Today I've taken an ADHD medicine for the first time, my doctor prescribed me 36 mg of Concerta. (40 yo. male, 78 kgs, combined type)

Effects - positive

- I'm feeling mellow, almost like I've smoked marihuana 1 hour ago.
- my mind is quiet
- I move less
- I read my email, and then open 1 window in my internetbrowser (versus opening 20 emails and 30 windows and reading papers and phoning someone).


Effects - neutral

- slightly less hungry than normal
- time seems to pass very slowly


Effects - negative

- I'm tired, more focussed but slightly less motivated to actually DO something
- I feel a bit 'numb'


Questions: are these normal effects? Will the effects change in a few days?

THANKS! Peter

This part of the forum is kind of slow too.... :(

I'm about your age... 49, started Concerta a couple of years ago.
I don't recall feeling 'slow', but then I just don't remember some things.

Having been on it for this long now, I can say that I feel like it works the best for me.
I don't take it except on days when I feel like I have a lot to do... like work, or school.
My doctor gets mad at me for not taking it more regularly.:p

Well, after a few days most of the negative effects have gone. But so have the positive effects. All 36 mg does for me is raise my pulse a bit and give me a slightly tired feeling. After a phonecall with my psych we decided to double the dose to see how that goes........hope that will be better.

Hi Peterr.

I can't add anything useful about Concerta (am an amphetamine user) but I remember your initial post, and just wanted to congratulate you on making the appoinment and getting a diagnosis.

Please try not to get discouraged, and don't forget that Concerta is far from the only option if things don't improve. I remember the period between getting an 'official' diagnoses and starting an effective treatment as being an incredibly frustrating time - but it will get better!

hello fierwing,

are you still taking pristiq? I am still trying to startup and cannot get past the sleepiness side effects. How long do they last?