Methylphenidate User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Flosa
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 17, 2014

Ritalin (methylphenidate) for ADHD "My son has been taking Ritalin for around 6-8 months and the difference in him is just unbelievable. His school work has improved, his spelling and comprehension have gotten a lot better, and he has excelled in maths and can actually remember what he has learned. He socially gets along better with other children and is less destructive when in a group setting. I was very hesitant to put my son on meds but now realize I made the best choice for him."

• Juju
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 1, 2019

For Depression "I have had such an AMAZING CHANGE since I restarted my Ritalin 20 mg. Before being back on Ritalin, I had actually been battling SEVERE suicidal attempts since my son passed away. And when I'm on my medicine, I'm also able to concentrate wonderfully. The most important thing is that my depression is now very minimal, sometimes almost non-existent, and I also can speak and think clearly again. Thank God for this medication."

• Finally...
• March 21, 2008

Methylin ER (methylphenidate) for Depression "I've been on antidepressants from the old style to the newer SSRIs, SNRIs, and others, and nothing worked. My doctor suggested Methylin ER, and my depression lifted in two days, and I haven't had a relapse. It's been about a year now, and I'm still as happy as can be. I don't sleep for 12 hours or more anymore either. I can wake fully rested with 8 hours sleep and do anything my heart desires. Methylin ER is truly amazing, and I'll never go back to an antidepressant as long as this keeps working."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 4, 2021

Ritalin (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I have been taking Ritalin since 8 years. It worked great for the first 5 years. Then I switched to Vyvanse which was a massive mistake and damaged my heart. So now I'm back on ritalin since 2.5 years. My dosage at the beginning was 10-20 mg ritalin/day. It increased over the years to 60-80mg/day. But 2 years ago something weird happened and I got more sensitive to it again. So now I'm back at 20 mg/day and it works great. Some side effects I got are tachycardia and slight dizziness in the evening. But I really have to say: this drug is a life changer. Without it I would have never been able to go to medschool and become a doctor now."

• 28ano
• March 7, 2010

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I've used Concerta for 5 years and loved the improvements at first - I became successful, in perfect shape, and did most things extraordinarily well. My life did a complete 180. Once unfocused, unmotivated, and disorganized, I transformed to near perfection in everything I did. The price you pay for perfection - I've lost my friends and my social abilities. I used to be fun and full of life! You begin to seclude yourself because you are too focused, too mechanical. You lose weight because your appetite goes away and you are indeed anorexic. I couldn't sleep, had extreme anxiety, headaches, dry mouth, highs and lows....I can go on and on. It changes you and you may think it's great but ultimately you lose yourself in the process."

• Toget...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 27, 2020

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "Since starting on Concerta, I have been able to effectively get my life together. I am no longer impulsive, hyper, inattentive or anxious. The last two years have been the best I've ever experienced. I struggled with procrastination and mood issues prior to being medicated for ADHD. Past inaccurate diagnosis caused doctors to label my ADHD-I with a number of false mental health issues. The wrong medications caused a lot of damage in my personal life. Now, I have finally been able to get my life together. Concerta is a very good medication for those with ADHD/ADHD-I."

• Scruf...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 10, 2019

For Depression "This medication and the people who fought for me to get it saved my life. I have had treatment-resistant depression for my entire adult life and have had SSRI after SSRI thrown at me but they always made things worse. This, from the very first dose, made me feel like what normal people must feel like. It gives me a steady level of energy, the ability to see humans without running home to cry, and took away that urge to throw myself in front of a train. All with no side effects! I never feel high or jumpy, just 'ok'--which is amazing for me. This needs to be approved by the FDA for depression--it could literally save lives. (Please note--the issues with generics are REAL for this drug. The yellow KVK brand in particular is like taking nothing. I have had a month of despair because of them!)"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2013

Ritalin (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I'm in my mid 30s & was diagnosed with ADHD approx 4 months ago. I started on 10 mg 2x a day & am currently on 20 mg 3x a day. I tried Daytrana, the Ritalin patch, but it made me aggressive & hungry! In less than a month, I had gained 20 lbs. I'm back on the pill & so far I love it! I wish I had this back in school! Unfortunately, my mom wasn't a believer in ADHD. I am calmer, can think rationally vs. going straight off emotions, the racing thoughts have ceased & I can complete tasks I start now. It's also given me more motivation in my life. Before Ritalin, I was ready to give up on life & did nothing. I can now take care of responsibilities! My mood has even improved & my patience with my children & people in general has vastly improved."

• nurse...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2014

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "My 4th grade son began taking Concerta 2 1/2 weeks ago. It has been the best decision I ever made. His teacher says he is a completely different child. His funny personality remains but he is on task, finishes all his homework in class, and actually tells other children to quiet down. I lamented for many, many months about whether or not to have him begin a stimulant. It is obvious that it was the right decision. I make sure he eats a hearty breakfast. He knows he needs to push himself to eat something at lunch and drink plenty of fluids. He did tell me he felt 'prickles in his head' for the first 2 days. His teacher reported he was a little tired for a couple of days as well. He says his mind is more clear and 'not so jumbled'. We're thrilled."

• gossa...
• November 26, 2016

For Depression "I have suffered from major treatment-resistant depression for 32 years. I've tried so many medications along with polypharmacy for this, and almost nothing helps. The only antidepressants that are of any use are citalopram, bupropion, and Abilify. Even this combination doesn't always work--usually the citalopram stops working after a number of months, and I have to switch it out for sertraline. A few years ago, my psychiatrist tried adding 20 mg of methylphenidate twice a day. What a difference! I am now able to get out of bed, work, focus, smile, and have something that approximates a normal life. The only problem with this is that I am now completely dependent on the methylphenidate in order to function."

• Oaktree
• September 8, 2015

Daytrana (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I'm actually an adult on the patch. I am 28, female. I've been trying to find the right stimulant with bearable side effects since I was in high school. Please excuse the lengthy review; I just know the search can be tough and long. I have depression, ADD, GA & SA, and OCD skin (cuticle) picking tendencies. It's been very hard finding a stimulant that didn't worsen my anxiety-related symptoms. I could tolerate 5mg Adderall XR, but my body burned through both the XR and IR in about 3 hours. Then I would crash for the rest of the day (depressed, irritable, anxious). Vyvanse gave me zero motivation and made me calm but in a weird way. For example, I didn't care or worry about anything... I didn't even want to talk to people. I would just want to sit there alone and stare at a wall or something. It was nice to be that relaxed but too weird. But the real problem was the crash! It was the most extreme of all the stimulants I've tried by far! I took it only twice and threw it out. I almost didn't try Daytrana patch because Ritalin was actually the first stimulant I tried, which was over 10 years ago, and I remember similar symptoms to that I had on Adderall. I ended up giving it a try with the logic that it might be smoother since it was for children, and I was also desperate since I'm working and studying for the GRE. I'm so happy I gave Daytrana a shot!! I'm telling you if you suffer from anxiety, can't tolerate the crashes, and metabolize the other stimulants too fast, you have got to try this one!! I've only been on it for a week, but I can't believe it! I leave it in for the whole 9 hours, and I never crash. In comparison to Adderall, it is still the best stimulant for getting you motivated. I have to motivate myself a little, but unlike Adderall, I can stay focused ALL day with Daytrana. I'm also less likely to do something 'stimulanty' like start reorganizing my closet for no reason, but I do get the necessary cleaning, errands, bills, etc., done effortlessly. And the best part is that it doubles as an antidepressant since, what I assume is the increased dopamine, stays in my system pretty much all day and night. The 'happiness' doesn't feel like a high; it feels more like an absence of depression. I don't have any more of the repetitive negative thoughts. The constant emotions of hopelessness, guilt, embarrassment, you name it, just aren't there anymore. There is still a mild degree of sadness I carry with me, but I have major depression so I feel like it's only normal and I can handle that! As far as the negative side effects: Like all the stimulants I've been on, I still have insomnia, loss of appetite, and increased urge to pick at my cuticles at night when it's wearing off. But there is not a 'crash,' no evenings being completely drained of energy, fits of irritation, major anxiety, or depression. Also, the patch is applied to your hip and I'm experiencing some muscle tension in my legs, which I think might be slowly subsiding. I'm drinking a lot of water and taking vitamins in precaution of cramps. Advice on taking the patch off: It's easier for me to take it off when it's wet. I do it in the shower/bath or rub it off with a warm washcloth. Good luck!"

• Anonymous
• September 9, 2009

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "My son is 10 years old. I suspected he had ADD when he was 6, and the teacher kept telling me he was spacing out in school, but he is also so smart. I decided maybe the work was just too easy, and he was bored. In 4th grade, I couldn't take the complaints (almost daily) and had him tested. He was diagnosed with ADD and given Concerta. I can only tell you that his math teacher sent me home a note on the day he started medication to ask where I got my new son from; she could not believe it. She said he even went in during his lunch break to catch up on some work. He lost his appetite for the first week or so, but regained it and hasn't had trouble sleeping at all. He is happier, his teachers are happier, and I am HAPPIER! Thank you, CONCERTA."

• Ziggy
• April 20, 2013

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "Concerta has made me more focused and things seem to be easier to understand for me. I am 36 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD. This is a wonderful medication and for me, life-changing. I now know I needed this medication for many, many years now. And so far no side effects, sleep better and still have my appetite. I have more energy and I don't procrastinate anymore when I need to do something; I just do it without procrastinating about it. Exercise is also easier, which is good because I am overweight and need to lose some weight. I seem to be able to interact with people a lot easier and now I can have a conversation with people without blurting out things before I forget what I want to say and having to pause in between sentences."

• FET
• October 4, 2014

For Depression "I have suffered from severe depression most of my life (I am 58). Twenty years ago, I was put on Ritalin. It changed my outlook and life virtually overnight. In these 20 years, I also took a variety of antidepressants. None were very effective. Psychotherapy and Ritalin were together the cornerstone of my care and made a normal life possible."

• Morte
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 20, 2013

Ritalin (methylphenidate) for ADHD "This medicine is incredible. I've had ADD for about 20 years, as long as I've been alive, and college has exacerbated the condition, so my neurologist prescribed Ritalin to me. This starts to wear off after about 2.5-3.0 hours, but it works absolute miracles. The whole time before, whenever I tried to work, it was like I was seeing the world through warped glasses and my mind was just foggy, like it was full of ice and cotton, but now the entire world is beautifully, wonderfully clear! This is truly an amazing medicine, but be sure to follow your doctor's orders with it, as it can have side effects."

• Leah
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2023

Jornay PM (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I have ADHD, Fibromyalgia, and Osteoarthritis. I have tried most ADHD medications both stimulates and non-stimulates. I found that the side effects were outweighing the benefits. My psychologist recommended Jornay PM. I started on 40 mg. I was so surprised to wake up on day one feeling rested and motivated for the first time in 10 years. After one week I was up to 80mg. I have been on 80 mg for the last 3 months. I had a headache during the second week while I adjusted to the increase of 80 mg. My rollercoaster of mood swings, sleepless nights, zoning out being paralyzed or frozen, and emotional imbalances has improved. I have had major life-changing improvements since switching to Jornay PM. I am so relieved to have found an ADHD medication that really works after 50 years. Thank you Jornay PM."

• eleven
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 13, 2019

Ritalin (methylphenidate) for ADHD "22, Male, ADD, Anxiety-disorder Ritalin (Methylphenidate) is amazing. However, there's a catch: - it enhances focus but does not direct your focus towards a subject that you're not interested in - I experience extreme euphoria/confidence/optimism for about 1 hour (it builds up gradually, peaking at 2 hour mark with 10mg - if you use this daily, tolerance builds up quickly after every 2 weeks (for me) -when I stop taking it I feel depressed for days but it will wear off as "naturally occurring chemicals" reach equilibrium again I suggest cycling it according to your productive days: - 3/4 days a week and the rest off (avoiding tolerance and dependence) - it enhances your CURRENT focus, so start working/studying for 15/30 min THEN take it (I've researched the most irrelevant topics which excite me the most for hours, only to find that within 30 min the Ritalin's effects are going to wear off)"

• Jack
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "My 9 year old son has struggled for years, in school and at home. Impulsive behaviour, anger, inappropriateness. I always fear the worst and avoided medication for 2 years. It’s been one week since he has been on 18 mg concerta, and it’s been a lifesaver. He enjoys school now, not getting in trouble, he’s so much better at home as well. No side effects so far, eating and sleeping no problem. So happy we choose this path Hopefully self esteem and relationships can be saved:)"

• Corne...
• June 10, 2015

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "Ok, this is where I am after two weeks. I'm turning 54 one of these days, Managing Director of my company, and self-diagnosed with ADHD about a month ago. I matched ALL the criteria. Went to see a doctor and he confirmed my suspicions. I relayed my struggles with studies at University and he referred to me attaining two degrees as a 'miracle.' I cannot begin to explain how difficult studying was, not to mention having to sit through hours of lectures. There was no - and I stress - NO filter between my brain, mind, and my mouth. Anger, profanity, and impulse behavior was only curbed by my life-long ability to fall asleep anywhere, anytime. Imagine an alien being in charge for 53 years. It's all gone. Why did no one help me with this before?"

• Dog...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 11, 2013

For Depression "I have ADD and depression. After several changes in medications the psychiatrist decided to try methylphenidate, and I have not felt this good in years! I am organized, can concentrate, and follow through on one thing at a time. I have had no problems with my blood pressure at all; it is the same as it was before I started this medication, and all my blood work has been normal every time. I no longer have to take anything to help me sleep. I no longer have a billion things racing in my head, like 'you need to do this and that,' and never following through on anything. I used to do crafts, such as sewing, crocheting, working in the yard, etc. I can finally do that again! Before, I was sleeping a lot in the afternoon, so then I'd have a hard time sleeping at night, but no more!"

• Beebop
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 26, 2016

For Depression "Doing fine after taking Ritalin since 1992. I no longer do soft drugs nor drink alcohol, and quit smoking all since 2003. Helps me focus better and helps me have a positive frame of mind. Before taking Ritalin, I couldn't focus long enough to get past the first page of a novel. Now, I read novels consistently. When I started taking it in '92, I lost my appetite and couldn't sleep much, but I eventually adjusted to it. I have tried Dexedrine, Concerta, fish oil, herbs, magnesium, etc., but nothing comes close to it. I invented a board game as well."

• Kate
• January 6, 2015

Concerta (methylphenidate) for ADHD "My son is in 4th grade and just started taking Concerta two days ago. So far, so good! He is dealing with severe ADHD. He was a very angry child, and since he started taking it, the teachers have sent notes home saying how well he is doing! School is easier so far, which means a happier boy! He hugs me and kisses me, and we have had fewer fights about getting homework done. We are very pleased!"

• Patty
• April 23, 2015

Ritalin (methylphenidate) "I'm a 58-year-old female and I've taken Ritalin for about 16 years. This drug changed my life. It wasn't until the 80s that it was determined that you could have ADD without being hyperactive. Consequently, growing up, I was considered an underachiever. I dropped out of college and worked low-level management positions until I was diagnosed. My life changed when I was prescribed Ritalin. I became focused and organized. I set goals and followed a plan to achieve them. I returned to college and graduated, helping me secure a wonderful job where I excel. If you have been prescribed this drug, do not hesitate to try it. It's never too late to be the person you always knew you could be."

• meyotch
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2013

Methylin ER (methylphenidate) for Depression "I've been diagnosed with ADD at the age of 42 and have struggled with major depression since adolescence. I currently take 10mg Methylin ER and 150mg bupropion XL in the morning. In the evenings, I take 50mg of trazodone for sleep. Three weeks now and I have never felt better. The adjustment period was pretty mild. Just a bit 'jazzed' in the morning and very mild nausea in the evening. This gradually faded over a week. My appetite is returning, my diet is improving and I am reconnecting socially. My sleep is good, and I awaken fully alert with the sunrise. I can't believe how dramatic this change is. I am optimistic that I will be able to dig myself out of the hole I've been in and re-build a life."

• ADHD...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 13, 2013

Metadate CD (methylphenidate) for ADHD "I'm 31 and diagnosed with ADHD for 23 years. When my parents started me on Ritalin in 3rd grade, their only regret was letting me struggle for so long. I was always being sent home from school for playing in the mud, walking out of class, etc. I was talkative and happy, but my grades were well below satisfactory. I had very few teachers encourage me; rather, I was written off as a disruption. My first year on medication was hard; I had no appetite and trouble sleeping. After about 6 months, all the side effects went away. I could eat and sleep with no problem. I have been on Adderall now for 17 years. I graduated college, have an amazing job - not sure where I would be if nobody saw the signs and helped."