FEELING LESS DEPRESSED! Concerta XL Vlog - 36mg - Week 3

Hi there!
I'm Emily and I had a late diagnosis of Inattentive ADD (a type of ADHD) just two months after my 30th birthday. Finding out I was neurodivergent was scary and exciting, but now I'm ready to start treatment!
In this video, I start to vlog my sixth week on Concerta, with this being my third week on a 36mg dose. I talk about my side effects, benefits and improvements. In this vlog, I talk about how I feel like my depression and anxiety has improved and I am almost grieving for the ten years I lost to my ADHD and poor mental health. This is good news, as my goal is to stop taking antidepressants one day (hopefully soon!).
Concerta XL is a prolonged/slow/long release stimulant medication (its scientific name is methylphenidate!) used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This medication is sometimes called Ritalin, Daytrana or Focalin - particularly in the US. Other ADHD medications that you might be familiar with are Vyvanse, Dexadrine and Adderall, which are amphetamines, rather than methylphenidates, however, they are all stimulants. This video shows my 6th week on the drug and highlights some of its effects on my mind, mood and body.
I will be continuing a vlog showing my experience with ConcertaXL as I test out my current dose and through the titration period. (Started on 18mg, now taking 36mg).
Whether you're considering starting Concerta XL, have already begun treatment, are curious about ADHD and its links to depression, or are simply looking for some reassurance that you're not alone, this video is for you.
Be sure to say hi in the comments - I'd love to make some new friends in the neurodivergence community, and don't forget to like, share and subscribe for more videos on mental health, ADHD, and related topics!
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional, this video is for entertainment and anecdotal information only. Always consult your healthcare provider if you are considering taking any medication to make sure it is safe and right for you.

[@mikahist4155]

Hey Emily, I just wanted you to know that this videos are really helpful. Cause as it seems, 95% of people who get the diagnosis in their hands, are sent in the ADHD world without a map or dictionary to navigate through it. The first weeks without coping strategies are really hard. So many thanks for you week to week update and reflection on the meds and feelings, thoughts. Love, Emina 🕊️

[@sugoruyo]

This is what I was talking about in one of your earlier vlogs, I think week 1. Speaking from own experience, a lot of the depressive, intrusive thoughts come from that paralysis when we're not getting stuff done and unfairly comparing ourselves to others not hindered by ADHD. I think that's a major reason depression is a comorbidity of it; we accumulate so much self-deprecating thinking over the course of an adult life not knowing we aren't quite the same as most people we compare ourselves to, we watch life pass us by when we could be doing things and getting experiences and so on. I hope things continue to go in that direction for you; getting too busy enjoying life is a "good problem" to have!

[@adhdemily]

Hey there again! Yes - I remember that comment! Totally agree with this. Feeling like a failure has been a huge, underpinning theme of my depression. Now that I have the energy, motivation and ability to focus, my feeling of achievement is increasing, and as a result my depression seems to be lifting (for the first time in nearly a decade!). Thank you for your ongoing support - I really appreciate it! Emily

[@dpmslr308ap4]

If it makes you feel better .. I am 58 and about ready to have my diagnoses appointment ! .. you lost 10 years .. I may have lost most of my adult work life !!! BUT I am choosing to look forward at whats next and am looking forward to see if I might benefit from meds as well … and these vlogs are providing encouragement of what might be .. so Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences !

[@adhdemily]

Hey there dpmslr308ap4! Thank you for your comment :) I wouldn't say it makes me feel "better", but it does make me feel less alone! I think it's important that we all look forward to a brighter future, and I'm glad I can provide that encouragement that you need to know that things can get better! I wish you all the luck in the world on your exciting new journey in life :)

[@juanpablothummler]

Seeing this comment after a year. How is it going?

[@f50koenigg]

The more I listens to your video the more I want to see a doctor. I have not been diagnosed yet, but all videos I watched about adhd seems to indicate that highly likely i have adhd, that is why I always feel different from other people and I always have to mask the symptom to look normal to which back fires all the time. I'm glad that your life is turning around for the better.

[@adhdemily]

Heya :) Thank you for all your comments and support - I'm really glad that my videos are helping you to understand yourself a little bit more. Good luck with your diagnosis journey! Hopefully you will have similar successes to me :)

[@RLTango]

4:38 - So happy for you!!! Thank you for sharing!

[@adhdemily]

Aw thanks Romeo :) it's my pleasure.

[@pintop1983]

Hi Emily. I love your videos. I’m recently diagnosed. The tablets give me motivation I’ve never had before, however, guttingly, they make my anxiety so bad I have had to get Propanolol from the GP just to calm down, the panic attacks were worse than any I’ve had before. Absolutely gutted because I was so hopeful that I’d found a solution 😢😢😢😢😢

[@adhdemily]

Hey there Paulo, Thank you for your comment - I'm so glad that you have a diagnosis and are pursuing treatment. It sounds like you're having a tough time finding the right medication for you - is there a chance you could try a different type? That one might not give you heightened anxiety. A few people have pointed out, and I have to say I agree, that consuming caffeine alongside stimulant medication can make your anxiety worse, so it might be worth cutting back on coffees/teas/chocolate? I really hope you find a more workable solution! We're all rooting for you :)

[@pintop1983]

@@adhdemily hi Emily. I have really bad anxiety. I haven’t had caffeine in years, decaf teabags all the way. I will discuss with my doctor at our next session, to find alternatives. X

[@kristalp346]

Curious how things are going a year on? I've been bingeing your vlogs... I've been on instant release ritalin for about a month and about to move onto Concerta this Sunday

[@adhdemily]

Hey there! I've recently uploaded a new video about my medication journey if you would like a bit of an update - more content coming soon! Thank you for taking the time to comment :)

[@blktegs]

Did this help your rumination or make it worse. I have a hard time focusing and ruminating and going back to focusing and the ruminating back and forth

[@adhdemily]

Hey there Blktegs :) thank you for your comment. I generally find that when I take Concerta I still 'ruminate', but I find it easier to override those thoughts and bring my focus back to the task at hand. It's not like my personality or brain has changed, so much as my ability to manage my brain has improved! I hope that makes sense! Em x

[@f50koenigg]

Also, I would like to ask if you ever felt something stopping you to see a doctor or psychiatrist for the first time for your adhd?

[@adhdemily]

I guess that I just never really considered that I had ADHD as nobody had ever suggested it to me before! If I'd have known about inattentive ADHD sooner I would have pursued the diagnosis earlier.

[@Rob.S-]

Try not to look at your late diagnosis that way. We are the lucky one's, that doesn't change anything I know, but we have this second chance to fucking kill it at life....and kill it we shall.

[@adhdemily]

Let's do this!

[@MusiC14545]

what was ur difference between 18 and 36? did 18 not last long as well for u? does 36 last longer?

[@adhdemily]

18mg only had a small effect on my symptoms, 36mg is more noticeable. It lasts the same amount of time though - 12hours or thereabouts! Hope this helps :)

[@MusiC14545]

@@adhdemily Did u switch from 18 to 36 immediately or u had 27 in between?

[@stephanieroberts4164]

⁠@@adhdemilythank you so much for sharing your journey with ADHD and especially with your experience on Concerta. After having tried Adderall IR 10 mg with no effect and then Adderall IR 20 mg with great results but it didn’t last long enough, my dr switched me to the extended release version of Adderall. And that was a nightmare! Couldn’t sleep, horrible crashes followed by depressive episodes. Yikes! My dr has just switched me to Concerta 27 mg and it has been a game changer! I haven’t had any awful side effects like I had on the Adderall. However, I do feel the 27 mg isn’t quite enough and I’m going to talk with my dr about upping my dosage to the 36 mg. Your experience at this dosage and how well you’ve done with it has left me so optimistic. Thanks for being you and for sharing your experiences with us!!