| Key to ratings for concerta: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
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| 5 | ADHD | In beginning major appetite loss. Then hungry about 9pm on. I must make a concious effort to eat properly. It has been worth the extra effort! Ive only lost 5 pounds in 3 months. | Misdiagnosed! Professionals always told me I had ADHD but it was never addressed. Until a few months ago. I've done well in business/personal. Hard on family. Life(within me)hasn't been enjoyable, nor satisfying. I lived for crisis and problems to solve "BUT" life & people bored me. Everyone was on relax mode. Boring! My mind raced! I never completed what I thought I should. For 25yrs, Ive been told, I am severely depressed. A physician, asked to treat the ADHD. Its Concerta! I started at low dose and went up to taking, 54mg 3 x day. Very high dose,other physicians were consulted. It works a max of 4 hours. It keeps me calm! I can now finally relax! I can actually do one thing at a time! I can talk to a person, and ONLY focus on them! My depression has lifted. I no longer feel guilty for not doing more. I feel I am accomplishing what I think "normal" persons should. Now my mind and body are one. I'm greatful! Life is awesome! My family likes the results. | F | 50 | 3 months | 11/18/2009 | 5 | ADHD | insomnia if taken after 8am, lack of appetite, weight loss, extreme appetite when not taking it, annoyances with friends | About a month ago, my psychiatrist prescribed me concerta, and so far so good. my GPA had been going up, i dont feel so out of place while with others, and i have been losing weight(GOOD, for me, someone who is overweight) I feel like it doesnt make me have to pay attention, but now i have the option to be able to focus on work | F | 16 | 1 months | 11/5/2009 | 4 | ADD | LACK OF SLEEP, better focus, thinking before I say things, sometimes bad breath, severe anxiety, and tons of worries. | I started taking concerta when I was 7, and I started out at 18 mg. Since that time I have bumped up on dosage to 54 mg as my weight and height increased. When I started the drug it completely changed my life. I thought more about what I was doing, and I did not just say things that popped into my head. I learned a lot better and quicker, and now maintain a 4.0. Concerta is great, until you try and go to sleep at night. Laying in bed, I will have severe anxiety and worries to the point where I cannot even fall asleep at night. Some of the things that I worry about are very unreasonable. I feel like I cannot stop my mind from slowing down at night. I usually do not fall asleep until around 2:00 a.m. even on school nights. It's so frustrating. When I worry, or have severe anxiety, I will start out with a small worry, and then over a period of 5 minutes be worrying about a whole bunch of things at the same time. My mind will be racing like it's going 60 mph. Like I said before, Concerta changed my life, but note the side effects before taking it. | F | 16 | 10 years | 10/29/2009 | 3 | ADD | Lack of hunger, spaced out feeling with too many thoughts, and muscle tension. | I have been taking Concerta for quite sometime now and even though people complain that it doesnt work...they should really take into account that the dosage could be wrong. I learned at least with my own body that you have to adjust yourself to the medication. The first week I started taking it I ate almost nothing for a whole week. I lost twenty pounds. I alerted my doctor, she lowered the dose and my body evened out. You really cannot say weather or not this medicine is working for someone based on their behaviors. THEY have to decide that on their own. Trust me they can tell if they are behaving differently. Concerta helps you think things through more. If someone wants to commit suicide or play with their hair or anyother behaviors that doesnt mean that the Concerta isnt working or it makes them think through it more. It is still their own decision to act on those thoughts. Be patient talk with your doctor and see what other possibilities are out there. And PARENTS talk with your kid about what they are feeling and thinking. Dont assume and dont judge. Medicines like this are serious so talk to your kid in a calm mature manor. Any questions feel free to ask. | M | 19 | 3 years | 10/28/2009 | 1 | ADHD | side neck pain, headaches, not hungrey, sad, then really angry | My son has been taking this medication since June 2009 I know its NOT working!! He twists his hair, he seems very very depressed does not sleep. I am having a hard time because my ex thinks its working and does not belive me that he has these side effects... I know as a mom regardless what the doctor says its not working for my kids....there has to be a more natural way...I know is messing him up more down the road......I feel helpless :( | M | 10 | 6 months | 10/27/2009 | 4 | ADHD | flushing of face, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, listlessness after it wears off. | 36 mg. improved concentration in the morning & afternoons most days. some days it seems like i haven't taken it. super motivated to do things (homework, etc.). just hanging out at a friends house seems excruciatingly boring now. | F | 16 | 2 weeks | 10/19/2009 | 4 | ADD | headaches "36mg" | The usuall side effects of concerta that I have experienced, "insomnia, decreased appetite, social isollation, etc", within my first week were generally mild and has practicly subsided after the second week. I now have entered my 4th month and started recieving strange headaches. The pain can be described as a "preasure feeling" on top of head and the particular sensation is quite painful and can last from a day up to 3 to 4 days. The pain sucks, but overal, concerta 36 works very well, helps with my music, work, tough college courses and I'm extremely satistfied in it's possitive direction. | M | 20 | 4 months | 10/11/2009 | 1 | ADD | listlessness, loss of interest in anything, unable to sit down for any period of time, delusional thoughts | Although I was dealing with other things in my life, I believe that Concerta is what ultimately led to my psychotic break. I started at 36 mg, and from the first day I took it, I couldn't sleep at night. My racing thoughts kept me up for hours, and I couldn't stop thinking crazy thoughts in my head. During the day, I felt robotic. I couldn't hold a conversation with any of my closest friends. I would walk from room to room in my house, and completely forget why I was there. I showed no interest in tv, books, or the internet, three of my favorite activities. I completely isolated myself, and was terrified of going back to school. My heartbeat was so rapid, I thought it would burst out of my chest. I stopped taking it after a week, and the awful side effects remained. I returned to school, and a week later I landed myself in the psych ward, and had to take the semester off. Eight months later Im myself again and perfectly happy, but it took me a long time to get to this place. I would not recommend this drug to anyone. I temporarily lost my mind, and in my opinion, Concerta's not even worth trying it if it means risking your sanity. If anyone is experiencing any similar side effects, and would like to vent or ask questions, feel free to email me at lad66@pitt.edu. | F | 20 | 7 days | 10/3/2009 | 4 | adult ADHD | Slowing down of pretty much everything - this is a good thing// times stands still/ I walk/ drive/ talk more slowly/ at work I don't bark out orders like I used to/ difficulty sleeping - getting to sleep or falling back asleep if awakened/ no appetite/ increased sweating/ cold intolerance/ less desire for wine/ slight weepiness but I think at this point it's just being able to take so much more in - it's a bit overwhelming how much I didn't notice before. | My son was diagnosed with ADHD and started on meds at age 8 over a year ago - he's a tiny kid to begin with so the appetitie supression is an issue but he's up to 27 mg and it has helped sooooo much with school/ social/ hockey// he has some occasional inexplicable sadness and rare angry defiant outbursts but these happened before meds and were much worse. I was diagnosed simply by having a son who was just like his mom, and I finally decided to try the meds. I am a nurse practitioner. It's too soon to predict anything long term but for now I'm impressed and I understand my son much better. As well I am so much calmer with him so there have been NO arguments with him since I started meds - insert lightbulb moment here. I'm on 45 mg. I think the trick is to just slightly undertreat rather than overtreat to avoid the side effects. It's not an easy thing. | F | 45 | 8 days | 9/25/2009 | 3 | adhd | stomach pains, constipation, missing a lot of school | I dont know if it is the concerta, but my son has been having severe stomach pains then feels like he's starving at night and eat for a couple of hours straight. we have to force him to stop eating to give his stomach a rest. We were told that he was lactose intolerant but we took him off milk products and he still has this problem. Now im wondering if the concerta is causing digestive problems because he doesnt eat anything them gorges himself for hours. If anyone else is having this problem please e-mail me at paul.arnold@cox.net im going to take him off concerta this week and see what happens even though his dr. insists its not his problem | M | 10 | 3 years | 9/25/2009 | 5 | adhd | Sometimes dry mouth. | Concerta has changed my life. I am very productive at work and now function in a variety of environments. Getting starting on and completing a project is now possible. Overall ability to focus has provides a nice sense of control | M | 53 | 6 years | 9/24/2009 | 3 | Adult ADHD | Sleepiness, cloudy thinking, slow motion feeling, over sleeping in the morning on 36 mg daily | I have tried taking the generic version of 10 mg adderall previously and got horrible side effects, so I was prescribed Concerta and don't really feel it doing anything except causing sleepiness and slow motion feelings. Has not affected my sleeping at night at all like it says it does in the side effects. I take it at 7 a.m. with my breakfast. | F | 26 | 2 days | 9/22/2009 | 3 | ADHD - Seve leaning disability | SUICIDE thoughts! I am thinking like that right now!!! weight lost, memory lost and increased anxiety. 36MG 8mos now. Want to be isolated from people. | sense being put on concerta I lost my job, so i haven't been able to work with my doctor to adjust my meds. Now that stress have been introduced into my life by not having a job and bills mounting - I'm feeling very overwhelmed. My job interviews are even affected. I believe this medication my help if I can work with my doctor to adjust my meds. I'm very sad right now!!! | M | 45 | 8 months | 9/16/2009 | 3 | ADD | Dry eyes, and a few head aches the first week or so. I feel as though i may be gaining weight. i feel like i may be retaining water but i dont know if that has anything to do with the concerta | F | 19 | 4 weeks | 9/13/2009 | 5 | ADD | I lost alott wieght i have ben on this since 14 years i never had any problem with jitter or anything i had no side affects beside weight loss it really didnt bother me.. I'm 18 yr old now and i take 72 grams a day every morning and i feel fine | if your looking for sumthing that gonna make u loose wieght i wouldnt take this because if u dont have add or adhd i wouldnt recommend this product u will get dizzy u will feel like sh!T .. the only advise i can give to people when u take concerta or your starting out take it in the morning before 12 eat a good meal not to big just a nice meal and dont eat untill u get hungry again because if u eat too much concerta wont work for u not unless u have high dosage soo take it before 12 eat when only u get hungry and u shouldnt feel any side affect ull know when your hungry or not and i dont reccomend takin this then working out because if u do take it and then say 1 hour latter u work out ull feel very dizzy u might wanna puke u and u can pass out because this product is only for people have problems if u do this and u dont have a problem and ur just doin this to loose wieght u will really hurt ur body and u can have even fatal problems ... some of my friends they ben on this since 12 yrs old they sumtimes i have to stop every weekend and only wen they need it take it because they start seeing sh!T but that also because loss of apatite soo if u have a problem focus or u cant calm down this a perfect product for u i know alott friend on other products and it makes them wanna kill them self some people cant do this other can it depend on ur body and mental mind if u have any more question or u want any advise email me ksidelta@yahoo.com and people if u wanna say sumthing bad or u | M | 18 | 4 years | 9/7/2009 | 4 | ADHD | Loss of appetite, inner tension/jittery sensation, impatience, low tolerance for noise/any distractions, self-induced social isolation, mild paranoia/social anxiety, loss of interest in many things that used to make me happy but no real depression, excessive sweating in the armpit region, and "alien-like" thought patterns that involve reading into things/various stimuli in the environment and making connections from the input | This is a strange drug. I go through periods where I really feel as if it's helping me, and then at other times I notice how it has changed me, not always for the better either. Anyway, I have lost almost 30 pounds while taking concerta and have definitely noticed an increase in my ability to maintain my focus. The problem is that this focus usually takes the form of a hyperfocus, which means that family and friends are pushed aside. Of course, this leads to social isolation, which only feeds the social anxiety effects of this drug that I eventually endure if and when I am in social situations. I would definitely say that this drug is effective, but the way that it can affect thoughts, mood, and behavior is something to strongly consider if and when deciding whether or not you or your loved ones might benefit from it. | M | 27 | 90 days | 9/4/2009 | 1 | ADD | My husband killed himself | I have completed this feedback to alert others on behalf of My Darling Husband. It is his information I have submitted My husband was depressed. The Concerta intensified this and allowed him to concentrate/focus enough to complete suicide | M | 33 | 6 days | 8/29/2009 | 3 | ADD | I cannot bring myself to eat anything at all from the moment I take the pill to about eleven hours afterward (6 am until 5 pm). I have frequent (albiet small) panic attacks throughout the day (I had only had one panic attack in my life before Concerta) After the pill wears off, though, I raid the kitchen and eat several meals at odd times (lunch around 5 pm, dinner around 9 pm, and a large snack around 12 am). During the course of the day, a bottle of Pepsi is all I can bring myself to have to eat. When the medicine wears off, I can't concentrate on anything (homework gives me many problems). My vision is blurred, and during this time, I become obsessed with one topic. Right now it is the side effects of Concerta (that's why I'm typing this now, I guess). Before the side effects of Concerta, it was methods of suicide. Before that, it was atheism and philosophy. During this time, I feel dizzy and tired (although I am not able to take a nap during this time.) After that stage, a | Although I've got some pretty bad side effects from it, Concerta does help me concentrate and remain interested in school work. I am still taking the medicine, and I think I will be for a while. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to others for long term use, but I don't think it'd hurt too bad to try it for a little bit. I have a bunch of side effects that are very uncommon, but about 75% of those taking Concerta won't have any side effects at all. I would recommend highly that someone with ADD try out the medicine, because even my side effects (pardon my French: Hell.) are outweighed by the benefits of the medicine. | M | 17 | 1 years | 8/27/2009 | 4 | ADD | I am on a few different meds, all with similiar side-effects -unsure which are a direct result of using concerta... weight loss, loss of apetite, food intolerances, hot flushes, buzzing in ears, head aches, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, seeing spots in front of eyes -I pass out if I don't sit down, palpitations, irregular heart rate, muscle weakness, fatigue when it wears off, sore throat, cold hands and feet, skin problems, insomnia, muscle spams, pins and needles in feet, buzzing in ears, sweating, coughing, dry mouth, sensitive to sound and movement | It works for the ADD: memory and concentration has improved, was on 54mg, then went down to 36mg because of chronic muscle weakness. | F | 20 | 4 months | 8/20/2009 | 3 | ADHD | sadness, increased anxiety, loss of appetite, listlessness | My son (9 yrs) started on the 18 mg dose and we noticed a great improvement in his concentration and behavior; however, the 18 mg effect only lasted for a few weeks. The dr. increased it to 54mg and although he could concentrate at school, the other side effects are very bad. High anxiety, feelings of bugs crawling on him all the time. sad, listless, doesn't eat or drink all day long. Although Concerta helped in the beginning, the overall side effects are too drastic to continue | F | 38 | 6 months | 8/18/2009 | 4 | ADD | Racing heart beat, loss of appetite(YAY), thirsty all the time, insomnia..but nothing a little nyquil cant cure, some hot flashes, CRASHING when the med wears off- extreme tiredness, exhaustion, no mental or physical energy to think or do anything, | Just discovered how ADD I am.. Have had a major "light bulb moment" (omg thats what has been wrong with me my whole life?) Let me tell you how concerta has changed my quality of life this past week. I have so much more energy and motivation. I wake up every morning feeling refreshed and ready to start doing something-anything- and being able to finish whatever i am doing. Its an amazing feeling. I just DREAD the end of the day when it starts wearing off. | F | 19 | 6 days | 8/17/2009 | 1 | ADHD | Headache, muscle twitching, slight tunnel vision, in and out of zombie like state around 5 to 6 hours in, with every heartbeat my body seems to pulse intensely, loss of appetite (yeah i can lose a few pounds but i very much ENJOY eating!), sensitivity to noise, very thirsty, kinda cloudy feeling. | MY HEAD HURTS SOOOOOOO BAD! I'm giving this medicine a week tops, it's only the first day but i feel like shit as if i have had a horrible sinus headache (the kind that make you wanna throw up). I feel the same attention wise (or lack there of). i'm not so sure about this medication. | F | 20 | 1 days | 8/7/2009 | 2 | To help me concentrate. | I lost a lot of weight when I first started taking Concerta. | It makes me jittery, I can't get out of bed in the morning, and I feel as though I shouldn't waste time doing simple things i.e. making my lunch, taking a shower, sweeping the floor etc. Also, now I find that my personality has become very aggressive whereas I was once a quiet person who stayed in the background. This will be a good thing when United Fund time comes around. I usually had no guts to say I didn't want to give; now I'll tell them point blank I have two favorite charities I give to anyway. Why be forced into giving just because a person of higher authority in the work place comes and asks you the amount you are going to contribute this year. In closing, I don't even know why the doctor put me on Concerta but psychiatrists have no qualms about dishing out pills. I wouldn't give this medicine to a child. | F | 65 | 3 years | 7/22/2009 | 4 | ADHD | Sometimes hard for me to fall asleep at night. However, I don't have problems if I take it as soon as I get up in the morning and I am up a full 15 or so hours. | It has helped me tremendously in regards to being impulsive. I am taking 54mg. When I first moved up to this dosage I had some dry mouth problems but that has gone away. I have more focus and I am able to finish projects that I start. Very happy with the medication. Not sure if I am at the correct dosage yet though. | F | 36 | 1 days | 7/18/2009 | 5 | ADHD | None | This medication dramatically changed my life. Attention deficit is not only a childhood problem, it also effects adutls | F | 67 | 4 years | 7/14/2009 | 3 | ADHD | Since 36MG I have suffered from TMJ. I am currently on 72MG and the clenched jaw is intense. I find the tension builds up when I get mildly stressed. The jaw pain even develops when playing video games like RockBand2 | I have been using concerta for almost a year. Been able to focus on tasks I previously was interested in, but ever followed through. Now I can. | M | 35 | 1 years | 7/11/2009 | 2 | ADD | Have no side effect after taken 36mg for about 6 month. | Concerta work some days and other days as if I never took it. When it did work I was calmer and focus at times. In the past I did take Strattera which REALLY had my focus and spot on with all my work tasks. I was taken off due to a heart attack but I at the time I was taking over the Fat Burner to loss weight. Well with the right changes in my diet and exercise, I do not need the Fat Burners. I will begin back on Strattera next week. | M | 42 | 6 months | 7/10/2009 | 5 | ADHD | loss of appetite, jittery, increased sweating | Concerta has helped me focus and complete tasks when I start them. I don't mind the weight loss as I am trying to lose weight. Overall I am very pleased with this drug. | M | 31 | 2 months | 7/1/2009 | 3 | ADHD/ ODD | Severe mood swings and violent outbursts | My son was diagnosed with ADHD in Nov. 2008. The doctor put him on concerta (18mg). It worked instantly. I was so happy. He was not moving around in class he was able to concentrate. It was a wonder drug. Well in Feb. the dosage was increased to 27mg because of the length of the effectiveness did not get him through the day. 3 weeks later I noticed a change in him of mild moodiness. at times he would have a temper tantrum. In May the dosage was increased again, now to 36mg. Big mistake I think. He became violent and distructive at school. It even got to a point where he was physically abusive himself. He bust his lip with a book and bled all down his mouth. just yesterday he went bolistic in the mall to the point I had to call mall security to escort me back to my vehicle. The psychitrist said it is not the concerta because the side effects would have been seen within 24 hours of the first dose back in Nov. But to me there is no other explaination for his outburts. He has never been violent like this. I have a master's degree in psychology, but I am currently teaching, I feel helpless because I can't help my child. I am going to request the doctor change his medicine because for my son the side effects outweigh the benefits. | M | 8 | 7 months | 6/26/2009 | 4 | ADD/LD | Loss of Appetite, anger, depression, social problems, quiet, sat in my room all day | I have been taking concerta since I was 5 or 6 and now I am 17 years old. It was perfect when I was a kid and didn't have worries in life, but since i was in 6th grade I became very anti-social, made excuses for myself not to go to friends house or go out, I just went to school and talked to know one and then went home and layed on my computer at home, I thought everything in life was out to get me and nothng seemed fair. I have these side effects still and I stopped taking it for 2 weeks on my own to see what happened, and alot has changed, I ate more and I acknowledged my boyfriend A WHOLE LOT more, normally on the medicine Nothng he said mattered and when we faught I yelled and hit him and said I am right... Now i dont.. I still have social problems only because I didnt give myself anough time to become social... on the other hand, my grades are so good. I can not concentrate at school without it, and without it i would be failing literally, there were days where I forgot to take it and just took forever for the day to end ... But that has been the best side effect, i just wish it didnt have all the others. | F | 17 | 13 years | 6/25/2009 | 4 | ADD | Loss of appetite, haven't gained weight since I started taking. If I take it after 10 in the morning I can't fall asleep until 4, but if taken before no sleep problems. Always dizzy, sometimes bad headaches. Moody sometimes, but hey, I'm a teenager. | I never realized how ADD I was until I started taking concerta. I can concentrate so easily now, and my grades have rocketed. Make sure and take it before 10, or I would suggest just skipping. I completely lose my appetite. It'll be about 7 pm and I'll be feeling really light headed, then realize I haven't had anything but a pretzel or two all day. It's not just that I forget to eat, I truly do not want to eat. Literal loss of appetite. However, at night (usually around 11) when it wears off I rade the kitchen. Concerta has side effects, but over-all I am very pleased. | F | 17 | 5 years | 6/8/2009 | 2 | ADD, depressed | shakey, were hot, not hungrey, stomach aches, a lil nausious | I do not like it it may be effecting my prozac medicine too. i do not like it at all. It makes me feel sick. | F | 15 | 2 days | 6/8/2009 | 4 | ADD | Loss of appetite, feeling of being stoned, laughing for no reason. | I started taking this medication on a friday, I've been taking it a total of 3days and everyone I'm around that knows me, has noticed a major difference in my behavior aswell as my concentration level, I would not reccomend this for any small children or young teens. Seeing as it gives the appearance of the said person being "stoned"=simply an opinion | F | 19 | 3 days | 5/31/2009 | 5 | ADD/ADHD, Anxiety | Nothing too bad. I have a constant twitch in my right eye though. But it's entertaining. The Insomnia isn't too bad, except tonight, I'm up at 3 am. I lost a large amount of appitite at first but it's coming back now. | It works wonderfully. I've been on Dexadrine, Riddline, Strattera, and none have worked this well. High energy, but I can still focus even better. | M | 17 | 1 weeks | 5/26/2009 | 1 | ADHD/ODD Diagnosis | uncontrollable tongue/jaw movements, stomach ache | My 6 year old son took his first 18 mg. pill on Saturday 05/23. Within a few hours he was doing this strange "twisting thing" with his tongue while sticking it out and his jaw movements were as bad as the tongue movements. It was non stop all day- he couldn't even finish a sentence without doing this. It continued into the evening-even though when I called the pediatrican they told me the medicine should be out of his system. He also complained of a stomach ache. I did not give him another pill on Sunday. I saw a little of the tongue/jaw movements but they all but stopped by the afternoon. He still complained of a stomach ache and didn't eat much but by Monday seemed to be back to his normal self. I wish I could find a more natural solution. I don't think I can give him anymore meds. | M | 6 | 1 days | 5/26/2009 | 4 | ADD/Depression | Noticed extreme effects the first few days that I started taking CONCERTA. Was able to focus and get things done. Noticed an increase in energy and enthusiasm for completing tasks. No noticeable negative side effects. The only problem is that the positive effects have started to decline after only 2 weeks. I am also taking 5mg of Lexapro for depression. I might need a higher doze of CONCERTA. | M | 43 | 3 weeks | 5/21/2009 | 5 | ADD, Depression, Binge Eating | Started on 18 mg, now up to 54 mg. Hard to sleep at first, smoking more cigarettes, bit of a headache the first week or too. | VERY good - helps me focus, I can do ANYTHING to completion - I even finished a book I was writing for the first time EVER. I take it very early in the morning and now I can sleep, and I just have to work on the smoking thing by not buying them I guess. It has decreased my depression, and although I am still binge eating, I am doing it a lot less than I used to - I can think through the reasons behind it more clearly and occasionally talk myself out of the binge before I do it. | F | 35 | 4 months | 5/17/2009 | 2 | ADHD | My 5 year old son was switched from Ritalin LA to Concerta 3 weeks ago. He did fine on the Ritalin but it was an 8 hr. and did not get him through after school care and homework. We immediately noticed a difference on the Concerta. He became extremely emotional and combative, has difficulty going to sleep at night, and loss of appetite. | M | 5 | 3 weeks | 5/15/2009 | 3 | ADD | Loss of appetite,abdominal pain, social withdraws,sweating | I am prescribed to 54MG i may be taking a higher dosage then i should i recommend eating before you take it because i get bad abdominal pains when i don't | F | 16 | 4 months | 5/13/2009 | 4 | ADD | Dry mouth, dizziness | Affected me exactly the same as adderall except without the immediate high you get right after taking adderall. It didn't make me anxious and shaky like adderall does. I do have a dizziness feeling that I get whenver I take too much adderall though. Overall it worked really well, I was nervous after reading all of the negative comments on here! I probably will keep taking adderall instead of concerta just because it is a little bit more intense. | F | 21 | 1 days | 5/12/2009 | 1 | ADHD | Medicine taken by my 5 year old son. Did not notice any benefits, only negative side effects: Facial tics (mouth), stomach pain, dry mouth. | My 5 year old son was prescribed Concerta after being diagnosed with ADHD. The dosage was 18mg once a day. He took his first - AND LAST - pill on Saturday, 5/9/09. We noticed that he was asking for more to drink than usual, but we realize that dry mouth can be a side effect. However, as the day went on, we noticed him doing odd things with his mouth and he didn't seem to be aware he was doing it. At first I thought he was licking his lips but I noticed he was just moving his tongue back and forth and moving his mouth. He even did this while talking, which gave him the odd appearance of being in a badly-dubbed movie (mouth movements not matching the words coming out). When I asked him if his mouth was dry he said "no". He also complained of his stomach hurting him. On Sunday, 5/10/09, we did not give him the Concerta and he did not have the facial tics at all but he did say his stomach hurt at one point during the day. I called his psychiatrist this morning and he said to stop the Concerta because the facial tics can be come permanent! Scary, scary, scary! | M | 5 | 1 days | 5/11/2009 | 5 | ADD | Some sleep difficulties. Itchy skin. Cephalgia. | Concerta totally changed my life! I have been diagnosed with ADD 6 months ago, and I was taking Ritalin. Ritalin was very intense on the first hour as it gets in the organism very very quickly. It gave me much more side effects. Now I have been very impressed how Concerta is released slowly, you just don't feel this peaking rush anymore. Now I can finally focus on things I really wanna focus on, instead of wandering my mind all the time, thinking about useless stuff. Concerta is very expensive (98$ per month for me), so it's esseential to have a good private insurance, but compared to Ritalin and RitalinSL, it's a WONDER! Much more "comfortable" to handle. | M | 21 | 1 months | 5/8/2009 | 2 | Bipolar I/ADHD | Would give me crazy energy, couldn't sleep some nights. | I am taking it for concentration issues and have yet to see any improvements. I do get a "drive" to do work however I can not concentrate anymore than I could before (barely any concentration) on it. | F | 18 | 3 months | 5/6/2009 | 3 | ADD | Increased heart rate, diarrhea, abdominal pain, slight shortness of breath occasionally, dry mouth, urinary tract infection* *I experienced the urinary tract infection after about 2 consecutive days of taking Concerta, a month before I had taken it for one day and not had this problem | Overall I would say taking this medicine is not worth the side effects. While it helps me focus in school, the problems it causes are just too much. I had tried taking the same medicine about 5 years ago but it increased my heart rate, which scared me into not wanting to take it. Now 5 years later I am having the same problems and more; in fact this morning I had a burning sensation at the tip of my penis after urinating and the only thing I can think of is Concerta (I have not been sexually active recently) because it's really the only variable that has changed in my life recently. | M | 16 | 2 days | 5/5/2009 | 5 | ADHD | loss of appetite | My son has been taking concerta for about 2 months. We started him on 18mg and he is up to 27mg. I have seen huge improvements in his grades, his social life, he is like a completely different kid. The only negtive side affect has been a sharp drop in his appetite. His lunches come home untouched so I just have him eat before he takes the meds and later in the evening when it starts to wear off. | M | 9 | 2 months | 5/2/2009 | 5 | ADD | F | 23 | 4/29/2009 | 4 | ADD | daughter doesn't like taste, dry mouth and abdominal pain for a few days but now no complaints about that | Definite improved focus at school, less chattering at school, able to get herself ready for school with minimal help (nagging) now, still with anger outbursts but shorter and less intense, and most importantly to my daughter there is no change in her creativity | F | 8 | 10 days | 4/28/2009 | 5 | ADD | very few--actually, none that I can pinpoint | I am very glad for the Concerta the focus and ability to stay seated to finish my work is great. it also helps me be more present emotionally for myself as well as my patients. It is a big help | F | 58 | 3 years | 4/24/2009 | 3 | ADHD | Mood swings, anger, trouble going to sleep | After trying several medications for ADHD, this medication helps the most. My son is able to concentrate and is doing well in school (finally!) He becomes generally irritable at 5:00 and will have a major rage fit (throwing things,etc) about once a month. He also used to have trouble going to sleep, but he takes another medication for that and it has helped. | M | 10 | 2 years | 4/16/2009 | 2 | adhd | mood swings irretable, depressed, loss of appteite, increased heart rate, suicidile, angry, made me very non social | i was on adderall since i was about 6 i think the when i turned 15 i was switched to concerta i became very anti social extream deppression bad mood swings and suicidile. it was awful i was failling in school because i was so deppressed i did not want to do anything and thought very low of my self i had no more drive in me to achieve. i told my parents what it was doing to me the mood swings and deppression and they did not listen. i became so deppressed i tryed to overdose. i do addmitt that this drug may work for some but for anyone who has a child taking this drug that if they start having these mood swings to contact your doctor and let him be aware. the mood swings and deppression can turn into to something worse. after my attempt i refused to take the drug any longer. since then i have learened to control my adhd and am happy and doing very well | F | 20 | 14 years | 4/16/2009 | 5 | ADHD | Excessive thirst, loss of appetite (not bad if you need to lose a few pounds), some compulsion to clean and finish tasks (is that bad?) and compulsion to smoke, which I do not do if I don't take my meds. | Eating prior to taking lessens the effects, a necessity for me. I am on 36mg. At first it was hard to sleep, but everything evened out after 2 weeks. My mood is definitely better, everything seems do-able! I think that lots of the side-effects of others I am reading are lessened by eating in the morning and waiting for your body to adjust to the medication, or lowering the dose. I have tried the other drugs for ADHD, this is my favorite. | M | 40 | 6 years | 4/15/2009 | 2 | ADD | Chest pain, loss of appetite, headaches, mood swings, trouble sleeping, low affect, tiredness when it's wearing off. | I have been taking concerta 54mg for almost 2 weeks now and I noticed it helped when I first started taking it but now it seems as if my attention is worse than it was before. Maybe it is just me? I am supposed to be studying right now but got curious and now I'm here... Does it get better once I get used to it? I heard it takes about 2-4 weeks to get it's full effect. | M | 23 | 12 days | 4/14/2009 | 4 | ADD | loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, crying spells, anxiety, overall gloom and doom feeling, fatigue | My fiance started taking Concerta a month ago. He says it helps him a lot. It really controls him fidgeting and his concentration is so much better. He does well in college, but his loss of appetite is hard to deal with. I also notice that he is crying a lot and depressed. However, he does take Lexapro for depression. This could be a factor as well. | M | 20 | 30 days | 4/8/2009 | 5 | ADD | Difficulty sleeping at night, loss of appetite. (email me for my full story) | I'm 29 years old. When I was younger I struggled desperately to stay organized and focused but failed. My parents worked soooo hard to help me and my teacher's always said the same thing "He is so smart, if only he would focus" or "He does great on tests but constantly forgets his homework". I always felt so different. My backpack had cookie crumbs and crumbled paper. It was dirty and I always forgot books, and pens. Everyone seemed so organized.. so perfect. I wanted to be like them but no matter how hard I would try, I would end up failing. This brought on depression and sadness. Especially in High School when my social life became complex. At some point I decided to be the class clown. I suppose, if you can't beat your problem.. might as well use your wild and silly behavior to your advantage. I got detentions and my parents were happy just to see D's and C's on my report cards. Being so smart, but struggling so hard was very frustrating for teachers and my parents. Finally, after many failed attempts I sat down with a psychologist provided by the school. After quite a few sessions, she diagnosed me with ADD. My parents heard all of the bad things about Ritalin and the like. They took me to the University of Chicago Hosptial and had me professionally tested for ADD. After that, it was off to a psychiatrist. It was determined by both sources that I indeed had ADD. I took Ritalin. It made me focus. It slowed the world down for me a | M | 29 | 2 months | 4/7/2009 | 3 | ADD | Positive: Better focus and concentration in quieter environments. Negative: Increased hunger & minor weight gain, dehydration, excessive talking, less concentration and focus in noisy or active environments, sadness, easily irritated, increased heart rate & blood pressure, minor upper tummy and chest pain for a couple of hours after taking, shakiness, playing with fingernails and fingertips while talking to others. | Overall, I was not happy being Concerta. I felt it changed my personality in a negative way (argumentative, less patient, introverted, moody, grouchy) and produced negative habits which I have never experienced before (playing with fingertips, etc.) I was also concerned with the increased heart rate and blood pressure. For me, there were not enough positive side effects to keep taking this drug. I am now trying Vyvanse. | F | 48 | 4 months | 4/5/2009 | 4 | ADHD | mild mood change; less and more depressed, makes me feel like i should always be doing something. dry mouth. Hyper sexual. Nausea; Dry heaving, headaches, breathing problems | I been on other Adhd Meds and so far this has been the best. I think i might need a higher dosage but lately i been feeling a little weird maybe its the drug. Well either way i prefer this over 3 other meds. | M | 21 | 3 months | 3/31/2009 | 5 | Adult ADD | Dry mouth, changes in appetite | I'm on 54 mg's of Concerta and my life has changed COMPLETELY. After being told for years I was lazy and unmotivated (because I tested well and could hyperfocus), along with diagnosed with depression, I finally decided to ask my doctor about ADD. Turns out I've been untreated for years... Well, not only can I get things done, my overall mood is SO much better. I find it works better when I take it around 10/11 am (however, I am cranky in the morning before taking it.) The side effects are more than bearable in comparison to the positive results I've had, especially my overall enthusiasm and improved mood. Frustrated I hadn't found out sooner! | F | 22 | 2 months | 3/29/2009 | 1 | ADHD | loss of appetite, moodiness, stomach pain, headache, insomnia, | my son lost 3 pounds in a month, when the med wore off he was moody, said he felt "weird", trouble falling asleep, seemed a little withdrawn(he is VERY social). He told me he didn't like the way he feels. It helped him focus in school but after a month we were told to increase from 18mg to 27mg. I took him off Concerta and now I have my son back. He has even gained back all the weight he lost. We will work through his ADHD WITHOUT any medication. | M | 10 | 4 weeks | 3/29/2009 | 3 | adult ADHD | lack of ability to sleep without taking sleep aids (unisom 1 tablet, 3 or 4 capsules of valerian, one 5 mg tablet of melatonin, 3 or 4 capsules of 250 mg 5htp, one tryptophan) although I am able to sleep with all of this, it gets expensive and doesnt work 100% of the time. Thirst, which I can live with, sexual dysfunction, which I cant live with, adrenaline rush feeling in my hands like a throbbing feeling that aches. | I plan to taper down my dosage amount and hope that the psychiatrist understands and doesnt object, I take 36 mg one time per day in AM. while the drug has changed my life for the better and I would not change taking the drug if I could go back, I think that my body is tired of it (the sexual dysfunction side effect is only since a few months ago as well as the throbbing in my hands) I also feel that the sleep interruption is weakening my immunity and I want to get better, sound, uninterrupted sleep. I am hoping that cutting my dose in half will take away the side effects that I am experiencing, even if it doesn't I plan to stop taking concerta eventually and hope that my life will stay on track. | F | 35 | 5 years | 3/27/2009 | 2 | ADD/ADHD | Spacey, calm then anxious, anxious then calm, HEADACHE-mania 6 hours in, irritable at the end of day | I started at 18mg and the first day seemed to work but it didn't motivate me like adderall. I would get a killer headache around 3PM (took dose around 9AM) and I would take tylenol which made it go away for the most part. I was easily irritable at the end of day when I got home from work. While on it, I would space out and not do my work. And the next day, I would have a harder time getting out of bed. I did not have sleep or non-eating problems like I did on adderall. Sometimes, I felt more hungry than usual on Concerta. But when I went up to 36 mg, i would wait longer to eat lunch. Adderall worked best for me but I grew an addiction so I don't want to take it. I'm going to try Vyvanse next... | F | 25 | 30 days | 3/26/2009 | 4 | school concentration | lack of appetite, increased mood (while in effect), sadness and crying(at the end of the day), rage (to emotional issues or life issues), high energy and focus. | I took concerta 54 to finish up my last of my college degree- now I'm afraid to get off of it. I lost 25 lbs, feel good about myself.. I'm just worried about the depression when I come off of it. I feel regulated on drugs, like I need another pill to put me to sleep. I drink more. | F | 23 | 2 months | 3/25/2009 | 3 | ADD | I did better in school and concentrated more. | I had sever weight lose. Loss in appreciate and in my social life, i get angry very easy.. mainly in the later day.. like 5 o'clock and have a hard time sleeping. And nose bleeds all the time recently. its horrible. | M | 16 | 1 years | 3/25/2009 | 1 | ADHD | MY 40 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS ON CONCERTA FOR 75 DAYS, THEN COMMITTED SUICIDE. NO WARNINGS OF ANY KIND TO FAMILY OR FRIENDS. SHE DIED 2/26/09. | F | 40 | 75 days | 3/24/2009 | 3 | ADHD | loss of appetite, sleeplessness, hard to wake up, anti-social, moody/argumentative, headaches, depression and crying | My son is 16, last night he asked me to come to his room and talk to him, he was crying...not common for him but it has happened twice before. He told me he is depressed and really needs me to make an appointment with his doctor. This is the second time he has done this. The first time he broke up with his girlfriend so I thought it was teenage drama. It is not drama, there is something going on. He has been on Concerta 54 for about a year and a half and we've had some different side effects from time to time but it is just now dawning on me that the Concerta is probably the problem. All of the side effects he has had have happened on different occasions but the Concerta is what keeps him awake at night he is so tired but can't sleep. He also has no appetite. Concerta does work, he functions in school but is it worth the cost of side effects? I think we'll have to do something different. This is more than just a teenage depression or some kind of drama. Something is going on here and i | M | 16 | 2 years | 3/12/2009 | 1 | ADHD | depression, lack of appetite, tons of energy | very excited about taking, felt clearer than ever. stopped taking for a few days then committed suicide. | F | 40 | 50 days | 3/11/2009 | 3 | why not | headache | hope it works | F | 34 | 8 days | 3/10/2009 | 4 | ADHD | I am now taking 27mgs of concerta and although it is helping me focus more in school and improve my thinking, as a side effect i have been very aggressive towards my parents and sister, and i have been taking 27 mgs of concerta for about a week and i feel mad and irratated when the medicine run out. | Concerta helped me out with my life but the side effects are different for everyone and for me its aggresivness and headachs | M | 18 | 1 years | 3/9/2009 | 4 | ADHD | My son has been on Concerta for about 3 years. He is now up to 72mg every morning and I have started to notice that he twists his tounge and makes goofy movements with his mouth. His mouth is always very dry and it is noticable when he talks. Toward the evening when it is wearing off he becomes a very irritable, angry, and just plain mean child. If I don't give him his other medicine he will not go to sleep at night and he makes sure I don't go to sleep as well. On the other hand if he doesn't have it he is so wound up and hard to be around without getting angry because of all the things he is doing and saying. | M | 10 | 3 years | 3/6/2009 | 5 | ADD | dry mouth, loss of apetite, mild anxiousness | For the most part Concerta has helped me tremendously. I kind of feel it slowly kick in and I have energy and focus to work. I feel a bit like a "work horse". I feel a noticeable difference when I do not take the medication for a day or two. My family also notices because my productivity goes down the toilet. | F | 37 | 6 months | 3/5/2009 | 4 | ADD | Sweaty finger tips, cold, headaches at first, decreased appetite, slight hand tremor, anxiety | Concerta is very helpful to keep me focused and productive throughout the day. It causes moments of gripping anxiety, but my resting anxiety rate is much lower since I'm more productive. I can usually rationalize the anxiety attacks quickly as a side effect of the med. After the first two weeks, the headaches went away. The strangest changes have been sweaty finger tips (not palms, just fingertips) and being cold all the time, but putting on more clothes just makes the sweating worse. Overall, enough benefit to outweigh the side effects. | M | 26 | 2.5 months | 3/5/2009 | 3 | ADD | Loss of appetite, headaches at the beginning of first taking concerta, Nausea, mood swings / having werid thoughts, lack of sleep, anxiety | Im on 27mg and it has made a difference in my work and school settings, I sometimes feel like I have bad anxiety from the drug and sometimes I wish I wasnt lacking on sleep but most of all it does work you just have to adjust to all the side effects. | F | 21 | 3 months | 3/1/2009 | 2 | ADHD | My son was taking this medicine at 27 mg working fine, due to getting older it no longer worked on focusing and behavior. Moved him up to 36mg, he began vocal ticks (humming noise) and some facial ticks with his mouth (smiling). | Am worried that if I continued him on this it will have long term affects, supposidely the vocal ticks will go away after use of the drug. | M | 9 | 3 months | 2/22/2009 | 5 | Adult AD/HD | (Initially and following any changes in medication) Mild headache and nausea, decreased appetite I began getting severe headaches when my medication was changed (I have a history of migraines), but I have had it changed back and am no longer experiencing any negative side-effects. | I take 36mg twice a day and my ability to control my thoughts has improved dramatically. I thought it would change who I was initially, but with the correct dosage it only gives me the ability to do the things I want to. I have no problems with sleeping (I used to drink coffee and coke to relax myself). | F | 19 | 3 months | 2/18/2009 | 5 | ADHD | negatives that went away after a few weeks of continued use - dry mouth similar to smoking weed, increased heart rate, ive allways had shaky hands but it increses and effects the whole body(really bad when your tolerance is low....permanent- insomnia if not taken early enough, sometimes maybe once or twice a week it puts me in a great mood and makes me very talkative and social, sometimes its a positive but other times i just ramble on and on about things that are only interesting to me until someone tells me to shut up, increases urges for cigarettes.. i have a very strange diet off the drug(sometimes i eat once a day and others i can eat nonstop) but on it, it makes me hungry but once i eat im usually good for the rest of the day | i started on 36mg and it worked for a while until my tolerance grew and it wore off quicker and quicker then raised to 54mg.in school i focused more and it was easier to keep my mind on the task at hand but when it wore off a million and one thoughts ran through my head at once and it became incredibly difficult to concentrate on one thing.at home sitting around doing nothing is not an option but once i find something i can do it for hours without gettin bored... i stopped taking it everyday and now i only take it when i find school becoming more difficult or i need to get something done. i can take 2 54s and clean my whole house in about an hour or 2 and it be spotless. a task that normally i half ass and takes me all day. it makes me want to do things i dont like or find boring just so i have something to do which is positive due to my lazy dont feel like it(unless it is something im interested in) attitude. i think this is the most effective medicine ive had and once my body got use | M | 17 | 3 years | 2/16/2009 | 1 | ADHD | irritation, anxiety, strange thoughts, bad mood | Even with the small initial dosage (10 mg) the side effect were awful. It really made my son be concentrated but not on tasks or homework either on his problems, increased warnings, irritation and anxiety. Should be very careful taking this drug. | M | 11 | 7 days | 2/13/2009 | 4 | ADD | i have fatigue, loss of weight, sadness, hostility, emotional, abdominal pain | i think thta it helps me but people with eating disorders should stay away. im kinda addicted to the weight loss from it | F | 15 | 2/10/2009 | 3 | adhd 18mg | I definitely feel confused and have a distorted view of reality. Some depression, headache and insomnia. It is only day 2 though. | M | 19 | 2 days | 2/4/2009 | 5 | ADD/ADHD | WEIGHT LOSS! DECREASED HUNGER! this summer when I went off of it (out of school) I gained 20lbs in less than 2 weeks, when I went back on it, I lost the 20lbs and went back to my normal weight within a month! | I like it other than that. | F | 16 | 4 years | 2/3/2009 | 4 | ADDHD | I am Dizzy off and on. Occasional mood swings. | I am on 18MG right now. The only side effect I have noticed is being dizzy. It had worked a little but I think I need a higher doseage. I took Concerta a couple of years ago a noticed a big difference. I was also on a higher doseage back then. It has kept me calm for the most part...I am a very high strung person. | F | 32 | 3 weeks | 1/25/2009 | 5 | ADD | Loss of appitite, short-term memory loss, dry mouth. | I have been extremely happy with the outcome and would recommend anyone considering an ADD medication to discuss this one with your doctor. | F | 19 | 4 months | 1/19/2009 | 4 | ADHD | loss of appettite, occaisional mood swings | My 2 sons are on concerta; my older one(13) is on 54 mg and seems fine. My 10 year old just changed from Ritalin LA 30 mg to Concerta 54, and has had a big drop in appetite so far, and mild headaches. Has only used it one day, so hope this decreases. Seemed better @ school. | M | 13 | 6 years | 1/14/2009 | 1 | Adult ADHD | A little jittery/hyper, sleeplessness, irritability, constipation at higer dose. | I tried Strattera with no benefit and awful side-effects and switched to Concerta building up to 54mg. It did NOT help with my concentration/attention. I might have felt a little pick-me-up at 36mg. The side-effects weren't terrible but at 54mg I felt like I was racing and jittery. Dr. has now switched me to Adderall XR 10mg which is working much better for me. | M | 51 | 30 days | 1/12/2009 | 4 | ADD | At higher doses this medication caused me to be anorexic, rageful and suspicious. Lower dosages are fine. Helps word recall and attention. | F | 34 | 5 months | 1/11/2009 | 3 | ADD | I don't know what happened... I have been on Concerta for about 5 months and it worked fine. I went back to school after Christmas break and started to to take Concerta again. 3 days after starting again, I have felt depressed, tired, and a lack of appetite. | M | 15 | 5 months | 1/9/2009 | 4 | ADHD (Combined) | Dry mouth, loss of appetite, slight headache, insomnia | Took my first dose with breakfast - was worried about side effects after reading other comments and thought that would help. Felt pretty good all day and while it's still new I'd say it is definitely going to help me. I was just diagnosed this week although I have felt I was ADHD for the past 10 years and have come to the realization that I was this way as a very young child. I was the kid who upset bee hives and fell down wells - it's a wonder I made it to diagnosis! At some point, I decided to make it work for me but it's just such a struggle to "seem normal" at work that I just don't have anything left for home, etc. That's why a little dry mouth, insomnia or headache isn't going to keep me from continuing treatment. However, if a time comes where I feel this isn't the right med then I'm going to keep trying different ones until my doc helps me find the one that's right for me. | F | 39 | 1 days | 12/25/2008 | 5 | Anxiety, Depression | Increased energy and concentration, less irritable, improved mood, moderately decreased anxiety, premature ejaculation (w/ Lexapro), better sexual performance (w/o Lexapro), slight headaches | 36 MG. Taken with 10 MG Lexapro. Pronounced and immediate positive effect on anxiety and depression. Positive effects slightly less obvious when combined with Lexapro (I still require it for slightly different reasons). This is the 23rd psychiatric medication I've tried, and it works where Prozac, Valium, Effexor etc. have failed. | M | 24 | 1 months | 12/20/2008 | 4 | ADD | i just started talking concerta last week, i came off of ritalin to concerta becasue i didnt like the ups and down of ritalin.so far so good. maybe less appetite..some aniexty at times. i am able to focus on my school work and when i am at my work. I feel more involved in the things i am doing. | i like it so far, its only been a week though... | F | 22 | 9 days | 12/18/2008 | 1 | ADD/ADHD | Tired, hungry, unfocused on 36mg; upped dosage to 36mg 2x a day, I'm a small person so then I was just irritable, felt awful, exhausted but couldn't sleep. | I hated it. I will change back to Adderall or go off of meds altogether. | F | 23 | 60 days | 12/17/2008 | 5 | ADD | headache, slight nausea when starting out | Concerta changed my life. I feel so in control of everything i do. I have got lots of energy now, both physical and mental. Everything that was so hard is now easy. Efforts (in any way) are finally rewarded. | M | 19 | 60 days | 12/11/2008 | 3 | i have O.D.D. | shaky, major loss of appetite, mood swings, got really hot a lot, dizziness, anxious, depressed? | i felt like sometimes it wasnt working, but then i figured out you have to take it AFTER you eat. i always feel very shaky and nervous, which i dont like. Also i can go days without eating when im on it. I never get hungry. Lastly, the only good thing is sometimes i over achieve and it helps to stay awake. | F | 17 | 7 weeks | 12/11/2008 | 2 | ADD | Severe mood swings | My son (age 12, 6th grade) started taking 18 mg's of concerta two weeks ago. Although the Doctor had warned that the side effects at the end of the day as the medication was wearing off could include mood swings, I was in no way prepared for the magnitude of those moodswings. My son had been broadly mildly depressed prior to taking concerta (as many kids with ADD are, not fitting in with classmates, ridiculed by both fellow students and even some teachers, etc...). However, after he started taking concerta at the end of each day he would always have sever moodswings and it became even more difficult to then try to help him with his homework from the day, and even to the point where he was making suicidal comments. | M | 12 | 14 days | 12/11/2008 | 3 | adhd | I feel pretty nausiated most of the time. but dont experiance sleep problems because I also take ambien cr | I am at 18ml once daily and see my docter tomarrow about an increase. I am trying to start school and I know that my leval of focus is not at the point where I can maintain the attention needed for this I will see if If I do increase if my hyperness will be a little more suppressed. right now I feel little difference. | F | 25 | 3 weeks | 12/10/2008 | 1 | ADD | Terrible dry mouth, plus I had some very severe outbursts of anger (no definite causality, but I felt it was related to the Concerta) | M | 63 | 8 days | 12/9/2008 | 3 | ADHD | This medicine helped resolve the behavior problems my son was having at school, but the side effects worried me so much we took him off to try other options. At 27 mg dose we noticed involuntary eye-rolling (our son didn't seem to know but we did). We took him off completely for 10 days during holiday break then started with 18 mg dose. On the 18 mg dose we got reports of bad behavior from school (dose not effective) but what scared us was now his right hand/arm had occasional uncontrollable tremors. | Initially had insomnia issues, but biggest concerns by far were facial tics and hand/arm tremors. | M | 8 | 30 days | 12/8/2008 | 4 | ADHD | Diarrhea,headache,stuttering,twitching | I've been on Concerta for over a year and I take 72 mg. I once made the mistake of drinking a redbull and nearly died. I went into a coma like stage in my mind, started shaking and my heart rate increased. Other than that moment, the medicine is fine. I've lost 40 lbs...and couldn't be a harder worker. My sleep in slightly disrupted if I don't take it early, but it's been a life saver. | F | 28 | 1 years | 12/5/2008 | 5 | dysthymia plus MDD | Initially headache and hangover feeling in morning for first few days | I have had serious problems with depression for at least 12 yrs. and on a multitude of different antidepressants. The depression and/or the antidepressants have left me cognitively slow at times, and I lack energy to do almost anything. I felt disconnected to others. Generally felt I could not go on much longer this way. Recently my psychiatrist decided to try ritalin which seemed to help so prescribed concerta a few wks. ago. All I can say is that it has changed my world-have energy to do things that the average person can do, no longer have depressive thoughts and feel connected to others. I feel so grateful. By the way, this med is in addition to Cymbalta 30 mg for the depression. | F | 60 | 3 weeks | 11/29/2008 | 5 | Lack of Focus | The only side effects I have had is insomnia, | Concerta has been a life saver! my Family doctor recommended Straterra a year ago after many discussions about Focus and my work slipping, but as the months went on i could see a VERY slight change for the good, but here is the catch i was absolutly Impotent!!! and crabby!! and i sweat like i was in a sauna the side effects were horrible!! my doctor the said lets try somthing different so he prescribed concerta, i never in 41 years have been more focused and able to carry out my day to day tasks with ease!! the only thing i am worried about is not being able to fall asleep at night, and if i take i to early will it wear off in the evening when i also need it. | M | 41 | 30 days | 11/28/2008 | 4 | anxiety and inattentiveness | dry mouth. headache. increased ehart rate. decreased appetite | 18 mg for about 2 weeks now...I havent weighed myself to see how much weight I lost, but I definitley went from binge eating to eating almost nothing. I really havent noticed too much of a difference in my focus...but I have an appointment in 2 weeks and might have my dosage increased. The headaches are tolerable. i drink water like crazy bc my mouth is so dry...no major side effects though. I like concerta a lot! | F | 20 | 11 days | 11/27/2008 | 1 | add | Loss of appetite, weight loss, trouble moving from one task to another (tunnel vision), mild depression, sever insomnia, DECREASE IN CREATIVITY (I was an Architecture student and it crippled my first two years at school) | This is a message to all of the parents who are thinking about giving this drug to their child, please don't. I know it sounds like the best option to increase their effectiveness in school, or make the temper tantrums decrease at home. Please remember that he/she is your child and they are not perfect. I was put on this drug in High School, soon after I stopped sleeping, picked up smoking, and lost a sense of who I was. It did increase my grade point average slightly but in return I became a zombie. I stopped taking concerta on my own accord and not only did my grades stay the same but my entire quality of life improved. We only have one life to live don't make your child go through it on drugs. | M | 23 | 6 years | 11/27/2008 | 1 | ADD/depression | Slight fatigue, very slight nausea sometimes, | This pill sucks. It didn't help me nor did it hurt me. It felt like I was taking a placebo..even on 36mg. The only thing I noticed was about 5 hours after taking it I became slightly weak and felt like I was getting sick but it wasn't even bad enough to really notice as something out of the ordinary. If you have a high tolerance for pills like I do..don't bother with this one. | F | 21 | 7 days | 11/26/2008 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
