Pharmacology - Ritalin 'equivalent' of Dexedrine?

[MotherSuperior]

SWIM recently posted about the manufacturing issues surrounding Dexedrine. SWIM currently receives a script from SWIMS GP for 40mg(8 X 5mg tabs) a day. SWIM has been getting this med for Adult ADD(SWIM is in 30's now so.... quite a while). This year there have been several instances when there was a shortage of this med, SWIM uses a very well known UK High Street Pharmacy tat has access to 2 of the 3 major UK wholesalers. In past 'shortages' a resolution time was given, this time no time has been given and the pharmacy have been unable to obtain supply for 2 weeks now. Fortunately they keep extra supply for SWIM since the shortage's and another pharmacy managed to help SWIM today though after calling pretty much every pharmacy in 30 miles SWIM thinks today's Dexe's may be the last until the 'manufacturing issues' have been resolved and normal supply is resumed. Last time this took 3 weeks.

SWIM has a long and colourful history of drug (mis?) use, luckily only a fraction of this is known by SWIM's doctors. However, when SWIMS NHS docs(GP and shrink) made the decision to treat SWIMS LEGIT ADD they consulted the local drug misuse agency who advised them not to prescribe Ritalin becuase of abuse potential, mainly by IV and nasal routes. So they went with Dexedrine which SWIM was VERY happy with as SWIM prefers Dexedrine anyway but only had Ritalin over 20 years ago as a child and has some bad memorys when they tried to get the dosing right. To say SWIM was puzzled as to why SWIMS GP was advised against Ritalin on the grounds of potential abuse is an understatement as SWIM has been IV'ing Dexe's for over a decade, at one time taking it with 50mg Methadone ampoules IV... maybe the 'agency' just were unaware of Dexedrine's abuse potential as it seems the less popular alternative to Dexedrine.

In any case, this shortage has now forced both SWIM and SWIMs GP to look again at prescribing. SWIM managed to catch up with the prescribing doctor earlier and the doctor actually SUGGESTED that SWIM try Ritalin. Maybe the doctor trusts SWIM or forgot the recommendation... or believes it is better giving Ritalin than just stopping SWIM 'dead' because of supply issues. Whilst SWIM prefers Dexedrine(not going into the pharmacology but Dexedrine seems to 'do more' with Dopamine than Ritalin) SWIM would prefer Ritalin to NOTHING!

So in a nut shell SWIM would like to know what an equivalant dose may be. From memory SWIM recalls Ritalin being 'weaker'(on mg for mg basis), SWIM enjoys the 'extra's'(Euphoria, etc) but is happy with it just handling SWIMS ADD problem and from past experience recalls that SWIM needed more Ritalin. Is this actually the case? SWIM thinks that possibly for Ritalin to work the 'same' as SWIMs 40mg/daily dose of Dexedrine I would need 60mg. Is anyone able to confirm, or anyone made this transition themselves? SWIM would like to hear experince's or opinions. To close with however hard SWIM tries, SWIM will still binge for a couple of days but now although has a tolerance can still just get a 'buzz' with that first IV hit of 20mg Dexamp.... SWIM will sure miss that.