Methylphenidate for Narcolepsy User Reviews (Page 2)

• nar...
• March 24, 2010

Methylphenidate "I used Methylin ER for 3 months. I used the equivalent of a 90-day prescription (one 20 mg once a day) for 3 months. I did not use the pill every day due to illnesses and migraines. Who wants to be alert for that? When I did take it, it was a different life for me. I could actually plan what task I would complete that day instead of 'watch and wait' as it has always been for me with narcolepsy. I am a stay-at-home mom with a 3-year-old and a 14-year-old. As a result, my house was cleaner, I was more predictable energy-wise. I did sleep lighter and occasionally woke up at night. It was not bothersome, though not enough to stop it. Then the unfortunate happened: I became allergic to it (I am also allergic to Nuvigil and Provigil)."

• Sle...
• March 11, 2016

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy 2 years ago at the age of 33. I probably suffered for 15 years before diagnosis. Provigil/Nuvigil is extremely effective for me throughout the day, but getting out of bed was still a battle that I often lost. I take my first dose 1 hour before I need to be up, and it helped, but not enough. My doc prescribed 5 mg immediate-release Concerta 1 hour before I need to be functioning. She called it a chemical launch. It is the cherry on top of my current med and lifestyle changes. I wake up without the narcolepsy fog. I didn't know life could be like this."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2018

Methylphenidate "I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and was prescribed Ritalin. Doc started me on a low dose to be taken twice a day. The first two days I felt awake and alert, didn’t nap till 4:30 pm. After that, I just got sleepy. Never had that get-up-and-go like those first few days. Now after being on it for over a month, about 15 minutes after dosing I’m falling asleep. Literally head bobbing. I nap off and on all day long like before I was on Ritalin, or I feel sick. I also notice that my chronic pain is heightened. Everything seems magnified on live wire. My eyes hurt, I’m more sensitive to light and have daily headaches on top of my chronic migraines. I finally see my neurologist tomorrow and hopefully, he’ll have an alternative plan for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2012

Methylphenidate "I just recently started this medication, and so far, it has not worked very well for me. My doctor first prescribed me Provigil, but my insurance didn't cover enough of it for me to be able to afford it. This worked pretty well for me the 1st day or 2, but now, less than a week later, I'm back to the way I was, dozing off and on all day long. I was so excited to finally have an answer and a treatment that now I'm just frustrated and sad that it's not working and afraid that something that could work for me will end up being too expensive!"

• Ema...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 27, 2021

Methylphenidate "In 2017, after years of struggling with sleep issues, I got myself a sleep study. It turned out I had narcolepsy without cataplexy after a full nighttime study and MSLT. At first, I was taking 10 mg of Ritalin 2x a day, that wasn't working, so she switched me to 10 mg of Ritalin 4x daily. I was finding that I'd get terrible headaches from it, so she tried me on Provigil 200 mg. That alone wasn't working as your body adjusts to it. I started supplementing with 10 mg of Ritalin 1x a day. That also wasn't working. I now take Provigil 200 mg at 5 am and supplement that with 20 mg of Ritalin at noon and move on to another 10 mg of Ritalin around 4 pm, and I'm getting through my 12-hour workdays, plus still have energy when I get home! It's absolutely wonderful to feel like a normal functioning human being again. No headaches, no anxiety, concentration is perfect, and I feel like me again. Adjust your meds if it's not working, fight to feel better."

• oni...
• November 28, 2013

"Works great. Took a long time to get it right. I use Nuvigil daily and Ritalin 20 mg three times a day. It is sad and depressing, but with the right dose and proper nutrition, things can get better. The bad part is, it's hard to do.... stop driving! I can't believe I drove! I am thankful I did not kill someone falling asleep. How could my loved ones let me drive? Don't drive until you are confident your meds are straight consistently."

• JAS...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 13, 2021

"Diagnosed with narcolepsy and cataplexy at the age of 17. Prescribed Ritalin 10 mg 5 TD, and years later methylphenidate, same strength and dosage. I’ve been taking same strength and dosage for 61 years."

• sle...
• February 6, 2017

Methylphenidate "I was diagnosed when I was 6 years old, and I am now 25 years old. I have taken Provigil, Adderall, Nuvigil, Ritalin, and now methylphenidate ER. I could not take the recent medication due to the side effects I used to get all the time, and it wasn't until I started taking Folican XR that my life had changed. I felt like I was never diagnosed at all. I started taking Folican when I was maybe in middle school up until a year ago. I was put on another medication, which is methylphenidate, which seemed to make me more tired. The things I could do as a person without narcolepsy, I can no longer do them. Emotionally, that by itself put strain on me. This by itself seemed to do nothing. 10 mg 1-2 a day. When I was on Folican, I took 15 mg 3 times."

• hap...
• September 25, 2015

"Have taken methylphenidate for narcolepsy for over 15 years with positive results and no adverse effects to date. My dosage has increased from 10 mg 3x daily (1999) to 40 mg 4x daily (2004) with the desired effects received, and none of the adverse effects."

• Ami...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2021

Methylphenidate "I have both mixed sleep apnea and narcolepsy. I have been taking an 18 mg Concerta pill each morning for 6 days now. From day 1, the continual tiredness and falling asleep has stopped. I am able to concentrate and focus at work for prolonged periods of time, whereas before, I would take a break and wash my face every 30 minutes to try to avoid feeling sleepy. Now I am sleeping better (using a CPAP machine) and awake as normal during the day… really happy with the results… Also, so far, I have had no side effects other than on day 3 my vision was a bit weird for about an hour, then returned to normal… Overall, a positive experience."

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 11, 2018

Methylphenidate "Had narcolepsy from age 5 due to brain swelling. Ritalin has definitely helped. I can do a lot of things other than sleeping when I am on it. When I am on it, sometimes I hyperventilate, however. I take in everything around me (sounds, sights, smells). And I do worry sometimes, does it overload my brain, and in the long term, would that end up making more problems down the road? Also, because I need to be put on a higher dose because my body becomes used to it. Pupils are always big on these meds (so I wear sunglasses to look after my eyes when I am out). Heart rate resting sits around 130 bpm and goes up when going to the gym or working out. And I cannot do long-distance running. My hands shake a lot, I often need help from my husband to drink tea as it can be difficult. All in all, I guess it does sound bad, my side effects, but it gives me my life back. It gives me time when I am not tired, so I will do it."

• Anonymous
• August 20, 2019

Methylphenidate "For narcolepsy, I have taken this Methylin for years. Recently, Walmart changed to another manufacturer (CAM), and I can no longer stay awake. Feel exhausted and tired. Will change pharmacies if I cannot get this brand."

• fuz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 30, 2020

Methylphenidate "I take this med, Concerta, for narcolepsy - 36 mg, 2 times daily, and it works okay - the side effects are troubling. Mood swings, irritability, foggy brain, memory issues. The good and the bad are an even balance at this point."

• Amy...
• July 26, 2020

Methylphenidate "This drug killed my creative spirit. I began taking it 1.5 years ago for excessive sleepiness. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a CPAP, but in the meantime, I was on this. It kept me awake, but after I got the CPAP, it became my morning boost. I write romance novels, and around the time I went on this, I began struggling to write. I went from producing a book every 2-3 months to producing NOTHING for over a year. I got a therapist to discuss my problems writing. One day, I succeeded in telling her exactly what the problem was. 'It's like everyday life, and dishes and children and laundry are all the crazy waves on the top of the ocean, and in order to write, I need to sink down deep into the sea. Not only do I have no desire to go there, I actively avoid it.' As soon as I heard myself, I realized, IT'S THE RITALIN. I stopped taking it and saw a huge change. Within a month, my creative life returned to normal. This can be an amazing drug, but proceed with caution!"

• agm...
• September 18, 2014

"I am 30. I have narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, and severe rheumatoid arthritis that is also in my organs. I take 20 mg every 4 hours, up to 4 times a day. It takes 30 min to kick in and wears off in 2 hours. Without it, I felt like I had to curl up on the ground wherever I was at, or I wouldn't 'make it.' With the medicine, I feel totally exhausted, but it takes the edge off the urgency to lay down. I have been on it for 2 1/2 years. Docs want me off it (since it's a stimulant) and want me on Nuvigil. I took one pill, 150 mg with Ritalin, it seemed to help, but it's been one day (tapering off Ritalin). Used to fall asleep driving every day working full time. Now work part time and take methylphenidate and don't fall asleep driving (that I know of)."

• pro...
• April 17, 2023

Methylphenidate "I suffer from bipolar disorder, and my depressive episodes are just living hell. I literally can't get out of bed and talk to others. I also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. Ritalin made me a little, I wouldn't say happier, just more jazzed up. After 2 to 3 hours, the comedown and crash happened, and it made me go through a depressive episode. I stopped taking it and again changed to Modafinil. It doesn't have any crash or comedown. My problem was that its effects weren't strong enough for me, and I witnessed that at least in my case and many other people's experiences, Modafinil is way more effective and a lot safer than Ritalin. Once I worked on Modafinil for 11 or 12 hours straight without any pause at all. However, on Ritalin, after 2 hours and something, I became too exhausted. These stimulant meds aren't effective enough for a person who really suffers from a mental condition."

• air...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 7, 2024

Methylphenidate "I feel like this is a good short-term solution, but is ultimately like putting lipstick on the pig. Can it help you stay awake? Yes, it can. Will you still be constantly sleep deprived just not able to feel it? Also, yes. It doesn't help with nighttime sleep at all, which I find frustrating. I’ll be moving to something stronger as soon as I can."

• mY ...
• July 13, 2015

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in 2009. I self-drugged with energy drinks and coffee until I got my insurance back. I was on Provigil up until our insurance changed. My doctor switched me to methylphenidate 20 mg 4 times a day. If I am up and moving around, it seems to work pretty well. But at work, I work a desk job, and there are days that my head is bouncing off the desk from nodding. I do like this medication better than Provigil as it doesn't give me a headache, I just wish it worked as well sitting down as standing up. Also, when I get to hour 4 to 6, I can really feel myself slipping. Not fun."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 13, 2012

"Ritalin LA: I have taken this (10 mg) along with 'normal' release methylphenidate/Ritalin to treat narcolepsy for about 4 years. The LA does not give me the jittery feeling of the short-acting Ritalin. I only supplement the LA with the short-acting because the LA keeps me awake (or at least doesn't offer restful sleep) for about 8 hours, while the short-acting version lasts about 4 hours. Without these medications, particularly Ritalin LA, I would not be able to maintain any job that requires its employees to stay awake...which is pretty much all of them! The only downside is the excessive cost. Without insurance, about 10% of my gross salary would go to pay for this ONE prescription."

• Squ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2016

"I treated narcolepsy first with Nuvigil, then Provigil. Having Lyme disease compounds fatigue and pain on top of sleepiness. I maxed out at 200 mg Provigil bid, and it became ineffective. I take Ritalin 20 mg TID. I am no longer fatigued, in pain, or sleepy. I have a high tolerance to drugs and not anxious to up my dose, but really need 4 times a day. My only side effects are compulsively picking the skin around my fingers and compulsively drinking chocolate milk. But I no longer feel a wet, wool blanket of fatigue, pain, and sleepiness over me. I also tend to hyper-focus. I'm a natural scholar, so that's ok by me, but I will study one topic for 8 hours compulsively. Yeah, compulsion is the only issue I have with it."

• Dan...
• May 5, 2018

"I was “diagnosed” with narcolepsy about 5 years ago. I use quotations because my sleep specialist said he couldn’t give me an official diagnosis because I was on an SNRI and that I needed to be off that to be diagnosed officially. But he said he had no doubt. He surprisingly prescribed nothing. My psychiatrist prescribed me 27 mg of Concerta for my chronic fatigue (to put it lightly), and life changed. I didn’t have to spend my entire days laying down or rushing home to take a nap. I’m awake to spend more time with my children, and I feel more energized to do the things that my mind wants to do, but my body wouldn’t allow. The only gripe I have is that I still feel the need to take a short nap every day, but Concerta keeps my mind too active to relax. Then my anxiety about sleep kicks in and keeps me from taking that much-needed nap. So I do spend some time very tired but very wired."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 5, 2023

Methylphenidate "I have to take medication to sleep, which makes me groggy in the morning, and I was falling asleep at the wheel. I used to take Geodon, also for schizoaffective disorder. Was prescribed Ritalin, and it did help me wake up, and it was easy to get to work on time. However, it made my paranoia and anxiety so much worse. Everyone was out to get me, plotting against me, etc. Had awful anxiety 24/7. Quit Geodon, and now I’m on trazodone and Seroquel, without them, I can’t sleep, but again it’s hard to wake up in the morning. I miss being able to wake up easily with Ritalin, but I don’t miss the paranoia and anxiety."

• Lul...
• February 21, 2021

Methylphenidate "I took this medication along with another narcolepsy medication for about 3 months. At first, I was taking Armodafinil 250 mg and Concerta 36 mg ER every morning. I became extremely anxious and paranoid about irrational things. I also became very OCD as well, which is not normal for me. After explaining that to my doctor, I ended up reducing Armodafinil to 150 mg and continued the Concerta 36 mg ER. I did this for about a month, but I didn’t feel like the medication was benefiting me enough to continue taking it. I also had a dry mouth when on the medication, and I was physically unable to yell. My mouth and throat felt like sandpaper. Personally, I didn’t think the meds were helping me enough with attention span and alertness. I quit Concerta 36 mg ER and went back to just taking Armodafinil 250 mg. I have been focusing a lot on my diet and exercise, which I felt has made a huge difference. Also, prioritizing my mental health. But everyone with narcolepsy is different!"

• Omt...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 26, 2016

Methylphenidate "This med is not good. It doesn't work, it only lasts 7 hours. I'm taking Ritalin also 10 mg, and 54 mg of Concerta. I will not recommend it. I also take Ritalin for 3 years, and it does not last long. No good."

• Geo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 26, 2015

Methylphenidate "Absolutely awesome. I was suffering from Narcolepsy. Now, I am able to do anything that I want. Quite amazing. I feel that I was always only able to achieve about 25%. Now I am around 100%."