hello all,
I was just recently diagnosed Adhd and put on Concerta 18mg. Its been about a week and a half and I'm not sure if it is working? The first day I felt it kick in and I felt I could focus, things seemed more clear. Second day mostly just a head ache. After that I would only feel a little bit of a difference and it would wear off. I was taking the pill at 6AM and it would wear off at 2-3PM. I was told to try 18mg in the morning and more at 2pm. I tried that and again it was a real minor effect. I was told to try 36mg in the morning. When i took that i can definety feel the Concerta kick in, but it is a quick up and a long drawn out fall. It seems like Concerta actually makes me very tired. One of my problems was that I was so all over the place during the day that I would be completely exhausted when I got home. Concerta has made me feel even more exahausted. I also feel like when it wears off I am flat emotionally. I have not really had any bad side effects, only some cottonmouth, thirsty, and very slight headache. Would Adderal work better to give me a steady effect all day? Any info would be greatly appreciated!

When you get started with ADHD meds, it is possible that your doctor will need to experiment a little - different drugs, different dosages. You mentioned Adderall - there is an Aderall XR (extended release) that may work better for you. I believe there may even be a drug available in a patch, which would provide a very slow release and a more consistent experience (possibly less headaches??).

Be patient - don't give up. Take the time to discover what works best for you.

Be persistent - if your doctor is not guiding you through this process, tell him/her that you want to try something else. If the doctor seems disinterested, too busy or uninformed, find another doctor.

Good luck and welcome to the ADD Forum - there are some great, knowledgeable, supportive people here.

- Chris

Thanks Chris....been dealing with this for 31 years and I finally went and got some help. Its amazing and frustrating when you see what you have been missing so long....having a still mind is a beautiful thing. So much better than sitting and thinking about what I am thinking and thinking about thinking about what I am thinking about :D Hopefully I will soon be able to finish things I start, maybe not fixate on anything on the internet for hours at a time, maybe not have a tantrum when i can't fixate, sit still in church, not be a zombie at the end of the day....ahhhh it will be nice