Methylphenidate and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• car...
• June 6, 2008

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My son's attention span now exists. He does not wander off into his fairyland every 2 minutes. His teacher and other educators are very impressed with his work now. My son complains of headaches, probably because he has trouble falling asleep."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 30, 2023

For Fatigue "I can't explain how much this has helped me. I was so exhausted (they couldn't find the cause). I was always fighting falling asleep and got severe headaches because of it. This helped me function without any side effects like typical caffeine would (racing heart, etc). It has also helped with depression. I tried another medication due to the strict regulations but had severe side effects and lost my personality. Two days back on and I'm myself again. I just wish it was less $"

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have only been on Ritalin for a couple of days now, and the results are great. My concentration and focus have improved, I can get more things done, and I feel more motivated and self-assured. My social life is better, and I can keep a conversation going. The downsides for me were a fast heart rate, which made me feel anxious, a bad headache when I first took it, and a decrease in appetite. Overall, this is working for me so far, and I would say to not abuse this drug, combine it with alcohol or anything else, and to eat well before taking medicine. Hope this helps."

• Mik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I think it's a very good medication, and it can help a lot! I have been taking this drug since I was 14-15 years old, and at the beginning it worked well, but then, because I took a high dosage of Ritalin (around 60-80 mg daily), I experienced a few side effects (just like increased heart rate, weight loss, and insomnia). So I stopped taking this drug, and after that, I took Strattera (atomoxetine) for a year, but that was terrible. I had insomnia so bad I couldn't sleep for 36-60 hours, maybe twice a week, and besides that, I usually slept 3-4 hours. I also had increased heart rate (maybe 100-130 in the morning), increased blood pressure (100/190), headache, and stomach problems. So I stopped taking this medication too. Now I am 18 years old and started to take Ritalin, but not every day-only when I have to learn a lot, and just 10 mg twice a day. I think it works very well and has no side effects. So I think it's a very good and useful medication, just the 'normal' dosage is very important!"

• Top...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 28, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Concerta works very well in the first years. Gradually, I started showing many signs they have here, headache, flu-like symptoms, I cannot sleep, outburst of excitement, changes in personality, nausea, and skin rash and skin splitting. I am going to change to another product that does not have all these symptoms."

• Anonymous
• April 4, 2009

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My daughter was diagnosed with ADD about 2 years ago and has been on this medicine ever since. I truly feel this has been our 'miracle' drug for her. She never had behavior issues, she just couldn't focus at home or school. Since starting this medicine, her grades have come up, and she is able to focus on anything she wants to. We had to struggle with headaches in the beginning, but now she is fine. We also have the no appetite issue with her, so she drinks PediaSure for that. Thank you, Metadate, for helping my child."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2020

For Depression "Please note that the reviews here will mostly be from people that have had good results from this alternative treatment. It doesn't work for most, which is why it isn't FDA approved for depression. Buuuut, methylphenidate has made a difference for my depression. I do have suspected ADHD, but it hasn't been diagnosed. I've been depressed for ages, and I tried this. I have tried tons of antidepressants. I'm still on Prozac and Lamictal. Methylphenidate has made as big an impact as those two. It allows me to feel more connected, interested, calm, and stable. I take 5 mg three times a day, but I may increase. It sometimes gives me nausea, headaches, and fatigue, but the pros outweigh the cons (I do take the cheapest generic). If you've tried the more conventional treatments, give this a go. And who knows, if it works for you, maybe you should get tested for ADHD."

• Anonymous
• October 23, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I can't say it's bad. I can ace through an assignment on my dosage like an Ariel Atom. But there are some things I did experience, as I was taking it, and in high school, I noticed I didn't care to hang out with anyone. There were times when I did, but I was terrified. The days I'd forget my dose, I was buzzing with charisma. I'd have to say out of all these, the creativity it sucks out of you scares me because I'm a musician. But the worst is the withdrawal effects, they hit you fast in the morning, even before you take your dose (headaches, can't wake up) and irritability. It gets the job done, but there are too many side effects."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2018

Methylphenidate for Narcolepsy "I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and was prescribed Ritalin. Doc started me on a low dose to be taken twice a day. The first two days I felt awake and alert, didn’t nap till 4:30 pm. After that, I just got sleepy. Never had that get-up-and-go like those first few days. Now after being on it for over a month, about 15 minutes after dosing I’m falling asleep. Literally head bobbing. I nap off and on all day long like before I was on Ritalin, or I feel sick. I also notice that my chronic pain is heightened. Everything seems magnified on live wire. My eyes hurt, I’m more sensitive to light and have daily headaches on top of my chronic migraines. I finally see my neurologist tomorrow and hopefully, he’ll have an alternative plan for me."

• ell...
• June 15, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Today was my first day taking Concerta. I am 19 and have pretty severe ADHD and a little anxiety that coincides with the ADHD. I took 36 mg at 8:30 am and it kicked in at 10. I definitely noticed it, I felt alert and energetic but not focused, and I still found myself pretty forgetful before leaving for work. By the end of work, I felt really emotionless and had a headache, and when I got home at 6, I began crying for no particular reason. After crying, I felt much better and focused very well on schoolwork. Now I feel happier but surprised by how much of a rollercoaster the whole day was. Overall, I'm not sure this is the medication for me, hoping this reaction is normal and it just takes some time to adjust."

• dcs...
• February 24, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD in elementary school. I have taken three different kinds of ADD medication, and Daytrana has worked the best by far! Strattera made me feel weird as a child. Adderall was terrible for me! I was mean and agitated easily, got headaches a lot, just an all-around bad experience for me. I had taken Daytrana in high school and liked it, so when I went home for Christmas break from my first semester at college and told my mom I wanted back on medication, I quit taking Adderall, but needed something bad! I went back on Daytrana, have been on it for a year and a half now, and I made the Athletic Presidential Honor Roll for my conference! Daytrana = miracle and a yes for all ADD people!"

• 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."

• JoA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2023

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a 51-year-old woman who struggled since university. Ritalin has given me my life back. I feel calm, focused, and just me again. No more being overwhelmed constantly and anxious. The side effects were mild for me, a headache. But that has passed now, and I feel like I can get my life back on track! I take Ritalin LA 10 mg twice a day. It’s amazing!"

• ADH...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was recently switched from my Adderall XR 10 mg to Concerta 18 mg because my insurance didn't want to cover my Adderall until I tried Concerta. The transition has been terrible. I've only been on the medication for 5 days, and it has been horrible. I was optimistic going in because I've never tried it before, but it has been a rough 5 days. On Concerta, my restlessness is worse, I have no desire to eat because the thought of food disgusts me, I get headaches, I have zero motivation to do anything, and I feel extremely down/apathetic. I've heard this medication works for some people, but it was horrible for me. I'm so glad I can switch back to Adderall."

• 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."

• 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."

• sno...
• March 17, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am an adult on this medicine now for a little over a month. I could not sleep at night because I could not get my brain to 'turn off.' I had a constant headache and horrible migraines, which I am treated for by a neurologist. My blood pressure was out of control most days, over 175 with the bottom number in the high 90s to 110. Not good. Since being on it, I have not had one migraine; my blood pressure is in the 120s over 60 to 70s, and I can put it on and go right to sleep if I want to. I actually sleep through the night now. I cannot tell you how happy I am to feel so good. Side effect: the patch leaves red skin that does not heal for days. I am so excited. My son takes Concerta now for 6 years and has good results but not like this."

• Whi...
• December 3, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "When I was 9, my grades dropped and remained at a C-B average compared to my usual A. It became harder to socialize, and eventually, I started skipping school 3-4 days out of the week. I had anxiety problems and was on the verge of depression. At the age of 12, my mom, in a last-ditch effort, put me on Concerta, which did not magically fix anything, but within the next 2 years, I was attending school regularly and my grades got better. (From an Asian family, grades are everything.) I have to say I'm much better, but I took an 8-month break and returned to a 36 dosage, which makes me sick all day, headaches, and problems sleeping. I can barely eat half a meal without having to force it down."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a college student and found that for the first two months, Concerta worked wonders. It improved my mood, attention, and energy. It even helped with headaches. However, as I write this at 3 am, the side effect of sleep disruption has become unbearable. I either don't sleep for days or sleep for 20 hours a day for a week. Don't write it off, though. It is definitely effective, and adjusting the dose may do the trick."

• A09...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 2, 2021

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking 18 mg XL for a week and decided to take myself off. I can hardly eat a thing, I'm tense, anxious, occasional blurred vision, really irritable, complete lack of motivation, low mood, headaches, and stomach pain. Feel absolutely horrific and haven't noticed any benefits at all."

• 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."

• Nob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 5, 2017

For Depression "I have bipolar disorder but mainly suffer with depressive episodes, which can last up to 7 months. I had high hopes for this drug as I am drug resistant now and have tried every antidepressant and mood stabilizer. I expected it to be a stimulant! I've only been on it 2 weeks, and my shrink says it needs 6 weeks to get into my system, but all my research points to a stimulant working within hours. I'm on 10 mg 3 x a day, and all it does is make me sleep! Not very stimulating! This dose seems to work for most people, maybe I need a bigger dose, but overall, so far I feel worse because I hardly have the energy to get out of bed, and I feel more stimulated by caffeine. Side effects for me were intense headaches and nausea, lack of appetite."

• Che...
• September 23, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was put on Concerta when I was in grade 9 because I was struggling to pay attention in class and just didn't have any desire to be in school. After starting to take it, my marks in school jumped way up because I was able to focus in school and pay attention. The only thing I find I don't like about it would be the side effects, like the hot flashes, mood swings, and whenever I miss it, I just feel weird and have hot flashes, and headaches is another big thing I get really bad with this medicine. But it has certainly helped me with schooling and just things in general. But it has certainly changed the ways of my everyday life."