Diet concerns and help for youth on ADHD medication?

I’ve been on Concerta for about 7-8 months now. I’ve been on 36mg of Concerta for about 3 months. I don’t think I’m eating right on it at all.

This is basically my diet:



Weekday mornings: bagel with cream cheese, half a can of Dr. Pepper, Concerta

Weekdays at school: water, sometimes Chewy granola bar or Ritz cheese sandwich crackers, no lunch

Weekday evenings: dinner around 6:00, 7:00, or whenever I stop feeling nauseous



Weekend days: nothing all day until I wake up around 3 or 4, then usually a snack

Weekend nights: minimal dinner, snacks all night



Dinners: Subway, pizza, chicken, ribs, pork chops, fish sticks, french fries, rice, broccoli, carrots, strawberries, grapes

Snacks: Jell-O, ice cream, chips, pastries, cookie dough, anything I can find to eat

Drinks: Sprite, Dr. Pepper, root beer, grape soda, orange soda





This morning, I had a typical weekday morning breakfast around 11 o’clock. I haven’t eaten anything since then. I didn’t go to school today or yesterday because I overslept.



Do you see the cycle here? I don’t eat all day because I’m not hungry, come home and eat crap because I’m starving, and then stay up all night because of the energy the food gives me. Then the next day, if I’m up for school, I’m exhausted. On Saturdays, I sleep all day, eat when I wake up, and then I’m up all night.

I feel like I would do better in school and not be so sick all the time if I could work out what I should eat..

Right now, I feel sick, like I have a fever, and very tired and disoriented. I’m waiting for my dad to bring home Subway cuz there’s nothing else here to eat.



I really need help with this. I’ve tried to work it out on my own and it’s just a very overwhelming, confusing process.

All of these websites say that these diets will eliminate the need for a medication, and therefore seem really extreme. I turn 15 at the end of this week and of the basic things I do know about what I should be eating, I know that I can’t afford to cut out dairy products for two weeks.

My parents are in the middle of a horrible divorce right now, and they get really frustrated when I bug them about it. It’s easier for my dad to just make simple stuff. My doctor just tells my dad to feed me healthier stuff any time I ask her.



I’m hard to feed anyway -- very picky eater. I don’t like milk, spaghetti, mushrooms, Kraft (or generally orange) mac n’ cheese, cantaloupe, eggs, certain types of cheese…those are the things I can think of that I hate the most.

The Concerta messes with my appetite. When I was on 54mg of Concerta, some days, if I even smelled food cooking in the microwave at lunch, my gag reflex would come up. I’d feel queasy for the rest of the day and could barely drink water.

That still happens at times, although not as badly, and I can make myself eat a Chewy granola bar or a couple of cheese crackers. I try to drink water as often as possible, but usually only end up drinking a quarter of a bottle each day.



Are there any tips someone has for me? Things I should be eating for breakfast and dinner, that I can eat for lunch? When I should eat? Examples of things like “carbohydrates” and “protein”?

Also, even if I feel nauseous on Concerta, can I actually puke if I make myself eat lunch? Or does my body just feel like it will?

Thanks so much for any help.Diet concerns and help for youth on ADHD medication?
The Concerta messes with my appetite.



I think that you said a mouth full right there. (No pun intended) Since your'e taking a medication that mess with your appetite you should try to eat a little healthier. try to get away from all that soda. It has no nutritional value and is loaded with sugar-definitively drink more water. I'm no nutritionist but you need to start eating better and try to eat on a set scheduled.Diet concerns and help for youth on ADHD medication?
Can't you return to your doc and try a different med for ADHD? There are other meds for ADHD that may react better with your metabolism. You are probably growing too and that will mess up your appetite. This is a discussion for you and your doctor. Forget your parent's problem! They're adults and they need to do something for you. This can't be very pleasant for you.