Quote from PrincessBride22:

I have hypersensitive ears and loud noises drive me crazy. Does anybody else with ADD have hypersensitve ears?

Oh, heavens yes!!! Noise drives me out of my mind!

To try to answer some of your questions....

Medicine affects everyone differently. Although most people experience some loss of appetite when beginning stimulants, not everyone does. And while some people have trouble with insomnia, some find that stimulants actually make them sleepy. If I take Concerta too late, I can't sleep. My son, however, can take his Metadate (same thing, a long-acting methylphenidate) and go straight to sleep.

How long does it take to work? Concerta, like the other stimulants, work immediately. It isn't likely to work any better than it is now. And, in fact, you may find that you develop some tolerance to it and that it works LESS effectively. That's why learning some new life skills at the same time is important. You might check at your college health center to see if they offer any groups for ADD'ers.