Before taking Ritalin

Buy Ritalin

Do not take Ritalin if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) 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;

• angina (chest pain), heart failure, heart rhythm disorder, or recent heart attack;

• a personal or family history of tics (muscle twitches) or Tourette's syndrome;

• severe anxiety, tension, or agitation (methylphenidate can make these symptoms worse); or

• a hereditary condition such as fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, or sucrase-isomaltase insufficiency.

Some stimulants have caused sudden death in children and adolescents with serious heart problems or congenital heart defects. Tell your doctor if you have a congenital heart defect.

If you have any of these other conditions, your doctor may need to adjust the dose of Ritalin or order special tests:

• a congenital heart defect;

• a personal or family history of mental illness, psychotic disorder, bipolar illness, depression, or suicide attempt;

• epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or

• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Ritalin will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known whether methylphenidate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Ritalin without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Buy Ritalin

See also: Pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings in more detail

Long-term use of Ritalin can slow a child's growth. Tell your doctor if the child using this medication is not growing or gaining weight properly.

Do not give Ritalin to a child younger than 6 years old without the advice of a doctor.

What is the most important information I should know about Ritalin?

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. Buy Ritalin

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.