Methylphenidate and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• tru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "18F. Mild side effects at the start (heart palpitations, nausea, reduced appetite), but slowly subsided. 18 mg felt like nothing, 27 mg boosted my physical alertness but did nothing for executive dysfunction, and 36 mg had really unpleasant side effects (anxiety, dizziness, jitters). Going to try an amphetamine-class drug next (probably Vyvanse), hopefully it'll be more effective."

• Akd...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I switched to Cotempla from Vyvanse due to tolerance issues, and I think the Cotempla works much better for my ADD. It kicks in in about 20 minutes, the tablets taste fine, and it stays effective for about 9 hours after I take it. It also had less of the amphetamine side effects like jitters, anxiety, and elevated heart rate. My only complaint is that they only make 25.9 mg tablets as the max dosage, so I have to take two a day, but in my opinion, it is much more effective for ADD than Vyvanse and Adderall."

• Nor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm not sure if I got prescribed a dose that was too high for me, but while I was on the medication, I experienced derealization, severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, absolutely no appetite at all, and stayed in bed most of the day. One of the worst medications I've been on."

• des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2018

For Depression "In the beginning, this med was great, got me to do stuff and enjoy life again at 30 mg XR, but lately, the improvement it used to do to my mood is not that great anymore, plus it gets me anxious and unstable, maybe I will stick to fluoxetine/escitalopram/olanzapine combo. Or try it with clonazepam through the day :("

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 26, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "The 5 mg tablets are okay. The first month on it, it wasn’t bad at all, very productive, a few side effects like hunger and sadness. I would say a 6/10 for the 5 mg tablets. The XR/LA was absolutely the worst experience, though. Headaches, stomach aches, constantly frantic feeling, gassy, bathroom trips every time I ate, bloating, anxiety, extremely irritated, I always felt on the verge of a mental breakdown, poor digestion, poor sleep. I would sleep for 10 hours on XR and wake up feeling like I never slept. This should be used to torture people. I have a month supply, and I will be throwing away the medication, I actually can’t take these. I normally run 3x a week and work out 5x a week for my job. I have barely done any physical activity on XR. My life has gone very downhill, very fast. They really aren't addictive, at least the XR isn’t."

• Fta...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 24, 2020

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Slightly improves my working memory, noticed I'm not forgetting things so much, can pay attention when people are explaining things to me too. Initially was making me jittery, but that has gone away now. Unfortunately, it makes me extremely nauseous, so I'd like to change meds."

• Isa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My daughter's pediatrician told me to give her 1 pill before 9:00 a.m. daily. I gave her the pill at 8:30 a.m., and all day she was amazing. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, at 10:30 p.m., she said she just couldn't fall asleep, her hands and feet wouldn't stop moving, her mouth was moving extremely weird, and she said she was jittery. My daughter finally fell asleep at 6:30 a.m. and didn't receive another dose again but had problems for 5 more nights with sleep."

• Anonymous
• February 25, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "25 years old, with major depression. Take with other medicines (sertraline, trazodone) greatly helps interest, which the others don't. Probably inattentive ADD - never got on in school. 18 mg is good. 27 mg is okay, but I'm a bit paler and a bit edgier. Any more and I look and feel washed out and jumpy."

• dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 24, 2023

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm 23. Was put on Ritalin SR 20 mg to treat ADHD every morning around 8 or 9 a.m. I had adverse reactions. I was shaky, anxious, irritable. Around 2 p.m. every day, I'd be crying and having a panic attack. Around day 3 or 4, I started having suicidal and self-harming thoughts I've never had before. I only took this med for 5 days because it made my mental health worse rather than better. Would not recommend."

• Anc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 16, 2022

For ADHD "9/10, works amazing as long as I remember to take it every morning… My ADHD: slow, forgetful, distracted, zone-out symptoms. I’ve taken this from 13-14 years old and again at 27 years old (postpartum brain fog/mild PP depression/ADHD exacerbation). 36 mg dose. This helps me pull myself away from distractions (where before, I could NOT pull myself back to reality when I was zoning out). I’m able to focus, remind/remember, self-motivate, and organize with little to no side effects. I couldn’t safely function at work mentally as a 27-year-old after maternity leave without this. Secondary appetite suppression: mild when I was 13-14 years old, none at 27 years old. Secondary anxiety: very mild, no new issues, possibly underlying anxiety at baseline. Addictive tendencies: none so far with a 36 mg dose."

• Sar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 17, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was first given Ritalin at 6 years old. Ritalin made it hard for me to sleep. Being on Ritalin made me feel nauseous. Ritalin caused tremors in my arms. Being forced to take Ritalin made me self-conscious. Ritalin increased my anxiety. My anxiety turned into panic attacks, so I was prescribed antidepressants like Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Effexor. I was also prescribed Lamictal, an anti-convulsant. For me, Ritalin was the 'gateway drug.'"

• Sop...
• November 14, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "For a while, it was good, I was doing okay in school and focusing more, but the more I increased my dose, the worse the quality of life became. My social anxiety went through the roof. The worst part about it for me was that when my dose was 72 mg, the cutoff or withdrawal was horrible. As soon as it wore off, my face would get a big red rash and would pulsate, and my pores would get huge. This would happen every day, and it was irritating and made me self-conscious, so I took myself off the medication and noticed it stopped. I haven’t been on it since, and I would like to start a new medication with less side effects."

• pan...
• July 7, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "18 mg dose, day 1. Was hungover, so I took paracetamol, had taken Ritalin as a kid, and this is the first time I've had meds in years. Had a migraine, was irritable, tunnel vision, extreme anxiety almost brought me to tears, slight suicidal tendencies, hallucinations relating to anxiety, and had a hard time articulating myself as my memory was shot and my thoughts were rapid, and I felt impulsive and dehydrated very easily. However, I feared worse effects from withdrawals, so I took it again the next day, and I played a bit of guitar, and that set my mood for the whole day, constantly euphoric. I've just passed day 3 and hardly felt any effect from the drug, overall, I remained productive and achieved everything I wanted, even on the worst day. Will see how it goes."

• pil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was initially prescribed Ritalin, which worked well, but after moving to a country where only Concerta is available for ADHD, I had to switch over. Despite them both being methylphenidate, Concerta felt like a very different drug. The side effects were significantly worse - I had terrible headaches (though I’ve heard that can be mitigated by drinking a lot of water while on it), as well as worrying cardiovascular issues, and strangely the drug was really inconsistent. One day it would be somewhat effective, the next day it would give me really bad anxiety that made it difficult to focus, etc. I wasn’t taking any other medication that could have interacted with Concerta, so I have no idea what was causing such varying reactions. Even after discontinuing use, I still have some cardiovascular issues from this drug. Tread with caution! Avoid Concerta unless all other possibilities have been exhausted (other stimulants, neurofeedback, Clonidine/Guanfacine, etc)."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Experimented with dosages of 18 mg to 48 mg, experienced a high heart rate and anxiety with little impact on ADHD symptoms. I felt like a zombie for two weeks before my PCP told me to stop the medication immediately."

• Hed...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 20, 2023

For ADHD "I use 30 mg at 8 a.m. and 20 mg at 1-4 p.m. for ADHD. It makes me concentrate and helps with anxiety and depression. It also makes me able to be a part of society. It doesn't affect my appetite that much if I just take it with plenty of food and water. I highly recommend it."

• CPa...
• February 1, 2020

For Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome "I started Concerta on a small dose at first, 18 mg every morning, to help with fatigue, sleepiness, and brain fog. Since the 18 mg didn’t do anything, my neurologist changed it to 36 mg. I started noticing loss of appetite, but my brain fog, fatigue, and sleepiness were getting better for a bit. Then the 36 mg stopped working, and I was put on 54 mg. Since then, I had insomnia, I completely lost my appetite and lost 12 lbs, my resting heart rate was in the 177-200 range, and I noticed my anxiety coming back and getting 100 times worse. I saw my cardiologist, and he told me that I should have never been on a stimulant in the first place. My POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) is very severe, and the stimulant was making it even worse!"

• Che...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 7, 2021

For ADHD "I found short-action methylphenidate (Ritalin) to be much better than XR (Concerta), as it didn't give me as much anxiety. In general, it works very well and allows me to focus on my work for a significant amount of time without being distracted. I've been taking it on and off for about 3 years now, and I am very satisfied. Usually, I take two 20 mg tablets per day, but I also implement drug holidays to prevent any build-up of tolerance."

• Dxa...
• March 28, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was on Vyvanse, but since I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, I wanted to try other meds to see what's the most effective. I tried Concerta, and it was awful. It didn't do anything for concentration, made me feel nauseous, stomach aches, and some crazy anxiety. Went back on Vyvanse! At least now I know I don't react well to Methylphenidate meds."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 13, 2012

For Narcolepsy "Ritalin LA: I have taken this (10 mg) along with 'normal' release methylphenidate/Ritalin to treat narcolepsy for about 4 years. The LA does not give me the jittery feeling of the short-acting Ritalin. I only supplement the LA with the short-acting because the LA keeps me awake (or at least doesn't offer restful sleep) for about 8 hours, while the short-acting version lasts about 4 hours. Without these medications, particularly Ritalin LA, I would not be able to maintain any job that requires its employees to stay awake...which is pretty much all of them! The only downside is the excessive cost. Without insurance, about 10% of my gross salary would go to pay for this ONE prescription."

• you...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 13, 2021

For ADHD "This is the worst medication ever. It did nothing to help with my ADHD, but instead, it made me nervous and triggered all the time. I have had many panic attacks because of this medication. Switching to Strattera."

• Dan...
• May 5, 2018

For Narcolepsy "I was “diagnosed” with narcolepsy about 5 years ago. I use quotations because my sleep specialist said he couldn’t give me an official diagnosis because I was on an SNRI and that I needed to be off that to be diagnosed officially. But he said he had no doubt. He surprisingly prescribed nothing. My psychiatrist prescribed me 27 mg of Concerta for my chronic fatigue (to put it lightly), and life changed. I didn’t have to spend my entire days laying down or rushing home to take a nap. I’m awake to spend more time with my children, and I feel more energized to do the things that my mind wants to do, but my body wouldn’t allow. The only gripe I have is that I still feel the need to take a short nap every day, but Concerta keeps my mind too active to relax. Then my anxiety about sleep kicks in and keeps me from taking that much-needed nap. So I do spend some time very tired but very wired."

• A...
• February 3, 2017

For ADHD "It does work, depending on your dosage. But when I use it, I find that I'm hyperactive, jittery, overexcited, slightly aroused, and sometimes in a good mood (but that changes when it crashes). It's similar to coffee in its side effects, but it lasts much, much longer. After I come home from college, I find I'm depressed (on occasion), still jittery, still 'wound up,' sometimes excited, and very uncomfortable. While it does help me focus, it is not pleasant to be on it. I took the 54 mg dosage, but I have been on smaller dosages before and had the same issues. Also, when driving, I feel like it lowers my ability to drive, but I'm not 100% sure if it does or if it's my imagination."

• ADH...
• January 1, 2022

Methylphenidate for ADHD "The doc told me to start half a tab. 10 mg is full. I was on the 10 mg in a few days, mind you. It perked me up at first, but very focused and more organized for certain. I haven't yet had appetite issues because I'm on my period now. I take one in the a.m. with sertraline 100 mg as per usual the past year. I find I am way too relaxed and almost restful-minded. Although I can sit still now and do nothing as opposed to constantly finding weird tasks to do around the house. I drink alcohol with it, no worries. Although not as much as I used to. I don't feel like it. I used to walk fast, now I walk slow, lol. I needed white noise to sleep, now I can just sleep with silence. Hated loud noises and flies, but now I don't stress about them. I tried to stop taking them after 10 days, but I went anxiety and heart fast, so I took half and was all good, but again very relaxed."

• Cal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I'm recently diagnosed with ADHD (ADD). I've tried Ritalin and Dexedrine. Dexedrine is absolutely amazing, but also expensive, and I find that if I don't take a break of 1-2 days per week, it stops working entirely and can even make things (much) worse. I initially didn't like Ritalin, as it gave me crazy headaches, hard comedowns, and, on one occasion, anxiety. However, I think this is important: Just because Ritalin isn't great straight away, it doesn't mean it's a bad drug. Over the last few weeks, I've grown very fond of it. I still don't like the LA, but 5 mg IR 2-3 times per day is currently perfect for me, and I now have zero side effects. I feel good, energized, and clear-headed. Ritalin is cheap, and IR is super flexible in terms of dosing. Dexedrine makes me feel even better for longer, but it's pricey and requires breaks. I currently prefer Ritalin for everyday use and Dexedrine perhaps once or twice per week. Best of luck."