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Pediatric Medicine
Question #20694
276 days ago
608

Hi, I need advice about my eating and related symptoms.

Elizabeth H.

I’m 15 and I take Concerta 18mg for ADHD. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been eating very irregularly—sometimes only one meal a day, sometimes mostly snacks. Because of this, I’m experiencing: Persistent headaches, especially across my forehead Nausea or stomach discomfort that makes eating feel difficult Low energy Feeling physically tired when I try to eat Yesterday I had one larger meal (chicken parmesan, fried chicken, cornbread) but otherwise I’ve barely eaten in a few weeks. Today I’m struggling to eat at all because my stomach feels like it might reject food, but I’m also very hungry and have a headache. I need guidance on: - How to safely start eating again without making my stomach worse - How to stabilize my nutrition while on these meds - Whether my symptoms are urgent enough to need in-person care I take my meds regularly and have no other major health conditions, but I’m very concerned about how my eating and symptoms have been affecting me. Thank you for your advice.

Age: 15
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Doctors' responses

Hello,

Symptoms likely related to under-nutrition:

Persistent forehead headaches Nausea and stomach discomfort, especially when trying to eat Low energy and physical fatigue Feeling that the stomach may “reject” food despite hunger

Contributing factor: Concerta commonly suppresses appetite, especially earlier in the day

Most likely explanation: Low calorie intake, low blood sugar, dehydration, and stomach sensitivity from irregular eating

Restart eating gradually with small, easy-to-digest foods 🛑🛑Improve hydration and regular meal timing Plan nutrition around medication effects

🛑Do NOT force big meals right now.

Medical review needed only if:

Inability to eat or drink persists Vomiting, fainting, severe weakness, or worsening headaches occur Weight loss or symptoms continue despite improved intake

Thank you

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Hello dear I suggest you to please consult dietician for further evaluation of diet Ican suggest below precautions for improvement Do regular exercise atleast half an hour daily Avoid junk food and synthetic supplements Do meditation Avoid overthinking Hopefully improvement will occur Regards

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Decreased appetite is a known side effect of Concerta, which can contribute to an irregular eating pattern and the symptoms you’re experiencing. Since you’re dealing with headaches, nausea, and low energy, these could indeed be related to both inadequate nutrition and dehydration. Your first step should be to gradually ease back into a regular eating schedule. Start with small, easily digestible meals that won’t overwhelm your stomach. Think about bland options like plain rice, applesauce, toast, or crackers. Keep hydrated by sipping water throughout the day, but avoid having large amounts at once, which might upset your stomach further. Integrating small amounts of water-rich foods like watermelon or cucumber into your diet can help too.

To stabilize your nutrition on these meds, aim to have a regular eating routine with balanced meals that include proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. This could mean planning and spacing out meals and snacks every 3-4 hours, even setting reminders if you need to. Foods like oatmeal with almonds or yogurt with fruit can offer sustained energy.

Given that your symptoms have persisted over a few weeks and include headaches and persistent low energy, it would be a good idea to consult a healthcare provider. They can assess if there’s a need for a medication review or any other interventions. It’s not clear that this is an emergency based on your description, but an in-person consultation would be prudent to eliminate other potential causes of your symptoms and adjust your treatment plan based on a full clinical picture.

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