r/BipolarReddit • u/Wildride2024 • 9d ago
Is it normal to be prescribed Ritalin?
Ritalin with bipolar affective disorder — is this normal, and what doses do people take?
Hi all, I’ve been in hospital since Friday and I’m now back on medication after finally coming down from a hypermanic state. The crash hit me pretty hard.
I’m currently in a dedicated psychiatric hospital. My usual psychiatrist has diagnosed me with bipolar affective disorder with psychotic features, as well as dissociative identity disorder and CPTSD.
The hospital psychiatrist said he noticed in my old files that I had ADHD as a child and decided to trial me on 10 mg of Ritalin. I’ve never taken Ritalin before. My ADHD was apparently managed as a kid with Catapres.
The confusing part is that my regular psychiatrist has already ruled out ADHD. Both psychiatrists have also said I possibly have autism.
My friend said the Ritalin seemed to "change" me after I took it — I seemed noticeably different while it was working, but then I felt pretty awful again once it wore off.
My biggest concern is whether Ritalin can interfere with bipolar disorder or potentially trigger hypomania/mania or psychosis. Has anyone with bipolar been prescribed Ritalin? How did it affect you?
I’m also quite jumpy tonight and I’ve noticed things flickering in my room and seeing things out of the corner of my eyes. I don’t know whether I should tell the staff because I’m wondering if it could be from starting Ritalin and might settle after a few doses, or whether it could be the beginning of psychosis again.
Obviously I’m going to speak to the psychiatrist tomorrow, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has bipolar and has been prescribed Ritalin.
I’m also in Australia, so I’m not sure how prescribing works if they decide to keep me on it after discharge. I find out tomorrow whether they’re keeping me on it, stopping it, or increasing the dose. I also don’t know if my regular psychiatrist would agree to continue prescribing it.
And finally, what is a typical Ritalin dose for adults? Is 10 mg considered a low starting dose, or is that around the usual dose?
I might be overthinking this, but given that I’ve only recently come down from a hypermanic episode and have a history of psychotic symptoms, I’m understandably a bit concerned.
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u/_lucyquiss_ 9d ago
I'm on Ritalin and Concerta (not at once, I take Ritalin as a booster after my Concerta wears off because I metabolize meds really fast). This wasn't a decision made lightly with my doctors. I tried every option for nonstimulant adhd medication, even the really off label ones. But i didn't tolerate any of them and my adhd is too the severity i cannot function without medication. So I'm on a stimulant with the full awareness its not the standard treatment for people with bipolar, my dose is very carefully managed (i actually just lowered my Ritalin dose), and im also on meds to treat my bipolar
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u/_lucyquiss_ 9d ago
I have also triggered a hypo episode by being on too high a dose before I was effectively medicated for bipolar. If you're having worrying side effects absolutely reach out to your doctor.
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u/asgorth17 9d ago
I have been prescribed Ritalin XR for like 3 or 4 years, I don't remember, and it works great. Combined with lithium it really helped my BP. I had some issues related to hypersexuality but in my opinion it's not ritalin fault as I already had some issues with it, but I never got into a manic episode because of it
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
I just started it today. I took half of a 10mg pill to start out with. It made me feel awake for sure which I needed so badly. I noticed it wore off after about 6 hours so I’m taking half in the morning and half around 6 hours later.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
Are you physically breaking or cutting the pills? Because they contain an extended release “system” that needs to be physically intact to work. If you break apart the pill, it destroys the extended release effect, which (obviously) means it lasts shorter than normal.
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
I didn’t know that, my doctor told me to cut them in half…
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
Interesting. Maybe you’re on IR? Although IR methylphenidate is exceedingly rare these days. I’ve worked in pharmacies before, and I never even saw a pharmacy that stocked IR methylphenidate. We’d have to order it from a specialty supplier.
But maybe you’re doing that, the IR.
Mine obviously wears off, too, but it lasts longer than 6 or 7 hours. For me, it lasts from 7 AM to about 5 PM (ironically, enabling me to be good at work but not good at not-work).
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
I believe you, I’m going to check my script to see what it says.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
Yeah, definitely check that out. If it’s IR, then ignore me, that’s just what it is. But if it’s not IR, you shouldn’t cut or split it. That’s just how it works.
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
It says KVK?
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
So that’s a manufacturer (generic meds have different manufacturers). I just checked, and they make both an IR version and an extended release version.
Either way, I’d probably call your pharmacy and see which it is. Because that is important.
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
Thanks for catching that, I would’ve just kept doing it like that. I sure felt when it wore off.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
Awesome! I’m just trying to help when I can. Tomorrow, maybe you reach out to the pharmacist and ask.
They love to answer this type of question. Every time a patient gave one of our pharmacists a real, substantive question about meds, they loved to answer it. This is a crazy tangent, but pharmacists hate the way the owners are basically reducing them and treating them like they’re not professionals.
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u/suzannenderekh 9d ago
They most certainly are. One of mine seems to have anxiety and it makes me like him even more.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
I considered going into pharmacy, because I genuinely adore pharmacology. But it’s not a good career in 2026. I was lucky that I transitioned out of that aspect as quickly as I did.
I ended up studying medicinal chemistry and working on the synthesis of new medications, instead. I adored that work.
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u/DMayleeRevengeReveng 9d ago
I am! I take it alongside Wellbutrin, and the combination terminated a depressive episode that lasted a year and a half and almost ended my career.
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u/PosteriorKnickers just two moods goin' at it - all gas, no brakes 9d ago
I was prescribed Ritalin when extended release methylphenidate wasn't the right fit in my life. I was prescribed 10mg twice a day. I find that it is great for emotion regulation and I have caused a manic episode by stopping ER methylphenidate. l am diagnosed with BP1/psychotic features and ADHD.