Questions for the more experienced.

This is what I'm experimenting during the day while on Concerta. I normally take it in the AM and then a smaller dosage in the PM.

I monitor my blood pressure and pulse (I wear a runner's watch). When I take it I normally get a slight drop in BP (10-20). My pulse initially goes up a bit. I feel great, but the continuous release might be might be making me anxious after 4 hours or so. Then, as it starts wearing off, after about 6 to 8 hours, I get irritable and my pulse goes up. I take a smaller dosage (yesterday I took it with coffee) and relax again (my pulse went down 20 points!), but then I get a little anxious and my pulse goes up.

Could this be related to the constant release of Concerta, as opposed to the single or bimodal release of Ritalin or Ritalin LA respectively? I tried Metadate CD before and was fine, but did not last as long (it releases 30% instantly and the remaining 70% is released gradually later). Ritalin LA releases 50% initially and 50% about 4 hours later.

I wonder if the "spikes" in release might be better for me, given what I have just described.

What do you think?