Help with a Concerta issue | ADHD Information

Hi, all. I'm new and I figured someone here would have a suggestion or two.  I have been taking 36mg/day of Concerta for about 4 weeks this Sunday.  When I went to fill the scrip, I found out that it's a controlled substance with massively tight restrictions on filling it.  I actually had to go to my doctor, get the scrip, only to find out that I can't actually fill it until Sunday because of the date on the last fill. I am going away, and figured I would fill it, and the Wellbutrin now.  The pharmacist explains that it's the most commonly abused drug, etc. etc.  So I asked him what would happen if I just decided to stop and he tells me I'd have some withdrawal symptoms. I said in that case, I didn't think I should be taking the drug.

I should mention that a few months ago, I became suddenly very, very depressed. I thought it was a thyroid condition, but after all the tests, it wasn't (everyone on both sides of my family has it but me...go figure, I must be adopted :o) ) So the doctor sends me to a shrink, thinking I may have a chemical imbalance (be bipolar, in other words) like my mom, who he also treats. The shrink says I'm not bipolar after going through all those questions (if I were bipolar, I live my life at the high end), but tells me I'm completely ADHD, and the depression is probably a stress thing because of work/family/everything else.  I explain that I've lived my life that way (bouncy, happy, ADD me) and that that's not the problem.  He sends me on my way with Wellbutrin saying it'll fix the depression (which it did) and maybe help the ADHD.  A month later, I go back, talking a mile a minute and feeling very much my normal self, and he cuts me off. :o)  He apologized and said if he didn't cut me off he knew he'd never get a word in.  He tells me he's now going to treat the ADHD with Concerta.  Again, I tell him I have no problem with the way I am. He can't believe that I am teaching and that my students can follow me (they all have ADD, too, and I amuse them, I think).  In the end, he talks me into it, and I've been, according to others, much better. Whatever better means :o)  The only thing I notice is that I have no appetite (this actually started with Wellbutrin) and that I really like because I'm losing weight. I'm kind of mellow, which is odd for me, and feels weird, but on the other hand, I'm losing weight like no tomorrow. But when I heard all this from the pharmacist, I began to wonder if I shouldn't just stop. I'm not addicted to the way Concerta makes me feel, physically/mentally, but I could see really liking how I never need to eat.  I don't like the hassle I got at the pharmacy and wonder, what happens if I just stop tomorrow?  It just seems like a kind of dangerous thing to keep taking.  Remember,  I don't mind having ADD/ADHD because that is, in my mind, who I am and how I am.  I kind of resent being told that the way I am is wrong.  And I really don't need to get addicted to anything else (yes, I've done drugs and I cannot for the life of me stop smoking cigarettes). 

I know this was long (imagine me telling it to you, a mile a minute...well, I guess most of you can relate to that) but I need to figure out what to do. I leave for the weekend tonight, and have to decide if I want to fill this while I'm away or stay off it a week and talk to the shrink about it next Friday when I have my next appointment.

There's two things you can do. Stop and you will be fine. Or call your insurance company and explain. This happens all the time. You will be able to fill it. Even if they only give you enough to cover vacation then you fill the rest when you get back.

Dont' however stop the Wellbutrin like that. That has to be weaned.

If you are taking as prescribed you will not become addicted.

Diane V39325.4250462963Thanks, Diane.  I haven't had to deal with filling a prescription like this and it made me start to think about the whole deal.  It really was a pain, and kind of made me feel like I was trying to get some serious drugs, and I had never thought about addiction. I'm not going to call the insurance co., since I don't have the patience for it. When I told my husband how the trip to the pharmacy went, and what my thoughts were, he said "just because being you doesn't bother you, it doesn't mean being you doesn't bother everyone else."  I'm still not sure how to take that but he brought up how my frustration/procrastination/disorganization etc. probably makes me unhappy (the depression) and I should just deal with the meds until I see the doctor. I noticed, too, that he wrote the scrip out for only 14 pills. I said to the pharmacist that maybe it meant he was going to take me off, only to have him say that, no, he might just be getting ready to change the dosage.  I always knew taking medication was going to be a problem (remembering to take it, etc.) and I give anyone credit for trying to work this out and stick to a course of action. I have no patience for stuff like this (and I think that's just me, not any kind of condition) and my answer is usually to just forget about it. I will wait til Friday and vent all over the doc...at which point he'll probably stab me with a thorazine dart!

Again, thanks.
good luck, it gets easierFirst, did the wellbutrin do nothing to help with smoking? I am down to 1
a day after only 3 weeks!! I wish it had done that for you.

Second, it made me sad to read that you are fine with who you are, but
perhaps others are not. That kinda sucks. I am on concerta as well, only 2
days so far. I see a subtle difference. Basically, things don't irritate me so
much and I know that is really nice for my husband. And nice for me too.

But if you really don't like how it changes you, I think you need to step up
and defend yourself, you know? Maybe you can look into a different med,
something that is a lighter effect, or perhaps look into fish oils. There is a
huge thread on fish oils/omegas on the alternative treatments area.

Anyways, good luck getting it figured out! I understand your feelings
though, being someone diagnosed as an adult. It really makes you think
about who you are. I have a friend who goes completely meds free and
you know what? I totally like him but I can only handle him for short
periods and everyone else says that about him. But he is happy with
himself and didn't like how meds changed him. So I think a lot of people
feel like you do. Wow, gridley, I wish the Wellbutrin would do that for me!  I guess it probably would if I let it...this whole thing kind of started when I stopped smoking. Or, it may have been a coincidence.  A few months after I stopped is when I went into a massive funk, which lead me to the doc, who eventually sent me to the psychiatrist and here we are. I saw him Friday and he said that my next project should be stopping smoking.  Doesn't he know we don't finish the projects we start, lol.  I asked if I could still do the patch and he said yes, so despite my reluctance, I'm just about ready to stop. Did you stop gradually (like I remember you were supposed to on Zyban/Wellbutin)?  I'm assuming you didn't just feel the need to not smoke but were trying (please tell me you made a conscious decision or I'm doomed ). 

I actually have accepted the medication, and can see what a pain I must have been...constantly moving, constantly speaking, and sometimes saying the wrong thing.  I did that the other night and realized that I probably need to give in and let him up the dose.  It totally wears off about 5ish, even if I don't take it until say, 10am. And even with all the coffee I drink (my own in the morning and at least 2 extra large Dunkin Donuts coffees, by which I am recognized) I still haven't felt the energy I hear other people talk about. It seems to have the opposite effect, of mellowing me out (for a little while).  My biggest realization is that no matter how much better the Concerta makes me feel, and perhaps act, it's going to take more than meds to get me cleaning the house, get organized and stop procrastinating.  I'm focusing, for sure, but only on what I want to :o)  See, it's 8pm, the meds have worn off, and I'm typing away here when I'm sure I should be doing something "normal" like laundry
About the concerta... it is SUPPOSED to mellow you out, silly! We have
too much energy and lack the ability to slow our minds to focus. I mean,
it shouldn't make you sleepy, but mellowed out is a perfect way to
describe it. And I too have the 5 o'clock wear off so far and have thought
about waiting til later to take it.

I completely hear you on the learnng to organize and clean issue. The pill
will not organize the house. Which sucks. But hopefully, my frustration
level will be lowered and I will actually be able to learn how to organize,
kwim?

I am wondering if I should cut my caffeine. I have only been on this 3
days. The first 2 I just happened to be out of routine and only had one
caffeinated beverage in the morning. I did great, felt more mellow and
focused. Today, I had many cups of coffee and honestly, I feel just like I
did before. Irritable, jittery and mildly but constantly frantic. So I am
going to work on cutting caffeine. Something to think about.

Smoking...
It was mostly the way the cigarettes tasted that made me stop. I would
say it was evenly 3 reasons: The taste, the meds just making me not think
of it so much which was very cool, and the third is that I really did want to
stop. Even though I have smoked for years and years now, I HATE
smoking! I think it is completely nasty and was ashamed I did it. I would
totally hide from the neighbors when I went out to smoke. I was petrified
my kids would see it and figure it out (I never smoked while pg). So I did
want to.

Good luck with the smoking! Keep us updated on stuff. Diane, thanks for the advice. I guess it has gotten easier and I've become a better patient (and I guess a believer in this whole ADD/ADHD thing).  I did go off the meds, saw what I was really like, and got the refill done.  People also apologized for saying I seemed better (including the doctor) and explained that they didn't really mean it like that...just meant that I seemed more my happy self and they were happy for me.  I still feel like sort of a failure for having it finally overcome me after all these years, but I see the benefit of getting help. The doctor spent more time talking to me last week because, I guess, he finally had a person he could hold a conversation with .  I explained that I was nearly sedated, which he said wasn't quite right. He thought perhaps I mistook calm for sedation (read: being normal as opposed to being hyper). In the end, he kept the dose the same. So, I'm glad I hung in there and hopefully I'll remember that along the way as things need to be changed around.

Again, many thanks.
you're welcome. It's all quite hard to absorb when it is new. I have a friend who was recently diagnosed as an adult and started Concerta. She wasnt sure it was helping her. She ran out and was seeing the doctor in a  few days for an update. The doctor told her to go with no meds until she saw her then she could let her know if it was working. She said it was amazing. She couldnt believe the difference. She has to go on it then off it again to see how bad she was not on it. When I say bad I mean scattered and unable to focus.