By Do your child suffers from the problem of ADHD? Which medicine are you taking, depending on the prescription of your doctor, Concerta or Adderall? Do you know the difference between Concerta vs. Adderall? If not, then read this article thoroughly.
You will get a complete idea about these medicines once you read the article till the end. I will try to cover every critical point for you to know in detail. Ensure that you must not make your selection erroneously.
Concerta and Adderall can help you in the treatment of ADHD. Some people adopt behavioral therapy along with medications. Now, it cannot be the same for everyone. You must know some of the crucial facts while you make the comparison between the two.
What Is Concerta?
Concerta is mainly helpful for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD). It works on the parameter for changing certain substances in the brain. Methylphenidate is the class of this drug.
What Is Adderall?
Adderall also helps in the treatment of ADHD. This medicine works on a number of changes in the natural substances in the brain. It belongs to the dextroamphetamine/ Amphetamine class of drugs. Doctors consider it one of the best drugs to heal your ailments within a specific period.
Concerta VS Adderall
There are several points of difference between Concerta vs Adderall, which you must consider at your end when you want to know some of the crucial facts about these two drugs. You must not make the wrong selection of medicines before consuming them. Let’s find out some of the core points of differences between them.
1. Generic Name
The Generic name Of Concerta is Methylphenidate, whereas the generic name of Adderall is Dextoampethemine or the amphetamine salts.
You must know the generic name of the two drugs when you want to buy any of the two drugs on the market. Adderall vs Concerta comparison you must know in detail before consuming it.
2. Forms Of Drugs Available
Concerta is available in the form of oral tablets and extended-release. On the other hand, Adderall is available as an oral capsule and an oral tablet in the form of extended release.
You must consider these facts when you want to achieve your objectives effectively. It is one of the prime points of difference between Concerta vs. Adderall. You must ignore the consumption of these two drugs without the doctor’s consent.
3. Dosage Cycle
You must consume 18 to 36mg once in the morning daily for the Concerta drug. Whereas in the case of Adderall drugs, you must consume 5 to 40mg within 4-6 hours of duration on the advice of the doctor.
You must follow the standard dosage cycle at your end while consuming these drugs. You must know this fact at your end while you consume these medicines to cure your ailment.
4. Main User Of The Medicines
The main user of Adderall is popular among older children and adolescents, and 5mg is best for older children. On the other hand, 40mg is enough for adults.
On the other hand, the Concerta is best for children is 54mg and 72mg in the case of adults. This demography of the people must consume these drugs on a daily basis. Adderall XR vs Concerta have these facts in priority which you must know at your end.
5. Drug Class
Both drugs belong to the CNS stimulant class. You must consider these facts while you want to avoid the chances of any side effects of the two drugs on your end. You must consider the above factors at your end while you want to consider the mentioned points at your end.
I repeat this thing once again both medicines are useful for your ADHD treatment but you have to maintain a perfect dosage cycle to get the results in your favor.
Concerta VS Adderall
| Properties | Concerta | Adderall |
| Generic Name | Methylphenidate | Dextoampethemine or the amphetamine salts |
| Forms Of Drugs Available | Extended-release, Oral tablet | Oral tablet, oral capsule, Extended release. |
| Dosage Cycle | 18-36 once in the daily morning | 5-40mg within a duration 4-6 hours |
| Main User Of Medicine | Adults & Children. | Older children and adults |
| Drug Class | CNS stimulant | CNS stimulant |
Which Patient Must Avoid Consuming Concerta?
Heart patients must avoid consuming this drug. Otherwise, things can turn worse for them. If you are a heart patient, then you must consult your doctor before consuming this medicine.
Which Patient Must Avoid Consume Adderall?
Patients who are suffering from acute stomach problems and other types of medical disorders like heart problems must avoid the consumption of these drugs. Ensure that you avoid the dosage of the drugs if you have the above problems in your body.
How Long Does Adderall Stay In Your System?
Adderall stays in your body for a period of 72 hours to 3 days. It is the maximum limit that this drug stays in your system. Consume this drug after you have gotten the affirmation from the doctor.
Side Effects Of Concerta VS Adderall
| Side effects | Concerta (Applicability) | Frequency | Adderall (Applicability | Frequency |
| Headache | Yes | 22% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Nausea | Yes | 13% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Dry Mouth | Yes | 14% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Anxiety | Yes | 8% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Insomnia | Yes | 12% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Decreased appetite | Yes | 25% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Dizziness | Yes | 7% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Irritability | Yes | 6% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Abdominal Pain | Yes | 6% | Yes | Not Applicable |
| Increased Sweating | Yes | 5% | Yes | Not Applicable |
Better drug than Adderall or Concerta – Vyvanse
Vyvanse or lisdexamfetamine is also a central nervous stimulant medication that treats attention-deficit/ hyperactivity or ADHD. Despite both being recommended for ADHD, they are two different medications that perform the same reaction. This is why they are confused to be the same. The medication Vyvanse enters the body and gets converted to dextroamphetamine. Lisdexamfetamine is available in one formula that received approval in 2007 by FDA for people aged 6 years or older. The condition that it treats does not stop ADHD, it also treats binge eating disorder.
The drug is known to be equally effective as Adderall for ADHD, however, the former differs in the following aspects:
- The length of time Vyvanse lasts for 14 hours which extends its effectiveness on the symptoms. However, the duration for which it lasts in the body allows it to be taken only twice, with large gaps.
- The medication is not for use in individuals who are obese or trying to lose weight.
- It is a habit-forming drug that can be easily abused. If there is an existing problem of alcohol or drug abuse, then you must let your physician.
Some things to remember:
- The drug must not be taken if you have had a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days (about 2 weeks) such as linezolid, phenelzine or methylene blue injection.
- The drug may cause worsening or new symptoms of psychosis if there is a history of mental illness or depression or bipolar disorder.
- Moreover, if there is a blood circulation issue, then it may cause pain, numbness or discoloration in toes or fingers.
- Before taking the medicine, make sure you have not taken any MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. This makes sure that there is no interaction between the two medications.
How you should take Vyvanse:
The doctor prescribes this medication only under special circumstances, i.e., when an individual has ADHD or binge eating disorder. The prescription label has all the instructions that one needs to follow. This way you are mitigating the chance of overdosing or experiencing any side effects.
Another point to remember is not sharing your Vyvanse with another person, especially if they have a history of drug addiction or abuse.
You should consume Vyvanse after consuming something or you may also have it without eating something, first thing in the morning. If you are prescribed a chewable tablet, then you must chew it properly before swallowing. If you have another form of the tablet, then you should not break, chew or crush the tablet before consumption.
If you have difficulty chewing or swallowing the tablet, try opening the capsule, sprinkling the medicine into a glass of water.
The storage instructions for the medicine are usually mentioned on the bottle or your pharmacist will inform you of the same. Usually, the medication must be kept:
- At room temperature,
- Away from light or moisture
- Throw away the medicine if it has expired
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible, do not take it later in the day.
- Skip the dose if it is close to the second dose and do not take extra medicine to make it up.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):
Ans: Yes!! You can consume Adderall without having a prescription from the doctor. You must consider these facts on your end while consuming these drugs.
Ans: Yes!! On the prescription of the doctor, it is safe to use but for heart patients and alcohol, consumers stay out of these drugs.
Ans: Concerta can cause maximum damage to your body if you cannot make the proper use of the drugs on your end. You need to identify these facts at your end before consuming your end.
Ans: In capsule and oral form, you can consume Concerta and Adderall. You have to make things work in the right way while consuming these drugs.
Final Suggestions
Hence, before consuming the above drugs to treat ADHD syndrome, you must consider the above factors. However, both drugs are helpful. Just ensure that you must consider seeking the advice of your doctor.
You must feel free to share your views, ideas, and opinions in our comment box. It will help us to understand whether we have left out anything or not in this article. From my end, I have tried to deliver all the information crucial for your treatment.
Without proper consultation with the doctor, you must not consume this drug at your end. Otherwise, things can turn worse for you.
Disclaimer: You must consume these two medicines on the advice of your doctor. Otherwise, it can prove harmful to your health. In addition, these drugs do contain specific side effects, which can impact your body badly. Therefore seek your doctor's suggestion.
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