Concerta
Concerta helps your brain work better, improving focus and reducing impulsive behavior for people with ADHD.
Form
depottabletti
Strength
18 mg
Active Ingredient
Methylphenidate hydrochloride
Manufacturer
Janssen-Cilag Oy
How to Use
Dosage
Your doctor will usually start with a low dose, typically 18 mg once a day for both children and adults, and may increase it slowly.
Method
Take Concerta once daily in the morning with a glass of water. Swallow the tablet whole; do not chew, divide, or crush it. It can be taken with or without food.
Important
The maximum daily dose is 54 mg for children and 72 mg for adults.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Headache
- •Feeling nervous
- •Trouble sleeping
- •Joint pain
- •Blurred vision
- •Tension headache
- •Dry mouth, thirst
- •Difficulty falling asleep
- •Fever
- •Decreased sex drive
- •Unusual hair loss or thinning
- •Muscle stiffness or muscle cramps
- •Loss or decrease in appetite
- •Inability to get or keep an erection
- •Itching, rash, or red, raised itchy rash (hives)
- •Unusual sleepiness or feeling tired
- •Teeth grinding (bruxism)
- •Feeling of panic
- •Tingling, prickling, or numbness of the skin
- •Increased liver enzyme levels in the blood
- •Cough, sore throat, or sinus infection
- •High blood pressure, fast heart rate
- •Dizziness, feeling weak, uncontrolled movements, hyperactivity
- •Aggression, agitation, anxiety, depression, irritability, tension, nervousness, and abnormal behavior
- •Stomach problems like pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or an unpleasant feeling in the stomach
- •Excessive sweating
- •Weight loss
- •Irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
- •Mood changes or personality changes
RARE
- •Suicidal thoughts or feelings, or attempted suicide
- •Seeing, feeling, or hearing things that are not real (psychosis, delusions)
- •Uncontrolled speech or body movements (Tourette's syndrome, tics, muscle spasms in eyes/head/neck/body)
- •Severe allergic reactions (rash, swelling of face/lips/tongue, difficulty breathing)
- •Unusual excitement, hyperactivity, and uninhibited behavior (mania)
- •Heart attack or sudden death
- •Seizures (epileptic fits, grand mal seizures)
- •Peeling skin or red patches on the skin
- •Brain artery inflammation or blockage, stroke, or temporary paralysis, movement/vision/speech problems due to brain blood vessel issues
- •Decreased number of blood cells (red, white, platelets), leading to higher infection risk, bleeding, bruising
- •Sudden very high body temperature, very high blood pressure, and severe seizures (neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
- •Recurring unwanted thoughts
- •Unexplained fainting, chest pain, or shortness of breath (may indicate heart problems)
- •Prolonged and sometimes painful erections
- •Dry eyes
- •Constipation
- •Chest discomfort
- •Blood in urine
- •Apathy (lack of interest)
- •Tremors or shaking
- •Increased need to urinate
- •Muscle pain or muscle twitching
- •Shortness of breath or chest pain
- •Feeling hot
- •Elevated liver values (seen in blood tests)
- •Anger, restlessness, crying, excessive talking, heightened awareness of surroundings, sleep problems
- •Sexual dysfunction or problems with sex drive
- •Feeling disoriented or confused
- •Vision problems or double vision
- •Breast swelling in men
- •Red, bumpy skin rash
- •Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) including compulsive hair pulling, unwanted thoughts, or rituals
- •Small red spots on the skin
- •Liver dysfunction, including acute liver failure and coma
- •Changes in blood or liver test results
- •Abnormal thoughts, lack of feelings
- •Coldness, numbness, tingling, and color changes (white to blue, then red) in fingers and toes when cold (Raynaud's phenomenon)
- •Migraine
- •Dilated pupils
- •Slow, fast, or extra heartbeats
- •Severe stomach pain with nausea and vomiting
- •Urinary incontinence
- •Jaw muscle spasms (trismus)
- •Stuttering
- •Nosebleed
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you or your child are allergic to methylphenidate or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take if you or your child have thyroid problems, high eye pressure (glaucoma), or an adrenal gland tumor.
- Do not take if you or your child have very high blood pressure, narrowed blood vessels causing pain, or a history of serious heart problems like heart attack, irregular heartbeat, or stroke.
- Do not take if you or your child are currently using or have used MAO inhibitors (a type of antidepressant) in the last 14 days.
- Do not take if you or your child have severe mental health problems like psychosis, schizophrenia, severe depression with suicidal thoughts, or mania.
Show 3 more warnings
- Tell your doctor if you or your child have a history of alcohol, drug, or substance abuse, as misuse of Concerta can lead to dependence.
- Boys and men may have long-lasting, sometimes painful erections. If an erection lasts over 2 hours, especially if painful, contact a doctor immediately.
- This medicine can make you feel dizzy, blur your vision, or make it hard to focus. Do not drive or operate machinery if you experience these effects.