Caffeine affects Concerta? | ADHD Information

Well I sure hope it is ok to take these two together. I haven't heard
that
but I think I will look into it. Maybe start another thread on that to see
what
others have to say?

Well today I kind of feel like I am walking around with a brick on my head.
More specifically, it is like my forehead is really heavy. Honestly
that is exactly what it feels like. I have a lead forehead. *sigh* And I am
still feeling kind of depressed.

It kind of sucks, trying out different meds. Because you have to deal with
side effects, sometimes long waits to find out how it affects you, and the
worst part for me is that I am analyzing every darn feeling I get now. Then
I remember that of course I will still feel sad sometimes, or frustrated, or
angry. Those are normal feelings. But when you are trying to figure out a
medecine's effect, you keep thinking everything must have to do with the
meds.

And yes, krazy, my hormones totally trumped the wellbutrin last month.
Last night I saw a show on discovery health I think about the effects of
food. Apparently calcium rich foods and oily fish each day can greatly
reduce pms symptoms. I thought that was interesting since fish oils can
also improve adhd symptoms. Perhaps kill two birds with one stone. I've been doing the Wellbutrin/Concerta thing the same as gridley. First Wellbutrin to stabilize my mood and, according to the doc, help the ADHD. It didn't do the latter, so he added Concerta, just like gridley's doc. I asked specifically if it was ok (and even necessary) to take both and he was pretty adamant that I continue. I tried to talk him out of the Wellbutrin last visit and again, he wanted me to stay on.  It actually seems to be a common combination, though, like I keep saying, I'd like to just cut down to one thing. The original doc had me on klonopin until we knew what was wrong (.5mg at night). I was taking that along with the other two, again, ok'd by the doc and the pharmacist, but I stopped taking those last month. I don't need anything else to slow me down and klonopin did, even in that really small dose.  I have a feeling, though, that if you have high blood pressure or other issues, they wouldn't prescribe both as they are both stimulants (honestly, though, I'm not seeing the stimulation with either, and I think Wellbutrin is the culprit for slowing me down the most). I have normal to low BP, so I guess there's no worry there.

I read about the fish oil thing, and I do like tuna. I can't have carbs (which bummed me out more than any of this...I don't eat meat and I don't dig most veggies so carbs were my life).  I can eat tuna on cardboard bread (only 5 grams of carbs, 50 calories but you kind of need to toast it).  That's about all I eat now along with the 45 calorie yogurts with no sugar (this was the only bad thing they found after all the bloodwork). So, I'm not really eating.  I'm sure this is bad, but I don't have any understanding of moderation. It's all or nothing for me, though I'm sure bad nutrition wreaks havoc on the body as well as the mind.  I keep meaning to by vitamins and read a whole thing in another thread about amino acids.  I'm going to make a point of hitting GNC Thursday and seeing what supplements I can pick up along those lines.  I honestly think I am mostly irritable because of the diet changes that I wasn't expecting. And the doc wants me to stop smoking on top of all that. Geeze, I think he just wants to keep me as a patient forever.

That heavy head feeling is something I experienced, too, around peak time. I honestly think it's the Wellbutrin. I went into the bathroom where it's quiet and noticed my ears were ringing.  Check that out...go somewhere really quite and see if you have that, too. Tinnitus is a side effect of Wellbutrin, though the doc chalked mine up to a wicked cold I had. He said that I probably would have had that from the start, but I didn't; it came later. It's a hit or miss thing, but I'm fairly confident it's the Wellbutrin (can you tell I really don't want to have to take it anymore?). When do you see the doc again, BTW? While it's not fun to have to adjust things, it's kind of necessary and if you aren't feeling the love in a few days, and you don't go back for a bit, I'd call.
I'm hoping for six inches taller, myself and have taken to wearing some serious heels which makes people say, "wow, you look really good, too! I can't figure out what it is but keep it up."

I get what you mean about wanting to feel energized and focused, but like you said, I guess this stuff is supposed to mellow us out.  I'm having issues with mellow, see, so that's what's hard to grasp.  I think depending on how ADHD you are, your body and mind kind of revolt against anything else. I'm cool in the beginning of the day, it peaks say 1ish (no matter how late I take it) and then I kind of work my way back up to normal. I should also mention that I'm at the end of my period which has a real effect on the medication. The hormones seem to override the drugs and the unfocused, cranky me rears its ugly head.  It starts about a week and a half before and I get better after it comes.  At any rate, that feeling wore off yesterday afternoon, and by night I had all my normal energy back. I tend to be more awake at night anyhow.

I keep thinking that when we raise the level, that early-in-the day focus will last longer, and so will my patience and ability to not say stupid things.  I'm still paying for dumb things I said after 5pm last week. Irritability, though, might come from the Concerta, itself. Other people have switched from it (or other meds) to something else because it caused irritability.  I don't have that problem...I'm only irritable when it wears off and I'm doing everything BUT what I need to do (like make dinner...why do they need to eat?) which gets other people cranky, and so on.  I only work three days (not bad for full-time) so people around here feel I should have plenty of time to play Martha Stewart.  Forget that I am the antithesis of Ms. Stewart in all respects...I need something to help me focus on getting that horrible cleaning stuff out of the way, quickly, so I can enjoy myself and not get in trouble for doing so. It worked over the weekend but no one was home to distract me.  My thoughts are that a higher dose (or a booster that I will never remember to take) will smooth out the rough edges producing a more efficient (I almost gagged on that), very happy, much taller me   Let me know what happens when you get the dose raised...I don't find out until 10/5 and I don't want to call him about it ahead of time. I'm curious to know if you get that focus and energy.

I thought Wellbutrin and Concerta weren't to be taken together? at least that is what I understood from the conversation with my pdoc just 2 hours ago.

What were the factors in the decision that you take both meds? 

 

Hey, gridley, I was going to post this in the other thread in response but here's good!

I had asked the doc about coffee first with the Wellbutrin and then when he prescribed Concerta. He didn't seem concerned but again, I don't know if he understands just how much I drink (like I've mentioned, my own in the morning, stop at DD for an extra large with a shot of espresso, and then the same at 6pm when I go back in to teach...and sometimes someone brings me one in the middle of the day). Normally, caffeine has no effect on me (I'm just finishing one and will go to bed after this post) but if I really cut it too low, I get a headache. Now it doesn't seem to have diminished what the meds do, in that I never get hyper, but as we both noticed, it seems to wear off around 5ish. I'm not as bad as I was before the meds, but I'm not as good as I was earlier in the day.  I'll try easing up on the coffee tomorrow and see if I notice a difference, but I suspect that I probably need a higher dose of Concerta. What dose are you taking?  The doc said that 36mg was pretty low but I didn't want to go up any higher just yet, so I was planning on waiting until the next visit to tell him he was probably right. He had wanted to raise me right away (18mg day one, 36mg the next 6 days and then 54mg thereafter). It took me a little longer than you to see that the effects weren't as lasting...probably about a month, and like I said the first half of the day I'm fine.  Now you DID give up smoking...are you sure you aren't starting to feel it I just had to put that in because I'm jealous.  But beyond maybe needing a higher dose, that could be a part of it. Anyhow, I'll let you know what lack of coffee does for me (hopefully everyone around me survives!).
Today was better without the caffeine. I think when I go back after 4 weeks I
will try something else, or try increasing my concerta (i am on 36). Just
because it is so hard to tell! If it is that hard to tell, maybe it is not working
that well.

What I want is to feel incredibly energized and focused, have amazing
organization skills, be the life of the party and the envy of all stay at home
moms because I just "always have it all together" oh and also, I wouldn't
mind being maybe 2 inches taller and I kind of want a front loading washer
too.

*sigh* I love La La Land. You know, I have to say I am wondering if I do need a higher dose or a
different med. This is day 4. Yesterday was kind of bad. Today I wasn't all
agitated but I was not in a good mood. I kept hiding on the computer all day
and could not get motivated at all. I hate when I do that. I don't know if that
has anything to do with ADD though. But I am not very happy today.
Any thoughts? I am on Wellbutrin and just started Concerta 3 days ago. The first 2 days
were great, but for odd reasons I didn't have normal caffeine intake either of
those days.

Today I had several cups of coffee in the morning, and really, the Concerta
just did not work at all. I was irritated and kind of frantic all day, like I used
to be. I am hoping this is the caffeine, because I can cut that out pretty
easily.

Anyone have this happen?One should not use caffiene when taking stims.

Since caffeine works on some of the brain receptors it can either interfere with or enhance the effects of ADHD meds. The use of caffeine will also complicate finding the best med dose for you.

If you find that the concerta dose has quit working (without the caffeine) call the doc and see if you can increase the dose. The normal way to find the effective dose is to tritrate up until you get maximum effectiveness that stays, with minimum side effects. During this time it is normal to get some effect and have it fade. This will not happen once you are at the proper dose.