Ritalin (Chromosome Damage) [Archive]

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SEANML

13-01-20, 22:32

I am quite scared because I take 80mg of ritalin a day to function. I read about this a few weeks ago and now wonder if I should change to the newer drug (vyvanse) . Been on and off ritalin for a life time (31 years old male)

Has anyone else read about this concern? Maybe new results?

Kitkat99

13-01-20, 23:02

"The new study, conducted by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Duke University Medical Center, shared a similar design with the earlier trial. But it was larger and also included children taking Adderall and Concerta. "We saw no [chromosomal] effect associated with medication in any of our treatment groups," genetic toxicologist and researcher Kristine L. Witt, MS, tells WebMD. "These findings were extremely reassuring."

literally the first thing that comes up on google (from webmd), think you will be fine.

nomorepanic

13-01-20, 23:21

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

SEANML

13-01-20, 23:47

Thanks for taking the time to help me out here. I have a brain injury so sorry if anything I say is hard to understand :P I just got scared when I saw that because I take them through the day, they do help.

*I saw a few things like that as well. Then I saw 2 studies that said it caused it. The second story I had a hard time understanding (my brain trauma) so I just left that story alone (was 2013 year)
Thank you for helping me though because the other option is vyvanse again. (been on and off for that one), But I feel like im a guinea pig for that pill, its so brand new. Hell it took decades for this "cancer risk" with ritalin to show up.

panic_down_under

14-01-20, 11:24

Thank you for helping me though because the other option is vyvanse again. (been on and off for that one),

So you've tried both methylphenidate (Ritalin) and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) at various times? If so, did you do better on one than the other, or were they much the same?

But I feel like im a guinea pig for that pill, its so brand new

Lisdexamfetamine has been on the market for 12 years which is usually long enough to discover most of a med's worst problems. No med is completely safe, or free of side-effects and lisdexamfetamine does have issues, but so does methylphenidate, as can being unmedicated. It all comes down to whether the benefits outweigh the risks and/or side-effects.

This is the subject of an ongoing debate I'm currently having with my own doctor regarding a med I've recently been prescribed. Unfortunately, in these cases there is often no clear-cut, obviously correct choice. All you can do it pick what you and your doctor think is the best option, or the lesser of the evils on offer, as the case may be, and hope for the best. :ohmy:

SEANML

14-01-20, 16:48

Thank you. Both meds work well. But it requires daily super doses of ritalin. I enjoy the 60 mg rit with 20 mg vyvanse (more control on sobriety). But I feel maybe my dr can do 70 mg vyvanse and 2 *10 mg ritalin. May be the sweet spot.

panic_down_under

14-01-20, 21:56

SEANML

14-01-20, 22:43

I wanted to change because of a stupid reason.

*My health anxiety that I overcame is based on cancer. So after seeing that it caused a 12 people to have chromosome damage in the study (12/12) it made me extremely nervous.
*Btw my dr retired in dec so I have found out I have no legal way to change any of my dosing. Also need to find a dr who will accept this amphetamine bit. (just found this out after calling 10 walk in clinics, my only option is emergency and ye rough. I hope to find a dr I run out of refills in a month. End of feb

panic_down_under

15-01-20, 09:03

So after seeing that it caused a 12 people to have chromosome damage in the study (12/12) it made me extremely nervous.

I spend a great deal of my time reading studies. First rule: never believe what the media say about a study. It almost certainly will be exaggerated and will likely get at least one crucial detail wrong.

Second rule: Unless you have read the full study, not just the abstract, and understood it, take everything claimed with a pinch of salt. Mostly errors are inadvertent, but a small number of studies are designed to drive an agenda. Even the experts can be caught out by not being sceptical enough.

Third rule: never base any treatment decision on just one study, especially small ones. And that goes double if it claims something which seems at odds with long-term experience. Such experience is not foolproof, it can be totally wrong too, for example the true cause of stomach ulcers, but it is rare enough to almost guarantee a Nobel prize for those overturning the orthodoxy.

*Btw my dr retired in dec so I have found out I have no legal way to change any of my dosing. Also need to find a dr who will accept this amphetamine bit. (just found this out after calling 10 walk in clinics, my only option is emergency and ye rough. I hope to find a dr I run out of refills in a month. End of feb

Doesn't sound good. I know little of how the Canadian health system works and what hoops may be needed to be jumped to resolved your dilemma. I have found pharmacists are a good source of information about the prescribing habits of the local doctors so yours and others nearby may be able to steer you in the right direction.

SEANML

17-01-20, 23:26

I enjoyed the combo but I just would rather not take the risk I guess. I tend to do alot of silly things in my life lol. I would rather not add to the list of possible cancer causing crud :P
I am very pleased that you have all put some input in this convo. I wish ritalin never did that study :P
*Could someone help me understand this article about the damage " https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2807376/ " I am having a hard time interpreting it and finding the date of study. My TBI makes large reading almost impossible.

panic_down_under

18-01-20, 00:26

I enjoyed the combo but I just would rather not take the risk I guess. I tend to do alot of silly things in my life lol. I would rather not add to the list of possible cancer causing crud :P

There is no evidence either med causes cancer.

I am very pleased that you have all put some input in this convo. I wish ritalin never did that study :P
*Could someone help me understand this article about the damage "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2807376/" I am having a hard time interpreting it and finding the date of study. My TBI makes large reading almost impossible.

The study was published in 2008. It found no evidence of chromosome damage from taking methylphenidate, or other amphetamines.

That is not the only study to find methylphenidate has no impact on cell genetics. Neither did Walitza S (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19015014), 2009; Ponsa I (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19457516), 2009; Tucker JD (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19465145), 2009. This was supported by long-term studies in monkeys such as Soto PL (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22805599), 2012 and Morris SM (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19135169), 2009, or mice: Manjanatha MG (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19778631), 2009;

Bottom line: The 2005 El-Zein study claiming chromosome damage got it badly wrong somehow and you are obsessing over nothing. Ritalin has been around for a long time and if it was causing cancer this would be very obvious by now. There is no evidence of a cancer epidemic among former, or current users.

SEANML

25-01-20, 00:25

Thanks once again for the help, I stayed on my 6 rits. I am convinced it is a much safer route (being I have used them for over 15 years)

SEANML

21-10-20, 13:16

I got onto vyvanse due to my ritalin ocd worries. But vyvanse seems to be causing a fair amount of mental stress. I wish I could stop dwelling on the cancer risks bit for ritalin, I want to go back on it. But I cannot stop the ocd on the "cancer link" Thank you everyone for your efforts. It has helped greatly. I am close to finally accepting the risks and going back to ritalin maybe. Does anyone have any evidence that ritalin is not a cancer causer??

panic_down_under

22-10-20, 08:59

Does anyone have any evidence that ritalin is not a cancer causer??

You've had 7 studies cited which found it doesn't, about half of which were long-term. How many more do you think it would take to convince you? Another 100? A 1,000? I doubt even a million would do it because this isn't really about the actual risk, but your fixation on it. The issue is the anxiety, not the Ritalin. What is being done to control it?

SEANML

22-10-20, 10:12

panic_down_under

22-10-20, 10:31

I am seeking help. I asked me dr to refer me to a psychiatrist. I know what triggered all my old mental conditions. I am trying my best to stop them but it is very difficult.I have been driving everyone bonkers. It was triggered 2 months ago and I cannot get a full grip on it.
I do believe and trust the articles you have posted and agree that yes they are good enough. I do apologize. I am just a confused mess that is taking others into his break down. Thanks for the post. I have accepted the articles and do agree. Sorry once again. I hope to get better sometime soon.

No apology necessary. I understand how difficult it can be when in the grip of these disorders. Been there, got the t-shirt. I think you're doing the right thing by asking to see a psychiatrist because the medications you've mentioned seem to be an odd combination.