My son seems to do best on this drug. He is taking 50mg a day. I however only need 18-16 mg on any given day. It is like an all day cup of coffee and places me in work mode.

I noticed my sleep was better at the end of the day too. I don't constantly wake up like I used to. I have been on this for 3 weeks, my son for almost a year.

If stimulants work better for your ADD or AD/HD this slow release tablet might work for you. So much better than being shot to stimulant land with Alderall.

Heather

Its rather ironic, that medications for ADD have no relation to age or weight, but rather to your own specific brain. That seems to throw many people off when they hear an adult taking a "small" dose and a child taking a "large" dose.

She told me that adults with ADD usually only need a small dose of stimulant with other anxiety or depression meds.

"Just enough to give you a kick in the butt and clear your head." she said.

She also asked the questions of what I self medicated on - "and be honest, because I am not here to judge or turn you in, just to help you put your life together for yourself and you kids."

Stimulants or depressants was the catagories. One type of medicine for the self medicating stimulants, and another for the depressants.

I tried 18mg Concerta, but I got a rebound effect around 5:00pm when it began to wear off. Booom was more like it. Doctor said higher dose wouldnt change that, its just the way it goes through my system with the controlled release package. Anywhoooo, wound up back on regular Ritalin after 30 years......long story. But Concerta is Ritalin, just in a sustained release capsule. Its like these drug manufacturers keep trying to reinvent the wheel and giving it a different name with each new re-invention. Probably more to settle the fears of parents that are afraid of giving their children medication with a name associated with baddddd stuff. Whatever. Mystica, I'm glad to see someone proudly being a responsible parent and giving their child the proper medications that really are in his best interest.

What if you self-medicate both stims and depressants, Mystica?

I both consume HUGE amounts of caffeine, and have had problems with alcohol abuse (although honestly, the alcohol was just to lower my inhibitions, not to get me 'high' or make me feel normal. The caffeine was to help me feel 'normal'.)

-- Tom

its not just reinventing the same wheel though, this one (concerta) is new and improved, sorta. the change is the time release, the main purpose of it is too make he pills harder to abuse. teens (*ehem* me) can be very "curious". concerta cannot be broken up easily, for it to become fine enough to snort takes way to much effort than its worth. i see it as another child safety lock.

I understand from a few pediatricians, (3) that kids metabolisms tend to be much faster than adulst, and drug dosages that have been smaller for children might actually need to be higher in many cases, because of the metabolism issue.

I was surprised. This was with respect to antibiotics one time and pain medicine another... can't remebe specifically what was at issue for the third one...

Mystica,

How are things going for you and your son? We haven't heard from you in a while.

Well?