Ritalin | Imamother

m in Israel

Mon, Aug 20 2012, 9:58 am

leah666 wrote:

sim wrote:

Ask if you can put him on the time release form. I don't know what the commercial name of the drug is, but it's the same thing.

Ritalin LA, Ritalin SR, or Concerta

If you are in the U.S. you have many more options of long acting/ extended release forms in addition to the ones mentioned above (for example Focalin XR, Metadate CD, Addderall XR etc.) One of them is probably the answer to your question.

You really just need to speak to your doctor and explain the problem. There are SO MANY versions and release systems, that most kids can find something that meets their needs. One important thing to keep in mind is that if you switch to a time release formula, the meds will be in his system for longer, so you may see the side effects for longer, too. For example if until now he took regular Ritalin every morning, which generally is considered lasting about 4 hours, it is unlikely you saw issues with him falling asleep at night. If you switch to Ritalin LA, which is considered an 8 hour pill, it is more likely that you may see trouble falling asleep at night, depending on when he takes it and when he goes to sleep. And if you switch to Concerta (which is not likely with the dosage/ age you are talking about, but just as an example), you are dealing with a 12 hour pill, which may make it even more likely to experience sleeplessness at bedtime.

Not that this is a reason not to make the switch -- just something to keep an eye on when figuring out how to adjust the medication.