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Ritalin and depression

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Posted 8/2/2006 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
I've been taking ritalin for about 4 months to treat narcolepsy.  I was reading that depression can be a side effect of Ritalin.  I am going to see my sleep doctor on the 16th because the Ritalin is not putting the pep in my step as it did when I first started.  I was going to see if my dosage could be upped, but now after this reading I am wondering if I should ask him for a new medication all together.  I used to take Provigil, but that stuff made me really stupid...I forgot how to spell words, and I would get lost driving...not cool.

Has anyone had a Ritalin induced depression?

Posted 8/2/2006 2:51 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Polly

I have never taken it but I do wish you luck with seeing your sleep doctor. I hope they can sort out your medication for you. Evceryone can experience different side effects and different feelings when taking medications like these.
Take care and keep i touch

Victoria
Posted 8/2/2006 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ya Polly,  I was just put on Ritalin last month by my Psychiatrist to help aid in keeping up my blood pressure and with fatigue associated with my MS.  I was on Provigil years ago and it didnt do much for me.  Anyhow, I havent as yet had any problems with it effecting my depression but I take 225mg of Effexor XR so hopefully (have both fingers crossed) it won't.  I am taking 10mg in the AM and 10mg at noon and am pretty well getting some good effects from it so far.  My doc did say that even at 20mg the dosage could be upped if needed.  How much are you taking?
Posted 8/2/2006 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hi els.

I take 20 mg every morning. When I first started taking it I had so much energy, but now I have zilch. My friend said that I have no energy because of the depression and no ammount of ritalin will help until I get undepressed. He works at a psychiatrid hospital and takes a cocktail of anti-depressants himself, so I believed him.

Tomorrow I see the therapist, but I don't think therapists can give out anti-depressants. I took prozac for awhile about 12 years ago for depression, and paxil about 8 years ago as a preventative for migraines. Both of those drugs made me really depressed. Hopefully one of these newer drugs available will be better for me if they think I need some happy pills. I don't know what lies ahead. I am just glad that I can finally talk to the therapist tomorrow. I want to sort out why I feel so sad all of the time.

I've really given up on talking to friends because they all ask the same questions and they all have pretty much the same responses.
Posted 8/3/2006 10:46 AM (GMT 0)
I hope your appointment goes well today polly, I will be thinking of you.  Your right in that thearpists or counselors can not prescribe medications.  Only a psychiatrist or physician can.  Perhaps if they have a psychiatrist on staff where you are going for counseling they can set you up an appointment with them so you can get medication if that is the route you want to take.  I see both a psychaitrist and counselor. As for the Ritalin, it may be that it is still new for me yet...I dont know.  I only take Effexor XR for an antidepressant and I get an energy boost just from taking that as it is.  So with the Ritalin on top I am speeding around everywhere for a very hours.  I dont mind so much since I can get a few things done I wasnt doing before...    As the years of depression have gone on for me I have thinned out my group of friends one by one.  I always did have a large bunch of girls that I talked to then up to about 4 years ago I was down to only speaking to 1.  Now I dont even speak to her anymore and havent in over a year.  I do miss the friendship but it is hard to have close friends who dont have depression or anxiety.  They dont really understand and they try to give advice for something they know nothing about .  I didnt feel I could call her up when I was having a hard time or needed a friend, it was just easier to deal on my own, lord knows I was used to doing it anyway...so that is me...
Posted 8/3/2006 4:17 PM (GMT 0)

I just got back from the appt. with the counselor.  I really like her.  I think she is going to be able to help me.  She isn't too much older than I am, and I think if I would have met her under different circumstances we would probably be friends! 

She told me to call my primary dr., because she wants me to take an anti-depressant.  That kind of scares me.  I made 3 appt.'s spanning over the next 4 weeks. 

It was nice to talk to a stranger because she seemed like she understood and empathized with me. 

Posted 8/3/2006 10:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Polly,

I agree, it is good to talk to a stranger as someone with an outside view can understand better sometimes. I see my psychologist weekly and she really helps and understands me.
I take an antidepressant and this scared me at first but it has really helped me to cope with things.
Good luck with your doctors appointments and let us know how everything goes.
Take care
Victoria
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