Ritalin

The government classifies the psychoactive drug with cocaine and morphine because it is highly addictive.

Do Not Use If

high blood pressure
any form of heart disease
you are very nervous or have severe insomnia
have a history of addiction to drugs or alcohol
Do not combine with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. (Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are a class of antidepressant drugs prescribed for the treatment of depression)

Common Side Effects

• Addiction
• Nervousness including agitation, anxiety and irritability
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Decreased appetite
• Headache
• Stomach ache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations

Other Serious Side Effects Include

• Slowing of growth (height and weight) in children
• Seizures, mainly in patients with a history of seizures
• Eyesight changes or blurred vision

Less Common Side Effects

• High blood pressure
• Rapid pulse rate (and other heart problems)
• Tolerance (constant need to raise the dose)
• Feelings of suspicion and paranoia
• Visual hallucinations (seeing things that are not there)
• Depression
• Cocaine craving
• Dermatoses (infected or diseased skin)
• Urinary tract infection
• Infection or viral infection
• Elevated ALT enzyme levels in the blood (signaling liver damage)

Overdose Side Effects

Symptoms of overdose that require immediate medical assistance include:

• Restlessness
• Tremor
• Aggression
• Hallucinations
• Panic states
• Hyperreflexia (overactive reflexes, which can include twitching or spasms)
• Personality changes
• Symptoms of depression
• Seizures or abnormal EEGs
• High blood pressure
• Rapid heart beat
• Swelling of hands/feet/ankles (for example, numbing of the fingertips)
• Delusions
• Sweating
• Vomiting
• Dehydration
• Unexplained muscle pain
• Lower abdominal pain
• Rhabdomyolysis and kidney damage
• Chronic abuse can manifest itself as psychosis, often indistinguishable from schizophrenia