PATIENT INFORMATION
Methylin® Chewable Tablets
(methylphenidate HCl chewable tablets) 2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg
Read the Medication Guide that
comes with Methylin Chewable Tablets before you or your child starts taking it
and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This Medication
Guide does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your or your
child's treatment with Methylin Chewable Tablets.
What is the most important
information I should know about Methylin Chewable Tablets?
The following have been
reported with use of methylphenidate HCl and other stimulant medicines.
1. Heart-related problems:
- sudden death in patients who have heart problems or
heart defects
- stroke and heart attack in adults
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
Tell your doctor if you or your
child have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family
history of these problems.
Your doctor should check you or
your child carefully for heart problems before starting Methylin Chewable
Tablets.
Your doctor should check you or
your child's blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment with
Methylin Chewable Tablets.
Call your doctor right away
if you or your child has any signs of heart problems such as chest pain,
shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets.
2. Mental (Psychiatric)
problems:
All Patients
- new or worse behavior and thought problems
- new or worse bipolar illness
- new or worse aggressive behavior or hostility
Children and Teenagers
- new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices,
believing things that are not true, are suspicious) or new manic symptoms
Tell your doctor about any
mental problems you or your child have, or about a family history of suicide,
bipolar illness, or depression.
Call your doctor right away
if you or your child have any new or worsening mental symptoms or problems
while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets, especially seeing or hearing
things that are not real, believing things that are not real, or aresuspicious.
3. Circulation problems in fingers and toes [Peripheral
vasculopathy, including Raynaud's phenomenon]: fingers or toes may feel numb,
cool, painful, and/or may change color from pale, to blue, to red.
- Tell your doctor if you have or your child has numbness,
pain, skin color change, or sensitivity to temperature in your fingers or toes.
- Call your doctor right away if you have or your child
has any signs of unexplained wounds appearing on fingers or toes while taking
Methylin.
What Are Methylin Chewable Tablets?
Methylin Chewable Tablets are a central nervous system
stimulant prescription medicine. Methylin Chewable Tablets are tablets that are
made to be chewed and swallowed. They are used for the treatment of
Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methylin Chewable Tablets
may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in
patients with ADHD.
Methylin Chewable Tablets should be used as a part of a
total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other
therapies.
Methylin Chewable Tablets are also used in the treatment
of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.
Methylin Chewable Tablets are a federally controlled
substance (CII) because they can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Methylin
Chewable Tablets in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving
away Methylin Chewable Tablets may harm others, and is against the law.
Tell your doctor if you or your child have (or have a
family history of) ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription
medicines or street drugs.
Who should not take Methylin Chewable Tablets?
Methylin Chewable Tablets should not be taken if you
or your child:
- are very anxious, tense, or agitated
- have an eye problem called glaucoma
- have tics or Tourette's syndrome, or a family history of
Tourette's syndrome. Tics are hard to control repeated movements or sounds.
- are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an
antidepression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI.
- are allergic to anything in Methylin Chewable Tablets.
See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients.
Methylin Chewable Tablets should not be used in children
less than 6 years old because they have not been studied in this age group.
Methylin Chewable Tablets may not be right for you or
your child. Before starting Methylin Chewable Tablets tell your or your child's
doctor about all health conditions (or a family history of) including:
- heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure
- mental problems including psychosis, mania, bipolar
illness, or depression
- tics or Tourette's syndrome
- seizures or have had an abnormal brain wave test (EEG)
- circulation problems in fingers and toes
Tell your doctor if you or your child is pregnant,
planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Can Methylin Chewable Tablets be taken with other
medicines?
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you
or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Methylin Chewable Tablets and some medicines may interact
with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other
medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Methylin Chewable Tablets.
Your doctor will decide whether Methylin Chewable Tablets
can be taken with other medicines.
Especially tell your doctor if you or your child
takes:
- antidepression medicines including MAOIs
- seizure medicines
- blood thinner medicines
- blood pressure medicines
- cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants
Know the medicines that you or your child takes. Keep a
list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.
Do not start any new medicine while taking Methylin
Chewable Tablets without talking to your doctor first.
How should Methylin Chewable Tablets be taken?
- Take Methylin Chewable Tablets exactly as prescribed. Your doctor may adjust the dose until it is right for you or your child.
- Methylin Chewable Tablets are usually taken 2 to 3 times
a day.
- Take Methylin Chewable Tablets 30 to 45 minutes before a
meal.
- Chew Methylin Chewable Tablets well and swallow with
at least 8 ounces (a fullglass) of water or other liquid. Methylin Chewable
Tablets can swell and cause choking if enough liquid is not taken with them.
Get emergency medical care if you have chest pain, vomiting, or trouble
swallowing, or breathing after taking a Methylin Chewable Tablet.
- From time to time, your doctor may stop Methylin Chewable
Tablets treatment for awhile to check ADHD symptoms.
- Your doctor may do regular checks of the blood, heart,
and blood pressure while you are taking Methylin Chewable Tablets. Children
should have their height and weight checked often while taking Methylin
Chewable Tablets. Methylin Chewable Tablets treatment may be stopped if a
problem is found during these check-ups.
- If you or your child takes too much Methylin Chewable
Tablets or overdoses, call your doctor or poison control center right away, or
get emergency treatment.
What are possible side effects of Methylin Chewable
Tablets?
See “What is the most important information I should
know about Methylin Chewable Tablets?” for information on reported heart
and mental problems.
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
- Painful and prolonged erections (priapism) have occurred
with methylphenidate. If you or your child develop priapism, seek medical help
right away. Because of the potential for lasting damage, priapism should be
evaluated by a doctor immediately.
Common side effects include:
- nervousness
- stomach ache
- decreased appetite
- trouble sleeping
- fast heart beat
- dizziness
- headache
- nausea
- weight loss
Talk to your doctor if you or your child has side effects
that are bothersome or do not go away.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side
effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
How should I store Methylin Chewable Tablets?
- Store Methylin Chewable Tablets in a safe place at room
temperature, 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C). Protect from moisture.
- Keep Methylin Chewable Tablets and all medicines out
of the reach of children.
General information about Methylin Chewable Tablets
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other
than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not use Methylin Chewable Tablets
for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Methylin Chewable
Tablets to other people, even if they have the same condition. It may harm them
and it is against the law.
This Medication Guide summarizes the most important
information about Methylin Chewable Tablets. If you would like more
information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for
information about Methylin Chewable Tablets that was written for healthcare
professionals. For more information, please contact Shionogi Inc. at
1-800-849-9707 or visit the website at www.methylinrx.com.
What are the ingredients in Methylin Chewable Tablets?
CAUTION PHENYLKETONURICS: Methylin Chewable Tablets
contain phenylalanine.
Active Ingredient: methylphenidate hydrochloride
USP
Inactive Ingredients: aspartame, maltose,
microcrystalline cellulose, guar gum, grape flavor, pregelatinized starch, and
stearic acid.
This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration.