Concerta question---help!!! | ADHD Information
We get about 9 hours out of Concerta. We noticed more rebound/irritable behavior when her dosage was too low. She evened out when we raised it.My son was diagnosed with ADD, not hyperactive.
Started taking 18mg concerta this weekend.
Supposed to work for 12 hrs but noticing a change in behavior at 4pm (very irritable and argumentive).
Next dr appt in 4wks. Do not want to wait it out! Is that normal procedure? I was under the impression that Concerta is in and out of their system and doesn't need to build up to see results. Should I call the doctor to see if we can get a higher dosage? Thanks for all of your input and advice! We switched to concerta from ritalin la around a month ago and ds (10) is
out of control with irrtiable behavior lately. I am going to psychiatrist on
Fri to ask if a higher dosage would work or if we shld go back to the ritalin.
Ritalin LA works for him but exits his system so quickly we were looking
for something more longer acting.
My son (8yrs old) has been on Concerta for the last week. We started at 18mg-didn't seem to be working and he had terrible 'rebound' at 3pm , grouchy, aggressive, irritable, and terrible sleep issues. Doc recommended upping the dose to 36mg so we did that for a few days and we got the same results. Not seeing any difference with behavior (he is ADD) but seeing more negative results than positive.
Now I guess we try a new med, but not sure what she will suggest. Originally she wanted him on Focalin, but my insurance doesn't cover it and it will be 0 a month!!!
Any suggestions of what we should try? Should we do ritalin?
This is what I had mentioned to our dr. but they insist that higer doses will make the aggression/irritability even worse. He's on 36 right now and I think he either needs an increase of something different.
You mentioned Intunive for behavior, can you elaborate on that, what does that med do? Thanks for your reply.
yes he had worse behaiviors and rebound issues on the lower doses. once we found the good dose for him he was better. the issues that are left are covered now from puberty setting in with Intuniv. He is also on Zoloft for anxiety.
The Intuniv keeps him calmer overall. It has been aroung under the name Tenex or guafacine the generic, Intuniv is the long acting version and is newer. It is a blood pressure med that has been found to work for ADHD. Our Dr. also said raising the dose would help my son and it did.
With my daughter, we saw more irritability when her dosage was too low as well. Increasing the dosage made a positive difference.She also takes guafacine as well.
I agree; less rebound on the higher dose because it lasts longer...oh, and he
takes Clonidine which is WONDERFUL in smoothing any rebound issues.
I am so sorry about the medication problems you are having. We are currently going through the same thing here. My son was on Methalyn and that worked really well for him but he had to take it 3 times a day and it was a liquid. We are going to start concerta tomarrow and I hope that he gets the same effect. We are hoping for the one dose and not have to measure and remember the meds 3 times a day.
Methalyn was good but again liquid form aand 3 times a day for us. In a busy household it could easliy be missed but you could try that.
my son 11.5 has been on Concerta for about 1-2 years, that mixed with Zoloft for anxiety and Intunive for behavior issues. it took going all the way up to 72mg to see a difference in his behaivior with little side effects. he had real bad rebound at the lower doses now it is better. So far this has been the best med we have tried. the Focalin did not do well by him it made him a zombie on the lowest dosages.
good luck.