Advice please: Concerta=Sugar pills

[CptNemo]

How unique is this?

A few weeks ago,I titrated up to 72mg in one week.

Nothing. No side effects. Maybe slight drowsiness.

I went to Sandoz adderall IR,20mg x2.

Uncomfortable 'buzzing' (stimulant) and increased anxiety.

No positive results except increased wakefulness,outweighed severely by side effects.

10mg,10mg,20mg/day.
Same results,but of course reduced proportionately.

Week three-today: I took 72mg Concerta,no titration period. No effects at all.

Has anyone ever heard of this? Especially the perceived immunity to Concerta?

Could Ritalin IR somehow produce different results,even with the same active ingredient?

I could really use some advice on similar experiences.
Wild speculation is fine,too.

[Fima]

when you throw a frog into boiling water he will jump out of the water imidiatly, but if you put the frog into the water and then slowly boil the water, the frog will get cooked.

same for Ritalin,
IR will be on its best after short time that you took the medication and youll have the "rush" to study, unlike concerta that comes to its best only after 8 hours and you just "don't feel it"



dose your doctor saw those dosages?

[Megs]

I'm on 72mg of concerta.

I also joked about Concerta being sugar pills while I was trying to find the right dose, especially at 54mg. When I moved up to 72mg, I still don't feel any side effects, but my concentration is improved, my energy is up. I still can get distracted, like anyone, but I am able to function. It doesn't feel like I am on meds, it just feels like I can actually get things done. I still write myself notes, I still need a planner, I stil need reminders. Without meds, I would still have failed with all these in place. With meds I can succeed. I could still sit on the couch all day on medication if I wanted to let everything go, but I push myself forward.

What are your expectations of the medication you are on? What other things are you trying besides medication? I ask because for me, the change is slight, but significant to the way I function. If I did nothing but take the meds, I would feel no side effects, but also wouldn't think it was working.

On the other hand, maybe your body is not responding to the Concerta. If that is the case Ritalin IR shouldn't be any different. If you do feel a difference, then maybe your dosing on Concerta is off.

Just some things to think about.

[CptNemo]

Originally Posted by Megs

What are your expectations of the medication you are on? What other things are you trying besides medication? I ask because for me, the change is slight, but significant to the way I function. If I did nothing but take the meds, I would feel no side effects, but also wouldn't think it was working.

Thanks.
Admittedly,I was originally hoping for that 'light switch being turned on' experience that I read from time to time.

I have since devised an elaborate monitoring system:


If I can actually watch a 1/2 hour tv show that I normally like (using TIVO to skip commercials of course) and not have to pause it more than 10 times to switch over to this forum that I have got practically memorized,then I conclude that I do have a positive experience from it.

Motivation is actually what I consider my number one priority,yet anxiety seems to override any advancement there.

My TV example,I think, is my attempt to try to ignore something that I should be doing instead. I am sure that anxiety is a major player. I have xanax,but seems pointless because I normally need it the most to offset the adderall.

I would still like to find one person who has had no effects at all from Concerta at all.

Then find out if ritalin IR was any difference!
Thanks

[Fima]

Originally Posted by CptNemo

Thanks.
Admittedly,I was originally hoping for that 'light switch being turned on' experience that I read from time to time.

I have since devised an elaborate monitoring system:


If I can actually watch a 1/2 hour tv show that I normally like (using TIVO to skip commercials of course) and not have to pause it more than 10 times to switch over to this forum that I have got practically memorized,then I conclude that I do have a positive experience from it.

Motivation is actually what I consider my number one priority,yet anxiety seems to override any advancement there.

My TV example,I think, is my attempt to try to ignore something that I should be doing instead. I am sure that anxiety is a major player. I have xanax,but seems pointless because I normally need it the most to offset the adderall.

I would still like to find one person who has had no effects at all from Concerta at all.

Then find out if ritalin IR was any difference!
Thanks

I am the person your looking for, I tripled my dose and had no effects, unlike IR that worked fine even at lower dose (like 104 mg concerta[30 mg every 4 hour] did nothing, and 20 mg IR works awsome[atleast used to])

[CptNemo]

Thanks Fima!

I'm finally going to give up on my 'botched clone' theory.

I realize that every drug affects everyone differently,but its nice to know that at least one person had similar results.

I know we can still easily react to different drugs differently,but I am curious...have you ever tried adderall,dex,vyvanse?

Experiences?

Thanks again.

[Peterr]

I've had Concerta (= slow acting) and generic methylphenidate (=ritalin = fast acting).

Apart from the faster on-set and shorter duration, I did not feel any difference.

Amphetamines do feel a bit different though. Not as 'day and night' as some forum members suggest though.

Nothing was the proverbial 'light switch'. Medication will be a subtle thing for me.....