Ritalin is a mild central nervous system stimulant. It affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. Ritalin is used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and narcolepsy (an uncontrollable desire to sleep). When given for attention deficit disorder, Ritalin should be an integral part of a total treatment program that includes psychological, educational, and social measures.
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Take Ritalin 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 Ritalin at least 30 minutes before a meal. The extended-release forms of methylphenidate (Ritalin-SR) can be taken with or without food. The chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.
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 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 Ritalin 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. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
Do not use Ritalin if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you use Ritalin before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Do not use Ritalin 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. Ritalin may be habit-forming and should be used only by the person it was prescribed for.
Ritalin should never be shared with another person, especially someone who has a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a secure place where others cannot get to it. Ritalin can cause side effects that may impair your vision or reactions.