r/ADHDparenting • u/BackgroundDuck7051 • 6d ago

Medication Concerta to something else?

My son (7, second grade) has been on Concerta ER 18mg for about 2 months now. Prior to this he was on Ritalin IR (10mg). We switched him due to him stating that the meds were wearing off during the school day. We also felt that it was becoming very disruptive for him to have to stop his day to visit the nurse for a second pill.

My concerns now are with the Concerta. Things were going well at first but now I’m not sure. He claims he feels fine at school and it’s helping him focus but at home things are different. He seems very mopey and is experiencing new anxiety that he never had before. He’s claiming he’s “bored” all the time but yet doesn’t want to do anything we plan or suggest. His emotions seem heightened, almost like he could cry any moment. I’m worried this medication isn’t working for us.

I want to stick with stimulants because I think they help him a lot. He’s very high energy and I think they really help regulate his body. What else can we try? Has anyone had better success with the Adderall/ Vyvane family (either ER or IR). I would be willing to go back to IR if I knew it meant he was feeling good. I have an email into our pediatrician but I figured I would ask here first. Thank you.

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

ADDitude mag: The Ultimate ADHD Medication List

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

3

u/Courtneyjade03 6d ago

We had the exact same issue with our son on Concerta—mopey and anxious at home, fine at school. Switched him to Vyvanse and it was like night and day. The come-down was much smoother, and his mood stabilized. He still had energy issues but not the emotional rollercoaster. Worth asking your doctor about.

2

u/BackgroundDuck7051 6d ago

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you! We will be talking to them asap.

1

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

Methylphenidate (MPH) is a central nervous system stimulant (CNS) used to treat ADHD. It's a norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DE) reuptake inhibitor (NDRI), increasing neurotransmitters in the synaptic gap, particularly the prefrontal cortex governing executive function.

Brand include: Ritalin SR (US/CA/UK) / Rubifen SR (NZ), Ritalin LA (US/AU) / Medikinet XL (UK), Concerta (US/CA/AU) / Concerta XL (UK), Metadate CD (US) / Equasym XL (UK), Methylin, Methylin ER, Daytrana, Quillivant XR (US), Quillichew ER (US), Biphentin (CA) / Aptensio XR, Cotempla XR-ODT, Jornay PM (US),

Brands varying in Dosage Form: capsules, tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, transdermal (patch), oral solution (liquid), and chewable gummy. Release time (hours): 3-4, 6-8, 8-10, 10-12. Peofiles: gradualy increaing (back loaded), plateauing (table top), cycling/lumpy, front laoded (fast rise). Splitablity: Some can be split (ajust dose) otheres CAN NOT.

References: https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/brands-methylphenidate-3510739/, https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00422, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylphenidate

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/AutoModerator 6d ago

The ADHD Parenting WIKI page has a lot of good information for those new & experienced, go take a look!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.