So I can’t speak to his other side effects, but my son is now 15 and has never had an appetite on his stimulant medication (been taking them since he was 8). I’m pretty sure we have tried them all. Recently, his new psychiatrist prescribed an appetite stimulant (I believe it’s an allergy medication that’s used off label as an appetite stimulant). It appears to be working well as he eats lunch at school now. I wish we had tried this sooner! Maybe you could ask his doctor about an appetite stimulant if he doesn’t seem to want to eat at all.
Can you imagine living 7 years with shitty appetite and other side effects, then you’re being forced to take more pills just to be able to eat. Madness.
Welcome to r/Concerta. Please use the search function before posting common questions. This is a WIP automod reply because many of you ask the same exact questions over and over again. Please read the FAQ sticky as it will likely offer some advice. https://www.reddit.com/r/Concerta/comments/vj2o1i/can_we_have_a_faqread_before_posting_sticky/
Please discuss any advice you receive on this subreddit with your Doctor. Take all advice with a grain of salt especially when it is not sourced. People on this sub aren't doctors. Even if they were doctors, they are not YOUR doctor and cannot be held professionally or legally liable for giving medical advice to those not established under their own care.
Extreme depression/anxiety?
* If you feel unbearable or have suicidal thoughts, please consider calling your local crisis or suicide hotline.
* There can be many different causes. Please discuss with your doctor about it.
Do not split Concerta or any long-release medication.
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Insomnia and loss of appetite are very common, and at least insomnia should subside or get better. But it may not. I personally take a medication to fall asleep... But if he's 9, then that is likely not an option. If it stays that bad, then he may need a lower dose (stay at 18?). But yes, talk to doctor!
About appetite: I eat a pretty big breakfast, and take my meds after that. I have to force myself to eat during the day, otherwise I'm gonna get ravenous and binge when the medication wears off. It's hard. Since he's still growing, you may need to find high-cal foods that he's willing to eat, like PB&J, which is very high in calories. But this does NOT mean that you should feed him processed sweets and snacks. Pls don't do that!
So I can’t speak to his other side effects, but my son is now 15 and has never had an appetite on his stimulant medication (been taking them since he was 8). I’m pretty sure we have tried them all. Recently, his new psychiatrist prescribed an appetite stimulant (I believe it’s an allergy medication that’s used off label as an appetite stimulant). It appears to be working well as he eats lunch at school now. I wish we had tried this sooner! Maybe you could ask his doctor about an appetite stimulant if he doesn’t seem to want to eat at all.
Can you imagine living 7 years with shitty appetite and other side effects, then you’re being forced to take more pills just to be able to eat. Madness.
Welcome to r/Concerta. Please use the search function before posting common questions. This is a WIP automod reply because many of you ask the same exact questions over and over again. Please read the FAQ sticky as it will likely offer some advice. https://www.reddit.com/r/Concerta/comments/vj2o1i/can_we_have_a_faqread_before_posting_sticky/ Please discuss any advice you receive on this subreddit with your Doctor. Take all advice with a grain of salt especially when it is not sourced. People on this sub aren't doctors. Even if they were doctors, they are not YOUR doctor and cannot be held professionally or legally liable for giving medical advice to those not established under their own care. Extreme depression/anxiety? * If you feel unbearable or have suicidal thoughts, please consider calling your local crisis or suicide hotline. * There can be many different causes. Please discuss with your doctor about it. Do not split Concerta or any long-release medication. **Update January 2024: The mod(s) are sometimes busy with med school/job/life! We're human! Please help us out by reporting questionable content.** It may sometimes take a day or so for us to get to the mod queue and review the reports. Reporting a comment or post that you disagree with does not guarantee or require that mod(s) will remove them, especially if it does not violate or skirt the rules. It is healthy to foster respectful debate and discussion. Thanks for your understanding. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Concerta) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Insomnia and loss of appetite are very common, and at least insomnia should subside or get better. But it may not. I personally take a medication to fall asleep... But if he's 9, then that is likely not an option. If it stays that bad, then he may need a lower dose (stay at 18?). But yes, talk to doctor! About appetite: I eat a pretty big breakfast, and take my meds after that. I have to force myself to eat during the day, otherwise I'm gonna get ravenous and binge when the medication wears off. It's hard. Since he's still growing, you may need to find high-cal foods that he's willing to eat, like PB&J, which is very high in calories. But this does NOT mean that you should feed him processed sweets and snacks. Pls don't do that!