Does stimulant medication have any side effects?
Side effects are quite common, but are usually minor and often disappear when the dose is adjusted. Higher doses usually produce more side effects. The most common side effects include decreased appetite, insomnia, increased anxiety, increased irritability, stomach ache, and headache. Weight loss and slowing of growth in height may occur in children on stimulant medication so growth rates should be monitored. As a dose of stimulant medication wears off, ADHD symptoms return and sometimes these symptoms can be more intense than prior to taking the dose. This ‘rebound’ effect and its impact may be lessened by modifying the dose and adjusting the time at which a dose is taken. Tics (spasmodic twitching of certain muscles, usually of the face or neck) may be exacerbated by treatment, or may appear during treatment in some cases. Some people will discontinue taking stimulants because of side effects.
