How much Concerta are you currently taking?

[Potuncle]

I'm curious about how much Concerta adults are taking. I myself just went up to 36mg/day yesterday after doing 18mg/day for a week with no good or bad effects. I do realize everyone is chemically different and that there is no set dose for everyone that has maximum improvement with no major bad side effects.

Also, please note on how you knew you reached the appropriate dose and, if you were ever taking more that that dose, how did you know you were taking more than your body/mind needed?

[jaimegerise]

Warning...this will be a run on sentence lol

Well let's see...I started off a couple of years ago on 18 mgs...was doing ok....doc uped it to 36....that was working well... tried strattera for a bit, ack didn't work, went back to concerta 36....was wondering if more would help more...tried 54....started having a tic of teeth grinding and clenching....it was driving me nuts and starting to bother my jaw...went back down to 36 and have stayed there for over a year now...

I find the 36 to be perfect for me....in fact, I will skip one a week...like maybe on a sunday...or one every 2 weeks. I find it helps keep tolerance at bay, for when I start up again, it feels fresh. heh

Just my 2 cents

[gabriela]

i started with 18 mg on march 28 this year. after two weeks, my doctor and i decided to up the dosage to 36 mg. after yet another two weeks, we upped the dosage to 54 mg, which has been the dosage for me since then. it works *great* for me, but when i see my doctor next week, i'm going to discuss trying short-acting ritalina as well.

[lightray]

Note: Concerta is also available in 27 mg.

[BobbyK]

I am taking 54 mg

[jaimegerise]

Ok, had to come back and change my answer. I stopped taking my concerta altogether last week when I ran out. So, now officially, I take 0 MGs a day

For anyone wondering, with the help of learning other coping skills, the forums, good friends, a patient husband, better eatting and exercise habits, and God's presence in my life, I am now free of needing the meds.

[gabriela]

that's *great*, j - congratulations!

[FocusPocus]

I started on 18 mg as have most of us I assume. I found almost no change with that dosage and my Dr. put me on the 36mg. The higher dosage was only slightly noticeable after a month so we went to the 54 mg.

What a difference! The first day on this dosage I several hours sorting through paperwork and paid a month's worth of bills without wanting to explode. I have NEVER been able to do anything remotely close to that before. The next day I cleaned and reorganized a very dirty and unorganized garage.

My wife said she was scared about the effects I was experiencing and asked me repeatedly if I was alright and asked me to slow down. Honestly I felt so good I was enjoying myself! She is not used to seeing me that focused and energetic.

It is now five days later and I still feel great and have much more capacity for concentration but not as much as the first two days. Hopefully this will continue....

Anyone else experience this kind of change with a certain dosage?

Also, I'm very curious how caffeine affects all of you on Concerta. I'm currently off caffeine altogether until at least 4:00 pm. - makes me too jumpy in the morning and I think counteraffects the meds.

[MJM]

At the outset I had great sucess with 32mg progressed up to 54mg with limited to no effect anf finally to 72mg with no effect...currently still on the 72mg with some Prozac, but frustration is mounting as there is no, nada, nothing anymore....

[Toaster]

wow MJM, yours is the situation i am trying to avoid. I was taking 27mg for about a 1.5 weeks but today my doc put me on 2 18mgs pills in the morning for the first day and to try three if the two does not have any effect. I really dont want to keep trying higher and higher dosages , i really wish he would offer me somehting else like Adderall or Dextrostat or someithing like that, it seems that many who take those definetly feel a benefit.

Also, everyone who feels a difference can you explain the difference you feel, are you more motivated? more focus ? what exactly changes? i only feel more awake that is all.

[Toaster]

Well i am taking three 18mg pills now and all i feel is that I am very awake and maybe a little high but not in a good way. I dunno what to say. Hope i get some motivation or something positive out of this.

[Sc@tterBr@in_UK]

I take between 36 and 72mg/day, most days it's 2 36 mg tablets with about 6 hours between them, which lasts nicely until about 11pm

For days where I don't need as much I either take just one dose or I replace one or both doses with 18mg.

My girly cycle really screws with how much meds I need in a day so I am glad to have that flexibility.

I started out on Ritalin but even on 60mg I got little coverage and it was just way too harsh, like trying to do the job of a mallet with an axe. I'm much happier on Concerta!

[douglasbrooker]

I tried Concerta for a month and may go back to it. I found 36 mg to be about right. I believe this form of methylphenidate is the type where the inert part of the molecule has been eliminated, like Focacil. So 36 mg is really the equivalent of around 60 mg of regular Ritalin. But it's truly unique because of its "osmotic" controlled release capsule. There's nothing else like it. It's very smooth. Right now I'm taking the Mallinkrodt generic version of Ritalin, which to me is the only good generic company out there. They make a good version of dexedrine, too. Both are indistinguishable from the brand names. I take 40 mg a day, sometimes a little more. There is something convenient though about Concerta. It's truly a 12 hour pill. Right now I "task" at different times of the day, and prefer the 20 mg hit that goes away in 4 hours.

[Sc@tterBr@in_UK]

Originally Posted by douglasbrooker

I believe this form of methylphenidate is the type where the inert part of the molecule has been eliminated, like Focacil

No, Concerta contains Methylphenidate (both isomers), just like Ritalin.

It is only Focalin (I am not aware of any generics as this is arelatively new drug) that contains d-Methylphenidate alone, and is therefore more "concentrated" with less side effects. 5mg Focalin tablets have the same amount of the active (d) isomer in them as a 10mg Ritalin tablet, but only give half the side effects (as both the levo- and dextro- isomers produce side effects, but only the dextro- isomer has an effect on ADHD).

[Toaster]

well i am uptp 3 18mg pills now and i get sleepy about two hours into it. its weird. i was kinda energetic the first day i took the three pills but two days in a row, sleepy. may be i need 4 18mg pills a day?? what the hell , why cant this do anything for me?