Concerta and Psychedelic Use?

[Ammeratsu]

My boyfriend started taking Concerta for ADD so he can focus in school this semester.

I've searched and searched and found so many mixed results, I can't find a solid answer.

When taking Concerta on a daily basis, can you take these drugs safely and successfully:
Ecstasy
Psilocybin Mushrooms
LSD
Alcohol

I've heard some people say no problem, some people say no.

Does anyone have experience with this?

 

[Bi0hazardOpeth]

Pretty sure Alcohol is fine. I have eaten moderate doses of shrooms on concerta without much issues. Keep in mind you will have a greater level of mental stimulation and might add a little anxiety to the trip depending on how well trained a tripper he is.

 

[D n A]

I was prescribed 63mgs of that shit and took MDMA, LSD, 2cx, Ketamine, GHB, mushrooms, and marijuana. However. I'd usually be taking the meds in the morning (say around 8-10am) and they'd wear off or whatever around 3-4pm. I'd usually be taking drugs in the evening, but it was always fine for me. I have never taken drugs while still under the influence of the meds.

I'd advise this, though. Most stimulants will probably be unsafe to take with Concerta, given that it increases your heart rate (as do stimulants) so this can be a dangerous combination. I was fine with taking MDMA, but be cautious, everyone is different.

 

[TangerinO]

I've been on Concerta for the past 7 years so my eyes certainly lit up when I saw this thread. I've never actually paid attention to whether I'd taken it before I dropped any kind of drug for a good night, but that being said it's become a pretty standard part of my life. The only thing I can think of is the concerta making you not want to eat, and not eating in combo with acid guts or the shroom queasiness I can imagine would not be the nicest. The other thing is if you find it hard to sleep on any of those drugs the concerta is likely to make that a shitload worse. I've taken quite a bit of all the aforementioned drugs and have never observed any noticeable moments of "Oh fuck I shouldn't have done that with my concerta"

Also OP what is the dose prescribed? I had a friend who was on a much higher dose than me and he developed a burning in his heart everytime he smoked weed, although this turned out to be inflammation so I'm not sure if they're connected but it started coincidentally just after he started taking it at 64mgs I think. I've never had a problem and I used to take concerta everyday and smoke upwards of 20 cones daily back in College. Ahh hazy days.

 

[Ammeratsu]

He says its 27 mg extended release and it lasts 12 hours.

 

[D n A]

^Impossible. The half life of Concerta is 4 hours. I know that when I take it, it usually takes 30 minutes to feel full effects and that, as I have said, it usually does wear off after 8 hours. The comedown is a feeling that could be confused for still being "high" on the medication, as you definitely don't feel normal. But it is a different feeling from the medication. I honestly doubt that he feels the full effects for 12 hours, especially off of 27mgs.

Basically, the only things you don't want to combine it with are the obvious ones:
- MAO inhibiters and SSRIs, which often can't be combined with much
- Amphetamines or most stimulants- we all know it's not always the greatest idea to combine stims.

I have heard that alcohol is not the best thing to combine with Concerta. Apparently, drinking and doing coke (which produces cocaethylene and can be dangerous) is nearly the same and drinking and taking concerta- the ethanol reacts with the concerta to form ethylphenidate. I don't think it's as bad as the coke + booze combo, but just be careful. However, I'm sure that it's fine to consume most drugs or alcohol after the Concerta has fully worn off. Just be careful with the stims. I know that Concerta would make my heart beat a little faster once I had come down from it, and if you have a sensitive heart, that could raise issues.

 

[Ammeratsu]

Well I think it lasts 12 hours because it releases periodically, like a lot of antibiotics do

 

[Ammeratsu]

I was also wondering if stopping concerta for a day or two would cause withdrawl symptoms? I suggested to my boyfriend that he stops taking it for a day or two so he can roll, but he's convinced he'll get withdrawl symptoms if he doesn't take it for a day. And I couldn't find a solid answer.

 

[D n A]

Hmm, I suppose you're right. I was going off by how I felt during the day.
The outside of the concerta pill apparently contains 22% of the methylphenidate; this is released immediately. Over the next ten hours, the other 78% of the pill is released. I don't know if you or him have ever split up one of these pills before, but they're pretty crazy: there's the outer layer, a waxy layer beneath that, and then the interior of the pill is made up of three colors: green, pink, and white. I'd guess that the green layer releases the slowest, as when it is combined with water it forms a very sticky substance. But anyways.

I would often only take concerta during the weekdays and never on the weekends, because I felt like I should only use it when I absolutely needed to. I felt absolutely fine on the weekends, except for maybe a little irritability. So far as I know, withdrawal symptoms don't occur with most patients, but of course, everyone is different. You should have him try taking it during this week and then not on the weekend and see how he feels, just as a test. He should feel fine and have no symptoms at all, but if he does, it's suggested to taper off the dose. Now: he is taking a fairly small dosage, so I doubt there will be much of an issue.

I've read up a little more on the combination of stimulants and Concerta: other than a possible increase in heart rate, there is an issue of cross tolerance, meaning that if you take Concerta on the day where you plan to take stimulants later in the day, it may lessen the effects of them. I have done MDMA on an evening where I had taken the Concerta in the morning and didn't really notice any difference.