Medication dosage too high?

Hi there!

I'm new here. I'm 28 years old and I have the inattentive type of ADHD. I have a question for those of you, who take methylphenidate.

How do you know, if the dosage of methylphenidate is too high?

The doc prescribed me a very high dose (40mg of a long lasting medication twice a day) and I did never take a dosage less than that, so I don't know which one is right for me.

I feel a little effect, but I'm not very sure of that. I think, on this dosage, I would feel more different, but if the effect is there, then it's not much.

So maybe the dosage is too high? Or am I just a non responder?

And does smoking cigarettes interfere with this medication?

Thanks for your help!

[sharkticon]

I would just trust your doctor. I know people on higher doses than that, so I think you are OK. I've only been on 40mg of Vyvance since November. And I think I might need to go up a little higher. It's working but feel like it could do better.

[BlessedLady]

If the dosage is too much. It usually slows you down and makes everything worse. Some people do better with immediate release or a combination of extended release and immediate release.

Smoking usually increases the effects of Ritalin because nicotine is a stimulant.

[jdelmonaco19]

Trust your “gut” and no one else, not even your physician! Most prescribers are only guessing, when managing medication and/or overseeing treatment plans! God bless…🙏🏼❤️🙌🏼

[brewedinhell in reply to jdelmonaco19]

Totally agree. Everyone’s metabolism differs

[StoneJeweler in reply to jdelmonaco19]

Most doctors don't know very much about ADD, only what they have read[ and what do they read?] You need to do your own research-dig deep. Blood work will tell you a lot, the Organic acid test told me that anti-depressives are doing me more harm and that the tryptophan cycle is not making serotonin but it is creating a high level Quinolinic acid which is neurotoxic and causing inflammation in my brain. This is fairly new discovery and there is only little info out there on the web, but I have found some things that might help and I am trying them. Are your vitamin and mineral levels OK? There are so many things that influence how you feel like only eating organic foods etc.. Medication is only a start if you want to feel better dig deeper and ask questions. Best of luck

[Username987]

This sounds like it’s not right for you. I don’t know if it’s as much of the dose than the medication.

On the first few I tried I felt an effect but not the desired effect.

To help you, here’s what happens with my methylphenidate that I decided was right for me.

After 30 minutes I start to feel more alert. After an hour I can focus, listen, read, study and work with probably 50x the ease, I am not distracted by pinging thoughts but I also don’t ignore my surroundings like hyperfocus. I am just paying attention to what I need to and don’t zone out.

I also didn’t like extended release and prefer short release.

I am 5ft and 48kg and take 60mg daily and feel like I could take more for a better effect on focus but decided on this as it is a good inbetween for my appetite to still exist.

Talk to your doctor about what you’re aiming to achieve and express you don’t feel it has been reached, the first is rarely the one annoyingly.

Also maybe talk about trying short release and/or starting on smaller doses and increasing.

Hope this helps.