Methylphenidate and Headaches: What Users Say

• 28a...
• March 7, 2010

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've used Concerta for 5 years and loved the improvements at first - I became successful, in perfect shape, and did most things extraordinarily well. My life did a complete 180. Once unfocused, unmotivated, and disorganized, I transformed to near perfection in everything I did. The price you pay for perfection - I've lost my friends and my social abilities. I used to be fun and full of life! You begin to seclude yourself because you are too focused, too mechanical. You lose weight because your appetite goes away and you are indeed anorexic. I couldn't sleep, had extreme anxiety, headaches, dry mouth, highs and lows....I can go on and on. It changes you and you may think it's great but ultimately you lose yourself in the process."

• Lea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2023

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have ADHD, fibromyalgia, and osteoarthritis. I have tried most ADHD medications, both stimulants and non-stimulants. I found that the side effects were outweighing the benefits. My psychologist recommended Jornay PM. I started on 40 mg. I was so surprised to wake up on day one feeling rested and motivated for the first time in 10 years. After one week, I was up to 80 mg. I have been on 80 mg for the last 3 months. I had a headache during the second week while I adjusted to the increase of 80 mg. My rollercoaster of mood swings, sleepless nights, zoning out, being paralyzed or frozen, and emotional imbalances has improved. I have had major life-changing improvements since switching to Jornay PM. I am so relieved to have found an ADHD medication that really works after 50 years. Thank you, Jornay PM."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta for the past five months. When I first began taking it, I would get headaches and appetite problems, but those side effects disappeared after about three weeks on it. Concerta has not only improved the amount of work I'm able to accomplish, it's improved my self-esteem as well. I no longer feel as shy and cluttered as I did before I started taking Concerta. I like that it lasts throughout the entire workday, so I don't have to worry about redosing. Overall, Concerta has been a very positive experience for me."

• Ano...
• January 8, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "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."

• nr6...
• September 7, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "So I was diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD about a month or two ago. I'm 19 and in my second year of university. I struggle to take in information in distracting settings like big lecture halls, have a tough time focusing, and my organizational skills have always been poor. So, my doctor prescribed 18 mg Concerta. I've taken it for a week so far, and I'm loving the results. I'm now always listening in lectures, always focusing on what the professor is saying. My room, car, and desk are now more organized than they have ever been, and it's stayed that way so far! Many people complain about a lack of appetite, but I haven't noticed that at all! I've noticed two minor side effects so far: headaches that start later in the day, as well as some minor irritability."

• Abb...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 5, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD in 8th grade and put on 20mg of Concerta, which has since risen to 54mg extended release in the day and 10mg immediate release in the evening for when I do my homework. At first, the medicine was great - it allowed me to focus and my grades went up significantly. However, over the past year or so, I have been experiencing negative side effects such as depression, headaches, and loss of appetite. I can manage the headaches and appetite problems, but as for the depression, it is so bad that I am considering switching to another brand or changing my dose because when I am on Concerta, I become virtually emotionless, and as a result, I am struggling to maintain good relationships with my friends and family members."

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

Methylphenidate for ADHD "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!"

• Exp...
• October 1, 2013

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade, and her doctor and I discussed different medications and settled on Concerta. Grades were never a problem, but behavior and socialization were. She hated the medication and would spit it out or hide it. It gave her headaches, loss of appetite, and sleep loss. Eventually, she began taking it regularly and began to do well in school. The behavior problems ceased, as well as socialization. She took this medication for about 2 years, and then I decided to pull her off. Her teacher didn't even notice and thought she was still taking the medication because she was so well-adjusted and presented no serious issues. She never took meds again and learned to cope. She has ADHD but manages it other ways."

• Ket...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 11, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking methylphenidate (Ritalin) for years, and it helps, but I must take Tylenol with it, or I get a headache. I'm more focused and energetic. Not wiping away my ADD 100%, but it works on many levels."

• Mis...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 29, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I began taking Concerta at the age of 13 to treat my ADHD. I'm now 22, still taking 27 MG of Concerta daily. Overall, it has been helpful with managing my ADHD symptoms, I'm much less distracted and able to stick to one task at a time. It was especially helpful when I was in school because it was just so impossible for me to stay focused in class. As an adult, it makes work so much easier for me because my job requires things to be done with a lot of precision. Side effects I've experienced have been headaches (occasionally migraines), inconsistent appetite, restlessness at night, some difficulty sleeping, and constant thirst. Despite the side effects, I feel that my overall quality of life has improved with taking Concerta to manage my ADHD."

• Ada...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I have been using Ritalin 10 mg for the past 3 weeks now. I am 28 years old and I suspected for a long time now that I have ADHD. Not being able to concentrate or focus, prioritize tasks and having depression (I am not taking medication for this) caused a lot of anxiety for me over the past 4-5 years. Ritalin has helped a lot with my studies and kind of calms me. I am pretty quiet when I take it also. It's great for if you need to use it for work or study, but for everyday use, I wouldn't like it. - In the first 45 mins it gives me a slight euphoric feeling. - Makes me want to do productive activities. - Causes slight headaches if I don't drink plenty of water. I would recommend it. (I have tried Adderall in the USA and that was even better)"

• Oma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am a 25-year-old male who works in the health field. I have had ADHD my whole life and started taking this medication to help get my life in order and to help get all of my thoughts together. This pill is amazing for organization and for getting tasks done that need to be completed. I have no complaints with this medication regarding how effective it was at treating my ADHD and increasing my focus. The reason that I scored this medication on the lower spectrum is that when I was taking this medicine, I would get severe headaches. The headaches would happen 30 minutes into taking the medication. The headaches were not ordinary headaches. It felt as if I was going to have a brain aneurysm. I highly recommend this medication to people who do not experience severe headaches while taking it."

• Bjh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 7, 2023

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I took my first dose around 8 a.m. on May 8th, 2023, and I’m calling my doctor in the morning. I absolutely hate this feeling. For hours, I have just been angry, irritated, and I have a headache that will not go away. I have not been able to get any tasks done. I feel like all I can focus on is the fact that I feel irritable. Also, my stomach has been in knots since taking it. I’m praying it just wears off soon so I feel semi-normal again."

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

Methylphenidate for ADHD "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."

• Biz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 20, 2019

Methylphenidate "I'm taking this for fatigue related to MS and other autoimmune disorders. Today is my first day. I took Jornay 20 mg yesterday evening around 6 pm. I woke up today around 7 am. I have experienced a remarkable improvement in my morning time exhaustion! Usually, I wake up feeling so exhausted, like someone who has only had about an hour or two of sleep. I’ve been awake for about 3 hours now and have a headache coming on and had to take some ibuprofen. I have tried other meds for fatigue but they cause palpitations and worsen my Raynaud's symptoms (cold and painful fingers and toes). This is only day one, and I hope I've found the ONE. I’ll come back in a few weeks and offer up my review."

• Sam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 7, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "My son is 11 and has been taking Metadate CD for 4 years. He is now taking 30 mg in the morning. He is very thin and has no appetite during the day, but when his appetite comes back at bedtime, we always let him eat as much as he wants. When he doesn't take this medication, he says he can't do any of his work at school, so we feel it really benefits him. He still has a lot of trouble with disorganization and being moody, and sometimes aggressive, especially in the evenings when he is coming down off the medicine. He also has some headaches still, but not too much trouble sleeping. His behavior and ability to finish his school work all depend on whether he has had his medication though."

• Dee...
• November 25, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been on and off this medication for a few years now. I have mixed feelings toward it. The first 30 minutes to an hour of taking it, I feel a rush and a feeling of I can do anything. That rush motivates me to go to the gym, actually. After the rush is gone, I feel more focused and alert. After the alertness has worn off, I feel moody and irritable. I'm very aware it's the medication making me on edge and try to control it. I get a bit headachy sometimes, and it bothers my stomach from time to time. Always hungry? Not on this medication. Appetite gone, at least for a while until the next pill. Make sure to eat! I would say this medication is addictive and would not recommend it to anyone that has an addiction problem."

• San...
• June 24, 2018

Methylphenidate for ADHD "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."

• 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!"

• Veg...
• May 11, 2014

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I am 34 years old. I started with 27 mg. Over several weeks, I worked up to 36 mg in the morning, then 10 mg in mid-afternoon. My husband has seen an improvement in my mood. I feel less angry and better able to cope with daily life. I stay awake during the day now (I was very fatigued pre-Concerta and sleeping a lot). I am sleeping the best I ever have at night. My mind doesn't race as much as it used to. I still experience anxiety, but it hasn't increased since Concerta. I get more headaches, and I seem to continuously suck and rub my tongue on the inside of my mouth. It annoys me and causes tongue ulcers, but I guess it is a small price to pay."

• Dwa...
• October 11, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Was on Concerta XL for 7 days and had to come off it due to the unbearable side effects of the drug. I was diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive subtype), generalized anxiety, and depression. This drug made me feel very nauseous, gave me a headache, made me shake, gave me twitches throughout my body, messed my brain up in terms of cognition, etc., made me very aware of my heartbeat, made me extremely anxious to the point of not being able to leave my room or communicate with anyone and just generally messed me up. At one point, I was doing some stretching on a yoga mat to try and calm myself down, and I felt so confused that I didn't know what to do with my legs. This drug wasn't for me and caused an unpleasant experience."

• Edd...
• July 11, 2015

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Helped me a lot. Been using it for 8 months, and now I'm on a 20 mg, 2 times a day. I never had the power to just sit still and stay on one task. Now I'm able to actually sit down and focus on one task. I'm 16 and was diagnosed at 15. Ritalin doesn't last long enough, though, which is the only downside. Only lasts for 3 hours, but it's good because you could get your appetite back. No side effects, just a little nervous at times and headaches, which are rare. Also, suppressed appetite the first hour you take it."

• Man...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 4, 2019

Methylphenidate for ADHD "Makes you feel pretty weird for the first few weeks, I was getting headaches and crashing after a couple of hours. However, your body gets used to it, and after a while, my performance on tests improved drastically. It did decrease my appetite quite a bit, and I ended up losing 15 pounds. I took it for ADHD but was also struggling with anorexia, so my doctor took me off it as it was making me lose so much weight. This medicine really helped me in school settings, and I would recommend it in moderation for people struggling with ADHD as it’s not as intense as Ritalin and only lasts for a few hours. I 100% preferred it to Ritalin and lorazepam."

• Smi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 3, 2016

Methylphenidate for ADHD "I've been taking Concerta XL for around 2 months after finally being diagnosed as an adult. I started on 18 mg, and within half an hour, I felt able to concentrate and focus on tasks for the first time. A couple of days later, I had crippling headaches, but everything settled down after that. My resting heart rate has sped up by 10 bpm while the medication is in effect. I'm currently on 54 mg, and the therapeutic effects are great, but I feel dehydrated no matter how much water I drink, and I have developed sinus problems. It's worth it though."

• nco...
• July 21, 2018

Methylphenidate for Narcolepsy "Let me start by stating that I am a 24-year-old female with a history of idiopathic hypersomnia, coarctation of the aorta, and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). I was recently in a car accident and received my second concussion. Upon visiting my neurologist for headaches/migraine complaints, I brought to his attention my debilitating fatigue I've experienced since the last concussion. I've been to multiple doctors, and they pushed aside this symptom. I was almost in tears when my neurologist prescribed Ritalin. Day 3: improved concentration and more energy! So far, so good. I was worried I would have problems because of my heart conditions, but it is anatomic and not rhythmic, so I'm okay! He also assured me this will help with weight loss, which is great! Hope to continue to see great results with this medication."