ritalin good or bad?

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dont just dont

Well, I went to the doctor today and was prescribed Adderall. I believe that it should have similar effects to Ritalin. I took it for the first time today, and it is working excellently. My mind is so clear. It's like the difference between an analog TV reception with a lot of static, and a digital one. I'm also interested in my homework. I've been talking excitedly about my English homework for the last fifteen minutes. And I hate English. It doesn't seem to have many bad side effects. My mouth is dry, and I have a vile taste in my mouth, but that is very tolerable.

I have a diagnosis of ADHD (before I was diagnosed with AS) and at first I was put on Concerta, which I think is methylphenidate. I found it did nothing at first until my dr. upped the dose. I was on report at school (for those that don't know it's where the teachers fill in a card on your behavour/work rate etc every lesson) and I had almost perfect lessons. But with Concerta I got teary and a little out of control in the evenings when it wore off so I had to stop.

I then went on to try Strattera which you take every single day and it was really great. Unlike Concerta I felt like me but I could finish assignments, remember things, I was MUCH less impulsive.

I don't take ADHD meds anymore because I am trying out behaviour modification and other strategies first because I felt a bit pushed in to trying the medications. The meds also did nothing for my lack of social skills (although I never expected those to improve as a result)

What I really intended to say was some of the medications might work for you, some wont. You just need to find the right one. I think that medications such as Ritalin, Concerta, Dexidrine etc should only be used as a tool and not as a cure for concentration issues and with that in mind you might find the right medication and also the right strategies to make the perfect combination.


[EDIT]

As for the side effects I already said with Concerta I got quite out of control as it wore off. With both meds I had dry mouth and headaches for about 2 weeks but both of those went away.

All,

I have read this post with great interest, I am in the process of getting a referral to
be put on meds. I have some friends that let me try out a couple days each over
three months on four of the meds I have been researching.

And now I've got some hope that I just might be able to survive....

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All of this after being a severe autistic as a child, now nearing 40 and only
just this year finding out just what the hell was wrong w/ me all this time!

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