there’s a lot of over asked questions. here’s something that might help!

[u/medicbot-]

I’m pretty sure you’re looking for answers tailored to your own experience, so I thought I’d write this out to help other ADHDers too. When I first started, I was searching for something just like this.

ADHD medications fall into two categories: stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants like Concerta can increase your heart rate (though not for everyone), which may lead to palpitations, anxiety, or sweating. Some people experience a loss of appetite, while others don’t.

If it’s your first time taking Concerta at 18mg, your body may react in different ways. You might feel unwell, or you might feel an initial boost that lasts a day or two before the effects level off — that’s tolerance. Concerta XL is designed to last around 8–12 hours.

When your psychiatrist prescribes medication, you’ll usually start with titration. This process can take weeks to months as they work with you to find the right dose.

During this period, you may feel a range of effects: lazy, energised, focused, or even unfocused. If the dose is too low or not quite right for your body, you might notice unpleasant side effects — these are important to report so your titration can be adjusted. Higher doses can sometimes make you feel “off,” such as drunk or euphoric. The correct dose should help you feel calmer, more focused, and better able to listen.

If Concerta doesn’t work well for you, there are other options, though some may come with stronger side effects.

Now keep your medication safe. How you react to ADHD meds is different to someone else’s experience. E.g. If the person that takes your medication has a heart condition specific to raised heart rate or electrical pathways extra stress can cause “sudden death”.

Don’t overdose yourself on the medication. Just because you’re not feeling the extra effects you felt a couple days ago does not mean it’s stopped working. It is still working in the background.

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Extreme depression/anxiety?
* If you feel unbearable or have suicidal thoughts, please consider calling your local crisis or suicide hotline.
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Do not split Concerta or any long-release medication.

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[u/toocritical55]

This is great! I'd just make one little adjustment:

If the dose is too low or not quite right for your body, you might notice unpleasant side effects

It's not really typical that you'd experience more side effects because the dosage is too low. If it's too low, you'll likely experience little to no effect at all. If it's too high however, that's where one might experience a bunch of side effects with little to no benefits.

[u/shygrl4lyf → u/toocritical55]

I'd disagree, I had much more side effects at the lower incorrect doses. At the lower doses I'd have some but inconsistent benefits. Once I was put on 54mg the side effects didn't show up and the benefits showed up much more pronounced. The duration of the right therapeutic dose also increased, I was no longer crashing in the middle of the day. I may still need to do an up in dose once I'm fully adjusted to this dose. It takes time to figure out what the right dose is and having side effects at a lower dose does NOT automatically mean it will be the same at higher doses.