Dehydration defintely causes headaches. Remember to drink a lot of water when u are on it. Don't avoid it just because you have to urinate frequently. But yes, keep an eye on your BP and if I were you I would lay off any and all caffienated (sp?) drinks!

Thanks for the advice. You're right - it can be tempting to drink less when I know I have to go all the time. Caffeine tends to bother my GI tract, so I don't drink any soda or caffeinated drinks. I only drink water, juices, and soy/rice milk. Thanks.

TGG

Yes I know...I do the same thing on Vyvanse which is like Adderal so very similar. I found myself getting dehydrated and when i would get off would drink and drink until I would go to sleep and then I would get up all night long to urinate. I found myself avoiding liquids all day b/c I was out and about and had a hard time finding a clean restroom...YIKES. Had the worst headaches until my genius hubby was like, you are so dehydrated...You have to force yourself to drink water all day b/c I find I don't have the urge to eat or drink like I used to when I'm on it...

Does this sound familiar?

it isn't safe to take Ritalin :)

I go back and forth about how safe it is or is not to take Ritalin. To be frank, I was in a bad car accident in November 2007 (see pictures). I was having an ADD moment as I was driving, which is common for me, and I hit some gravel, then nearly hit an oncoming car because I reacted too quickly, flipped my car over three times, hit a tree, and landed upside down in a ditch, trapped in my car until others helped me out. Thank God there was no water in the ditch because of the drought....otherwise I would have drown because I was trapped and couldn't get through the window or open the doors.

How does this relate to the question of whether or not Ritalin is safe?

My accident was purely my own fault - I should have been paying attention to the road, but I was off in my own little world and driving on auto pilot. I've often scared myself when driving because I realize, after the fact, that I have been fixated on my rear-view mirror or side mirrors, curious about what's happening behind me and not paying attention to what's ahead. I've had many close misses. That's me driving WITHOUT Ritalin.

When I drive with Ritalin, everything is different. I can easily focus on the road ahead. And the only way I can describe it is to say that I can see the whole road, I can look farther ahead and process what is up ahead instead of just being locked into the first 60 feet in front of my car. I see the whole picture when I take Ritalin and I notice the other cars around me. When I don't take it, I get fixated on individual things - a person on the road, a street sign which I think might be spelled wrong, a new restaurant, etc - and I miss what's happening around me so that I'm quite unaware of my surroundings. Without Ritalin, I unknowingly often start speeding. With it, I am more aware of my speed and in better control of it.

When driving and doing other things that could be dangerous during the day, I think taking the Ritalin keeps me safe.

In terms of the long-range negative effects of Ritalin on my health, I would agree that it's certainly not the best thing for my body. It's a real gamble in some ways because I want to be safe, and safety is relative (in this case) to the situation, risks, and benefits. It's not always an easy decision.

TGG

You may want to consider talking to your physician about methylphenidate ER. It is an extended release Ritalin and does not tend to cause the sudden changes and let down like the immediate release. You may even find that it causes less of an increase in your heart rate and blood pressure.

Although Ritalin is used with adults effectively, like any medication it does have risks associated with it. If you continue to have high blood pressure with it, you may want to see speak with your doctor about non-stimulant medications that might works for you.

TGG I have the same exact problem driving
Thank you for sharing that:-)
Good to know I am not alone

Thx! I get the same side effect but didn't consider dehydration. Will try to watch that