Methylphenidate

Methylphenidate

Generic Name: methylphenidate (oral) (METH il FEN i date)

Brand Names: Concerta, Metadate, Methylin, Ritalin

What is methylphenidate?

Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant. It affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

Methylphenidate is used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is also used to treat uncontrollable periods of daytime sleep (narcolepsy).

Methylphenidate may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about methylphenidate

Do not use methylphenidate if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you use methylphenidate before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to methylphenidate or if you have glaucoma, overactive thyroid, severe high blood pressure, tics or Tourette's syndrome, angina, heart failure, heart rhythm disorder, recent heart attack, a hereditary condition such as fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, or sucrase-isomaltase deficiency, or severe anxiety, tension, or agitation.

Methylphenidate may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Never share methylphenidate with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it.

Before taking methylphenidate

Do not take methylphenidate if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you use methylphenidate before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to methylphenidate or if you have:

glaucoma;

overactive thyroid;

severe high blood pressure;

angina (chest pain), heart failure, heart rhythm disorder, or recent heart attack;

a personal or family history of tics (muscle twitches) or Tourette's syndrome;

severe anxiety, tension, or agitation (methylphenidate can make these symptoms worse); or

a hereditary condition such as fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency.

Some stimulants have caused sudden death in children and adolescents with serious heart problems or congenital heart defects. Tell your doctor if you have a congenital heart defect.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests:

a congenital heart defect;

a personal or family history of mental illness, psychotic disorder, bipolar illness, depression, or suicide attempt;

epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or

a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether methylphenidate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether methylphenidate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use methylphenidate without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Methylphenidate pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

Long-term use of methylphenidate can slow a child's growth. Tell your doctor if the child using this medication is not growing or gaining weight properly.

Do not give methylphenidate to a child younger than 6 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take methylphenidate?

Take methylphenidate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take this medication at least 30 minutes before a meal. The extended-release forms of methylphenidate (Ritalin-SR, Metadate ER, Metadate CD, Methylin ER, Concerta) can be taken with or without food.

The chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.

Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release methylphenidate tablet. Swallow it whole. Breaking the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

You may open the extended-release capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of pudding or applesauce to make swallowing easier. Swallow right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.

Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

To prevent sleep problems, take this medication early in the day, no later than 6:00 pm.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using methylphenidate. You may need to stop using the medicine the day of your surgery.

Store methylphenidate at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep track of the amount of medicine used from each new bottle. Methylphenidate is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

See also: Methylphenidate dosage (in more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is later than 6:00 p.m. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of methylphenidate can be fatal.

Overdose can cause vomiting, agitation, tremors, muscle twitching, seizure (convulsions), confusion, hallucinations, sweating, fast or pounding heartbeat, blurred vision, dry mouth and nose, and fainting.

What should I avoid while taking methylphenidate?

Methylphenidate may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Methylphenidate side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to methylphenidate: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop taking methylphenidate and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats;

feeling like you might pass out;

fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

aggression, restlessness, hallucinations, unusual behavior, or motor tics (muscle twitches);

easy bruising, purple spots on your skin; or

dangerously high blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, uneven heartbeats, seizure).

Less serious methylphenidate side effects may include:

stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;

vision problems, dizziness, mild headache;

sweating, mild skin rash;

numbness, tingling, or cold feeling in your hands or feet;

nervous feeling, sleep problems (insomnia); or

weight loss.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Methylphenidate side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect methylphenidate?

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

clonidine (Catapres);

dobutamine (Dobutrex), epinephrine (EpiPen), or isoproterenol (Isuprel);

cold/allergy medicine that contains phenylephrine (a decongestant);

potassium citrate (Urocit-K, Twin-K), sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer), citric acid and potassium citrate (Cytra-K, Poly-Citra), or sodium citrate and citric acid (Bicitra, Oracit);

medications to treat high or low blood pressure;

stimulant medications or diet pills;

seizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal), primidone (Mysoline); or

an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Vanatrip), citalopram (Celexa), doxepin (Sinequan), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), nortriptyline (Pamelor) paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and others.

This list is not complete and other drugs may interact with methylphenidate. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More Methylphenidate resources

Methylphenidate Side Effects (in More Detail)

Methylphenidate Dosage

Methylphenidate Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Drug Images

Methylphenidate Drug Interactions

Methylphenidate Support Group

180 Reviews for Methylphenidate - Add your own review/rating

Methylphenidate MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

methylphenidate Oral, Transdermal Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Concerta Extended-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Concerta Prescribing Information (FDA)

Daytrana Prescribing Information (FDA)

Daytrana System MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Metadate CD Controlled-Release Capsules MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Metadate CD Prescribing Information (FDA)

Metadate ER Prescribing Information (FDA)

Methylin Prescribing Information (FDA)

Methylin ER Controlled-Release Tablets MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Methylphenidate Hydrochloride Monograph (AHFS DI)

Ritalin Prescribing Information (FDA)

Ritalin LA Prescribing Information (FDA)

Ritalin LA Extended-Release Capsules MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Methylphenidate with other medications

ADHD

Depression

Narcolepsy

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about methylphenidate.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.