Night Elf Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Anyone familiar with Concerta? Among my diagnoses, I do suffer from anxiety. I've noticed that my anxiety gets really bad at night. The only link I can find is Concerta. I take it in the morning, around 7:00am. By 6:00pm, when I take my evening meds, my anxiety is worsening. How long does Concerta work in the body? Does it even affect anxiety? Is it possible that it's holding my anxiety at bay during the day but wears off in the evening? I do think I remember my doctor telling me that Concerta will help the anxiety I have that is due to my general mode of being unfocused. I don't see a link in any of my other medicines because I take them twice a day. Concerta is the only one I take once. I don't know, I'm grasping at straws here. I'll be calling my doctor tomorrow but I'm not feeling confident that she will have a solution. BTW, I take Ativan for my anxiety on an as needed basis. In the past two weeks, I've been taking it every evening. This is getting ridiculous. I don't know why my anxiety has all of a sudden kicked up and especially in the evenings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma4Boys Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I also suffer from bad anxiety so first off :grouphug: It took me years to find the right meds to help - finally what worked for me was celexa at 60mg - 40 mg in morning & 20 mg before bed. I started with 20mg and worked my up - anything less than 60 mg and I had "break through" anxiety attackes in the eveing (which is sounds like you are having). Talk to your doc - maybe he/she just needs to up the dosage on what you take now. ITHT :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Is concerta a stimulant? One of my dc has anxiety and was treated for ADD before we understood the anxiety. Anxiety increased dramatically. We removed the stimulant, but it took a long time for some of the behaviors that developed due to increased anxiety to dissipate. A couple of years later a new doctor wanted to treat the ADD, but explained to us that the anxiety had to be handled first. He said that stimulants are known to increase anxiety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My son takes extended release Adderall (another related stimulant med for ADHD) and he also gets anxious when it is wearing off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 How long have you been on the Concerta? Stimulants can increase anxiety and that might be what you are seeing as it wears off and you get the rebound effect. Dexedrine is an old stimulant that works for my daughters without increasing anxiety. That might be an option. Another option might be a short acting stimulant taken about 4-5pm that would get you through until bedtime---unless they keep you up or cause more anxiety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 Good info so far. I'll have to look into these tomorrow. I'm not sure when I started the Concerta, but surely it's been over a year. I'm finding conflicting information. The generic I'm taking is Methylphenidate HCL ER, but a search for that name shows both Ritalin and Concerta as the brand names. But before the Concerta, I was on Methylin which was supposedly the generic form of Ritalin. This is all so confusing. I guess I need an in-person appointment to discuss this rather than a quick email to her. Ugh. It can take a while to get an appt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I had to research this too. methylphenidate is the generic name for both ritalin and concerta. There is a short-acting form of Ritalin and a long acting form of ritalin and then concerta is just long-acting. The difference between the three is in delivery. Short-acting ritalin - you get the entire dose at once and then it wears off within about 4 hours long-acting ritalin - it delivers half immediately and then the other half about 4 hours later concerta - it delivers about 20-25% immediately and then gradually released the rest in a fairly even manner over the rest of the time it's supposed to work for All of these use the same medication. The difference is how the pill/capsule is structured to deliver it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I don't have any info about Concerta, but just wanted to offer some sympathy. Anxiety is so miserable. I can tell you that I went on a small dose of Celexa for depression and it has also been excellent for my anxiety. Best wishes to you. Hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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