Ritalin, the most commonly used medicine for ADD, has been in use for almost fifty years and is very safe when taken as directed. Dr. Hallowell says it is safer than aspirin. Research with Ritalin over the past 50 years with children diagnosed with ADD demonstrates conclu-sively that this medicine helps most ADDers significantly reduce their ADD behaviors. No one fully understands what role Ritalin or other stimulants play, but research conclusively demonstrates that these stimulants make most of us with ADD function better. We are assured, by our physicians and the FDA, that the stimulants are not harmful to us in the doses prescribed.
ADD is a neurochemical disorder.
Some clinicians continue to increase the medicine's dose until there's a desired effect or too many undesirable side effects, such as jitteriness, stomachaches or head-aches, that do not subside after a few weeks. If, after trying the stimulant medications at various dosages the desired effect is not achieved, then certain anti-depressants such as imipramine, desipramine and nortriptyline along with Wellbutrin and perhaps Effexor are tried. If none of these work for you, your physician might try other medicines, or combinations of medicines. Thomas Phelan, Ph.D. suggests all patients try a second or even third stimulant. Individuals may respond quite differently to each one.