I may not be quite who you're looking for, but I think I'm in the ballpark. I've been taking methylphenidate (ritalin) since I was about 10 years old, though I

I may not be quite who you're looking for, but I think I'm in the ballpark. I've been taking methylphenidate (ritalin) since I was about 10 years old, though I've recently switched to Vyvanse. This is what I can say about my experience. I took methylphenidate in two forms, a short acting tablet that lasted for a ~4 hours and a proprietary time release capsule called Concerta that lasted for ~9 hours. As a kid, for the first few years taking it there was a massive difference between me under it's effects and me without it. I totally remember feeling like I could focus on anything I wanted and completely block out everything else. Also, I remember my appetite being hugely affected, where I could ignore eating for quite a while and not really feel affected. However, as time passed, I noticed two things: 1. The medication didn't affect me as much as it used to. 2. When off the medication, I wasn't as distracted. In fact, by the time senior year rolled around, I could tell when I was under the effects of the medication, but not by a huge amount. This August, after a recommendation from my doctor, I switched to Vyvanse instead of Concerta as my long-acting medication. For me, this has actually been very good. It's a much "gentler" effect than what I remember Concerta being like, in that I don't feel like the guy in "Limitless". I feel much more like my "normal" self but with my mind just slightly more organized. I feel like it's the right balance for me. On the downsides: for me, it's totally impossible to sleep under the effect of any of the medications I've mentioned above. I can't sleep a wink. The author's description of "mind and heart racing" seems pretty accurate, though that only seems to be the case when I actually try to go to sleep. Also, now that I've switched to Vyvanse I am back to having less of an appetite than I used to. Not quite like when I first started on Concerta, but also not "normal."