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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 20:41:30 GMT
Last Wednesday I started on Ritalin MR 20mg. I had a feeling that it would be far too low a dose. In fact, all it did was make me tired! After a bit of a Google, I read a few experiences which suggested that too low a dose can have this effect. Today I got in touch with the psych and told him I wanted to up the dose. He agreed that I should have a second tablet 4 hours after the first and, well, I felt a lot better. Unfortunately, this still leaves me taking too small a dose in the morning and not really feeling the benefit until the second tablet but it's better than nothing. I have my NHS appointment with a psych on 4th March so hopefully they'll agree to a better prescription. With a bit of luck, faced with someone with a diagnoses and already taking medication, they won't argue too much. Famous last words though:( ! Anyone else had the experience of feeling tired on low doses? Cheers, jah
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Post by mizmog on Feb 20, 2011 20:57:00 GMT
Hi Jah, yeah I did when i started on 5mg i wanted to sleep all the time... have been on 10mg 3 times day for about 2 weeks now and I am starting to feel tired again... when i saw my GP last week they were still ok so i didn't ask to increase them, am seeing the psych sometime next week so gonna c about upping dose again...
my GP did say you can take up to 100mg a day if need be.. so I cant see your psych having a problem with u having more....
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 21:01:24 GMT
Cool. I suspect that 20mg of that stuff probably results in not much more than the equivalent of what you were having. I couldn't believe how I felt. Tired? On a stimulant!?
Hopefully they'll give me something a bit more practical. I wonder how many doses you can have? I'd like to be covered most of my waking hours but that might take quite a few tablets even of the delayed release type.
Cheers,
jah
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Post by kakema on Feb 20, 2011 21:14:44 GMT
Not me, but I have a friend who started on Concerta recently, and she found that it didn't help her get sharper, just calmer, and she was tired all the time. Psych said that the dose was probably too low, but she was finding the side-effects too difficult so didn't want to go higher. Not sure what she's going to switch to.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 22:59:45 GMT
I'm a bit concerned that that'll be the case on the slow release stuff. I might end up having to pop the instant release ritalin if that's what it takes. Hope not though. There are other options mind you. I suppose we'll just keep trying until we find something that suits.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2011 23:59:11 GMT
I am shattered mind you. Been really tired last couple of nights. Gone to bed before 1am!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2011 15:33:02 GMT
Finally beginning to get to grips with this. Discussed it with the psychiatrist by email on Sunday. I was taking the tablet at 9am and he agreed that I should try taking another at 1pm. No joy though as I still wound up really tired in the afternoon.
Today, I took the second tablet at midday. I was already beginning to feel a little tired at that point but I perked right up straight after! Was crashing again between 2.30pm and 3pm so I took another at 3pm. Beginning to feel better again. So, it seems I'm getting a major crash 2.5 hours after taking the tablet and if I don't take another at that point I stay crashed.
Not sure I'm totally at the bottom of it yet but it seems to me that I may as well take instant release and be done with it unless perhaps a high dose Concerta works better and for longer with me.
Anyone else relate to this?
Cheers,
jah
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2011 17:20:01 GMT
I can't say that I'm noticing anything at all in the way of better focus. Don't think it helps if the dose is wrong anyway. The third tablet doesn't seem to have helped. Now feeling tired and not up to much to be frank:(. Some further adjustment may be required!
My appointment with the NHS psychiatrist is a week on Friday anyway. Hopefully they'll prescribe me some instant release and/or Concerta to try. Suspect it'll be instant release for me.
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Post by mizmog on Mar 1, 2011 9:33:06 GMT
Jah have u had any joy with it yet??
I am on 10mg 3 times a day and i have now documented (not something i could hv done pre MPH lol) and it seems its lasting approximately 1 hour 20 mins before the effects wear off and tiredness kicks in... because its so good for that hour and 20, I really feel how bad it is when it wears off making me quite bad tempered... where as before the MPH it was consistently bad so i coped with it lol
My appt with the psych hasn't yet appeared so may have to just go back to GP...
Does anyone know if an increase of the dose would last longer or is it unheard of to take it 4 or even 5 times a day?? I want to find out whats best before i go for the long release as i have heard it only lasts 7/8 hours or so!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 9:56:08 GMT
mizmogI'm still taking the three a day. It's possible that by the time of the third tablet I'm feeling a slight effect but it's pretty negligible. The tiredness still kicks in after the third tablet although I don't think it's quite as bad now. My appointment is on Friday fortunately so I hope I'll get a different prescription then. The larger doses of the slow release tablets hopefully should give the effect you've had over the course of the day. Ideally that's what I want but it remains to be seen if they work for me or if they just go through my system too quickly.
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Post by mizmog on Mar 1, 2011 9:58:33 GMT
good luck... let us know how that works!!
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Post by optomistic65 on Mar 1, 2011 11:55:09 GMT
Taking 20mg MPH a day and it doesn't even touch the sides with me I was taking Modafinil before and I don't know if it's the change over but I feel terrible! Really depressed, irritable & tired & gaining weight which isn't what I need! I keep making really silly mistakes at work and my discretion monitor has been totally switched off and I am being really outspoken. Several times in the last few days i've almost lost it and walked out, not good. Have a follow up appointment with the psych this w/e, hopefully she can reign me in. Good luckX
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Post by mizmog on Mar 1, 2011 12:04:47 GMT
I hv just spoken to my GP who informs me that I can take up to 100mg a day of MPH in 3 doses but I cannot take 40mg a day in 4 doses?!?
I do find it very odd that i cannot take less over longer! now he is unwilling to change anymore until I go back to psych... after ringing the psych clinic and being told for the last two weeks someone will contact me... they still haven't and i am a week over due for a 4 week assessment!!
This system just gets better! lol
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 12:15:54 GMT
optomistic65 Nope. I think it's a training dose. Not sure why the psych was so cautious. mizmog It's a mystery how these guys work. I'm not sure they could tell you either. Friday can't come soon enough for me.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2011 12:39:19 GMT
I hv just spoken to my GP who informs me that I can take up to 100mg a day of MPH in 3 doses but I cannot take 40mg a day in 4 doses?!? I do find it very odd that i cannot take less over longer! now he is unwilling to change anymore until I go back to psych... after ringing the psych clinic and being told for the last two weeks someone will contact me... they still haven't and i am a week over due for a 4 week assessment!! This system just gets better! lol 60mg over three doses seems to be considered 'normal' and 100mg is the standard upper daily limit (you'll meet people on more). Your GP is obviously out of their depth and sticking exactly to what they've been told to.
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Post by mizmog on Mar 1, 2011 12:43:29 GMT
Yeah i think your right Dave, he did say he was reading out of a book .... but waiting for the clinic to get back in touch is a night mare... they were quick enough to diagnose, but it seems the follow up care isn't there either! Seems like... theres your medication, off you go an enjoy your life!! ...not moaning honest!!
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Post by optomistic65 on Mar 1, 2011 18:42:16 GMT
No I don't understand why the psych was so cautious as I work in pharmacy and have checked the BNF & 100 mg a day is the max dose. I appreciate that they have to be cautious when prescribing off license but 20mg of MPH a day?
I don't understand where your GP is coming from Mizmog?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2011 21:08:35 GMT
On the Eurostar coming back from Brussels. This is proving waaaay more expensive than I was hoping. I should probably have bitten the bullet and got diagnosed in the UK in the first place. Grand total for today's Belgian Odyssey was £300(consultation, Eurostar and prescription) not counting grub:( . Had a rather nice medallions de porc a la sauce moutarde since you asked;). At least this time I didn't have a drama over the prescription. The doctor arranged with a friendly pharmacist to give me the whole lot. Got some Concerta 54mg to try and a load of 10mg Ritalin IR to keep me going after that. Should have enough for the best part of 3 months. I didn't want to put all my eggs in the one basket this time. Chances of me getting diagnosed by the NHS in 3 months? Not great:(.
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