and about. I had quit using chewing tobacco after 26 yrs and couldn't function mentally or physically. Couldn't and didn't want to wake up, go to work, unable to focus, to concentrate..I have an anxiety disorder with panic and have had for many years..The generic ritalin has helped with all of those things as I have gotten off of it from time to time to see what the results or changes may be. The panic attacks begin to reoccur pretty quickly after stopping and the anxiety is also heightened too...I'm not really sure what that all means except that I feel better, more relaxed, more calm, more focused, more sympathetic, more of many things that I think are good things to have,..good traits.. So, I believe I will just remain on them for now..Hope this helps somebody. | M | 43 | 3 months 30mg 2X day | 11/1/2010 | 5 | inability to concentrate, focus | Weight loss | I have been diagnosed with depression since 1993 and treated with anti-depressants. I don't quite meet criteria for the diagnosis of ADD, but have many of the symptoms. The combination of anti-depressants and Ritalin is very effective for me. My brain is quiet and I am able to think clearly, doing things in a orderly rather than chaotic way. For me, the primary reason for weight loss is impulse control. I used to eat everything in sight (office). Now I eat small-moderate healthy meals (protein, small amount of starch, fruits, vegetables), enjoy my food, but don't eat much outside meals. I eat much less sugar. It addition, i have much less fatigue. Within a few days, I was able to complete a workout at the gym. I am enjoying exercise on a regular basis. If the drug helps you regulate your behavior so that you can make healthy choices, it is beneficial. If you expect this drug to solve your problems, it becomes a problem. This drug is not for everyone. When I see the varied comments, it is plain to me that for some people this drug is a nightmare and for others it is very beneficial. Much more research needs to be done. | M | 53 | 6 days 10mg 2X day | 10/24/2010 | 5 | add | has changed my life for the better | F | 45 | 5 years 20 3X day | 10/20/2010 | 3 | ADD/Exeutive Functioning Disorder | After having educational testing done at age nine, I was diagnosed with some form of a learning disorder. It was until I was tested again at age 16 that I was diagnosed with ADD as well as executive fuctioning disorder. My doctor put me on Concerta at 36 MG. A few tries later, I'm currently on 36 MG of Concerta and 10 MG of immediate release Ritalin (immedite release that the medicine kicks into my system quickly). I've been one that regime for about a month now, and I'm sad to say that it doesn't help. I'm a high school student, so staying focused on task at hand is very important. I take the Concerta in the morning and the Ritalin in the afternoon to help me get through my homework. I've found that doesn't work, so I've now been taking the medicine (in addition to the regime above) also whenever I need it. For example, I took 90 (54 MG that I had from previous tries -- the 54 MG gave me insomnia, plus a 36 MG) of Concerta combined with 10 MG of Ritalin late last night so I could get | F | 16 | 1 months 10 MG 1X day | 10/17/2010 | 1 | ADD - Inattentive | I fall sound asleep 30 minutes after taking; can't be woken up no matter what is going on around me. Itchy, hypersensitive skin and blistering rash, that hasn't gone away even after I stopped taking. Severe abdominal, kidney pain. Feel spacy and drugged. | After much discussion & evaluation by 2 mental health doctors I was diagnosed with ADD- inattentive, &prescribed Ritalin generic. Told it was safe, effective, change-my-life-for-the-better drug. Took for 2 days in the a.m. Stopped as I couldn't function as I was asleep all day after taking. 1/2ed dosage, only slept for 1/2 as long. Started taking right before bedtime. In 2nd week I developed itchy rash, skin sensitivity (felt like my skin was burning right off my body), UTI &severe abdominal pain. After I complained of symptoms was told maybe I'm not ADD or the drug would have worked &these symptoms are probably not related &just in my head. Dr. won't consider any other alternative for me as Ritalin "should have" worked if I was truly ADD. | F | 40 | 16 days 10 MG 1X day | 10/9/2010 | 4 | adhd | loss of appitite and horney all the time | ritalin works great it calms me down and helps me focus and stay on task also get along with others i would reccomend this drug to those who need it | M | 36 | 1 years 10 mg 3X day | 10/5/2010 Patient History | 5 | Mild Narcolepsy | none, (except major daytime sleepiness when taking a drug holiday) | Like another older male who posted here, I also may be a 'test subject' for what the real 'max' dose for adults really is. Over a 10 year period my dosage has gradually increased to 2x 20mg (40mg) six times a day. That is right, 240mg daily, has been for over 3 years now, with no adverse affects and no need for increase in dosage. Annual exams, blood tests, liver function etc. all within normal limits. So it appears there is a wide range of what dose is the 'safe effective amount' than what is generally prescribed. Works for me! (retired, 55 y.o. male, 200 lbs.) | M | 55 | 10 years 40 mg 6X day | 10/4/2010 | 4 | BD/Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia | First week: loss of appetite, burst of energy, little nausea, upset stomach for a few days. | I feel like I have found a cure! Have been on SSDis x4 years for PD/CFS/Fibromyalgia. I have energy. My sleep cycle is "normal," and NO PAIN. I have suffered for over 20 years with chronic pain and depression. I do have an autoimmune disorder that causes me to have chronic sinusitis and infections, and seasonal allergies. I am able to focus more. I am interested in doing more "fun" things, and I can get out of bed feeling energized. I do not understand how it works. I just know that for me it is working. After three weeks, I have monitored the affects of the Ritalin. For me, the affect lasts for about 4 hours, 6 hours max. If I don't need the benefit of it in the late afternoon, there is no need to take it. On Sundays, I don't take it at all if I am not going to be involved in any activities. I like the fact that I don't "HAVE TO" take it all the time. I am not sure if it is affecting my blood pressure or organs.....but I feel better. It is amazing how you can try so many other medications and then......RITALIN just works for you. I know it raises a lot of eyebrows but I am only concerned about how it affects me and if it works or not. I hope it works for others too. | F | 50 | 3 weeks 20 2X day | 9/16/2010 | 5 | adult adhd/add--impulsive, anxiety | thirsty, poopy, methylyn good but methylphenidate nerve-inducing (watch your generics, the Concerta was best but VERY EXPENSIVE) | I'm a 40-something mother of 2, have probably had adhd all my life and the ritalin has been a god-send and a huge lifesaver. After having kids my impulsive behavior (read: shopping) has been out of control, literally. Find a doctor you can trust and talk to him/her. Especially if you are a woman, whose symptoms are different than the typical boy who is bouncing off walls. Especially if you were a premie or of a low birth-weight. IMPORTANT! | F | 43 | 2 months 20 mg+ 2X day | 8/6/2010 |