[Rose76]

I was just given a prescription for ritalin, which I have yet to fill. I've been too depressed to get to the store. I was hoping I'ld get adderall because a number of members here seem to find it helpful. The psychiatrist I saw said that the stimulants are pretty much all the same. I didn't want to seem med-seeking, so I just took what he gave me.

What he said seemed like an odd thing to say. Does anyone have experience using different stimulants? If so, was one better than another?

I took ritalin some years ago. It killed my appetite and made me think a lot. My dose had to be reduced because it gave me muscle tension in my face. I wasn't on it long.

I'm hoping this will help me stay awake in the morning. I go back to this doctor in three months. Any info on different stimulants that anyone can give me will be appreciated.

Thanks

[Wild Coyote]

I feel responses to stimulants are very individualized. You may respond well to a med which does little for me, for instance.

That said, I get a better response from Adderall. That said, I've just viewed a stimulant documentary on Netflix and the Adderall effects talked about in this documentary are foreign to me.

It is common practice for a doctor to prescribe Ritalin first and move on from there if Ritalin does not work.


WC

[downandlonely]

I've been on both to try to get some more energy, and neither did anything for me. But I hope the Ritalin will help you.

[Rose76]

Thank you both. I'll have to try it and see.

[downandlonely]

Yes, it's worth a shot. Do you have ADHD or are you taking it for energy?

[Rose76]

I am depressed and I have a hard time waking up in the morning.

[ilive4music]

i think everyone reacts different, but i prefer Ritalin it works better for me

[still_crazy]

i don't know how it is now, but...it used to be that Ritalin was preferred for depression, and for people dealing with sedation from other meds (pain killers, tranquilizers for schizophrenia, etc.).

they're both in Schedule II, but I think (personally..) Adderall is more potentially addictive than Ritalin or Focalin. I found Ritalin to be gentler than Adderall, and it didn't cause a crash when the capsule wore off.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[ilive4music]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

i don't know how it is now, but...it used to be that Ritalin was preferred for depression, and for people dealing with sedation from other meds (pain killers, tranquilizers for schizophrenia, etc.).

they're both in Schedule II, but I think (personally..) Adderall is more potentially addictive than Ritalin or Focalin. I found Ritalin to be gentler than Adderall, and it didn't cause a crash when the capsule wore off.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Yes I've read that Ritalin can help in minor to mild cases of depression. My doctor told me that years ago too. I also read a few studies on it online. I personally thought it worked better than Adderall for me, but everyone is different..

[Rose76]

I got an increase from my pdoc yesterday from 5 to 20 mg of Ritalin daily. The 5 mg did nothing.

[LittleEarthquakes]

I used to take 15mg of Ritalin three times daily for depression. I'm going to try it again hopefully if my psychiatrist will fill it, because I'm spiraling and need something.

[Rose76]

Originally Posted by LittleEarthquakes

I used to take 15mg of Ritalin three times daily for depression. I'm going to try it again hopefully if my psychiatrist will fill it, because I'm spiraling and need something.

I hope it gives you the boost you need. I found, through experimenting with the dose, that it took 40 mg of Ritalin to give me a lift. I no longer use it. I didn't like the pdoc prescribing it, so I stopped going to him.