Daytrana

Generic Name: methylphenidate (transdermal) (meth il FEN ih date)Brand Names: Daytrana

What is methylphenidate transdermal?

Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant. In affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

Methylphenidate is used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methylphenidate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about methylphenidate transdermal?Do not use methylphenidate if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam) within the past 14 days. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to methylphenidate or if you have glaucoma, tics (muscle twitches) or Tourette's syndrome, or severe anxiety, tension, or agitation (methylphenidate can make these symptoms worse). Methylphenidate may be habit-forming. Keep track of how many patches have been used from each new package you receive. Methylphenidate is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription. Children using this medication should be warned never to remove the skin patch and place it onto another person. Serious side effects may result.What should I discuss with my health care provider before using methylphenidate transdermal?Do not use methylphenidate if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam) within the past 14 days.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to methylphenidate or if you have:

• glaucoma;

• a personal or family history of tics (muscle twitches) or Tourette's syndrome;

• severe anxiety, tension, or agitation (methylphenidate can make these symptoms worse); or

• if you have ever had a skin reaction when using any type of adhesive bandage or transdermal skin patch.

Some stimulants have caused sudden death in children and adolescents with serious heart problems or congenital heart defects.

Before using methylphenidate, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• a congenital heart defect;

• high blood pressure;

• heart failure, heart rhythm disorder, or recent heart attack;

• a personal or family history of mental illness, psychotic disorder, bipolar illness, depression, or suicide attempt;

• epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

• a skin condition such as eczema or psoriasis; or

• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether methylphenidate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Long-term use of methylphenidate can slow a child's growth. Tell your doctor if the child using this medication is not growing or gaining weight properly.

Do not use methylphenidate transdermal on a child younger than 6 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I use methylphenidate transdermal?

Use this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

If you have used the pill form of methylphenidate and are switching to the skin patch, you may start with a low-dose patch and follow a schedule for using a stronger patch each week over the first 4 weeks of treatment. Do not change your dose of this medication without your doctor's advice.

To use the patch, open the sealed pouch and remove the protective liner. Press the patch onto the skin and press it down with the palm of your hand for about 30 seconds. Make sure the patch is well sealed around the edges. When properly applied, the patch should stay on while swimming or bathing.

Apply the transdermal patch to an area on the hip that is clean and dry. Avoid skin that is oily, irritated, or damaged. Avoid placing the patch on a skin area that will be rubbed by a waistband or tight clothing. The next morning, apply a new patch to the opposite hip. Do not wear a patch on the same side of the body two days in a row.

The effects of this medicine should be noticeable within 2 hours after applying the skin patch. Remove the patch 9 hours after it was was applied.

If the patch falls off, replace it with a new one. Then remove the new patch after it has been 9 hours since you applied the first patch. Your patch wearing time should be no more than 9 hours per day, even if you apply a new patch to replace one that has fallen off.

After removing a patch, fold it in half so it sticks together and flush it down the toilet or place it in a waste can with a lid. If you stop using this medicine and have any unused patches leftover, throw each patch away using this same method.

Methylphenidate transdermal patches come with a chart to keep track of when the patches are applied and removed. A time chart is also included to help you estimate what time to remove a patch based on what time it is applied.

If you have sleep problems (insomnia) or loss of appetite in the evenings, try removing the skin patch earlier in the day to reduce the 9-hour wearing time. Never cut the skin patch to try and reduce the amount of medicine you receive while wearing it.

Do not expose the skin patch to heat while you are wearing it. This includes heat from a heating pad, hot tub, electric blanket, or a heated water bed. Heat can cause the skin patch to release too much medicine at one time.

Keep the methylphenidate transdermal patch in its sealed pouch until you are ready to use it. Store the pouches at room temperature away from heat and moisture. Throw away any unused patches that are left over if it has been more than 30 days since you opened the original package.

Methylphenidate is a drug of abuse and may be habit-forming. Keep track of how many patches have been used from each new package of this medicine. You should be aware if any person in the household is using this medicine improperly or without a prescription. Using this medication improperly can cause death or serious side effects on the heart.

Children using this medication should be warned never to remove the skin patch and place it onto another person. Serious side effects may result.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Apply a patch as soon as you remember, and do not wear the patch for longer than 9 hours. You may need to shorten the wearing time to less than 9 hours if you apply a patch later than usual. Methylphenidate can cause sleep problems if you are still wearing the patch late in the day (such as during evening hours). Do not apply two patches at the same time to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Remove the patch right away and clean the skin area with soap and water. An overdose of methylphenidate can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include vomiting, agitation, tremors, muscle twitching, seizure (convusions), confusion, hallucinations, sweating, fast or pounding heartbeat, blurred vision, dry mouth and nose, and fainting.

What should I avoid while using methylphenidate transdermal?

Methylphenidate can cause side effects that may impair your vision or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Do not apply a methylphenidate transdermal patch late in the day. A patch applied too late in the day can cause sleep problems (insomnia).

Methylphenidate transdermal side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using methylphenidate and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeats;

• feeling light-headed, fainting;

• increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure);

• redness, swelling, itching, or blistering where the skin patch was worn (may also spread to other areas);

• headache with fever, weakness, joint pain, diarrhea, and/or vomiting;

• aggression, restlessness, hallucinations, unusual behavior, or motor tics (muscle twitches); or

• confusion, crying, feeling irritable.

Less serious side effects may include:

• vision problems;

• mild skin redness, bumps, or itching;

• nausea, vomiting;

• loss of appetite, weight loss;

• sleep problems (insomnia); or

• stuffy nose, sore throat.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect methylphenidate transdermal?

Before using methylphenidate transdermal, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• blood pressure medications;

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

• clonidine (Catapres);

• seizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal), primidone (Mysoline); or

• antidepressants such as clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with methylphenidate transdermal. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about methylphenidate transdermal.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.05. Revision Date: 4/12/2009 4:38:38 PM.