Methylphenidate and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• May 20, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 8-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD nearly 1 year ago. We tried 4 different medications - 2 gave him side effects of not being able to sleep and high anxiety. 2 did nothing for him. Then we tried Metadate CD. We started with 10 mg, which didn't really do anything. 20 mg was better, but still some issues in the attention area. We are now at 30 mg, and it's great. His teacher has also said that school is much better. He makes sense in his answers, he's not blurting out or disrupting the class. We give it to him at 6:45 am and can get through a bit of homework until 5:30 pm. Then it's worn off. I think that's a great amount of time and no side effects of lack of sleep, lack of appetite, or mood/anxiety issues. I hope it continues."

• Anonymous
• May 20, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 8-year-old son was diagnosed with ADHD nearly 1 year ago. We tried 4 different medications - 2 gave him side effects of not being able to sleep and high anxiety. 2 did nothing for him. Then we tried Metadate CD. We started with 10 mg, which didn't really do anything. 20 mg was better, but still some issues in the attention area. We are now at 30 mg, and it's great. His teacher has also said that school is much better. He makes sense in his answers, he's not blurting out or disrupting the class. We give it to him at 6:45 am and can get through a bit of homework until 5:30 pm. Then it's worn off. I think that's a great amount of time and no side effects of lack of sleep, lack of appetite, or mood/anxiety issues. I hope it continues."

• Anonymous
• March 21, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My son was diagnosed with ADHD (predominantly inattentive) two years ago. I tried all kinds of non-medication treatments: tutors, 504 Plan, psychotherapy, meditation, Omega-3, diet, patience, love, encouragement, bribery... everything I could think of, but his grades continued to decline. He was finally prescribed 18 mg of Concerta. By the end of the 1st week, he was acing his tests, and his teacher said she finally has a student to teach and not just a body. The change is amazing. Slight decrease in appetite and the first couple of days it affected his sleep. Other than that, no side effects."

• fru...
• November 6, 2009

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Started Concerta 5 weeks ago. Started with a 'pediatric' dose (I'm almost 40) and worked up to 54 mg. LOVE that I can finally focus and finish tasks, work is getting completed, my lists are getting checked off, and I'm making it to appointments on time. THEN...2 weeks ago, slight insomnia started to get worse, and minor anxiety...thought it was various life issues I was dealing with. Tonight...I'm dealing with severe insomnia and anxiety so bad I can barely sit and research my problem. I have a check-up with my doctor in 2 weeks, I'm calling tomorrow to get in sooner. I'm very upset as it solved my ADD problems and thought I started a new life...I do not want to start the trial and error roller coaster all over."

• Rob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2018

For Depression "I'm a 60-year-old female. Had depression and debilitating anxiety for 20 years. I've been on and off Zoloft all those years. Zoloft helps my depression. When I was off it, I was miserable and couldn't get out of bed. I'm on it now and staying on it. For anxiety, I've tried Ativan, it works well, but because of the horrors of addiction and coming off them, I only take them when things are out of my control, e.g., sudden death in the family or I think I may end up in the ED again because of anxiety. I've had Endep, it didn't work. Parnate, anxiety was through the roof, my mind was a mess, and bad headaches. I tried Pristiq. No sleep at all, constipation, headaches, and was so tired I wanted to cry. It didn't help my anxiety at all. My psychiatrist gave me a script for Concerta (slow release) 18 mg. One a day, early morning. I took it this morning, expecting all sorts of side effects. It's 2 pm, and I've had the best day in over 5 months. So far, so good!"

• sar...
• July 2, 2011

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am 13 years old and was diagnosed when I was in kindergarten. I started taking medicine when I was in 1st grade. I started to use Daytrana when I was in 4th grade. Only my close friends and family knew I had ADHD. I was so embarrassed and was made fun of all the time. I was on 15 mg, but for the past couple of months, I switched to 10 mg. It works great, and I recommend it to others. The patch you just stick on your hip and take off after 9 hours. Sometimes I forget to take it off and can't sleep at all, and if I don't take it, I will bounce off the walls, and I will eat so much that I either throw up or am very sick. When I do take it, I feel like a normal person. It is hard to get the backing off sometimes, but if you are careful, it comes off."

• Jul...
• April 8, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am currently a junior in high school on Concerta, going on 4 years with it, and I can honestly say it does work very well. It helps me focus a lot, and you can see the results reflected in my academics and how good they got. But the side effects are the downfall, of course. I get insomnia, and I lose my appetite completely for a whole day. And on top of that, I feel emotionless, like a robot that all it wants to do is study and focus. It takes a toll on social life, but I guess that's the price we all have to go through when taking medications."

• ast...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've had a history of abusing Adderall here and there due to my addictive nature, so being prescribed this medicine raised concerns between my family and doctor. Because of my horrible ADHD, we decided to give it a chance, and it's nothing compared to the 'kick in the nuts' Adderall is known for. My grades have improved in school, my mood is slightly elevated, and my cravings for sugar have ceased. It has not affected my sleep, and so far, works great. This is my experience and everyone reacts differently. I highly suggest this medication for anyone like me who has ADHD and possible addiction issues. Its rate of abuse is very slim because it seems to 'ceiling' like Suboxone for opiate addicts. Let's go build some robots!"

• sta...
• April 11, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am 18 years old. I took this medication for 2 years, if I remember correctly, in elementary. Yes, it helped me focus better in school somewhat, but at the same time it had taken my appetite away, gave me insomnia, stomach cramps, mood swings, and hallucinations. If I skipped a dose, I would get physically sick. I would NOT recommend this medication."

• Dan...
• September 22, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta for close to 15 years now since I was diagnosed at age 3. Around 8th grade, I had started getting pain in my chest, which was similar to costochondritis. The pain got increasingly worse up through high school and the beginning of college around age 18 when it stopped affecting me as much. Now I'm 21 years old (as of the 12th this month), and for the past years, I've been noticing that I've been getting increasingly anxious and worrying more than usual. In the past 5 years, on a daily 63 mg dose, I've been dealing with depression, anxiety, nightmares, insomnia, loss of appetite, and I've lost 30 lbs due to that. It's effective, but at a price, sometimes one you can't afford."

• Mor...
• June 3, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a 20-year-old female and have been taking Concerta on and off for five years. I was diagnosed with ADHD during my freshman year of high school. Concerta has worked wonders for me. I started high school getting Ds and Fs and left with As and Bs. I would stop taking it every so often after lowering my dosage to see if I could manage without it, but I would almost immediately lose my organization and, more importantly, my motivation. I did experience some side effects, including appetite loss and insomnia. These were easily cured by a dose modification. I am now the proud manager of a successful business."

• Tyl...
• August 9, 2009

Methylphenidate for ADHD "As an adult with ADHD, Concerta is the way to go. Focused and able to complete tasks. Although the lack of appetite and sleep come into play, the time-released 18 mg works better for me than the 27 mg. With 27 mg, I was tired and moody."

• Van...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 14, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta since 2003. For me, it's the only ADHD medication that works. It calms me down, I talk at a speed others can understand, and my thoughts don't run off. The side effects I get from it are loss of appetite (growing up I was underweight for this reason), trouble sleeping (I ended up needing a medication for this but am currently not on one), dry mouth (drink lots of water). I have also been diagnosed with major depression and bipolar after years of taking Concerta (diagnosed in 2007 and 2013 respectively, both are genetic in my family). Drugs affect each person differently. If you decide to take Concerta, I would suggest keeping track of your side effects and how often they occur and talk to your M.D. or N.P."

• 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."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 12, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have been taking Concerta 18 mg for 5 years or so now. The first years were really smooth, and it did really help me. Before getting on it, I was suffering from depression, and I almost dropped out of college due to the number of courses that I had failed, but then I was diagnosed with ADHD, and since then, with a dose of 18 mg/day of Concerta, I managed to graduate. The depression never really went away, but it definitely got milder. My panic attacks decreased to the point where I almost never had them anymore. A few years back, my doctor suggested trying to take the 36 mg ones, but for me, this didn't work because I felt kind of lost and foggy. So all in all, Concerta did wonders for me until half to one year ago. I have severe insomnia, and I get irritated really easily. I had some milder panic attacks, but I also had two that were really intense. I have lost weight even though I eat the same. In general, I think that for me, after 4-5 years, the drug is starting to show its side effects."

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 7 and 11-year-old children take 18 mg and 36 mg, respectively. The 7-year-old also takes a 5 mg Methalin tab at about 3 PM because she melts into a screaming pile of shattered emotions otherwise. Actually, that's how she was ALL THE TIME before she started taking Concerta. The 11-year-old recently increased his dose because he's getting older and bigger. He was singing, humming, and making noise in class again (which is what clued me in to a higher dose). He started taking Concerta because he couldn't access information when doing homework. The information was there, he just couldn't concentrate long enough to access what he needed. VERY frustrating for him. He isn't hyperactive like the other child, so he was diagnosed at a later age. Side effects: sleepless until 12 AM."

• Lor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 4, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I like this medicine since it lasts 12-14 hours. It helps with depression as well, and it helps me in college. Without it, I wouldn't be doing as well. It helps me stay on task and focus so I can get my work done. There aren't many side effects to this stimulant, maybe insomnia and a suppressed appetite, but that's all. I recommend this medicine for people with ADD, ADHD, and depression. It really improves the quality of your life. There isn't anything bad about this medicine. I hope it works for anyone who needs it."

• Anonymous
• February 15, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My 8-year-old daughter is on Ritalin at the moment. We find she is getting migraine headaches, she has lost 3 kg due to lack of appetite, and she is very emotional coming off it, and she doesn't sleep much. On the other side of things, she has shown a large improvement at school with her concentration going from the bottom of the class to the top of the class in just 3 months."

• 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."

• Woo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 14, 2017

Methylphenidate for ADHD "This medication worked fantastically for me! When I started taking it, I was at the bottom of my class, struggling at school, and within 2 years, I'd moved to the top. It totally transformed how I was able to concentrate. I always felt like this allowed me to 'be the real me' because it gave me the focus and patience to do the things I wanted to do. It helped me socially because I was able to think and communicate better (more tactfully!). In terms of side effects, I can't take it too late in the day or else I wouldn't sleep at night, but nothing else. I know some people have described many more side effects, but I didn't get anything like that. The only downside is that after 19 years on the drug, I don't find it as effective anymore."

• Rel...
• March 6, 2012

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My son (9 yrs old) has been taking this for about 3 weeks now for ADD. I was apprehensive about resorting to medicating him, but as his grades and progress were suffering, we felt we had to take the next step and try medication. We have noticed a dramatic difference. On the 2nd day, his teachers sent me notes about how much he had already improved with focusing on his schoolwork and having to spend much less time getting him to pay attention. He is more focused and hasn't brought work home not completed in class since he started it. Only one dizzy spell on the 2nd day of treatment and a little trouble getting to sleep the first 3 nights, but now he seems adjusted to the meds and is doing quite well."

• 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!"

• Jul...
• December 20, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am in grade 12, and I have been on Concerta since grade 3. I have noticed I am underweight, and I have trouble sleeping at night. But Concerta has helped me focus in school, but I just wish it didn't come with some of the side effects."

• Wha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I hated this medication. It was so hard for me to sleep in the evening on the day I had taken it. Also, I would hear random things and see random things, and I would overthink. My eating went from eating just fine to maybe a banana and some chips a day. When you take this, protein shakes will help. Also, drink a lot of water. The good thing about it is it kept me focused. I got stuff done, unlike some other ADHD medicines that made me just sit there. Also, a little depression and overthinking did occur. The only real complaint I got is ZERO sleep, and you may become paranoid."