JhonathanLA: Ritalin withdrawal

[JhonathanLA]

Hi all, 

 

My name is Jhonathan, Male late 30's. 

I had been using Ritalin LA 40 MG for about 9 years. 

Must say I had never been diagnosed for ADHD (I got the perception from my general \ Family doctor) however, I must admit that the time I used it was great in terms of energy, focus and getting things done on tight schedules due to my job as a manager in a code development company.  

 

To make a long story short, I decided to take off Ritalin from my daily schedule as I decided on a career change to become a commercial airline pilot. 

turnes out that Ritalin is illegal to use while fling over US airspace and a candidate must prof no usage for at least 3 months. 

A short visit to the same doctor, telling him about my intention to stop the drug and wondering what might be the withdrawal symptoms. 

He's answer :"Well, you can just stop taking the drug, you might feel tardiness over the first few day but nothing more to expect". 

hearing his advise, I went home and disposed any Ritalin supply I had  and stop taking the drag the very same day. 

 

The first two weeks I just wanted to sleep. I was awake and out of bed but really feeling asleep. 

at about 3 months since my last dose, extreme symptoms started to emerge : (I coped those from other post I saw here they are very similar to mine)

Dark depression, anxiety, paranoia, obsessive compulsive, panic attacks, intrusive/obsessive thoughts that tortured me, hopelessness, irrational thinking, suicidal thoughts, brain zaps, intense organic fear, severe inner-body tension that felt like my whole insides were clamped up, sexual dysfunction, severe tension, tremors and pain in the back of my legs and calves, terrible shoulder and upper arm pain, mania, extreme bloating and stomach pain, nausea, dizziness, vertigo, feeling like my brain was on fire, feeling like a part of my brain was missing, feeling like a bomb had gone off in my head, floating head feeling, super-hot face, body temperature regulation problems – being super-hot or cold, constipation, dehydration, lack of appetite and weight loss, feeling dead, anhedonia, akathisia, mood swings, insomnia, terrible brain fog and inability to think clearly, sensitive vision and hearing, inching and burning skin.

 

As months went on some symptoms disappeared and some new would come. 

At this point I am celebrating 12 months as "Ritalin free" (Using no other drugs). 

Due to my severe symptoms I went trhough a lot of doctors and did many tests to make sure there are no hidden problems. 

All came back with good results and with doctors answers "You are too young and there is no physical problem with your body. try to reduce your tension and you might want to consider taking anti anxiety pills"

 

It is so unhelpful to hear those answers while suffering from a verity of symptoms.

My questions to you, is that normal ? could it be that I am still suffering from Ritalin Withdrawal symptoms ? 

things are indeed getting better now then what it was about 5 months ago but still exists. 

Most disturbing are : 

* Heavy \floating  head feeling 

* Neck Muscles tension 

* Lower back pain \ tension 

 

Thanks for reading my post ! 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, Jhonathan.

 

People do become physiologically dependent on psychiatric drugs such as Ritalin when they take them regularly. It sounds like this is what happened to you.

 

To avoid withdrawal symptoms, these drugs need to be tapered. We see here that if you go off too fast, you can have post-acute withdrawal syndrome for many months or even years. This very gradually goes away. It can be very frustrating.

 

Are you still pursuing training as an airline pilot?

 

If yes, you won't want to reinstate Ritalin or take any other drug.

 

Many people with post-acute withdrawal syndrome do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

The fish oil might help the head feelings. Magnesium can help relax tight muscles.

 

Also, you may wish to get acupuncture, chiropractic, or osteopathic manual therapy for the neck and back symptoms. The neurological stress of withdrawal causes tension all over the body which can settle where you have bad posture habits or a lot of stress.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

 

[ChessieCat]

4 hours ago, Altostrata said:

you may wish to get acupuncture

 

SA's topic:  Acupuncture - Posts #6 & #8 (not detox or stimulation)

[JhonathanLA]

Thank you for your replay. 

I haven’t been using any other drug ever since I quit Ritalin. 

 

I do use fish oil and magnesium supplements. 

I guess they did some progress with the symptoms. 

 

At this point I had already got my pilot license but I put the process on hold until the symptoms disappear. 

 

As far as I know, Ritalin is not an SSRI drug. 

Could it be that it still has those similar effect as anti depressant? 

Have you ever heated if such a case ?

[Altostrata]

How much fish oil and magnesium are you taking?

 

What is your most troublesome symptom?

 

Ritalin is an amphetamine analog. Amphetamine withdrawal syndrome is well known.

[JhonathanLA]

4 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Welcome, Jhonathan.

 

People do become physiologically dependent on psychiatric drugs such as Ritalin when they take them regularly. It sounds like this is what happened to you.

 

To avoid withdrawal symptoms, these drugs need to be tapered. We see here that if you go off too fast, you can have post-acute withdrawal syndrome for many months or even years. This very gradually goes away. It can be very frustrating.

 

Are you still pursuing training as an airline pilot?

 

If yes, you won't want to reinstate Ritalin or take any other drug.

 

Many people with post-acute withdrawal syndrome do better with fish oil and magnesium supplements, see

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/
http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/15483-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

A lot of people find them helpful. Try a little bit of one at a time to see how it affects you.

 

The fish oil might help the head feelings. Magnesium can help relax tight muscles.

 

Also, you may wish to get acupuncture, chiropractic, or osteopathic manual therapy for the neck and back symptoms. The neurological stress of withdrawal causes tension all over the body which can settle where you have bad posture habits or a lot of stress.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature

 

 

9 minutes ago, Altostrata said:

How much fish oil and magnesium are you taking?

 

What is your most troublesome symptom?

 

Ritalin is an amphetamine analog. Amphetamine withdrawal syndrome is well known.

I use 6 pills of fish oil together with vitamin E. 

And 500 Mg magnesium. 

 

Most problematic symptoms are 

neck muscles tention , floating head and a general feeling as if I had a flu and problems waking up in the mornings.

[Altostrata]

What do you mean by "problems waking up in the mornings. problems waking up in the mornings"? What "flu" symptoms?

 

What kind of magnesium do you take? Magnesium works best taken in smaller doses throughout the day, rather than one large dose.

 

You may wish to get acupuncture, chiropractic, or osteopathic manual therapy for the neck and back symptoms. What kind of exercise do you get?

[ChessieCat]

Acupuncture - Posts #6 & #8 (not detox or stimulation)

[JhonathanLA]

On 10/26/2018 at 4:41 AM, Altostrata said:

What do you mean by "problems waking up in the mornings. problems waking up in the mornings"? What "flu" symptoms?

 

What kind of magnesium do you take? Magnesium works best taken in smaller doses throughout the day, rather than one large dose.

 

You may wish to get acupuncture, chiropractic, or osteopathic manual therapy for the neck and back symptoms. What kind of exercise do you get?

I am using 500 MG Solgar magnesium. 

The flu symptus are

Muscles tension

Tardiness

problem waking up in the morning (it takes me about 1 hours to get in focus) 

Problem with body temperature (Cold \ Hot waves)   

 

Exercises I do : 

Daily jogging of 6 KM 

Cycling 2 times a week for about 21 KM each

[Altostrata]

Does exercise make you feel worse or better?

 

8 hours ago, JhonathanLA said:

Muscles tension

Tardiness

problem waking up in the morning (it takes me about 1 hours to get in focus) 

Problem with body temperature (Cold \ Hot waves) 

 

These are common withdrawal symptoms.

[JhonathanLA]

13 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Does exercise make you feel worse or better?

 

 

These are common withdrawal symptoms.

Exercise does makes it better while doing it and the effects last for about 30 minutes after. 

 

If those are real WD symptoms? Could it be that they are still there after 1 year?

 

also, today while wearing up I had some starange tension on my right eye.  

It came with a blurry vision on that eye. 

As a result I felt a high anxiety attack while last for about an hour. 

 

How long is it going to last?!!!

i am kissing hope. 

[ChessieCat]

9 minutes ago, JhonathanLA said:

If those are real WD symptoms? Could it be that they are still there after 1 year?

 

Yes withdrawal symptoms can still be feel after 1 year.  See:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

Please create your drug signature.  This will appear below every post you make.

 

Please include the following information.  Please be as accurate as possible about the dates and doses.  Please make it nice simple by following these instructions (NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you).  Please update it whenever you make a change:

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

[JhonathanLA]

3 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

 

Yes withdrawal symptoms can still be feel after 1 year.  See:  are-we-there-yet-how-long-is-withdrawal-going-to-take

 

Please create your drug signature.  This will appear below every post you make.

 

Please include the following information.  Please be as accurate as possible about the dates and doses.  Please make it nice simple by following these instructions (NO diagnoses or symptoms please - thank you).  Please update it whenever you make a change:

• details for last 2 years - dates, ALL drugs, doses
• summary for older than 2 years - just years and drug/s

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature

 

Thank you . 

 

[ChessieCat]

Thank you for creating your drug signature.  Please add the year you started Ritalin and the month and year you stopped it.  This is because in 6 months or a year the information will not be accurate.  Thank you.

[JhonathanLA]

16 hours ago, ChessieCat said:

Thank you for creating your drug signature.  Please add the year you started Ritalin and the month and year you stopped it.  This is because in 6 months or a year the information will not be accurate.  Thank you.

Thank you for your answers. 

Can lower back pain be some of the WD symptoms ? It actully kind of peresure not pain. 

[JhonathanLA]

Hey to all ! 

 

So I am almost 14 months off Ritalin. 

Most symptoms seems to be behind me , Specially the anxiety attacks and mild depression. 

However, the one thing that still bother me is the muscle tension in my neck and upper back area. 

Assuming those are WD related, I wanted to ask if someone has any experience with vitamin B5? 

 

Thanks, 

Jhonathan. 

 

[ChessieCat]

You could post your question here:  vitamin-b5-supps-any-experience

 

[Carmie]

Hi JohnathanLA, 

 

How are you doing? How is your muscle pain and tension? 💚

 

 

[JhonathanLA]

A little progress not back to my self yet

[Carmie]

Hi Jhonathan, 

 

I’m glad you’re seeing a little progress.💚

[JhonathanLA]

Healing from quitting Ritalin usage after 9 years of a daily usage.  

It has been 18 months now ever since I quit. 

I believe my body made a huge progress and a lot of WD symptoms disappeared. 

 

However, I still experience a constant stiffness in my lower back and neck area. 

That goes together with morning fatigue and some flow like symptoms. 

 

Reading a a lot I thought I might developed some level of depression and I wonder if anyone can share their physical depression symptoms. 

 

Thanks!

 

[Shep]

Jhonathan, please note I moved the above post from the Success Stories to your own thread.

 

8 minutes ago, JhonathanLA said:

Reading a a lot I thought I might developed some level of depression and I wonder if anyone can share their physical depression symptoms. 

 

Yes, many of us have physical depression symptoms during and even after coming off psych drugs. Please feel free to read and post here where members share about this very topic:

 

Severe fatigue / tiredness / lethargy / lethargic

[JhonathanLA]

anyone?