Methylphenidate and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• kat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I found this medication helped me the most through high school. Right through my senior year, I found I didn't need to even study my notes much because, when I took Concerta, I was so focused that I remembered everything said in class on my own. The main downside of taking this as a student is that it wears off by the time you get home, so doing homework seems impossible -- same with studying. After I graduated high school, though, I noticed Concerta started giving me symptoms of depression and worsening my anxiety to an awful point. Ultimately, my doctor cut me off Concerta due to those emotional side effects."

• Edd...
• July 11, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Helped me a lot. Been using it for 8 months, and now I'm on a 20 mg, 2 times a day. I never had the power to just sit still and stay on one task. Now I'm able to actually sit down and focus on one task. I'm 16 and was diagnosed at 15. Ritalin doesn't last long enough, though, which is the only downside. Only lasts for 3 hours, but it's good because you could get your appetite back. No side effects, just a little nervous at times and headaches, which are rare. Also, suppressed appetite the first hour you take it."

• RPa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "30-year-old male. Recently diagnosed with ADHD. Been taking 10 mg three times a day. 8 a.m. (with breakfast), 12 p.m. (with lunch), 4 p.m. (with snack). I realized after a week that I cannot mix it with coffee, if I do, it makes me feel very anxious and 'jittery.' However, I don't find the side effects that bad at all without coffee. I do want to keep playing with the doses to tweak it, but off to a good start. Glad I realized it was the coffee making me feel like rubbish before I gave up on the drug."

• RPa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "30-year-old male. Recently diagnosed with ADHD. Been taking 10 mg three times a day. 8 a.m. (with breakfast), 12 p.m. (with lunch), 4 p.m. (with snack). I realized after a week that I cannot mix it with coffee, if I do, it makes me feel very anxious and 'jittery.' However, I don't find the side effects that bad at all without coffee. I do want to keep playing with the doses to tweak it, but off to a good start. Glad I realized it was the coffee making me feel like rubbish before I gave up on the drug."

• Bri...
• September 8, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD a little less than a year ago at the age of 12. At first, I loved it because it helped me get so much work done, and I stopped getting in trouble and annoying people. After about one month, I started realizing that I wasn't eating because the medicine was destroying my appetite, and I liked it. I started using the drug more for weight loss than anything, and I went from a happy, bubbly 115 lbs to a lifeless 95 lbs. At 5 ft 8 in, that's severely underweight and unhealthy. I kept taking the medicine, but I became increasingly more depressed and anxious. I was an outcast, but I was too obsessed with losing weight to care. After the school year finished, I took a break from the medicine, and I am now a happy, healthy 13 yr old."

• Deg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 6-year-old started taking the lowest dosage of 4 ml. It did nothing. We raised the dosage to 5, then 6. Once we got to 7, we noticed a change. He was much calmer and much more focused. Then, the second day of him on the 7 ml dosage, he began to have hallucinations at school. Nightmares and lack of sleep. He was very emotional and paranoid. I immediately took him off the medicine."

• 34F...
• August 9, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Made me feel so horrible, even at its lowest dose. Didn't help, just made everything weird, and then when it starts wearing off, depressive and anxious. I have all symptoms of ADD, but I have anxiety under control through diet and exercise, and I've never struggled with depression, but Ritalin literally made me ADD PLUS anxiety and depression. No thanks."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "After trying Dexedrine and having a few unpleasant side effects, my doctor had me try Ritalin. I was on it for about 2 weeks before I decided I wasn't going to take it anymore. Severe depression, increased anxiety, and worsened general ADHD symptoms were the norm on this drug for me."

• Anonymous
• June 30, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I take Ritalin for ADD. I have found that Ritalin LA offers all of the concentration with none of the nasty side effects of the SR form of the pill. The only downside is if your dose is too high, that it doesn't wear off as quickly. Makes for a jittery day. Start low and move up."

• 83n...
• February 28, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "First couple of days, it was working well, then I started noticing mood swings, insomnia, anxiety, anger, agitation. On top of that, lack of energy and a sore throat. It's okay, but not worth all these side effects."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 19, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Just got diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin (10 mg 3 times a day, starting with 1 and increasing it every few days). It’s my 6th day taking it, and it feels like it’s doing the complete opposite of what it should be doing. It’s worsened my anxiety and depression, I feel robotic and numb, my moods fluctuate more than usual, I can’t focus, I feel tired and lethargic, irritable, nauseous, dizzy, racing heart, and none of my usual coping mechanisms that I had before I started meds are helping at all. It’s helped so little and made me feel so much worse. I've started dreading having to take them. I called my doctor today and am waiting for him to call back so I can speak to him about it."

• ap0...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 17 and have been taking 18 mg Concerta every day for a week and a half. This is the second medication I've tried after being diagnosed with ADHD (I was also diagnosed with major depression). First, I tried Adderall, and while it made me feel very alert and productive, I could not handle the severe depressed feelings from the comedown. So far, Concerta has made me feel productive and positive for about 3 hours, and then depression slowly creeps in and gets progressively worse for about 8 more hours. It's not as intense as the depression from Adderall (which even led to suicidal thoughts), but it lasts longer. I also become irritable, anxious, and tired. I've also lost weight because trying to eat makes me feel queasy."

• The...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 22, 2018

For Depression "Was given this and then Concerta, the extended release of this. It worked great after all other meds failed at getting me out of bed and feeling alive again, but there are some side effects. I had to take some Xanax to combat jitteriness/anxiety, and then I had to deal with some irritability. Besides that, it's been the best working. It makes my son less hyper because he has ADHD, but for me, it gives energy. Very strange how everyone's body is different. I recommend at least trying this if all other meds fail."

• The...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 22, 2018

For Depression "Was given this and then Concerta, the extended release of this. It worked great after all other meds failed at getting me out of bed and feeling alive again, but there are some side effects. I had to take some Xanax to combat jitteriness/anxiety, and then I had to deal with some irritability. Besides that, it's been the best working. It makes my son less hyper because he has ADHD, but for me, it gives energy. Very strange how everyone's body is different. I recommend at least trying this if all other meds fail."

• Ash...
• November 15, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I wanted to update about my medication. I am now 20 mg of Ritalin twice daily and 50 mg of Zoloft generic once daily. Having suffered bipolar depression, PTSD, ADD/ADHD throughout different periods in my life. I also have Borderline/Mild General Learning Disability, a labeling in terms that is least offensive to Mild Mental Retardation or Borderline/Mild Intellectual Disability. In my case, the GLD is extremely least severe in the slightest degree. Ritalin actually works very well for me, while Zoloft treats the anxiety, depression, and some mild obsessive-compulsive behavioral thoughts, but nothing extreme, severe, or serious. In some people, depending on DNA and how generics affect medication, the effects might be very different, etc."

• Gli...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 1, 2016

For Fatigue "I was started on methylphenidate as a teenager due to fatigue and ADD. Not ADHD. For a long time, I found that it helped, I could stay focused, my mood was better... until I was in my 30s... I was put back on it, and a year or two later, I was switched to Adderall, then back to methylphenidate. I began to feel very emotional, crying out of nowhere, everything seemed amplified, and my anxiety was through the roof! My behavior was reckless, it was a nightmare! I went from a stable single mom to an emotional wreck, on a downward spiral. My doctor took me off of it immediately. Once off of it, all of that stopped. It's definitely a drug to be careful with."

• Kat...
• October 27, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Took this halfway through 10th grade to summer. First experience after being diagnosed with ADD, so inattention without being hyper. No motivation from this almost made me feel worse with severe exhaustion and depression. I felt like every day was a chore, and I wasn't as happy as I used to be. My friends said I wasn't as free-spirited or fun. Gave me social anxiety also, and shaking. I would highly recommend Adderall XR. I switched to it and got none of the side effects but all of the results. I feel like I can function and am more social than ever without medication, and I also can plan out my thoughts and lists of what I have to do and homework. Concerta sucks, take Adderall instead."

• cls...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD 2 weeks ago, along with depression/anxiety at the age of 33. My doctor wanted to treat the ADD first, thinking the other issue would clear up, so he started me on 18 mg of Concerta. The first week I would take one pill, and then this week increase it to 2 pills. I haven't been on this medication like others have, and I am experiencing so many side effects... i.e., nervousness, no appetite, headaches in the morning, can't sleep, paranoid for no reason. I feel like it’s doing the opposite of what it should. The first day I actually was able to just focus on one task and was able to get the laundry done. I will be talking to my doctor about other medications."

• cls...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD 2 weeks ago, along with depression/anxiety at the age of 33. My doctor wanted to treat the ADD first, thinking the other issue would clear up, so he started me on 18 mg of Concerta. The first week I would take one pill, and then this week increase it to 2 pills. I haven't been on this medication like others have, and I am experiencing so many side effects... i.e., nervousness, no appetite, headaches in the morning, can't sleep, paranoid for no reason. I feel like it’s doing the opposite of what it should. The first day I actually was able to just focus on one task and was able to get the laundry done. I will be talking to my doctor about other medications."

• ave...
• February 13, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have both ADHD and mild/moderate narcolepsy. I have been on Concerta for 9 months. I had not taken any medication till I was a teenager (my parents were very against it), so I took Wellbutrin for a while to help with depression and my ADHD and narcolepsy, however, it was not strong enough, so I switched to Concerta and am taking 36 MG. It changed my life. For years, I could not go a day without taking a nap and could not focus at all in class. I just started college a few months ago and got a 4.0 my first semester, which seemed impossible for me years ago. I can finally focus and stay awake, I cried a lot at first because I was so not used to this!! The only negative parts are insomnia, anxiety, and irritability. I recommend having the same bedtime every night and having something like melatonin on hand to combat this. Also, take your Concerta at least 12 hours before you plan on going to bed. These side effects aren't horrible, though the good by far outweighs the bad!"

• Aki...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "38 years old male, diagnosed with ADHD at age 37. Took Ritalin for the first time, and it made me feel awful. At first, I just felt like my blood circulation was weird, but then I felt fatigued, anxious, and stressed. I had difficulty spelling correctly when typing. I had difficulty focusing, both figuratively and literally. For about an hour, I had to concentrate to focus my vision when I was reading something. It basically was a slightly less worse reaction than what I had to Strattera."

• Aki...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "38 years old male, diagnosed with ADHD at age 37. Took Ritalin for the first time, and it made me feel awful. At first, I just felt like my blood circulation was weird, but then I felt fatigued, anxious, and stressed. I had difficulty spelling correctly when typing. I had difficulty focusing, both figuratively and literally. For about an hour, I had to concentrate to focus my vision when I was reading something. It basically was a slightly less worse reaction than what I had to Strattera."

• mdi...
• July 11, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2nd grade. I have been on medication ever since (I'm 31 now). I started Concerta in high school, and I must say it did very well to get me through class in college. I was even in my major's honor society. Now I have to say I think the years of various medicines have caused some real adverse reactions. I'm very depressed and moody. I've gone from being the big go-getter in my company to borderline at best. Worst of all, I have a new son, and my anxiety is really getting in the way of me enjoying him."

• Anonymous
• August 20, 2009

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Since I've been on Concerta, I've lost 9 1/2 pounds within the three months. So far, I've had to go to the hospital because it has caused me to have bad anxiety. Also, I can't eat, I can't sleep. Although it makes me sick every day and I have depression, my grades have gone up. So, I guess it helps with something."

• Ang...
• May 9, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My son has been on Concerta for about 4 years now. He started when he was 6 years and will be 11 years in 2 weeks. He was put on this medicine starting with 18 mg. Over time, he was gradually put on a higher dose as his age and weight increased. He is now on 54 mg. Since my son has been on this medicine, he has developed seizures because Concerta lowers the seizure threshold. He was diagnosed last year, 2010. He has paranoia, fearfulness, psychosis, headaches, nervousness, aggression, mood swings, trouble going to sleep, and doesn't want to eat a lot. He has had suicidal thoughts and depression."