All forms:
• This medicine may be habit-forming . Overuse can also reduce efficacy and result in severe withdrawal symptoms such as depression. Thus, it’s important to only use it as prescribed by a physician. Contrary to popular belief, however, methylphenidate does not increase an individual’s risk of substance abuse. Indeed, individuals with untreated ADHD are more likely to develop substance abuse issues than their untreated peers. Methylphenidate has also been linked to sudden death in children, teenagers and adults, particularly those individuals with pre-existing issues. The medication has also been linked to heart attack and stroke in adults. Finally, some studies have suggested that methylphenidate may slow the growth rate or weight gain in children. However, the studies are far from conclusive and some evidence suggests that children with ADHD may be shorter than their non-ADHD counterparts with or without medication.
As with all stimulant medication, the most common side effects of methylphenidate are decreased appetite, sleeplessness and/or irritability. However, methylphenidate can also cause a number of other side effects including the following:
Serious side effects include the following:
with long-term use.
• If you have been taking this medicine for several weeks, talk with healthcare provider before stopping. You may want to gradually withdraw this medicine.
• You may have certain heart tests before starting this medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have high blood pressure, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have mental illness, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have PKU, talk with healthcare provider. Some products do contain phenylalanine.
• If you have seizures, talk with healthcare provider.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• If you are taking this medicine and have high blood pressure, talk with healthcare provider before using over-the-counter products that may increase blood pressure. These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like products, and certain natural products or supplements.
• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor).
• Limit caffeine (for example, tea, coffee, cola) and chocolate intake. Use with this medicine may cause nervousness, shakiness, and fast heartbeat.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.
Skin patch:
• Avoid use of heat sources (such as sunlamps, tanning beds, heating pads, electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, heated waterbeds). Avoid long, hot baths or sunbathing. Your temperature may rise and cause too much medicine to be released at once.
• Feeling dizzy. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing.
• High blood pressure.
• Emotional ups and downs.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Weight loss.
• Extra muscle activity.
• Nervous and excitable.
• Not hungry.
• Inability to sleep.
• Tablet shell of Concerta™ in the stool.
• Skin irritation.
• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Severe behavioral problems.
• Signs or symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, abnormal thinking, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
• Chest pain or pressure, fast heartbeat, or passing out.
• Very nervous and excitable.
• Severe skin irritation.
• Severe headache.
• Severe nausea or vomiting.
• Sudden change in vision.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
Methylphenidate is a psychostimulant drug that increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The drug is approved for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and narcolepsy.
(meth il FEN i date)
Concerta®; Daytrana™; Metadate CD®; Metadate® ER; Methylin®; Methylin® ER; Ritalin LA®; Ritalin-SR®; Ritalin®
Apo-Methylphenidate®; Apo-Methylphenidate® SR; Biphentin®; Concerta®; Novo-Methylphenidate ER-C; PHL-Methylphenidate; PMS-Methylphenidate; ratio-Methylphenidate; Ritalin®; Ritalin® SR; Sandoz-Methylphenidate SR
• This medicine may be habit-forming; avoid long-term use. Tell healthcare provider if you have a history of drug or alcohol abuse. May cause serious heart-related side effects. Tell healthcare provider if you have any heart disease.
• This medicine does not mix well with many medicines. Serious reactions may occur. Check all medicines with healthcare provider.
• Please read the medication guide.
• If you have an allergy to methylphenidate or any other part of this medicine.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• If you have any of the following conditions: Drug abuse, fast heartbeat, glaucoma, heart disease, nervous condition, structural abnormalities of the heart, tics, or Tourette's syndrome.
• If you have small bowel disease, short gut syndrome, peritonitis, cystic fibrosis, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, or Meckel's diverticulum, talk with healthcare provider. You should not take Concerta®.
• If you have chest pain, overactive thyroid gland, recent heart attack, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or weakened heart, talk with healthcare provider. You should not take Metadate®.
• If you have taken isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine in the last 14 days. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (eg, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine) must be stopped 14 days before this medicine is started. Taking the two together could cause dangerously high blood pressure.
• Methylphenidate stimulates the brain in adults to increase alertness.
• It has a stabilizing effect in attention deficit disorder.
• It increases chemicals in the brain.
• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Check blood pressure and heart rate regularly. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Follow up with healthcare provider.
Created: 2006-10-13 14:12:21.0
Modified: 2010-03-25 12:07:29.0
Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.
• This medicine is used to treat attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity. It may take 3 weeks to see the full effect.
• This medicine is used to treat depression.
• This medicine is used to treat narcolepsy.
Oral:
• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• Take tablet early in the day to avoid sleep problems. Take at least 6 hours before bedtime.
• Take tablet and long-acting products 30-45 minutes before meals.
• Long-acting products: Swallow whole. Do not chew, break, or crush.
• Take Concerta® once daily in the morning. Take with or without food. Take with water, milk, or juice.
• Take Ritalin® LA with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach.
• Metadate® CD and Ritalin® LA: You may sprinkle contents of capsule on soft food or liquid. Do not chew.
• Methylin® chewable tablet: Take with a glass of water or other liquid.
• Metadate® CD: Take before breakfast.
• Metadate® ER: Take before breakfast and lunch.
Skin patch:
• Follow directions given by healthcare provider or read the package insert.
• Do not use patches that are damaged or cut.
• Wash hands before and after use.
• You can bathe, shower, or swim after applying.
• Apply patch to clean, dry, healthy skin on the hip area. Do not apply patch to the waistline.
• Apply patch in the morning and remove 9 hours later or as directed by healthcare provider.
• Move patch site with each patch.
• If the patch falls off, replace with a new one to a different area on the same hip.
• Use a missed dose as soon as possible. Do not take this medicine after 6 PM.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.
• Do not use a double dose or extra doses.
• Do not change dose or stop medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Store at room temperature.
• Protect from light.
• Protect capsules and tablets from moisture. Do not store in a bathroom or kitchen.
• Keep patches in protective pouch. Use within 2 months of opening tray.
• After you remove a skin patch, be sure to fold the sticky sides of the patch together.
• Throw away unused patches when they are no longer needed by flushing down toilet or sink. Remove them from pouch, remove liner, and fold in half.
• If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or in Canada to Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program at 1-866-234-2345.
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.
