On Concerta now...... | ADHD Information

Concerta is one subtle med. it creeps up on you and you do not get the dramatic hit that some of the other meds reportedly have. I agree, 18mg is very low effect. The way i was started on it was, 18mg for 3 days then up to 36mgs for week. Up to 54mg after that for 10 weeks before review. In my case 54mg was too intense. My reaction was I was jittery, over reactive, intense stare in eyes. Next review brought dosage back down to 36 mgs which is what i am on now.

Early days yet but family say i am more laid back ( within"normal limits for average") Eye stare is gone. Hand shakes still noticable. restless leg movement when seated is lessened. So there is my experience of Concerta. Give it a fair chance. As GypsyWomyn says, it is vital that consulting Dr. is more communative. Their understanding of this very subtle Med is paramount and ability and willingness to be open with u is vital, for U.

ryan195038523.7202662037

bcgirl-

Is there maybe another dr. that you could work with for finding/adjusting meds? It seems as though there's a glitch between your "communication/relationship" (not the right words, but they'll due, I suppose) with your dr. However, it is very possible that  your brain will metabolize the 18 mg of Concerta at a good rate and it will end up working for you and then you won't have to worry about switching meds again.

Good luck finding the right dr/med/dose!

BC...after four months on Concerta, and up to 72mg, I feel it isn't really working for me, may have for a short time, but no longer. However, I agree, 18 mg for one week is definitely not long enough to tell if it'll work for you. I do hope that it works for you, BC, since it is a milder stimulant, and probably better than dex for the body in the long run, you know?

I'm now weaning off Concerta to see if it actually was helping, and may not try anything else. But if I could, I would like to try Ritilan, myself. I'm not trying to discourage you about Concerta, since it seems to be working for many, and you only need take it once a day...much simplier.

Keep us posted, and I hope your doctor listens to and to what you know about the adhd meds (probably more than they know by now).    She really should know that it takes a couple weeks on each dosage, as she's raising it, for our body to acclimate. I don't get it.   Good luck, BC!GypsyWomyn38520.6458217593Well, Strattera has been scrapped. Now my dr is trying me on 18mg of Concerta.



I am so sick of this game! I feel like she is not giving me a chance to let the meds start working. Like the Dexedrine - I felt like it was ALMOST working - almost like I just needed to increase the dose (I was only taking 10mg a day at most). But when I asked about a higher dose, she just told me she wanted me to try Strattera. Well, Strattera did diddly squat (I was taking 80mg day for 2 weeks), other than make me go through chills and hot sweats, and making me feel slightly nauseous for the first few hours after taking it.

So now I'm on the Concerta. She said if that doesn't work after a week, she'll try me on plain old fashioned Ritalin. A week at 18mg hardly sounds like a fair shot! I've been reading through the old messages on Concerta, and it seems like nobody noticed any benefit from a measley 18mg, or even 36mg. So I bet I'll be back to wondering whether this, or the Dexedrine, could have helped me at a hgher dose.

bcgirl1978,

Nice one girl, that angsty gone, Well it is progress! Hope this level of meds works as well for U as it is for me. As i said, Concerta is a sneaky low intensity med. I found that over a fairly short period of time that my awareness of myself got a lot clearer. I became more aware of others and their thinking, actions, behaviours as i interacted with them. One of the things that really hit me was how i walked, striding style. It was so funny to me to have that level of self awareness for the first time in life. Gees i am in my fifties and on meds and have been doing things that i thought  would never be in my "Picture" of reality.

BCGirl have fun getting used to the new meds and just get on with doing what U normally do everyday. You will find as things strike you! U will adjust to deal with them in a manner that is more appropriate to your situation. Oh! Yes just one more thing! WELL DONE getting to where U are right now.

  

Just thought I'd update: I went back to the dr yesterday and told her I didn't feel anything on 18mg. She said she'd try me on 36mg, and I didn't even have to ask.

Today is my first day on 36, and although I don't notice any change in my focus, I'm finding that I'm not feeling quite as.... batty. Usually my day at work is basicallly 8.5 hours of intense, restless BOREDOM, some days I feel I'm literally going to snap and just lose my mind.

Fridays, in general, have always been better, I guess because I know the weekend is so close at hand, but today in particular, I suddenly realized around noon that I didn't feel nearly as "antsy" as I normally do.

I know this is just one day, but.... dare I hope the meds could be working???