Methylphenidate for ADHD User Reviews (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• October 4, 2018

Concerta (methylphenidate) "My brother was prescribed Concerta two years ago, and I feel the need to share his story so everyone knows how helpful this drug is for people suffering from ADHD. He is taking it and Strattera both for his condition, and the Strattera worked well for a long time, but when he was prescribed Concerta in addition to this to further help with his symptoms, it was just amazing. His breakdowns and tantrums decreased in number, he started doing his chores and homework again, and he started doing random little things to help other people out. This medication is a controlled substance, so it's harder for him to get than his other medicine-- he has to have an appointment with a specialist every two months to stay on it, though I don't think it's that way for everyone. He was born addicted to the painkillers my mother was on, as he was seven weeks early, and therefore has a higher chance to become addicted to substances in the future, but this does not seem to be a problem so far with Concerta."

• dnb
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2019

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I started taking Concerta about 6 months ago. The first month after being diagnosed with ADD I was on Ritalin, then switched over to Concerta. I’m on the 72 mg of Concerta and it really has changed my life. I failed two classes in college before I started medication, and now I am doing really well in school. It really helps me focus in general as well. I’ve lost 70 pounds since I started taking medicine for my ADD, so I’m currently 140. This medicine destroys my appetite until it wears off. So I usually only eat at night. It also has messed with my sleep, so I make sure to take it by 9 in the morning so that it will wear off by like 10 at night. Whenever the medicine wears off I become super unproductive, but I’m not sure if that’s how I am without it or if it’s just worse when the medicine wears off. I really recommend Concerta, it really has helped me so much"

• willlk
• April 11, 2014

Concerta (methylphenidate) "My experience with Concerta has been amazing. I am 12 and this has helped me deal with bullying, anger issues, and lack of focus. I have learned that just because you are ADHD does not mean you can't have a normal life. I recommend this to anybody who is ashamed by their weight, has trouble focusing, and has anxiety issues but make sure to eat regularly because Concerta makes it so you don't know if you are hungry or not."

• Lordv...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 18, 2023

Jornay PM (methylphenidate) "Ultra smooth, gradual onset and end. Nice how it works like an alarm clock pill, waking you up in the morning. If you respond well to methylphenidate, it might be a good fit to ask your doctor about. The mechanism of action makes it safer and less likely to be abused."

• Anony...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 31, 2018

Ritalin (methylphenidate) "This drug has been nothing but a miracle for me. After years of suffering with concentration/attention problems and a string of failures this drug has allowed me to achieve what I want and excel in my academics and life. I take 20 - 30 mg/day 3 - 5 days a week with regular drug holidays. If you have ADHD and are suffering because of it with a history of failures in your life you won't regret getting treatment."

• Anonymous
• January 7, 2016

Concerta (methylphenidate) "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."

• nebra...
• April 1, 2008

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I'm 20, I have been on Concerta for 3 years. Before, I was on everything else, every other medication was an emotional rollercoaster ride, and I was very angry. Now, 5 years later, I'm the happiest, most confident person. I graduated college with honors and lead an 'out of trouble' life!! THANKS CONCERTA!"

• Peter
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 13, 2017

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I was late being diagnosed with ADHD, (late 40s) I was diagnosed Bipolar in 1992, but never felt this was the correct diagnosis as my meds never helped me with all the different thoughts going on in my head. As soon as I started concerta, I felt more relaxed, my concentration improved greatly and I could sleep peacefully without any benzodiazepines. I am currently (for over 4 years) on a dose of 72mg, it still is as effective as when I started and luckily I haven't any of the listed side effects. I think if anybody feels they have ADHD they should seek Psychiatric help to do the relevant tests."

• Rey
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2019

Ritalin (methylphenidate) "(18 M) I recently got diagnosed with ADD and was given ritalin. 5mg per day as a start up dose. I have dabbled with other drugs in the past, like cannabis, LSD, mushrooms and morphine. I took ritalin for two days before deciding to quit. Never in my entire life have I ever felt this level of addiction, nor have I ever crashed this bad on any drug. I have suffered with severe depression, OCD and anxiety for some years. The crash gave me a rebound to my past psychosis."

• mamae...
• December 6, 2013

Concerta (methylphenidate) "My daughter was finally diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive-type at age 16 after a lot of stress regarding high school academics and feeling 'dumb.' Concerta has been nothing short of a miracle for her. She finally ended up on the 54mg dosage and does very well. The only side effect she has had is loss of appetite which she now knows to eat a healthy/big breakfast before her medication in the morning. She then eats a normal dinner. She has occasionally had insomnia if she takes her medication later in the morning or if she has accidentally had caffeine. Overall, she is in a good groove with this medication and her SAT score went from 1600 to 2000 after medication and a prep course; GPA from 3.3 to 3.9."

• Whats...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 27, 2014

Concerta (methylphenidate) "My 13-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter both have been diagnosed with ADHD. I, nor my husband, could wrap our minds around our kids taking medicine, but were forced to give it a try. My son started taking Concerta when he was in 4th grade, and my daughter started taking Vyvanse in the 3rd grade. The results were amazing! Their handwriting went from sloppy to super neat, reading skills increased, grades were mostly A's... and many more great results! The bad part about the pills is that they have so many side effects that were making them seem like totally different people! They were skinny, depressed, had insomnia, headaches, twitching, and were angry. We withdrew both from public school and started homeschool. Now learning at our own pace!"

• DblO
• April 27, 2010

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I am 36 and was diagnosed with ADD shortly after my youngest son was diagnosed with ADHD. I take 36mg Concerta, and it has changed my life and saved my career. Looking back, I should have been diagnosed as a child, but my intellect got me through college, the military, and life in general thus far. Had I been treated as a child, life would have been a lot easier. However, my struggles have made me who I am. I recently began a new position at work, and it is extremely challenging. I need to be exceptionally focused and organized. I was drowning and getting depressed about my lack of success until I started taking the Concerta. 2 months later, I have been promoted and able to handle a larger workload... HOWEVER, my son developed severe tics."

• Penel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2019

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I started Concerta in August after Vyvance gave me bad side effects. I began at 36mg and now I take 54mg. Being on this has helped me SO much with class work and anxiety- I no longer have anxiety spirals like before! I’m actually interested in my uni classes, and I’m getting better grades. The best part of Concerta is that it stops my obsessive anxiety. I can control my thoughts now- this is something I was never capable of in the past. It gives me a sense of mental relaxation that I’ve never had, and it’s life changing. I feel on edge, kind of jumpy, and alert, but no uncontrollable anxiety like before. At first, I had some weird side effects, like tics, shakiness, lack of appetite, and peripheral hallucinations, but these side effects are SO worth not having the terrible anxiety like I used to. Concerta helps me feel more sure of myself because I’m not spacing out on information or having anxiety attacks. I feel more confident and capable. It’s wonderful!"

• Cader
• January 5, 2017

Concerta (methylphenidate) "Concerta has helped me tremendously in school. My grades skyrocketed after only one semester of use. The first day, when I was on 18mg, I could already feel the effect. Now, I only take concerta (27mg) on school days and other days which I know are going to be exhausting. Even on the days I don't take it, I feel happier than before. Concerta gives me motivation so I can actually live, which makes my motivation stick around. I can now socialise without feeling like my energy has been sucked out of me after one conversation. I can now do my homework and chores. I do things in my free time, instead of crashing in bed after a day of school. Though my appetite changed, and I lost a lot of weight, I have a lot to thank concerta for."

• Anony...
• January 8, 2014

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I've been on Concerta since I was about 13 (I'm 22 now). When I first started the medication, I experienced a fair amount of weight loss. Overall, Concerta has truly changed my life and made me a more focused student. Since I've been on it for so long, I have learned to manage side effects but some that have been ongoing are: upset stomach right after taking the medication (due to the stimulant effects and lack of food), slight headaches, jitters, binging when the medication wears off, and occasional paranoia. When first beginning the medication, remember to force yourself to have some caloric intake even if it is just a smoothie. This has been life-changing, but please remember to balance out your diet."

• Anony...
• November 12, 2013

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I would recommend this medication ONLY if you are 100% positive you need medication, by that I mean teachers and family recognizing the issue. My mom finally decided to give me Concerta during early middle school after my teachers advised it for a few years. I recommend beginning with 9 mg and slowly going up if needed. This medication is horrible in my life in the sense that I feel like I need it to do good in school, especially now I'm in college. But it causes me to be incredibly depressed. I continue to take it because grades are first, but for kids I recommend keeping a very close eye on them and follow up on depression issues because as a kid in middle school, it was horrible."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2012

Ritalin (methylphenidate) "I'm 28 yrs old and just started taking this 2 months ago. I abused meds in my teens & for the past 6 yrs have turned down prescriptions for fear of addiction & losing my personality and control. I gave Ritalin a shot at 10mg 2/day, 5 days/week none on weekends. I wish my parents would have taken me to a doctor to get checked out about 20 years ago. In 2 months I have been able to focus and concentrate on things like never before. I went from being an average student and poor test taker to above average and testing well. I don't snap at people as much as I did prior to taking. And still feel in control of who I am. The downside is I had to cut back on my coffee consumption. It's a good cause!"

• Nobody
• June 14, 2019

Concerta (methylphenidate) "Higher grades, acknowledgments from teachers and the ability to focus are the upsides. Wanna hear the downsides? I've lost all my friends, I honestly don't know what happened, I must have changed. I lost a dramatic amount of weight (from 220lbs to 145lbs in half a year) to the point where when I returned to classes after break, nobody could believe how skinny I was. A decline in self confidence. A scarily reduced sex drive. Sweat pours from me all day, even though I'm cold. A slowly declined desire to socialize, I don't even want to leave my room after school anymore. It's been over a year I hate who I've become, and at the same time have no desire to be my old self again. I've been on concerta consistently for over a year now. I've tried alternative meds to no avail and at this point I'm nearly an adult, thus I'm running out of time to fix myself. If you are a new patient and are experiencing these problems like I am, don't suppress them to keep the benefits, else you will have this mess to fix like me"

• Anonymous
• March 14, 2015

Concerta (methylphenidate) "Concerta helped me so much. Before Concerta, I dreaded doing school work or even regular household chores. While on it, I want to do my homework and chores. It makes me 200x more focused overall, which means more learning and better grades. I went from C's and F's to A's and some B's"

• Peter...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 18, 2015

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I was initially diagnosed with ADHD-combined hyperactive and impulsive when I was 16. Up until that point, I struggled with my attention issues and excessive energy, and it became increasingly difficult to cope with the symptoms as I got older. My doctor prescribed me Concerta 54 mg once a day. I immediately noticed significant improvements. I was able to think more clearly and communicate coherently. At the same time, I noticed that I had a better ability to control my attention and remain focused over a more prolonged period of time. My grades improved, and my relationship with friends and family became much better. I'm now 26 and still taking the medication. The therapeutic effects are still evident."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 17, 2013

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I'm 18 years old and have been on 18mg of Concerta for just under a year now. In the beginning, I loved it - was able to focus and was very productive with everything. Positives: my grades and work ethic excelled, accomplished a lot, confidence raised. But, it may have just been me, but after being on Concerta, I became very antisocial (the complete opposite of myself) and basically got lost in my head. I also suffer from depression and severe seasonal affective disorder, and my first winter taking the Concerta was a horrible experience. The important thing to remember with this medicine is that it is not what is making you 'smarter' or more accomplished, it is merely helping you to do these things without your ADHD holding you back."

• Linki...
• January 27, 2017

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I was recently prescribed this and let me tell you even with it being a stimulant it has helped my anxiety, I can explain things a lot better. I can focus more - my brain isn't all over the place. I feel a lot more confident my form on my workouts are better, I'm losing a lot of weight though. At 27 years of age I was recently diagnosed with aspergers because of social situations. I am now 28 as I type this. When I was a kid I was first diagnosed as learning disabled. Throughout my teens and early adult hood I was diagnosed with social anxiety, and depression. But I do not care, because my symptoms improved dramatically. I have a really good doctor and therapist. So that's helping as well."

• krisp...
• August 21, 2018

Concerta (methylphenidate) "A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD and was first given Vyvanse. It caused me to have awful anxiety and chest pains. This turned me off to stimulants for a while. Finally, I started seeing a new Dr and he prescribed me Concerta XL for my long days at work and it has definitely changed my life. At first it was for my ADHD but it also helps with my depression. It makes me feel awake but not jittery and anxious. I feel more social and talkative (I'm very shy and people always make comments on how I don't talk that much). I don't have as many bad days like I was having before. I still get them but they seem to be more mild and less often. There is a slight come down period when it is wearing off and you can get a little bummed during this time. Its not as bad with the long acting Concerta like it is with regular methylphenidate. I highly recommend trying these medicines."

• North...
• April 6, 2014

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I have been dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) all of my life. At 50 years old, I was diagnosed with ADD. I had suspected it for some time and began taking 28 mg of Concerta each day. After approximately 2 months, I went to a lower dose of 18 mg per day. It has had a positive effect in that it is much easier to stay on task; my ability to concentrate has been significantly increased. In describing its effect, it seems that my mind has slowed down. The side effects have been minimal - a little lightheaded at times. I do not take it every day; sometimes, I usually use it Monday to Friday."

• TomTu...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 24, 2020

Concerta (methylphenidate) "I've been on this medication for about 14 YEARS now. And I love it but hate it. It's considered an abusable drug now so getting and filling this prescription is absolutely insane. I have to take a pee test to get the script 4 times a year, then a pre-approval from the doctor, THEN I can buy it for $30 instead of $300. I wish I was joking. As far as the drug itself it's great! High focus, low appetite, it's great. The only problem is it makes my hand spasm and sometimes it can mess with your head. But all meds have cons."