My husband takes Wellbutrin for depression and Concerta for ADD. He has gone through several ADD meds and had bad side effects-shaking hands, falling, lightheadedness. He's had some of that on Concerta too but felt like he could handle it. He was going to see a neurologist about it today.
Today he was arrested! He was late to work (big ADD problem) and sped up to pass a truck, and got stopped for speeding. The cop noticed the shaking hands and gave him field sobriety tests, which apparently he did not pass, so he took him to the hospital for a blood test and arrested him for DWI. My poor husband was handcuffed and all. Of course, he was stone cold sober. The ironic thing was that he missed the appointment with a neurologist.
He could lose his job if his boss decides he's not safe to drive to visit clients. It's a big requirement of the job.
Do other people have these side effects on this drug? Should he stop taking it? It might be easier to deal with the ADD than the brushes with the law.
We were lucky to get another appointment with a neurologist today. He suggested stopping the Concerta for a month. He needs it so bad, and so does our marriage. I'm afraid if he did that, he'd lose his job. He had worse side effects on Adderall and Ritalin, and Vyvanse eventually stopped working for him.
Any advice on this would be much appreciated.
taking meds properly?
Submitted by arwen on
My husband takes both these medications and does not have these problems. But my husband is not hyperactive.
Is there some reason the neurologist suggested going totally off the Concerta instead of trying a reduced dose? When my husband had some initial insomnia problems on the initial dosage of Concerta that was prescribed, my husband neurologist reduced his dose until the insomnia stopped -- then after my husband had stabilized adequately on that, he increased the dosage back again, and my husband didn't have the insomnia this time -- going through the intermediate lower dose step had helped him adjust to the medication.
Shaking is more typically a symptom of overdose with concerta rather than a simple side-effect. Is it possible your spouse is not taking his meds properly -- maybe sometimes forgets he has taken his pill already and takes a second one? My husband uses the weekly pill strips you can buy at drug stores, in order to avoid this problem. If your husband does not use some scheme like this to ensure he takes only one pill each day, you may want to discuss this with him and the neurologist together.
Reply for Arwen re: Meds
Submitted by Sueann on
Thanks for your answer. I knew you, of all the people on this board, would understand the problem. My husband, like yours, is not hyperactive.
He only takes 18 mg of Concerta, along with 450 mg of Wellbutrin. I do not think Concerta comes in a smaller dose than that. I also think he takes it properly, aside from not putting the cap back on, as he never runs out before the end of the month.
We tried having him not take the Concerta this weekend. The ADD symptoms do not bother me as much as the depression, and I felt like I could get through the weekend without him taking it. (I just didn't expect him to do anything.) It did not help. The neurologist did not think the weekend was long enough. That's why he suggested going a month without it.
He's had problems with all ADD meds. He tried Adderall and it was great for his ADD symptoms but he was so shaky he fell several times and became afraid to do things like walk down steps or change lightbulbs. Ritalin was a little better but not much. Vyvanse worked well without side effects but stopped working after a while. It was like he was developing ADD all over again. His (then) coach refused to work with him any more untll he changed drugs.
The neurologist is sending him for a brain scan to rule out any organic cause, assuming our insurance will approve it.
Meanwhile, we talked to an attorney who wanted $4000 to represent him, and said it might be more. He doesn't make enough money to pay that, but probably too much for a public defender. In this state, he basically has to prove he's innocent, and the blood test will, of course, show he had amphetamines in his system. If he is convicted, he will lose his job.
Meanwhile, I am afraid he won't be able to treat his ADD at all. I don't think he can do his highly responsible job working with the mentally ill without it. I know I can't stay married to him if he doesn't treat his symptoms. I don't know what to do except to try to deal with the legal consequences he now faces.
More on Medication Side Effects
Submitted by Sueann on
My husband and I went to see his neurologist yesterday. His brain scan was normal, so that rules out most things worse than ADD, like brain tumors.
He gave him another medication ($50 AFTER insurance) called Topamax. He said it won't agrivate his depression, although the insert that came with it says it can cause depression. It is supposed to stop his hands shaking and so forth, and also to treat his migraine headaches. My husband would rather have a bad headache and go to bed and do nothing than to take medicine for it, so I hope that works.
The big issue is that all of this has consequences (namely, him getting arrested). I don't know how to deal with that. He "says" he will take on a second job to pay the lawyer, but has done nothing towards making that a reality. What should I do about that? Yes, he does work more than full time at his main career job but does not make enough to pay the lawyer. I can't help but feel that he needs to earn "extra" to pay his lawyer, and that I shouldn't have to do it