Changed meds, now getting irrationally angry on downtime
Changed meds, now getting irrationally angry on downtime
I was initially given Ritalin (10mg pills) to try out; I cut them into four pieces each and spread it over the next month and a half. It worked well, allowed me to work, and felt 'smooth'.
I ran out, found that they are expensive here (I was diagnosed and prescribed a week of pills - 14 - initially in Taiwan), and went to Thailand (neighbouring country) to get more. Turns out the place I went to only had Rubifen, a generic variant. It was about the same as I paid for Ritalin so I thought why not, and got enough to get me through the next year.
Fast forward a month and a half... when I am on my 'off' days (Sat & Sun, when I don't need to work or study), I am now reacting to things pretty badly. I snapped at my partner very easily, I almost put a window through because I knocked a bottle over, and generally had a miserable weekend. With Rubifen, I feel fine, able to complete tasks, work and whatnot. Without it I'm not sure I should be around other people. Is this normal? Will it level off or should I go and get something else instead?
Being in charge of your own treatment without the help of medical professionals is dangerous. You might be having contraindications and not even realize. I would advise you to see a doctor and explain your situation.
I was diagnosed at one place and saw another psychiatrist in another to get my current prescription.
Sounds normal for some people and im sure your personal biology effects it. But yeah... That's typically what happens when you don't take stims. Withdrawal symptoms. I used to get that way by the end of the day when my Adderall wore off. It's sucked. In the end I just stopped taking it because it wasn't worth the rollercoaster ride of emotions. That irritability is what drives addiction. Be careful and tread lightly as you figure out the best usage.
In my case, in America, my doctor just kept increasing my dose... Which ended badly for me. Trust your gut feelings.
Maybe try a smaller dose?
That's common withdrawal symptoms for amphetamines (what Ritalin is). Taking more will obviously alleviate the effects short term but make you more dependant and worsen when you'll stop, and taking less will eventually run into tolerance and stop working.
For the immediate future I suggest to take less if you can manage, and to take other, lighter stimulants on your off days ( caffeine is the big one, also try simply exercising for an hour to let out all the frustration and produce dopamine on your own).
FYI, Ritalin (methylphenidate HCl) is not an amphetamine. Methylphenidates and amphetamines are considered separate drug classes for treating ADHD. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11766-adhd-medication
Thanks, good ideas. I didn't exercise much outside of cycling (and some idiot managed to bump into me by not indicating so I snapped at them pretty badly), will make time for it this week.