Misc methylphenidate for depression long term

[Lopez]

okay so i've used MPH a few times recreationally in the past and i'm no idiot when it comes to knowing about how these kind of drugs influence the brain. thing is, as of late i've been using the alza 54's to combat depression (which i've battled for the past 5 years) and it works pretty well, better than any other med i've been on. keep in mind i get these from my friends with ADHD, as they will not prescribe them to me for depression for obvious reasons.

anyway, i found a pharmacy in mexico that sells them without prescription so i'm planning on getting a box. my only concern is: how fast does tolerance build to MPH? i imagine it'd be pretty fast considering it's in XR form (repeated dosing = faster tolerance build up, ime)

would a tolerance develop to the antidepressant effect as fast as it does for the euphoric effect? (never gave me much euphoria anyway, and i'm not a habitual drug user). i mean, my friends take this stuff for days straight without any tolerance for ADD, although they obviously receive zero euphoria from it.

any and all feedback is appreciate, thank you guys and have a nice day

 

[pasha]

Tolerance is mostly dependent on your neuro/biochemistry. Even though recently dopamine/nor-epinephrine have shown to play a huge role in depression, using mehthylphenidate in the long run is not the best idea. Tolerance builds rapidly perhaps quicker than amphetamine for some people, and taking more than 72 milligrams daily is not recommended. At that dose and even lower the side effects tend be intolerable.

If your depression is dopamine related, I would highly suggest you try exploring bupropion, or even amphetamine (if you insist on using stimulants) for that matter instead of methylphenidate. It's a dirty dirty drug.

 

[Lopez]

Tolerance is mostly dependent on your neuro/biochemistry. Even though recently dopamine/nor-epinephrine have shown to play a huge role in depression, using mehthylphenidate in the long run is not the best idea. Tolerance builds rapidly perhaps quicker than amphetamine for some people, and taking more than 72 milligrams daily is not recommended. At that dose and even lower the side effects tend be intolerable.

If your depression is dopamine related, I would highly suggest you try exploring bupropion, or even amphetamine (if you insist on using stimulants) for that matter instead of methylphenidate. It's a dirty dirty drug.

i find amphetamine much to recreational for my tastes. i try to stay away from drugs of abuse. i used to take adderall xr for the amp kick when i was younger and i used to stay up for days without a thing in my stomach.

yes, SSRI's are WORTHLESS for my anxiety, and i'm an amateur powerlifter so harder stimulants like adderall are counterproductive for me (can't get food down on any dose of adderall, and can't sleep either).

i'm aware of the side effects of MPH, i'm having akathisia right now, but without the occasional boost there's some days where i just can't get anything done.... the fact that i get little to no euphoria from this much MPH raises the question to my attention of whether i suffer from legitimate ADD. i had OCD since i could remember, up until 7 years ago, so i know something IS wrong with my psyche and perhaps brain chemistry...

by the way, thank you for the quick feedback

 

[Lopez]

also, bupropion is way overpriced around here and had a rather disturbing effect on me, i tried it at 150 mg XR/day and within 2 weeks i was someone else... i would just sit there, wherever i was, and feel melancholic. made me want to kill myself, and lost touch with other people (didn't care about anyone, was rude, apathetic, etc.)

 

[pasha]

I'm sorry that the alternative methods of treatment are not suitable for you. Unfortunately what your doing is using pharmaceutical cocaine to ease your depression which carries tolerance, addiction, and unwanted side effects.

Subjectively speaking, most people tend to report that amphetamine does not suppress the appetite and interfere with sleep as much as methylphenidate.

Have you tried tricyclics/tetracyclics such as mirtazapine or amytriptyline?

At times pharmaceuticals tend to be a failed approach for some, so try exercising other methods of treating your depression, CBT, finding a girlfriend, or making new friends. I understand that it's easier said than done but I don't see methylphenidate in anyway being a long term solution to depression.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Methylphenidate and Amphetamine are used (rarely) off-label for depression. In my opinion they make bad drugs for the disease because all positive effects tend to diminish or disappear relatively quickly.

 

[Artificial Emotion]

They stopped prescribing amphetamines for depression a long time ago because it only makes the problem worse. They used to give it out like candy even to bored house wives but the human cost eventually became apparent and doctors were forced to curtail prescribing this drug almost completely. Only now they give it out to people with adhd like there no tomorrow despite the fact this disorder is grossly over diagnosed.

 

[pasha]

^ The line between depression, anhedonia, ADD, and ADHD is so fine these days as they're all thought to be dopamine related. They are still prescribed off-label.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

I have a family member actually who's prescribed amphetamine for depression (with many other drugs).

 

[Lopez]

I'm sorry that the alternative methods of treatment are not suitable for you. Unfortunately what your doing is using pharmaceutical cocaine to ease your depression which carries tolerance, addiction, and unwanted side effects.

Subjectively speaking, most people tend to report that amphetamine does not suppress the appetite and interfere with sleep as much as methylphenidate.

Have you tried tricyclics/tetracyclics such as mirtazapine or amytriptyline?

At times pharmaceuticals tend to be a failed approach for some, so try exercising other methods of treating your depression, CBT, finding a girlfriend, or making new friends. I understand that it's easier said than done but I don't see methylphenidate in anyway being a long term solution to depression.

the problem isn't a real-world problem, i have friends, i have a powerlifting competition coming up in 3 weeks, i have a girlfriend, i'm just really unmotivated and dull every day, with bursts of energy here and there. frankly i don't see myself getting addicted to this crap. maybe amphetamine but MPH just makes me feel like crap. at least it helps me get stuff done and doesn't have a crash unlike adderall.

personally i feel the exact opposite. i've eaten at least 2500 calories worth today, as compared to adderall, i'd want to puke after tasting something normally delicious.

i just don't know what to do anymore. i'm trying to find a therapist, preferably something along the lines of hypnosis as i'm tired of all that cognitive behavioral crap and i'm running out of options really.

and no, doctor has only put me on SSRI's (zoloft, paxil, and prozac), SNRI's (effexor), SDRIs (wellbutrin) and an antipsychotic (risperidone— yuck, not even sure why he put me on that). nothing worked with anything, and the last two made me want to off myself. MPH started off nice today, but once i ran out of things to get busy on, my mental state fell to pieces.

i believe the term for this problem of mine is "alexithymia" or as you said, anhedonia. i just know it as depression or dysthymia really. i suppose i should try and keep my head up.

 

[Lopez]

Methylphenidate and Amphetamine are used (rarely) off-label for depression. In my opinion they make bad drugs for the disease because all positive effects tend to diminish or disappear relatively quickly.

i thought that like most other meds only the recreational effects disappear. if i'm not mistaken with adderall, the D4 receptors don't desensitize too quickly to its stimulating effects. which is why ADD kids can stay on them and hate them longer than speed freaks can stay on them and love them.

 

[RobotRipping]

at low doses being used therapeutically i think that is the case, though you wouldn't experience much recreational effects in the first place. It's tough to tell by OP's description as to what he suffers from, doesn't sound like anhedonia, just no motivation, in which case MPH is a bad idea. Then again i'll take ephedrine or to get some cleaning done or wake up early for school, i don't know. I'd use it as needed, that way tolerance doesn't build up anyway and since you won't abuse it, it'll probably work for a long time.

 

[pasha]

the problem isn't a real-world problem, i have friends, i have a powerlifting competition coming up in 3 weeks, i have a girlfriend, i'm just really unmotivated and dull every day, with bursts of energy here and there. frankly i don't see myself getting addicted to this crap. maybe amphetamine but MPH just makes me feel like crap. at least it helps me get stuff done and doesn't have a crash unlike adderall.

personally i feel the exact opposite. i've eaten at least 2500 calories worth today, as compared to adderall, i'd want to puke after tasting something normally delicious.

i just don't know what to do anymore. i'm trying to find a therapist, preferably something along the lines of hypnosis as i'm tired of all that cognitive behavioral crap and i'm running out of options really.

and no, doctor has only put me on SSRI's (zoloft, paxil, and prozac), SNRI's (effexor), SDRIs (wellbutrin) and an antipsychotic (risperidone— yuck, not even sure why he put me on that). nothing worked with anything, and the last two made me want to off myself. MPH started off nice today, but once i ran out of things to get busy on, my mental state fell to pieces.

i believe the term for this problem of mine is "alexithymia" or as you said, anhedonia. i just know it as depression or dysthymia really. i suppose i should try and keep my head up.

Psychiatric medication is like cooking, sometimes you need to adjust the ingredients.

If they still don't work for you, I would suggest trying the getting to the root cause of your depression.

Alexithymia and ahedonia are different, one could be simplified as the lack of interest, the other as inability to comprehend emotions. I can see how you got their though as they're both tied to depression.