Right now I am on Concerta. However I think that I would like to try Adderall. The Doc said that if this Concerta didn't work we would try Adderall. The Concerta has worked, but not like it should in the all day sense of the work. I am only on 36mg and it only seems to last about 5 or 6 hours. Not long enought for school and all. Dose anyone out there have any suggestions?
2007-02-01 17:01:56 · 5 answers · asked by justin a 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
My doctor said that while Concerta is advertised as working for 12 hours, it really works more like 6 or 7, so what you're getting is actually fairly typical. She's having me take it twice a day, so I get more like 14 hours. I haven't been taking it very long, but so far it seems to be working pretty well.
Normal Adderall is about like short acting Ritalin (the half-life is slightly longer, but not much), so you'd have to take it a couple times through the day (probably morning, lunch, and after school). Adderall XR is the Addrall equivalent of Concerta. Like Concerta, they claim you'll get 12 hours but you'll actually only get about 6.
Ritalin and Concerta contain methylphenidate as the active ingredient. Adderall and Adderall XR contain amphetamine. You're not having problems with the methylphenidate, you're having problems with the time-release forumla, so switching to Adderall is unlikey to fix that. Instead, talk to your doctor about either taking Concerta twice a day, or adding a dose of immediate release Ritalin in the afternoon when the Concerta starts to wear off. I think the twice a day thing is pretty unusual, but the Ritalin booster is actually a pretty standard thing. If methylphenidate is working for you up until when it wears off, I'd recommend sticking with the same active ingredient and messing with the doses, rather than switching to a different stimulant.
2007-02-01 17:34:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey, I have ADHD too & will tell you my recent personal experience. I take adderall too. Almost the highest dose as well. I definitely think that the haullcinations are from lack of sleep. Especially because Adderall doesn't have those effects to make you do that. Due to Adderall's stimulant effect- I sometimes go close to a week at a time with no sleep at all. Around day 4 is when I started to hear things just like what you talked about! My doctor prescribed me the sleeping pills, Ambien. They knocked me out within half an hour after taking them. I would not suggest those to you though, because just like with the Adderall.... after your body builds up a tolerance to them they don't work anymore. This is especially bad with the Ambien, because those pills are hypnotic & will actually make you suffer from severe haullications if you can no longer fall asleep on them anymore. Which is what happened to me so I don't ever take them anymore. You can take Benadryl before you go to bed... I've found this to be helpful, but it's not going to cause instant sleep. But will make you really drowsy- making it easier to fall asleep. No you aren't dying! I'm pretty sure it's happening due to not enough sleep at night over a long period of time. Check out the link I am posted on this response. It offers 42 ways to fight insomnia. Most of them aren't medications! Good luck.
2016-05-24 04:23:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Different meds work differently for different people I havent ever been on Concerta I take Adderall XR but I have to take it 2 times a day to get through the day
2007-02-01 18:03:28 · answer #3 · answered by ourlittleposseof12 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My daughter is ADHD and we went through all the different meds at various levels for over a year before we found the right medicine and dosage level that worked for her. Everyone is different and what works for some will not work for others. Contact your doctor and discuss it with them. He'll either try increasing your current dosage of Concerta or try you on a different variety. My daughter was actually on two different ones at the same time. It was that particular combination of meds that worked best for her. I think it might have been Ridlan and Concerta. You just have to keep plugging away at finding what works best for you. I know it's frustrating, but you'll find the right solution eventually - it just takes time. Good Luck!
2007-02-01 17:35:52 · answer #4 · answered by TexasLadyUSA 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what concerta is, but i took adderall and it is very controlling.
I didn't like it at all.
I was never hungry and lost alot of weight.
But Adderall was one of the medicines they had on the news that they think will have bad side affects later on in life.
2007-02-01 17:11:33 · answer #5 · answered by jorie715 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Call you doctor and discuss all of this with him and he can decide what your next step of treatment should be.
2007-02-01 17:07:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
go it with herbs and minerals~adderall will kill sexual function deader that a door nail
2007-02-01 17:16:53 · answer #7 · answered by bev 5 · 0⤊ 5⤋