I am a 27- year-old female with ADHD (also diagnosed with depression). I have suffered with depression my whole life, and was not diagnosed with ADHD until the beginning of college. I have been on antidepressants since 13, and have done well. When I was diagnosed with ADHD, I was prescribed Ritalin, and slowly began to abuse it. I switched medications and have taken Concerta, Adderall, you name it, and every medication I slowly increased my dosage until I was taking 2-3 times what I was prescribed. This went on for about 3 years, until it made me sick. I began to retain water, had severe swelling in my extremities, heart palpitations, and very strange skin symptoms- I actually had deposits of some kind coming out of my skin. I went to a doctor (at this time I was still in denial that I was an addict), adn showed him what had come out of my skin, and he asked me if I had ever heard voices. Convinced that I was crazy and my health going downhill, I stopped taking my medication cold turkey right after college and stayed off of it for several years. I told my parents and close friends that I had stopped taking it because I didn't need it anymore, too ashamed to tell them I was addicted to it and afraid that they would think I was crazy if I told them about the strange symptoms I was having. Years later, I informed my psychiatrist about my previous addiction and I had started to go back to school, and she just gave me the Daytrana patch so that I could not alter the dosage. I have been on it for a week, and the strange symptoms are slowly beginning to come back- the swelling, and now joint pain. My question is- has anyone ever experienced symptoms like this from methylphenidate, and why would I tolerate it so well for years and all of a sudden it is making me ill, especially now that I am on the correct dosage. I am going to quit using it but would still like to know how it is affecting my body and what about the medication would cause these strange symptoms.

Hi and welcome

I dont have answers to your question , but I copied your post to our medications forum as perhaps members there may have more insight

here is the link to your post there so you can check it for replies
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ad.php?t=83632

I have experienced side effects from ritalin. I started to abuse it as well by snorting it which worked great than when coming down made me anti social, like frozen anxious, weak and irritable. I have not had physical symptoms from it except looking like road kill. I would love to find a supplement that would increase dopamine that add suffers lack however if I go off the meds I am lazy and non functional.......