CONCERTA & PERSONALITY?

I just wondered what you guys thought, my son, 12 yrs old, has been on concerta for the past 5 years and doing well, except for social. I believe it may make him withdrawn as well. I have always thought that it was the med slowing down him impulsive and hyperness, and just accepted it. But now I wonder.

My son is severely adhd, that is what the evaluting pediatric neuropsych said. He is very hyper and impulsive. With his concerta, he is great in school, teachers love him, but he isn't interested in social. He hangs with kids at school, he doesn't want to be alone, BUT there is nothing outside of school, except when he plays sports and even there he isn't looking to hang with anyone. I wonder if it shouldn't be like this and that another med would address his adhd symptoms and allow his personality to shine through?

Any thoughts from ALL would be greatly appreciated!!

Thank you in advance!!

Do you see his personality coming through when he's with other kids while playing sports or doing school activities? If it is, it wouldn't seem Concerta is affecting his personality.

Some kids need more downtime than others. Maybe going to school and then doing sports or other after-school activities is enough for him? If he's spending a lot of time with other kids through an after-school program or sports, then he is getting social time with them in that way.

I do NOT see his personality come through at football. He stays to himself pretty much. There are those over there, not medicated running a muck, AND the coach notices it. He wants to play, but he also needs a social life. I am really starting to think that the meds are making him withdrawn all these years, but I am not sure!

He has done well in all other areas, but social is still hard. He is a true adhd'er with the lagging behind in areas such as social and maturity.

It really bothers me and my mom asked if I thought he was autistic, but she isn't very educated on adhd, sensory integration, or autism.

I guess I don't even know if I should be concerned. He isn't complaining, but he seems to have no friends. He hangs in school, was extremely bullied in elementary school, but loves middle school ( second year). he is a homebody, and happy - great grades. No other complaints except for the social.

I am wondering if I should try another med??

My oldest - almost 15 and a freshman in high school non ADHD but I sometimes wonder- is very similar. While she was social in the school setting with her classmates - she never had much interest in socializing with them after school. Part of it is her personality and part of it is she has interests that are totally different than everyone else in her class. She is a major equestrian and she has a hard time relating to those that don't share her interest.   She had no interest in Facebook, cell phones or any of the usual teen stuff.   At the barn, she has no issues at all interacting with those there.

I have noticed a huge difference in her in the 2 weeks she's been in high school. She's making more friends, actually texting a few people (ok, I bet others would wish their kids would get off the phone - I'm thrilled she's on it!), embraced Facebook and is trying new things.   It's really cool.

My youngest is in 7th grade (13 in January & my ADHD kid) and is also similar. She is a major homebody.   She hardly had any contact with her friends this summer and it was a challenge to get her to do anything this summer. With school back in session, she is at least being social at school and on the soccer field.   She's pulled back out her phone and is sort of getting back in the social scene.

I sometimes worry about both my girls, but if they are happy and have a couple of friends, I try not to worry about it too much.   I see myself in both of my kids, I am still not one that is comfortable in the social scene but have my close friends.

I guess the long and short of what I am saying is that it could change over time has he matures and if he is happy, but then maybe it's ok.

Thank you HorseMom!! I feel better having someone respond who is living a similar life.

I too see ME in my son, not his father. I was a late bloomer as well. I know I was immature for my age.

I am a fall birthday. I would have been held back a year due to this where we live. My son is the end of June. He is the YOUNGEST in his class!! Parents wait for summer babies to start school. Due to this, my son is in school having just turned 12 with boys ALREAY 13. HUGE social difference.

I believe you answered my question. I was beginning to think maybe it is the meds, but it is my son! HE is happy and doing what he wants to do.

Thank you for responding.

Bethann-as you know my son has also been on Concerta now 54mg, and is still behind socially. he has his set of friends at school who he sometimes hangs out with at home, and he has a set of friends at home he hangs out with. Rarely do the 2 meet. he is on the outside at parties and social events alot of the time unless he is good friends with someone else. I have found that the Concerta does not affect this one way or the other. they are just immature for they're ages. I wouldnt worry so much with the Concerta, my boy now 11 did have NO PERSONALITY ON FOCALIN. Like a zombie he was. then we finally found the Concerta and he is soo much better. he does socialize just in his own way.

Thank you spamula! I really appreciate all the feedback I am receiving so far.

I am starting to second guess my sons meds when in reality it is his real personality!!

I just don't want anything getting in the way of him being the best he can be!!

Thank you and regards

My dd is also on Concerta and I see some of the same things in her too. She doesn't have a lot of friends but she is happy. She does enjoy being by herself and is content. My dh is very much like that and he does not have ADHD. I have found she only likes to play with one or two people at a time and likes to play indoors mostly but I make her go outside too. I use to think too that the meds made her withdrawn but I really think she would be that way without medicine too. I think some ADHD children just have a hard time socially and our comfortable being by themselves. She always tells me that she is happy and she likes the way the medicine makes her feel.

[QUOTE=BETHANN]My son is the end of June. He is the YOUNGEST in his class!! Parents wait for summer babies to start school. Due to this, my son is in school having just turned 12 with boys ALREAY 13. HUGE social difference.[/QUOTE]

The difference in maturity level is huge at this age. In my oldest daughters previous class (she was at a K-8 Catholic school before high school), it was very obvious which kids the parents had them wait a year vs. being the younger side of the class. Tossing ADHD in the mix makes the difference even bigger with them lagging behind in maturity.

bethann,
my son was on concerta for years and i saw similar serious, quiet more withdrawn symptoms as well. it was also suggested to me that perhaps that was his real personality. the disadvantage with concerta is that one cannot fine tune and adjust the dose to the individual. When Ritalin LA came out we switched to that and i could fine tune it to eliminate those symptoms. RitLA also had a smoother effect and my son liked it better too. He has been on the LA for about six years now and is very happy with it.

jfla2,

Thank you for your response. Tell me, how old is your son now? How long does it take to find the "just right doseage"? I hate to start the dosage game again since he is in middle school where there is such peer pressure and football is going well. BUT I know I should do something.

My son is happy. I even asked him about it. He tells me he is shy. I think that may even be from being bullied and he just doesn't socialize after school due to it OR he is just happy being home playing video games and being on the computer. He does NOT instant message or AIM so he is safe from that stuff. He also isn't on face book, twitter, etc. Just the computer reading and playing games.

I am going to ask about Ritalin LA @ next month's appointment. Tell me is it time released? Any side effects, how is the rebound, etc - all the usual questions!!

thank you so much jfla2!!

My daughter used Ritalin LA for about a year. It worked well, but just not long enough. We needed to add a booster in the afternoon. We switched to Concerta.

We still use Ritalin LA from time to time when she gets up REALLY late and we don't need the coverage from Concerta. She seems about the same on either one - maybe a little more mellow on the LA as it is a slightly higher dosage than her Concerta. (The dosages don't match up perfect.)
Bethann- Concerta is Ritalin just in different release that the long acting Ritalin LA. Some kids do better on the other shorther acting doses of Ritalin but usually need a bump or 2 to get them through the day of short acting Ritalin.... I wish you well and your son and hope you can get this all figured out soon. We have no personality problems on any of the Ritalin products except for Focalin, it made him a zombie at the lowest dose. NO MORE FOCALIN! spamula40076.3149768518

Hi Bethann,

Sorry these answers are a bit brief... I need to run out the door, but I'll be back!

how old is your son now?

almost 21

How long does it take to find the "just right doseage"?

I will answer this in detail in my next post.

I hate to start the dosage game again since he is in middle school where there is such peer pressure and football is going well.

It is easier to make changes in medication during weekends & holidays etc. Since middle school can be pretty demanding. concerta and ritLA are both methylphenidate, so it might be okay to try ritLA on the weekends to find the right dosage. The doctor can figure out the equivalence and then based on your observations it can be fine tuned.

BUT I know I should do something.

My son is happy. I even asked him about it.

I used to do the same thing. and got the same answer too!

He tells me he is shy. I think that may even be from being bullied and he just doesn't socialize after school due to it OR he is just happy being home playing video games and being on the computer

. He does NOT instant message or AIM so he is safe from that stuff. He also isn't on face book, twitter, etc. Just the computer reading and playing games.

some of the apparent shyness can be typical of middle school, also the verbal/social bantering in teenagers is very fast; body language and facial expressions fleeting, so it can be difficult for some adhders to keep up, attend and respond appropriately and quickly. At least this is my observation after working in middle schools and high schools, working with students and watching my son. he was always on the perimeter/outskirts socially. he was nice enough, but a bit too quiet and slow to respond for the others to really know what he was like. at friends houses, he would lose interest when boys would gather to play video games, he'd get bored waiting for his turn and then wasn't a good player because we didn't have video games at home.just computer games. so he ended up doing the same as your son. It was fun though when the neighborhood boys used to gather in our house to play strategy board games (more social than computer or video).

Tell me is it time released?

yes. half is immediately released and half released four hours later

Any side effects,

same as all methylphenidate

how is the rebound

much reduced rebound since the drop off is a very gradual slope. Very smooth effect.

be back soon!

oh yeah. my son is adhd combined, LD in rdg & lang., gifted, dysgraphic. A junior, double majoring in math(honors) & physics at a small liberal arts college
jfla240077.4878472222Thank you for your reply jfla2. I ask my self these questions all the time. I am glad you gave such a response to BETHANN. Just wantd to say thanks. My boy is 11, just started middleschool and I wonder Why not the Ritalin LA and a booster instead? we are still on Concerta with not much problem at this time. Ritalin has been successful for many years.

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