I increased my dose of Concerta and felt very bad. What should I do now?

28-year-old woman5 years ago
I have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) for over a year now and we had found the perfect dosage with Concerta 18 mg combined with 10 mg of Ritalin in the afternoon as needed. This summer, I noticed a decrease in my concentration level and discussed it with my doctor who authorized an increase in my Concerta dosage to 27 mg in order to eliminate the Ritalin 10 mg. However, the first day I took the 27 mg Concerta tablet, I experienced many side effects that I had never experienced before such as heart palpitations, a constant feeling of anxiety and a loss of appetite. However, the focus was there. I had taken the tablet very early in the morning (around 6am) and I felt these effects quite intensely from around 10am until 3pm-4pm. Since then, I did not dare to take another dose because I did not like the effect it had on me. I was wondering if it's normal to have so many side effects and if that would mean that the "dose" is too strong for my system? Thank you very much!
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Alexandre Chagnon · 5 years ago
Hello,
In fact, this may tell us that the dose you took (27 mg) is a little too strong for you.
Unfortunately, there is no in-between dose between the 18 and 27 mg at Concerta™. Considering this, do you still have 18mg in your possession?
I ask, since it is not impossible that your attention span is now better than it was this summer and the 18mg may be adequate.
In any case, I would recommend that you talk to your pharmacist so that he or she can give you an adequate dose of Concerta™, as the 27mg seems a bit too high for you.
28-year-old woman · 5 years ago
Thank you for your response. For your question, yes, I still have the 18 mg in my possession and I resumed taking it after testing the 27 mg. So if I understand correctly, it's possible that our attention span varies depending on certain circumstances?
Alexandre Chagnon · 5 years ago
Certainly. Attention is a factor in lots of variables, starting with fatigue and the quality of your sleep. The latter may have been affected over the summer. I would suggest that you inform your doctor that you are back on the 18 mg and continue that dose until you see that the dose is possibly too low.
Alexandre Chagnon · 5 years ago
Happy ending,
Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist

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