Dexmethylphenidate and Anxiety: What Users Say

• JDa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 13, 2021

For ADHD "I've been taking Focalin for about two years, and I have this thing happen where I'm super calm and feel super clear and super focused for an hour, and then after that hour, I just have a lot of anxiety and can't think as clearly. Anyone else have that issue?"

• A...
• May 21, 2020

For ADHD "I’m scrolling through reviews, and a lot of what I’ve been feeling recently is starting to make sense. This medicine helps me focus, but I feel weak and awful while on it. It makes me shake, and my anxiety spikes. I’ve also been having some depression issues, my moods stoop to a terrible level, and I’ve been in such a dark place at some points. This medicine makes me feel like a zombie, it makes me shake and feel sick to my stomach. I feel bad for any other kids taking this. It helps me focus, but makes me feel awful. I absolutely DREAD having to take them. I have experienced depersonalization, depression, major mood swings, anxiety, derealization, and suicidal tendencies after getting on this medication. I am not self-diagnosing for anxiety and depression. I strongly advise watching your kids before and after having them take these pills. Make sure your child is safe and happy. I’m sorry for my terrible grammar and typing skills."

• col...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 22, 2018

For ADHD "I am 20 and have been on Focalin since I was about 16. I feel like a robot who cannot socially interact with anyone. Eating food feels unnatural to me. While it is great for focusing on school work, I am anxious about whether I am doing the right thing or not. Talking is a chore. My hands shake when I do homework. It feels like a state of panic with a rapid heartbeat and yet I feel no emotion at all, if that makes sense. I just get from point A to point B. Please make sure this medicine is right for you."

• KRA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2012

For ADHD "I am a 60-year-old male with ADHD, who would have ever thought it? I started using Focalin IR 5 mg after cutting it into four (4) pieces. I would take one-quarter piece every three hours. It took me from being nonproductive to productive again with very few side effects. I am now taking Focalin XR, 10 mg in the morning and 5 mg 6 hours later in the afternoon. I think my ideal dose will end up at 15 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the afternoon to reach the optimal dose. The only side effects have been heartburn, a slight headache, and being a little jittery with an occasional outburst of anger. I can handle the side effects, which have subsided somewhat, to get the wonderful effects of this medication! ALIVE AGAIN AT 60 years old!"

• Gan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 16, 2020

For ADHD "Focalin does what it is supposed to, but this medication makes my heart beat fast and also makes me super nervous and agitated all the time. I hate this medication. It makes me feel like a zombie, and it makes me feel cold all over. The worst part is that I can barely eat without feeling sick and that it makes me constantly shake. This medication also makes my mood stoop to a terrible and very low level. After it wears off, I feel weak, tired, cold, and nauseous."

• kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2020

For ADHD "Focalin 40 mg XR. I found that this medication was mostly ineffective. If anything, it has an initial kick and wears off extremely fast. I thought it would be like Adderall XR, which I could feel the effects come and go throughout the day at 30 mg. With Focalin, it's just one burst of euphoria/adrenaline, and then you crash and feel nothing except for the physical side effects like chest pain, rapid heartbeat, muscle tenseness. I took a nap 2.5 hours after taking it, which is ridiculous. It is frustrating because you don't feel the sense of focus that Adderall gives. I only took it for two days before I called it quits because I did not see a benefit and decided to go back to Adderall 20 mg IR. This medication did not suit me as a 27-year-old grad student. I felt anxiety and panic attack symptoms with the second dose I took, and I did not want to continue. It actually had a negative impact on my work input for those two days."

• jan...
• August 27, 2019

For ADHD "For me, Focalin has had way more negative effects than positive. My doc started me off with 10 mg in the morning and then another 10 mg in the afternoon. Now I’m on 20 mg in the morning, 20 mg in the afternoon. It helps my concentration and ADHD issues for maybe the first 2 hours or less after each dose, but then from there, it causes terrible anxiety, depression. It makes things worse than actually helping when it starts wearing off (which is very quickly). Overall, I don't like Focalin at all. It not only comes with mental side effects like I mentioned but also physical side effects as well, such as: shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, constant feeling like I have to urinate but can’t, fatigue, etc. It’s been over 3 months, and it hasn’t helped my ADHD consistently or effectively anywhere close to stabilizing and treating it. Please consider other ADHD meds before going with Focalin for you/your child’s ADHD problems. It certainly hasn’t been the answer for me."

• Swi...
• April 5, 2016

For ADHD "I have been off and on Focalin XR 10 mg, debating whether I like it or not. I HATE IT. It increases my attention by a little bit. I like the loss of appetite because I need to cut down on eating, and this does it for me. But it is not worth it. Seven hours of school (9th grade) the whole day was terrible. I was scared about nothing and constantly had fear throughout the whole day, apparently, feelings of crying are very common. I can't talk to anyone either. I get so scared that I'm gonna mess up somehow talking to someone that I stutter and over-explain, and in the end, just make things more confusing. This is just not for me."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 13, 2023

For ADHD "“I don’t care what anyone else says about this medication, it is the WORST for kids. I started taking this when I was 10 years old, and it was a nightmare. This medication gave me anxiety attacks to the point that I would just sit on my bed and stare at the wall, all zoned out for sometimes even 30 minutes. Focalin XR caused me to act like a zombie, and every day when I was trying to focus in class, I would not be able to listen to the teacher. It would make my eyes feel very heavy and tired, but when I tried to take naps, I could not. Every day, unwanted thoughts would crowd my mind and would make it very hard to function. Once I was sitting down on the gym floor waiting to be picked up, and I started to continuously zone out, and one of the teachers watching everyone asked if I was okay. Whenever I would walk down my school hall, I would almost bump into people because my brain could not process where I was going. DO NOT GET THIS, PLEASE. No one believes me about this."

• jai...
• April 9, 2019

For ADHD "We started my son on Focalin once doctors felt his anxiety was under control with Prozac. Big mistake. His grades were great, but anxiety went through the roof. Wish we had never gone down that road, still trying to put him back together and get through this 6 months later."

• Eva...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 16, 2019

For ADHD "I've had ADHD for a very long time and didn't start taking Focalin until 11th grade. I tried other stimulants in middle school but gave up because I disliked the way they made me feel. Focalin does its job. It helps me focus and get work done, however, I do get shaky and anxious while on the drug. My appetite is also affected. You just have to decide if the side effects are worth the outcome."

• pre...
• January 19, 2018

For ADHD "The doctor started me off with 10 mg. It seemed to never 'fully' kick in, I would feel some effects, mostly just staring out into space and daydreaming. I told my doctor this, and he just said I needed to refocus my focus. (He's a hippie, y'all.) Then when I finally convinced him to up it to see if I would actually feel anything more, it just amps my anxiety and makes me extremely tired. You can forget about taking a second extended-release capsule after that one wears off, it just makes you more tired and amps your anxiety more, makes you jittery and really on edge, and also makes your heart beat incredibly fast. Would not recommend."

• pre...
• January 19, 2018

For ADHD "The doctor started me off with 10 mg. It seemed to never 'fully' kick in, I would feel some effects, mostly just staring out into space and daydreaming. I told my doctor this, and he just said I needed to refocus my focus. (He's a hippie, y'all.) Then when I finally convinced him to up it to see if I would actually feel anything more, it just amps my anxiety and makes me extremely tired. You can forget about taking a second extended-release capsule after that one wears off, it just makes you more tired and amps your anxiety more, makes you jittery and really on edge, and also makes your heart beat incredibly fast. Would not recommend."

• pre...
• January 19, 2018

For ADHD "The doctor started me off with 10 mg. It seemed to never 'fully' kick in, I would feel some effects, mostly just staring out into space and daydreaming. I told my doctor this, and he just said I needed to refocus my focus. (He's a hippie, y'all.) Then when I finally convinced him to up it to see if I would actually feel anything more, it just amps my anxiety and makes me extremely tired. You can forget about taking a second extended-release capsule after that one wears off, it just makes you more tired and amps your anxiety more, makes you jittery and really on edge, and also makes your heart beat incredibly fast. Would not recommend."

• Anonymous
• January 28, 2018

For ADHD "My 13-year-old daughter was switched to Focalin. After a few days, the feelings of sadness, anxiety, and sleeplessness caused her not to be able to deal with it, and she tried to commit suicide. If you read up on this medicine, the FDA is asking for that to become one of the side effect warnings for this medication. My daughter was placed in a behavioral center that could help her, and she has not taken any more ADHD medication since that day. She told me (her mom), 'I will never do that again, but that medicine made me feel so sad, and my thoughts weren't my own.' Never again will my daughter take this medication or anything for ADHD!"

• Geo...
• September 26, 2015

For ADHD "I'm a 17-year-old girl, and Focalin was the first medication I ever used to treat my ADHD. It was the worst! Like many others, I felt extremely anxious. I also constantly felt unattached to the world. Even worse, it didn't even help me focus! I was too busy having overwhelming feelings of anxiety to be focused. However, I wouldn't say you shouldn't try this medication, as it seems to work for others. I just know that if you feel any sense of anxiety, it's abnormal. I'm on Vyvanse now, and I have no problems with anxiety. Just a few minor symptoms, but it works great."

• adu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 8, 2023

For ADHD "Started taking Focalin 18 months ago after being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and it’s been a miracle. I deal with anxiety, anger, impulsivity, and sensory integration, but it wasn’t obvious because I was a “good kid” with good grades who hid my extreme emotions to avoid criticism. I’m also physically awkward and uncoordinated, so I often get hurt or break and lose objects a lot. In my 30s, I went from a high-functioning overachiever to barely functioning at all. I became edgy and irritable constantly, cried for hours a day from sheer terror or rage over nothing, then felt exhausted and paralyzed. My nervous system was cranked up to 11 and wouldn’t turn off. After taking the first dose of Focalin, I could think more clearly, regulate my emotions, and am much less clumsy. I take Focalin XR 30mg in the morning and regular Focalin 10mg as needed in the afternoon."

• sug...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2015

For ADHD "I am an 18-year-old female with ADHD, and my doctor just switched me from Vyvanse 30 mg to taking Focalin 10 mg XR, and I absolutely hate it. Vyvanse worked for me but would make me bite my lip often in class, which was very odd, but something I could work with. Focalin makes me socially anxious (keep in mind I am the most social and extroverted girl), jittery, and worry about random things. I am going to the doctor tomorrow after taking it for 2 days and going back to Vyvanse."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2019

For ADHD "I was prescribed this as my first treatment for ADHD when I was (finally) diagnosed at age 18. It helped me calm down a little, I could go to work and not feel the urgent need to go home. But then I would start crying at work, in public. I would cry to my parents until they couldn’t handle me anymore. The comedown from when it wears off was horrible for me. I have GAD, but the anxiety I experienced was nothing like that. It was acute fear and dread that came rushing in for the next 4-6 hours after the meds wore off. Also, I should mention I lost feeling in my hands and feet. I tried taking it for about a month, but it wasn’t worth it. Four years later, I still haven’t found something that works."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 24, 2021

For ADHD "I have ADHD, and I was prescribed 10 mg, and it's an amazing lifesaver. Man, I'm better at regulating my emotions, I can actually focus now! I developed depression from my ADHD, which isn't uncommon, but I'm really happy, and I feel better now too! The only issue is that sometimes I get really anxious and on edge when it starts to kick in, but that usually dissipates once it kicks in, and it helps to take with food."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 24, 2021

For ADHD "I have ADHD, and I was prescribed 10 mg, and it's an amazing lifesaver. Man, I'm better at regulating my emotions, I can actually focus now! I developed depression from my ADHD, which isn't uncommon, but I'm really happy, and I feel better now too! The only issue is that sometimes I get really anxious and on edge when it starts to kick in, but that usually dissipates once it kicks in, and it helps to take with food."

• jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2023

For ADHD "Horrible! The first few days of taking it, I noticed a stark contrast in my behavior. I started feeling more irritable, anxious, nervous, and aggressive. It didn't treat any of the symptoms of my disorder and only exacerbated the symptoms associated with my anxiety and bipolar I diagnosis. If you have one or more mood disorders, I wouldn't recommend trying Focalin."

• jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2023

For ADHD "Horrible! The first few days of taking it, I noticed a stark contrast in my behavior. I started feeling more irritable, anxious, nervous, and aggressive. It didn't treat any of the symptoms of my disorder and only exacerbated the symptoms associated with my anxiety and bipolar I diagnosis. If you have one or more mood disorders, I wouldn't recommend trying Focalin."

• Col...
• February 26, 2020

For ADHD "I am a 19-year-old female in college, and an athlete with extreme ADHD. I usually take Adderall XR 20-30 mg, and it has helped me so much in college. I used to drink 6 cups of coffee a day just so I could focus enough to remember where I left my keys and sit down to take a test, but now Adderall does that for me. Focalin, however, was possibly the worst experience of my life. Focalin took every bit of anxiety and sadness and threw me into several panic attacks. I am a very happy and energetic person, I have never experienced depression or anxiety like this. I didn’t sleep all night, and I spent most of the night sobbing uncontrollably. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I couldn’t think about anything but how sad and stressful everything was. I suggest to NEVER take this medication, the side effects FAR outweighed the purpose of the medication. I never felt focused or honed in."

• Use...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 4, 2021

For ADHD "I can't find the words to express how terrible I feel on this medicine. I feel like an emotionless zombie. During the first hours on it, you'll feel great. Like a burst of adrenaline, but then it wears off, and it leaves you feeling paranoid, tired, and depressed. You'll start shaking and twitching some days. It just feels awful. Please check if this medicine is right for you."