Schecky,

From one ex-speed-freak to another, be careful with stimulants. I swear one of the worst things I know is how far the therapeutic dose is under lethal dose. I really wish I didn't know that because then I could use it without my wife policing me.

Protect yourself somehow. There are a couple of factors that help prevent methylphenidate abuse: Concerta releases slowly. There is no bang like snorting meth. The initial buzz is a really poor excuse for a high but enough to know a "little" more and the buzz will improve significantly. And after a week or two, no buzz at all. I'm telling you, there are some things better left unknown, but some things we should face. Abusing stimulants will first ruin our lives, our families lives, then as the grand finale, kill us. Now that is the truth.

I haven't tried Concerta - tried Ritalin and Adderall and settled on Adderall. However, it may have been a mistake to skip Concerta. I've heard excellent reports about it's all day efficacy.

Side effects from methyphenidate: headaches, maybe weight loss initially - you can eat like a pig after it wears off to compensate. No sexual side effects. It has a long safe history at therapeutic levels. You did not mention but I must add that the most common side effect is upset stomach. Many people experience no side effects at all.

Bob

Methylphenidate efficacy was immediate for me. Try a couple of tests. List a few things that you found very difficult and check your performance about 2 hours after taking your Concerta. Many Concerta users have reported "it is very slow out of the gate." That is why to wait at least 2 hours before testing. My guess is that you'll see a noticeable improvement. If not, the dose may still be too low. Or, another disorder or comorbid disorder is at work. Or, conceding that we all respond differently, stimulants may indeed take a few weeks for some folks.

Bob