Posted by Leor on October 10, 2002, at 11:22:45
In reply to Re: Dexedrine vs Ritalin for Adult ADD, posted by Hattree on January 11, 2002, at 8:09:21
I am great believer in the need for periodic drug holidays from dexedrine. I am in the habit of taking off one week from treatment with my Dexedrine XR every three months. Not being a neurophysiologist I cannot offer an explanation for what happens to me except to note subjective results;
1 - a feeling of increased calm when I return to taking the dexedrine
2 - being off provides an opportunity to assess how the dexedrine affects my cognitive functioning
(I always learn new details which empower me to better assess where my dosage should be pegged and what Side-effects and-or positive effects can be properly attributed to my use of the dexedrine).3 - it is a safeguard against my developing tolerance to the medication, and so allows me to avoid unnecessary increases in my dose.
BTW, I seem to remember other good posts on Babble about drug holidaying. Be sure to use your own educated guesswork & consultation with your p-doc when decide how long the holiday should last.
Best of luck,
Leor
> I find switching stimulants somewhat helpful in evading the tolerance effect, but not as much as taking a "holiday"
>
> > Well, I took Ritalin (54mg/day) for about 7 yrs, and I just switched to Adderall (30mg/day). Adderall includes dex and other salts of amphetamines.
> >
> > My question "How much Adderall do you take" was from my pdoc telling me that Adderall and Dex were twice as potent as Ritalin.
> >
> > I don't know, but 30mg of Adderall doesn’t seem to me to be as much as 54 mg of Ritalin (as Concerta)
> >
> > Like you, I'm also wondering if my Ritalin tolerance transferred to Adderall.
> >
> > If you do switch to Ritalin, I would highly recommend Concerta because regular immediate release Ritalin is very roller coaster both in coming on strong and wearing off strong. Both feelings were very disphoric to me.
> >
> >
> >
> > > Anybody out there switched from Dexedrine to Ritalin (or vice versa)? I (40 y/o M) have been on Dex for about five years and every two years or so have had to increase the dose. Its getting on time to do it again, but I wonder if I might counteract tolerance with the Dex by switching to Ritalin (or if, since they're both CNS stimulants, the tolerance would just 'cross over').
> > >
> > > I'd also love to hear from folks with experience of more than a month or so with both these meds (for ADD). Which did you prefer? Is there something better?
>
>
poster:Leor
thread:89625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021006/msgs/123069.html