I'm looking for some feedback. Just completed day 1 of dexmethylphenidate xr 10mg (generic for focalin xr). I haven't taken ADHD meds before. Is it normal to feel jittery? I felt like how I am when I drink too much coffee (which I am sensitive to, to begin with). Basically felt increased heart rate, some shakiness in my hands, slightly increased anxiety, increased energy/fidgeting, but not quite an increase of focus. Just was able to approach tasks at a quicker pace. Is this normal for day 1?
Thanks!
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sophistikat
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It can be a side effect. It usually wears off. If the side affect really bothers you. Talk with your doctor about lowering your dose. Do you take your medication after breakfast? Do you also drink coffee or other caffeine containing drinks ?
Thanks! I was on the starter dose for that med, had breakfast, and no caffeine for days prior to taking the med. Hoping I just need my body to adjust to this one, since the med shortage is real, lol (and vyvanse is too expensive on my insurance!)
Perhaps diagosed incorrectly ! getting used to any drug , you are buildibg a tolerance to it ....AddictedThere are so many 'experts' if you feel jittery etc , dont get used to the meds !
You would feel a tad more focused and can drink coffee etc ..
Yes its totally normal. After your body gets used to the meds the jittery will go away. If the jitters dont go away maybe you need to change to a different medication.
Feeling jittery can be a side effect of stimulants.
It can take days, weeks, or months for your body and brain to get used to the effects of a new medication.
Everyone reacts differently to medication. Some people have experiences that are more typical to others'. Some people have very different experiences with a given medication.
Often, when starting on a new medication like a stimulant, a doctor will implement a "titration" strategy: e.g. start with a low dose for a few days, then gradually increasing the dosage, until the full strength is reached. I've heard of titration taking anywhere from a week to two months, depending on the target dosage. (I did not go through titration, myself, because my doctor started treating me with a low dose for an adult.)
Contact your doctor if you have any concerns, especially if you have any concerning side effects.
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For me, Adderall XR caused tachycardia, so my doctor took my off of it. I'm now on a non-stimulant (which works better for me, but generally stimulants work better for the majority of people who have ADHD). My doctor didn't take me off Adderall right away, except for a testing period. It was after a few months of trying lower dosages that he changed me to another medication. (Lower dose had no tachycardia, but had much less benefit for my ADHD symptoms.)
* When my tachycardia didn't decrease at the end of a month, my doctor took me off the lower dose. Obviously, my body wasn't adjusting to that dosage.
I now take a non-stimulant which works better for me than Adderall did.
If I don't take it with food, I'll get hit with an intense wave of nausea. So, I take it with breakfast.
The low 40mg dose works very well for me. For six months, I was on 60mg, which worked very slightly better, but I'd experience slight nausea almost every day, even when I'd eaten a substantial breakfast. Every other day, I'd also sneeze about 45 minutes to an hour after taking the 60 mg dose.
So, I asked my doctor to drop my dosage back to 40mg.
When I first started medication, I felt jittery at first too. As the days went by, I felt an increase in focus and motivation. The first medication I started, on, was not the right one for me so I had to change.
It made me feel too revved up, and I was always interrupting people when talking and wasn’t a good listener. I jumped around from task to task also. So just remember, if the first medication you try isn’t working for you you can always switch to a different one.
i never felt jittery. I felt tired, but never jittery. Did your dr. have you take a DNA test before prescribing medication? This stimulant might not be something your body can absorb.
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