Adhd methylphenidate SR not working

[Stanley1988]

hi sir.

i am from india recently found i have adhd, in the first month's methylphenidate hcl sr 10 mgwhich was working good. then doctor increased dose to 20 mg from 10 mg. now not working.. always sleeping and fatigue not feeling energetic, no interest on anything, what shall i do shall i switch to amphetamine or should i increase ritalin dose

[nurse_nelly]

call the Dr. asap. Usually they will do a change over the phone if it is that bad. I would only take 10 until you speak to the Dr.

[Onthemove1971]

Standley1988-

I first want to say thank you for coming to the group to discuss your very frustrating experience. From my experience with my son it took a very good Psychiatrist who know new and the best medicine that fit his personality and lifestyle to help us. This really is a journey and it may mean trying a few different typed to get the one that makes you feel the best.

But keep ay it they will find the perfect one. Then they will work on how long it last in your body.

Hang in therer, let us know how it goes.

[Eclecticentric77]

Hi there, lots of times people feel fatigued when they take ADHD stimulant medication because of sleep issues (not sleeping enough, trouble getting to sleep, sleeping at different times consistently) and because they are not getting enough antioxidants with the medication. I highly recommend you take supplements with your stimulant medication in order to fight off the bad side effects of the medication and in order to make the medication work to its full potential.

I highly recommend the following supplements

1. R-Alpha Lipoic Acid: This supplement is one of the strongest antioxidant supplements out there and also helps the brain utilize the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, which people with ADHD lack. This made my 10mg stimulant medication feel fresh and smoother once I started taking this supplement.

2. Another big reason why stimulant medication stops working is because the neurotransmitters the medication works with start to get depleted. This in turn causes people to feel as if the medication is not working. Most stimulant medications work with the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine. In order to fight off depletion I would highly recommend the supplement N-Acetyl Tyrosine. That supplement specifically works with helping the brain with Dopamine and Norepinephrine. I take it when I get up, 30min to an hour before my medication wears off (in order to eliminate the crash of the medication) and a few other times during the day.

3. Dopamine has a relationship with the neurotransmitter Serotonin (together they are known as the brain's reward system), so while stimulant medication does not primarily work with Serotonin, after boosting up Dopamine frequently, Serotonin will start to go down. For this I recommend the supplement L-Tryptophan (Tryptophan is a direct precursor to Serotonin, unlike 5HTP which is earlier in the chain). This supplement greatly helps with one's mood and feeling of ease, lowering anxiety, it is also really helpful to take before going to sleep, in addition to taking it during the day.

4. A good Multivitamin with antioxidants is also highly recommended.

5. If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, I would recommend Melatonin 300mcg 6hr release. Take this about 45min before going to bed. And then take L-Tryptophan (which I mentioned in #3) 30min before bed, and you will have some profound deep sleep and wake up feeling refreshed more often.

6. CoQ10: as a safety precaution in order to keep your heart safe, and keep your heart rate and blood pressure from rising, which is common with ADHD stimulant medication.

If any of this sounds helpful, you can click on my profile pic, which will then take you to my profile in which I have a link to a google doc I made that includes all of the supplements I mentioned, along with some detailed information on why I take them, why they help people with ADHD, and the cost and locations that sell them (mostly Amazon.com, and some grocery stores). Hope this helps