Directions
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take this medicine with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. 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. Do not crush, chew, break, or open an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.
The chewable tablet form of methylphenidate must be chewed before you swallow it.
You may open the extended-release capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of applesauce to make swallowing easier. Swallow this mixture right away without chewing. Do not save the mixture for later use. Discard the empty capsule.
To prevent sleep problems, take this medication early in the day, no later than 6:00 pm.
Store Ritalin at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Ritalin may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for. Keep track of how many pills have been used from each new bottle you receive. Ritalin is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription.
Side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop taking Ritalin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats; feeling light-headed, fainting; increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure); fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; aggression, restlessness, hallucinations, unusual behavior, or motor tics (muscle twitches); or easy bruising, purple spots on your skin.
Continue taking Ritalin and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
vision problems; mild skin rash; dizziness; nervous feeling, sleep problems (insomnia); nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite; or weight loss.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
Precautions
Ritalin can cause side effects that may impair your vision or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Drug interactions
Before taking Ritalin, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
blood pressure medications; a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin); clonidine (Catapres); seizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal), primidone (Mysoline); or antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), amoxapine (Ascendin), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan),fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline (Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), or trimipramine (Surmontil).
If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Ritalin, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
There may be other drugs not listed that can affect Ritalin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Overdose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Missed dosage
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
Storage
Store Ritalin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
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