Concerns about Concerta...

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I notice that it helps a lot with my autism aside from the ADHD. I have less meltdowns, less sensory overloads, can handle sounds better by covering my ears... that sort of thing. But the only drawback is that... it makes me more frustrated and irritable. It's like my emotions are always shooting off like a rocket. I get more irritated with my mom as well.

When I am off it or forget to take it, I notice I am more prone to the meltdowns, sensory overload and general autistic symptoms... since at one time my parents had to fight with my insurance to fill it and they wouldn't so we had to go through that hassle.

I mean off it, I feel like my autism is a hell of a lot worse... but on it, I get frustrated, more emotionally-outraged and irritable. I am always yelling at my mom to leave me alone, being irritated and raising my voice a lot and when she tells me to stop... it just seems to make that even worse.

Should I consider trying to lower the dosage each time until I am off the concerta? Or should I stay on it and keep letting it help with my autism? I mean I don't want my autism to cause a threat. It's helped so much with that yet... I feel like the random bipolar like tendencies are becoming worse while on it. I know I'm not bipolar because I don't fit the diagnostic criteria for it.

I mean I really don't want to rely on the meds all my life. I want people to see how I function truly without the 'help' of meds and maybe seeing that they will be willing to help me even more. I feel like the concerta makes me emotions more overwhelming and frustrating.

I've been taking it since I was about fourteen. I've been on meds all my live since they found I had ADHD in second grade. I need help with getting out into the real world, doing things with professionals that help me with daily skills... stuff like that. But they always think that I don't have that many problems.

So again, do you think its better if I just keep lowering the dose until there is no more? Is it something I should talk to my psychiatrist again? I mean I worry about the routine and how I would be with it too... but its not helping my emotions and only makes them worse... even when I take Klonopin with it, the emotions still come back a later and haunt me.

The thing is that my parents don't see it like I do. I mean it's not in my head. My parents think me being on Concerta is the best thing that's ever happened to me. My mom also has this strict rule of, "you can't just stop her form taking it one day unless you lower the dosage gradually until there is no more". I want to see how I do without it and I've tried explaining this to both her and also my dad... but I want to see if I'm any better being off it for one or two days without being taken off of it the other way. I mean I don't want to do it without my parents knowing either...

Wow, I've been in the same situation with Concerta. What dose are you taking, and how long does it reduce symptoms of autism/ADHD? I was taking 72mg daily (the highest dose), and while it helped massively with my sensory issues and keeping meltdowns at bay, the problem is that Concerta doesn't last all day. So yeah, I'd be able to go out in public without meltdowns for eight hours (which is how long Concerta worked for me), but by mid-afternoon my ADHD symptoms would return, as well as the sensory overload. I don't like how when I took Concerta, one minute I'm able to hold it together in busy places, the next I'd be silently moaning to myself wishing the painful noise would get quieter. Emotionally, when I was taking Concerta I just wanted everyone to shut the f*** up and leave me alone. Not good at all. If you're thinking about stopping it, you don't need to slowly taper the dose - you can just stop taking Concerta cold turkey. As for me, I switched from Concerta to Daytrana. I need more than eight hours of coverage, that's for sure.

it made me feel smarter and more with it, but at the cost of being cross much of the time.