Medication Question - Concerta side effect question
I've been on concerta for a long time now. I was originally put on meds as a kid (ritalin at first) and was on and off all up through high school (was on everything from ritalin to concerta to aderall to strattera). tried my first two years at college without it and almost got kicked out.
I think I've been compliantly taking the concerta every day for at least a good year to year and a half by now this time around. I've been on the 36mg almost the whole time. I had a dr who tried to increase the dose, but doubled it when she did that, and that just acted like a sleeping pill essentially, and I went back to the 36mg and got a new doctor.
The 36mg hasn't been as effective for the past oh, about 4 months or so. I finally gave in to the pressure from my doctor, therapist, and instructors and agreed to trying a higher dose of 54mg. It only comes in 18, 27, 36, and 54mg pills.
I'm definitely more slowed down, more able to focus, a LOT more mellow and calm. Even on the 36mg I'd be a bit fidgety (though nothing like I am off it!), although if I stop taking it I barely function, get a LOT fidgety, end up leaving class all the time cuz I can't sit still, blurt things out without thinking about it, I'm a horrible driver if I'm not on it (iv'e got the combined inattentive/hyperactive type btw).
But the problem I'm having with this dose is I feel OVERLY calm almost. Like maybe even just a tad sleepy. Not like the sleepy that benedryl or sleeping pills makes you feel, just sleepy in a different way, really slowed down, not quite zombified but almost there. My instructors and friends have even commented on it even though I just increased the dose two days ago. They're gonna watch me and if it gets too bad one of my instructors is gonna go back to the doctor with me to figure something out. My instructors all said I needed my dose bumped up again (my behavior in class was starting to get slightly out of control), I was off it one day this week (because I ran out cuz I forgot to schedule my appointment) and I caused quite a ruckus in all of my classes, but my instructors knew I was off it for a day so they didn't have any harsh feelings towards me, but today when I showed up to my psychology class on the new dose she talked to me and said she's happy to see the change, but it was really weird to see me so calm. That's the comment a lot of my friends have made, so I'm not sure if it's a bad thing, or maybe it's just 'weird' to them cuz they're used to me bouncing off the walls.
I'm just wondering, is the feeling this slowed down and a bit sleepy something that might wear off after a week or so? I know from all my past experience that the first week of starting a new dose or changing to a different drug I get HORRIBLE headaches as its wearing off then I'm fine after the first week, no headaches or anything. Could this just be something like that, where my body has to just adjust a bit? Or is the new dose too high? I'm worried that it could be the new dose is too high, but the other dose was too low, and it's a time release capsul so I can't cut it in half.
Also, just a side note: I know the stimulants are supposed to slow you down (hence why they work for adhd) but is it possible to actually feel a bit sleepy from them? Because I have a chemistry prof who I know who said they should be causing me to have trouble sleeping, not actually helping me to nap during the middle of the afternoon!
If you get rid of the pain before you have answered its questions, you get rid of the self along with it.
--Carl Jung
I'm on Concerta, 27mg, and I feel sleepy, way sleepy on them, especially afternoon/evening times, but I have a very low tolerance to medications, I also suffer from serious side effects such as chest pains, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc, but it is possible to be sleepy on these medications, they can cause fatigue and tiredness. (From what I've heard, and also seen, as well as experienced)
''This drug may make you dizzy, lightheaded, (rarely) drowsy or cause blurred vision; use caution engaging in activities requiring alertness or clear vision such as driving or using machinery. Limit alcoholic beverages.''
thanks. I'm glad to know it's not just me "imagining I'm sleepy" or one of the other dumb things other people are blaming it on. My chem prof was giving me a real hard time about it this afternoon cuz he didn't think they could cause you to feel sleepy (he says he has 2 adhd kids that have been on it, and it's never made them sleepy). There is one good point that prof had though- if I've been on the 36mg for a long time and never felt sleepy with that, could it still be the concerta if I only feel sleepy on the new dose, but not on the old dose?
If you get rid of the pain before you have answered its questions, you get rid of the self along with it.
--Carl Jung
If your dose has been increased, it could be because you have TOO much of it in your system, making you drowsy and such.
So, it is possible it is the concerta.
Go back to your doctors and discuss it with them.
See if you can get any other medication dosage options, ie; taking say, for example, 27mg in the morning, then 18mg in the afternoons?
Or maybe it's time for a switch in medications?
See the doctor who prescribed them if you are worried. Hopefully the sleepiness will wear off in a week or two as your body builds up a tolerance towards the drug
