Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask

Teen daughter on Concerta long term, possible side effects?

Asked Nov 3, 2011, 11:00 AM — 2 Answers
my teen daughter has been on concerta for approx 7 years 18 mg with pretty good effect except with the come down she is more cranky etc... in the last 8 months she has become very depressed and had suicidal thoughts. could these be a side effect of the concerta now that she is a teen? she is 15 1/2

Search this Thread
Share |
2 Answers
CliffARobinson's Avatar
CliffARobinson Posts: 1,428, Reputation: 510
Ultra Member
  
#2

Nov 3, 2011, 12:21 PM
Definitely. Yes. Please get her to a Doctor as soon as possible to assess.

Quote:
Methylphenidate can be habit-forming. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, take it for a longer time, or take it in a different way than prescribed by your doctor. If you take too much methylphenidate, you may find that the medication no longer controls your symptoms, you may feel a need to take large amounts of the medication, and you may experience unusual changes in your behavior. Tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drunk large amounts of alcohol, use or have ever used street drugs, or have overused prescription medications.

Do not stop taking methylphenidate without talking to your doctor, especially if you have overused the medication. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually and monitor you carefully during this time. You may develop severe depression if you suddenly stop taking methylphenidate after overusing it. Your doctor may need to monitor you carefully after you stop taking methylphenidate, even if you have not overused the medication, because your symptoms may worsen when treatment is stopped.
Source for quote on Methylphenidate (Concerta) from the NIH
Helpful  (2)
DrBill100's Avatar
DrBill100 Posts: 3,242, Reputation: 2497
Ultra Member
  
#3

Nov 3, 2011, 01:04 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by ceilingtile View Post
my teen daughter has been on concerta for approx 7 years 18 mg with pretty good effect except with the come down she is more cranky etc... in the last 8 months she has become very depressed and had suicidal thoughts. could these be a side effect of the concerta now that she is a teen? she is 15 1/2
As Cliff has already noted the mood changes and depression are probably related to the Concerta. Adolescence is a tough period and medication should be closely monitored. Particularly this medication that is dose sensitive.

Please take the time to read the patient information sheet (link provided above by Cliff).

The suicidal ideation isn't generally associated with this medication but may be secondary to the noted depression. As you will note the side-effects are many and varied and those that you mention are listed as serious.
Helpful  (2)
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.

Remove Text Formatting
 

Undo
Redo
  
Decrease Size
Increase Size
Bold
Italic
Underline
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Ordered List
Unordered List
Decrease Indent
Increase Indent
Insert Email Link
Wrap [QUOTE] tags around selected text
Wrap [CODE] tags around selected text
Wrap [HTML] tags around selected text
Wrap [PHP] tags around selected text
Wrap [YOUTUBE] tags around selected text
Notification Type:



Check out some similar questions!

Soma long term side effects? [ 9 Answers ]

Hi. I was involved in a car accident late last year and it left me with a bad spasm due to the operation they did on my back. I am now on soma to help me with the pain for like 3 months. I'm wondering if there's any addiction that can be caused by soma? Or are there any negative long term...

What are the long term and short term effects of credit and debt [ 2 Answers ]

What are the long term and short term effects of credit and debt?

What are the long term and short term effects of credit and debt? [ 1 Answers ]

What are the long term and short term effects of credit and debt?

View more Mental & Emotional Health questions Search