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

Definitely. Yes. Please get her to a Doctor as soon as possible to assess.


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) (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000606/#) from the NIH

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.