The Forums › Forums › Medication › Side effects › Re: Side effects
I’ve just discovered a very bad side effect for me.
My blood pressure has always been a bit low. After feeling rather “antsy” for the past couple of weeks, I thought that maybe my body had adjusted to the 18 mg of Concerta, so perhaps a higher dose was needed. So, today, I went to my GP, and discovered that, since being on Ritalin, then Concerta, my blood pressure is now so high that we may need to look at medication to control it. My answer was that it would probably be better for me to try a non-stimulant ADHD medication. He said to give it a couple of weeks, since my body may just be adjusting to the stimulant. Though, I’d have thought that 2 months would be plenty of time for it to adjust.
During the next two weeks, I have to go to the drugstore every other day, and check my blood pressure. Then, at the end of the two weeks, I need to see my doctor again and give him the numbers. If, at that time, my blood pressure is still elevated, then I’ll have to switch to a non-stimulant.
Of course, my GP wants me to go to my psychiatrist to change my medication, which is perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately, my psychiatrist is so busy that I only get to see him once every 3 months. Even if I call his office on Monday morning, I probably won’t be able to get in to see him for at least a month.
So, if my blood pressure doesn’t go down in the next 2 weeks, it’ll be down into the abyss, since I’ll have to stop taking the Concerta/Ritalin, and won’t have anything to replace it with for a while.
This sucks.
Does anybody know of a good Toronto psychiatrist, well-versed in adult ADHD, who’s taking new patients, doesn’t have a long waiting list, and doesn’t charge an arm and a leg?
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