MelissaCrystal Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Hey guys,I was reading the wikipedia entry on Ritalin today and noticed that the first line says that it is a treatment for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, specifically. I was kind of surprised to see that. I always thought us POTS people took it just for more energy, since we're mostly tired. But it was saying it was a -treatment-. I'm a little ignorant about it and I tried to look up some info on specifically how Ritalin is supposed to help us rather than harm us, but I can't find anything that hits the nail on the head. I also did a forum search and see that a lot of us take it, but I can't see anything explaining all the benefits it gives us.Is Ritalin prescribed to us just as a pick-me-up to counter some of the draining symptoms, or is there another use of it that treats the POTS itself (like the BP or any of the other tricky stuff that makes POTS unique)?And my other question, since I'm so scared of Ritalin, is wouldn't it give me a heart attack because I can't even handle caffeine or any other stims without getting a horrible dose of tachycardia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjt22 Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Theoretically, Ritalin would help some people because it is a vaso-constrictor. It is very much like caffeine in many of it's properties, so if you are one who doesn't tolerate caffeine well, you probably wouldn't do well with Ritalin, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaCrystal Posted October 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Ohhh I see. That makes sense. Is that the only effect? I actually have some ritalin but I had always been too scared to take it, but you're right... I shouldn't risk it if I can't do coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 melissa,i started ritalin to help me stay awake during the day. i would fall asleep in my chair, while sitting at the dinnertable in the car etc. i slept most of the day and couldn?t keep myself awake. when i started it the first time i stopped after one week because it gave me terrible headaches. one or two years later i tried again as i didn?t want to live falling asleep all the time. and it worked. i felt as if the curtains got pulled up and i was much more alert. so for me it was a big improvement. good luck in deciding what to do!take care,corina oh btw i AM a coffee drinker, can?t do without it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vemee Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 Adderal which is similar to ritalin really worked great for me. It was almost instantaneous, the only problem was that I got use to it so fast that every couple of weeks I would have to up the dose until it could go no higher and I had to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelissaCrystal Posted October 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 Do either of you get heart palpitations or tachycardia regularly? How is it on the drugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corina Posted October 6, 2009 Report Share Posted October 6, 2009 i'm on a 200mg betablocker, which doesn't fully stops the tachy but is the best i can deal with. don't think the ritalin made the tachy worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stace915 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 I take 10mg of adderall every morning with my other medications. It help tremendously! I have been taking it for about year, Dr.Grubb prescribed it originally...however I was taking midrodrine for years before I started the adderall and they are the same chemical makeup. I think the difference is the ritalin has more uppers? Now I take the adderall xr (extended release) in the morning and then when I feel like it is starting to wear off (usually around 12-1pm) I started with 10mg of midrodrine and take that every 3 hours for the rest of the day. I can absolutely feel when its been 3 hours or is getting close. I haven't noticed that either the adderall or midrodrine has made my tachycardia worse and some days a cup of coffee makes me feel slightly better, some days it makes me feel really really sick... so I usually have 2-3 cups per week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne1 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 A few years ago I was taken Equasym (the same as Ritalin, but then in extended release capsules), because they thought that I maybe had ADD (I hadn't ADD, but still had to try those medicins). I had to take a really high dosage (80 mg a day), but I get only more brainfog and couldn't think normal anymore. I don't know if my tachy was better on the Equasym, because at that time I didn't knew yet that I have POTS. But I didn't feel good when I was taken it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia3 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Share Posted October 13, 2009 Midodrine is similar to ritalin, but Midodrine does not cross the BBB (Blood brain barrier) so it does not give you the jitters. Everything else does...other stimulant pills or coffee etc.Many can take old fashioned, low dose amphetamines as they are MUCH CHEAPER than midodrine but if you have really high HR and get the shakes from adrenalin, not good idea.I need coffee in the morning but could not drink it nonstop all day but SOME can thus coffee is their own 'midodrine or ritalin' substitute. Whatever works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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