28th November 2007
ms1,
All these various drugs that are prescribed for ADD act differently in different people. The length of time that a drug is supposed to last is also one of those individual things. You are taking a sustained release drug that is "supposed" to last for 12 hours. It lasts for 8 - 10 hours in you. I am taking generic Ritalin, which is "supposed" to last for 3 hours. It lasts for about 5 hours in me before I start noticing that it's wearing off and I have to decide if it's worth it to take another pill.
So I would say, even knowing that you have a background of abusing drugs, that the fact that you take a measured dosage to extend the effects of this particular drug does not mean that you are abusing this drug. Many of us adjust our dosages to allow for how long we need to be functional on particular days.
Others here can give you some tips on how to approach the psychiatrist who is prescribing this drug for you.
One thing that I might caution you is that certain drugs that are encased in capsules are meant to be digested in the intestines and not the stomach. So it may be that this particular drug should not be opened -- not because of the potential for abuse, but for the possibility that it may not work as intended if it is removed from the capsule that slows its release until it reaches the intestine. Again, perhaps someone here has more info on this. I take generic Ritalin, which is a pill -- it's a simple thing to break it in half if I want a smaller dosage -- and it doesn't affect the metabolism of the drug because it's meant to be absorbed in the stomach.
A discussion with your psychiatrist can help you find either a shorter-acting "booster" drug for later in the day or perhaps another arrangement of drugs. It often takes a period of trial-and-error to find a drug or combination of drugs that give the maximum benefit with minimum side effects.
--Rheanna
All these various drugs that are prescribed for ADD act differently in different people. The length of time that a drug is supposed to last is also one of those individual things. You are taking a sustained release drug that is "supposed" to last for 12 hours. It lasts for 8 - 10 hours in you. I am taking generic Ritalin, which is "supposed" to last for 3 hours. It lasts for about 5 hours in me before I start noticing that it's wearing off and I have to decide if it's worth it to take another pill.
So I would say, even knowing that you have a background of abusing drugs, that the fact that you take a measured dosage to extend the effects of this particular drug does not mean that you are abusing this drug. Many of us adjust our dosages to allow for how long we need to be functional on particular days.
Others here can give you some tips on how to approach the psychiatrist who is prescribing this drug for you.
One thing that I might caution you is that certain drugs that are encased in capsules are meant to be digested in the intestines and not the stomach. So it may be that this particular drug should not be opened -- not because of the potential for abuse, but for the possibility that it may not work as intended if it is removed from the capsule that slows its release until it reaches the intestine. Again, perhaps someone here has more info on this. I take generic Ritalin, which is a pill -- it's a simple thing to break it in half if I want a smaller dosage -- and it doesn't affect the metabolism of the drug because it's meant to be absorbed in the stomach.
A discussion with your psychiatrist can help you find either a shorter-acting "booster" drug for later in the day or perhaps another arrangement of drugs. It often takes a period of trial-and-error to find a drug or combination of drugs that give the maximum benefit with minimum side effects.
--Rheanna