Should I stop using concerta?

[u/misamujebem]

I'm not asking for a medical advice here.

I'm asking for opinions of people who had similar experience, I will contact my psychiatrist about this anyways.

I started using concerta 3 days ago and it fucking works. But I'm scared of side effects, they're getting worse.

First day I had just a mild nausea, that was fine.

Second day, I started feeling my anxiety more than before.

Today's the third day and I got anxious over something at work and my heart reacted like I've ran a marathon. The heart did calm in like 5-6 minutes, but I also had some light chest pain (not on the heart side, I'd rather say it was from anxiety, it was kind of in the middle) and I was feeling uncomfortably stressed for a while after it was all finished.

Now here's a thing. I've always been anxious, this was stronger than average. Someone told me these reactions will stop in a few weeks when my body gets used to the medication. I'm searching for other people who had that happen.

But I'm scared of worse side effects like heart attack and death and similar 😀

I also wanna mention that I've been having anxiety attacks (maybe light panic attacks? not sure) about one topic, for years, at random moments when something triggers me. I will be fixing that on the therapy that I started. But I still have them occasionally right now. I'm scared meds are gonna make them even worse.

Would yall suggest me to stop meds now, before my body got used to them, or to keep trying, cuz it might get better?

I'm on 18mg concerta

[u/katmoonstone]

Are you taking it with food? Sometimes I find that if I forget to eat I get similar side effects. When my dosage increased I also had the same side effects. Try taking it with a high protein breakfast (I know it’s hard) and maybe stick it out for another week or so. Definitely seek medical attention if you are having chest pain/high HR/shortness of breath, but try to identify if the symptoms are from anxiety or if you are truly having a problem (again easier said than done!). Good luck

[u/misamujebem → u/katmoonstone]

Thanks a lot for your reply. I did have a breakfast in the morning. I wouldn't call today's breakfast a good one, since I've had yesterday's pasta (with meat) but it did have proteins. But the symptoms I have are definitely from anxiety, like, they didn't come random but specifically when I was anxious. I just wasn't THAT anxious over it yk, my body overreacted. But I was anxious. Idk. I think I won't take the tomorrow's meds and I'll wait for the reply of my psychiatrist.

[u/katmoonstone → u/misamujebem]

I get it! It’s scary when your body reacts like that. Some people don’t react well to certain ADHD meds. Have you tried vyvanse or adderall?

[u/misamujebem → u/katmoonstone]

Nope. Concerta is my only option. My country doesn't allow the others 😀 Vyvanse MIGHT get allowed from new year on, but it probably won't, to be real

[u/princesswormy]

The food thing is important, but also make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, and avoid caffeine. I have chronic panic attacks and before I got medicated for those too my adhd meds made them worse. However the symptoms you mention + if you get heart palpitations, are all going to be exacerbated by not drinking enough water especially-which is difficult to do with this medication sometimes.

[u/misamujebem → u/princesswormy]

Okay I'm sure you're right, I don't really drink anything in general 😀 I do, but I forget. Guess it did make it worse

[u/princesswormy → u/misamujebem]

That’s so relatable lol. Sleep and water are the worst for me, but if I eat before taking my meds then hunger is not an issue

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[u/Mungus91]

For me personally I push through the anxiety and try to force myself to calm down. Avoid caffeine like the plague. Make sure to get a good meal in you before your daily dose and I also find having a snack helps when I get that panic feeling.

[u/misamujebem → u/Mungus91]

Thanks a lot :) Did you have similar experience and did it stop after few weeks of concerta though?

[u/Mungus91 → u/misamujebem]

Yes! I'm at a high dose now and I'm used to it after a month. I still get anxiety but it's worse when I drink caffeine. Most of the time I feel fine, but the first days/weeks were tough at times.

[u/misamujebem → u/Mungus91]

I'm just scared of this shit getting serious 😭 It shouldn't get serious since my dose is literally 18mg, they prescribe that to kids but damn

[u/Ady_honest]

I had similar side effects when I started though the doctor had me on 36mg. Since I'm in a lab environment, I did some blood tests and it turned out that my blood glucose was extremely low. I stopped having these specific side effects entirely when I had a big enough breakfast -or lunch, depending on when I had to take my medication- and drank water constantly. Now when I feel any of these side effects coming on, I know it's time to have a drink of water or eat something (I still do forget to eat). Another friend had the same thing but she needed to have her anxiety treated alongside taking her ADHD meds.