Two Questions about ADD

[mr_messy]

I was diagnosed recently with adult ADD, and the doctor decided to try me on Concerta. I started off with 18mg a day for a week, 2 x for the week after that, and now its 3 x 18 (or 54mg) a day. I have been about a week using 54mg dose. Other than some insomnia that is fading (slowly), there have been no other side effects. While it makes a difference, the effects are inconsistent day to day. One day I can can tell the drug is working fine, thinking is clearer etc, and the next day, its like I am partly ADD again.

The second question may even be related. Since I am new to Concerta, how do I know when a dose is high enough, too high, or too low and needs raising? I know it is an individual thing, but surely there are "experiential" markers that can be used.

Thanks

 

[suewatters1]

Mr Messy I have ADHD and your DR should do a rating scale to see how much the medication is helping you. I have a High tolerance for medication and for me I take 72 mg of Concerta a day and 10 mg of Ritalin to Kick start the Concerta. Also that doesn't last me 12 hours like the literature says it should. I knew as I was going up in dose the more it helped me then I was on the right track. I knew I needed more then 54 mg of Concerta but the DR I saw at the time wouldn't give me more. It was my family DR who let me have 72 mg then about 10 months later he let me have the 10 mg of Ritalin. At night boy do I know that the medication is out of my system.
But the DR should do a rating with a Connors form or or any other questionnaire to see how it is helping you.

I first went on a forum that saved my life as I learned so much from it. It's called adders.org. It's a website from England that there is a forum where you can even ask a DR a question.

By the way welcome to the forum

Sue