Concerta for ADHD User Reviews (Page 4)

• Dav...
• November 18, 2014

"This has been life-changing in a positive way. I never thought I had an issue, and finally, at 29, I mentioned it to my doctor, who first prescribed Adderall, I believe. I didn't like it. I mentioned it, figuring I might as well give up, and then he suggested I try Concerta. Since that point, my focus has gone up, and I realize I did have an issue all these years! I don't take it on Sundays to give my mind a break. Only take it if you need it and don't abuse it."

• mic...
• April 14, 2016

"I've been on Concerta 2 weeks now and just gone up to 36 mg. I've had ADHD all my life and only just been diagnosed, always wondered why I can be anything I want and end up going off the rails! Anyway, this medication has basically changed me in a good way. I think if you really have ADHD, this medication works and only doesn't work when you haven't got it! First week struggled sleeping but fine now, and there's no loss of my appetite, I just don't crave the sugar and junk food that I used to, so it's a win-win for me because I'm a boxer and have been in sport all my life! I can focus properly, and it's basically a miracle for me so far. :)"

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2024

"I have always known my son had ADD. But I thought since he was learning and producing work, we could just teach him strategies to focus. He blended in well and behaved well but was always in outer space, thinking of everything but school work. When he started Middle School, work production became a new challenge. We had over 3 hours of unfinished classwork every night plus homework. Teachers said it was doable to complete in class, and most did. The work wasn't hard, so I agreed. We finally decided to try Concerta. Within 2 days, we went from 3 hours of unfinished classwork and missing assignments to no homework, no missing work, and all A's. My son said, 'I did not know this is how normal brains feel.' It was the best decision I ever made. My only regret is allowing him to suffer and think he was dumb for so long."

• Anonymous
• January 7, 2016

"I have been taking this for 10 years (started at 18 mg, went up to 36 mg). Recently (several months ago), I developed several horrible side effects. For example, it made me feel nervous. I could not keep still. It also made me extra irritable (to the point I was yelling at my friends for the littlest things). I also felt depressed (to the point I did not want to get out of bed at all) and could not sleep. The doctor brought me down to 18 mg, symptoms did not improve. I immediately stopped taking this and felt 100% better the next day. The doctor put me on Adderall XR, which works a lot better with very little side effects. Please avoid Concerta if possible."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 3, 2013

"I'm 19, and I've been on Concerta since age 7. It has helped me, no doubt. I have never had any problems, as people say about stomach problems, I have never had any. The only thing is I keep eating the complete opposite of everyone else. I usually take it at 9 am every day, and I notice it wearing off around 6 pm. Yesterday, I didn't take it because I tried something. I'm currently working night shifts, usually, it's been out of my system hours before starting work. So tonight, I took it at 9 pm, even though now it's 4:30 am, and I've been awake since 7 am yesterday. I neither show nor feel any signs of being tired or drained, both physically and mentally. This medication has been nothing but a success for me."

• mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2013

"My son, who is now 7, was on Adderall XR for about 9 months. It made him more focused but aggressive and hard to get along with others. He's been on Concerta ER 18 mg for almost 3 weeks. At first, he was complaining about headaches, but his aggression has changed tremendously. He gets along well with his sisters and is able to control himself better. I think I'm going to like Concerta."

• Abi...
• January 5, 2016

"This is not the drug for everyone. I was absolutely miserable on Concerta. I was restless, anxious, needy, fidgety, irritable, and depressed. My psychiatric practitioner attempted to cure these symptoms by prescribing higher doses. I eventually had a meltdown. As soon as I stopped, it was like I was instantly better. I know this drug works wonders for some people, but please be careful."

• Cat...
• February 8, 2016

"I've been taking Concerta for 3 years now, and I'm 18. I started out with 18 mg and slowly went up to 54 mg. My grades went from really low to average in weeks, but the side effects are really crappy. I have trouble sleeping at night, and I feel things that aren't there. I also have a big loss of appetite and have to force myself to eat sometimes. I have days where I get really depressed to the point that I don't want to get out of bed and do anything. I also feel really anxious and on edge, and I start scratching/picking at my skin, which gave me scars all over my back. I thought about it and went off the pill, and my grades suddenly dropped again. The pill really does help with focus and motivation, but the side effects are really tough!!!"

• HLK...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 10, 2024

"I'm 18F with strong hyperactivity, less issues on the inattentive side. My main reason to pursue medication for ADHD was that my brain was so disorganized that it made it hard to remember things, do tasks correctly, and work up the motivation to do things. Adderall slowed down my brain in a way that was unnerving. I owe a lot of my exercise, conversational skills, and artistic passion to my hyperactivity, so that wasn't an option. I started 18mg Concerta, and it wasn't a huge difference in the way I thought, but it made my brain just organized enough to allow me to reap the benefits of my ADHD without being overwhelmed by everyday responsibilities! It also has no withdrawal (apart from ADHD symptoms worsening) making it a low-risk treatment that you can easily discontinue in the event of an emergency. Higher doses will definitely make it hard to eat, though! I also do have trouble sleeping on it if I take it too late, so I set an alarm for 7:30 am every morning to take it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 23, 2022

"Concerta may work for some people, but it actually screws up. (I’m a minor and can’t make myself talk to my parents - partially because of the drug). Although it has proven to “work” for me, this stupid drug makes me feel like a walking corpse. I feel usually numb throughout the day and have an emotional crash at home. I can never think of anything to say, I trail off in the middle of answering things. I have no appetite to the point at which the thought of food makes me feel nauseous. I randomly get extremely nervous, my insomnia has gotten worse, I have really shaky muscles, I have tics, I have increased symptoms of severe depression and social anxiety. When it wears off, I feel awful and mean, and if I skip a single day, then I feel really sick. I don’t recommend this drug."

• vic...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 5, 2015

"Simply amazing! I was on Concerta from the age of 11-17. It worked, but didn't really appreciate its qualities being a young lad... I came off it. Since then, life has gone dramatically downhill, and I have had issues with keeping a job, focusing, social acceptance... the works! I had no commitment to anything and no drive to establish myself in the world. I'm now 24 and have been back on them for 9 months. Since then, I have been 100 million times more productive. Secured an amazing job (and held it down) and even won a few Employee of the Month awards! I've also gained a new amazing social circle, and my relationships generally have never been better. Small side effects i.e. sleep issues. But I will never stop taking it unless forced."

• Anonymous
• October 22, 2015

"ADD/ADHD has always been an issue, sure - grades sucked, concentration lacked, motivation gone. But, when the doctor prescribed Concerta, that all changed. I felt a change and saw my grades and concentration get better and better. The appetite loss was a minor issue. I've always been a big eater with a super fast metabolism. When I was told I was a few pounds overweight, I was happy. The solution to the problem is to force yourself to eat. It's not a bad sacrifice if you see a positive difference in your performance. I'm 6'5", 17 years old, and 210 pounds. I'm skinny, sure, but I'm willing to sacrifice quite a bit so I can do better in school. :)"

• Lat...
• February 20, 2015

"Concerta, it was the only medication that worked for my ADD. I am 53 years old. I took a break from it for four years, now I am going to start it again because I am not getting anything done during the day. I am a nurse."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 23, 2015

"My son started Concerta 18 mg a little over a year ago at 9 years old. What a positive change for him! His self-esteem was back, and he was social and smiling all the time. Made new friends easily and enjoyed things other than video games and TV. Lately, we have noticed a change... his concentration is not as good, he has trouble getting organized at school, and likes to stay in his room for hours at a time. He reminds me of the kid he was before medication. April 1st, we have an apt with the pediatrician, and I am assuming we will up the dose to 27 mg and hopefully find our happy boy again! We have also tried Biphentin, which did not work for us. Concerta has been a lifesaver, and I hope it will continue to be with the proper dosage."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 23, 2020

"I was diagnosed with mixed-type ADHD at 25, far later than most. I started at 18 mg and have been slowly bumped up to 36 mg. Overall, my working/short-term memory, energy levels, and mood have improved moderately. Unfortunately, I somehow burn through the medication in less than 6 hours and crash halfway through work almost every day. This drug has helped a lot, but it isn't perfect for my brain chemistry."

• MKV...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 2, 2023

"Female, 18 years old. I was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD at 13 years old initially, but did not start medicating until 16 years old. I was placed on Concerta, originally starting at 18 mg, and it felt like the fog had finally cleared up a bit. Due to it originally going well, my dose was upped to 27 mg, which I am currently still on, with considerations to raise it to 36 mg. I feel so much better in my day-to-day life and can actively focus and commit to tasks instead of constantly drifting in and out of focus. Additionally, my emotions have calmed down significantly when I'm medicated, and my emotional dysregulation seems to die down during the active period. My main side effect has been dry mouth, but honestly, it's worth having a dry mouth if it means I can actively live my life."

• inn...
• October 2, 2008

"This drug works. I'm a senior at high school and ever since I was in elementary school, I have had grades ranging from D-F. All through school, I had problems paying attention, and in recent years (9th grade), I was put on Concerta, and I have had nothing but good grades. Teachers were amazed at how well I'm doing now. THANKS CONCERTA."

• Dun...
• May 14, 2015

"From school right through to starting college, I was a lone wolf. Didn't like many people, got into a lot of fights. Was not bothered about doing well. People only stuck by me because they were scared of me. At the age of 16, I got into smoking a lot of weed and made myself even more of an outcast. Turned into a brain-dead idiot. One day I tried amphetamines, or 'speed' as it's known. Everybody else got high, I got a better job. Went back to college, became really popular, got girlfriends, etc. Eventually, all that went downhill as street drugs are unpredictable. Went to the Doc for help, was diagnosed with ADHD, apparently had it all my life. The Doc put me on Concerta 56 mg daily. Pretty much the same effects as the speed. Love it, no sides :)"

• Bee...
• September 11, 2019

"I was put on 36 mg Concerta in my 20s, and it helped drastically. I was able to finally concentrate and read without having to reread things because I was distracted every 0.5 seconds. I lost my appetite and would get insomnia at times. I went from a size 16 to 8 within a year, which honestly helped my health, and I was able to start going to the gym for the first time. I got off it when I moved overseas for 8 years, and now I’m back on it. The first couple of weeks are a bit rough, it gives me anxiety and restlessness, it’s an instant laxative, and makes you pretty antisocial. But remember, your body adjusts, and you start feeling more normal and less anxiety. However, if I take 36 mg and have any other stimulant like caffeine, I literally feel like I’m having a heart attack and anxiety attack at the same time. Be careful with mixing stimulants with this med if you have anxiety. Otherwise, it’s amazing and works miracles. Also, when I got off the 36 mg, my weight went up so fast."

• wow...
• March 6, 2009

"I'm 17 and have been taking this for about a month now for ADHD. I started at small doses of Ritalin (10 mg) and then moved to 20 mg. My doctor thought it would be easier to just put me on Concerta since it's 18 mg a pill. I then took 36 mg of Concerta, which didn't work out. I got major irritability and started feeling depressed. Even my focus was off. I went back down to 18 mg and it's working much better. No irritability, depression feeling. Make sure you're on the right dose for your body. Too much can do more harm and too little may not do anything."

• Sto...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 16, 2020

"I was diagnosed a year ago after numerous diagnoses with ADHD. I was put on Concerta 54, and I'm a different person. I'm happy, calm, still a bit anxious, but I'm better every day. Fantastic medication."

• Sim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2014

"I was put on Ritalin 10 mg three times a day, then on Concerta 27 mg. I didn't have any side effects until I went to 36 mg, and I was only losing my appetite. I went back down, and it still is really helping my concentration. I finish my work on time and am able to work to a higher level of work."

• San...
• June 24, 2018

"I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD/ADD at the age of 21 while at university, as well as mildly chronic fatigue, and was prescribed Concerta; first 18 mg (which wore off too fast) and now 36 mg. When I first started taking it, it felt like a miracle drug - for the first time in my life, I felt awake, driven, and organized. Over time, it has become less effective - it's definitely tolerance building - but it's still way better than going without. I get chest pains and headaches sometimes, I have started getting mild anxiety (which I never had before), and I feel the cold a lot more than I used to. All of this would be completely fine were it not for the main side effect of Concerta: weight loss. After around 18 months of taking it daily, my weight has gone from 130 lbs to 104 lbs - regardless of how much I eat."

• Reb...
• July 7, 2015

"I'm 50. I was in school before ADD and ADHD were a thing. Those of us that couldn't pay attention or behave got C's and D's, and we liked it that way. I'm kidding, we didn't like it that way, and neither did our parents. I muddled through high school and even got a college degree, but I really struggled. I remember when I first heard of ADD and meds that treat it, and it was a revelation. I've tried many of these medications, and Concerta is my favorite. To me, it's the smoothest. The short-acting drugs hit too strongly and then quickly crash. Hard. I had been taking Metadate CD until an insurance change made Concerta cheaper. Concerta is smoother than Metadate."

• Emm...
• February 12, 2016

"I'm 18 years old and have been prescribed 74 mg of Concerta a day. Three pills in the morning and one in the afternoon if needed. I had been diagnosed with severe ADHD, and this drug has changed the way I learn and study dramatically. It's amazing how confident and focused I am now. I always feel so good on it too, until I'm starving to death. Concerta absolutely kills your appetite. The sad part is I cannot even force myself to eat, and it has already taken a toll on my weight. I have always been insecure about my body, so it is nice losing the extra pounds, however, I don't enjoy talking to anyone at school anymore. Even though I feel good all during the school day, I am quiet and hungry."