Ritalin LA (Methylphenidate Hydrochloride)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Ritalin LA Used For?
Ritalin LA is a medication that increases the activity of the brain and is specifically designed to help manage ADHD symptoms.
Primary Uses
Ritalin LA is used to treat Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 years and older and adults.
How It Works
Ritalin LA is a class of medicine that increases the activity of the brain to help improve focus and reduce hyperactivity symptoms.
How to Take Ritalin LA
Your doctor will determine the right dose for you. Take Ritalin LA exactly as prescribed and follow all instructions carefully.
Dosage Instructions
Adults: Starting dose is 20 mg once daily in the morning. Maximum daily dose is 80 mg. Children 6 years and older: Starting dose is 5 mg once daily. Maximum daily dose is 60 mg. Take with or without food, but be consistent. Capsules can be swallowed whole or opened and contents sprinkled on cold applesauce (swallow without chewing). Do not crush, chew, or divide capsules.
What If You Miss a Dose?
Take your missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Important: Never take more than prescribed – this medicine can be addictive. Do not take a double dose to make up for missed doses.
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:
- Headache and dizziness
- Drowsiness or sleeping problems
- Tremor (shaking)
- Mood changes, excitement, restlessness
- Nervousness and agitation
- Depression
- Heart rate or rhythm changes
- Blood pressure changes
- Decreased appetite and weight
- Nausea, dry mouth, stomach upset
- Vomiting, indigestion
- Rash, itchy skin
- Joint pain and stiffness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue and tiredness
- Cold fingers or toes
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Suicidal thoughts
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there)
- Very fast heart rate, chest pain, irregular heartbeat
- Severe headache, confusion, weakness, paralysis, trouble speaking
- Seizures or fits
- Muscle twitching or tics
- Uncontrollable writhing movements
- High fever and muscle stiffness
- Prolonged erection or penis discomfort
- Swelling of face, throat, lips, tongue with trouble breathing
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
- Sore throat with fever and chills
Important Warnings
Ritalin LA has important safety warnings and is not suitable for everyone. Read all warnings carefully before starting treatment.
Who Should Not Take Ritalin LA
Do not use if you have: allergies to methylphenidate or any ingredients; anxiety, tension or agitation; Tourette’s Syndrome or family history of it; glaucoma; overactive thyroid; heart problems including heart attack, irregular heartbeat, chest pain, heart failure, or congenital heart disease; very high blood pressure or narrowed blood vessels; severe depression, eating disorders, or other mental illness; adrenal gland tumor; known drug dependence or alcohol abuse. Do not take on surgery day with anesthetics.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have: depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, bipolar illness, aggressive behavior; abnormal thoughts or over-excitement; motor or verbal tics or family history of these; history of seizures; high blood pressure; heart problems or serious heart rhythm problems; weakened blood vessels in brain, blood vessel inflammation, or stroke history; eye problems including glaucoma; painful or long-lasting erections. Children need detailed evaluation before starting treatment.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Do not take Ritalin LA during pregnancy unless specifically advised by your doctor, as it may affect your developing baby. Do not breastfeed while taking Ritalin LA as the active ingredient passes into breast milk.
Drug Dependence Warning: Ritalin LA 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 abnormal behavior. Careful supervision is required during withdrawal.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines can interfere with Ritalin LA and affect how it works. Always tell your healthcare providers about all medications you’re taking.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) – do not take within 2 weeks
- Medicines that increase blood pressure
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Alpha 2 agonists for high blood pressure
- Oral anticoagulants (blood thinners)
- Anticonvulsants for seizures
- Antipsychotic medicines for mental illness
- Phenylbutazone for pain or fever
- Medicines affecting dopamine levels (Parkinson’s disease medications)
- Serotonin-affecting medicines like sertraline or venlafaxine for depression
Alcohol & Driving
Ritalin LA can affect your ability to drive safely and should not be combined with alcohol.
Alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while taking Ritalin LA. Alcohol can make side effects worse. Check that food and other medicines don’t contain alcohol.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful before driving or using machines until you know how Ritalin LA affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, or hallucinations in some people. Do not drive or operate machinery if you experience these symptoms.
Storage
Store Ritalin LA below 30°C in a cool, dry place away from moisture, heat, and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills. Keep out of reach of children. Take expired or unwanted medicine to any pharmacy for safe disposal.
Overdose Information
If you think you have taken too much Ritalin LA, seek urgent medical attention immediately. Overdose symptoms include vomiting, headache, sweating, very high fever, high blood pressure, dry mucous membranes, agitation, extreme happiness, severe confusion, hallucinations, tremors, increased reflexes, muscle twitching, convulsions, flushing, fast or irregular heartbeat, dilated pupils, and temporary paralysis or muscle weakness. Call the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
The source doesn’t specify onset time, but Ritalin LA is designed as a once-daily extended-release formulation taken in the morning to provide all-day symptom control.
Yes, Ritalin LA can be taken with or without food, but you should be consistent – always take it the same way (either always with food or always without food).
Yes, Ritalin LA can be addictive. It 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. Take only as prescribed by your doctor.
Do not stop taking Ritalin LA suddenly without consulting your doctor first. You may need medical supervision if treatment is interrupted. Withdrawal following chronic therapeutic use may unmask symptoms of the underlying disorder.
No, do not drink alcohol while taking Ritalin LA. Alcohol can make the side effects worse. Also check that food and other medicines you take don’t contain alcohol.
Yes, if you have problems swallowing the capsules, you can open them and sprinkle the contents onto cold applesauce. However, you must swallow the mixture without chewing, and you cannot store the drug and food mixture for future use.
Take your missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
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.