Avoiding ADHD Ritalin Blues
Sertraline & Methylphenidate
Citation:   MadMax1984. "Avoiding ADHD Ritalin Blues: An Experience with Sertraline & Methylphenidate (exp87627)". Erowid.org. Sep 24, 2021. erowid.org/exp/87627

 
DOSE:
50 mg oral Pharms - Sertraline (daily)
  30 mg oral Pharms - Methylphenidate (daily)
BODY WEIGHT: 98 kg
Avoiding ADHD Ritalin Blues

I live outside The United States, so pardon me of any possible writing mistakes. My drug background is very small, I only did 5 times marijuana, 3 x Cocaine, Alcohol (only weekends) and a period of 1 year and a half around 2002 on a mix of Paroxetine/Clonazepam (25 mg/ 0.5 mg) for some anxiety attacks and dysthimia (a mild form of depression).

My experience starts when at the age of 24 I felt very uncomfortable with myself in terms of productivity, organization and discipline. So I started to experience like chronic stress and started to drink to cope with all the stress and anxiety accompanied with all the issues mentioned above. I went to my shrink and I told him all the symptoms experienced and told me that it was the dysthimia returning back, I thought 'No way'. Continuing with the session with my shrink I told him all my child background and all the troubles I experienced when I was in school, telling him that I had to be expelled from one school because I was labeled as a 'restless, troublemaker, daydreamer child' approx. at the age of 10. In those times ADHD was a complete unknown disease (and specially in my country). After I was expelled my mother sent me to a school specialized in those kind of mental disorders, which was based on the Montessori system ('the child's own nature'). Finally, after telling my shrink all my child background he put me on Atomoxetine (It didn't work because it made me sick and muscle weakness) which I lasted on only one week and I went see him and he decided to put me on the 'kind of infamous' Ritalin.

The first month with Ritalin, everything was beautiful and my ADD symptoms just vanished, I was feeling like a zombie but in very good terms. I wasn't super-productive, but I could manage my time and my spelling improved among other things.

But, what goes up has to come down (may be it's not well written, anyway). After 8 months, I started to experience the BAD profile side effects coming from the Ritalin, the symptoms were hopelessness, OCD personality, irritability, difficulty to cope with daily stress and anxiety attacks. The only good side was the 3 hours after ingestion 'high' but after that I was completely 'empty'. I have to admit that I snorted only 4 times Ritalin and it was amazing. So I ran to my shrink and explained all the issues I was experiencing. He told me to take 50 mg of Sertraline (Zoloft) together with 30 mg of Ritalin.

Now, I followed all the instructions but the first week was quite a hell. I couldn't sleep, I was severely agitated and some paranoia.

But finally, I SAW THE LIGHT. The Ritalin was working on cognitive roles and the Sertraline was doing very well on the depression/anxiety issues. They work very well together. It has been 5 months with both of them and everything has been perfect. It's not euphoria, but I feel very well. I don't know if have to keep my entire life like this, taking pills, I simply just don't know. My quality life has been improved overall.

Exp Year: 2010ExpID: 87627
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: 25
Published: Sep 24, 2021Views: 1,921
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Pharms - Sertraline (88), Pharms - Methylphenidate (114) : Combinations (3), Retrospective / Summary (11), Medical Use (47), Not Applicable (38)

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