What happens if you chew concerta

It works by increasing the amount of the chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine in your brain. These chemicals send signals to other parts of your body, which will help to improve your symptoms.

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects.

Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following:. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history.

Methylphenidate oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. Taking these drugs with methylphenidate may increase the level of methylphenidate in your body and lead to more side effects.

These medications may also affect the way long-acting forms of methylphenidate work. Examples of these drugs include:. Taking these drugs with methylphenidate may increase your risk of serotonin syndrome , which can be fatal. If you take any of these drugs, your doctor will start you on a lowered dosage of methylphenidate and monitor you for signs of serotonin syndrome.

Symptoms can include agitation, sweating, muscle twitches, and confusion. Methylphenidate cannot be used during treatment with MAOIs.

Using these medications together can lead to a dangerous increase in your blood pressure. Taking these drugs with methylphenidate may reduce the intended effects of these medications. This means that they will be less effective. Using these drugs with methylphenidate may increase your risk of side effects from both the antipsychotics and from methylphenidate. Examples of these antipsychotics include:. Using these drugs with methylphenidate may increase the amount of the seizure drug in your body.

This can lead to more side effects from the seizure drug. Using warfarin, a blood thinner, with methylphenidate may increase the effect of warfarin in your body. This can raise your risk of bleeding. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare provider about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

Taking it again could be fatal cause death. Alcohol may increase the effects of methylphenidate. You should not use alcohol while taking this drug. This can cause more side effects and lower the effect of the medication. For people with heart problems: Methylphenidate may increase the risk of sudden death, stroke, and heart attack. If you have a heart condition, a history of heart attack, high blood pressure, or an abnormal heart rate, ask your doctor if this drug is safe for you. For people with psychiatric disorders: Methylphenidate may make the symptoms of your condition worse.

It can also cause new psychotic symptoms, especially in children and adolescents. You may need to stop taking this drug if this happens. For people with circulation problems: This drug can worsen circulation problems in your fingers and toes.

It may increase your risk of having a seizure. For people with growth issues: Methylphenidate has been shown to slow growth in children. If your child is not gaining height or weight, methylphenidate may need to be stopped.

Concerta can make this problem worse. For pregnant women: Methylphenidate is a category C pregnancy drug. That means two things:. Methylphenidate should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk. All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages.

Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Methylphenidate oral tablet is used for short-term or long-term treatment. This drug is usually stopped after puberty. Your doctor may try to stop your treatment with methylphenidate on occasion to see if you still need to take it. If your symptoms return, you may need to keep taking it. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

What to do if you miss a dose: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible. How to tell if the drug is working: For ADHD: You should be able to focus and pay attention better and be less impulsive and hyperactive. A prescription for this medication is not refillable. You or your pharmacy will have to contact your doctor for a new prescription if you need this medication refilled. Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. Source: Concerta Prescribing Information.

As mentioned above, crushing Concerta will destroy the release mechanism. Not only will the entire dose be released at once, increasing the risk of side effects, but it will also have a significantly shortened duration of action around 3 to 6 hours versus for intact Concerta.

Be sure to clarify with the doctor how they want your son to take his medication. If Concerta cannot be swallowed, it may make sense to switch to a different product.

There are extended-release methylphenidate suspensions and chew-tabs available Quillivant XR which may be viable alternatives. He has been featured in numerous publications including the Huffington Post as well as a variety of health and pharmacy-related blogs. Please feel free to reach out to him directly if you have any inquiries or want to connect!

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Published: Aug 22, Last Updated: Oct 28, Concerta tablets should be swallowed whole and not be altered. Answered By: Dr. Brian Staiger Pharm. Aug 22, At a glance Concerta should be swallowed whole. It should not be crushed, cut or split.

Doing so will destroy the extended-release mechanism of the drug. Was this article helpful? We'll never share your email with anyone else. Submit Close.