# concerta?



## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

anyone try this for add?

I went to the doctor today because I finally realized i have add. Yep figured it out the other day after living with it who knows how many years and my son, brother, and nearly positive my mom has it. So I will say thank you to Noca for getting me looking into adderall to finally make the connection with the symptoms! I am really hopeful this will help me a lot. and if it helps with SA then that's a bonus. My doctor agreed that I probably do and is starting me on 18mg of concerta and then when I go back again a week from today she will increase it. 

I was planning to ask for adderall xr but just went with this for now because she suggested it. Might as well try it. *shrug* at $238 per month :O better finally figure out my health benefits at school. My son was on adderall xr last year 10mg and it was $120 per month no coverage. Yiiikes. He is going to be starting it again after he goes for his appt next week. I believe adderall is the only one you can open up and sprinkle on food? he can't swallow pills. Maybe adderall is covered now, I hope because he gets free family health benefits.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I was on 36 and 54mgs of Concerta before when trying it. I found it gave me too many stomach problems.

If you open the Adderall XR pills, make sure to take all the beads as you have no way of knowing which ones are long acting and which ones are short acting.


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

I love Concerta. It works like a charm for me.

I had several problems with Adderall, but what they all boiled down to was that Adderall was much too strong and I felt like I was being intensely medicated. Concerta helps me much more without that feeling.


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## Little Willow (Oct 26, 2008)

I've never taken concerta, but my sister was on it for her adhd, and it made her depressed and suicidal...It was really scary to see. But I know it's not the same for everyone.


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## MissMay1977 (Oct 25, 2008)

Concerta didn't work for me. I take 90 mg of Adderall daily.


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## Rasputin_1 (Oct 27, 2008)

I took concerta and it worked but made me a little more jittery... overall i stopped it to try nardil


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

Thanks for the comments everyone.

I just started it this morning, so we'll see how it goes!


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> Thanks for the comments everyone.
> 
> I just started it this morning, so we'll see how it goes!


good luck


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

Noca said:


> I was on 36 and 54mgs of Concerta before when trying it. I found it gave me too many stomach problems.


What do you mean by stomach problems? Today I would randomly start gagging and have to run to the bathroom but didn't end up vomiting at all. It was just an off and on thing though. I didn't really feel sick for long, a few minutes at a time. :S Is this normal for a first day? Otherwise felt like I had some really strong coffee lol and could totally focus on what I needed to get done today for a change. It must be doing something.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> What do you mean by stomach problems?


stomach aches, gut rot etc.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

Today I feel nothing. It's like I took a sugar pill.


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## bezoomny (Feb 10, 2007)

michellejl said:


> Today I feel nothing. It's like I took a sugar pill.


If Concerta's too weak for you, then your doctor will probably let you try Ritalin or Adderall (both are way stronger and will have a much more pronounced effect). If it feels like a sugar pill, I doubt that will change by taking more of it.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

okay, it has been a few days, and I don't know what to think of this med...

The first day there was some improvement, then nothing, now I am starting to feel depressed and that is not normal for me. Could it be the concerta? I am not getting any of the typical side effects like loss of appetite and insomnia.

Is it possible I would have different reactions with other stimulants, I really don't know much about them. I know the SSRIs I took all basically had the same side effects for me. I am afraid my doctor will not want to try a different one to see.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

bezoomny said:


> If Concerta's too weak for you, then your doctor will probably let you try Ritalin or Adderall (both are way stronger and will have a much more pronounced effect). If it feels like a sugar pill, I doubt that will change by taking more of it.


Thank you. That is good to know.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

Your on a LOW dose of concerta.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

I feel terrible. :cry I am not taking this medication anymore. I decided to take another pill later on to see what affect it would have.I don't feel like myself at all and I almost got into 2 car accidents today. I felt like I wasn't even aware of what was around me. Plus I feel sad and irritable, snapped at my kids several times over minor things. And I drove over a cement block at the bank which was extremely humiliating. This medication is not for me.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

I feel like myself again after not taking it this morning! I am seriously afraid to try another one now. That is the worst med I've ever taken and tried a lot of them over the years. Not sure what to do...still really need to do something about add, guess I'll wait and talk to doctor tomorrow. I have a feeling she'll want me to see my psychiatrist for recommendations.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> I feel like myself again after not taking it this morning! I am seriously afraid to try another one now. That is the worst med I've ever taken and tried a lot of them over the years. Not sure what to do...still really need to do something about add, guess I'll wait and talk to doctor tomorrow. I have a feeling she'll want me to see my psychiatrist for recommendations.


Talk to your doctor, there are many other stimulants to try such as Dex, folican, ritalin LA, ritalin, Adderall, Adderall XR


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

I am going to try adderall xr, starting at 10mg for 1 week, then 15 for a week, then 20 for a week, then go back and see her. I am really hoping this one works. My son is going back on it too. 

My brother takes dexedrine, and that is the only kind he has ever taken. My mom said she took one of my brother's meds to see what it would do and she said it felt like she so much energy, went to work on her day off and cleaned for hours! lol I think I want that kind. lol


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> I am going to try adderall xr, starting at 10mg for 1 week, then 15 for a week, then 20 for a week, then go back and see her. I am really hoping this one works. My son is going back on it too.
> 
> My brother takes dexedrine, and that is the only kind he has ever taken. My mom said she took one of my brother's meds to see what it would do and she said it felt like she so much energy, went to work on her day off and cleaned for hours! lol I think I want that kind. lol


They make 10mg Adderall XR pills? I never saw any 10mg pills in the pharmacies I worked in.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

yep, they do. that is what jamie took last year and it was was one pill. i guess the dose starts as low as 5mg but at least my doctor didn't make me start at 5. 

Anyway, i am disappointed because adderall is not covered. it would cost $117 for 1 week at 10, 1 week at 15, and 1 week at 20. or maybe it was 1 month at 20. i forget. but that is crazy so i told her not to fill it because i can't afford to pay that much, and the price will only go up once I'm on my proper dose. For Jamie it's okay because his dad's insurance has 100% coverage!

So going to try and get dexedrine. I know she is going to say strattera because that was the other option she gave me, but haven't heard too many good things about that one. I guess if she says no to dexedrine, are there any other options that are covered? (that are not ritalin since if concerta gave me bad side effects wont the other ones too?)


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> yep, they do. that is what jamie took last year and it was was one pill. i guess the dose starts as low as 5mg but at least my doctor didn't make me start at 5.
> 
> Anyway, i am disappointed because adderall is not covered. it would cost $117 for 1 week at 10, 1 week at 15, and 1 week at 20. or maybe it was 1 month at 20. i forget. but that is crazy so i told her not to fill it because i can't afford to pay that much, and the price will only go up once I'm on my proper dose. For Jamie it's okay because his dad's insurance has 100% coverage!
> 
> So going to try and get dexedrine. I know she is going to say strattera because that was the other option she gave me, but haven't heard too many good things about that one. I guess if she says no to dexedrine, are there any other options that are covered? (that are not ritalin since if concerta gave me bad side effects wont the other ones too?)


heres the cheap way to get it, have your son get his dose doubled then just half his medication for free. And if you think Adderall is expensive then forget about Strattera, that **** is $300 a month compared to $150 a month for Adderall(i get 30mgs x 30 for $150)


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

hmm I am not sure my doctor will go for that, but it's worth a try. 

strattera and concerta were both added to the health plan this year, but not adderall.  My doctor thought it was covered.

What have you heard about strattera?


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> hmm I am not sure my doctor will go for that, but it's worth a try.
> 
> strattera and concerta were both added to the health plan this year, but not adderall.  My doctor thought it was covered.
> 
> What have you heard about strattera?


Strattera is an anti-depressant and a stimulant wannabe drug(like wellbutrin only a billion times more expensive). Adderall owns it. Soon my provincial drug coverage is going to cover my Adderall XR under a section 8 form. yay!


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

Cool! That's good you can get it covered. I am not sure what a section 8 form is though.

Called my dr. office this morning and she just called back. I told her adderall is not covered and could i try dexedrine. She said yeah, sure let's try that. I'll figure out the dose and fax it into your pharmacy.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

michellejl said:


> Cool! That's good you can get it covered. I am not sure what a section 8 form is though.
> 
> Called my dr. office this morning and she just called back. I told her adderall is not covered and could i try dexedrine. She said yeah, sure let's try that. I'll figure out the dose and fax it into your pharmacy.


I personally found Dexedrine @ 15mgs bid to be sugar pills. I hope you find they work for you as they have for many others. I think Dex is less stimulating and more help on your concentration.


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## michellejl (Aug 20, 2006)

Well anything has to be better than concerta! Sure hope so anyway. hehe If dex does nothing, guess I'll try to figure out a way to pay for adderall xr, but just can't see how that's possible. I felt weird about asking my dr. if she would prescribe double the dose of Jamie's. It is a good plan, but somehow doesn't feel right. lol 
Thanks for all the comments, Noca. I appreciate them.


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## mario (May 24, 2010)

Concerta only works for me when I take 3 or more 36mg pills and take at least 3 days off in between taking them. Also it gives me anxiety and insomnia (hence why I'm up at 4 in the morning).

Doc gave me a month's worth of them, and I'm glad to say I took my last one a few hours ago. I'm going to ask him about adderall since I've tried that stuff before and it seemed to work. I just hope it doesn't build up tolerance like concerta does??

In addition, sitting down and reading a book legit helped the anxiety. Whenever I bugged out on concerta I would just chill and read a book. If I hadn't discovered that, I probably wouldn't have made it through the month of concerta ahah


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## mario (May 24, 2010)

michellejl said:


> hmm I am not sure my doctor will go for that, but it's worth a try.
> 
> strattera and concerta were both added to the health plan this year, but not adderall.  My doctor thought it was covered.
> 
> What have you heard about strattera?


First time I took strattera I was spacey beyond the ability to function right. I didn't get anxiety or insomnia like I did from concerta, but the fact that I didn't want to do anything but lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling worried me. Not a great drug


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

I have taken 18mg today of concerta and aside from stomach pain i feel great 
although i am not staying on 18MG. I have been told i can take up to four 18MG pills a day if i need to. 18Mg probably wont do anything for appetite i imagine but if the depression starts i am stopping them. so far so good


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