Concerta & long term use - ADD / ADHD Message Board

Tailwags · 11-12-2004, 09:19 AM

Hello,
I am new to this board and hope to get some feedback with regard to my recent concerns. I am 26 years old and was diagnosed with ADD when I was 22. I take 72 mg of Concerta (1 54 mg pill and 1 18 mg pill.) I have been very pleased with the effects overall and haven't noticed any negative side effects while taking the drug. I am working on my undergrad degree and have been able to maintain a desirable gpa, and am truly happy and enthusiastic in my life day-to-day. I am a very healthy person--I love working out, especially running, and nutrition is very important to me. I think I worry about what damage I may be doing to my body with long term usage of this drug. But what concerns me most is the effects I feel if I miss a dose. I get SO tired and lethargic!! I missed a dose yesterday and was able to get to my classes, but was a total couch potato once I got home and was dead asleep by 8:30 pm and was unable to get up and go workout with my fiance at 6am as we had planned earlier in the week. I guess I can't help but feel concerned about taking a daily medication that will alter my daily life to that degree if I do not take it. My family has a history of drug and alcohol addictions, and avoiding those has been important to me. I think I tend to be more overly concerned about avoiding any kind of dependence than most. I guess I just can't decide if the good outweighs the bad and I just need to be aware that it is a daily part of my life???
Thanks for you thoughts!
Tailwags

Jennita · 11-12-2004, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tailwags

Hello,
I am new to this board and hope to get some feedback with regard to my recent concerns. I am 26 years old and was diagnosed with ADD when I was 22. I take 72 mg of Concerta (1 54 mg pill and 1 18 mg pill.) I have been very pleased with the effects overall and haven't noticed any negative side effects while taking the drug. I am working on my undergrad degree and have been able to maintain a desirable gpa, and am truly happy and enthusiastic in my life day-to-day. I am a very healthy person--I love working out, especially running, and nutrition is very important to me. I think I worry about what damage I may be doing to my body with long term usage of this drug. But what concerns me most is the effects I feel if I miss a dose. I get SO tired and lethargic!! I missed a dose yesterday and was able to get to my classes, but was a total couch potato once I got home and was dead asleep by 8:30 pm and was unable to get up and go workout with my fiance at 6am as we had planned earlier in the week. I guess I can't help but feel concerned about taking a daily medication that will alter my daily life to that degree if I do not take it. My family has a history of drug and alcohol addictions, and avoiding those has been important to me. I think I tend to be more overly concerned about avoiding any kind of dependence than most. I guess I just can't decide if the good outweighs the bad and I just need to be aware that it is a daily part of my life???
Thanks for you thoughts!
Tailwags

Your brain is used to the artifical stimualtion; it can't produce it's own as long as you are dependant on a drug. That explains why you are so tired without it. It can learn to do it on it's own again but could take some time to do so. THis is why new studies have found that long-term use of these drugs can cause later development of depression.

I guess you will have to decide if it's worth it. Maybe it is for now, but after you have achieved your goals perhaps you might consider tapering off and discontinuing the drug if possible. Another problem is tolerance in long-term use, so consider that as well because with tolerance comes higher dosage, and with higher dosage comes possibility of more side/adverse effects and ill health.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

keke1971 · 11-14-2004, 12:02 AM

Sometimes I do not make my son take it on the weekends so his body can et a break from the meds maybe you can try the samething. He is younger and takes a lesser dosage so maybe that is why it is a little easier for him to bounce back.