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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sgtbob on August 10, 2001, at 17:55:20
Last week, my nurse practioner started me on concerta 18 mg to start then I moved up to 54 mg yesterday. I have severe depression and fatigue. I actually feel more fatigued on the conerta. Is this normal? OR can they try me on another psychostimulant. I tried for years to even be tried on stimulants and I feel bad that they aren't working.
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
Posted by Mr. Scott on August 12, 2001, at 22:57:03
In reply to does concerta work?, posted by sgtbob on August 10, 2001, at 17:55:20
Try Adderall
This is the end of the thread.
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