Ritalin is the face of a demi-god

[Flagg]

Similar to the Adderall thread in this forum, I wanted to discuss my own recent prescription and subsequent experiences.

Two days ago, I visited a doc for disability services testing, after a mental breakdown caused me to take an incomplete in a class and postpone a preliminary qualifier exam. My advisor/Teaching Assistant boss ordered me to do it, so I had to cough up $300 for the co-pay and go through several rounds of tests. Two days ago was the first round.

The doc asked me questions I've never been asked by a psychiatrist before, mainly because my former psychs only stuck to my home life and personal life - the assumption that earning a master's in math rules out any problems in the classroom seems to be common for them, no matter how much I try to go down that road. This particular doc stuck with my school and job, though, because that's what the entire testing regimen had been ordered to test, and she concluded pretty quickly that I might do well on an Addy/Ritalin treatment.

I saw my regular psychiatrist yesterday (the one who knows about my past habits, including my hospitalization last May) and explained the situation to him. He had tried Provigil on me before Christmas break, which had done nothing but given me headaches and waking dream-states. Strattera had also been tried previously - a treatment that I call "Strattera'd", given how many people just want the amps - to no avail.

Since my drug use post-May has consisted only of having a (very rare) drink, smoking tobacco out of a pipe, and popping a few occasional Fioricets (what he doesn't know won't hurt him ... ), he figured I was on the road to "improvement" long enough to warrant a "trial" of Concerta (XR of Ritalin), to his "greatest reservation." He put me on a dose of 36 mg, which is less than what his chart shows I should be taking. He'll bump it up to the 54 mg XR next month if:

-I show no signs of abusing the drug;

-I attend the clinic once a week to submit my blood pressure to see if it's not too high (currently, my BP is 130-140/85-90);

-I stop smoking my pipe/drinking caffeine daily;

-I start a diet that will lower my blood pressure;

-The drug actually works without adverse side effects.

So far, the latter doesn't seem to be a problem. Since I started taking it, I've noticed a general increase in mood, concentration, and a decrease in random giddiness. Oddly, I feel calmer, and although the euphoria is there (and better at least than the Fioricet) it's not as much as, say, fifteen minutes after a coke hit or a chewed up Norco bar. It isn't fantastic cureall, but it's a hell of a motivator to improve my diet, quit smoking daily once and for all, and lower my b/p.

I don't intend to abuse this pill on a regular basis, which is why I didn't rush home and chew up two at once. I did, however, take one out to experiment a little on its structure, which I learned (online) is pretty difficult to break apart. It is - the fucker seems to be sealed in a small concrete tab, once you smear the white paint off. The material inside is caked and practically unpowderable, like a permanently damp vitamin. My normally strong pipe tool I used to use for crushing pills did nothing to it at all, and I doubt even the mortar/pestle I used to have would've done anything. I'm wondering what easy extraction methods could take the XR out in case some indeterminant, curious SWIM would like to see how it felt, but since SWIM isn't that interested in uppers, it doesn't really matter if there isn't.

I've been working on this post for a few minutes. Normally, something this long would've taken me an hour to pen, but this pill seems to have opened up a small floodgate of ideas. I haven't tried working my maths on it yet, but since the same drug pushed my own personal idol Paul Erdos to pen thousands of papers in his lifetime (with no work done after coming off of it for a month on a bet with a friend), I doubt I'll have as much roadblocks as I had last semester.

Here's to hoping something actually works. By the way, does anyone know of the best way to lower BP? I love salt, so I'm currently trying to seek other methods of flavor or foods that I like that don't have much salt ...

[OhJoy]

Are you saying that ritilan is helping you out of a depressed mental state. The more I hear about these drugs, the more I want to give it a try. Is this stuff hard to get. I mean can I ask my primary doc for it.

What is Provigil for?

Why are you being prescribed it, isn't it for ADD? Are you also using other drugs?

[zombiewoof23]

http://www.adderallxr.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall

Adderall has helped me out a bunch. The recent heroin bender has completely countered it, but its gone now so hopefully the adderall will come back and do its thing again.

I took the online assessment on the first link to see what questions they are asking for ADD, then went to my doc and gave him my symptoms. He tried to push stratera on me, but i declined and told him I preferred to try adderall. So far so good. Most ppl seem to prefer the IR's as opposed to the XR's. I personally like to take them both. If the XR's don't scare you, there is a free 30 day trial on the first link as well. Of course you will need a script and your coupon when you go to the pharmacy if you end up going this route.

[OpiBli$$1988]

i use to get concerta..and i kno what u mean about how they look. In my pills i used to take a knife and cut the pill in half..if u do it at the right spot ull see a pinkinsh color and a tannish brown color inside (one color on the left one color on the right)...one of those will be the xr and one will be the ampetamines. Ur colors may look diffrent tho since ur on a diff mg than i was, but ya the insides should still be easy to seperate w/ a knife.

[Flagg]

i use to get concerta..and i kno what u mean about how they look. In my pills i used to take a knife and cut the pill in half..if u do it at the right spot ull see a pinkinsh color and a tannish brown color inside (one color on the left one color on the right)...one of those will be the xr and one will be the ampetamines. Ur colors may look diffrent tho since ur on a diff mg than i was, but ya the insides should still be easy to seperate w/ a knife.

How the heck does the XR work if it isn't mixed directly with the methylphenidate itself? Is this discussed in the Adderall thread? I'm a bit curious.

And, for those who have tried both, which one is generally "better" for symptoms of adult ADHD (which is why I was prescribed this in the first place)?

[OpiBli$$1988]

How the heck does the XR work if it isn't mixed directly with the methylphenidate itself? Is this discussed in the Adderall thread? I'm a bit curious.

And, for those who have tried both, which one is generally "better" for symptoms of adult ADHD (which is why I was prescribed this in the first place)?


Not sure exactly how it works...cut the pill n half n try both sides..one side will work the other wont..concerta is diff than adderall...i doubt its mentioned in the adderall thread, adderalls xr pills have little balls inside and concerta doesnt. As for which is better i would strongly say adderall is (ive been on high doses of both and my favs adderall)..

[sylis]

I have never tried adderal, but my brother has been perscribed Dextroamphetamine for the past 5-6 years. Over the years I have had lots of experiance with this substance. Allthough I have never really used it as intended. I used to enjoy it allot, great euphoria and a productive high. But after awhile I really started to hate it. I cant seem to get any euphoria from the stuff amy more and just get sketchy and uncomfortable from the stuff. I only use it now if i need to be awake for an extended peroin of time or something along those lines. Dex is suposed to be the best of the ADD meds (besides desoxyn). I know that adderal does contian some dextroamphetamine as well as some other form of amphetamine salts. It is suposed to be the easiest on the body but i have never tried adderal so I cant compare.

[Sitar]

People think I'm crazy for this, but I actually prefer Ritalin/Concerta (methylphenidate) over Adderall. I greatly prefer Ritalin. It's not as good as methamphetamine, but to me it beats plain ol' amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

With Adderall, I don't feel any shift in mood or increase in concentration, only physical stimulation. To me, it's indistinguishable from Ephedrine. With methylphenidate I feel a definite boost in mood and incredible concentration along with the physical stimulation.

Of course, I actually have adult ADD, so that may play a part in why I get different effects from these drugs than a lot of people.

[Flagg]

People think I'm crazy for this, but I actually prefer Ritalin/Concerta (methylphenidate) over Adderall. I greatly prefer Ritalin. It's not as good as methamphetamine, but to me it beats plain ol' amphetamine and dextroamphetamine.

With Adderall, I don't feel any shift in mood or increase in concentration, only physical stimulation. To me, it's indistinguishable from Ephedrine. With methylphenidate I feel a definite boost in mood and incredible concentration along with the physical stimulation.

Of course, I actually have adult ADD, so that may play a part in why I get different effects from these drugs than a lot of people.

Yeah, I'm with you. It hasn't given me more than a simple boost in concentration this week. I tried the "knife it" method earlier, even, and it did almost nothing for me except a similar effect (except over a shorter period, of course). I won't be using it more than one with water from now on.

Interestingly enough, it had a metallic aftertaste and looked a bit like the sort of bad coke I used to get from a meth-head, who we "fired" after getting almost pure meth instead of coke (he claimed he fucked up and mixed bags, but it still had numbing effects so *shrug*). Now I think he had been giving us some degree of the same meth/novacaine and-or shitty coke mix all along, since we're pretty sure he cooked the meth himself.

[satori]

I didnt sleep last night and i have been taking assorted adderalls in the past hour. I must say I DISAGREE! That plus i started the other thread weighs heavily in my choice to confront you evil do'ers(SP?). I was on ritalin for years, and have had adderall past month. I BY FAR prefer adderall then again its all in the genes. Ritalin has a higher potential for abuse in terms of doing lines as it feels much more like coke (from what i have read). But for me amphetamines will always be king unless some new crazy thing comes out. Either way.... i love u guys. STIM LOVE!!!!!! Yup i need to stop taking these i think i hit my limit. Except for a couple cups of coffee of course (starbucks gift card).

[Chipper]

Ritalin/methyphenidate has been used to switch people away from cocaine, btw.

[Sitar]

That's because it rules.

[jacky]

ritalin really helped my mom out when she had a case of chronic fatigue syndrome....she also had an undiagnosed case of underactive thyroid at the time as well.
she hadnt been able to work for about 2 months, and the company she worked for had just gotten bought out by Wherehouser, which then tried to get her fired and booted off of her insurance.

a few years before this her internal medicine specialist diagnosed me adhd, and wanted to see if ritalin would work for me, but as I was abusing opiates, he didnt want to throw more drugs into my body....so when she came in completely distraught, he gave her a choice of medications based on our family history.

anti-deppressants hadnt really done anything...who knows, maybe her symptoms were from antideppressants.

to make matters worse, her husband of 22 years was cheating on her, her best freind had died of cancer, and they had just moved into a new farm house that she couldnt take care of herself even if she did have her health.

well, in about 2 fucking weeks that ritalin completely reversed her symptoms of chronic fatique, for some reason I think they were then able to diagnose her underactive thyroid problem.
it was a good thing, cause I think she could have killed herself in the condition she was before when faced with all the bullshit that goes with an uneasy divorce.

I dont think she needs ritalin anymore, but for a few years she lost alot of wieght, got healthy, sought out new freinds and dated a guy younger than me, and started skiiing again.

looking at my moms case scenario I decided to give ritalin a try just for fun. a freind gave me 10 milligrams, which I know isnt much.
I felt GREAT. work was fine, and I felt really calm and collected.

half the reason I take opiates is for concentration, I almost fall asleep at work around 5pm, no matter what unless I am medicated. its been this way for years. in school it was worse...that is why I need physical work like cooking, or landscaping, or roofing to keep my head above the sleep zone.

I have thought about hooking up with a ritalin prescription, and maybe watching some of the other drugs I use daily becoming less prevelant in my life.

glad to hear that ritalin is working for you man....I know that it has helped some drug addicts actually kick their street habits to opiates and cannabis before....my Dr went over some case historys to show me that some drug addicts drop their drug of choice like a hot rock when started on ritalin.
I doubt I would go that far......

ritalin really helped my mom though, I dont see giving it to 6 year olds as being very smart, but in my mothers case it was a real boon to her wellbeing. alot of people I tell about this dont believe me, and just say that she was jacked on speed, even her own sister was worried cause my mom seriously dropped some weight and got back into the dating game, but I think it may have been casual, well meaning jealosy.

[jacky]

I also am really interested in the opioidopamine "connection" in the ventral tegmental region of the mesolimbic system and the cross stimulation that takes place between dopamine and opioid receptors found there.

in this spot in the brain, if morphine is chronically injected, and a dependency is established, and then the morphine is cut off, the subjects dont exhibit withdrawl symptoms.

pretty interesting interplay between opioid agonists and dopaminergics.

[Hammilton]

Concerta is able to seperate the XR and the methylphenidate because the capsule isn't water permeable. There's a expanding goop inside that pushes out the methylphenidate in a time release fashion.

You should know that taking an entire dose could easily be dangerous. That's a 14 hour dose. I read a report of a 12 year old who chewed it up like a skittle. he got a little more than he was asking for.

[OxyContinuously]

Basically w the Concerta (or the ezra 36's) the yellow part of the broken in half pill is methylphenidate--the whole dose, and the darker half is just what i call "time release shit" a sponge basically. To get all the Ritalin out, cut it in half, peel through the fifty layers of plastic and all that and get the yellow powder out, and throw away the other half. Those pills are fucking Fort Knox of pharmaceuticals. Talk about layer upon layer!!

Oxy

[Sitar]

The Alza time-release Concertas have a coating on them that is full of methylphenidate, too. I always peel off the coating, eat the coating, and then chew up the neapolitan-looking insides. Works well, and you can feel it in half an hour, usually. Lasts for at least 6 hours or so.

The dark grey section is basically there to push out the dose, but I always go ahead and eat it anyway, just in case it does have any kind of goodies in it. And make sure to eat a spoonful of baking soda before taking amphetamines to make them last longer.

[Chipper]

And make sure to eat a spoonful of baking soda before taking amphetamines to make them last longer.

Sitar, what does the baking soda do?

[Flagg]

The Alza time-release Concertas have a coating on them that is full of methylphenidate, too. I always peel off the coating, eat the coating, and then chew up the neapolitan-looking insides. Works well, and you can feel it in half an hour, usually. Lasts for at least 6 hours or so.

The dark grey section is basically there to push out the dose, but I always go ahead and eat it anyway, just in case it does have any kind of goodies in it. And make sure to eat a spoonful of baking soda before taking amphetamines to make them last longer.

I have no idea how one can eat it without crushing it. I'd probably look like Ren from the Ren and Stimpy episode where he doesn't brush his teeth. :D

[Sitar]

Chipper, the baking soda alkalinizes your system which makes amphetamines last longer because your body eliminates the speed more slowly if you eat some baking soda before taking them.

Flagg, once you peel off the coating from the Alzas, the insides are soft enough to chew. Doesn't taste good, but it works.

[80oranges]

For Conerta one side immediatley releases 22% of the total dose. The other side maintains that level for a 12 hour period.

[drugsaregood]

im railing rit now yo. im pretty sure it eats away the nose like yay. abusing it worsens moods too.

[PantyShot9]

Are you saying that ritilan is helping you out of a depressed mental state. The more I hear about these drugs, the more I want to give it a try. Is this stuff hard to get. I mean can I ask my primary doc for it.

What is Provigil for?

Why are you being prescribed it, isn't it for ADD? Are you also using other drugs?

My doc actually prescribes me the IR Ritalin for depression which wasn't helped with more common treatments for it which a lot of docs will do. But then again I've been on every anti=depressant you can imagine and none of them worked.

[resorcinol]

Once I stupidly took 160 mg of methylphenidate and felt great... GREAT, but payed dearly with the crash when it wore off.

Gah, I hate stims.

[Inspektahdek]

I hate ritalin, makes me jittery and awkward feeling in a bad way

[opi8fiend]

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVEEEEEEEEEE ritalin...Idk, i guess everybody is different because personally adderall is the one that no matter what dose i take i crash hard, get all jittery and paranoid, and just hate it. With ritalin I feel amazing, at the top of the world, not really jittery, just focused and euphoric. I also don't crash hard at all on ritalin...idk

[resorcinol]

Honestly I find propylhexedrine in the Benzedrex inhalers more euphoric than ritalin or adderall (although the crash is horrendous). I think it's between adderall and meth in euphoria.

[mikells43]

I used to snort ritilin in highschool, i would get those 30mg time realsed hard ass pills, that stuck to the sink when smashed. hell they stuck to anythign when smashed, this was before all the shit about people abusing them, well kind of before and kind of in the middle, but it was before those fancy pills that are abuse resistant. anyhow the 10mg of ritilin is just a sugary pill that dont do much when snorted. the time realsed ones are the ones u want if absuing them. they pretty gave me similar meth like side effects or amph like side effects i should say. but there is a drug called medidate its a form of ritilin (i can't spell that type of chemical that starts with the m lol). but it is abuseable and i took some about 2 years ago all nite and was up for 2 days. they come in a capsule that has tiny lil balls in it. as far as the new pills i donno. good luck it helps alot of adults i have heard great things about add/adhd meds helping adult adhd/add. theres even a patch http://www.daytrana.com/

[Boudica]

I have no idea how one can eat it without crushing it. I'd probably look like Ren from the Ren and Stimpy episode where he doesn't brush his teeth. :D




A HARDY har har. I am especially fond of the "missing socks" episode. And I know this has absolutely nothing to do with the content of this thread. Sometimes one just has to "flip out" in some way, shape or form.

[resorcinol]

I have no idea how one can eat it without crushing it. I'd probably look like Ren from the Ren and Stimpy episode where he doesn't brush his teeth. :D

I must be a freak of nature... I chewed up the Concertas whole no problem :p

[Boudica]

Sitar, what does the baking soda do?


Gives you a science project you can scam together in 10 minutes flat, just by pouring some vinigar on it.


(god, I am really sorry, mates. I am having some sort of meltdown. Really)

*i am exiting now.....

[Inspektahdek]

Adderall is a blast, pharmaceutical mixed amp salts, hooray! I hate ritalin though

[Boudica]

Adderall is a blast, pharmaceutical mixed amp salts, hooray! I hate ritalin though



I would like some of that^^^.

[opi8fiend]

UGH SWIM's on ritilin right now and it just doesn't have that zest that Adderall has....To make a long story short ritilin sucks. Adderall doesn't. Any other pharmaceuticals out there that are stimulants worth trying?