Reply To: Biphentin Vs. Concerta Adult ADD

[blackdog]

Hi @forestcitymike, welcome to the forums. 🙂

Methylphenidate is most definitely a stimulant.  The reason it doesn’t feel that way to you is because you have ADD. The ADHD/ADD brain actually is different and responds differently to stimulants than a typical brain would. The fact that it is stopping you from being fidgety is an indication that it is working the way it should.

It may also be in part because you used to self medicate, so the prescription medication doesn’t feel as strong to you as it might to someone who has never used drugs.  Kind of like the difference between a regular coffee drinker and someone who has never had coffee.

So, why do different formulations of the same med work differently? The answer is you. How you react to a med is determined by your metabolism and your brain chemistry and all the things that make you you. So there is no way to know how it will work for sure until you try it. What works for one person will not work for another.

If you want to know why on the scientific level, talk to a chemist. But basically, it has to do with the inactive ingredients, the binders, and the release mechanism. Different ingredients have different effects on how and when the med works. So it can be altered to be released instantly into your system or slowly over several hours, or to be absorbed in a different way than it normally would be. In most cases it is not the med itself that you react differently to but the other ingredients.

It sounds like you have hit the medication jackpot and found what works for you, so stick with it. But remember, you still have ADD and there is no magic pill that will make it go away. You need to learn to cope with it. And watch the depression/anxiety too. That may go away now that the ADD is being treated, but it might be you will still need some help with it. Lots of us take antidepressant meds along with our ADD meds.

You mentioned difficulty editing while you typed. Were you on a mobile device like an iPad? If so, that’s the reason. The site doesn’t work as well on mobile and it can be a bit tricky.  It’s also a little glitchy from time to time. But you have the option to edit your comments for a couple of hours after you post them. Sometimes it’s better to post first then edit.

And if you made it this far, then your med is really working. 😉  As you can see, long posts are pretty normal around here. At least for some of us…..  *ahem* 🙄

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