Concerta Question?? | ADHD Information
I also think that is a really high dose. I am a 26 yr old 160 lb man and my doc maxed me out at 54mg. I have never taken any more than that but don't see how it would benefit me if I did.
My dr. also ramped me up to a full dose. It took me 2 weeks to a month to adjust to the meds. I was grumpy as hell and had some really bad bouts of depression. I can't imagine a child taking that much so fast. Also, keep in mind that there is an adjustment period with these meds. Alot of the physicall and mental side effects will go away after a couple of weeks. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to stop taking my meds because of the way that I felt. I still have my bad days 3 months later.
Hang in there, it is a tough adjustment but it will get better. At least that is what i tell myself to get through it.
My son is 7 and my daugher is 8 and both take 18 mg a day....works like a charm. Especially notice a difference in school work, it is neater, done quickly, no fighting over it. The only problem we have is, trouble falling asleep.
I agree with the other posts maybe see what doc says about starting lower, you can always go back up if needed. Good luck
That is a high dose to start and he wants you to add another pill too? My son was started on 18mg when he was 10 years old and that dose was more than adequate for a 95 pound kid. Concerta is a 10-12 hour pill why in the world would she need a 2nd dose when she's taking 32mg? I would seriously question the doctor on this.
Just my 2 cents. Concerta works well. We had some problem with headaches though. He tends to get headaches anyway.
My son's neurologist suggested that the dose of a stimulant shouldn't exceed half of their weight. So for example my son weighs about 60 pounds so I will probably not go above the 27 mg. dose of Concerta right now. We recently increased the dosage from 18 to 27 and I think he's a lot better, but he does get quite irritable sometimes. But it may happen more often in the morning and in the evening when the medication has worn off. He plays for longer periods of time now all by himself. My husband is concerned and thinks that he's becoming a loner. I just think that this is more his real personality and that what we were seeing before was not really him. It is so hard to know! What behaviors are due to the ADHD, to the meds, or to just being a 7-year-old boy?
Your not being a crazy parent and your concerns are very normal. The role of medication is allow the child to focus in on the world around them thus allowing them to meet their full potential in and out of school. Because Adhd'ers are highly distractible, act out on impulse and don't pick up on social cues, the problems they encounter affect every area of life. These problems affect their ability to learn, follow rules and adapt in social setting. While the child appears to be an out going, fun loving child, the child is actually acting on impulse (acting before thinking) and dont see the consequences ahead of them. When medication is effective, the child then has the ability to make a choice instead of just throwing caution to the wind. The child starts to follow rules because now they have to ability to see the consequences of a wrong choice. The medication shouldn't change the child but rather change their response to the world around them.
Its wonderful to hear that your son is doing so much better but keep an open dialogue with your child's doc, report your observations and remember to ask questions as the only stupid question is one that isnt asked.The medication may still have to be tweaked but that has to be determined based on what you observe. Try writing down all your questions you feel your need to ask your childs doctor as in my own personal experience, I was so caught up in the emotional piece of all of this that half the time I forgot my own name
Finding the right med, the target dose and the right interventions not only gives the child quality of life but also the entire family unit. Good luck and keep us posted
My DD is also 7 and she is on Concerta 18 mg per day, what she started at. She is so much better. She still gets in trouble sometimes at school, but she does her schoolwork and she doesn't have any side effects that I have seen. (knocking on wood).
I think maybe he is too high? Or maybe he needs a different med altogether. That is one bad thing about Concerta. You can't split it or crush it. And they are very expensive.
I really appriciate all your comments and suggestions. I stuck it out again today with my son on the one pill of Concerta @ 36mg. He did 100% better today...thank the Lord. I was well pleased. I am still confused as to why a doctor would start him off so high and I have all intentions on asking her about this on Monday. In the mean time the only complaint I had about today was that he was too perfect. I know this sounds crazy but I missed his outgoing personality with a smiling face. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't frowning... but more like a well-mannered little man (even correcting his Father when he didn't use his manners). This behavior I am totally not used to. Does this sound normal? Am I being crazy as a parent?
All of this is so new to me. I was one of those parents who had no idea about ADD or ADHD. I was the first to say that child just needed a spanking or some good parenting. Then it was my child and no matter what I did, no matter what kind of discipline used....none of it ever worked. I just keep praying for all the right answers and directions with the road to a better life for my child and my family.
Thanks All!
Sarahb38788.7553240741Sarah, it really sounds as if the dose is too high. I'd ask to start with 18 mg and work up. If the doc doesn't agree, find another doc.
Thank you jfla2
my ds used concerta for a couple of years. He is especially sensitive to methylphenidate. Ds did get moody at times on concerta. A bit too high and he may have been a bit irritable, higher then he felt like there was sand in his hair or fingernails, too high would cause lethargy which is a common overdose symptom for those dxed with ADHD. He did take concerta twice a day, because one just didn't last from early morning until after school and getting homework done. The methylphenidate shouldn't have a cumulative effect in the body, but I think it would be a good idea to discuss your son's symptoms with the doctor before proceeding.hey, I just remembered that crying is a symptom of overdose with concerta. That happened to my ds when I refilled a prescription. It also happened once, when I gave him two 18mg pills instead of one 36mg. pill. I called the makers of concerta and they could not figure out why that would happen. He was on 36mg twice a day during middle school.
I don't like the idea of starting newly diagnosed kids on a long acting med like concerta, because if the dose is too high then it ruins the entire day and they feel crummy and makes parents like me go crazy with worry. i prefered the short acting ritalin so that you could see in a short time what worked and what didn't. and it is easy to adjust...maybe later moving to a long acting med at similar effective dose.
call your doc! and Good luck. Let me know what happens.
jfla238787.905787037
Welcome Sarahb...my ds originally started on short acting ritalin . However all stimulant medications should start at the lowest dose first. The goal is maximum benenfit, minimal side effects at the lowest dose possible. The response is all individual and stimulant meds are not age and weight dependant, unlike straterra which is a non stimulant.
The dose your son is taking could actually be too high and that indeed can trigger the side effects you are observing right now. When my son first started a trial of ritalin, we started to increase the dose as the lower doses didn't seem to be effective but then the doc increased it too high and he started exhibiting the same symptoms your son is right now My son is 19 now and currently taking concerta and at 18 mil, we see maximum benefit but everyone responds differently. Age doesn't factor into determining the right dose but rather how well the individual responds and it varies from person to person. Sometimes the onset of puberty might require a dose change but that's due to hormonal changes.
I agree with jfla2 in that maybe you should start off with short acting ritalin. Contact your doctor and discuss your observations and concerns and dont be shy about asking questions. The more we learn, the better we understand and the less we fear. Good luck and keep us posted.
My 7 year old son was recently diagnosed with ADHD. The doctor started him on Concerta 36MG once a day and in a couple of days wants me to go to two a day (72mg). This sounds really high for a 7 year old. My biggest question is, has anyone had a side affect of being really moody with this drug? His first day with this drug was today and he was extremely cross with everyone. He cried about everything and frowned all day long. He seemed worse then usual rather than better. How long does it take to see any changes once medicine is started? Is it normal for a child to undergo mood changes when first started a drug therapy? Please someone shed some light on my situation. 
I am so lost on what to do next. HELP!
[QUOTE=Sarahb]Itoo perfect. I know this sounds crazy but I missed his outgoing personality with a smiling face. Don't get me wrong, he wasn't frowning... but more like a well-mannered little man (even correcting his Father when he didn't use his manners). This behavior I am totally not used to. Does this sound normal? Am I being crazy as a parent?
Thanks All!
[/QUOTE]
Hey, I wanted to add something here. While I agree with all the other posts,( he should have been started on a lower dose and titrate up if needed, and only if needed.)
I wanted to tell you that during the time that the body adjusts, we seem VERRYY calm! When I started concerta, my neice commented that my personality was too calm, that she missed the hyper bouncy aunt sherry she has come to love.
Well, she saw me 3 weeks later and I was my same self, hyper silly bouncy, but still on the same medication. I think our bodies need to get used to the extra focus, then we kind've loosen up and get the "sparkle" that we had before.
I have noticed the same things in my ADHD students, when they first go on meds, they are so quiet, almost abnormally so. Then their personality starts to shine through after about 2 weeks.
But please do reduce the meds if dr. will allow it, you can always go back up if needed, but I think we need more time to adjust to the lower doses.
Sherry
Mommy Sarah,
My 9 years old son started Concerta last October (18 mg) and we saw postive changes, especially at school, within the first two days. Concerta is a 12 hour time release med, so the question I would ask the doctor is: Can the same results be achieved with 18 mg, versus 36mg??? If so, lets start there, and adjust acordingly.
I have an 8 year old son who's on concerta xl (36mg) and he was a moody at first but after a few days he was o.k but i say 72mg is way too much for a 7 year old because i took my son to the hospital last week and they told me they told me there was no way they would up his medication anymore cause he was too and that was an 8 year old.
pauline
Ajsmommy-
My son is 17and has been on methylphenidate for the last ten years (Ritalin, tried Ritalin SR, tried Metadate, Concerta and Ritalin LA) He is exceptionally sensitive to small changes in dosage. A 1 mg change is apparent in his degree of focus of attention mood and sociability. When the dose is too high, then he becomes less social and mood is more serious and become irritable. As I posted earlier, a higher dose causes him to be tired and lethargic or sleepy. So over the years I have fine tuned his meds so that I find a point where he can focus and maintain the light in his personality. Hope that helps.
but i dont think a 7 year old boy is 158 pounds
but if he is overdosed you wil see that almost emediatly
when i was (and that was about when i was seven but i only got 32mg ritalin) i got emotional, tired and didn't want to eat much
i hope you get this sorted becous (like i said) this is not good
The target dose and right medication for patients starting stimulant medications are not age, height or weight dependant unlike Straterra which is a non stimulant and a blood level medication. The response is all individual. The protocal for stimulant meds is starting at the lowest dose and increasing it by 5 or 10 mil depending on clinical response. Below is the protocal for stimulant medications:
In general, whichever stimulant medication is started, you begin at a low dose and work your way up. Unlike most other medications, stimulants are not 'weight dependent,' so a 6 year old and 12 year old might be one the same dosage, or the younger child might need a higher dosage. Because there are no standard dosages based on a child's weight, stimulants are usually started at a low dosage and gradually increased to find a child's best dose, which 'is the one that leads to optimal effects with minimal side effects.'
Whoa is that high and fast for a 7 year old to start and move up to! (IMHO, of course.)I am 42 and was started at 18 mg concerta. My 14 yr old niece was started at 18 mg and worked up SLOWLY over a few months to 72mg. The Doc said 72mg was as high as she could go and she probably weighs about 125! I'm kinda suprised he didn't start him at 18mg. I take 36mg and may move up next month to 54mg if the doc says it is O.K.
The first few days I took the Concerta 18, I felt o.k. Slight headache. When I moved to 36mg, for one day I had a slight headache. Now I feel great!
I am new to this board and wanted to share my story re: meds. My son has been on ADHD meds since he was 6. He will be 9 in June. He started on Strattera but we switched him off that approx. 1 yr ago, as he complained constantly of a metallic taste, and he'd cry every time we'd give his meds. We switched to Concerta, he was on 18mg for quite some time and only recently (w/in 6-8 months) went to 27mg. He was starting to have more frequent school problems so I had his meds raised to 36mg. This was 2 weeks ago. My son turned into someone I didn't know, he wasn't the loveable kind person I once knew, he was withdrawn, wouldn't allow people to be affectionate towards him, which is very out of character. He would do something completely off the wall..for example, he was suspended from the music program at his school, which means he will miss the next 2 music classes and not be able to be in the spring musical w/the other 3rd graders. Two days after I receive this news, I work a MomtoMom sale at school, and he goes into the music room, and dribbles orange juice all over the floor!!!!
Of course I jump and get it cleaned up ASAP so nobody notices, but of course another 3rd grader saw and ran to the principal.....This is not my kid, he'd never do these things...it's like he had no control over himself. I gave him his meds yesterday, refrained from it today and will put him on 27mg again tomorrow as I have some left from before we raised it....anyone else have problems with an upped dose????