does anyone take concerta? i am starting it soon and i what to more a bout it because my doctor did not tell me a lot.:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Its essentially a time released form of Ritalin and works the same.

If you've ever taken Ritalin then the effect is much the same but more consistent throughout the day.

If you take it too late in the morning it will keep you up late at night.

thanks for the reply sorry to hear about your wife.

Concerta is used to increase focus and decrease hyperactivity and impulsiveness. I don't have the hyperactive part of ADHD. Only have the A problem as associated with the asperger's. Anyways, Concerta does help me but gives me tics. I was taking 36 mg for a while before realizing it was causing the tics. (to self: I'm wondering if clonodine and concerta can be taken together?) Concerta does help me and I think I'm gonna ask the doctor about it when I go to see her...

First, congrats on taking steps to improve your life.

Second, everyone reacts differently to meds. When someone states that a med 'keeps them up at night', that's their particular experience. YMMV.

Now, having said that, I've been on Concerta 36 for 6 weeks now and it has worked wonders for my concentration. It also reigns in impulsivity, and keeps me 'optimistic' during the day.

I've had ADD all of my life and was diagnosed at 41. Througout my life, I wqould become mentally fatigued at times and need naps, or just rest periods to turn off my brain. As a writer, this became problematic.

The meds help with the fatigue, and keep thoughts from scattering.

Concerta is easier on the nerves than Ritalin. My doc gave me a few Ritalin 10s to try, and I felt like I was over-caffeinated.

Downside: My blood pressure is elevated. Not to a scary level, but higher than normal levels, and this concerns me. Rather than take BP meds, I'm cranking up my workout and cutting down on salty foods, etc.

Overall, it has been nearly miraculous for me, in terms of productivity.

Good luck!

My doc decided to keep me on the strattera 25mg for another month. Wants to see if it kicks in, my hyperactivity has increased as well as my ADD, I am very disruptive right now cuz of it. Only been on the strattera for 2 wks though.
Any thoughts on whether it will improve?

No, there's not one person on these boards that can predict what will happen. And it does no good to guess or speculate.

We don't know you, your background, medical history or doctors, and all ADD cases are dramatically different.

What works wonders for one person may do absolutely nothing for another.

Part of the treatment process is trial and error. Those of us with ADD/ADHD want answers now!! and it just doesn't happen that way. Work with your doctors..communicate with them, give them feedback.

I'm guessing you're quite young, and part of life as an adult with ADD is learning how to focus on a problem and fixing it step by step, rather than instantly. Doctors aren't magicians; you need to communicate with them.

Good luck.

Keep in mind that when you start the stimulant meds, it generally takes time to get past the minor side effects, like the headaches. Also, one drug may work great another may not work at all. You will know when it works and when it doesn't.

Also, I have been on Concerta for a long while and one day I was talking with my wife telling her that this medication is not working any more. She just laughed at me and said you have no idea how well it is working. I went off the meds for a week and that was when I really realized how well they worked, even taking into account that going off of the meds my ADD will be worse for the first week before they calm down.

That's a great point.

I had the exact same conversation with my wife.

I thought my body had acclimated to the Concerta and it wasn't working properly. Boy was a wrong, according to the wife.

In short, others may see changes that you don't notice.

It's OK to ask for feedback from friends and family.