Ritalin for fatigue

Everyday living
1

Hello there,

Hope everyone is as well as can be.

I was just wondering if anyone had been prescribed Methylphenidate (Ritalin) for fatigue? I have been struggling with fatigue for awhile now and my ms nurse referred me to a neuropsychologist who said I may benefit from taking this medication (I was taking Amantadine until a few months ago but they thought this may have been contributing to the fatigue). I have an appointment in a few weeks to hopefully start Ritalin, but just wanted people’s thoughts on taking this medication.

Thank you xxx

2

hi kelly

wasn’t ritalin what they used to give children who were hyperactive?

probably a different dose.

anyway i hope it works for you.

will you please keep us updated?

carolex

3

How interesting. I would definitely give it a go, in your shoes. As far as I understand it, it is a bit counter-intuitive about Ritalin and ADHD - you would expect a stimulant like Ritalin to make things like hyperactive, jumbled thoughts worse, instead of which it actually does the opposite and allows the mind of a person with ADHD to focus and concentrate.

Surely worth a go if it might just help with MS cog fatigue. I take modafinil and it does a good job, but if I couldn’t get it any more I would be open to all suggestions.

Alison

4

I just looked it up. How surprising that it’s not used for MS fatigue more often. It’s definitely a nerve stimulant. Please let us all know how you get on with it.

Sue

5

Hi all,

Thank you for all your replies, I will definitely keep you updated on how I get on.

Take care.

Kelly xx

6
  • I have never been offered anything for fatigue, I have been treated for fibromyalgia for the last 13 years. Turns out that I must have had me nearly all the time. If my rheumatologist had not done an m r I, it showed up lesions in brain,so now I wonder how I have kept going all this time.all docs said that there was no cure for the fatigue.so I will be keeping my fingers credit for you.
7

I had to ask for something for fatigue, nothing has ever been offered in the 4 years that I’ve had MS.

I’ve just started on Amantadine (today first dose), dont really know what to expect ?

8

Hi Rosie I,

I wonder why they haven’t offered you anything for the fatigue?! No there is no cure for fatigue unfortunately. The Amantadine helped me manage the fatigue but I still struggled. I also have monthly B12 injections. Maybe speak to your ms nurse/neurologist, surely they will be able prescribe something for you. I don’t think I could have managed without having anything for the fatigue, so I do really feel for you.

Thank you xx

9

Hi Jactac,

That is really bad that you had to ask and were not offered anything, I do really hope it helps you. When I first started to take Amantadine, I was told to take one tablet when I first got up and the other around lunch time, but I found that this kept me awake at night so I was told they could both be taken first thing, other than that I had no other problems with it and was on it for 4 years.