Hello, this is a first time post. I basically have had it with Concerta. I feel that I can actually concentrate better with nothing at all rather than this medication. I feel speedy, yet tired at the same time, its an awful feeling!

For as many people as I see saying this is a great solution to their problems I just don't see it. I used to take adderall and swtiched off when I was too old to see my pediatrician anymore. The psychiatrist I am seeing now put me on Concerta, but I have an appointment this week and I'm going to tell him that I want to switch. My question to this community is:

1) Have any of you done this or tried and if so, had problems?

2) What should I say to my doctor?

Thanks in advance...

Also, have any of you had negative results from Concerta?

I would let the doctor know what is going on. Tell him/her that you had taken Adderall in the past and it works better for you then the concerta. I've been off of concerta for over 2 years now and I didn't have a bad time with it. But I forgot a lot of stuff because I got panic disorder/bipolar I and I'm having to start all over again with the adhd meds. Best of Luck and let us know what happens either way...

I switched from Concerta to Adderall and it was pretty awful. Adderall made me more tired. I guess I could focus a tad more but I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning. I think I had more capacity for emotions but that's about it. Concerta doesn't work well for me anymore, but it still works better than Adderall, but everyone's different..

As far as controlling my add symtopms, I've had great sucess with Concerta. The dose i'm at now gives me a lot of anxiety though, so i'm going to go back to the lower dose I was at, if it doesn't go away.

As far as what to tell your doctor, just tell him the truth. Adderall works great for you, Concerta doesn't and gives you bad side effects.

I switched from Concerta to Adderall and it was pretty awful. Adderall made me more tired. I guess I could focus a tad more but I didn't want to get out of bed in the morning. I think I had more capacity for emotions but that's about it. Concerta doesn't work well for me anymore, but it still works better than Adderall, but everyone's different..Thinking about changing my son (13) from Concerta 36 to maybe Adderall?!?!?! Mostly because of 2 reasons.

:( he doesn't like the way it makes him feel (guessing it's the "bland" type of non-emotion, that's what I notice anyways)

:mad: I do not like these spurts of intense frustration which makes him VERY sassy, not just to me at times
but more so at his little brother (8).

From what I have learned -been throught the med thing with my oldest who is now not on anything- meds help with focus and complete thought processing "makes better choices". This just isn't happening anymore although his grades seem to improve when on it regularly
(on it 1st part last year, failed 7th grade at the end, off for most of summer, on it EVERY school day now).

:soapbox: I'm one of those don't-medicate-children-but-only-when-necessary mothers so he is not on it on the weekends either.
* No lecture needed

:confused: Is changing meds to see if it might improve his mood as well help with concentration (main goal) worth the trial-and-error thing all over again? Does it sound like Adderall might be what I'm looking for? I know to each is different (like selby) but what about this bland usual mood thing vs. bouts of nasty thrown in?
:confused:

Thinking about changing my son (13) from Concerta 36 to maybe Adderall?!?!?! Mostly because of 2 reasons.

:( he doesn't like the way it makes him feel (guessing it's the "bland" type of non-emotion, that's what I notice anyways)

:mad: I do not like these spurts of intense frustration which makes him VERY sassy, not just to me at times
but more so at his little brother (8).

From what I have learned -been throught the med thing with my oldest who is now not on anything- meds help with focus and complete thought processing "makes better choices". This just isn't happening anymore although his grades seem to improve when on it regularly
(on it 1st part last year, failed 7th grade at the end, off for most of summer, on it EVERY school day now).

:soapbox: I'm one of those don't-medicate-children-but-only-when-necessary mothers so he is not on it on the weekends either.
* No lecture needed

:confused: Is changing meds to see if it might improve his mood as well help with concentration (main goal) worth the trial-and-error thing all over again? Does it sound like Adderall might be what I'm looking for? I know to each is different (like selby) but what about this bland usual mood thing vs. bouts of nasty thrown in?
:confused:

I went through elementary and high school unmedicated for ADHD, so I can't even imagine what it'd be like dealing with side effects at that age. I will tell you that, yes, there's this "zombie" feeling and I get more shut off from the world. Concerta can be great for getting work done, but not for social interactions and the like. It's really a matter of how well the person is able to tolerate side effects. -- I would try Adderall if the side effects are too intense. It made me tired, but who knows? Everyone is different. It could work really well for your son.