Methylphenidate Long-Acting Capsules

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules). This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Heart attacks, strokes, and sudden deaths have happened in adults taking this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules). Sudden deaths have also happened in children with very bad heart problems or heart defects. Call your doctor right away if you have a change in strength on 1 side that is greater than the other, trouble speaking or thinking, change in balance, drooping on 1 side of the face, change in eyesight, chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, or very bad dizziness or passing out.
• You may have some heart tests before starting this medicine. Talk with your doctor.
• If you have seizures, talk with your doctor.
• Check blood pressure and heart rate as the doctor has told you. Talk with the doctor.
• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules).
• A very bad and sometimes deadly health problem called serotonin syndrome may happen if you take this medicine with drugs for depression, migraines, or certain other drugs. Call your doctor right away if you have agitation; change in balance; confusion; hallucinations; fever; fast or abnormal heartbeat; flushing; muscle twitching or stiffness; seizures; shivering or shaking; sweating a lot; very bad diarrhea, upset stomach, or throwing up; or very bad headache.
• Call your doctor right away if you have signs of liver problems like dark urine, feeling tired, not hungry, upset stomach or stomach pain, light-colored stools, throwing up, or yellow skin or eyes.
• This medicine may affect growth in children and teens in some cases. They may need regular growth checks. Talk with the doctor.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules) while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• Take in the morning.
• Some drugs may need to be taken with food or on an empty stomach. For some drugs it does not matter. Check with your pharmacist about how to take this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules).
• Swallow whole. Do not chew, break, or crush.
• You may sprinkle contents of capsule on applesauce. Do not chew. Swallow right away and follow with water or juice.
• After mixing, take your dose right away. Do not store for future use.
• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• If you have been taking this medicine for a long time or at high doses, it may not work as well and you may need higher doses to get the same effect. This is known as tolerance. Call your doctor if this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules) stops working well. Do not take more than ordered.
• Do not switch between different forms of this medicine without first talking with the doctor.
• Limit your use of caffeine (for example, tea, coffee, cola) and chocolate. Use with this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules) may cause nervousness, shakiness, and a fast heartbeat.
• If you are taking this medicine and have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before using OTC products that may raise blood pressure. These include cough or cold drugs, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like products, and some natural products or aids.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Use a missed dose as soon as you think about it. Do not take this medicine (methylphenidate long-acting capsules) after 6 PM.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not use 2 doses or extra doses.

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away:

• Dizziness.
• Feeling sleepy.
• Dry mouth.
• Headache.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• Weight loss.
• Nervous and excitable.
• Not hungry.
• Not able to sleep.
• Belly pain.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your doctor. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.