Ritalin for adult chronic depression, any opinion out there?

I have had many forms of depression most of my life.  I have found myself in deep depression for the last 7 months and was taking 60mg of Cymbalta(helps depression w/ pain)for almost 2 years for Fibromyalgia pain and depression. This wasn't giving me much help so I went to a psychiatrist today who added 30mg to the Cymbalta and added Ritalin 1 in am & 1 at lunch. He said this would help boost the Cymbalta medicine into doing a better job and would give me more energy to be more physically active. I am supposed to be walking a certain amount a day but haven't had the spirit or energy to do it.  I cry every day and my marriage is stressed out because I had to stop working my full time job due to pain and saddness over my Dads death in June and my brother & his family stopped talikng to anyone for reasons unknown. Has anyone had Ritalin in their depression treatment plan? I could use some information on it. Thanks

[Green Crayon]

I know people who had success taking other types of ADD stimulant drugs short-term, to boost them out of very low energy depressions.  

I think that course went through a phase of popularity in the 1960's or 70's, & then went out of favor for a while, but is now being reconsidered.

It seems valid to me. I think they just backed away from it, because some people abuse stimulants which complicates matters for the doctors who prescribe them.

Hope it works out well for you

[Celtic Isle]

I am currently taking Ritalin 2x/day until I can get back on Parnate (MAOI). When I first started taking it, it helped enormously. I had increased energy and felt like I was able to think more clearly Ironically my 6 year old was diagnosed w/ ADHD and I was researching Ritalin before I started taking it. When my dr. suggested it to me as an interim med, I had to laugh because I had no idea that it could work for depression.

Recently, the Ritalin hasn't been working as well and I'm getting very agitated when it wears off. I am so depressed right now and counting down the days until I can get  back on the MAO. There are severe diet restrictions w/ the MAO but it's the only thing that works for me.

I hope you are doing better. Until you and your dr. find the right med(s), life is grueling but you can get your life back w/ the right medication.

[mr.lucky66]

These drugs may be helping some or maybe not. I think normal people who get severly depressed can only get limited help from antidepressants and other psyco active drugs. I am strating to find a more spirtual approach than a chemical one. I think in these modern times we are almost programmed to look for answers from drugs and shrinks who are largely clueless. SSRI's helped me at one time but long outlived their usefulness. These docs today rarely suggest that a patient change drugs or god forbid stop a drug that is no longer needed or effective These shrinks today are in my opinion **** poor compared to the ones I first strarted seeing in the 60's and 70's and that's bad because they have much more info. all the best

[dwezzle]

Ritalin has been a dream come true for my depression!!  I started taking it for a scattered mind, and happened to be taking prozac as well for depression.  I noticed that after I took my ritalin in the morning I had a spring to my step and felt the light at the end of the tunnel.  I now take a ritalin in the evening as well and I've noticed a HUGE difference!!

[rt1969]

is it true that ritalin  will make you feel normal if you have add/adhd yet make u speed if you dont have add/adhd, manic if you are bipolar and overanxious if you have anxiety?

[terrysquier]

To me Ritalin is a fantastic antidepressant and an augment to taking other more basic antidepressants, such as SSRIs, Effexor, Cymbalta, etc.  It seems to work quickly and improves your happiness profile and state of mind, makes you clearer thinking, provides more energy.  My problem is there is no way that my doctor in this small town would ever consider it, so I have to order it from foreign pharmacies and it gets a bit expensive.

There are drawbacks, of course, such as our body will develop a tolerance to it over a period of time, requiring higher does to get the same result, and also the fact that it may increase your anxiety if that is a part of your depression, and you have to make sure that you don't take it too late in the day because it will result in sleeplessness.

But it has worked for me and I use it from time to time to augment my antidepressants and to give me a needed boost in attitude.  Hard to get without a prescription, though, and easy to abuse, so be careful.

[gipsyman]

I am a 57 year old man who has tried almost ever medication for depression and anxiety that never worked.  One doctor suggested I try Ritalin; and I was amazed!
Ritalin has changed my miserable life into a happy one.  Ritalin I call a wonder drug, it has so worked! (for me at least)

[kittykkat60]

my son is on concerta it works better and its 1 a day and lasts longer he uses it for adhd but it also helps his moods and depression

[elizabeth52683]

Hi, I have had manic depression with lots of suicide attempts in my life time. My first depressed feeling were in 3rd grade and first suicidal thoughts were in 5th grade. I started prozac at age 15 and it worked great for me for 7 years, then wellbutrin for 5 years, now I am on a combo of cymbalta and ritalin. The combo of Cymbalta and Ritalin has been amazing for me! It really helped to lift me out of the funk I was in or I always seem to be in. The only thing is it can really augment the antidepressant. So you will have more of the side effects that maybe the antidepressant carries? Like Cymbalta makes me nauseous so with Ritalin it feels like morning sickness all the time! I am hoping it goes away though just like when I first started the Cymbalta without the ritalin.