My Doctor Surprised Me With A New Fatigue Drug!

[Jen's Solitude]

I am so excited that I get to have another go at combating this crippling fatigue I deal with. My gp asked me if I would like to give Concerta a try. He explained he treats his patients with it instead of ritalin. It is a time release capsule so it doesn't have that crash and burn effect that ritalin has. Of course I said yes instantly! I had my first pill this morning and I am already feeling that my energy isn't dropping like a stone.

I felt the same way with ritalin so the real test will be later on today followed by what happens after I have been on it for a month or so. I am hoping since it is time released it will just gradually wear off. He started me on a lower dosage and he said we will adjust according to how I feel once I have been taking it for awhile.

He is such a good doctor. He even told me about a MS conference he recently attended at Washington, DC. He said he was impressed by all the new medications that are now available and how he hopes when I see my neurologist I will be able to find something I want to take. I told him my appointment with my new neuro is in November and I will be sure to ask him for suggestions.

It was great for us to leave his office excited about the possibility of my becoming a little more active in the near future. We have such high hopes!

Unfortunately my bp is still misbehaving so I had to add yet another medication (4 now) to the mix. But maybe if I can become more active my bp will go down and I won't have to stay on it long term.

[Tweeker]

Hi - I'm happy for you.

Tweeker

[agate]

Hi Dar,
A GP going to an MS conference--that is really impressive and shows that he must be paying attention to the needs of his MS patients. Good luck with the Concerta--I hope it turns out to be helpful over the long term.

What you're taking seems to be ritalin in a time release capsule--?

Have you met the new neuro yet?

More energy sounds good, and more activity sounds good too!

[Jen's Solitude]

Yes that is what I think to. I am taking the generic form and the only difference I could find is that it is time released. He called it Concerta but seems like they are all the same. That is why I have to wait and hope it will not affect me the same as ritalin or I will have to discontinue it after a few months. Just have to wait and hope and see.

I have not met the new neuro yet, I investigated him as best I could on line. My gp put his staffer on it and she turned up the same name I decided upon. She called and made an appointment for me but I had to change it and will end up seeing him in November. Her appointment would have had me seeing him this month (August) but at the time I changed it I had no idea I would be trying Concerta/ritalin again and normally could never make two appointments in one week. I know he will want me to get MRI's and now I can see myself having the energy to do so.

[SalpalSally]

Ritalin made me crazy or crazier..LOL!

Prozac helps with my fatigue.

[agate]

I looked up Concerta on Drugs.com, and it seems to be Ritalin. But as you say, the change in the way it's delivered to your system might make all the difference.

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You mentioned feeling your energy dropping like a stone. That describes what happens to me too. Do you tend to have sudden spells where you can't stay awake?

[Jen's Solitude]

No, I crave sleep but it doesn't come so I am just exhausted waiting for night fall and bedtime so that I can take my pills and get some sleep.

[Sunshine]

Concerta can cause some people to have trouble falling asleep. It's like taking a lot of caffeine. Take it early in the morning. It lasts 12 hours.

Both Ritalin and Concerta are brand names for methylphenidate. If you can't tolerate Ritalin, forget about Concerta. It is just a twelve hour form of Ritalin. It treats ADHD. Some people get anxiety on methylphenidate too. It's like speed.

If you google problems with Concerta generic you will see that some of the generics are faulty. The pharma of Concerta invented a special delivery system so the drug would be released slowly over twelve hours. Only one generic drug company has successfully replicated it.

Concerta helped me a lot back in 2003 or so. But my body developed a tolerance for it and I had to keep increasing dose to get help. I also hated the way I felt if I skipped a dose. You are essentially jonesing when you skip a dose. And many folks feel like they are jonesing when the dose wears off. It also can raise blood pressure.

[Howie]

Being a time released formula may make all the difference in the world, instead of getting it all in your system at once. I hope this works out to be JUST what you need. Good luck with it!

[Jen's Solitude]

Me too Howie! Yesterday it was in my system for 8.5 hours and I worried I wouldn't be able to sleep but I did after an additional hour of wind down time. I am on a low dose and today I don't feel the initial jolt of energy I felt yesterday. I am tired, but not too tired to do things around the house, so I guess it is working.

Even if I have to eventually stop taking it, I will enjoy being able to do some things I haven't been able to do for over a year.

BBS my doctor wrote the script for Concerta but my insurance substitutes generics automatically. I was sure surprised at the cost though. I guess because it is time released they get to charge more than the Ritalin.

[Virginia]

I hope this low dose continues to do enough good that you can stay on it and continue to get sleep and not feel jittery. Sounds like something for you to give a good try. Good Luck!