Hey guys I'm on zaggitin XL ( off-brand concerta, methylphenidate).

I've started on 2 weeks of 18mg

And 2 weeks of 36mg

Some days this helps and others it doesn't tbh. The 18mg did barely anything at all the only difference is that I noticed I didn't have to hype myself up to do boring things like showering or doing dishes.

The 36mg was a bit better and I noticed I no longer needed background music or a YouTube video to get me through doing housework but I've noticed that sometimes I'm a bit emotionally flat.

I also HATE arguing with my partner now whereas before ( as toxic as it is ) I would get a bit of a dopamine hit from it or something.

It's strange, on some days my brain is quiet and on others it's just as loud. Usually when I'm around other people my brain is just as loud as me unmedicated but when I'm alone it can be eerily quiet.

On some days my eyes have been struggling to focus and it feels like my brain can't take in visual information as well but on others I'm able to read a book ( something I've not done for years)

My memory has been just as horrible if not worse.

On some days I've literally spent hours daydreaming.

I've also had some headaches here and there.

I've been eating a bit less than normal throughout the day but I make sure I take my vitamins have water and sleep well.

My heart rate feels quite high but my blood pressure is a little low. The other day I was slowly walking and it got to 145bpm.

To be honest with you i notice some changes but it's just not doing much, right now it's just not worth it. Should I change to a different kind?

I'm a bit worried as I do suffer from some anxiety and not great at emotional regulation. I can be an arsehole when I get overstimulated.

I’ve started Concerta XL this week on 18mg for 2 weeks then moving up to 36mg.

I love coffee, coffee is life and not for the most reason people do. I find it makes me calmer, happier etc and will literally drink a cup of caffeinated coffee in the night to help me get back to sleep.

However the psychiatrist was very strict I have no caffeinated coffee - it was the one thing he would not budge on. I understand it’s technically both double stimulant but doesn’t feel like coffee is a stimulant to me.
I am only 3 days and really missing coffee, and the sense of peace it brings me 😂 use to drinking 4-5 by midday and a couple across the afternoon so it’s a big change.

I know everyone will say it’s in my head but I really don’t find the taste of decaf the same and it just doesn’t give me the same effects (obviously).

Do I really need to avoid caffeinated coffee??
If I did have one, is there a better time around taking the med?

☕️❤️✨

I’m looking to switch from Vyvanse to concerta because think my Vyvanse is causing my daily headaches. Has anyone switched from Vyvanse to concerta and can share their experiences good and bad?

I've been taking Concerta for about a month.
For the first two weeks, I was on 18 mg.
I'm now on 36 mg.
So far, my experience has been that these are the scariest pills I've ever taken. I've been hit with side effects from every direction, while at the same time I have a clearer mind and more energy to get through the day. I sleep pretty okay.
BUT the side effects are terrifying. The main ones are the uncontrollable rage and how mean I become towards other people and myself.
I'm also doing everything I'm supposed to be doing. I'm going to the gym, getting enough protein, taking supplements, blah blah blah. I literally hate my brain on this medication. Sometimes my personality changes and I can't even laugh.

A few days ago, I had a very bad panic attack because of overstimulation at work combined with the rage caused by the medication. I felt like I was completely losing control, and it scared me more than I can describe.
Will this go away, or should I switch to a different medication?

I’m taking 36 mg and an added benefit has been the appetite suppressant quality that also quiets my relentless food noise

Unfortunately on occasion I forget to take it and the food noise is unbearable and I am ravenously hungry. I could eat 4000 calories if I let myself. It feels like torture to try to keep myself on my deficit. Do you just go to sleep early and hope the next day is better? I try to chug water and caffeine but it doesn’t really help.

Hi everybody, as I don't see much people talking about in and I'm struggling right now with it am going to share a litle of my experience during this switch, my previous dose on Vyvanse was 70mg a day, no boosters(where 1 ive there is no booster besides Ritalin IR). vesterdav was my first day on Concerta 18mg, it sucked, it didn't qive me neither the energy to go through my day nor the motivation to do my tasks, it was one of the worst days C had since start taking meda. I called mv doctor and he said to me to double the dose today, so I did, today I took 36mg and it sucked less but it definitely sucked compared to Vyvanse, which in my opinion was not working so well due to its inconsistency in effects and their duration was not so good as well, but compared to Concerta it was 1000% better until the moment. Anyway 'd like some strona motivation boost from morning anc then just energy/awake during the day and a little of motivation would be great, Concerta is not giving me neither right now. I am not being able to me productive and that's making me really upset... Hope tomorrow wil be a better day, although right now everything I wanted is to quit Concerta and get back to my Vyvanse ASAP

Got officially diagnosed a few months ago and in contact with an NP pretty much immediately since I’d been trying to manage symptoms for years pre-diagnosis and felt like I’d exhausted every option minus medication, with only mild improvement.

She initially wanted to prescribe Strattera since she avoids stimulants when she can, but given how often I miss my birth control I knew I’d never have the consistency for it to actually work. Started me on 18mg methylphenidate for two weeks with no noticeable effect. Bumped up to 27mg, and I’ll admit there’s slightly less friction starting tasks, and I’m more consistent with stuff like skincare now.

I’m able to complete simpler tasks like actually taking 15 minutes to make a proper lunch instead of just eating whatever snacks were directly in my sight line, but anything that requires longer sustained effort like my college summer courses has seen almost no improvement. Instead, I find myself being productive for longer periods over non urgent stuff (reading, cleaning) when I have two week’s worth of lectures piled up. But then again, it’s better than doing literally nothing in the face of executive dysfunction. I end up skipping doses a lot too, either because I don’t notice much difference or because on some days I feel like an energy drink would honestly help more, and I don’t want to stack both and send my heart into overdrive.

My NP has kept me on 27mg since our follow-up’s on it, partly because she is wary about stimulants and partly because she sees the noticeable improvement as enough. I understand that maybe she has worries about abuse since I am college-age, but I have no history of drug abuse. I know medication isn’t a magic pill that will fix my symptoms on their own, and I need to put in the work too, but I’m not sure where to go from here.

TL;DR: Is the amount of friction I feel for sustained effort tasks normal at the right dose? My NP is comfortable keeping me at my current dosage, and I want to know if I should be pushing back more or am missing other good ways to manage my symptoms outside of medication. Super open to any strategies people have found that might help me, especially with focusing on what I actually need to be instead of unimportant productive tasks.

I have long-term problems with clinical anxiety disorder leading to issues with concentration, procrastination, reading, starting tasks, motivation, low mood, social issues and getting work done. I also experience head pressure, facial and jaw tightness, vibrations, dizziness, and an unwell feeling that make it difficult to think clearly.

These symptoms affect my work, social life, and ability to enjoy simple activities such as reading or watching movies.

I tried Concerta for a few days based on another doctor’s recommendations (since I was travelling). On some days, I completed my full to-do list and read a chapter I had postponed for almost a year.

However, my main psychiatrist (treatment going on for long time and is reputed) does not think I need it and has continued almost the same medications I have taken for around two years. He may have a valid reason, but I do not understand why the treatment is not being reassessed despite the functional impairment.

Does Concerta require a confirmed ADHD diagnosis? Would it be reasonable to request a formal ADHD assessment or seek a second opinion?

I am not trying to insist on a particular medication. I mainly want to understand my options.

Currently he has prescribed me:

Venlafaxine 75mg x 2, Propranolol 10mg x 2, tofisopam 50mg x3, clonazepam 0.25mg x 1, SAMe 200mg x 2, Carnosine 400mg x2

Has anyone had appetite suppression come after a few months on 36 mg OR after increasing the dose??

Please tell me yes lol