Experiences - Ritalin unusal reactions? tiredness

[ellethekitty]

Has anyone experienced sleepiness or tiredness from taking ritalin? I see it described online as a possible side effect, but my shrink says I am imagining it. I take it legally, I am prescribed Effexor and Ritalin. We have added the Ritalin because I sleep too much. (I should be taking modafadil instead but my insurance doesnt cover it, so Ritalin is my only choice.)
I think I am actually sleeping more than before. i am taking 10mg tablets and am noticing my heart heart go up, but my brain still takes a nap. any suggestions, comments.

[fizzle]

Swim has experienced the same thing. Perhaps it is tolerance related, at least for swim, though he only consumes maybe 30mg on average. That's all swim can really comment on. Maybe try a little bit more?

[ellethekitty]

Thanks.
Its not tolerance related for me, since I just started. My doctor lets me play with the dose, and so far it isn't doing much. I mean, I can feel it in my heart working, just my brain is still napping. I tried moving my effexor dose, and even though it shouldn't matter, that seems to help.

[Coconut]

I hope, if I am prescribed methylphenidate in the future, that I do not experience this side effect. I am always mentally exhausted.

Perhaps you could ask your doctor to prescribe amphetamines instead.

[dark12]

SWIM is prescribed 20mg daily of dexmethylphenidate SWIM too experiences tiredness after taking it. The only way SWIM has found to deter this side effect is to crush and snort the capsule, and even then it is only a rush that lasts a maximum of a couple hours. SWIM's shrink refuses to prescribe amphetamines for some reason. SWIM is considering seeing someone else because of this.

[ellethekitty]

I don't think my shrink will prescribe Amphetamines either. i really shouldn't even be taking ritalin , I should be taking modafadil, but my insurance only covers the ritalin.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

[doggy_hat]

SWIM has been scripted Concerta 18mg a day not too long ago. The first 2 days he felt energetic and motivated. But as he got used to it and developed tolerance, he too felt that he was fighting to urge to take afternoon naps, even though he still somehow feels stimulated while feeling drowsy. In the morning when the instant release, outer coating of the pill hits him, he feels properly medicated and can get work done, but as that morning burst wears off, he feels a bit tired.

He's tried drinking coffee to help wake him up, but it doesn't do much. Which is strange because he rarely drinks coffee, or caffeinated soda, and his caffeine tolerance is very low. So he thinks that somehow his medication either blocks the effects of coffee or they have a cross-tolerance. SWIM thinks that maybe his dose is too low, as he didn't feel tired before tolerance developed.

Has anyone found a way to effectively combat drowsiness? Or maybe it eventually goes away after longer use. SWIM doesn't want to try switching meds as he just started a week ago and thinks it's too soon to give up.

[HorseBucket]

Ritalin tranquilizes swim too. Swim finds it replaces his normal daytime drowsiness with a relaxing tranquilized feeling but he has less of a drive to get up and do things. If he gives himself a kick to get up and do things he's find though. Amphetamines do the same thing to swim they make him so calm and relaxed he just doesn't feel like doing anything other than what he's doing now.

Swims doctor did tell him that ADD medications do the opposite of stimulate people with ADD. Weird stuff. Is there such thing as an effective stimulant for people with ADD? Strangely enough benzos make swim restless and opiates have more of a stimulating effect on him than amphetamines do.

HorseBucket added 14 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...

Originally Posted by doggy_hat

Has anyone found a way to effectively combat drowsiness? Or maybe it eventually goes away after longer use. SWIM doesn't want to try switching meds as he just started a week ago and thinks it's too soon to give up.

Swims in the same boat as swiy. Swim thinks its more of a psychological drowsiness though because when he gives himself a kick to get up and do things he's not tired doing them.

[lineartransform]

SWIM has experienced this effect.

SWIM attributes it to ritalin's euphoric effects. It is very easy to be satisfied doing nothing, just as easy as it is to be satisfied doing some homework.

It is not true drowsiness, but rather the ability to simply sit still, do nothing, and be content with it. SWIM would suggest some minor self motivation - while this drug is very effective in increasing productivity, it does not absolve you of all responsibility!

[doggy_hat]

Originally Posted by lineartransform

SWIM has experienced this effect.

SWIM attributes it to ritalin's euphoric effects. It is very easy to be satisfied doing nothing, just as easy as it is to be satisfied doing some homework.

It is not true drowsiness, but rather the ability to simply sit still, do nothing, and be content with it. SWIM would suggest some minor self motivation - while this drug is very effective in increasing productivity, it does not absolve you of all responsibility!

But if SWIM had any self motivation to begin with he wouldn't be prescribed Concerta in the first place.

Originally Posted by HorseBucket

Swims doctor did tell him that ADD medications do the opposite of stimulate people with ADD. Weird stuff. Is there such thing as an effective stimulant for people with ADD? Strangely enough benzos make swim restless and opiates have more of a stimulating effect on him than amphetamines do.

HorseBucket added 14 Minutes and 17 Seconds later...

Swims in the same boat as swiy. Swim thinks its more of a psychological drowsiness though because when he gives himself a kick to get up and do things he's not tired doing them.

SWIM has heard of ADD people being calmed by stimulants also. When SWIM feels drowsy, he too only feels it mentally, physically he'll still feel stimulated, and he can't sleep while his medication is still in effect, even though he feels like he could. He finds it rather odd though, because only when weak doses are taken does he feel drowsy, more intense doses don't feel sedating.

[Lehendakari]

When a certain monkey takes ritalin, it's imposible for him to even think about sleeping, but he's found himself napping after 200 mg modafinil. The funny thing is that he wasn't mentally or physically tired, but when he closed his eyes he pretty much entered dreamland.

Modafinil is truly interesting. Methylphenidate makes him unable to sleep but sometimes tired.

[HorseBucket]

Sometimes swim takes his dose of Ritalin at about 8PM and he's asleep by 10PM. If he takes higher than his dose sometimes it takes a little longer to get to sleep. Caffeine or amphetamines do keep swim awake though. Opiates keep him awake too.

[takeyourmeds]

yes swim did. especially with extended releases and the purple 5's. not with methilyn 5's though. ERs & Purple 5's make swim an awake drone with no ambition. Very hard to get up in the morn also. part of that could be the pot/benzos neccessary to get to sleep? but that side effect doesnt happen with Methilyn 5's which swim says he can sleep easier, awake easier, and be amazingly productive on. tired or DRONE totally sucks and defeats the purpose. swim is prescribed them as a motivator for depression, not 4 ADD.