off the drugs, withdrawl agony

[chamaleon]

i have been taken off the concerta (i had cardiac affects, according to my shrinks report) my own translation: this 31 year old will be dead in a year

i am off the concerta and i've been withdrawing for weeks: they took me off it (cos my heart rate sky rocketed 151/108, etc)

i felt withdrawl for a while, im bored with that now (SNORE!!!!)

concerta sorted my brain out totally - i am off the **** now (cos lets be honest, with that heart rate i'd be dead pretty quick)

i have suffered from withdrawls - and my brain now is totally ****ed and back to unmedicated, real life. I have 400 receipts in my bag, i am agressive as hell, i cannot control myself and my work ethic has gone to ****. I think i might get fired soon

i am seeing my psychiatrist next week but i REALLY dont want to go on medication (which will kill me fast) quick. well ritalin will for sure....maybei should try amphetamine ones (i dont want to take anything, but i am crazily manic and want to smash things up)

help!!!! im unmedicated but i loathe medication

x

[indy]

i'm a bit confused. are you bipolar? is that why you're manic? because concerta doesn't control mania, it only works for adhd. i have bipolar disorder and you are describing common symptoms of mania but i would think you'd be on mood stabilizing medication to control your mania rather than concerta.

[trishcan]

amphetamines would probably have the same (or worse) effects. If you are diagnosed with ad/hd, perhaps you could try a non-stimulant medication like strattera?

[alexander123]

first, calm down. if you cant, take low dose benzos (lorazepam, alprazolam) or valerian or highdose Niacinamide for the time being.

then, do research into alternative ADHD medication.

Such as:

Bupropion (Wellbutrin) (Antidepressant)
Venlafaxin (Effexor) (Antidepressant)
Atomoxetin (Strattera)
Buspiron (Buspar)
Modafinil (Vigil, Provigil)


Some of these are well researched and/or often used off-label.


Talk to your doctor. I think it speaks for him, that he does checks and takes you off meds because of health concerns. I have never been checked for cardiac side effects.

[kara59]

I am sorry to hear that that you feeling so badly. Glad that you have an upcoming psychiatric appt. & will be able to address the symptoms you have been experiencing this week.

Please keep us up-to-date.

Rgds, Kara59

[peripatetic]

oh chamaleon, sh*tty, sh*tty, sh*tty!

i don't really have anything in the way of advice, but i think you rock and hopefully something non-stimulant or non-drug will help i recall from our personal messages that your psych has her head on straight and i hope she can help you get a plan together that's both useful *and* that you're comfortable with for the long term.

you still reading philosophy? i was flipping through some dogen the other day and thought about you going to japan--check out the shobogenzo

xo,

[bradd]

"my heart rate sky rocketed 151/108"

This figure looks like a blood pressure reading, not your heart rate. At that, yes this is in the high range for blood pressure.

Just wondering, since you stopped the Concerta what is your blood pressure (and/or heart rate) like now?

bradd

[chamaleon]

Hi there everyone!!

It is a month later, and I am okay now!

Im off meds completely and I dont think I'll go back on them. Not concerta at 54mg a day dosage anyway.

sorry if i worried anyone, I was rather frustrated and upset when I wrote the OP, compounded by annoyance that I felt withdrawl pangs and couldnt get anything else.

UPDATE: I stopped taking Concerta around mid November I think. I was too worried about the blood pressure, and my doctor took me off them. My psychiatrist recommended me coming off 54mg and perhaps returning to 36mg, if and only if i want to and my heart rate is normal around now (six weeks later...). My heart rate feels totally normal, and there are no palpitations or panicy feelings that i occasionally felt when the second part of the daily slow release kicked in (around 2pm). I feel fine!

i have since stuck to the same superhealthy diet i was on during my medication, of wholemeal toast for breakfast, bananas, fish oils, fruit and yoghurt for lunch, loads of water, and a healthy dinner. My alcohol intake is minimal.

workwise: I feel OK. Right, i admit: my concentration is a bit shot, and my productivity is nowhere near as good as it was while on meds. In other words, its back to day to day ADHD. I feel quite impulsive and find it hard to focus, then have occasional spates under pressure when i can hyperfocus, only at the last minute.


I DO feel however, that i want to try and live my life medication-free. I dont want to take the risk of my blood pressure rising, so I will try and live my life and cope with it. I will see my doctor this week, and get my blood pressure checked, then i will enquire about possibly trying dexedrine. my plan is to move from the UK to Japan next year anyway, so I cannot get medication there (or start organising trying to get hold of it, lol). Ive always embraced the adhd elements in a way anyway. For now, i'm doing okay!