DS1 is currently on slow release ritalin.
We tried fish oil, a naturopath who put him on a special diet with others sups ect. We tried that for 6months before we tried ritalin. He started on 1/ 2 a pill a day and slowly increased.

Like others you could def tell when it had worn off. We ended up changing to slow release as we like its the one dose and this way he doesnt have to have any at school. Other kids caught on he was having meds and would tease him.

We havent increased his meds in a long time,we had teachers who wanted it uped. But as his parents and his paed agreed we were right, but given his age he is going through hormonal changes and teens will be teens. He is bound to get tired and snappy,just like us.
I think a big part is people need to remember that meds or no meds kids are still going to be kids to a point. Dont expect them to be perfect,I say this as we have had teachers demand we up his meds as he wasnt just doing what he was told like a robot he wasnt being what they thought a child on meds should be....she wanted perfect behavior all the time.