- Take Ritalin exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.
- Ritalin is usually taken 2 to 3 times a day.
- Take Ritalin 30 to 45 minutes before a meal.
- From time to time, your doctor may stop Ritalin treatment for a while to check ADHD symptoms.
- Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart, and blood pressure while taking Ritalin. Children should have their height and weight checked often while taking Ritalin. Ritalin treatment may be stopped if a problem is found during these check-ups.
Active Ingredient: methylphenidate HCL
Inactive Ingredients: D&C Yellow No.10 (5-mg and 20-mg tablets), FD&C Green No.3 (10-mg tablets), lactose, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, starch (5-mg and 10-mg tablets), sucrose, talc, and tragacanth (20-mg tablets).
The following have been reported with use of Ritalin and other stimulant medicines.
1. Heart-related problems:
- sudden deathin patients who have heart problems or heart defects
- stroke and heart attack in adults
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
Tell your doctor if you or your child have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems.
Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting Ritalin.
Your doctor should check your or your child’s blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment with Ritalin.
Call your doctor right away if you or your child has any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Ritalin.
2. Mental (psychiatric) problems:
All Patients
- new or worse behavior and thought problems
- new or worse bipolar illness
- new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility
Children and Teenagers
- new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, believing things that are not true, are suspicious) or new manic symptoms
Tell your doctor about any mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression.
Call your doctor right away if you or your child have any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems while taking Ritalin, especially seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not real, or are suspicious.
Ritalin should not be taken if you or your child:
- are very anxious, tense, or agitated
- have an eye problem called glaucoma
- have tics or Tourette’s syndrome, or a family history of Tourette’s syndrome. Tics are hard to control repeated movements or sounds.
- are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI.
- are allergic to anything in Ritalin.
Ritalin should not be used in children less than 6 years old because it has not been studied in this age group.
Ritalin is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Ritalin in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Ritalin may harm others, and is against the law.
Tell your doctor if you or your child have (or have a family history of) ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines or street drugs.
Drug Dependence
Ritalin should be given cautiously to patients with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism. Chronic abusive use can lead to marked tolerance and psychological dependence with varying degrees of abnormal behavior. Frank psychotic episodes can occur, especially with parenteral abuse. Careful supervision is required during withdrawal from abusive use, since severe depression may occur. Withdrawal following chronic therapeutic use may unmask symptoms of the underlying disorder that may require follow-up.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Ritalin and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Ritalin.
Your doctor will decide whether Ritalin can be taken with other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor if you or your child takes:
- anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
- seizure medicines
- blood thinner medicines
- blood pressure medicines
- cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants
Know the medicines that you or your child takes. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.
Do not start any new medicine while taking Ritalin without talking to your doctor first.
Ritalin (generic: methylphenidate) is a prescription medication used to treat Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin is also used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy. Ritalin belongs to a group of drugs called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, which help people with narcolepsy to stay awake. It works for ADHD by changing the amount of natural substances in the brain to decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity.
This medication comes in tablet form. It is usually taken 2 to 3 times a day 30 to 45 minutes before a meal.
Common side effects of Ritalin are headache, decreased appetite, and stomach ache.
Ritalin is a prescription medication used for the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin is also used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
If you or your child takes too much Ritalin or overdoses, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Ritalin is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.
Before starting Ritalin tell your or your child’s doctor about all health conditions (or a family history of) including:
- heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure
- mental problems including psychosis, mania, bipolar illness, or depression
- tics or Tourette’s syndrome
- seizures or have had an abnormal brain wave test (EEG)
Tell your doctor if you or your child is pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
- Store Ritalin in a safe place at room temperature, 59° to 86°F (15° to 30°C). Protect from light.
- Keep Ritalin and all medicines out of the reach of children.
See “Drug Precautions” for information on reported heart and mental problems.
Other serious side effects include:
- slowing of growth (height and weight) in children
- seizures, mainly in patients with a history of seizures
- eyesight changes or blurred vision
Common side effects include:
- headache
- decreased appetite
- stomach ache
- nervousness
- trouble sleeping
- nausea
Talk to your doctor if you or your child has side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Ritalin will harm your unborn baby.