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Avatar universal

Addicted to ritalin

I've been prescribed sixty, ten mg pills a month since I was fifteen. I took two a day with no problem until mid-way through my junior year. I had lost 40 lbs, and began to take up to 100 mg a day. This continued until graduation, then I opted to stop taking it all together. I gained back most of the weight, went off my anti depressants, and felt "normal" again. I went through my first semester of college without touching it. Recently I decided to go back on, and feel into old habits. Even without it I'm a studying machine, but it doesn't compare to the intensity of what I can get done when I take it.. I'm just wondering if anyone else is in my situation? Or who has been and got out of it? I can't seem to stop taking pills until they run out, and when they do I'm counting down the days until I can get a new one.
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Avatar universal
IF IT WERE ONLY SO 'STRAIGHTFORWARD, AND RELATIVELY EASY'.\

most of the posting i see is years old.
Addicts vary...
of course they are all adicts, and share a variety of 'traits'..
after 15 years sober, and clean(recreational youth use)...
I slacked up on AA meetings, had a Back problem...
Began with Percocet...and wound up with oxycodone, and heroin-in case i was running out of oxys...withdaw is hell.

7 years, and now taking the pain meds as RX.
4 years ago..xmas...I began coke...damn near every day-every day.
so, I have depression..but that is only a part of issue.

IT'S SO FUNNY WATCHING MY DR., AND ME...WRITE RX AFTER RX OF RITALIN...CLOSEST THING TO COKE 'WE' ADDICTS HAVE FOUND.
HOW CAN I 'MANAGE' A DRUG THAT I AM SO ADDICTED..I USE 2-3 DAYS WORTH IN 5-7 HOURS...
I HAVE TAKEN OVER 300 MG.S OF RITALIN..58 YRS. OLD.
3 RENAL TRANSPLANTS, OH YEAH..AND A PACEMAKER AS OF 11/ 12.

NUTS?
INDEED.
SO WITHDRAW IS SCARY- I HAVE DONE IT MANY TIMES-FROM COKE-TRIS...
  MY ADICTION TELLS ME THAT I HATE AA...IF I HAVE SOME ONBOARD..I CAN GO TO A MEETING-WITH FOLKS I'VE KNOWN FOR DECADES..AND I LOVE IT...

I WENT TO 2 DIFF. ER... LAST ONE...1/7/14...SENT HOME..I TOLD THEM I WAS 'SUICIDAL'...4 YR. ADDICTION-DAILY TO COKE, ETC.  SENT ME HOME...

IT'S A BIT DISAPPOINTING. I LIVE OUTSIDE BALTO. MD.
I TAKE OPIATES FOR LEGIT. PAIN.  AND ANOTHER 12 MEDS FOR MY RENAL TRANSPLANT..DIABETES, BP, BLOOD  THINNERS...ETC.
SOME REHABS ARE 40K PER MONTH..SOME ARE AFRAID OF MY OPIATE TAKING. SOME ARE SCARED OF MYCOMPLPEX CASE..I HAVE NORMAL BLOOD WORK. I AM A FUNCTIONING( ALBEIT AT A HIG RATE) GENERALLY.

I'M KINDA STUCK...
I CAN DO THIS...I WOULD RATHER WITHDRAW AT  HOME..
IN-PATIENT IS A LITTLE STRICT ON COMFORT IT SEEMS.


I HAVE A GOOD SUPPORT OF RECOVERING PEOPLE..
AND GOD...\
BUT ****...I AM IN A DESPERATE PLACE..NO MONEY..
PAWNED MY GUITARS(EXCEPT 1).


BLAH, BLAH..
ARNIE

Helpful - 0
352798 tn?1399298154
"When your desire to get clean, is stronger than your desire to use. Then, you will get clean" GTMI

It says it all.

   Don't let this run your life. You don't need it to be who you are. It comes down to a decision to quit, then get a plan to make it successful.

     Start with your Dr first. Write down your comments and let them read it. Once you do this, you will find it much easier to face and you will feel relieved that it's out in the open.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
In response to the not addictive comment, at first it's not at all. This took years of taking it daily then repeated abuse of my prescription to get to this point. And when I'm off it for a week I don't crave it. Its a strange cycle of being off of it, then being on it heavily. When I take one, I take at least three more.
Helpful - 0
451343 tn?1256250831
well if you truly want to get clean, go in and tell your doctor everything you are telling us. i know it is easier said than done, but honesty is the best medicine. you are so young, if i knew at 19 what i know now, this disease wouldn't have devistated (sp?) so much of my life. hope it all works out for you. let me know how you're doing tomorrow. god bless, christina
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes and no.. I'm happy when I'm not taking ritalin, but the second I sit down to study all I want to do is take some... and it does help, I am ADHD.. I just can't stop after the prescribed dose
Helpful - 0
352798 tn?1399298154
From what I have read on drugs.com, Ritalin is not very addictive (like an opiate is). Meaning you should be able to quit or quickly taper off them.
Do be honest...totally honest with your Dr. You are not their first patient to have gone through this. They can be very helpful if they have all the facts.

and remember...."When your desire to get clean, is stronger than your desire to use. Then, you will get clean" GTMI
Helpful - 0
451343 tn?1256250831
question: do you want to get clean?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know.. I went to my doctor last spring and explained the symptoms but wasn't completely honest, so she prescribed lexapro for depression. I have no idea how to vocalize my problem though, no one has any idea.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You need to get honest with your doc and tell him the doses you are using. adding one drug to control the side effects of another sounds off the wall to me. but im not a pill person or doctor either. if it causes all those syptoms when taking it, you should prolly ditch it ne way!! stick around and repost 2moro if ya have to when more folks with more pill experience are on!
oh, nice pics btw
Helpful - 0
451343 tn?1256250831
if you want to get off the pills i would suggest going to your doctor and being completely honest. you can't get the help you need unless you spill your guts. i've never taken ritalin but i was extremely addicted to opiates for six years and still struggle with cravings. if you really want help you have to tell it all, it's the only way out. best of luck, god bless, christina
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Both. When I take it I have extreme insomnia, stomach cramps, headaches, chills, etc. Its just not a good situation when I'm coming off of it, especially when I take more than 40 mg.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry i have no experience with ritalin like that sorry but u r def in rite place just giv it alil time for people to respond its kinda late but im sure help will be on the way. do u go thru physical withdrawls when u dont hev em or just mental???
Helpful - 0
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