Ritalin for ADHD User Reviews (Page 2)

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2024

"I was given Ritalin for the first time yesterday at my ADHD test appointment. I am a 43-year-old woman. I got sober 3 years ago but never managed to find any sort of real joy in living, and I was beginning to think I would allow myself to end it because it's just one long struggle all day with no rewards. Then Ritalin! Everything changed in 30 minutes. I had a feeling that I think I have been looking for my whole life but had started thinking wasn't even real and that I just had 'too high expectations' to how life should feel. Suddenly I just relaxed. Years of tension left my entire body in an instant. My mind was clear. I felt a sense of calm and safety that I have never experienced before. The meds have worn off now but I can't stop crying! I hugged my husband last night and enjoyed it for the first time in I can't remember. I told him I loved him this morning and I felt it, I meant it! I did math in my head without any self-doubt. A miracle!"

• Ket...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 11, 2019

"I've been taking methylphenidate (Ritalin) for years, and it helps, but I must take Tylenol with it, or I get a headache. I'm more focused and energetic. Not wiping away my ADD 100%, but it works on many levels."

• Luc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 16, 2015

"I have been taking Ritalin for almost 3 years, and it has been great. I had ADHD in high school and college. I couldn't focus, listen to lectures, read well, or study. I saw a doctor during college, and he prescribed me Ritalin 20 mg 3 times a day (I had long days in college). I was finally able to read well, study, and focus. I love learning now, I'm motivated, and my mood improved. Now I take 20 mg 2 times a day (I graduated and go to bed earlier). It lasts around 4 hours. I never experience withdrawal or major sleepiness when I don't take it. Side effects: difficulty sleeping if taken too close to bedtime and appetite loss (minor). I highly suggest an eating schedule and drinking lots of water so you don't eat too little. I would often forget to eat in the beginning."

• Bai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2013

"I have been taking Ritalin for about a month now. It really helps me focus on things. But a downfall is that it is really hard to multitask. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time, and that makes it very difficult for my schoolwork. Also, I have had a huge loss of appetite. I am not hungry, EVER. During the month I have been on this medicine, I have lost almost twenty pounds due to the fact that I never want to eat."

• net...
• December 13, 2019

"I have ADHD, and today was my first day on Ritalin, and it sucked! The effects lasted for an hour, and when it did work, I felt like a zombie and didn't want to move. It also made me tired and kind of sensitive to sound. And, it didn't even make me feel focused, so really, what's the point?"

• Bjh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2023

"I took my first dose around 8 a.m. on May 8th, 2023, and I’m calling my doctor in the morning. I absolutely hate this feeling. For hours, I have just been angry, irritated, and I have a headache that will not go away. I have not been able to get any tasks done. I feel like all I can focus on is the fact that I feel irritable. Also, my stomach has been in knots since taking it. I’m praying it just wears off soon so I feel semi-normal again."

• Ada...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2014

"I have been using Ritalin 10 mg for the past 3 weeks now. I am 28 years old and I suspected for a long time now that I have ADHD. Not being able to concentrate or focus, prioritize tasks and having depression (I am not taking medication for this) caused a lot of anxiety for me over the past 4-5 years. Ritalin has helped a lot with my studies and kind of calms me. I am pretty quiet when I take it also. It's great for if you need to use it for work or study, but for everyday use, I wouldn't like it. - In the first 45 mins it gives me a slight euphoric feeling. - Makes me want to do productive activities. - Causes slight headaches if I don't drink plenty of water. I would recommend it. (I have tried Adderall in the USA and that was even better)"

• Anonymous
• October 5, 2009

"For years I had been battling behavior problems with my son who is now 10. He was not a bad child but had no concentration span, would fidget, annoy others, and was falling way behind children the same age as him. Finally, we managed to get him seen by a specialist. He has now been on Ritalin 15mg for 4 months and the change is unbelievable. He is already catching up with his school work, making more friends as he understands them better, and is generally just more content and happy. At first, he was teary and clingy when first put on them, but that soon went. The only downside for my son is that he is not as hungry as he used to be and lost a lot of weight in the beginning, but is steadily putting it back on now."

• Anonymous
• October 23, 2009

"I'm a 40-year-old male who didn't have the benefits of medications when I was in school. ADD wasn't as well known back then. I was diagnosed with hyperlexia. I always thought that it was strange because I didn't see letters backwards, but I just accepted it. I was officially diagnosed with ADD in my mid-20s. I have taken most of the medicine options over the past 12 years, including Concerta, Strattera, Adderall, Ritalin, and Ritalin LA. Couldn't sleep on Concerta, I was out of my mind with Strattera, Adderall was like popping caffeine pills, and Ritalin was too high maintenance as it neutralized after 2-3 hours. Then I found Ritalin LA. It's not the magic bullet, but it's the best that I have found so far. It costs me 10X generic but worth it."

• Oma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

"I am a 25-year-old male who works in the health field. I have had ADHD my whole life and started taking this medication to help get my life in order and to help get all of my thoughts together. This pill is amazing for organization and for getting tasks done that need to be completed. I have no complaints with this medication regarding how effective it was at treating my ADHD and increasing my focus. The reason that I scored this medication on the lower spectrum is that when I was taking this medicine, I would get severe headaches. The headaches would happen 30 minutes into taking the medication. The headaches were not ordinary headaches. It felt as if I was going to have a brain aneurysm. I highly recommend this medication to people who do not experience severe headaches while taking it."

• Old...
• March 1, 2020

"I'm a 56-year-old male. 87 kg. Recently diagnosed with ADHD as I'm easily distracted & can't concentrate easily. I'm in good health and successful & don't get depressed. Unfortunately, Ritalin has NO effect on me at all. I have no feeling of it coming on or wearing off. All I get is a dry mouth at higher doses. I began fast release 10 mg @ 8 am & 10 mg @ 1 pm. Then upped to 20 mg am & 20 mg pm. Then 30 & 30. Nothing. No effect or change in how I feel. Then tried slow release SR 40 mg am & 40 mg arvo. Still nothing. Then tried 20 mg fast with 40 mg SR in the morning. But was distracted on the phone & mistakenly took the same dose 15 min later. So 120 mg in one hit. I expected to have heart racing & some sort of 'buzz', but NOTHING. Very disappointing. Would like to try Adderall or similar."

• Jpo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 17, 2022

"After taking this medication, extended release Concerta at 36 mg for roughly two years, here's a review. What this medication helps with: * Being more organized. * Being more physically and emotionally resilient to stress. * Less easily startled or flustered when curveballs occur in life. * Better memory, retain information more quickly, in fact, in several instances, absolutely flawlessly. * Higher libido (baseline was quite low). * Higher energy levels. * More talkative and outgoing. * Less inhibited socially, and less fearful of consequences, less fearful of others' manipulative behavior, better able to defend myself from it. Now the not-so-good stuff: * Angrier. * Muscle tension. * One-track-minded. * Irritated if pulled away from an important task. * Create unrealistic expectations of others, become disappointed when they cannot live up to them. * Organization borders on obsessive-compulsive behavior at times. * Less kind. * More serious. Less human, more shark."

• Chi...
• August 31, 2016

"I've been taking methylphenidate (Ritalin) for years. I started during my professional career because, according to my psych, I am 'too smart to sit still,' and that, because of that, my brain gets bored easily, then my attention span fades. With Ritalin, I can focus like a laser on tasks, get much more done, stay organized, and it also helps with that afternoon sleepiness. An added bonus is it revs up your basal metabolic rate and reduces appetite, so you can lose weight easily. The downside is it increases BP. If you have high BP, you may want to avoid it. I take a 20 mg pill 3-4 times a day, never after dinner if you want to sleep."

• Dir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 12, 2013

"I find Ritalin allows me to focus. With my ADD and bipolar, I couldn't even read a book. My doctor says, though it's a stimulant, Ritalin tends not to push bipolars into mania. I was self-medicating my ADD with caffeine, which made me anxious, so I'm glad the Ritalin replaces that. I'm on a low dose now and hope to increase to where the positive effects last longer, as they are short-lived now."

• Mar...
• April 13, 2009

"My 7-year-old son has shown ADHD symptoms for about 2 years or so, but due to many changes in his life, I was unsure of the reason for this behavior. Now we've been settled in for over 9 months, and he has not improved, we have decided to medicate (after dietary changes and omega 3 gave no help). He has been taking Ritalin 10mg for 12 days now. The first week he had only a morning dose at 8 am. This wore off around 1 pm. This week I've dosed him 4 hours later as well. From the first day, the change was amazing. He was attentive and followed instructions throughout his swim lesson, and his school teacher found great improvement in attention span, concentration, and finishing tasks. He is not as angry or frustrated now. The only negative is that I find he gets emotional and 'teary' as it wears off."

• Sea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2012

"I'm currently going through nursing school at a university near me, and from the start of this past semester, I had a real tough time staying focused and doing my homework. Went to see a nurse APRN, and she gave me a script for Ritalin, 10 mg, 2x a day. This medicine has been a godsend for me, I always complete my assignments on time and have been getting A's and B's on all my tests. It lets me sit down and study for 6 hours at a time, but if I hadn't taken the Ritalin, I wouldn't have half the work done that needed to be done. Plus, I've not had a single issue with it such as withdrawals or anxiety."

• FIR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2019

"Went on Ritalin for the first time today, and I hated it. Took 5 mg at 8:30 a.m. and then another 5 mg at 12:30 p.m. Within an hour of taking both times, I was falling asleep at my desk and had to follow up with a coffee to stay awake. I didn’t feel as though it made me any more alert or focused. The second pill I took after an hour and a half, I felt hot and my heart rate increased. I did notice it suppressed my appetite for 3 hours. In the afternoon, I suffered severe irritability, to the point where I was yelling at colleagues, then suffered what I believe was a panic attack. Felt not in control, was crying uncontrollably. I forced myself to work out so I could work the Ritalin out of my system. Horrible :("

• Fin...
• December 14, 2011

"I was 31 years old before I began taking Ritalin. I take a small dose, 10 mg in the morning and 10 mg early afternoon. I wish I had been prescribed this medicine years ago. I drive a truck for a living, but I also do a lot of self-study (audio and printed books), and Ritalin has greatly increased my productivity with the latter and safety with the former. I experience very few side effects. My mind used to wander quite often, I just thought I had an active imagination, but it was a problem. I have not lost my ability to imagine or abstract, yet I have lost a tendency to wander aimlessly into unrelated thoughts. I have also lost my ability to get lost so often while driving!"

• Anonymous
• December 15, 2009

"I have 9-year-old twins who have ADHD. They've been on Concerta, we are up to 36 mg, and it was doing nothing. When they started having side effects-constant picking of scalp, sniffling, and puckering of the mouth-they were taken off. We then went to Adderall, and they both got very aggressive. We are now on Ritalin 20 mg. One just started today, so I'm not sure how it's going to go with him, but the other has been on it for a while, and he's doing so good. He wants to take it, it makes him happy, he says. Today, when I took them to school, he held his 5-year-old brother's hand when they walked in. For some people, that may not be a big deal, but before, he didn't want anything to do with him. He is very talkative on it but very sweet and helpful."

• Ano...
• February 1, 2016

"I have mixed feelings on Ritalin. I am 16 years old, diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and ADD. I started taking 20 mg in the morning. After about 10 minutes, I would start feeling it, I felt full of energy and moderately euphoric. I don't know if this is a 'normal' reaction, but it would make me feel almost manic-like. But all in all, the effects were helpful! When I would usually just sit on my computer, the Ritalin somehow made work enjoyable. I hated math, but when on Ritalin and in school, it was interesting, even fun! It made everything feel positive and perfect. The reason I don't give it a 10 is because it only lasts for 3-4 hours. The comedown from this drug is quite terrible. And it gave me some annoying tics."

• Anonymous
• January 9, 2012

"Before Ritalin, I was constantly snapping at my husband, and I was never able to concentrate at work. After taking it, I have turned into a new person! I am able to relax and, for once, feel calm. My husband said that since I started taking it, I haven't been as moody. I am also able to complete my work projects in a timely manner."

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2011

"I have severe ADHD. For a while, I didn't know what was wrong with me, constantly daydreaming, lazy, unorganized, acting impulsively, and very hyper. The medicine has changed my life. All these symptoms are gone, except I'm still a bit hyper and impulsive, but only slightly. It does exactly what it says on the tin and changed my life dramatically. I could actually focus. Bad things would be if you are sensitive to stimulants like coffee. It will make you jittery, it gives you a slight mood and energy boost. I'd recommend taking it in small doses first."

• Dee...
• November 25, 2015

"I've been on and off this medication for a few years now. I have mixed feelings toward it. The first 30 minutes to an hour of taking it, I feel a rush and a feeling of I can do anything. That rush motivates me to go to the gym, actually. After the rush is gone, I feel more focused and alert. After the alertness has worn off, I feel moody and irritable. I'm very aware it's the medication making me on edge and try to control it. I get a bit headachy sometimes, and it bothers my stomach from time to time. Always hungry? Not on this medication. Appetite gone, at least for a while until the next pill. Make sure to eat! I would say this medication is addictive and would not recommend it to anyone that has an addiction problem."

• coo...
• March 16, 2009

"Diagnosed with ADHD at 53. Who knew there was a reason for my quirky personality? Tried Strattera and slept 15-18 hours a day, was switched to Ritalin and thought this was it. I really like how I feel: calm, focused. My friends noticed. I did great for a couple of weeks and then became extremely impulsive and inappropriate. I was focused, but on warp speed. I gained 10 lbs in a week because I could not stop eating once I started, I went on shopping sprees, driving jags, and blurted out without the 'think before you speak' button. Once I started a task, I had to finish. My kids were late to school, you get the picture. This was definitely not the drug for me. I stopped taking it a couple of days ago, I am still feeling the effect."

• Doc...
• December 28, 2009

"Works very well in the beginning. After a couple of months, induces tolerance. Anyway, it changed my professional and personal lifestyles. Now I pity the person I was. I never experienced a linear and practical thought until I used this."