Lawsuit > Personal Injury Lawsuits > ADHD Drugs > Concerta & Metadate
ADHD Drugs include Adderall, Concerta, Cylert, Metadate, Methylin, Ritalin and Strattera
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ZyprexaADHD DRUGS: CONCERTA & METADATE - Methylphenidate (meth-il-FEN-i-date)
Concerta was specifically developed to replace three times a day immediate release (IR) methylphenidate (MPH). Concerta and Metadate, along with Ritalin are brand names for the drug methylphenidate. They belong to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) stimulants. It is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy (uncontrollable desire for sleep or sudden attacks of deep sleep), and other conditions as determined by the doctor.
Methylphenidate works in the treatment of ADHD by increasing attention and decreasing restlessness in children and adults who are overactive, cannot concentrate for very long or are easily distracted, and are impulsive. This medicine is used as part of a total treatment program that also includes social, educational, and psychological treatment.
Have you or a family member suffered liver damage from taking Concerta/Metadate for ADHD? Has your child demonstrated Concerta/Metadate suicidal tendencies? You may have a Concerta/Metadate lawsuit. Choose your state below to find a Concerta/Metadate lawyer to help you.
Side Effects of Concerta/Metadane/Ritalin
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
More commonLess commonFast heartbeat
increased blood pressure
RareChest pain
Fever
Joint pain
Skin rash or hives
Uncontrolled movements of the body
Incidence UnknownBlack, tarry stools
Blood in urine or stools
Blurred vision or other changes in vision
Convulsions (seizures)
Muscle cramps
Pinpoint red spots on skin
Uncontrolled vocal outbursts and/or tics (uncontrolled and repeated body movements)
Unusual bleeding or bruising
With long-term use or at high dosesAbnormal liver function
Black, tarry stools
Confusion
Cracks in the skin
Hives or welts
Loss of heat from the body
Numbness of hands
Painful or difficult urination
Pale skin
Red, irritated eyes
Red, swollen, scaly skin
Severe or sudden headache
Shortness of breath
Sore throat
Sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth
Sudden loss of coordination
Sudden slurring of speech
Swollen glands
Troubled breathing with exertion
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Symptoms of overdoseChanges in mood
Confusion
Delusions (false beliefs)
Depersonalization (feeling that self or surroundings are not real)
Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
Weight loss
Agitation
Confusion (severe)
Convulsions (seizures)
Dryness of mouth or mucous membranes
False sense of well-being
Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
Fever
Flushing
Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
Headache (severe)
Increased blood pressure
Increased sweating
Large pupils
Muscle twitching
Overactive reflexes
Sweating
Trembling or shaking
Vomiting
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
More commonLess commonLoss of appetite
Nervousness
Trouble in sleeping
Anger, Dizziness, Drowsiness, Fear, Headache , Irritability, Nausea, Nervousness, Scalp hair loss, Sleeplessness, Stomach pain, Talking, feeling, and acting with excitement, Trouble sleeping, unable to sleep
After you stop using this medicine, your body may need time to adjust. The length of time this takes depends on the amount of medicine you were using and how long you used it. During this period of time check with your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects:
Mental depression (severe)
Unusual behavior
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
Precautions While Using This Medicine
Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits and make sure that this medicine does not cause unwanted effects, such as high blood pressure.
Methylphenidate may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or changes in vision. Do not drive a car, ride a bicycle, operate machinery, or do other things that might be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
If you take this medicine in large doses and/or for a long time, do not stop taking it without first checking with your doctor . Your doctor may want you to reduce gradually the amount you are taking before you stop completely. This is to help reduce unwanted effects.
If you think you may have become mentally or physically dependent on this medicine, check with your doctor. Some signs of dependence on methylphenidate are:
- A strong desire or need to continue taking the medicine.
- A need to increase the dose to receive the effects of the medicine.
- Withdrawal
side effects (for example, mental depression, unusual behavior, or
unusual tiredness or weakness) occurring after the medicine is stopped.
Before Using Concerta/Metadate/Ritalin Medicine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For methylphenidate, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to methylphenidate. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in humans. However, it has been found to cause birth defects and other problems in animals at doses many times the human dose.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether methylphenidate passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with the doctor.
Children - Loss of appetite, trouble in sleeping, stomach pain, fast heartbeat, and weight loss may be especially likely to occur in children, who are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of methylphenidate. Some children who used medicines like methylphenidate for a long time grew more slowly than expected. It is not known whether long-term use of methylphenidate causes slowed growth. The doctor should regularly measure the height and weight of children who are taking methylphenidate. Some doctors recommend stopping treatment with methylphenidate during times when the child is not under stress, such as on weekends.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of methylphenidate in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking methylphenidate, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:
Amantadine (e.g., Symmetrel)AmphetaminesAppetite suppressants (diet pills)Bupropion (e.g., Wellbutrin, Zyban)Caffeine (e.g., NoDoz)Chlophedianol (e.g., Ulone)Clonidine (e.g., Catapres)CocaineMedicine for asthma or other breathing problemsMedicine for colds, sinus problems, hay fever or other allergies (including nose drops or sprays)Nabilone (e.g., Cesamet)Pemoline (e.g., Cylert) Using these medicines with methylphenidate may cause severe nervousness, irritability, trouble in sleeping, or possibly irregular heartbeat or seizuresGuanethidine (e.g., Ismelin) Methylphenidate may reduce the effects of this medicineMonoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Taking methylphenidate while you are taking or less than 2 weeks after taking an MAO inhibitor may cause sudden extremely high blood pressure and severe convulsions; at least 14 days should be allowed between stopping treatment with an MAO inhibitor and starting treatment with methylphenidatePimozide (e.g., Orap)- Pimozide is not used to treat tics that are caused by medicines. Before tics are treated with pimozide, the doctor should find out if the tics are caused by methylphenidate
- Alcohol abuse (or history of)- Drug abuse or dependence (or history of): Dependence on methylphenidate may be more likely to develop- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders: The risk of having convulsions (seizures) may be increased- Gilles de la Tourette's disorder (or family history of)- Glaucoma- Heart failure- High blood pressure- Psychosis- Severe anxiety, agitation, tension, or depression- Thyroid (overactive)- Tics (other than Tourette's disorder): Methylphenidate may make the condition worse
Proper Use of This Medicine
Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. If too much is taken, it may become habit-forming.
This medicine may be taken with or without food, depending on which brand is used
To help prevent trouble in sleeping, take the last dose of the short-acting tablets before 6 p.m., unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
If you think this medicine is not working properly after you have taken it for several weeks, do not increase the dose. Instead, check with your doctor.
If you are taking the long-acting form of this medicine:
