Focalin and Brain Fog: What Users Say

• A...
• May 21, 2020

For ADHD "I’m scrolling through reviews, and a lot of what I’ve been feeling recently is starting to make sense. This medicine helps me focus, but I feel weak and awful while on it. It makes me shake, and my anxiety spikes. I’ve also been having some depression issues, my moods stoop to a terrible level, and I’ve been in such a dark place at some points. This medicine makes me feel like a zombie, it makes me shake and feel sick to my stomach. I feel bad for any other kids taking this. It helps me focus, but makes me feel awful. I absolutely DREAD having to take them. I have experienced depersonalization, depression, major mood swings, anxiety, derealization, and suicidal tendencies after getting on this medication. I am not self-diagnosing for anxiety and depression. I strongly advise watching your kids before and after having them take these pills. Make sure your child is safe and happy. I’m sorry for my terrible grammar and typing skills."

• NB9...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2014

For ADHD "My 6.5-year-old son has been taking this medicine for over a year. A few months after taking it, we switched him to Ritalin, but the Ritalin made his behavior crazy. I don't have much to complain about this medicine. Any ADHD medication is going to make your child zombie-like. My son takes 10 mg XR in the morning, and I can literally see the switch in his personality in about 10 minutes. He is supposed to take 5 mg non-extended release after school, however, I hardly give that to him anymore. I sometimes break the 5 mg pill in half and just have him take 2.5 mg to focus on his homework if I see him struggling. We just had his medication reduced to 5 mg in the morning, 2.5 after lunch, and 2.5 later in the afternoon - waiting to see how this works out."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 21, 2015

For ADHD "Experienced zombie-like state, very hostile, constant headache, felt a feeling of sadness come over me and wanted to cry randomly. I talk with my doc who told me to decrease my dosage, but I still had these effects. On to something else."

• pla...
• September 11, 2010

For ADHD "My 10-year-old son has ADHD (combined) and ODD. Focalin XR, so far, is the only medication that works on my son's inattentiveness. However, on 15 mg, he was very moody and glassy-eyed. Found out later that he was overmedicated. What I didn't like about Focalin was that he became very quiet, almost zombie-like. Also, the medication did not last in his system long enough. He stopped taking Focalin XR over a year ago and has been on Vyvanse (70 mg). I am considering putting him back on Focalin with a lower dose."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 1, 2018

For ADHD "I am a 62-year-old female. I so wanted Focalin to work for me. Prozac and Focalin are both not good. So tired, can't focus, nauseated, dizzy, reclusive, crying. Now on the second day of Wellbutrin and already feeling 100% better. I thought Focalin would give me a boost. I’m giving Focalin the boot!"

• SIn...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 29, 2021

For ADHD "I take Focalin for ADHD. I have bidirectional autonomic failure with Addison's disease, so the brain fog is terrible, and Focalin helps get my brain going for the day. Unfortunately, I feel it kick in, feel like I can conquer the world, forget about my disorders, but an hour to two hours or so later, I feel the crash and am done for the day. I have a short window of opportunity to get things accomplished. I am on permanent disability, so the tasks I need to get done are things I do at home, such as crafting, stamp collecting, drawing, reading, and blogging. I will skip it for a few days in a row if it builds up to a tolerance where I no longer feel the effects. Once I restart it, I feel the effects as if it were the first time taking it. I wish I could try something different, but my insurance covers this 100%, so unless I want to pay for a new medication, I'm stuck with this. I have been on Focalin off and on since 2012."

• Gre...
• July 2, 2021

For ADHD "My son was on Focalin for a year. At first, the medicine helped him focus and his grades improved, however, he lost his spark. He had zero energy, he was way too quiet, almost zombie-like. His doctor switched him to Ritalin LA, and I feel like we have our son back! I know Focalin works for some people, but it was not the right medicine for my son."

• vik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 5, 2022

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD (I just say ADHD now) in 1st grade and started medication in 2nd grade, stopped taking it halfway through 7th grade year. I am a senior in high school now. I first started on 5 mg of ER till about 5th grade. Then 10 mg of XR. I don't really remember the 5 mg days, as I was young, but from what I remember about the 10 mg days is that when I took it, I didn't really feel a difference. The only difference was I zoned out more and had no emotions. If I took it on a weekend or during a break, I felt like a zombie, almost like my body was on a schedule. I stopped taking it because I just didn't feel the need to."

• vik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 5, 2022

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD (I just say ADHD now) in 1st grade and started medication in 2nd grade, stopped taking it halfway through 7th grade year. I am a senior in high school now. I first started on 5 mg of ER till about 5th grade. Then 10 mg of XR. I don't really remember the 5 mg days, as I was young, but from what I remember about the 10 mg days is that when I took it, I didn't really feel a difference. The only difference was I zoned out more and had no emotions. If I took it on a weekend or during a break, I felt like a zombie, almost like my body was on a schedule. I stopped taking it because I just didn't feel the need to."