Ritalin and Other Methylphenidates - Consequences

Consequences

Patients who have epilepsyA disorder involving the misfiring of electrical impulses in the brain, sometimes resulting in seizures and loss of consciousness. or other seizure disorders (sudden attacks of involuntary muscle movement) could increase their risk of having seizures if they take methylphenidate. Methylphenidate may worsen symptoms in people who experience ticsRepetitive, involuntary jerky movements, eye blinking, or vocal sounds that patients cannot suppress on their own.. Methylphenidate can also cause serious problems when taken by people with severe anxiety or high blood pressure. When a patient first starts taking the drug or restarts it after going without it for a month or more, the medication has a more pronounced effect.

Individuals who abuse methylphenidate or patients who have developed a dependence on the drug may experience an increased tolerance to the drug. When this happens, higher and higher doses of a drug are needed to produce the original effect (or high) experienced. These individuals may also experience a psychological dependence on the drug. This means that, over time, the frequent user will begin to feel that he or she needs the drug to function effectively.