Dexmethylphenidate and Loss Of Appetite: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 29, 2019

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I've taken it on and off since I was in high school (I'm 26 now). Generally, 5-10 mg has worked best for me. It helps me a lot when there are tasks I need extra focus on, and a lower dose can help in social situations. I found it to be helpful for school, and more recently at work. The worst side effect for me is a loss of appetite. I find that I have to totally guess how hungry I am and force it down so I don't get brain fog. It relieves anxiety in that I can finally do what I need to, but it raises anxiety in general. I try to take it as little as possible and haven't experienced any issues taking it sporadically. Just keep the dose low."

• AJa...
• August 2, 2020

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "My 7-year-old was on 5 mg of Focalin XR for 2 months. A lot of his quirky behavior went away, but not all. He was up until 10 or 11 pm every night and told us he had too much energy. Per the advice of the doctor, we took a 4-day break, and he went to bed at 9:30 all nights. We are day one of 10 mg, hoping that more of his quirky behavior goes away. It’s now 11:30 pm, and he’s wide awake. My son is perky and his same silly self - I can’t identify with other reviews that said it makes kids zombie-like. I did not have that experience at all. Hoping things get better soon, though. Also, it has not affected appetite either. He eats well, thank God."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 22, 2015

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "My son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 4 years old. He is now 7. Before finding Focalin, his doctor started him on Ritalin, he was only on it for 3 days because it made him zombified and depressive with many mood swings. Then he started Vyvanse for a few weeks, but it gave him some kind of allergic reaction in his throat. Finally, he was put on Focalin 10ml, and for the last 3 years, it has been doing him great. He does awesome in school, and also at home he can focus and he is happy. The only bad part is he has absolutely no appetite from 10 minutes after he takes the pill to 6 hours later. He drinks cyproheptadine syrup 2mg to help boost his appetite while on the Focalin."

• Coo...
• August 16, 2018

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I've always had ADD, but didn't start trying to get help with it until I was about to start college. I tried Adderall for 2 weeks and became unable to eat and felt constantly awful. It was obvious Adderall wasn't working for me, so my doctor recommended Focalin XR, and I really can't recommend it enough. About a week after taking Focalin (10 mg twice daily), I went from that to being able to work without distraction for at least 4 hours. I could focus on all the things I enjoyed for longer periods. I was no longer asking my friends and others, 'I'm sorry, could you repeat that?' like I was before, constantly. It has also helped me with my depression. I feel so much more motivated, and I'm able to finally organize things without it feeling like a chore. Sadly, it's quite expensive unless you have very good insurance. My previous insurance covered it until I turned 19 at about $5, but with my current insurance, it's $170/month with a discount coupon."

• Abb...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 11, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "When I first started, it was great, except that it made me less hungry. Very soon, however, I started to get angry on it, I would shake, I would binge on weekends after not eating all week, and I became depressed. I started it in third grade and finally got off it in eighth grade. Now I take Intuniv (2 mg), Lexapro (15 mg), Adderall XR (10 mg), and Adderall (5 mg). Obviously, I take a lot more medication, but I am stable, and a mixture of these medications works best for me. The only side effects from the Adderall XR and Adderall are slight appetite decrease and some tremors and ticking, but the Intuniv helps a little, and I just make sure to eat before my second dose of Adderall."

• Joh...
• July 13, 2019

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Whenever I take this medication, I feel bored of everything. I will just sit and do nothing instead of doing things I normally enjoy. I am not hungry and become unsociable. Sometimes I get shaky. Grades seemed to improve slightly. Not worth it at all."

• 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!"

• Not...
• January 2, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Quick summary: yes, it helps drastically; but that’s about the only good thing. It’s physically horrible. Long summary: I have taken Adderall for over five years. It made me lose my appetite, so I briefly switched to Vyvanse, but that made me aggressive and violent. So I switched to Focalin, and I have been taking 15 mg for around a year now. I’ve switched on and off between 10 mg and 15 mg since my metabolism gets used to it. Here’s what I’ve found: without a doubt, it helps focus, and overall I am a lot more positive and happy, to the point where I want to make other people happy. However, Focalin has made me have constant side effects of a heavy beating heart, my right ear pops randomly when I’m sitting down, and shortness of breath. I would say just stop taking it. What I’m going to do is just take 5 mg only if I really need to. Because honestly, the side effects are horrible."

• 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."

• Moo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 4, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Well, the good! Focus, energy, spirit lifter, energetic, loss of appetite, weight loss. The bad: anger flashes, uncontrollable talkativeness, extreme crash after it wears off, especially if you work in a restaurant environment."

• nik...
• April 19, 2015

For ADHD "I started taking Adderall when I was first said to have ADHD in 6th grade. It helped a lot with school, but I was always serious and in a bad mood after school. Plus, I didn't want to eat at all. Once I took Focalin, I noticed that it helped me in the same way, just less side effects. I am 18 now, and I use it once or twice a week to keep me motivated to get work done, and it works miracles. I am twice as productive now, even off Focalin. I highly recommend having a hearty meal when you take it and some sweets about 4 or 5 hours after, it helps with the appetite loss side effect. I also figured out what I would eat while I'm on Focalin, e.g., mac 'n' cheese, fruit smoothies, Taco Bell."

• 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."

• Fga...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2021

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "I’ve been on Focalin for a few months. I have ADHD and absolutely cannot concentrate at work, and I fall asleep most of the time. At first, it was okay, but I did notice that I would feel like a zombie after work. No appetite, no energy, and depressed! It kicks in, and sure, you're focused and alert for about 2 hours. But boy, when it wears off, it is awful. I have an appointment tomorrow because I cannot take this medicine anymore. I feel about as bad as I did when I first started treating myself for mental health. I used to be on generic Ritalin, and I do not remember the come down being this awful."

• Ada...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 20, 2020

For ADHD "I started dexmethylphenidate when I was 8 years old. I started on a dose of 5 mg of XR daily, and this was doubled, and doubled again, and then I ended up taking 20 mg twice daily. Focalin made me so awake and attentive that even closing my eyes for a second was uncomfortable. I was unable to sleep at night for years and my appetite was greatly diminished while I was taking the medication."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2025

For ADHD "I upgraded from regular methylphenidate to dexmethylphenidate so I'm able to have a longer time before I lose my appetite due to the medicine. It helps me focus, stop talking so much, and it makes me a normal person. When I missed a couple of morning doses, I realized that I can't sit still or focus without having to walk around every 10 minutes. As a male, I also noticed when I miss a dose in the morning, starting a few hours after waking up, I get lots of erections, and it's very obvious to me."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2022

For ADHD "I put my ADHD son on this med. Seemed great at first. Over the next 2 years, I could see him change slowly. Much more serious and focused, it seemed at first. Over time, side effects, including not growing due to decreased appetite, getting moody, too serious, and some minor tics. I missed my son, I took him off it about 4 months ago. He is doing great now. I'm not on any meds, my family is all medical, I just don't feel the change is worth the side effects. Glad I took him off all the meds and got my real son back. He's a cool kid, I like him."

• Tra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 24, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "OK, so maybe you will have someone trying to discredit this, but anyway, my son has been taking this stuff, and for 4 years, his mood is crazy. At first, a little anger at 5 years old, now 4 years later, he is much worse. He lost his want and need to eat and doesn't care about anything. He can't stay still, makes crazy faces. Don't give your child any of these drugs from them doctors, it's all a lie. Just look at the reviews and look at the side effects. Watch your kids, please. With all my heart, I say parents, y'all know best, not a person with a title. I'm sending love and strength to all. Question everything, please watch your kids."

• Kai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 21, 2022

Dexmethylphenidate for ADHD "Makes me feel weak, like a zombie. I'm not hungry, I feel no mood. I don't like it."