Concerta (Methylphenidate Hydrochloride)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Concerta Used For?
Concerta is a stimulant medication that helps treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by improving attention and reducing impulsiveness and hyperactivity.
Primary Uses
Concerta is used to treat ADHD as part of a comprehensive treatment program that usually includes psychological, educational and social therapy. It should be used alongside counselling or other therapies for best results.
How It Works
Concerta is a stimulant that increases attention and decreases impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD. The modified release tablets slowly release the active ingredient throughout the day.
Good to know: If you take Concerta correctly as instructed by your doctor, abuse or dependence should not be a problem, either now or later in life.
How to Take Concerta
Concerta should be taken in the morning and swallowed whole with a glass of liquid. Do not chew, break or crush the tablets. It can be taken with or without food.
Dosage Instructions
Children and Adolescents: Starting dose is one 18 mg tablet in the morning, with a maximum dose of 54 mg daily. Adults: Starting dose is one 18 mg or 36 mg tablet in the morning, with a maximum dose of 72 mg daily. Your doctor will adjust the dose until it’s right for you.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss your dose at the usual time, it may be best to wait until the following morning to take the next dose. Remember that Concerta’s effects are designed to last approximately 12 hours from when it’s taken.
Important: Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed. The tablet shell may appear in your stool – this is normal.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Loss of appetite
- Stomach pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dry mouth
- Indigestion and constipation
- Weight loss
- Headache
- Trouble sleeping
- Dizziness
- Cold and cough symptoms
- Feeling very tired or weak
- Decreased sex drive
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Aggression, confusion, hallucinations
- Mood swings and overexcitement
- Depression, anxiety, panic attacks
- Convulsions, fits or seizures
- Muscle twitching or tremor
- Prolonged and painful erections
- Visual disturbances, blurred vision
- Fast or abnormal heartbeat
- Increased blood pressure
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Shortness of breath
- Allergic reactions including rash, swelling
- Fever and hot flushes
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Concerta should not be used or requires careful monitoring by your doctor.
Who Should Not Take Concerta
Do not use if you are allergic to methylphenidate hydrochloride, have glaucoma (poorly controlled), overactive thyroid gland, heart problems including severe angina or irregular heartbeat, untreated high blood pressure, severe depression, anorexia nervosa, suicidal tendency, phaeochromocytoma (adrenal gland tumor), history of drug or alcohol abuse, or are taking MAO inhibitors.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have seizures, heart problems, thoughts about suicide, high blood pressure, aggressive behavior, digestive tract narrowing, tics or Tourette’s syndrome, brain blood vessel problems, eye problems including glaucoma, liver or kidney problems, mental problems including psychosis or bipolar illness.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
You should not take Concerta during pregnancy unless discussed with your doctor. The active ingredient passes into breast milk and may affect your baby. Discuss risks and benefits with your doctor if breastfeeding.
Age Restrictions: Concerta is not recommended for children under 6 years or adults over 65 years as it has not been studied in these age groups.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Concerta and affect how it works. Always tell your doctor about all medicines you’re taking.
Surgery Warning: Tell your doctor if you are going to have an operation as Concerta should not be taken with certain anaesthetics due to risk of sudden blood pressure and heart rate increases.
- MAO inhibitors such as phenelzine, selegiline
- Medicines that increase blood pressure
- Depression or anxiety medicines such as venlafaxine, sertraline, amitriptyline and imipramine
- High blood pressure medicines (Concerta may decrease their effectiveness)
- Anaesthetic medicines (should not be taken on day of operation)
- Seizure prevention medicines such as phenytoin, phenobarbitone, primidone and valproate
- Antipsychotic medicines such as olanzapine, risperidone and quetiapine
Alcohol & Driving
Concerta may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery, and alcohol can impact how the medication works.
Alcohol
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol as it may impact the way Concerta works. Discuss alcohol consumption with your healthcare provider.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Concerta affects you. The medication may impair your ability to operate potentially hazardous machinery or vehicles. Exercise caution until you know how you react to Concerta.
Storage
Store Concerta in a cool dry place where the temperature is below 25°C. Keep the container tightly closed and keep tablets in the bottle until it’s time to take them. Store away from moisture, heat or sunlight, and keep where young children cannot reach it. Take any unwanted medicine to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Concerta, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department. Overdose symptoms may include vomiting, agitation, muscle twitching, hallucinations, dry mouth, excessive sweating, fever, headache, irregular or fast heartbeat, dilated pupils, convulsions, breathing problems, confusion and seizures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Concerta is designed to work throughout the day, with effects lasting approximately 12 hours from the time it is taken. The outer layer dissolves right after swallowing to give an initial dose, then the rest is released slowly throughout the day.
Yes, Concerta may be taken with or without food. Take it with a glass of liquid and swallow the tablet whole – do not chew, break or crush it.
Concerta can be abused or lead to dependence, so it should be kept in a safe place to prevent misuse. However, if you take it correctly as instructed by your doctor, abuse or dependence should not be a problem.
Do not stop using Concerta suddenly. If you suddenly stop taking this medicine, your condition may reappear or you may get unwanted effects such as depression. Your doctor may want to gradually reduce the amount taken each day before stopping completely.
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol as it may impact the way Concerta works. Discuss your alcohol consumption with your healthcare provider.
If you miss your dose at the usual time, it may be best to wait until the following morning to take the next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for the missed dose. Remember that Concerta’s effects last approximately 12 hours.
Concerta is not recommended for children under 6 years as it has not been studied in this age group. For children 6 years and older, the starting dose is 18mg in the morning with a maximum of 54mg daily. Children should have their height and weight checked regularly as Concerta may slow growth rate.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.