 is a prescription medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Concerta belongs to a group of drugs called central nervous system stimulants, which helps increase attention, decrease impulsiveness, and decrease hyperactivity in patients with ADHD, by changing amounts of certain natural substances in the brain.This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once a day in the morning. It is swallowed whole with water, with or without food.Common side effects of Concerta include decreased appetite, dry mouth, and... "Pin It")
Concerta Overview
Concerta (generic: methylphenidate) is a prescription medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Concerta belongs to a group of drugs called central nervous system stimulants, which helps increase attention, decrease impulsiveness, and decrease hyperactivity in patients with ADHD, by changing amounts of certain natural substances in the brain.
This medication comes in tablet form and is taken once a day in the morning. It is swallowed whole with water, with or without food.
Common side effects of Concerta include decreased appetite, dry mouth, and difficulty sleeping.
Uses of Concerta
Concerta is a prescription medication used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Side Effects of Concerta
Serious side effects include:
- slowing of growth (height and weight) in children
- seizures, mainly in patients with a history of seizures
- eyesight changes or blurred vision
- blockage of the esophagus, stomach, small or large intestine in patients who already have a narrowing in any of these organs
Common side effects include:
- decreased appetite
- dry mouth
- trouble sleeping
- dizziness
- stomach ache
- increased sweating
- headache
- nausea
- anxiety
- weight loss
- irritability
- Stimulants may impair the ability of you or your child to operate potentially hazardous machinery or vehicles. You or your child should exercise caution until you/your child is reasonably certain that Concerta does not adversely affect your/your child's ability to engage in such activities.
Talk to your doctor if you or your child has side effects that are bothersome or do not go away.
Concerta Interactions
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Concerta and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Concerta.
Your doctor will decide whether Concerta can be taken with other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor if you or your child takes:
- anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
- seizure medicines
- blood thinner medicines
- blood pressure medicines
- cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants
- Know the medicines that you or your child takes. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.
Concerta Precautions
The following have been reported with use of methylphenidate HCl and other stimulant medicines:
1. Heart-related problems:
- sudden death in patients who have heart problems or heart defects
- stroke and heart attack in adults
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
- Tell your doctor if you or your child have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems.
- Your doctor should check you or your child carefully for heart problems before starting Concerta.
- Your doctor should check you or your child's blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment with Concerta.
- Call your doctor right away if you or your child has any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Concerta.
2. Mental (Psychiatric) problems:
- All Patients
- new or worse behavior and thought problems
- new or worse bipolar illness
- new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility
- Children and Teenagers
- new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, believing things that are not true, are suspicious) or new manic symptoms
- Tell your doctor about any mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression.
Call your doctor right away if you or your child have any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems while taking Concerta, especially seeing or hearing things that are not real, believing things that are not real, or are suspicious.
Concerta should not be taken if you or your child:
- are very anxious, tense, or agitated
- have an eye problem called glaucoma
- have tics or Tourette's syndrome, or a family history of Tourette's syndrome. Tics are hard to control repeated movements or sounds.
- are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI.
- are allergic to anything in Concerta.
- Concerta should not be used in children less than 6 years old because it has not been studied in this age group.
- Concerta may not be right for you or your child.
Concerta Food Interactions
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Concerta there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Concerta.
Inform MD
Before starting Concerta tell your or your child's doctor about all health conditions (or a family history of) including:
- heart problems, heart defects, or high blood pressure
- mental problems including psychosis, mania, bipolar illness, or depression
- tics or Tourette's syndrome
- seizures or have had an abnormal brain wave test (EEG)
- esophagus, stomach, or small or large intestine problems
- Tell your doctor if you or your child is pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Concerta and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Concerta.
Your doctor will decide whether Concerta can be taken with other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor if you or your child takes:
- anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
- seizure medicines
- blood thinner medicines
- blood pressure medicines
- cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants
- Know the medicines that you or your child takes. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.
Concerta and Pregnancy
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Concerta will harm your unborn baby.
Concerta and Lactation
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if Concerta is excreted in human breastmilk or if it will harm your baby.
Concerta Usage
- Take Concerta exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.
- Do not chew, crush, or divide the tablets. Swallow Concerta tablets whole with water or other liquids. Tell your doctor if you or your child cannot swallow Concerta whole. A different medicine may need to be prescribed.
- Concerta can be taken with or without food.
- Take Concerta once each day in the morning. Concerta is an extended release tablet. It releases medication into your/your child's body throughout the day.
- The Concerta tablet does not dissolve completely in the body after all the medicine has been released. You or your child may sometimes notice the empty tablet in a bowel movement. This is normal.
- From time to time, your doctor may stop Concerta treatment for a while to check ADHD symptoms.
- Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart, and blood pressure while taking Concerta. Children should have their height and weight checked often while taking Concerta. Concerta treatment may be stopped if a problem is found during these check-ups.
- If you or your child takes too much Concerta or overdoses, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or get emergency treatment.
Concerta Dosage
Take Concerta exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.
The recommended starting dose of Concerta for children 6 to 12 years of age is 18 mg per day. The dose range for this age group is 18 mg to 54 mg per day.
The recommended starting dose of Concerta for adolescents 13 to 17 years of age is 18 mg per day. The dose range for this age group is 18 mg to 72 mg per day.
The recommended starting dose of Concerta for adults 18 to 65 years of age is 18 or 36 mg per day. The dose range for this age group is 18 to 72 mg per day.
Concerta Overdose
If you take too much Concerta seek emergency medical attention or contact your local Poison Control Center right away.
Forms of Concerta
Concerta is available in 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg, and 54 mg extended release tablets.
Active Ingredient: methylphenidate HCl
Inactive Ingredients: butylated hydroxytoluene, carnuba wax, cellulose acetate, hypromellose, lactose, phosphoric acid, poloxamer, polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxides, povidone, propylene glycol, sodium chloride, stearic acid, succinic acid, synthetic iron oxides, titanium dioxide, and triacetin.
Other Requirements
- Store Concerta in a safe place at room temperature, 59 to 86° F (15 to 30° C). Protect from moisture.
- Keep Concerta and all medicines out of the reach of children.
Concerta FDA Warning
Concerta is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Concerta in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Concerta may harm others, and is against the law.
Tell your doctor if you or your child have (or have a family history of) ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medicines, or street drugs.
DRUG DEPENDENCE
Concerta should be given cautiously to patients with a history of drug dependence or alcoholism. Chronic abusive use can lead to marked tolerance and psychological dependence with varying degrees of abnormal behavior. Frank psychotic episodes can occur, especially with parenteral abuse. Careful supervision is required during withdrawal from abusive use since severe depression may occur. Withdrawal following chronic therapeutic use may unmask symptoms of the underlying disorder that may require follow-up.
