If you child takes Concerta, do you see an increase in anxiety?

[Anonymous]

My DS takes 18 mg Concerta for his ADHD. We have noticed some heightened anxiety (over an above his normally level which is already heightened). Does the Concerta cause more anxiety?

[Anonymous]

I have also noticed the same thing with my DD! Would be curious to know if there is a medical basis for this.

[Anonymous]

My DS went off of it for that reason. There are other ADHD meds that don't do this. Its an unacceptable side effect.

Try stratterra -- doesn't work for everyone, but it targets anxiety in addition to ADHD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS went off of it for that reason. There are other ADHD meds that don't do this. Its an unacceptable side effect.

Try stratterra -- doesn't work for everyone, but it targets anxiety in addition to ADHD.

OP here. Thank you. Concerta is our second drug try so far. Started with Focalin. HUGE fail--massive rebound. The anxiety on the concerta has been getting worse. No dosage change and we do a ritalin booster (but not every day).

[Anonymous]

My 7 y.o. son started on Focalin, but it curbed his appetite too much and also caused irritability and crying jags as it wore off. He's had better luck with Vyvanse. It's still not perfect, but much better for him than Focalin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS went off of it for that reason. There are other ADHD meds that don't do this. Its an unacceptable side effect.

Try stratterra -- doesn't work for everyone, but it targets anxiety in addition to ADHD.

OP here. Thank you. Concerta is our second drug try so far. Started with Focalin. HUGE fail--massive rebound. The anxiety on the concerta has been getting worse. No dosage change and we do a ritalin booster (but not every day).

It really sounds like that whole class of amphetamine drugs is not the right fit for your DS. There are plenty of others -- strattera, intuniv, and I think others.

[Anonymous]

OP - can you give us examples of how his anxiety has heightened? DS has ADHD/Inattentive, started on Concerta 2 months ago. The only thing I've noticed is that he can be more verbally impulsive....saying stupid or inappropriate things that are totally random. Not tourettes-like, just goofy stuff. ex: he'll walk out of his bedroom and say, "...I picked my nose..." and then walk away leaving us scratching our heads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP - can you give us examples of how his anxiety has heightened? DS has ADHD/Inattentive, started on Concerta 2 months ago. The only thing I've noticed is that he can be more verbally impulsive....saying stupid or inappropriate things that are totally random. Not tourettes-like, just goofy stuff. ex: he'll walk out of his bedroom and say, "...I picked my nose..." and then walk away leaving us scratching our heads.

OP here. Since being on Concerta my DS has developed an intense fear of insects--specifically spiders and bees. He literally looses it when a fly enters the house and can't function. He won't walk on grass unless he sees absolutely no flowers (fear of bees near the flowers). That is how we have seen his anxiety manifest itself since starting the Concerta. He was never really fearful of insects (didn't like them, but he never flipped out and froze when we saw one).

[Anonymous]

OP how much does DC weigh 18mgs is the smallest extended release dose, but remember that Concerta is just extended release Ritalin. Ritalin comes in a 10mg dosage. We had a HUGE FAIL with Focalin too, when DS 50lbs or so. Then we switched to Concerta 18mg and it was a sledgehammer that made him flat. After 3 weeks of that we switched to the 10mg Ritalin and had him take one in the AM and the 4 hrs later, another half or 5mg. It took him through to about 3:30PM but yeah some days the taper was more like a crash! but Ritalin exits the body very fast, so there was no jitteriness in the evenings. When he was 11 and hit 80lbs we switched him to Concerta and he metabolized it better. Now he is 12 and up to 90lbs, and we are considering bumping him up to the next does which I think is 28mgs. Seems like a big jump so we want to do it over the summer, when he's out of school to see how he handles it. Talk to your doc of course, but consider regular Ritalin and break the tablet in half in the afternoon. There isn't nearly as much rebound as Focalin, at least there wasn't for us. Good Liuck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP how much does DC weigh 18mgs is the smallest extended release dose, but remember that Concerta is just extended release Ritalin. Ritalin comes in a 10mg dosage. We had a HUGE FAIL with Focalin too, when DS 50lbs or so. Then we switched to Concerta 18mg and it was a sledgehammer that made him flat. After 3 weeks of that we switched to the 10mg Ritalin and had him take one in the AM and the 4 hrs later, another half or 5mg. It took him through to about 3:30PM but yeah some days the taper was more like a crash! but Ritalin exits the body very fast, so there was no jitteriness in the evenings. When he was 11 and hit 80lbs we switched him to Concerta and he metabolized it better. Now he is 12 and up to 90lbs, and we are considering bumping him up to the next does which I think is 28mgs. Seems like a big jump so we want to do it over the summer, when he's out of school to see how he handles it. Talk to your doc of course, but consider regular Ritalin and break the tablet in half in the afternoon. There isn't nearly as much rebound as Focalin, at least there wasn't for us. Good Liuck!

DH is a Dr., btw, and his bro is an MD shrink^^