Hacker News Reader

Comment by thepumpkin1979 | Hacker News Reader

thepumpkin1979

I took Modafinil 200mg for a few weeks, definitely felt a boost but couldn't stand the headaches. Also Modafinil made me more sharp during the day but my work hours got too short, my brain was dead after 8 hrs of intense work. Then I went to a psychiatrist and got diagnosed with ADD. Now I take methylphenidate/ritalin 10mg, I split the tablet in two and take one starting my day and one after lunch. It's magic. I can now work for 10+ hrs a day and sometimes easily push for 14 hrs. It's really impressive.

View on HN

My comment might not fly well with the long hours startup crowd here, but is 8 hours of intense work not enough for one day? I imagine most people would feel drained after working for that length of time (and 8 hours is quite a long time to pay attention to any given thing. Skeptical of the ADD diagnosis...). Perhaps your body is trying to tell you something, that it's time to do something other than work.

But I guess if you need to be working 14 hours/if you don't have a choice, then do what you gotta do.

Mate, you need to acquire a life. If you can't make do with absolutely maximum 7.5 hours of "work" a day you are entirely missing the point of living. You are not excelling, or even succeeding, you are failing.

If you insist on being a slave, be sure to charge at max for the finite hours you are selling, three to four times your normal rate beyond 7.5. And here is something you think you knew but don't: Young time is more precious than old time. Each hour before 35 is worth 3 hours after 35. This because experiences are new, senses are heightened, live is intense.

Take it from a retired high priest: Don't burn your life on this altar of bullshit.

>implying he isn't an entrepreneur working on his own projects

>implying he isn't enjoying it

> Young time is more precious than old time. Each hour before 35 is worth 3 hours after 35. This because experiences are new, senses are heightened, live is intense.

This is a depressing comment. Can you not have new, high intensity experiences past age 35? Is losing this an inherent part of aging? Or do many just choose to avoid new experiences after a certain point?

I don't buy it. There is so much amazing shit in this universe, and it's so difficult to get a proper perspective on it all. I honestly expect to enjoy life more once I hit 35, as my understanding and perspective should be much deeper, and I'll have made further progress on understanding how to live a balanced and fulfilling life (at least, in a way that works for me).

I will also likely have acquired more financial resources and additional connections with like minded folks, which should enable interesting projects and adventures.

I'm basing this largely on how the past 5 years have gone, and the understanding I have developed during that time (from age 22 to 27). I also fully reserve the right to adjust this forecast 5 years from now :)

You can't make assumptions based on a post.

For example, I make money off my own projects, I travel, I have some form of ADD, and I like to batch some of my work into 12 hour binges with the help of some medication like amphetamine.

I love my life, I don't work every day, I don't binge every day. "Work" doesn't always mean you're burning yourself on someone's pyre.

I hope you find something more fulfilling if the mere thought of 8+ hours of work must mean your are "missing the point of living".

Is this a joke? Why would you have a problem with not being able to work work such long hours? Not being able to work 10+ hours a day is called "being human."

TLDR: Finding a good doctor is really the best way to figure out what is best for you.

I also have ADD & tried Modafinil as an alternative. My doctor prescribed me 200MG as well, and it gave me splitting headaches and, until I learned to eat first, stomach aches. My doctor suggested I try 50 MGs & 100MGs instead, which didn't give me headaches but, well, just weren't as effective for me. So I went back to the old meds.

Also, Modafinil, IME, isn't like other ADD meds. Unlike, eg, Adderall or Vyvanse, doesn't keep me awake or alert, or replace caffeine. But, obviously this varies, since modafinil is also prescribed for narcolepsy & other people here clearly have a different experience with it.

Basically, chemistry varies for each of us--and there are many variables, including metabolism, medical history, weight, what your diet is, whether & what you've eaten, and so much more. Going to the doctor is not only safer, its more efficient.

W/r/t the Modafinil headaches, I've heard they can sometimes be ameliorated with choline, which is found in eggs.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com