Methylphenidate for ADHD User Reviews (Page 5)

• Ano...
• November 12, 2013

"I would recommend this medication ONLY if you are 100% positive you need medication, by that I mean teachers and family recognizing the issue. My mom finally decided to give me Concerta during early middle school after my teachers advised it for a few years. I recommend beginning with 9 mg and slowly going up if needed. This medication is horrible in my life in the sense that I feel like I need it to do good in school, especially now I'm in college. But it causes me to be incredibly depressed. I continue to take it because grades are first, but for kids I recommend keeping a very close eye on them and follow up on depression issues because as a kid in middle school, it was horrible."

• Los...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2017

"I have been taking Strattera 60 mg for 6 months and am a male that weighs 185 lbs and is 6 ft 2 in. The ATX (Strattera) was not enough to help my severe unmotivation. I recently added Concerta (Alza 18 mg generic) to my medications, and it has helped dramatically. Like a pair of eyeglasses, I can now 'see' my life in a better light. It will not get your work done for you, nor will it solve all of your issues that you may have, but it will make life a lot easier to live. Instead of always worrying and being behind, I can get what is really important done and get to what is important another day. My mood has not been bad, my driving is less road rageish. I'm a lot less stressed out and anxious. I'm blessed to get help at age 22. I am doing well."

• Exp...
• October 1, 2013

"My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade, and her doctor and I discussed different medications and settled on Concerta. Grades were never a problem, but behavior and socialization were. She hated the medication and would spit it out or hide it. It gave her headaches, loss of appetite, and sleep loss. Eventually, she began taking it regularly and began to do well in school. The behavior problems ceased, as well as socialization. She took this medication for about 2 years, and then I decided to pull her off. Her teacher didn't even notice and thought she was still taking the medication because she was so well-adjusted and presented no serious issues. She never took meds again and learned to cope. She has ADHD but manages it other ways."

• Nob...
• June 14, 2019

"Higher grades, acknowledgments from teachers, and the ability to focus are the upsides. Wanna hear the downsides? I've lost all my friends, I honestly don't know what happened, I must have changed. I lost a dramatic amount of weight (from 220 lbs to 145 lbs in half a year) to the point where, when I returned to classes after break, nobody could believe how skinny I was. A decline in self-confidence. A scarily reduced sex drive. Sweat pours from me all day, even though I'm cold. A slowly declined desire to socialize, I don't even want to leave my room after school anymore. It's been over a year. I hate who I've become, and at the same time, I have no desire to be my old self again. I've been on Concerta consistently for over a year now. I've tried alternative meds to no avail, and at this point, I'm nearly an adult, thus I'm running out of time to fix myself. If you are a new patient and are experiencing these problems like I am, don't suppress them to keep the benefits, else, you will have this mess to fix like me."

• ADD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 27, 2014

"I am on 27 mg Concerta. Never felt better. I have better grades because of better concentration. No anxiety or suicidal thoughts. I guess I have too much to keep me alive, that I have never had those thoughts. The only side effect seems to be slight insomnia, but I would prefer better grades over sleep."

• kri...
• August 21, 2018

"A couple of years ago, I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and was first given Vyvanse. It caused me to have awful anxiety and chest pains. This turned me off to stimulants for a while. Finally, I started seeing a new doctor, and he prescribed me Concerta XL for my long days at work, and it has definitely changed my life. At first, it was for my ADHD, but it also helps with my depression. It makes me feel awake but not jittery and anxious. I feel more social and talkative (I'm very shy, and people always make comments on how I don't talk that much). I don't have as many bad days like I was having before. I still get them, but they seem to be more mild and less often. There is a slight come-down period when it is wearing off, and you can get a little bummed during this time. It's not as bad with the long-acting Concerta like it is with regular methylphenidate. I highly recommend trying these medicines."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 14, 2024

"I was given Ritalin for the first time yesterday at my ADHD test appointment. I am a 43-year-old woman. I got sober 3 years ago but never managed to find any sort of real joy in living, and I was beginning to think I would allow myself to end it because it's just one long struggle all day with no rewards. Then Ritalin! Everything changed in 30 minutes. I had a feeling that I think I have been looking for my whole life but had started thinking wasn't even real and that I just had 'too high expectations' to how life should feel. Suddenly I just relaxed. Years of tension left my entire body in an instant. My mind was clear. I felt a sense of calm and safety that I have never experienced before. The meds have worn off now but I can't stop crying! I hugged my husband last night and enjoyed it for the first time in I can't remember. I told him I loved him this morning and I felt it, I meant it! I did math in my head without any self-doubt. A miracle!"

• Ket...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 11, 2019

"I've been taking methylphenidate (Ritalin) for years, and it helps, but I must take Tylenol with it, or I get a headache. I'm more focused and energetic. Not wiping away my ADD 100%, but it works on many levels."

• 4Mo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 25, 2013

"My son, almost 6, started on Daytrana right around 5 years old. We went from half a 10mg patch to a whole 10mg patch. Really, it's whatever we need that day. It does work. Positives for us: concentration improved, attitude solid. Negatives: if we leave the patch on from 8-6, we are up until 2 or 3 am if we do not give melatonin to help sleep. Appetite severely decreases on medicine, days without medicine he's eating like a horse. Overall, the medicine has more positives than negatives, I just would like more understanding on how, as a parent, to be able to handle all this."

• luk...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 10, 2015

"My son has been on this since 2nd grade. He is now in 5th and is on 60 mg. He has had great success with this medicine. He is more focused, can keep it all together, and as I describe, 'pretty much all that I can ask for' on the meds. Off meds, it's a whole different story. He has no side effects, however, he is not as hungry during the day."

• Bob...
• April 1, 2012

"My 18-year-old daughter has been on Daytrana patches for more than 5 years. She needs a 40 mg dose, and 30 mg is the strongest patch. Benefits are MANY. Though 9 hours is the recommended time for wearing the patch, my daughter routinely wears them for 14 hours daily to get school work and homework done. She wears them 16 or more hours if she has a date, or there is a school function that lasts late e.g. PROM. This has allowed her to avoid those horrible 'impulse control' issues most ADD kids experience. Daytrana has allowed her to avoid the highs and lows that occur with other medications. We love Daytrana."

• ADD...
• November 4, 2008

"This is it. You might have to up or decrease your mg according to how you feel at first. I take 3, 18mg tabs in the morning. It is the Concerta ER, lasts from 8-12 hrs. No side effects at all for me. I am calmer, more focused, and still get a lot done during the day. I easily go to sleep now. Recommended for ADHD though, not for ADD symptoms. I am energized during the day and do not 'feel' like I am 'coming off something'. I highly recommend this."

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 9, 2020

"It took a while to get used to, but I weigh about 160 lb and take 54 mg daily now. Overall, it just makes it so much easier to be focused and organized, with the meds, I can actually keep routines. The biggest side effect for me is the appetite loss, I lost 30 lb within the first 6 months. Thankfully, that has lessened a lot, and I’ve gained some of the weight back, but definitely something to consider if you have concerns about being underweight or disordered eating. As well, if you try to have caffeine, nicotine, sativa, or any stimulants, you’re going to feel like absolute garbage, so follow the doctor's order and avoid them. The only other warning you might not find online is that the brand name Concerta is expensive and not always covered (in BC, Canada). It wasn’t covered by my university health plan, but it’s covered by my work plan with Blue Cross. For 90 tablets of 54 mg Concerta (brand name, my doctor told me not to take the generic), it costs $400."

• yes...
• March 24, 2008

"It's a lot more mild than Ritalin and more effective than Focalin. The only problem I have with it would be weight loss (I'm 5'2' and only 100 lbs) and sometimes I can't react as quickly as I would without the medication. Weird, but an awesome drug for any ADHD or ADD college student. It instantly gets rid of fidgeting and you'll be able to listen and focus on the most boring lecture imaginable (and learn from it!)"

• Tyj...
• January 27, 2014

"It makes me depressed. Yes, it helps me focus, and it helps me with my school work, but when I am on Concerta, I am 100% emotionless and it is the worst feeling I have ever experienced. Constant depression until it wears off later in the night time."

• djm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 2, 2014

"I've been on over half of the ADHD medications on the list, and all of them either made it worse or added to the tic the first medication gave me. I started taking Concerta about two years ago, and I remember improving in school greatly. It works fast and helps a lot."

• Luc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 16, 2015

"I have been taking Ritalin for almost 3 years, and it has been great. I had ADHD in high school and college. I couldn't focus, listen to lectures, read well, or study. I saw a doctor during college, and he prescribed me Ritalin 20 mg 3 times a day (I had long days in college). I was finally able to read well, study, and focus. I love learning now, I'm motivated, and my mood improved. Now I take 20 mg 2 times a day (I graduated and go to bed earlier). It lasts around 4 hours. I never experience withdrawal or major sleepiness when I don't take it. Side effects: difficulty sleeping if taken too close to bedtime and appetite loss (minor). I highly suggest an eating schedule and drinking lots of water so you don't eat too little. I would often forget to eat in the beginning."

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 14, 2022

"Concerta has allowed me to turn my life around. I had undiagnosed inattentive ADHD, and for 12 years, I was drinking 8-12 beers a day, 'self-medicating.' Since starting Concerta, I've had no desire to drink in 44 days thus far. I've been able to start exercising, eating healthy, and getting myself back on track. Life-changing for me."

• Bai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 2, 2013

"I have been taking Ritalin for about a month now. It really helps me focus on things. But a downfall is that it is really hard to multitask. I can only concentrate on one thing at a time, and that makes it very difficult for my schoolwork. Also, I have had a huge loss of appetite. I am not hungry, EVER. During the month I have been on this medicine, I have lost almost twenty pounds due to the fact that I never want to eat."

• Mis...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 29, 2016

"I began taking Concerta at the age of 13 to treat my ADHD. I'm now 22, still taking 27 MG of Concerta daily. Overall, it has been helpful with managing my ADHD symptoms, I'm much less distracted and able to stick to one task at a time. It was especially helpful when I was in school because it was just so impossible for me to stay focused in class. As an adult, it makes work so much easier for me because my job requires things to be done with a lot of precision. Side effects I've experienced have been headaches (occasionally migraines), inconsistent appetite, restlessness at night, some difficulty sleeping, and constant thirst. Despite the side effects, I feel that my overall quality of life has improved with taking Concerta to manage my ADHD."

• rji...
• January 12, 2009

"I am 26 years old and have been using Concerta for approximately 9 months. I have been extremely impressed with my new ability to focus and attention to detail. I have always been a daydreamer, and that paid off in creativity. However, daydreaming during a meeting with the president of the company you work for doesn't pay off. My wife, out of angst, suggested that I might have ADHD and should consider getting tested. After a 5-hour psychological evaluation, it was decidedly so. Since I have started Concerta, I have been promoted to the top position in my office. It controls my anxiety and keeps me calm and focused. The only side effects that I have noticed are weight loss (lost 30 lbs) due to loss of appetite and a lack of emotion."

• net...
• December 13, 2019

"I have ADHD, and today was my first day on Ritalin, and it sucked! The effects lasted for an hour, and when it did work, I felt like a zombie and didn't want to move. It also made me tired and kind of sensitive to sound. And, it didn't even make me feel focused, so really, what's the point?"

• Mac...
• April 1, 2013

"I'm a 22-year-old male, and I've been on Concerta for a week now. Like another person said below, so this is what it feels like to be normal. It is such a relief to be able to access my brain when I want it. I am able to put sentences together without struggling to get them out. I'm able to motivate myself easily. It almost feels like time moves slower, I don't feel rushed anymore. People are able to talk to me without me interrupting to blurt out what I was thinking. I can sit down and start something and continue to do it until it's done. I don't have the urge to jump up and do something else. But I also feel really draggy when I get home, and the meds start to wear off, it's actually very frustrating."

• Dav...
• November 18, 2014

"This has been life-changing in a positive way. I never thought I had an issue, and finally, at 29, I mentioned it to my doctor, who first prescribed Adderall, I believe. I didn't like it. I mentioned it, figuring I might as well give up, and then he suggested I try Concerta. Since that point, my focus has gone up, and I realize I did have an issue all these years! I don't take it on Sundays to give my mind a break. Only take it if you need it and don't abuse it."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 13, 2020

"Originally, I was on the authorized generic of Concerta. Well, when the authorized generic stopped being developed and all other generics became available at pharmacies, I was switched to those. All of the generics of Concerta are awful, and they do NOT use the OROS mechanism. For that reason, we finally were able to switch to Jornay PM. Normally, I take a very high dose of products containing methylphenidate. My psych has started me on the 60 mg version of it. So far, it is okay, but it's definitely not as strong as a release since this brand actually releases a lot less at a time. I think the medication will work perfectly for me once I get on the higher doses. Since being on it, I've been very sleepy, but I know for a fact that the highest dose will be good. I do notice that it does somewhat help me wake up better in the morning but not well enough. Will update you guys with more info once I have my dose upped."