Your experiences with Adderall/Ritalin?

Question

Whether they are positive or negative, I'm open to hearing both.

Answer 1

My son took Ritalin for about a year. This was years ago when there weren't many choices for ADD medication. Although it helped him focus, it had some negative effects on his moods. He was a bit moody, sometimes down, and sometimes even had suicidal thoughts. And this when he was just 8 or 9 years old. He talked about running in front of a truck someday. Well, I took him back to the doctor and he was switched to Dexadrine (time release). Worked beautifully for him. Helped him focus. Wore off very gradually, unlike the Ritalin, when I could tell the moment his body had used it all up. No moodiness. He stayed on it from about 3rd of 4th grade until the 7th grade. After that, he had learned ways to help himself focus and no longer needed it. He is now almost 21 and an honor student in college.

Since that time, Adderall was added as a choice for medicating. I have heard more positive things about it than Ritalin. But I guess it depends on the individual and their body chemistry. You might want to check these drugs out at this website, which has been helpful to me in the past:

www.askapatient.com

Patients give ratings and side affects that they have experienced on this site. Very informative.

Answer 2

Adderal/Ritalin : each have different side effects on different people. Its such an individual thing. I have been taking Ritalin for 2 yrs. I dont notice any particular side effects, but I am 51 yrs old. It just depends on the persons makeup. It doesnt work at all on some folks, while others have a very low tolerance to it.

Answer 3

They both have their place. Ritalin is over used. Europeans use it much less than north americans do. If a kid acts up put them on ritalin. Why..Zonk the kid out and you dont have to deal with him. I would ban it unless its the last resort

Answer 4

It makes me have little patience. It also made me lose about 30 pounds because it takes your appetite.