Hi all. so, I would really like to get an input regarding Modafinil vs Ritalin in terms of effectiveness, their side effects and so on and so forth. I would really like to talk to somebody who has already taken both of them and I would really like to know which one, in your opinion, is being more efficient as a study aid, that’s because I am looking in taking either one of them for this purpose so I would appreciate a bit of help. thanks in advance for everything!
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Modafinil vs Ritalin experiences
- Thread starter Frompan
- Start date
Hello there, I have to say that I have used both of these medications so I would try to help you. I do know that it might sound strange but they are similar but in the same time they are different too. both of them are aids in making you more concentrated as well as more focused. However, I have also found out that the Ritalin (at least in my experience) is getting me a little bit too wired to focus properly for writing. I can say that it is pretty similar as if I have had a pot of coffee and after that my heart started to beating too fast. That’s how I feel on it. as I said, personally for me, the cardio effects are being more profound when taking Ritalin than Modafinil. I would say that those people who are trying to get “high” off either one of them then I am sure that they would surely prefer Ritalin rather than Modafinil (although I surely would not recommend you to do anything like that).
Well, on the other hand we have Modafinil that I personally have found to be a better drug in terms of study aid and if this is the purpose that you’re trying to get them then I would tell you to go after Modafinil. I one have taken it only 3 or maybe 4 times, however not so long ago I have ordered some more of it from edandmore (and now I am hoping and praying to the customs gods that it is going to arrive the soon as possible). When I have taken it, Modafinil had me alert for approximately a full day (24 hours) straight at a full dosage and even when I have taken Ambien it has not been potent enough to get me back to sleep. However, the good thing is that with the help of this drug I did have managed to get an “A” at my test for my anthropology without any prior research on it, only by using the modafinil as a writing aid and doing it all the last hours. I barely have had to get up and this has been only to go to the bathroom, in the time when I am usually not even able to sit still for more than few hours straight. I seriously can’t sit still for very long. I would say that this drug Modafinil did not had those annoying cardio effects that Ritalin had and it also has not been as “harsh” as the Ritalin has been for me. It is obvious from what I have said that Modafinil would definitely be my choice for a study aid compared to Ritalin so that’s what I recommend you to search for either. besides, it is having the advantage of only being a schedule IV drug compared to the Ritalin which is a schedule II drug. I guess that this is directly related to what I have said in the beginning of my post, the fact that for recreational use Ritalin would be better, if you’re looking to get high off it then Ritalin is surely better, that is why it is having a much bigger abuse or dependence potential whereas Modafinil has very little potential for those, and plus, I think that it is near to impossible to get high off from Modafinil so I guess this explains pretty much everything. Modafinil only makes you very alert and very focused, especially if used for schooling, without cardio effects or making you high.
But then again, I don’t want this to be taken as a professional medical advice, this is only my opinion and I would recommend you to go and talk to your doctor first and let him decide which is better for you. plus, all people are different and maybe somebody else would have different effects. good luck and I hope that if you would use anything it would be for the better.
Hey there, I have also bought myself some Modafinil from enandmore and indeed it is a very potent drug that won’t make you fall asleep so easily until it would wean off. It has kept me up all night long and it surely kept me concentrated and focused on what I was doing. A really good thing I would say when you need to study, but I am pretty sure that you can’t take it long term. I can’t say why because I am not an expert, but that’s what I am feeling. And yeah, I have also tried to take a Valium but this one did not help so I wouldn’t recommend.
Hello there once again, just wanted to say that I got interested more about this Modafinil Vs Ritalin thread so I have done a bit more of research on them and although I am not very sure about Ritalin, there is a study that I have found on Modafinil that is stating the following: the current researches are proving that the drug Modafinil is evoking dopamine, however it is being less potent and less efficacious than other psycho stimulants. This low in vitro potency and efficacy pretty much may explain why relatively high (I am talking about greater than 100 mg/kg, p.o. or 5 mg/kg i.v.) modafinil dosages are being essential in order to notice a change in behavior. In case this drug is being less potent than other psycho stimulants than it is by default less potent than Ritalin is. so well, pretty much this is the answer to the question.
However, on the other hand, the exact same study has also found out that there is considerably less abuse potential and also its mechanism of actions is still remaining unknown. they are only speculating that it is preventing the re uptake of dopamine, however that it could also affect serotonin as well as 2 other neurotransmitters but unfortunately their names are not familiar to me so I can’t say anything. I didn’t know about this although this study is claimed to be done in 2007. The source: Modafinil evokes striatal [3H] dopamine release and it is altering the subjective properties of stimulants Original Research Article, the European Journal of Pharmacology, Volume 568, Issues 1-3, 30 July 2007.
I personally am using modafinil fairly regularly (typically I take anywhere between 100 and 200 mg, probably anywhere between 3 to 4 times per week) and I would say that it is a very good drug for maintaining concentration for regular week work, at least for me it does a very good job.
But I have also taken Ritalin and I think that it is better when you need a real burst of energy for example when you are having a big task and you need to have it done. I have noticed that this one is better at keeping me motivated and especially for annoying but necessary kind of stuff that I have to do and I want to get through it all as quick as it is possible. Each drug has its own use I would say.
Oh well, I personally a finding Ritalin to be much more effective than Modafinil, but only if I am taking it in small dosages (I think anywhere around 10 to 20 mg). but that’s for me. as you can see people are different and some might prefer Modafinil over Ritalin. In fact, I would also prefer Modafinil over Ritalin if I would take Ritalin in higher doses because any higher than 20 mg and you are becoming almost too stimulated which won’t allow you to work/ study or whatever else. but anyway, Adderall is still my preferred and favorite aid for studying.
Well, Modafinil is having no “crash” and this is one of the reasons as to why it is appealing to people but exactly the same it is having no “high” feeling either. Rather, it is having a sustained alertness level which is suppressing the appetite and it is increasing the level of your focus (but I would say that not very and very much). I have found out that the more sleep deprived I am, the more effective it is working, though it is either only me, I don’t know, but that’s how I am feeling.
So well, Modafinil is really working very and very beautifully for me, but if you intend to use it then you’ve got to be very careful on not taking it any later than early afternoon otherwise you might and most likely you will have insomnia and a very hard time to go to sleep. I mean, you would get a difficult time to get a regular sleep schedule (like for example starting from 11:00 PM to 07:00 AM) but if this is not a problem to you then you might do whatever you want. However, regarding of the Ritalin, I am able to take this drug at about 6:00 PM and I am still getting to sleep on time with no problems. this is just something that I think you should take in consideration when you’re intending to use any of these 2 drugs, because it might depend on what you need besides study aid.
Beatriceeea
New member
Oh well, I personally like a lot more Ritalin compared to Modafinil for pretty much all purposes. People are definitely different because I see people here saying Modafinil is their first choice. It is just the fact that the drugs are working differently for our bodies. Of course, I think that the most important thing is that I have found Ritalin to be much more effective at treating my ADHD than Modafinil and this is the most important reason why I like it. the only one and the obvious downside that Ritalin has compared to Modafinil (personally for me) it is that it is lasting a lot much shorter than Modafinil does, however I have also found that Concerta, which, for those who do not know this, it is the exact same chemical as Ritalin is, it is only in a super extended release form that it is making it to be lasting as long as Modafinil lasts and so it is working exactly the same in terms of effectiveness (amazing) for me and it is exactly as long in effects in terms of time as Modafinil. It is like Concerta has combined the good sides of Ritalin and Modafinil together. But again, that’s for me and my ADHD. In fact, in addition to that, I am also having some really bad anxiety problems (in particular I have social anxiety) as well as I am having a pretty bad depression either and Ritalin is helping me very well with both of these condition too, at least in the very short term but it still helps a lot. However, as it has been stated by somebody else above that Ritalin is being more recreational then this is true without any additional questions, it is, indeed, more recreational as well and even though this it is an “good thing” for a lot of people or the way they are thinking and understandably so, I personally really think that this is without any additional questions… the Ritalin’s worst quality and it would be a medication a lot much more better if it wouldn’t have this quality.
So well, if I would have been you, due to the fact that there is an significant potential for addiction, dependence as well as abuse that Ritalin is having, I would recommend you to start out firstly with Modafinil as a study aid before you are going to try Ritalin. What I am trying to say is that Ritalin is more potent than Modafinil which means that you should take it slow with Modafinil and in case it is going to work for you just fine then I really don’t see any reasons as to why you would need to go for something that it is much more potent and “hardcore” like Ritalin. You would need to go on Ritalin only after seeing and being sure that Modafinil is not enough for you and you need something more potent, Ritalin is almost for sure going to work when Modafinil doesn’t. that’s only my advice and what I would do.
Hello in there, I think that it is very interested that you have noted the greater abuse and dependence potential that the Ritalin is having and you are one of the very few people here on the forum as well as nearly all over the internet that really sees the recreations aspect that Ritalin has as a negative one, unlike other people, that you have stated, are thinking that this is a good thing for it. This is amazing in my opinion, in my view, the medicine that the people are searching for on internet, on this forum board as well as anywhere else should only be for medicinal need alone and surely not for their recreational aspects. There are some really good reasons why those drugs are being scheduled, banned and so on.
Besides, I really think that you have nailed it when saying that the best idea would be to start off with Modafinil and see how it works and only then in case you see that it is not working then you can go up to something that’s more potent like Ritalin. I am going to admit and confess on the fact that in the past I have been inappropriately using Ritalin as a study aid and that’s my mistake… I’ve got to say that the urge of abusing it really has been very big so I have stopped and now I take only Modafinil however I am taking modafinil only occasionally for shift/ work sleep disorder and although I am taking it for a while now, I have never had any desire or urge to abuse it (like for example to take more than the prescribed dose, to crush it up and so on). I am taking it exactly as prescribed by the doctor and only for medical use.
But there’s something that I really cannot understand and it shocked me… are you trying to say that Concerta (Ritalin it is slow release while Concerta is the same but only the extended release) is HELPING you with your anxiety? I am shocked by this and I can’t understand due to the fact that personally for me Ritalin has been inducing anxiety, it has been raising my heart rate as well as my blood pressure and it has been making me hyper vigilant. For me personally, it has in no way helping me with anxiety, it has been inducing it. if what you have said up there is true and that’s really what you’ve been getting then it would really be a counterintuitive and also very interesting side effect. I really think that this is fascinating, thank you very much for sharing this, I guess I have to research more on this. best wishes!
Hi to all, I have also been doing for a while now a little bit of research on all of this and to me Modafinil sounds to be pretty much interesting. So well, I have been thinking to mention here that the company that has created Modafinil has originally received a hostile bid of its company. As I know, no links are allowed to be added but if you’re interested just go and check out on Bloomberg the company Cehpalon.
“Provigil in 1993, analysts have estimated that it is going to generate no more than $50 million in annual revenue. In year 2009 this drug has become a blockbuster and so it has surpassed 1$ billion in sales which is a lot more than they have expected. “
In my opinion, a bidding war is quite possible. It is all about the fact of recognizing the psychological algorithms and there are a lot of people who are looking for the source after the movie Limitless has been released I guess in 2011. I am not here trying to push any of those companies, these are only my thoughts that is why I think that it would be really nice if there would be some other people who could post their opinions about this drug.
Oh well, I have to say that I am really enjoying very much Modafinil and its subtlety, it is allowing me to focus (not allowing me as well as Ritalin does but it is still a good drug IMO) and it is also lifting my mood in the time I am taking Ritalin it is making me more of an introvert person and not want to be very much social at all. I am going to use Ritalin only in those situations when I must do so due to the fact that it is making me an very anti social person and I really hope that I am going to get the insurance soon so I am going to get back on dextro or Adderall, however until then the modafinil is a really nice drug for me and for my every day life as it really helps me very well with my add, however I am still waiting for my insurance and getting on dextro and Adderall because I can feel that so far Modafinil is good, but it is not quite strong enough to be a total solution for me and my condition.
HayleySutt
New member
In my opinion Modafinil it is truly great for alertness and that’s especially if there are other stims that are making you feel jittery or crash when you come down. however I do know that there are some contraindications for that drug and even including hormonal birth control so you have to be careful about this, the reason why it is important to talk to a doctor before being put on the drug. in case you are going to use it regularly then your birth control pills might not work anymore so well and so you might get surprised how you got pregnant, but it would be because of the drug. it is kinda like when you are taking antibiotics, so I suggest ladies to be careful.
Raul C. Devine
New member
I’ve got to say that I have been treated for ADHD since I have been a kid only which means that I was treated ADHD with drugs for most of my life. well, being an adult I have used both of these drugs Ritalin and Modafinil. I think that it is being said that Cephalon also have tried to get the FDA approval for Provigil as a treatment for ADHD and it has failed to get it. it has been my experience (I have absolutely no doubt that each person’s mileage is going to vary) that the psycho stimulants like for example Ritalin as well as Adderall are being superior to the Modafinil for pure concentration while Modafinil is basically only keeping me awake, sometimes… My doctor has switched me from Concerta (as it has already been stated above by somebody else, it is essentially an extended release of Ritalin) to Modafinil due to the fact that I am also having sleeping apnea.
It has also been noticed somewhere else that Modafinil it is a funny thing. I personally have used Cephalon Provigil, Nuvigil as well as the Indian Modapro either. I have to say that I have never got any consistent reactions to them over the time and it does not matter which brand I have been using. I also have discussed with quite some people who are using therapeutic dosages of Modafinil that are frequently having to cycle off of it, they are waiting a couple of weeks and then they are starting to take it once again. I have not had this experience with the therapeutic dosages of Ritalin or Adderall and that’s a great downside of Modafinil, I think. either way, this is only my opinion and my 2 cents about it nothing more. good luck.
I take 75mg of Oxycodone each day for pain. Sometimes this med sends me into a state of drowsiness and feeling uselessness. I was wondering if Ritalin would help me with thisand that there would be no bad side effects, that the Ritalin and Oxycodone could coexist peacefully. Anybody help? Thanks
Hello there tober47. I am also taking oxycodone for pain but I am not having this problem so fortunately for me, I do not need to take anything in order to combat the negative effects of the drug. However, I do know that if I would have any I would go to my doctor and I would ask him what I need to do in order to make it disappear. Well, what I am trying to say is that I recommend you to go to your prescribing doctor and ask him for an advice. He might lower the dosage until the negative effect would disappear and the effects are going to keep up. or if you’re taking 50 mg it is not enough for the pain? If that won’t fix the problem then he, indeed, might give you Ritalin or any other drug that might coexist peacefully with Oxycodone. Unfortunately, I am not sure whether Ritalin would do a good job or not and I am not sure whichever drug would, that’s why the best idea would be to talk with a doctor about it. besides, we should not forget that drugs are affecting people differently which means that it might do a good job for a certain person but it might not do it for another one. so it is mostly a trial and error thing. You might ask him to get you some help and let him decide which would be the best for you. Another thing what you should keep in mind is that while Ritalin might help with the Oxycodone’s side effect, Ritalin has its own side effects which means that it might get you rid of one side effect but give you another one. I can speculate about it a lot. that’s why better go and check it with your doctor. I assume that you’ve got it prescribed isn’t it? I do know that there are people who are getting their pain medications (and not only) via IOP’s. if you are one of them and you can’t go to a doctor telling that you take Oxycodone and you need something else that would counteract the side effect of it then, at least, you could check if Ritalin and Oxycodone does not have interactions. There are drug interactions checkers online that you can use and see whether it is safe to take these 2 together or not. simply search in google :drug interaction checker and you’ll be given the link. Generally, I guess that we need to know more about you before we could speculate further so if you need some more help, please, feel free to write more about you and we would try to help. at least I would.
P.S. just out of curious, why you are being interested only in Ritalin, have you already tried Modafinil and seen that it is not working for you or there’s another reason? Wishing you all the best and best of luck!
HayleySutt
New member
Like I have said in my post above, I think that Modafinil it is amazing for alertness, I have used it myself and it is really very and very good and since you have said that you are feeling drowsy and by feeling useless I mean that you are not feeling capable of operating and functioning on a normal basis (because you can’t stay alert and focused) then Modafinil indeed might do a really good job with your condition. Also I forgot to say up there that for me it has provided little to no side effects at all, it is very mild in side effects profile and while it really does have some, they are not anything that scary. Having all of that said, they might do a really good job for you and your condition when taken together. However, as I already mentioned up there, I do know that Modafinil has a great profile of drug interactions which means that it could interact with a lot of other drugs and I am not very sure whether oxycodone is one of them or not, but you’ve got to carefully check it before getting on it. also, I do see that you’ve been asking about Ritalin, the thing is that I am not aware anything about Ritalin so I can’t comment on this drug. however, checking other people’s comments like for example’s FloE’s:
“Ritalin it is making me more of an introvert person and not want to be very much social at all. I am going to use Ritalin only in those situations when I must do so”
Then I can assume that the feeling of uselessness, drowsiness added to be an introvert person and antisocial is surely not a good idea. Plus I also know that Ritalin has a greater side effects profile so I would really recommend you to be very aware of it. but anyway, in the end of it all, JamesSs is still right on the fact that every person is different and while Ritalin made FloE and introvert person and antisocial, it might make you an even happier person. And while other people might experience bad side effects from using it – you might not. you never know. it is true that it is a trial and error thing, however I was only thinking that this is an rather unworthy risk. I personally would firstly try modafinil and in case it fails to work then maybe Ritalin would be a good idea.
Not sure if this helps but I really hope so.
Bedeencion1980
New member
I ran your drugs through drug interaction checkers and most of the interactions are saying that they are not having any results:
Interactions between your selected drugs (I’ve selected Oxycodone oral and Ritalin methylphenidate oral)
No results found - however, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. ALWAYS consult with your doctor or pharmacist.
So it does seem that you are pretty fine to take them, HOWEVER, I there’s one thing that seems to be pretty interesting, especially referred to your situation. It is the fact that drug interaction checker on Medscape told me this: oxycodone + methylphenidate: oxycodone increases and methylphenidate decreases sedation. Effect of interaction is not clear, use caution. Use Caution/Monitor.
It pretty much seems to do what you have asked for, one is increasing and another one is decreasing sedation which means that it might be what you’re looking for. However, as you can see, the effect of interaction is not clear. Maybe a doctor would be helpful. I am not a doctor so I can’t say anything for sure. I am sure only in one thing: whatever you do – their advice is indeed worth listening “Use Caution/Monitor”.