Posted by kazoo on August 10, 2001, at 21:21:20
In reply to concerta, posted by sgtbob on August 10, 2001, at 18:17:06
> Over a week ago, I began taking concerta 18mg once a day to help combat extreme fatigue that is associated with my depression. This depression appears to be treatment resistent. Yesterday, my dosage was upped to 54mg once a day. This is the maximum dose. I actually believe that I am more fatigued now than when I started it. Is this normal?
^^^^^^^^^
One of a few things could be the reason for this:
First (and the most obvious): the drug just doesn't "do it" for you ... try an alternative; i.e., an amphetamine preparation such as ADDERALL or (if you're lucky) DEXEDRINE.
(Or, relating to the above, "sustained-release" medication doesn't cut it with your metabolism. CONCERTA has a funny kind of delivery system, so you may do well with the standard RITALIN dose, not "SR")
Second: you could be experiencing a "paradoxical effect" associated with stimulants, although I suspect this isn't the case with you since you've seemingly just started. What happens here is what the name implies: the drug works in reverse to what it is expected to do ... meaning, instead of stimulation you experience sedation. Long term stimulant users will get into this jag and what they usually do is "up" the dose on their own, which only exacerbates the hypnotic effect; hence, the vicious cycle begins. On occasion, some people with no prior usage will experience this particular effect.
Third: the CONCERTA is contraindicated with other medication you are on, and not necessarily psychiatric drugs either.
Tell you doctor about this ASAP.
kazoo
poster:kazoo
thread:74530
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010809/msgs/74554.html