[StKubrick]

I have taken Concerta and Adderall XR for ADD - My doctor will not prescribe immediate release Ritalin since he is concerned about the "peaks and the valleys" - In a nutshell, Concerta made me want to DIE DIE DIE (it made me really nauseous) - and Adderall XR is making me extremely all kinds of all over the place.  One minute I am content and happy, then I am a raving lunatic, then I am having a nervous breakdown and finally I sit and cry and want to die.  This is in the course of 2 hours.  So well I am no longer taking that. 

The doctor says that he will prescribe Ritalin LA and see how that works.

On a side note - I did take bootleg Ritalin for about 3 months prior to being prescribed Concerta.  I know it wasn't the smartest thing to do but I wanted to try it and see how it worked for me. 

Well...it worked great.  I started myself out on 10 mg once a day.  Then after two weeks I increased it to 20 mg - 10mg bid.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.  I was stable, I was level, I could think - I had control of myself.  No outbursts of anger - I actually felt happy.  This is no lie.  I had started that March 1 and went until May 15th when I was prescribed Concerta.  I know they are both methylphenidate but for some reason Concerta didn't work the same way.  I mean I could concentrate and all of that but I was nauseous ALL the time.  The dose was increased one month later.  The nausea from the 18mg had tapered off but I was still not focusing and all of that - to 36mg.  Well, the nausea became much worse and didn't stop.  So I was given Adderall XR - and now here I am.

I KNOW that Ritalin works well for me since I did take it for those 2 months - however I couldn't tell the doc that - so now he is willing to try Ritalin LA since I had asked him if we could try Ritalin. 

So my question is - does Ritalin LA work or is it all kinds weird like Concerta?

[scatty]

My son takes ritalin LA.  Doc has us open the capsule and give him half in am
and half in afternoon (10 mgs)  I assume it would also be effective in the full
capsule form but my son cannot swallow the pills.  It's made a world of difference
in his ability to sit still and focus.  Good luck with it!