Ritalin is killing me and im dependent

All I ask is for Peace of mind - I am really worried
Dear Doctor Levine. My life is now being ruined by worry over an incedent that happened to me. Please I beg of you to give me peace of mind so i can move on. After taking my morning dose of Ritalin I got a horrible overstimulated feeling where it actually felt like my mind was moving to fast for my environment. I looked all around the room and didnt know what to do with myself. It felt like a million thoughts shooting though my head and I got all confused and disorientated. It is very hard to explain and I know you going to just ignore me but I have spoken to my psychiatrist and he said this was a classic panic attack. I have been on Ritalin for years and have never had this before. My concern is that this is going to happen each time I take them. I actually cant believe this is happening to me. Have you heard of Ritalin causing such a horrible reaction? Please doctor I need my Ritalin.It really helps me but I just cannot shake this horrible insident.

[ggreg]

Dear Uberifrit,
I am not the Dr. Levine you asked for, but I can give you some advice, if you like.  The doctor who is prescribing you your Ritalin, you MUST go visit that physician.  Only he can decide if perhaps you might need to reduce dose of the Ritalin or very slowly go off the drug, or switch to another kind of drug, or decide if the drug is not bothering you and instead perhaps just panic attacks are invading your life now.  The doc who prescribed the meds should know what is going on with the Ritalin.  If he decides the Ritalin is not what is causing your panic, then your psychiatrist can work with you on what is triggering it.

Different drugs do different things over the passage of time.  What may have helped you in the past may not help you now.  In fact, it's my educated guess that you will probably wind up not having to take the Ritalin anymore...but DO NOT quit them without talking to the doc who prescribed them.  See, Ritalin speeds up the brain, so to speak, in order to help people pay attention.  So, it could be you are now well from all that, and thus taking Ritalin won't be good for you.

Call your prescribing doc right away, and in the meantime, next time you have that anxiety come over you, take some very deep breaths, it'll help slow the heart and reduce panic.  Also, take stock of where you're at:  You're in your house, taking a pill, and you're not in the war in Iraq, which getting a grip on reality will sometimes help bring you around to where you can handle the intense feelings of fear that come with panic.