Hi---I was just wondering if anyone who is taking ritalin has side effects? I take 20 mil twice a day--and around 3 hours after I take the pill--I start to get irritable and lightheaded and have slight headaches. Sometimes I feel lightheaded even before that. Thing is--I don't really want to give up just yet--because it has been helping me focus. My dr is away for 2 weeks--so I plan on seeing him---but if anyone has any personal experience---I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

I used to be on ritalin. I was taking it for almost 3 yrs. I think it is a great drug for helping you focus, but I also think there are some effects from ritalin that aren't too well known. I would suggest that if you take over 40-50 mg. a day, you should probably get your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. I was up to about 50mg. a day and I started getting really bad headaches, nervousness, really high blood pressure and I ended up having a tachycardia. I have been off ritalin now for about 4 months and have been working out to try to establish a normal blood pressure. Medication effects different people in different ways. I'm not saying what happened to me will happen to everybody. In fact probably .5% of the people taking ritalin will have the effects that I have. Just be careful with what you take and it does sound like you should check your blood pressure on a regular basis. Hope that helped a little. Good luck.

My husband has the problem with elevated blood pressure on Ritalin. Does anyone know if Concerta is better from this standpoint?

How's your blood pressure? Are you adequately hydrated? It is possible that the ritalin is suppressing your thirst, and you're not taking in enough fluids. Light-headedness and headaches can be symptoms of dehydration.

Did you start at 20 mg, or build up to that dosage? Perhaps you could discuss dropping to 15 mg with your physician, and see if that lessens the symptoms.

Thank you everybody for your replies--they helped alot--I think I was having reactions to high blood pressure so I left a message w my dr about taking 10mg 2 or 3 times a day. i hope that works. If not--i guess I'll try other meds---whats this concerta? I also was thinking about aderall. Johnson 110---are you on any other meds now? If not--how have you managed the focusing problem? Dehydration---I do notice I get dehydrated alot---but this happened even w/o the ritalin--probably too much salt. I drink alot tho. Anyway--thanks for the input!

After I had my Tachycardia, I took myself off of all medication except for Clonazepam which I take for anxiety from my attack. I still do have a tough time trying to focus on certain day-to-day activities. But my choice is either get back on the ritalin and potentially have another tachycardia or stay off, exercise and do the best I can. I am afraid to try concerta or addreall (spelling), b/c I think they would probably affect me the same way that ritalin did and I would rather take nothing then experience another tachycardia. Sorry, I guess I am not much help. Just remember, medications work differently for everyone. I just happened to be the one that gets screwed for taking ritalin.