Focalin - ADD / ADHD Message Board

grizzk62 · 06-19-2003, 07:48 AM

Hello All,

I will try posting again and see if I get better support and maybe some answers since the last time I posted was a very disapointing experience. My Doctor just switched me from Straterra to Focalin due to the side effects. I had the typical male side effects that other men here have complained about. I'm now on Focalin which also is a brand new drug. According to my Doctor it is very similar to ritalin. The question I have is for those of you who are on focalin or ritalin is what are the side effects that you have, and how are you ding on this medication. I started on it yesterday and for me so far it has been a good experience. The doctor said I would notice the effects immediately and I have so far. Teh stratterra I was on was just beginning to work which I liked but I couldn't handle the side effects. I'm concerned however the long term effects of this new med. Can anyone please tell me there experience and how long I may expect it to work well. My doctors says I should do quite well on this for a very long time. But I really can't trust his advice since he saud the same thing about stratterra. I would like to thank those in advance for reading and responding positivly to my post...

Matt

grizzk62 · 06-20-2003, 07:05 AM

Hello Again,

Well to update you how I'm doing on Focalin. This is day 3 on it. The strattera side effects are gone, I think that I have pretty much cleared it from my system. Thank goodness. I just couldn't handle the sides. Well since I've been on focalin I have notice some pretty amazing results. I'm currently taken 20mgs Broken up in three doses. I take 10mg first thing in the morning and then 5mgs at 10:00 and then 5mgs more at 2:00 in the afternoon. The doctors said that I should immediately notice the effects right off from the first dose and he was correct. My wife has notice the difference in me as well. I'm alot more focused and can actually sit and read the whole newspaper in one sitting. My attention span has greatly increased and I've stopped fidgitting with my hands altogether. The best part no side effects. I sleep so much better than I could possible imagine.

From what I have read about Focalin on the internet is that it is a more refined version of ritalin. It contains only that active isomer of ritalin. For those that take ritalin when converting to focalin you only take half the amount compared to ritalin.

I do feel like I was robbed of alot of my life since I wasn't dianosed till just 3 weeks ago. I'm 40 yrs old and I'm very greatful to have found an answer to so many questions that my wife and I have had. I do look forward to hearing from others on this forum. I would love to have all the input I can get. Thanks again for taking the time to read this post.....

Matt

joshsmommi · 06-26-2003, 08:43 PM

Hi Matt

I am glad to hear you are having positive effects from the Focalin. My 5 year old son is on Ritalin LA 40mg and now will also be taking the Focalin at 3:30 in the afternoon. I was hoping that someone had tried it. Hope you are still doing well with it.

Cat84 · 06-29-2003, 12:03 PM

Hi I took Focalin a bit this year. It worked wonders for the first two months. I loved everything about it. Then it just stopped working. I started it back up a couple of weeks ago to see if it would work again and it did but only for about a week. Now when I take it I get really sleepy and I will sleep for hours. I can never wake up and it hurts to open my eyes from my sleep. Good luck with it though.