These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
General Information
Question:What food, drinks, drugs, and activities should one be careful of or avoid when taking this drug. The patient is 35yrs old, male, and an active athelete.
Answer:Ritalin(methylphenidate hydrochloride) is a drug with several uses. The most common is in the treatment of hyperactive children. It is also used in attention deficit disorders and narcolepsy. It can have potential interactions with MAO inhibitors and may affect the metabolism of different drugs like coumadin, dilantin, phenobarbital and tricyclic antidepressants. There does not appear to be major problems with foods.
Effects
Question: My son Dylan has been put on ritalin. Our doctor and teacher agree that it should help him in school, his grades are good but he has to try real hard. He can not stay still or stay focused on what is goning on. After reading all the negative things about it. I still wonder if it was the right thing to do?
Answer:Ritalin is used in ADD ( attention deficit disorder) as well as treating the “hyperactive kid’. In the right population it can be very effective. Paradoxically, it tends to calm overactive children who have difficulty concentrating rather than the normal effect seen in adults of increasing agitation. There are many support groups concerning ritalin and I would discuss your concerns with other parents. Like many things they can give the best information. There are many people who think this is an overdiagnosed problem and that we are harming a generation of children. It clearly is extremely effective in properly selected children.
