Dexmethylphenidate and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Mon...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 13, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I am a college student who has ADHD (inattentive) and have been taking Focalin XR 20 mg, sometimes 30 mg, for about a year now. I'm not going to lie, it 100% has helped me in school. I can finally complete assignments on time and be super focused while doing them. My professors teach super fast, and I am finally able to keep up mentally and take notes quickly due to my increased heart rate. It keeps me physically awake all day, but mentally tired because I can't sleep at night, so I have to take prescribed Clonidine to sleep. My stomach is constantly hurting and has led me to have horrible eating habits, and I'm skinny. I have to force myself to eat and drink water - if I don't, I will shake uncontrollably and have headaches. My heart will race so much, it causes my anxiety to increase, and it makes it difficult to socialize. I can never predict my mood for the day because it is incredibly unstable. This medicine is worth it school-wise, but the side effects are definitely factors to consider."

• Use...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 4, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I can't find the words to express how terrible I feel on this medicine. I feel like an emotionless zombie. During the first hours on it, you'll feel great. Like a burst of adrenaline, but then it wears off, and it leaves you feeling paranoid, tired, and depressed. You'll start shaking and twitching some days. It just feels awful. Please check if this medicine is right for you."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2017

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 22 in college. I've been taking Prozac for anxiety and depression, and it's worked great! I decided to take on my ADHD that I've had my whole life. Since having taken Focalin 20 mg, I have been a mess. Both medicines contradict each other. I have been very anxious taking this. I'm also very jittery, nonstop moving and sweaty. I'm hungry to the point of feeling faint, but can't eat because even the thought of eating makes me want to throw up. Some days my heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. I always wake up at 6 am feeling great and fall back asleep, waking up later feeling like rubbish. I haven't really been able to tell if it has helped me focus on school, but I'll begin focusing on other things like my phone or daydreaming."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2017

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 22 in college. I've been taking Prozac for anxiety and depression, and it's worked great! I decided to take on my ADHD that I've had my whole life. Since having taken Focalin 20 mg, I have been a mess. Both medicines contradict each other. I have been very anxious taking this. I'm also very jittery, nonstop moving and sweaty. I'm hungry to the point of feeling faint, but can't eat because even the thought of eating makes me want to throw up. Some days my heart feels like it's beating out of my chest. I always wake up at 6 am feeling great and fall back asleep, waking up later feeling like rubbish. I haven't really been able to tell if it has helped me focus on school, but I'll begin focusing on other things like my phone or daydreaming."

• Faj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 14, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I was on Focalin when it was in the trial stages many years ago, and I loved it. I finally was able to eat and enjoy eating for the first time since I was diagnosed with ADHD at 5. It then hit the market and wasn’t covered by insurance, so I stopped taking it because I didn’t want my parents to pay the EXTREMELY high monthly payments for the daily dose. I have now been on it for a couple of months again as a 23-year-old adult, and I love it. I feel like I have my life back. My anxiety has decreased. My concentration is amazing, and I feel organized again. My insurance covers the 2x daily dosage."

• Iam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I took the first dose of 5 mg this morning, then went back into bed. Thought I was awake, but I was having dreams, so I must have fallen asleep. Woke up two hours later and felt calmer, but it wore off about four hours later. I had some anxiety return with sadness for the next two hours. Too early to tell, but I take an antidepressant and never experienced sadness when the Adderall XR wore off. Will work with the doctor and see what she has to say. I'm on Wellbutrin SR, which I started a few days ago, so I can't really be sure if the side effects are from the Focalin XR or Wellbutrin SR. Wish I had started the Focalin XR without the antidepressant, even though I wasn't that depressed, but the doctor suggested I should take it. Will make another post later after some time passes by. Good luck to everyone."

• adu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2023

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I was just recently (finally!) given an ADHD diagnosis at 27 years of age. After spending a few months trying Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta with abysmal results, my doctor switched me to 20 mg extended-release Focalin. The first few days, I noticed random bouts of anxiety and nervousness, which was unusual for me as I am not an anxious person. After around a week of being on Focalin, the anxiety went away, and I was actually seeing increasingly positive results at work, school, and home. It does start to wear off on my 16 hr school plus work days, but my doctor gave me 5 mg short-acting doses for the longer days if I need them towards the end, and that helps. As long as I take it and immediately eat breakfast, I don’t feel any appetite suppression like I do when taking it on an empty stomach. My only complaint is that my heartburn is in full force after starting it, but I’m okay with taking antacids until my body gets used to it, as the results have been more than worth it!"

• adu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2023

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I was just recently (finally!) given an ADHD diagnosis at 27 years of age. After spending a few months trying Adderall, Ritalin, and Concerta with abysmal results, my doctor switched me to 20 mg extended-release Focalin. The first few days, I noticed random bouts of anxiety and nervousness, which was unusual for me as I am not an anxious person. After around a week of being on Focalin, the anxiety went away, and I was actually seeing increasingly positive results at work, school, and home. It does start to wear off on my 16 hr school plus work days, but my doctor gave me 5 mg short-acting doses for the longer days if I need them towards the end, and that helps. As long as I take it and immediately eat breakfast, I don’t feel any appetite suppression like I do when taking it on an empty stomach. My only complaint is that my heartburn is in full force after starting it, but I’m okay with taking antacids until my body gets used to it, as the results have been more than worth it!"

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 22, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Just went on this drug recently, and I have taken other ADHD medication. Focalin makes me feel extremely anxious and weak. I have never experienced this with any other ADHD medication. It makes me feel like I can only sit in one area and do nothing. It doesn’t help my focus ability and ability to complete tasks."

• Rya...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 29, 2020

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I'm on Focalin 10 mg twice a day. I'm shaky and cold after I take it, my appetite is down, and my heart is beating way too fast. I feel relatively blank, I'm tired, but have a hard time sleeping. I used to sleep between 9 or 10 pm then wake up around 7-8 am, now if I'm lucky I go to sleep at 11 pm or 12 pm and wake up at 6 am. I rarely sleep through the night, and I'm anxious and agitated all the time. I'm also on Prozac (20 mg), and maybe they're clashing. It does help with paying attention, I can focus on things long enough for them to register, but I feel worse than I did before I started it."

• Geo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 25, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate "My issues are TBI, ADHD, ASD, GDD, and GAD. This drug is amazing for me! When co-administered with my SSRIs (sertraline and trazodone HCl) and my dissociative neuroanaleptic (memantine HCl), I noticed a vast decrease in depressive, ADHD, brain fog, and even some anxiety symptoms (especially social anxiety) when it was bumped up to 50 mg/day by my psychiatrist. However, this stuff isn't a toy. Avoid alcohol, foods high in vitamin C, and probably others that I forgot when taking this drug. My focus, mood, and energy feel like I'd never suffered right prefrontal trauma, but if you are well aware of your challenges, you can outthink the godlike feeling it may sometimes give you. Do not take this if you're also on Abilify. Do not take this if you're on venlafaxine, mirtazapine, or bupropion."

• Geo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 25, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate "My issues are TBI, ADHD, ASD, GDD, and GAD. This drug is amazing for me! When co-administered with my SSRIs (sertraline and trazodone HCl) and my dissociative neuroanaleptic (memantine HCl), I noticed a vast decrease in depressive, ADHD, brain fog, and even some anxiety symptoms (especially social anxiety) when it was bumped up to 50 mg/day by my psychiatrist. However, this stuff isn't a toy. Avoid alcohol, foods high in vitamin C, and probably others that I forgot when taking this drug. My focus, mood, and energy feel like I'd never suffered right prefrontal trauma, but if you are well aware of your challenges, you can outthink the godlike feeling it may sometimes give you. Do not take this if you're also on Abilify. Do not take this if you're on venlafaxine, mirtazapine, or bupropion."

• Dak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 30, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Honestly, I like the effects of I'm on 20 mg Focalin. When I was on 5 and 10, it didn't seem to do much of anything at all. But on 20 mg, my dysthymia has gone away. I've been dysthymic for as long as I can remember, and being on this medicine totally motivates me to get work done and be genuinely happy. However, this motivation comes with the effect of hyperactivity, which can kind of translate to anxiety. I can't rest as well as I used to, as I'm just thinking about the things I still need to do. I also cannot sleep as easily, and I wake up once or twice during the night. I've always had a low appetite, so I'm not sure how much the medication is affecting my appetite versus my own brain. Despite these side effects, I prefer my mental state when I'm on the medication over my mental state when I'm off. It's helped me get so much stuff done and not just lay down thinking about it and feeling crappy."

• Cai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I tried this medicine after being on Adderall XR and dealing with that medicine not lasting the amount of time it should have, so my doctor tried Focalin XR. I was hopeful at first, the first 2-3 days were totally fine, but by the 4th day I was super anxious, jittery, and felt like my ADHD was worse. I gave it a couple more tries before I had a mental breakdown one day from the anxiety this medicine gave me. I always felt that anxious feeling in my stomach, that never went away. Nothing could calm me down. On top of all that, it made me sweat profusely. More than I ever have in my entire life. I finally was able to switch to Vyvanse and have never looked back."

• Cai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I tried this medicine after being on Adderall XR and dealing with that medicine not lasting the amount of time it should have, so my doctor tried Focalin XR. I was hopeful at first, the first 2-3 days were totally fine, but by the 4th day I was super anxious, jittery, and felt like my ADHD was worse. I gave it a couple more tries before I had a mental breakdown one day from the anxiety this medicine gave me. I always felt that anxious feeling in my stomach, that never went away. Nothing could calm me down. On top of all that, it made me sweat profusely. More than I ever have in my entire life. I finally was able to switch to Vyvanse and have never looked back."

• vic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 23, 2019

For ADHD "I was previously on Concerta, which just made me anxious and even more scatterbrained (instead of focusing on schoolwork, my brain would wander and hyper-focus on other things). Focalin definitely helped my anxiety, and it allows me to focus on the important things (like schoolwork/conversations). I don't take it during weekends, or even sometimes during the week if I don't have much to do, which works out for me. If I did that on Concerta, it would just increase my anxiety when I went back on it. Also, since it only lasts for about 8 hours, it doesn't cause any sleeplessness later on in the evening. I even experience less of a dry mouth than when I was on Concerta! A bad side effect for me was mainly weight loss, but I got over that by forcing myself to eat lunch or eating a big breakfast/big dinner."

• Tom...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 11, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "The way that ADHD medications are marketed to parents for children is morally unjustifiable to me. I was prescribed this drug when I was nine years old and immediately dreaded taking it. I remember going to my father and telling him that I didn't feel like myself very shortly after starting, but my getting good grades in school and doing what he wanted was more important to him than my mental well-being. Over a decade of use, I was unable to function socially, especially during high school years. I battled depression, constant fatigue, extreme anxiety, high heart rates, and the worst was how it impacted my sexual development, shooting my sex drive through the roof by the time I was only 13 and didn't even understand what was happening to me. I tried to stop taking it without my father or doctors knowing when I was 15 and wound up in crisis counseling due to withdrawal. Their solution? Put me back on the pills until I turned 18 and stopped use. That's 10 years I will never get back."

• Dow...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2014

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I was properly diagnosed with ADHD after knowing all my life, I'm special. And different from the rest of my coworkers and people I meet and met. I recently lost my job due to a 'rightful' blowup at my boss's deputy, which led all the way to a final write-up. Two months later, it was discovered that I wasn't doing the daily logs, that everyone can do, but I couldn't do it easily. This behavior led to a doctor and conclusion, I have ADHD. At first, I was on Vyvanse 20, then 40, this left me speedy and jittery, almost unable to cope in public. So I changed to Concerta XR 36. Mild and cool enough, but I don't see the difference with my ADHD. So I moved to Focalin XR 25. It's been an hour since my taking it at 3 pm. I feel it."

• Ano...
• March 20, 2020

For ADHD "Really didn't like Focalin. It was the first medication I tried after getting diagnosed with ADHD at age 18. Made me, a person who really enjoys food, feel sick at the thought of eating. Also made me really anxious every week or so. I'd end up feeling really motivated to do something, but too restless to get it done. Also, the crash at the end of the 8 hours is really noticeable."

• Hig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 13, 2017

For ADHD "I have been taking Focalin since the 6th grade. My ADD has improved. Every day, I feel jittery and I shiver uncontrollably. My stomach hurts a lot, and when I don't take it consecutively, my appetite goes away. I either eat nothing or everything in sight. I'm naturally skinny, but when I don't eat, I'm afraid people will think that's why I'm skinny. I am insanely tired every day, and my medication used to pick me up, but now it doesn't. I hate coffee, and I've tried caffeine tablets (they make me 3x more jittery). I have abused Focalin before. I tried to get high on 3 different occasions, but they all have been unsuccessful. I have terrible anxiety."

• Hig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 13, 2017

For ADHD "I have been taking Focalin since the 6th grade. My ADD has improved. Every day, I feel jittery and I shiver uncontrollably. My stomach hurts a lot, and when I don't take it consecutively, my appetite goes away. I either eat nothing or everything in sight. I'm naturally skinny, but when I don't eat, I'm afraid people will think that's why I'm skinny. I am insanely tired every day, and my medication used to pick me up, but now it doesn't. I hate coffee, and I've tried caffeine tablets (they make me 3x more jittery). I have abused Focalin before. I tried to get high on 3 different occasions, but they all have been unsuccessful. I have terrible anxiety."

• Dav...
• November 19, 2017

For ADHD "When I first started this medication, it was great and worked well. I had developed a tolerance to methylphenidate. After about a year, I started to develop anxiety. I am warning you, this medication will make you anxious. Other than that, my appetite is nothing when I'm on it, and my appetite is out of control when I'm off it. I will be asking my doctor to switch me to Adderall soon because this is doing no good."

• Liz...
• July 13, 2021

For ADHD "I was on 5 mg of the generic Focalin XR for a few months. I became desperate because virtual learning as a medical student with ADHD was driving me off the rails. This was my first experience with stimulants. The first month or two was amazing. I was calm at work and able to get my schoolwork done on time. I was retaining information and felt great. Or even helped with my anxiety, oddly enough! Only downside was insomnia and loss of appetite. Fast forward. I started to experience awful heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, difficulty breathing, sweats, irritability, and shakes. I had to take generic Vistaril (hydroxyzine) just to calm me down, and even that wasn’t enough. I felt like I was spiraling. I could not pinpoint why I was feeling this way until I did some research! Absolutely awful. I’m now bouncing around trying to find a different medication."

• mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Makes my heart beat too fast, and I get shaky and extremely anxious. Someone else said talking feels like a chore on these meds, and I agree. I feel so strange on Focalin, I don’t think I’m going to continue."

• Unf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2021

For ADHD "Minorly increases my energy level (maybe just placebo), but makes me feel uneasy, tense, slightly shaky, and colder than usual. Appetite is also suppressed. Negative symptoms are not very bad, but positive effects are nearly nonexistent. Increasing dosage doesn't seem to do much other than make the tenseness slightly worse and reduce my appetite more. Feels more like anxious energy than focused energy. Doesn't help maintain focus on tasks at all. Did not experience any stomach discomfort, no matter what dosage/whether or not I had it with food."