Drugstore???

[Lyn]

I am starting to feel like my home is a chemist shop. I took my 13 yo to his paediatrician today, and he has suggested he quits Epilem and start on Concerta.

That means he will be taking a weaning dose of Epilim. Risperdal, Concerta, top up doses of Ritalin 10, and Catapres. I think if I shake him he will rattle. I hate this so much, but there is no way I can live with him unmedicated. Eventually, we hope to cut him back to just Concerta and catapres.

Has anyone had any experience with Concerta that they would like to share?

Thanks

Lyn

[momster]

Hi Lyn, My son has been on Concerta for most of the last 6 years. It is a love-hate relationship.

Concerta is basically just a long acting ritalin. In fact, we prefer it over the long acting ritalin, due to side effect issues. The side effect that is most problematic for us is the "flat effect". At the lowest doses, we don't have a problem with it. But once my son got up to 54 mg, we start seeing him being very flat. It was really pronounced at 72 mg. When faced with upping the doseage again, we took ALex off of it b/c I was afraid it would depress him. But he was so so so impulsive that we put him back on a lower dose for safety's sake. Other problemsare that kids tend to get insomnia (give him his meds as soon as he wakes up in the morning) and it diminishes appetite (which I could take it!!:D ).

We didn't like the ritalin XR b/c it made him even flatter. The concerta really helped him control himself. Hopefully it won't have the same effect on your child.

Good luck!!

- momster

[blackbelt1997]

I have minimal side effects from Concerta. I take 18mg, which is a very low dose. I do not have issues with insomnia. I've noticed a little weight loss, which I'm monitoring. Concerta really helps me with the impulsivity and helps me to remember to take deep breaths, etc. when I am angry or upset. I am an adult though, so things may be different for a kid. The benefits of Concerta definetely outweigh the minimal side effects for me.

[Lyn]

Fingers crossed that it will be really good for him. He has put on 20 kg in the last year, but is not really overweight (he was incredibly underweight from taking Ritalin for years). Doc is starting him on 36 mg +- 1/2 to 1 Ritalin 10 in the afternoon.

Seems like a fair bit. Last nite no sleep at all and we are all paying the price this morning. He is not starting the Concerta until mid-next-week, just Ritalin.

Wish us luck.

Lyn

[momster]

Hi Lyn - you said that the concerta seems like a "fair bit" If you are worried about the high doseage, the way to compare it to ritalin doseages is to divide the dose by one third, so that 36 mg Concerta = 12 mg ritalin. Concerta comes in 18 mg incements, so it is the second lowest doseage possible.

- momster

[Lyn]

Hi Momster

Thanks for the info - I had no idea they were so different in terms of strength.

Lyn

[Kate]

Hi Lyn - you said that the concerta seems like a "fair bit" If you are worried about the high doseage, the way to compare it to ritalin doseages is to divide the dose by one third, so that 36 mg Concerta = 12 mg ritalin. Concerta comes in 18 mg incements, so it is the second lowest doseage possible.

- momster


Thanks for this! I hadn't realised they weren't compared like for like. Laura is on 10mg of Ritalin and I felt switching to the lowest dose of Concerta (18mg) would mean a huge increase in her dose, but what you say suggests the opposite ie 18mg of Concerta=6mg of Ritalin. Am I understanding correctly?

We need to think about Concerta as Laura has lost over 4kg in 2 months on Ritalin and is starting to look thin. She's under 22kg now so this is a high proportion of body weight to lose.