Help! hat is "enough" Concerta - ADD / ADHD Message Board

Fuzzybrain · 10-18-2004, 05:33 PM

HELP!!
I am 40, and my oldest son is 10. We were both just diagnosed with ADHD non-attentive type. We have no hyperactivity to calm down, so we can't use that as a measuring stick. I feel like the blind leading the blind!

We started Concerta 2 weeks ago. My body is more active and I do seem to be able to focus a little better, but how do I know when to stop raising the dosages? My son is talking non-stop , but we've seem no improvement in his school work, and I think it's helping me a little, but I still am EASILY distracted and forget what I'm doing, and I have seen no improvement in Ethan at all.
OH, he is at 27mg and I am taking 45mg of Concerta.

Q: Are with not taking enough?
Q: What is it supposed to feel like when it's "the right dose"?
Q: What does TOO much feel like?
Q: How do we know if we should try something else (adderal is our second choice, Strattera did not seem like the right medication for us)?

Please, if a few of you could share your experiences with us or try to answer those questions for me I might be able to get a better idea of what we are shooting for!! I've spent 40 years thinking like this, how inthe world am I supposed to figure out what "normal" thinking is???

norat · 10-18-2004, 09:13 PM

How do you know when it's working? You just know. If you don't know yet I suspect concerta is the wrong drug. 45mg should be enough for a new user.

I think adderall XR is a better choice for you. Not sure about the son, Ritalin (concerta) is all or nothing, there is no build up of medication it either works within 30 minutes or it doesn't. Of course you have to readjust to life on a medication like concerta.

feelbad · 10-19-2004, 04:46 AM

I agree with norat, you may need to try a new med.unfortunetly ,with many conditions(such as add and depression as well)finding the 'right" med and the right dosage can be quite frutrating.it is a game of trial and error until you finally "hit".I hope you find something that helps you soon.marcia

twins2sets · 10-24-2004, 06:12 AM

Hi there.

I honestly didn't find relief until I bumped it up to 54 mg. Now I can think clearly and I am less stressed. Focusing comes easy. It's not a miracle drug, of course I still have problems and am sometimes overwhelmed, but I feel more "normal" on it.

One day I accidently took two pills. When you are on too much, it feels like I guess speed would. I was bouncing off the walls, nervous, sweating, just very "hyped up" and couldn't get to bed until 3 am. I think you'll know if it's too much.

I am a 116 lb. woman, and 54 mg isn't too much for me. Of course, everyone is different.