u/Mungus91

I took a weekend off my Concerta for the first time in months because I genuinely didn’t think it was helping me much anymore. I figured I needed a little mental reset.

God, do I miss them.

I’m tired, hungry, have zero motivation, and everything just feels so blah. I feel completely useless and it’s making me realize how much the medication was actually helping.

The weird part is, I wasn’t like this before medication. I could function “sober,” so to speak. I didn’t realize how much easier certain things had become until I went without it.

Sometimes you really don’t notice the difference until you take it away.

The Saylor Hayes case is making me think a lot about T1.

Obviously the circumstances are not identical, but the common denominator is parental negligence and a child dying in a completely preventable situation.

With T1, the police investigation found that he had been unsupervised for several minutes and was in an unsecured backyard pool for roughly seven minutes. Police recommended that B be charged with felony child abuse based on criminal negligence, although prosecutors ultimately decided not to bring charges.

Now look at Saylor. She was a 5 year old nonverbal autistic child with a known history of wandering and an attraction to water. She had a tracking device specifically because of those safety concerns, and authorities say that device had been removed. She was allegedly left unsupervised near water, wandered away, and was later found dead.

And unlike the T1 case, Saylor’s parents have now actually been arrested and charged with unlawfully placing a child at risk and willfully abandoning a child.

I remember how much people pushed back against anyone calling what happened to T1 negligence because it was an accident and because B was a grieving father. But an accident and negligence are not mutually exclusive.

I’m genuinely curious where people draw the line. If negligence can be serious enough for police to recommend a felony child abuse charge in one case, why do we suddenly act like discussing parental negligence is completely off limits when another child dies under circumstances where the parents allegedly failed to take precautions they already knew were necessary?

When I met my husband almost seven years ago, he was in recovery. Unfortunately, he relapsed shortly after we started dating. I accidentally became pregnant, and things got really bad. We ended up separating when our baby was a newborn and came very close to divorcing.

His drinking took so much from him. He lost his license, his job, relationships, and just so much of his life. Alcohol completely controlled everything.

After one particularly bad bachelor party where everything hit the fan, he stopped drinking. And this time, he actually stayed sober.

He has been sober for about six years now, and he has completely changed his life. He has an amazing government job, got his license back, bought a car, and we literally bought our first house together. We had another child. He is an amazing husband and father, and he has given me absolutely no reason to think he's going to drink. I genuinely haven't worried about his sobriety in years.

But for the first time in our relationship, he has an upcoming three-day, two-night work trip.

It's only about two hours away. It's for work, he's going to be working most of the time, and there will be a company dinner. He's meeting a new team because of his position.

And yet I'm absolutely terrified.

My brain keeps telling me that he's going to be alone, something is going to happen, he'll spiral, he'll drink, and somehow everything we've built will come crashing down. I'm terrified of losing the life we've worked so hard for. Our house, his job, our family, everything.

We've talked about it. He knows I'm scared. He's been incredibly understanding, kind and reassuring. He even understands that underneath all of this, I'm afraid of losing everything we've built together. He has promised me that he's not going to drink and has given me absolutely no reason to believe otherwise.

But the trip is still a week away and I'm already stressed and depressed about it, almost as if the terrible thing has already happened.

Logically, I KNOW this isn't rational. He's not going on vacation to party. He's going to work. He's two hours away. He's been sober for six years and has completely rebuilt his life.

But emotionally, I'm terrified.

Has anyone else experienced this kind of anxiety after their partner has had a serious addiction history? How did you handle the first time they were away without you? I don't want to make his work trip about my anxiety, and I don't want to keep asking him for reassurance when he's already been so supportive. I just don't know how to get my brain to stop treating this like an impending disaster.

The entire time she was whining about being sick, I was genuinely baffled. I’m a mom to a 4 and 5 year old, so maybe that’s why my mind immediately went there, but when she was talking about her throat hurting before bed, all I could think was: who the fuck cares about having a sore throat?

How do you complain about that kind of minor discomfort when your 3-year-old died in such a horrific way? How do you think T1’s throat felt while he was drowning, with water going down his throat and into his lungs? I just cannot wrap my head around having the audacity to sit on TikTok and complain about being sick when your child isn’t here anymore because of what happened.

If that happened to my child, I genuinely cannot imagine myself going online and bitching about having a cold. My perspective on what constitutes something worth complaining about would be completely fucking shattered.

Before starting ADHD meds, I would indulge in an Alani every single day with absolutely no problem. In fact, they weirdly calmed me down, and I swear I used to have the BEST naps after drinking one.

Anyway, I started ADHD medication a few months ago, and my prescription bottle literally says in giant letters: DO NOT CONSUME ENERGY DRINKS.

Of course, I was like, “It’s been a couple of months now, I miss energy drinks, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

I drank HALF of an Alani and literally started having heart palpitations and feeling like my heart was skipping beats. It’s almost nighttime now and I’m STILL feeling random skipped beats every few minutes.

Ugh. I’m so sad. RIP to my beloved Alani era.

I’m in Quebec and my pharmacy’s online system is showing my Concerta prescription as “deferred.” There’s no pickup date listed, and I’m not due for a refill for another week or so.

My Concerta dose has been changed a few times recently. I originally started at 36mg, then went up to 54mg, but that was too much for me. I wanted to go back down, and while I was waiting to hear back from my psychiatrist, my pharmacist was able to lower it to 45mg (27mg + 18mg).

My psychiatrist has now sent in a prescription for a different dose, and there have been a few prescription changes between the psychiatrist and pharmacist.

Could “deferred” simply be related to all the recent prescription/dose changes? Has anyone seen this status before, especially with Pharmaprix/Shoppers?

Last week, my husband tried to order a stuffed bear from a website that we now believe was a scam. He entered his name, address, email, DOB (we believe), and credit card information. The payment failed twice.

A few days later, we noticed a $1,300 fraudulent charge on the card. We immediately called Capital One and the card has since been cancelled and replaced. They are investigating the fraudulent charge.

We're worried about what other information the website may have collected. He did not provide his SIN, driver's licence, passport, banking password, or online banking information.

Is this likely just a card-skimming scam, or should we be concerned about identity theft? What could they realistically do with his name, address, email and DOB, and what should we do now?

I'm probably spiraling, so looking for practical advice. Thanks!

Someone somehow got my husband's credit card information and used it on Amazon. They spent around $1,400, and apparently the purchase was made under someone else's Amazon account, so we have no idea what was even purchased.

Luckily, my husband got the credit card notification almost immediately after the purchase happened. He called Capital One right away and told them he didn't make the purchase. They initially told him to contact Amazon.

We contacted Amazon customer service, and they confirmed that the order was made under somebody else's Amazon account and wasn't associated with my husband's account/name. Unfortunately, they couldn't tell us who placed the order or what was purchased.

We then called Capital One back, immediately locked/closed the card, and reported the transaction as fraudulent. They said they're going to investigate it and are sending him a new card.

Right now, the ~$1,400 charge is still showing as pending, and this happened three days ago.

What should we expect to happen next? Is it normal for a fraudulent Amazon charge to stay pending for several days? If it eventually posts, do we need to do anything else with Capital One, or will the existing fraud claim cover it?

This is honestly really stressful, so I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's dealt with something similar.

I’ve been on different doses of Concerta for a little over a month now, and 54 mg was by far the worst for me side effect-wise.

36 mg was better, but it still felt like it wasn’t quite enough. I was getting some benefit, but I was still struggling and it was irritating me. Then I tried 54 mg and it was just WAY too much. It took a while to realize that the dose itself was the problem.

On 54 mg, I had horrible social anxiety. I wanted to isolate myself, stay inside, and cry all day. I felt like I had forgotten how to be a person. I was overthinking everything, constantly feeling anxious and this weird sense of dread and doom, and even normal interactions with people could feel overwhelming.

I’ve now been on 45 mg for two days, and so far I genuinely feel like I may have found my sweet spot.

I have way less social anxiety. I don’t feel the need to isolate myself. I’m able to eat normally, go for enjoyable walks with my husband, have conversations with people without feeling like I’m about to have a panic attack, and just function.

I’m also making a conscious effort not to let the anxiety and dread consume me. I’m still mentally pushing myself to do things instead of avoiding them, but it feels SO much easier to do that when I’m not completely overwhelmed by my medication.

The weird thing is that when I’m completely off medication, I have basically zero social anxiety. I’m just completely all over the place and my brain is chaos. So for me, it’s really about finding that balance where I can actually function and focus without feeling like the medication is changing my personality.

I wanted to give up on Concerta so many times. I kept thinking, “Maybe this medication just isn’t for me.” But I’m actually kind of glad I kept advocating for myself and asking to try different doses instead of giving up completely.

Obviously, it’s only been two days at 45 mg, so I know things can change and I’m not declaring it perfect yet. But for the first time, I’m feeling hopeful that I might have finally found a dose that actually works with me instead of against me.

I had no idea pharmacists could do this, so I thought I’d share because I found it pretty interesting.

I started on 36 mg of Concerta for a couple of weeks, then asked my psychiatrist to increase it to 54 mg. I quickly regretted that decision because I absolutely hate how 54 mg feels for me and wanted to go back down to 36 mg.

I called my psychiatrist a couple of days ago and left a message, but he still hasn’t gotten back to me. So, mostly just out of curiosity, I went to my pharmacy and asked if there was anything they could do about lowering my dose.

Surprisingly, the pharmacist was actually able to prescribe me a lower dose. I originally wanted to go back to 36 mg, but he suggested trying 45 mg first if I wanted to. He gave me a two-week supply: one bottle of 18 mg and one bottle of 27 mg, which I take together to equal 45 mg.

I honestly had no idea a pharmacist could adjust my dose like that. I’m guessing maybe it’s different when you’re asking to lower a dose rather than increase it, since obviously increasing a stimulant dose could be more of a concern.

Anyway, I just thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share because I genuinely had no idea pharmacists had that ability.

That little bell ding! sound that happens every two seconds in Blippi episodes drives me absolutely up the wall.

I don’t even know how to explain it, but that sound is like mental torture to me. I hate it so much. Every time I hear it, I feel my patience slowly disappearing. I have autism though so I might be extra sensitive so high-pitched sounds.

I'm starting to feel like my psychiatrist is going to be so annoyed with me, and I'm wondering if I'm overthinking this.

About two months ago, he started me on Vyvanse at my request because I'd been on it years ago before I got pregnant. I stopped it during pregnancy and wanted to try it again. After about two weeks, I realized I really didn't like it, so I called and asked if we could switch. He started me on Concerta 36 mg.

After another couple of weeks, I felt like the 36 mg wasn't doing much, so we increased it to 54 mg. Now, after about two weeks on 54 mg, it's way too strong for me. It was making me feel really depressed, so I started taking the 36 mg tablets I still had left because they feel much smoother.

I called my psychiatrist and asked if he'd send in a prescription to go back down to 36 mg, but now I feel like I've been calling his office every other week with medication issues.

I know medication adjustments are part of his job, but I can't help feeling like I'm being "extra." Is this amount of trial and error normal with ADHD medications? Did anyone else have to make several changes before finding the right medication and dose?

I don't even know if I belong here because I'm not abusing my medication, but I relate to a lot of what people describe.

I'm prescribed Concerta, and I take it as directed. The problem is that I look forward to taking it every morning because I enjoy the first couple of hours where I feel productive and energized. After that, it turns into emotional and mental hell.

Before Concerta, I was a pretty relaxed person. I'm a stay at home mom with two young kids, and I'm also on Lexapro. I was doing well. I had no major social anxiety and I genuinely felt happy with my life.

Since starting Concerta a month ago, everything has changed. By around noon, my anxiety becomes unbearable. I almost go nonverbal, I cry, I can't relax, I can't sit still, and I constantly feel on edge. Going out in public is a nightmare. I feel robotic. I can't genuinely smile or laugh, and I get irritated by everything and everyone.

What's confusing is that every morning I still want to take it because I keep chasing those first couple of hours when it feels good, even though I know the rest of the day is awful. I was on Vyvanse before this, and it was the exact same experience.

I honestly think I'm done with stimulant medications. I've never been this anxious in my life.

Has anyone else experienced this? Even if you weren't abusing stimulants, did they still end up having such a negative impact on your mental health?

I’ve been on Concerta for about a month total. I started at 36mg and have been on 54mg for about a week now. I’m also taking Lexapro.

The frustrating part is that the new doses seem to work really well for the first couple of days, and then I suddenly feel like I’m struggling again. I’m trying to figure out if this is the medication, my hormones, or a combination of both.

The timing is very predictable: I feel pretty good in the morning, but by around noon/early afternoon I get hit with intense anxiety and depression. I’ve literally ended up sobbing on my couch because I feel so mentally low. Then later in the afternoon/evening I usually start feeling more like myself again.

The timing is complicated because I started Concerta during my luteal phase and then got my period, which I know can affect ADHD symptoms, mood, and medication effectiveness for some women. I’m wondering if that’s contributing or if this is a sign that the dose isn’t right for me.

I do eat throughout the day (including protein) and I stay hydrated, so I don’t think it’s simply from not eating enough. I’m also not wanting to give up on Concerta because when it’s working, it’s been genuinely helpful.

I’m bringing this up with my psychiatrist tomorrow, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced something similar:

Afternoon anxiety/depression on Concerta?

Feeling great at first and then struggling after a few days on a dose?

Hormonal changes affecting how Concerta feels?

Thanks ❤️

Does anyone else feel extreme anxiety, almost like a scared feeling when out in public? I wasn't like this before. I feel like I can't make eye contact with people and I have a weird feeling as if I'm doing something wrong. It comes and goes and usually by late afternoon I'm fine. I'm pushing through it and making myself do my usual errands and whatnot but it's hard. I'm on 54mg.

I'm on lexapro and have been for years so I'm already medicated for anxiety.

I've finally reached the point of going no contact with my MIL after almost seven years, and honestly, when I tell people the things she's said and done to me, they almost don't believe me. Thankfully, my husband is completely on my side and supports my decision.

When I first met her in 2020, I was pregnant with her first grandchild. My husband (then my fiancé) and I had traveled six hours to visit her and were staying at her house. After a few days, she completely turned on me out of nowhere.

She started accusing me of cheating and claimed the baby I was carrying wasn't my husband's. She told him he shouldn't marry me, shouldn't take care of me, that we shouldn't live together, and that he needed to get a DNA test. She had given us money as an engagement gift, then took it back only days later after making all of these accusations. I left her house in tears. That was my very first experience with her.

Things only got worse from there.

A few weeks later, she showed up to our wedding as if nothing had happened. No apology. No acknowledgment of what she'd said.

When our son was born, she told us we were "going to kill him" because she didn't like the way we were holding him in photos we had sent her.

She texted my husband calling me "a leech to society," a "fat cow," and saying I should get a job while I had literally just given birth.

When she came to meet the baby, my husband insisted she stay in a hotel because of everything that had happened.

For years, I gritted my teeth and tolerated her visits, but there was always this horrible underlying tension. Before anyone asks why my husband didn't do anything, he absolutely did. He's confronted her countless times over the years. I was the one who didn't want to force him to cut off his mother or give him an ultimatum. He's an amazing husband and father, and he's always defended me and apologized for her behavior.

She has an incredibly short fuse and is constantly in conflict with people. She doesn't speak to a large portion of her own family because she's burned so many bridges. She believes everyone is conspiring against her, talks badly about nearly everyone, and thrives on drama.

My final straw happened last month.

She came to stay at our home, which my husband and I bought last summer, because she wanted to attend our three-year-old daughter's ballet recital.

She didn't even make it two nights before she started creating conflict.

One night, after I told her it was late and that the kids and I were going to bed, she deliberately turned the TV up to full volume. I asked her multiple times to turn it down, and she simply said, "Well, I can't hear the TV," and ignored everything I said.

The next morning, she started loudly singing around the house. She could clearly see that my autistic son was becoming extremely distressed by it. I asked her politely to please stop because it was upsetting him.

Instead, she kept singing and then gave my son the middle finger.

That was the moment I finally saw red.

I stormed upstairs, crying, and woke my husband up, yelling about what she had just done to our son. He immediately went downstairs to talk to her. By the time he got there, she was sitting silently at the kitchen table booking an earlier train ticket home without saying a word.

I completely lost it. I was screaming at her, calling her every name I could think of. I honestly don't even remember everything I said. I just remember screaming at her to get the fuck out of my house, telling her I was done with the disrespect and that she would never get to treat me or my child like that ever again.

My husband backed me up completely. He agreed that she had crossed the line, supported my decision, and drove her to the train station. Apparently, neither of them said a single word to each other for the entire drive.

Since that happened, my husband has FaceTimed and spoken to her on the phone a couple of times, and every single conversation has ended in an argument. He has repeatedly told her that he wants her to apologize to me for the way she's treated me ever since the day she met me. Of course, she refuses.

Honestly, that's completely fine with me. I think she spent her entire life surrounded by people who just tolerated her abusive behavior, and she expected me to do the same. Not anymore. Especially not in my own home. She can refuse to apologize all she wants because I'm done accepting the disrespect.

Going no contact has honestly felt fucking fantastic.

I just got a prescription for 54mg pills. I hadn't picked it up from the pharmacy for two days so instead, I was taking three of my 18mgs (I was prescribed two 18mgs a day). Three pills of 18mg was horrific compared to one 54mg! Maybe it's in my head but I finally don't feel like complete shit mentally.

These meds are honestly making me feel like I'm losing my mind.

I've been on 18mg, then 36mg, and now I'm starting 54mg with my psychiatrist's approval. I had already tried 54mg on my own before talking to him, and after discussing it, he agreed to write me a prescription for that dose.

Today I only took my usual 36mg. For the first 6 hours I felt pretty normal, but then out of nowhere I became incredibly anxious. I'm literally just lying on my couch, yet I feel like I'm being hunted for sport. My heart is racing, I feel nervous for no reason, and mentally I just don't feel good.

I've been eating properly and drinking lots of water, so I don't think it's from not taking care of myself. My period is also due in about 6 days, so I'm wondering if hormones are playing a role.

What's confusing is that when I first started Concerta, both 36mg and even 54mg felt like a breeze. I had little to no anxiety, felt calm, and was actually able to get things done. Now, on some days, the thought of going out in public feels like it would send me into a full spiral.

Why does this medication seem to affect me so differently from one day to the next? Has anyone else had such wildly inconsistent experiences with Concerta, especially around their menstrual cycle?

I left my psychiatrist a voicemail asking if we could talk about increasing my dose. Is that a red flag? I just feel like continuing at 36mg is so pointless right now, but I don't want to come off as drug-seeking by asking for an increase. I also still have a lot of my medication left.

I've been on 36mg for about a week and it was going well at first, but today, all I want to do is lie down on my couch and cry. Literally nothing bad or stressful is going on in my life but I feel so empty. My period isn't even due for another eleven days so it isn't PMS. I've also made sure to eat a lot of protein during the day and I'm getting enough sleep so I don't understand why I feel so shitty and unmotivated today.