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What is Ritalin?
A person with ADHD feels like they are bombarded with stimuli and are unable to filter them and deal with them one by one. The responses to all of these impulses are impulsive and reflexive and beyond the patient's control. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls are. Girls are generally not as hyperactive or impulsive as boys, behaviors that can lead to intervention by teachers and parents.
Ritalin helps enable the patient to focus on one thing at a time. Instead of being overwhelmed by everything happening at once. The person is enabled to filter out the distractions and focus on whatever task they have undertaken.
How to Use Ritalin Oral:-
Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using methylphenidate and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
This medication is best taken 30 to 45 minutes before a meal or as directed by your doctor. If loss of appetite occurs or if you experience stomach upset, it may be taken with or after meals or snacks.
Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, take it at the same time(s) each day. It may take up to two weeks to notice an improvement while on this drug.
Use this medication exactly as prescribed. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Your doctor may instruct you to gradually increase or decrease your dose. Don’t increase your dose, use it more frequently or use it for a longer period of time than prescribed because this drug can be habit-forming. Also, if used for a long period of time, don’t suddenly stop using this without first consulting your doctor.
This medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms (such as severe depression and chronic over activity) may occur if you suddenly stop using this medication. To prevent withdrawal reactions, your doctor may reduce your dose gradually. Consult your doctor for more details, and report any withdrawal reactions immediately.
Though it is very unlikely to occur, this medication can also result in abnormal drug-seeking behavior (addiction/habit-forming). Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently or use it for a longer period of time than prescribed. Properly stop the medication when so directed. This will lessen the chances of becoming addicted.
When used for an extended period, this medication may not work as well and may require different dosing. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.
Inform your doctor if any of the condition persists or worsens.
RITALIN’s SIDE EFFECT:-
The short-term effects of Ritalin are increased attentiveness and energy, a feeling of wellbeing, faster heartbeat and breathing, high blood pressure, perspiration, dilated pupils and dry mouth. The user may be more talkative, restless and excited. They may feel powerful, superior, aggressive, and even hostile. They might exhibit odd, repetitive behavior. Large doses can produce flushing, tremors and hallucinations. Death can be caused due to burst blood vessels, heart failure and fever. Violence is a leading cause of amphetamine-related deaths. Long-term effects for chronic heavy users are malnutrition and amphetamine psychosis, a mental illness. Violent tendencies can develop after long regular use.
Ritalin is available in both short acting and sustained release doses. Short-acting Ritalin is available in 5 to 20 milligram tablets. In as little as 20 minutes it takes effect. This effect peaks in 45 minutes to an hour and is gone in 3 to 4 hours. Sustained-release Ritalin, (Ritalin-SR) works slower and more gradually. The drug starts working in about 90 minutes. It works for 6to 8 hours. Ritalin can produce psychological and physical dependence. Withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, long irregular sleep, excess hunger, irritability, depression and violence.
Ritalin works by reducing a dopamine transporter (DAT) chemical in the brain. DAT leaches the hormone dopamine from the central nervous system. In a normal brain, DAT reduces only excessive levels of dopamine; the feel-good hormone that regulates our decision-making ability and allows us to feel pleasure. However, in a patient with ADD, the levels of dopamine are so low that concentration is difficult and the patient may experience panic attacks, aggression and the inability to carry out simple tasks without becoming anxious.
WARNINGS –
Ritalin should not be used in children under six years, since safety and efficacy in this age group have not been established. Sufficient data on safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet available. Although a causal relationship has not been established, suppression of growth (i.e., weight gain, and/or height) has been reported with the long-term use of stimulants in children. Therefore, patients requiring long-term therapy should be carefully monitored.
RITALIN’S ADVERSE REACTIONS:
Nervousness and insomnia are the most common unfavorable reactions but are usually controlled by reducing dosage and omitting the drug in the afternoon or evening. Other reactions include hypersensitivity (including skin rash, fever, anorexia; nausea; dizziness; palpitations; headache; drowsiness; blood pressure and pulse changes, both up and down; tachycardia; angina; cardiac arrhythmia; abdominal pain; weight loss during prolonged therapy. There have been rare reports of Tourette’s syndromes.
DRUG DEPENDENCE:-
Ritalin should be given cautiously to emotionally unstable patients, such as those with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism, because such patients may increase dosage on their own initiative. Chronically abusive use can lead to marked tolerance and psychic dependence with varying degrees of abnormal behavior. Frank psychotic episodes can occur, especially with parental abuse. Careful supervision is required during drug withdrawal, since severe depressions as well as the effects of chronic over activity can be unmasked. Long-term follow-up may be required because of the patient's basic personality disturbances.
Why is this drug prescribed?
It is given for attention deficit disorder; this drug should be an essential part of a total treatment program that includes psychological, educational, and social measures. Symptoms of attention deficit disorder include continual problems with moderate to severe distractibility, short attention span, hyperactivity, emotional changeability, and impulsiveness.
MISSING RITALIN’S DOSE:-
Give it to the child as soon as you remember. Give the remaining doses for the day at regularly spaced intervals. Do not give 2 doses at once.
Why should this drug not be prescribed?
This drug should not be prescribed for anyone experiencing anxiety, tension, and agitation, since the drug may aggravate these symptoms.
Anyone sensitive or allergic to this drug should not take it.
This drug is not intended for use in children whose symptoms may be caused by stress or a psychiatric disorder.
This medication should not be used for the prevention or treatment of normal fatigue, nor should it be used for the treatment of severe depression.
Special warnings about this medication
Your doctor will do a complete history and evaluation before prescribing this drug. He or she will take into account the severity of the symptoms, as well as your child's age.
This drug should not be given to children under 6 years of age; safety and effectiveness in this age group have not been established.
There is no information regarding the safety and effectiveness of long-term treatment in children. However, suppression of growth has been seen with the long-term use of stimulants, so your doctor will watch your child carefully while he or she is taking this drug.
Possible food and drug interactions when taking this medication
If this medication is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either can be increased,
Decreased, or altered. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining this
Drug with the following:
Antiseizure drugs
Antidepressant drugs such
Blood thinners
RITALIN’S OVER DOSAGE:-
If you suspect an overdose, seek medical attention immediately.
* Symptoms of Ritalin overdose may include:
Agitation, confusion, convulsions (may be followed by coma), delirium, dryness of mucous membranes, enlarging of the pupil of the eye, exaggerated feeling of elation, extremely elevated body temperature, flushing, hallucinations, headache, high blood pressure, irregular or rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching, sweating, tremors, vomiting
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