Scared to take ritalin

My dr. just put me on extended release Methylin (ritalin) and I'm scared to take it after reading the warning label. I know, I know, I'm being a bit paranoid, but do I really want to take a pill when two of the side effects are having a heart attack or stroke? And it says you shouldn't take if you have bad anxiety, the ritalin sr was making me even more nervous when I started to crash. Has anyone been taking this for a while and have any advice? I'm 40 and maybe I'm just too old to taking this, but if I need to to concentrate at work, what choice do I have? Help!

Kiffy, would you be reassured if you had a complete physical exam and the examining doctor paid particular attention to your cardiovascular system? If you had a clean bill of heart health from your MD and his blessing to take this med, perhaps some of your anxiety about it would decrease. If your doc says no to stimulant meds after the physical, then you can look toward other approaches of managing ADHD. Yes, definitely, you have a choice!

That's a good idea, I just may do that. Thanks!

Kiffy,

Have you tried Adderall long-acting? I tried Ritalin and I found it to be very "harsh" and I felt very anxious. I was so busy trying to self-will myself into a state of calmness, that I cannot tell you whether or not Ritalin helped with focus and attention.

I switched back to Adderall LA (it's now in a generic form which makes it very inexpensive) and the difference is amazing. IMO, Adderall is very smooth - it does not suddenly appear in my system and scream out "You're on a stimulant, how's your anxiety doing??!!" I feel focused, am finding out that my ability to complete one task as well as multi-task is improving and without it, I would not be able to get out of bed and stay out of bed due to chronic fatigue secondary to my depression. Hope this helps. Laurie

Hey Iam taking ritalin now for two years and havent any side effects and Iam 28 have highblood press and have severe anxiety and its not bothering the anxiety or blood p and its helps me concerate and focus I also take omega fishoil so that my pressure want go up.Nothing would help me focus until I started taking ritalin .Good luck with it Hope you can start to focus and concerate.

I think the only difference I've seen is that I'm more awake in the morning, which is good, it helps me with my work. If my blood pressure stays the same (it's usually very good) does that mean it's not hurting my heart? Sorry if this question sounds extremely ignorant, but I don't have a lot of common sense about things sometimes.

I was prescribed ritalin as a child and I refused to take it. I am looking for an alternative and will ask about Adderall.

you alone have to weigh the pros and cons of ritalin...if it is working for you, helping focus more, and it isn't doing anything to your blood pressure, then go with it...i am on 20 mg three times a day and my blood pressure is low. Lower than it has been in a while. So that is good. I know it doesn't work for everyone that way, so I am the oddball, not the norm, but not the abnormal either. However, since the warnings can be such that a stroke or heart attack could happen, I would give it a test run to see how you do. I hate the crash and burn that I get when the Ritalin wears off and before the next dose kicks in. So we are trying to get me on Concerta...it is a once a day pill and spreads itself over the entire day...have to say it would be an answer to the pill situation...is so much easier than taking the Ritalin three times a day at precisely the right time each day...

Jewels

Since I had a heart attack, I was anxious to put my son on a stimulant.
The psychiatrist has paid special attention to his physical responses, as have I. He had a very emotional reaction when the Adderall XR wore off, so he changed to Focalin XR. There are lots of choices. A school psychologist said her daughter found the Daytrana patch very easy to use and it gave her more control over the onset and wind-down of the drug.

Example: If you felt your heart racing (over 100 beats per minute, like you were working out BUT you are sitting still), then you should stop taking the stimulant and see the doctor.
Remember, you can check your BP and pulse in most pharmacies or grocery stores, it gives you a sense of how you are doing. Also, once the drug wears off, it's out of your system. Do you take it on the weekends?

I used to, now I haven't been taking it at all. I've read that as long as you're not abusing it, there would be no negative effects if you stopped cold turkey. Next week I'll call my dr. I just don't wanna take any stimulant at all. I really haven't felt any different than when I was on it.

I think that's most important. Try something else! The purpose is for you to feel different, have your brain operate in a way you prefer.
Have you read "Delivered from Distraction"? Lots of useful info.

My son is only 8, he can definitely tell when the medication reaches his brain.

Hello there I was diagnosed with a.d.d in my teens,sadly my exams at school were around the same time I was diagnosed and as a result my grades sufferd terrably and I started ritalin about 1 month before my exams but ive been taking ritalin 10mg 2 tablets 3 times a day and when i left school and went on to collage the funding for the clinic stopped here in the uk. so again I manged to gain 1 qualafication and that was it i was throwen out of collage as i posed a danger to my self and others as i was training to be a motor mrchanic. but now thay was a pilot scheame and it just got full funding and now im back on the ritalin im heading in the right track agine but ive never had any problems on the medication it works for me fantasticaly and i highly recommend it to any suffer of adhd/add im now training to be a gas fitter at 28 years old and i couldent hold a job down for more than 2 month when i was taken of ritalin i left scool at 16 went collage tried my hardest for a year and got throwen out because thay found out i had A.D.D but it is now regarded as a dissabilty here in the uk and more money and funding is been given. so any one with children with ADHD/ADD who are reluctent to give them ritalin think about it dont deny your children the chance of a good grade and a good career the proffesionals who prescribed it wouldent do it if they thought it was damaging to them.And the same with adults. Dont think of it been a medication for a illness thats wrong think of it been a tool to help you just scissors instead of using a knife to cut some thing you use the scissors for a better cut and more control. Hope this helps you

Recent research does not confirm risks of heart or circulatory disease with stimulants. Cars and tobacco are probably far more dangerous for your health, and with less benefit.

Anyhow, I would gladly give a few years away for improved quality of those remaining.

No its not hurting your hurt .Thats a very smart question and it makes sense .I suffer from high blood pressure also and sometimes the ritalin can make it go up and down but other than that its a good med.huggs