What is Methylphenidate?
Methylphenidate can be used as a stimulant to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). This medication guide does not list all possible uses of methylphenidate.
Side effects of Methylphenidate
If you experience difficulty breathing, hives, lip, face, throat or tongue swelling - or have any of the following signs and symptoms of allergies - seek medical help immediately.
Methylphenidate may cause serious side effects. If you experience:
- Redness, swelling, or blistering of the skin where the patch has been worn
- Blurred vision
- A seizure;
- Signs of heart disease include chest pain, difficulty breathing, and feeling as if you could pass out.
- Psychosis symptoms include hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't real), new behavior problems, aggression, hostility and paranoia;
- Signs of circulatory problems include numbness or pain in the fingers and toes. Unexplained injuries or changes in skin color (blue, pale, or red) may also be present.
- Penis erections that are painful or last 4 hours or more
If you experience symptoms such as hallucinations or agitation, a rapid heartbeat, muscle stiffness, or twitching. The growth of children can be affected by methylphenidate. It may be necessary to check your child's weight and height frequently. If your child's growth isn't normal, tell your doctor.
Some of the common side effects associated with methylphenidate include the following:
- Dizziness, mood swings;
- Tics;
- Weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.
- Sleep problems (insomnia);
- Skin redness, bumps, or itching at the site of a worn patch.
There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. Notify adverse side effects by calling the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Warnings
Stimulants can cause strokes, heart attacks, and sudden deaths in those with heart problems, high blood pressure, or heart defects. It is possible that methylphenidate can cause psychosis, especially in people with a mental health history such as bipolar disorder or depression. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: Signs of heart problems include chest pain, lightheadedness, or feeling short of breath. Signs of psychosis include paranoia, aggressive behavior, or seeing or hearing something that is not real. Methylphenidate can be addictive.Inform your doctor of any history you may have of drug or alcohol abuse.Store the medicine in a place where other people cannot reach it.
Before you take this drug
If you suffer from:
- Glaucoma;
- Tics (muscle twitches);
- A personal or familial history of tourette syndrome
- Severe anxiety, tension, or agitation
- If you've ever experienced a reaction on your skin to a patch containing methylphenidate,
Certain stimulants can cause strokes, heart attacks, or sudden deaths in some people. Inform your doctor about:
- Heart problems or a congenital heart defect;
- High blood pressure
- As noted previously, cardiac disease or sudden deaths run in families.
If you've taken an mao inhibitor in the last 14 days, do not take methylphenidate. A dangerous drug-drug interaction may occur. The mao inhibitors are isocarboxazid (linezolid), phenelzine (phenelzine injection), rasagiline, and selegiline.inform your doctor of any other medications you are taking, such as opioids, herbs or medicines for mental illnesses, parkinson’s disease, or migraine headaches. A serious serotonin-related condition can be caused by a methylphenidate interaction.
If you've ever:
- Skin disorders, such as eczema or psoriasis, cause skin sensitization to cosmetics, soaps, and lotions.
- Vitiligo is a loss of coloration in small patches on the skin.
- Depression, mental illness (bipolar disorder), psychosis, or thoughts of suicide are all examples.
- Blood circulation issues in the hands and feet
- A seizure;
- An abnormal brain wave test (eeg)
- Addiction to alcohol or drugs
If you become dependent on the medicine while pregnant, it can lead to premature births or low-weight babies. Inform your doctor whether you plan to get pregnant or are already pregnant. Your name could be added to a registry if you're pregnant in order to monitor the effects of the methylphenidate drug on your baby. Your doctor can advise whether it is safe and feasible for you to breastfeed while taking this medication. Inform them if the child experiences sleep issues, agitation or feeding difficulties or has reduced weight gain as soon as breastfeeding begins. No one under the age of 6 is allowed to use this product.
How to take Methylphenidate?
Read all the instructions or guides that come with your medication and follow the directions. Sometimes, your doctor will change the dose. Your medication should be taken according to its prescribed schedule. It is possible that methylphenidate can become habit-forming. Abuse may lead to addiction, death, or overdose. Store the medicine in an area where other people cannot reach it. It is illegal to sell or give away the medicine. The patch should be applied to an area of your hip that is clean, dry, and free from debris. It may take up to 2 hours for the effects of the medicine to be felt. After applying the skin patch, wash your hands. Removing the patch nine hours after application is recommended. Fold the patch in half and peel it off gently. The folded patch can be flushed down the toilet or placed into a trash can with a cover. Each new patch should be applied to the hip on the other side. Wear only one patch. Do not cut skin patches. Replace a fallen patch with a fresh one. Wear a patch for no more than nine hours per day. This includes a replacement patch. Ask your doctor to remove the patch sooner in the day if it is causing you problems with sleep or appetite.
The children who use this medication should not remove the patch from their skin and put it on another person. There may be serious side effects. Transdermal methylphenidate can lighten your skin over time in the areas where you wear patches. The effect could be permanent. If you notice new, lighter areas under or around the skin patch or on any other part of your skin, tell your doctor. Regularly, your doctor should check on you. You may need to have your height, weight, and blood pressure checked frequently. Keep it at room temperature. Store at room temperature. Each patch should be kept in the sealed pouch it came with until you're ready to use it. If it's been over 2 months since the package was opened, throw away any unused patches. Store your medication in an area where it cannot be misused. Fold and flush all unused patches when you stop using the methylphenidate transdermal.
What happens if I miss the dose?
Do not leave the patch on for more than nine hours. If you have applied a patch earlier than normal, it may be necessary to reduce the wear time. Wearing two patches simultaneously is not recommended.
What happens if I overdose?
Call the Poison Help Line at 1-800-222-1222 or seek emergency medical care. Removing the patch immediately and cleaning the affected area of skin with soap and warm water is recommended. A methylphenidate overdose can lead to death.The symptoms of an overdose include confusion, anxiety, hallucinations, and an abnormal heartbeat.
What should be avoided?
Avoid exposing the patch to heat when wearing it. Heat from an electric blanket or heated waterbed, a hairdryer, a heating pad, and a heat-producing device such as a heater are all that's needed. The heat can make the patch release too much medication at once.Use no lotion or cream on the skin to which you plan to apply your patch. Avoid applying a patch to skin where it will be rubbed against by clothing or waistbands.Do not drive or engage in hazardous activities until you have a better understanding of how you will be affected by methylphenidate. You may be unable to react properly.
Interaction with other drug
Inform your doctor of all other medications, including:
- Antidepressants are a type of medication.
- Blood pressure medications
- A blood thinner, such as warfarin.
- A cold or allergy medication that contains decongestants such as pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine
- Seizure medicine.
The list below is not exhaustive. Including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, vitamin, and other products, methylphenidate may be affected by drugs. This list does not include all possible interactions with drugs.
