CONCERTA Reviews (METHYLPHENIDATE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.3 (772 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare CONCERTA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 |
More on CONCERTA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR CONCERTA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | ADD | Depression, Social Isolation, Suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, weight loss. | I am currently 19 and have the most structured life of anybody I know. I can't hangout with girls unless I drink, I haven't dated a girl since freshmen year of high school before i started taking concerta (I use to date many girls) and I'm never happy, the only time I'm happy is when I drink. I currently am contemplating suicide, this pill controls my entire life. I hope the drug companies are happy they made their billion dollar industry by making people act as if they were a robot. Sure my grades sky rocketed but in the end, I would rather be a college drop out than a successful person with money and suicidal thoughts. I have no personality when I am on my pill, the only time my personality comes out is at night when I drink, and its a belligerent personality. I would trade anything to have never been prescribed to this drug. Drug companies control everything | M | 19 | 5 years | 1/3/2010 | 3 | ADHD | My 7 year old son started taking Concerta about 9 months ago and for the last few days has been getting very emotional over the littlest things, and tonight he started having a big anxiety attack thinking that today was Friday and that yesterday was Thursday and when my wife and I started trying to explain what day it was he became very Inconsolable and there was just no getting through to him. This has probably been the worst side effect that we have noticed, the other is we weren't giving it to him on the weekends just because it just isn't him when he's on it but as time went on we had to raise his dose and the higher the dose the harder it was to handle him on the weekends without it. We decided to start weekend doses about a month ago and now the weekends are great because there is no fights or bad listening, but he also doesn't seem the same it always feels like his head is in the clouds so at this point I am at my wits end especially after the meltdown tonight. My poor little | Also the medication has helped him in school, and his teacher hasn't said anything about abnormal behavior just that he can out read anybody in his class. | M | 7 | 9 months | 12/31/2009 | 3 | ADHD | weight loss, dry mouth which led to horrible breath,anger outbursts, increased perspiration,hyper focusing, | I loved being able to concentrate, and the weight loss was an unexpected side effect. However, the way I treated my family was not worth it. I would rather be scatter brained and keep a messy house than be thin and bitchy all the time. Also my sister started taking it in the past 6 mths, ( to lose weight), she has lost many relationships because how it causes her to behave. | F | 32 | 2 years | 12/28/2009 | 1 | ADD | Rage, extreme anger, Suicidal thoughts, depression | My son had been diagnosed with depression and ADD. He took the Concerta one day and went into a full blown rage. He was like a different person. We ended up having to hospitalize him for suicide threats. Later he said that he was focused only on his problems an couldn't think of anything else. We will never use this drug again. | M | 16 | 1 days | 12/17/2009 | 2 | ADHD without theHD | Hello Lisa, I stop taking it all together. I really need something, but sense I loss my Job I wasn't able to see a doctor. Now that I'm back working I'm going to see if I can get on something else or lower the dose that I was taking. Thanks for your question. Eric B. | M | 45 | 8 months | 12/9/2009 | 3 | ADD | The first day I took it (18mg - at around noon), I was up until 3am because I was so wired. I had to wake up at 6am when I took another pill and functioned normally all day. After a couple weeks, I noticed this unreasonable anger building inside. I spoke to my doctor about it and he upped the dose to 36mg I believe. He told me that the beginning dose was to get my body used to it more gradually and that the anger was to be expected since the 18mg is usually a dose prescribed to younger kids. I have been on this medication for about 3 years now. Slowly, at the max does of 54mg, the anger is returning and I assume that it is because my body is becoming acclimated to it. Also, after all this time, I am noticing that the stimulant effect when I first take it is virtually non-existent. I've also noticed that I have become further anti-social (pre existing personality disorder traits are being amplified ten fold). | I am considering going off this medication because of the type that it is (stimulant). I dread the thought of what I will be like as I go off of it and replace it with Stratera (which is a non-stimulant that works in about 70% of patients). I was previously on Ritalin, but it wasn't working for me. | M | 36 | 3 years | 12/8/2009 | 3 | ADHD | Extreme loss of appetite until knocked down to lower dosage,Zombie like states all throughout the day, small insomnia, no twitches or ticks, when i work out extreme loss of breath, when i was taken off of it for one summer gained 20 lbs in 3 weeks then lost it all again during the length of school. | M | 14 | | 12/8/2009 | 4 | Add | Sleep wierd patterns, light headed sometimes, onn off side effects i feel kinda high occassionaly ,anxiety sometimes. I am still a slow test taker, its not that i dont know the material, its like having to look through files in my brain for every question | Okay i have been on add meds for seven years and im 15. Concerta for atleast 3 years. Side effect have varried alot for me. I have learned if i dont eat breakfast and take my meds i get sick. I get headaches (may be unrealated we can blame it always) it works (concerta) 75% of the time. But i noticed also that i am now dependant on it. I sometimes physically cant stay awake if i dont take it in the morning. Its like my eyes cant focus enough to say open. I've tried pinching myself, counting the bricks on the wall but i cant stay awake. I instantly feel better after i take my meds. I may still be tired but i can stay awake. I use to be quite the insomniac (pardon my spelling) but now i can fall asleep whenv ever i want because i am more tired. I am also kinda addicted to caffine. ( idk if this is realated but its 1am and i am add) i can go without for a week if i choose but i feel like im depressed if i dont have some(caffine). I need it after school when my meds wear off. | F | 15 | 7 years | 12/7/2009 | 4 | ADHD | headache, weight loss | it seems that many of these comments come from users or parents of users who are very uninformed about how this and other ADHD medications work. also its important to be aware that if there are other mental health problems simultaeously occuring one might have much more dramatic symptoms. if someone who was bi-polar was put on concerta he would most likely become manic, irritable, sleepless, and have pronouced mood swings. personally, it has worked well. you must be mature and self-aware enough to notice when you are being irrationally irritable or not eating properly. if that is too much to ask then it seems silly to be on this drug. | F | 25 | 8 years | 12/5/2009 | 1 | My son DID for ADHD | He developed insomnia, loss of appetite, Tics, aggression, depression, withdrawn, and short term memory loss....THIS DRUG HAS ONLY BEEN OUT 8 YEARS NO ONE EVEN KNOWS WHAT THE LONG TERM AFFECTS CAN BE | This is one of the drugs we are going to see on TV in 15 years saying if you or anyone you know took this drug call.....My son is only 9 now and thank god I took him off concerta when I did! Since then I tried herbal medication and changed his diet but it didn't help. I recently put him on 5mg of Aderol and he is now a A/B student and he is happy. | M | 8 | 20 months | 12/3/2009 | 3 | adhd | none | none | M | 40 | 2 weeks | 11/28/2009 | 4 | Difficulty focusing (ADHD?) | lose of appetite, dry mouth/throat, jaw tension, rapid heart beat, and a temporary weird pain on the upper right hemisphere- it doesn't hurt, it's just weird | I am taking 18mg Positive: it allows me to focus and i was able to stay seated for almost 8 hours doing research (of course I occasionally got to use the bathroom, make something to eat/drink). i don't feel tired, it keeps me alert and i agree that it helps you think about things more thoroughly- i seem to write better reports, essays, poems etc because the external noises seems blocked out so i'm less distracted. i can get into a (literary) groove and stay there until the task is complete. Negative: seems like lose of appetite is the recurring side effect mentioned (thank god it's not just me). actually, i get very particular with what i want to eat i.e. i'll want to eat only the tomatoes in the salad so i concur about having to force yourself to eat everything. i get dry throat and feel like i have to keep drinking liquids or i'll feel dizzy. sometimes i get this weird tingle or pain on the upper right hemisphere, it doesn't hurt but i get paranoid. i also get a rapid heart beat which really scares me but that goes away after a few hours-so i recommend staying away from caffeinated drinks. my jaw tenses up a lot. i also find that i have less coordination/stability for certain things i.e. typing, lightly brushing concealer, painting nails, zipping up my boots- which is not a big deal-just something i notice. probably because i feel so anxious to get things done on concerta that little things that require more detail are a bit of a challenge. hope this helps. | F | 23 | 5 months | 11/24/2009 | 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 [email protected]. | F | 20 | 7 days | 10/3/2009 |