Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD): what if Ritalin doesn't work?

Hello,

I'm 24 years old and I have ADD (inattentive type). The doctor prescribed me Ritalin but it doesn't work; it makes me very sleepy, I don't wanna take it anymore.
Is there a chance that Adderall will work for me? It's a stimulant that is pretty similar to Ritalin, so I'm afraid it will not work either :-/
Maybe I have a better chance with Strattera...

Did any of you take Ritalin, didn't work for you so you took another drug for ADD and it worked well?

Thank you in advance.
Answer:
I took Ritalin to start out, but I also have epilepsy and it was lowering my seizure threshold. (I was having more seizures when on Ritalin).

Strattera worked well for me but it took away my appetite. I lost a ton of weight while taking it. I didn't mind losing the weight, but I was starting to get anorexic. It's not like I was eating healthier meals, that would have been just fine. I was hardly eating at all.

My daughter took Strattera, though, and it didn't make much difference in how much she ate. Everyone responds differently.

Give it a try.

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That's very strange that Ritalin makes you sleepy. Perhaps the dosage isn't right. It is a stimulant and it's even used for narcolespy, so it's probably too low. I've only taken Ritalin recreationally and I don't have ADHD, but this is what I experienced. At medicinal levels it just makes me want to pay attention, nothing else. At higher levels, Ritalin would make me hyper and euphoric and at even higher levels it would be like almost like a sedative. I couldn't sleep and inside I felt euphoric, but I didn't want to do anything at all just sit still. I wouldn't even bother talking.

My husband who has ADHD and he reports the same thing except because he has ADHD, at prescribed levels the paying attention thing isn't too much paying attention, but just the right amount. He says the other stimulant medications are the same as far as effectiveness goes, but some like Adderall are much more mellow for him. That newer one that's really an antidepressant (Strattera maybe?) he hasn't tried because he's been on lots and lots of antidepressants, for depression, and doesn't tolerate them at all!

If you're actually sleeping after taking Ritalin, it's possible that your dosage is too low. If you're just sitting around like a euphoric zombie, it might be too high. Talk to your psychiatrist about what you are experiencing exactly. You may need the dosage changed or another 'script.

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I have found that Ritalin doesn't work for me either. I have tried Adderal, and that made me very depressed. I did have better response to Cylert. I have also tried Strattera (sp?) and Concerta with minimal results. The best one for me has been Dexedrine. I have found it to be a gentler stimulant, that doesn't seem to wear off as dramatically as the others did.
However, I was up to 120 mgs a day, and could take a nap one hour after taking it. But I also have clinical depression too so that could be a contriubuting factor as well.

I believe that Welbutron has been approved for the treatment of ADHD. I take that to treat my depression. But it also tends to be a more energizing anti-depressant.

Sometimes the attentional and concentration problems as well as fatigue are more of an underlying depression. It is hard to say not knowing your circumstances.

One of the difficult things about ADHD inattentive type is that there is not the more obvious benefit from medication like there is for the ADHD-impulsive type. That person when on the meds, has reduced activity which is much easier to see.

A good book to read is "Driven to Distraction" by 2 psychiatrists who are ADHD. Another source would be the website of Thomas Hartman.

Hope that this is helpful.

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the following list is of meds that can be used in the treatment of ADD/ADHD just because the first one didn't help does not mean another one will not, go back to your doctor and try something else

Adderall amphetamine
Concerta methylphenidate
(long acting)
Cylert* pemoline
Dexedrine dextroamphetamine
Dextrostat dextroamphetamine
Focalin dexmethylphenidate
Metadate ER methylphenidate
(extended release)
Metadate CD methylphenidate
(extended release)
Ritalin methylphenidate
Ritalin SR methylphenidate
(extended release)
Ritalin LA methylphenidate
(long acting)

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Hi,
I think that you would need to find how to slow your mind down with out drugs. also taking short times in and out of things that your having trouble with something or getting frustrated with something just take a break where you can if only for 10 mints and go back if your working then just go to the loo so then your not going to get into trouble from the boss as girls should go to the loo every 2 House to keep there system clean of infections

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