Concerta

I took 54 mg Concerta for a majority of my childhood mainly from 3-11th grade. I stopped senior year mainly because I thought I was maturing and I wouldn’t need it anymore. I couldn’t really tell a difference in how I was acting but I am now in college and I recently started taking it again. It really does help with focus and concentration and the plateau/comedown is genuinely enjoyable to me. I want to be safe with it so I remind myself to not take any on weekends and days where I don’t need to be set on a specific goal all day. It genuinely just feels very clean and safe. I would recommend this over a majority of ADHD medicine just based on my reactions to them all. It is generally safer than adderall and just feels overall smoother. I would recommend starting with a smaller dose and probably taking XR instead or IR just because it does gradually set in instead of immediate.

I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was 19. About a year later I started on Concerta (titrated up to 72 mg). It wasn't instantaneous, but I noticed an improvement in my attention. However, I also noticed a significant worsening of my anxiety. My psychiatrist recommended using Venlafaxine in addition to Concerta, which I was apprehensive about, because I was always cautious of using drugs long-term, and we also reduced by dose to 54 mg. The anti-anxiety meds made all the difference (I probably would have benefitted from them anyways), and I have never been better. I have never been able to focus as well as I have been the last few years. I used to find it very difficult to stay awake in classes, and get through the day without a nap, and that is no longer an issue. I did notice some side-effects, such as dry mouth, which went away after a month or two; and reduced appetite, which I no longer even notice. About a year ago when I had to change psychiatrist, I tried to swap from Concerta to Ritalin, but the Ritalin didn't work nearly as well. I would feel hyperactive for an hour or so, and then I would feel very tired, sleepy, and inattentive for the rest of the day, or until my next dose.

i have been using Concerta for many years and it worked for me. but if i take them to late, i have diffilculties to fall asleep.

Although sometimes its effect is insufficient and higher doses are required from time to time, for me this was the drug with the least side effects and was the most tolerated. I take duloxetine 30mg + 36mg concerta + 10mg ritalin if necessary. Nicotine and caffeine definitely work badly with this medication and can often be the cause of side effects. I also take magnesium at times, no side effects.

I've taken this tablet for around a month now and feel so sleepy and tired on it but I've noticed I can focus on things better but I never feel hungry and only get about 4-5 hours a night sleep, I have no motivation or interest in doing things, before taking this medication I was going to the gym, running, walking and socialising with people but now I don't do any of that, I never want to see anyone and want to be left alone but it does make me calmer and focused more but it's not a life to live as I only stay around the house and walk my dog I feel like it has made my anxiety much worse and I've self harmed 4 times on this where as before this medication I had self harmed for 3 years

This is the best adhd med I have tried. Amphetamines caused irritability and rebound symptoms, nonstimulants seriously affected my mood. When I take Concerta, I can focus and exist in the moment, and it gradually wears off instead of crashing. I wish that they had started me on this first.

Side effects outweigh benefits, growth is stunted significantly, eating disorders from the drug, and borderline paranoid delusions after long term use. Parents, you’re kid is better of without

I have taken this drug since I was 8th grade. I’m currently a sophomore in college. There is a never ending amount of pros and cons on this medication, but I have found a few key points with my experience. I lose all ability to be social while using it. Life feels like it’s flying by and you are not apart of it. I can’t eat or think about eating. I build emotions and find myself angry most of the time. I cannot sleep more than a few hours. I can focus incredibly. Finishing a task is no issue at all. I think decisions through.

I’m a middle aged woman and I’ve been on this medication for about 10 days. keeping my thoughts more organized and focused has been increasingly challenging over the last 10 years. Starts of projects, tasks or to-do lists have gone wayward to interruptions and unfinished business. Additionally, the anxiety of feeling overwhelmed has been steady for years, as well as never feeling good enough, to be a mom, a wife, a friend - just constant self induced stress. However, I’m feeling better. I’m able to focus and prioritize, plus I am able to communicate better and have better insight as to how to complete tasks and what can wait. Not feeling like I want to cry and unable to communicate with my family on what is bothering me and just feeling overwhelmed- this has decreased greatly. I am able to engage with my very curious younger daughter, who has a million questions and then follow up questions, and I don’t feel agitated. I’m able to communicate with my teen and really listen and provide feedback; I can also provide a firm response to her teenage ways, without getting upset. today I feel kind out of it, I think I drank too much caffeine-1 c of coffee, a green tea drink, and and energy drink. Won’t make this mistake again. I did read about people feeling the zombie effect, so I hope this is not that, and I’m just over caffeinated and a little tired from not getting enough sleep. Hope this helps someone.

I was diagnosed with ADD (no hyperactivity) about a year ago. My dr. started me on 27 mg but I wasn't seeing any real change. He upped it to 54 mg and I saw some improvement in my general mood (I am still not getting things done and I'm still usually late for most thing but I doesn't stress me out as much lol) I did see a big improvement in my ability to fall asleep. My whole life it would take me at least 30-40 minutes minimum to actually fall asleep and I usually had to distract my brain with an activity that wasn't about my actual life (ie. how would I spend a million dollars if I won the lottery) Now it takes me 5 or 10 minutes at most to fall a sleep. And I can get up when the alarm goes off without hitting the snooze button 3 times. However I still struggle to actually go to bed at a decent time, in fact I seem to be staying up even later (2-3 am) but it does feel like the sleep I get is good sleep. My concentration has only improved a tiny bit and my ability to retain details isn't any better. During the day I have to almost force myself to eat anything. I usually feel full like I just ate a big meal. Then later in the evening once the medication is wearing off I find myself getting hungry and often end up eating after midnight. My dr. and I are currently discussing trying a different medication with a longer release time to see if this will stop the late night eating. I was told these medications would not be a magic bullet and so far that has been true for me. I do think it is a trial and error process and the combination of medication and trying new coping techniques is a process that is different for everyone. Finding a support group for adults with ADD/ADHD has been helpful too.

I was diagnosed with Inattentive ADHD when I was in my early 40s. I have struggled my whole life with being able to focus my attention on tasks, and didn't realize I could have ADHD until my kids were diagnosed with it. I was reluctant to take any medication at first, but after talking with my therapist and my psychiatrist, I decided to give it a try. This was a game changer for me. I'm on a lower dose (27mg), but it has made a huge difference in my life. For the first time in my life, I don't have a hundred thoughts running through my brain at once and I can focus. I had no idea what it was like to have a quiet, focused brain until I started taking this medication. Tasks that use to take me hours now take half the time and I can plan and organize my life which I was never able to do before.

extended-release works great for narcolepsy but takes about an hour and a half to really kick in, plus if you fall asleep before that, in my experience, it cancels out the drug for me and I'm able to keep sleeping throughout the day.

My son is 9 years old and has been taking Concentra for 3 weeks. Before I say anything, understand both my ex-husband and I were very reluctant to have our son take any medication for his ADHD, seeing as he had a mild case of it. For years (5 years) his teachers have suggested it ... their arguments were; he's not focused, he is compulsive at times, distracts other students, very chatty, and has a hard time completing classwork/tests. He has always brought home passing marks, however, we noticed his grades going down slowly slowly as the years went by. Despite our efforts to hire tutors, join after school sports (martial arts), supplements, and put him on an I.E.P. in school (individualized education plan), nothing was helping. So here we are - our last resort. Let me tell you, what a difference. After just 3 days, his teachers noticed a difference in our son. After 1 week, I received emails from 2 of his teachers (French, English) expressing how amazed they were with our sons concentration level, enthusiasm, and completed class assignments. I obviously needed to see it for myself, so we decided to tackle some homework over the weekend, and Oh My God, I had to pinch myself. He was so organized, focused, and determined to complete his work all on his own. I was blown away. So, my son takes his medication at 7am every morning. It usually takes affect in 30 minutes, and lasts till 4pm. Once it wears off he's back to his usual self, which is a relief for me, because I love my son just the way he is. We only agreed to have him take Concentra to improve his academics in school. It's working! There were no major side effects, only a headache and tummy ache on the first day. Nothing else since. Over the summer we agreed to have him stop taking Concentra, and then start again 1 week before school. I hope this review has helped you. Good luck and I wish you the same success.

I wasn't diagnosed until later in life and now I can't help but wonder what my life would have been like had I had this medication earlier. I see all of the things that I would or should have done while I was young. This medication would have probably helped in so many ways. It would have help me come out of my shell. I think I missed out on so much because I put everything off till the last minute and then rushed thru it and did a half-assed job and didn't want to give oral presentations. Anyway I would rather take a bad grade than talk to the class. I think this medication would have made a difference. I have only been taking it for just over 2 1/2 years. I started at 18 mgs. and am now up to 36 mgs. twice a day with no side effects. Although I think I'm starting to buildup a tolerance to it so I might have to talk to my Dr. about my dose being increased. I have also found that the generic brands don't work nearly as well as the name brand. There is about a 3 hour difference in the effective time that it works.

WebMD asks for a brief description, but the reviews are rampant with simplicity. So, I'll specify. I was diagnosed at 26 and started at 18mg XR. I went to 27mg, 36mg, then 52mg. It's the only medication I'm on. 36mg has been wonderful for my life. 54mg was god awful. Know what dosage is right for you. Do NOT go above it once you're aware of it. Know your limits. Before I get into it, a side note: Be careful of other reviews. It's ill-advised to read reviews by caregivers and people who are underage. Caregivers do not speak from personal experience, just from what they see. Minors generally lack the maturity to form nuanced opinions. This is not to be holier-than-thou, simply a statement on getting an in-depth, well informed opinion. Yes, opinion. This medication generally treats people differently while providing similar effects. What you read can be wildly different than what you expect. The internet seems to only work in extremes. Take what I say and what others have to say as what it is; their personal experience. Back to the review. I have been diagnosed with ADHD, inattentive type. During the pre-screening, questionnaires, etc., I have gotten a 11/12 on likelihood and 5/6 on severity by a Nurse Practitioner. Concerta Extended Release is quite nice. While getting the medication into my system, I noticed it made me irritable. Furthermore, it had me fixating on one specific thing. I lost of time easily, and days had become weeks. I got a spark of hope, my hobbies were so much more fun. I was alive, animated. I felt for the first time I had passion. My memorization was becoming superb in comparison to how it was. I was able to remember numbers, dates and times, came home with so many less "magically appearing" bruises from work from not bumping into things after looking for the thing I forgot I placed somewhere. At 36mg, it feels like it's a little behind perfect. I would consider it good enough. I've had little to no negative side effects, but the ones I had were slightly minor. I was very easily distracted, I had difficulty socializing and had no interest in talking to people. My creativity was at an all-time high, yet I didn't care to express it to others. It was a great fit for my expectations on how I want to live my life. Productive, yet reclusive. I was then told I could try 54mg, and knowing that this is largely experimentation/trial and error to a minor extent, I opted in. 54mg was horrid. Absolutely awful. I was on it for roughly a week, and every single one of those days I was worried I would die. Sitting was exhausting. Living was a Herculean task. Breathing was painful; a deep breath would feel like I had sewing needles flowing through my blood, under my skin. I was partly zombified, unable to keep up as the feeling of having heart failure ran its risk each day. There was also this odd sensation of feeling like there was an impressive amount of pressure inside my skull, and especially behind my eyes. My vision was constantly fuzzy, Concerta XR is great. No, honestly, it is. You just need to know when too much is exactly that; too much. My NP has put forward Vyvanse XR, which I agreed to try instead due to Concerta XR being the way that it was: 36mg was just noticeably not enough, 54mg was going to kill me. If it doesn't work out, I'll gladly go back to being prescribed to 36mg of Concerta XR. Perfection is the enemy of good, yes, but finding what works best for you takes time. It's a tedious path to walk, but one you have to walk nonetheless.

This is the only drug approved by my provincial health plan, but when I take it, I am awake all night for nights on end, and it makes me unbelievably "jittery". I cannot sleep through the day. I have to jump through hoops EVERY time I apply for assistance and I have to change meds so I can prove this is not for me. It's not the least expensive medication on the list, but it's the only one that's approved without a hassle, and I just can't take it.

This medication along with ADHD diagnosis changed my life for the better. Unfortunately due to the combo of it being a restricted drug and forgetting to make monthly appointments for refills (thanks ADHD!) I don't always have steady access to the medication. Which is incredibly frustrating since I struggle at work without it.

I have taken Concerta before and had to go off it because I lost my appetite, but now that I'm back on it I see it was more my fault than the drug's. It helped me so much with my ADHD. I don't experience withdrawal effects, but it is a pain when I can't find the medication in any pharmacy and I'm unfocused for some time. The first day of taking it after a break is always a bit uncomfortable (I get nausea) but it gets better soon if you take it every day. My advice is to eat a big breakfast before you take it and not miss any doses if you can avoid it - if you take it on and off you may have trouble eating. Overall, it's a huge help, especially for students like myself. I remember reading reviews right after I got my diagnosis as an adult, so if that's your situation, try it! You won't believe what you can do with a little help :) It's made it possible for me to stop seeing my ADHD as my enemy.

I am 22 years old and I have ADHD.Although I do benefit from concerta the side effects that I do experience is unexplainable.If I do not take it I experience extreme fatigue,hunger,irritability and mood swings.

I was recently placed on 18mg of concerta to help with controlling the symptoms of my ADD. I had to have the dosage increased to 54mg to fully notice the changes. My focus has increased, my ability to remember what I've read and heard has increased, my attention to detail has improved. Overall, my impression of this drug is positive, at least in my case. The only thing negative I have to say about the drug is that it causes a bit of bruxism and xerostomia with me. I have to drink water throughout the day, use moisturizing mouth sprays and chew sugar-free gum. For me, the positives of this drug outweigh the negatives.