Ritalin and Headaches: What Users Say

• Ket...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 11, 2019

For ADHD "I've been taking methylphenidate (Ritalin) for years, and it helps, but I must take Tylenol with it, or I get a headache. I'm more focused and energetic. Not wiping away my ADD 100%, but it works on many levels."

• Ada...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2014

For ADHD "I have been using Ritalin 10 mg for the past 3 weeks now. I am 28 years old and I suspected for a long time now that I have ADHD. Not being able to concentrate or focus, prioritize tasks and having depression (I am not taking medication for this) caused a lot of anxiety for me over the past 4-5 years. Ritalin has helped a lot with my studies and kind of calms me. I am pretty quiet when I take it also. It's great for if you need to use it for work or study, but for everyday use, I wouldn't like it. - In the first 45 mins it gives me a slight euphoric feeling. - Makes me want to do productive activities. - Causes slight headaches if I don't drink plenty of water. I would recommend it. (I have tried Adderall in the USA and that was even better)"

• Oma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

For ADHD "I am a 25-year-old male who works in the health field. I have had ADHD my whole life and started taking this medication to help get my life in order and to help get all of my thoughts together. This pill is amazing for organization and for getting tasks done that need to be completed. I have no complaints with this medication regarding how effective it was at treating my ADHD and increasing my focus. The reason that I scored this medication on the lower spectrum is that when I was taking this medicine, I would get severe headaches. The headaches would happen 30 minutes into taking the medication. The headaches were not ordinary headaches. It felt as if I was going to have a brain aneurysm. I highly recommend this medication to people who do not experience severe headaches while taking it."

• Bjh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2023

For ADHD "I took my first dose around 8 a.m. on May 8th, 2023, and I’m calling my doctor in the morning. I absolutely hate this feeling. For hours, I have just been angry, irritated, and I have a headache that will not go away. I have not been able to get any tasks done. I feel like all I can focus on is the fact that I feel irritable. Also, my stomach has been in knots since taking it. I’m praying it just wears off soon so I feel semi-normal again."

• Dee...
• November 25, 2015

For ADHD "I've been on and off this medication for a few years now. I have mixed feelings toward it. The first 30 minutes to an hour of taking it, I feel a rush and a feeling of I can do anything. That rush motivates me to go to the gym, actually. After the rush is gone, I feel more focused and alert. After the alertness has worn off, I feel moody and irritable. I'm very aware it's the medication making me on edge and try to control it. I get a bit headachy sometimes, and it bothers my stomach from time to time. Always hungry? Not on this medication. Appetite gone, at least for a while until the next pill. Make sure to eat! I would say this medication is addictive and would not recommend it to anyone that has an addiction problem."

• Edd...
• July 11, 2015

For ADHD "Helped me a lot. Been using it for 8 months, and now I'm on a 20 mg, 2 times a day. I never had the power to just sit still and stay on one task. Now I'm able to actually sit down and focus on one task. I'm 16 and was diagnosed at 15. Ritalin doesn't last long enough, though, which is the only downside. Only lasts for 3 hours, but it's good because you could get your appetite back. No side effects, just a little nervous at times and headaches, which are rare. Also, suppressed appetite the first hour you take it."

• nco...
• July 21, 2018

For Narcolepsy "Let me start by stating that I am a 24-year-old female with a history of idiopathic hypersomnia, coarctation of the aorta, and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). I was recently in a car accident and received my second concussion. Upon visiting my neurologist for headaches/migraine complaints, I brought to his attention my debilitating fatigue I've experienced since the last concussion. I've been to multiple doctors, and they pushed aside this symptom. I was almost in tears when my neurologist prescribed Ritalin. Day 3: improved concentration and more energy! So far, so good. I was worried I would have problems because of my heart conditions, but it is anatomic and not rhythmic, so I'm okay! He also assured me this will help with weight loss, which is great! Hope to continue to see great results with this medication."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2017

For ADHD "I have only been on Ritalin for a couple of days now, and the results are great. My concentration and focus have improved, I can get more things done, and I feel more motivated and self-assured. My social life is better, and I can keep a conversation going. The downsides for me were a fast heart rate, which made me feel anxious, a bad headache when I first took it, and a decrease in appetite. Overall, this is working for me so far, and I would say to not abuse this drug, combine it with alcohol or anything else, and to eat well before taking medicine. Hope this helps."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2018

For ADHD "I think it's a very good medication, and it can help a lot! I have been taking this drug since I was 14-15 years old, and at the beginning it worked well, but then, because I took a high dosage of Ritalin (around 60-80 mg daily), I experienced a few side effects (just like increased heart rate, weight loss, and insomnia). So I stopped taking this drug, and after that, I took Strattera (atomoxetine) for a year, but that was terrible. I had insomnia so bad I couldn't sleep for 36-60 hours, maybe twice a week, and besides that, I usually slept 3-4 hours. I also had increased heart rate (maybe 100-130 in the morning), increased blood pressure (100/190), headache, and stomach problems. So I stopped taking this medication too. Now I am 18 years old and started to take Ritalin, but not every day-only when I have to learn a lot, and just 10 mg twice a day. I think it works very well and has no side effects. So I think it's a very good and useful medication, just the 'normal' dosage is very important!"

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2018

For Narcolepsy "I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and was prescribed Ritalin. Doc started me on a low dose to be taken twice a day. The first two days I felt awake and alert, didn’t nap till 4:30 PM. After that, I just got sleepy. Never had that get-up-and-go like those first few days. Now after being on it for over a month, about 15 minutes after dosing I’m falling asleep. Literally head bobbing. I nap off and on all day long like before I was on Ritalin, or I feel sick. I also notice that my chronic pain is heightened. Everything seems magnified on live wire. My eyes hurt, I’m more sensitive to light and have daily headaches on top of my chronic migraines. I finally see my neurologist tomorrow and hopefully, he’ll have an alternative plan for me."

• JoA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2023

For ADHD "I am a 51-year-old woman who struggled since university. Ritalin has given me my life back. I feel calm, focused, and just me again. No more being overwhelmed constantly and anxious. The side effects were mild for me, a headache. But that has passed now, and I feel like I can get my life back on track! I take Ritalin LA 10 mg twice a day. It’s amazing!"

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2021

For ADHD "I switched from Modafinil to Ritalin this year. Every time I take this medicine in the morning, I stay awake. But with a lot of side effects. Fast heartbeat, morning sickness/nausea, dizziness, exhausted, trouble sleeping during the night, anxiety, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, often migraines or headaches. I try to avoid the medicine if I can. I like Modasomil more."

• Ema...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 27, 2021

For Narcolepsy "In 2017, after years of struggling with sleep issues, I got myself a sleep study. It turned out I had narcolepsy without cataplexy after a full nighttime study and MSLT. At first, I was taking 10 mg of Ritalin 2x a day, that wasn't working, so she switched me to 10 mg of Ritalin 4x daily. I was finding that I'd get terrible headaches from it, so she tried me on Provigil 200 mg. That alone wasn't working as your body adjusts to it. I started supplementing with 10 mg of Ritalin 1x a day. That also wasn't working. I now take Provigil 200 mg at 5 am and supplement that with 20 mg of Ritalin at noon and move on to another 10 mg of Ritalin around 4 pm, and I'm getting through my 12-hour workdays, plus still have energy when I get home! It's absolutely wonderful to feel like a normal functioning human being again. No headaches, no anxiety, concentration is perfect, and I feel like me again. Adjust your meds if it's not working, fight to feel better."

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

For ADHD "The 5 mg tablets are okay. The first month on it, it wasn’t bad at all, very productive, a few side effects like hunger and sadness. I would say a 6/10 for the 5 mg tablets. The XR/LA was absolutely the worst experience, though. Headaches, stomach aches, constantly frantic feeling, gassy, bathroom trips every time I ate, bloating, anxiety, extremely irritated, I always felt on the verge of a mental breakdown, poor digestion, poor sleep. I would sleep for 10 hours on XR and wake up feeling like I never slept. This should be used to torture people. I have a month supply, and I will be throwing away the medication, I actually can’t take these. I normally run 3x a week and work out 5x a week for my job. I have barely done any physical activity on XR. My life has gone very downhill, very fast. They really aren't addictive, at least the XR isn’t."

• Kiw...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 24, 2022

For ADHD "Been on both short-acting and extended-release 20 mg. Both did their job well. I have inattentive, and this medication cleared my cluttered mind, helped me focus, helped me complete tasks. Short-acting came with undesirable side effects, though, when it wore off, like lethargy, insomnia, and a headache. This medication is very difficult to get in New Zealand, as it’s a controlled medication, however, if you truly have ADHD, there’s a high chance stimulants will work really well."

• Cal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2021

For ADHD "I'm recently diagnosed with ADHD (ADD). I've tried Ritalin and Dexedrine. Dexedrine is absolutely amazing, but also expensive, and I find that if I don't take a break of 1-2 days per week, it stops working entirely and can even make things (much) worse. I initially didn't like Ritalin, as it gave me crazy headaches, hard comedowns, and, on one occasion, anxiety. However, I think this is important: Just because Ritalin isn't great straight away, it doesn't mean it's a bad drug. Over the last few weeks, I've grown very fond of it. I still don't like the LA, but 5 mg IR 2-3 times per day is currently perfect for me, and I now have zero side effects. I feel good, energized, and clear-headed. Ritalin is cheap, and IR is super flexible in terms of dosing. Dexedrine makes me feel even better for longer, but it's pricey and requires breaks. I currently prefer Ritalin for everyday use and Dexedrine perhaps once or twice per week. Best of luck."

• Jul...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2022

For ADHD "49-year-old female. Just started Ritalin 4 days ago. 5 mg twice daily for 3 days, and today was 10 mg twice daily. I feel great all day at work. I'm very focused, not at all stressed at my job. I feel really good. I've been on medication for depression and anxiety since I was in my late teens. Ritalin has made a huge difference already, however, when it wears off, I crash and do not like the effects. I get irritable, headaches, nauseous, and very fatigued. I'm not sure this is the one for me."