Adderall & Ritalin FAQs

What Is Adderall XR?

Adderall is a central nervous system stimulant (amphetamine). Adderall is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children 6 years of age and older and in adults.

Who Should Not Take Adderall ?

You should not take Adderall if you have:

• A heart defect
• Other heart problems, including high blood pressure, and heart or blood vessel disease
• Overactive thyroid
• Glaucoma
• A history of drug abuse

Never take Adderall if you are taking a drug used to treat depression, called a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI), or if you have stopped taking an MAOI in the last 14 days. Taking Adderall close in time to an MAOI can result in serious, sometimes fatal, reactions, including:

• High body temperature
• Coma
• Seizures (convulsions)
• MAOI drugs include Nardil (phenelzine sulfate), Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate), Marplan (isocarboxid), and other brands.

What Are The Risks?

• Worsening mental illness (psychosis): Adderall may make symptoms of existing mental illness worse.
• Possible decreased growth and weight loss: Adderall may decrease growth and cause weight loss. Children who take it for a long time should have their growth and body weight measured regularly.
• Increased tics: Adderall may worsen tics and Tourettes disorder.
• Pregnancy: Tell your healthcare professional if you are or may be pregnant because your baby may be premature or have a low birth weight. Also, your baby may show withdrawal symptoms, such as agitation and drowsiness.

Other side effects include loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, dry mouth, headaches, and mood changes. Tell your healthcare professional about any medical conditions you have in addition to those already mentioned in this information sheet.

Are There Any Interactions With Drugs or Foods?

Adderall may interact with other medicines. These interactions can cause serious side effects. Tell your healthcare professional about all medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements you take, especially:

• Those used to treat depression, known as tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) Antacids
• Those used to treat urinary problems
• Diuretics
• Propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), a pain medicine

What is Ritalin?

Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a central nervous system stimulant, similar to amphetamines in the nature and duration of its effects. It is believed that it works by activating the brain stem arousal system and cortex. Pharmacologically, it works on the neurotransmitter dopamine, and in that respect resembles the stimulant characteristics of cocaine. When taken in accordance with usual prescription instructions, it would be classified as having mild to moderate stimulant properties, but when snorted or injected it has a strong stimulant effect. Ritalin is manufactured by CIBA-Geigy Corporation, and is supplied in 5 mg., 10 mg., and 20 mg. tablets, and in a sustained release form, Ritalin SR as 20 mg tablets. It is readily water soluble and is intended for oral use. It is a Schedule II Controlled Substance under both the federal and Indiana Controlled Substances Acts. Since Ritalin is a Schedule II Controlled Substance, the federal government strictly regulates the amount that may be manufactured, through a system of rigid manufacturing quotas.

How is Ritalin used?

When abused, Ritalin tablets are taken orally, crushed and then snorted, or dissolved in water and “cooked” for intravenous injection.

There are numerous reports in medical journals about permanent and irreversible lung tissue damage related to injection of crushed Ritalin tablets.

In order to make the 5 to 20 mg dose tablets large enough to handle easily, at least 100 mg of “inert ingredients” are added to the tablets to increase their size. Depending upon size and formulation, the following inert ingredients are found in Ritalin tablets, according to the manufacturer: lactose, starch, polyethelene glycol, magnesium stearate, sucrose, talc, cellulose, mineral oil, and various dyes and conditioning agents. While these ingredients are “inert” when taken by mouth, they can cause serious problems when injected or snorted.

What are the side effects of Ritalin?

The side effects of Ritalin addiction include but are not limited to:

• drug addiction
• nervousness and insomnia
• loss of appetite
• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness
• headaches
• changes in heart rate and blood pressure (usually elevation of both, but occasionally depression)
• skin rashes and itching
• abdominal pain
• weight loss
• digestive problems
• toxic psychosis
• psychotic episodes
• severe depression upon withdrawal

High doses of stimulants produce a predictable set of symptoms that include:

• loss of appetite (may cause serious malnutrition)
• tremors and muscle twitching
• fevers, convulsions, and headaches (may be severe)
• irregular heartbeat and respiration (may be profound and life threatening)
• anxiety, restlessness
• paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions
• excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks
• formicaton (sensation of bugs or worms crawling under the skin)
• While death due to non-medical use of Ritalin is not common, it has been known to occur.

What are the symptoms of Ritalin overdose?

Symptoms of Ritalin overdose may include: Agitation, confusion, convulsions (may be followed by coma), delirium, dryness of mucous membranes, enlarging of the pupil of the eye, exaggerated feeling of elation, extremely elevated body temperature, flushing, hallucinations, headache, high blood pressure, irregular or rapid heartbeat, muscle twitching, sweating, tremors, vomiting.

A growing number of children taking the drug Ritalin® (methylphenidate) experience overdose, researchers report. The study looked at the frequency of Ritalin overdose cases reported to a regional poison control center in Detroit. Children ages 6 to 9 years were at the greatest risk of overdose, compared with other age groups. Over a two-year period, 289 cases were reported. Of these, 31% developed symptoms. Most common adverse effects included tachycardia, agitation and lethargy. Most cases were due to parents or caregivers unintentionally giving patients excessive amounts of the drug.