Re: Methylphenidate troubles.

[Anonymous]

Hi monkeybarb, I am not a doctor, but as far as I know, unless you’re taking a slow-release version, methylphenidate should act right away (or perhaps within the hour), and it will only last for about 4 hours (I did a trial of ritalin earlier this year) Being tired might be the crash after it stops working. Why don’t you go to the manufacturer’s website and see what they say about it? If the NP thinks there’s a risk for you then it might be wise to consider that. What does your family doc say?

About taking on a large task, that’s not the best idea, especially if you are new to your meds. They are not magic bullets that transform your life – billd here is famous for saying they are just like a key that unlocks a door for you – you still have to work on getting through the door and facing the challenges. Ari Tuckman has a good book that talks about strategies for the different kinds of issues that we face. Meds may make it easier to implement some of these strategies, but in my experience, you still have to work at it.

One of the simplest is to just break down a task into smaller steps. If you have a mountain of clutter in your livingroom (as we did, until recently), start small – I just decided to tackle the DVDs, for example, and found a home for them. Then I tackled the old grocery receipts that were sticking out everywhere. And then something else. Eventually my husband went on meds as well and i got some help. But meds are not the whole solution, just part of it, and they don’t always work for everyone.

I’ve found that the NPs and nurses spend more time with me and give me more info than my GP, whose time is very limited. I do find that frustrating too.

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