Methylphenidate and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• 28F...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 22, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "In early elementary school, I was diagnosed with ADHD. It's not common for females to have it. I started on Ritalin. It helped, but I stopped taking it in high school because I was worried about the stigma. In university, I took it off and on. After graduating, I took it only during major changes because it helped me cope, but I never wanted to rely on it. Now I'm trying to get my career going in the field I want to be in, and I'm stressed out of my mind. I have anxiety, and my family doc is concerned I'm going through depression. I'm back on Concerta and have been for a few days. It is the 18 mg dosage, but while I feel a bit more focused, sadly, I feel more focused on my emotions. Hopefully, when I move up to 27 mg, I will be less forgetful and anxious."

• Hon...
• July 9, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Took 18 mg Concerta for 5 days. On day two, I woke up and cleaned and tidied the whole house, my partner thought something was wrong with me! Then the side effects came... nausea, depression, anxiety. By the time I was coming down at around 3 pm, I had to stay at home, I was unable to drive my car or even just go out. My doc wanted to try me on 5 mg Ritalin 3x a day quick release, but I refused. After reading the reviews on here about dexamphetamine, I started them this morning. 5 mg 3x a day. Hopefully, this will be the one for me."

• Anonymous
• November 6, 2009

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed a few months ago (I'm 19) with ADD. The first-and only-medicine I have tried thus far is Concerta (27 and 36 mg). Not only has my ADD not gotten any better, but I feel I have anxiety, mood swings, restlessness, and insomnia. I've used it for several weeks, adjusted my dose, and minimized any external stress, and it's not any better."

• Anonymous
• December 16, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a 20-year-old man, going to university and had or still have troubles concentrating with my ADHD, mostly staying on one subject. Started taking Dexedrine, first, it made me restless and gave me lots of anxiety. Could not hold up a normal conversation or sit still, it made me feel uncomfortable. Then tried Concerta, it was effective somewhat but did not help as much as I had hoped. Could not notice much of an effect. Ritalin gives me the concentration when I need it most."

• Pac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 29, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have a love-hate relationship with Concerta. The pros of the drug are that I can put two and two together, stick with mundane tasks (and look forward to them), read long, boring documents, and catch errors, etc. The cons are the side effects-no sex drive, (sometimes) anxiety, a weird 'aura' or buzz that lasts for a while, and depression. Lately, I've been using natural treatments that are effective. Overall, though, Concerta did help me."

• chr...
• January 27, 2012

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am taking 54 mg for inattentive ADD. It's only been a month of taking Concerta without breaks, but I feel I have the general feeling down. I can focus with minimal distraction. After 3 weeks, I am feeling the loss of appetite, lost 6 lbs in one week, and there is only a period of about 5 hours I can feel it work. During that time, I love the motivation I get and am more social. All in all, it does what it's supposed to, but for only around 5-6 hours. After the working period, I am easily aggravated, and my ADD is worse than ever. My anxiety was high at first, but after a month, I feel like it is less of a problem for me."

• cad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was prescribed the 10mg IR Ritalin to be taken three times a day a few weeks ago. To say the least, I have developed a tolerance to the drug. It has a bad comedown 2-3 hours after I take the drug. But it has done wonders for my depression and ADHD symptoms. The only downside I found is that it makes me feel like a zombie, too focused, much nervous, and has nasty after-effects. But so far it has been a revolutionary step in my life. I will try switching to the LA version, though."

• Stu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I started on 10 mg short-acting. I'm in the process of finding something different. I'm a student and in a competitive field studying nursing. I'm a busy person, and this didn't help me in any way except for test cramming and homework. It would last about 2 hours, and if I wasn't done with my work, I needed to take another. The doctor said to use it on an as-needed basis. But I want something that will help me through the day. Help me focus on everything I need to do in the day. I can't take this short-acting stuff because when it wears off, I'm nervous, and I feel cloudy-minded and weird. I don't want to be around people at this time because I feel off. I'm going back to the doc on Monday. I heard Adderall doesn't have the nervousness side effects."

• Ric...
• May 5, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Had ADHD symptoms growing up, due to cultural reasons and beliefs, family always dismissed it. In 2nd year of law school at the moment, had to work 5x harder than others. Started living away from family and finally got an ADHD diagnosis done. Was prescribed Concerta. I was 154 cm tall and 47 kg before Concerta. Titration period - 18 mg 1 week, 27 mg 1 week, 36 mg 3 weeks, and 54 mg 8 weeks. 18-27 mg at first was amazing. No side effects, brimming with motivation, but wore off in 4 hours. 36 mg was okay but wasn't as great as the initial effect, wore off after 4 hours. 54 mg, developed an uncontrollable cough, mood swings, dry mouth, anxiety. Lost 5 kg weight. Now on Vyvanse. Cough took 2+ weeks since quitting Concerta to stop. Advice - if side effects are bad & last 1 week or more, change meds!"

• Meg...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 6, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "At the beginning, I experienced weakness and headache, as well as occasional anxiety. But the more I continued to take the pills, the more the side effects disappeared. I have been on Concerta for 8 years, and it helped me a lot with my ADHD. Recently, my sister and I noticed I developed tics, but I am able to control it."

• Lau...
• August 21, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I first started with 27 mg of Concerta. When it was giving me no effect, my doctor increased it to 54 mg. At first, I loved it. So great... motivation, energy, concentration, etc. But then I realized how bad my anxiety was getting and that my Prozac was no longer controlling my anxiety and depression. Concerta caused me to have very severe migraines, which caused nausea and dizziness. I would have a migraine in the morning, and the only thing that would take it away was the Concerta, and as soon as it wore off around 5-6 pm, there came the migraine again! I obviously couldn't take the Concerta or I'd be up all night. I am now switched to Vyvanse but haven't tried it yet. If Concerta did not cause migraines and anxiety, then I would really recommend it."

• CDa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Trialed Ritalin dosages of 10/20/30 mg LA over the course of 4-5 months after trying various doses of IR. Preferred that it was less extreme than IR in terms of ups and downs and increased energy, but sadly, it negatively impacted sleep, heart rate, anxiety, and worst of all, I had less tolerance for people and conversation. Would only take this as a last resort as the cons outweighed the pros, but appreciate everyone has different chemistry."

• Ema...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 27, 2021

Methylphenidate for Narcolepsy "In 2017, after years of struggling with sleep issues, I got myself a sleep study. It turned out I had narcolepsy without cataplexy after a full nighttime study and MSLT. At first, I was taking 10 mg of Ritalin 2x a day, that wasn't working, so she switched me to 10 mg of Ritalin 4x daily. I was finding that I'd get terrible headaches from it, so she tried me on Provigil 200 mg. That alone wasn't working as your body adjusts to it. I started supplementing with 10 mg of Ritalin 1x a day. That also wasn't working. I now take Provigil 200 mg at 5 am and supplement that with 20 mg of Ritalin at noon and move on to another 10 mg of Ritalin around 4 pm, and I'm getting through my 12-hour workdays, plus still have energy when I get home! It's absolutely wonderful to feel like a normal functioning human being again. No headaches, no anxiety, concentration is perfect, and I feel like me again. Adjust your meds if it's not working, fight to feel better."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I switched from Modafinil to Ritalin this year. Every time I take this medicine in the morning, I stay awake. But with a lot of side effects. Fast heartbeat, morning sickness/nausea, dizziness, exhausted, trouble sleeping during the night, anxiety, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, often migraines or headaches. I try to avoid the medicine if I can. I like Modasomil more."

• Nls...
• July 23, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Recently diagnosed with ADHD. Also suffer anxiety and depression as well. Was a nice start. My mind was calmed. I have bad social anxiety. I was able to have a conversation with the barber without all of the intrusive thoughts, which was just amazing for me. But that’s all the good that came from it. By that evening, it was clearly worn off. I have sensory processing disorder too, and when this wore off, it felt like my senses came back with a crash. Everything was way too much. My anxiety was horrible. I called a friend around to come get me because I was having the worst panic attack ever. And on top of that, I kept humming and rocking. I couldn’t seem to control it. I felt absolutely crazy. I took an extra Xanax and was able to relax and calm enough to not feel panicked. So disappointing because it started out so good. Hopefully, I can find something that quiets my mind without the horrible come down. But I would never take Ritalin again. Absolute nightmare."

• Lov...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 3, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "This drug is atrocious, especially if you also suffer from bipolar disorder with psychotic features. I have increased anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia, and mood swings from this drug. In the meantime, it has done some things for my severe attention deficit disorder symptoms. Nevertheless, the side effects are horrible. I am cold, constipated, yet sweaty. I am in pain. I have extreme bloating whenever I am late by a few hours for my dose. The insomnia is unfathomably severe. I have undergone rapid weight loss on this drug. I have no appetite and must force-feed myself despite also being on antipsychotics. Do not even use methylphenidate stimulants if you have psychosis."

• ora...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2012

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've tried several of the common ADD medications, and Concerta works the best for me. I was on it for two years a few years ago. When I am on this, I produce better work in school and in my job. When I am not on it, my mind has significant difficulty compartmentalizing information, storing it, and accessing it when I need it. Often, I wouldn't even hear what was being said. This creates major anxiety when I can't think clear enough to get more challenging tasks done. What Concerta also does is make me hyper-focus on small things like constructing a simple email to send to one person - it'll take me 15 minutes to write the 30-second email because I'm overly focused on my every word."

• Sly...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 16. I was prescribed 36 mg Concerta. I took it at 8:30 pm (was supposed to take it in the morning). It worked, it helped me focus, but 3 hours into it, I started feeling anxiety, and later I had a crash. Couldn't sleep, stayed up the whole entire night. I also had many other side effects like lack of appetite and heavy breathing. Might be too large of a dose, but overall, without the crazy side effects, it helped me get stuff done and concentrate."

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 22, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I had a horrible experience with Ritalin. At first, it was fine when it was initially prescribed. I only took it during the weekdays or on some weekends when I had grad or teacher work to do. I was prescribed 5 mg. After a few months of taking it, I noticed my heart was racing; I would initially ignore it. But then it started to get worse, and I would get a little more concerned. I also noticed I was super irritable and would get frustrated easily. Finally, after taking it 3 days in a row, coupled with being super stressed about being quarantined and teaching from home, my heart raced super fast. My anxiety was also worse because I was freaking out about my heart rate. I ended up calling 911, and the paramedics wanted to take me to the ER to get further testing done. After a few tests, the cardiology team wanted me to stay overnight. They wanted to check if I had a heart attack at the age of 32; it was negative. I am a healthy female and always have been. That was scary and not worth it."

• Wil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was on Metadate 60 mg from 9-14, and it created a very intense anxiety and paranoia throughout my teenage years. Worst CNS medicine I've ever taken. I was on CNS medication from 6-16, and it did nothing but worsen long-term. And leave me like a zombie while I was on it."

• Viv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 6, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "It did help me to calm my brain, but it gave me a very fast heart rate, anxiety, and caused me to lose weight. My normal weight is about 140, and at my lowest on Concerta, I weighed 123. It did help with the ADD, but didn't work completely, so I stopped taking it because the side effects outweighed the help."

• Kaz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2020

For ADHD "I'm currently 18, M, and I've been taking this med for about 3 years. It worked at first, and I don't remember much from the first year and a half on it, so I guess nothing notably bad happened at first. Later on, though, it started to really affect me. It got rid of my appetite, and it made me introverted and paranoid to the point of staying absolutely silent for a full year in high school. I would always be scared that people would hear my thoughts and that every word I spoke was somehow wrong or negative. It would trigger intense anxiety and make my social life, as well as home life and academic performance, a living nightmare. Never again."

• Arj...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 26, 2024

For ADHD "I have been diagnosed and taking this medicine for the treatment of ADHD as prescribed by the psychiatrist. I take 10 mg x 1 no. (morning - 9 AM) and 20 mg x 1 no. (afternoon - 2 PM). PROS: i) My mind becomes calm and quiet after ingestion. It helps me to focus and concentrate on my work. Like (getting out of my bed, waking up feeling refreshed, motivated, able to listen and remember, take decisions practically and think clearly, no more depression, I'm positive and good-minded. ii) Appetite suppression - weight loss, because I'm fat. CONS: i) All the above-mentioned positives last only for 6-7 hours only, not forever. This works only if you have legit ADHD. ii) Once the medication wears off, I become confused, abnormally hungry, depression kicks in, anxiety worsens, irritation slips back in, I stutter really bad, random negative thoughts flow through my mind. I begin to cry and feel inferior about myself. It's like my ADHD symptoms return back once again with full force."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 13, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Concerta has worked for me. Started when I was young, and then I had some bad side effects, but that was because the dosage was too high. But even with those side effects of extreme anxiety, hard to fall asleep, feeling unsafe and insecure, still, Concerta has helped me so, so much, and my teachers were really understanding as well. This was a vital part of my education during the early years in school. I can safely say that I have learned/gained experience from this medicine as well, it really helped me out. The positives outweigh the negatives in my experience, but we are all different, and you should really speak with the doctors and try to figure out which medicine is best in your case. And the cost of my medicine varies from month to month, it works like a circle. At the start, it is expensive, and then it gets less expensive. Then the circle restarts, and it goes from expensive to less expensive once again. Hope it works out well for you. And you can find the help you need."

• Ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Ritalin gave me a horrible experience. In the morning, I seemed to be okay. For a couple of hours, it gave me focus, but after that, I became anxious and irritated throughout the day. I became confused, poor decision-making, and felt extremely weird. This works for some, but did not work for me. Horrible experience with this drug."