Posted by Henryo on August 17, 2003, at 14:35:07
In reply to Lou's reply to ...a worried mom...WM3, posted by Lou Pilder on August 17, 2003, at 12:59:20
All that stuff about amphetamines and psychosis is due to abuse, not thoughtful use.
Concerta is Ritalin. It is just the slow delivery device inside the caplet that gives it a different name.
I am 40 have taken Concerta for years and find it works well for my ADD and depression. I was however prescribed Ritalin as a kid back when Dyslexia was in vogue as a diagnosis. When I took it I acted out even more. That may have been a healthier thing for me to do, but it was not what they were looking for. It was confusing. I think, looking back on it now, that I wasn't equipped to handle alterations in my consciousness. I am, and I think most kids are, very sensitive to meds. Concerta's smallest dose is 36mg, right? Ritalin might have been what I needed back in 3rd grade but they had no subtlety in dosing. Doctors will still throw things like Trazadone (or Ritalin) at you and never mention starting it slowly. You take one Trazadone and it knocks you out for a day and a half. You think, "I'll never do that again." And one more decent med is off your list. You've got to start these meds slowly, especially with kids.
I often muse that entire academic career might have been so much easier and gone further if I had had intelligently prescribed medication.
I would suggest starting with one tiny dose of a day of Ritalin. Then later start taking more tiny doses, (break the pills) throughout the day as needed. Get used to having that powerful speed in your system. Figure out how it effects you, when to take it when not to take it. I think Ritalin/Concerta can be a good thing but jumping right in at 36mg is going to be like eating a pound of coffee. It will make you feel pretty weird and that can be scary. Just start slow and move up. You will find the right dose. Regular Ritalin is a bit tricky because it comes on in 20-40 minutes after swallowing it and lasts maybe 2-4 hours. It is a very short acting med. There is a rebound effect as it wears off. You feel a bit wrung out in a very minor but perceptible way. You have to time the doses so as not to be on a roller coaster ride with the amount of med in your system waxing and waning. It is not that hard to do though. Concerta was invented for the sole reason of solving the dose timing issue. There is a little plastic diaphragm in the pill that takes on water osmotically and dispenses the drug smoothly over 8 hours or so. It works great. Just get used to the drug first. I don't know if you'd call it building a tolerance but you sort of learn what it does for you.
poster:Henryo
thread:251524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030812/msgs/251601.html