Methylphenidate (generic Ritalin) is so far turning out to be a better agent for me than Bupropion (generic Wellbutrin) was.
Bupropion, I'd get about three good days, and they would be good functional days, but then it would rapidly function less effectively and in about a week I was back to where I was. The doctor kept adjusting the dose and assured me this was normal but at some level a plateau would be reached with most patience where it would remain effective. But I rapidly acclimated to it each time and in a couple of months was at the maximal permissible dose, really past the maximum safe dose and into the area where seizure potential becomes an issue. Fortunately, I never experienced a seizure but further increases at that point really weren't an option. Bupropion was expensive as well.
I was afraid to go on Methylphenidate because I've had anxiety and panic attack issues in the past and didn't want to bring that back. It is generally considered to be a mild stimulant, much more powerful than caffeine but less so than amphetamines.
However, for me it had the opposite effect, initially it was quite sedating and still it has some anti-anxiety rather than pro-anxiety qualities. I have been told and I have read subsequently that for people with ADD this is not entirely uncommon.
There are side effects, one of which was supposed to be an appetite suppressant, didn't happen to me to any significant degree, does seem to kill sex drive though. It causes some digestive issues at times, particularly if taken with Loratadine (generic Claritin for allergies). No medical references to contraindications for taking the two together and the doctor wasn't aware of any issues but I've learned that if I separate them in time, and the Loratadine is a 24-hour pill so it doesn't really matter when I take it as long as it's the same time day to day, then the negative effects are much less.
All in all the functionality is worth the side effects. Really, I had reached such a point of dysfunction that pretty severe side effects would have been worth it. I am slowly chunking away at paperwork, got one years returns filed finally, and making some positive changes that I think will help business in a major way in time.
I've noticed that it seems to cause me a little more difficulty retrieving things from long-term declarative memory, things still seem to be stored but instant retrieval isn't always there. On the flip side though it seems to have improved short term declarative memory, procedural memory long and short term, the ability to plan and execute, and creativity, all in all very helpful, and it seems to be doing so in a steady rather than declining fashion.
I hate to be dependent upon chemicals for functionality; but I hate even more to be dysfunctional so chemicals it is, for now at least. I am hopeful that when I dig myself out of my current financial rut and am able to start getting better exercise and nutrition, perhaps the need for it will be less. There are procedural things I can do, make lists of things to be done, etc, that are supposed to be helpful but they really haven't been for me in the past. I have read about some brain-training software that is supposed to exercise the parts of the brain involved and improve functionality so that's something I am looking into also.
