Posted by Ame Sans Vie on August 9, 2003, at 21:58:22
In reply to STIMULANTS, posted by matthhhh on August 9, 2003, at 14:29:20
> Ephedrine is a stimulant. Does anyone know if dexedrine or ritalin are similar to ephedrine?
Chemically, ephedrine (alpha-1-methylamino-ethyl-benzene-methanol) is related to both Dexedrine (dextro-alpha-methylphenethylamine) and Ritalin (alpha-phenyl-2-piperidineacetic acid methyl ester) -- all three are phenethylamine-derived stimulants.
As for the similarities in their subjective effects, however, Ritalin is probably closer, as it causes much more of the peripheral effect than Dexedrine (i.e. heightened heart rate, blood pressure), like ephedrine does. Those effects are just plain hard on your body (cardiovascular system in particular), and that's one reason I personally avoid Ritalin and ephedra like the plague.
> Anyways, ephedrine completely relieves my symptoms of social anxiety etc, flow of conversation etc., so does this mean I have ADD, since stimulants are the #1 med used for ADD?
Just because a medication is used for a certain disorder and it works for you by no stretch of the imagination means you have that disorder. For example, drugs developed for epilepsy and psychosis have been shown extremely useful in treating bipolar disorder -- doesn't make those bipolars who respond to them epileptics or schizophrenics. Social phobics are often helped by the addition of a stimulant into their medication regime, as stims tend to provide a sense of higher self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness.
poster:Ame Sans Vie
thread:249563
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030807/msgs/249682.html