Methylphenidate, Transdermal

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: stimulant

Generic and brand names: methylphenidate, transdermal; Daytrana

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a patch put on the skin to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It may be used along with therapy and education to treat this condition. It may be used for other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• problems with alcohol or drug abuse
• a mental health problem such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, or schizophrenia
• epilepsy, tics, Tourette syndrome, or other seizure disorder
• glaucoma or other eye disease
• heart disease or heart rhythm problems
• high blood pressure
• skin problems such as eczema or contact dermatitis
• thyroid problems.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

Do not use the medicine for any other conditions without your healthcare provider's approval. Use it exactly as prescribed. Do not use more or less or use it longer than prescribed. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

The patch should be worn for about 9 hours each day. For example, if the patch is applied at 6 AM, it should be removed at 3 PM the same day. Apply the patch at the same time every day. Put the patch on the child's hip. Avoid the waistline, since clothes may cause the patch to rub off. Change from right hip to left hip each day to lessen irritation.

1. Make sure the child's skin is clean, dry, and cool. Do not put the patch on an open wound or cut or on skin that is red or irritated.
2. Carefully cut the protective pouch open with scissors, being careful not to cut the patch. Do not use patches that have been cut or damaged in any way.
3. Remove the patch from the pouch.
4. Press the patch firmly into place with the palm of your hand for about 30 seconds. Make sure that the patch is firmly attached.
5. After about 9 hours, when you remove the patch, peel it off slowly.
6. Fold the used patch in half and press firmly so that the sticky side sticks to itself. Flush the used patch down the toilet. Do not flush the pouches or the protective liners down the toilet.
7. If any adhesive is left on the skin after removing the patch, gently rub the area with oil or lotion to remove the adhesive from the skin.
8. Always wash your hands after handling the patch.

Bathing, swimming, or showering should not make the patch fall off. If a patch falls off, do not touch the sticky side of the patch with your fingers. Put a new patch on a different area of the same hip. If a new patch must be put on, remove it 9 hours after the first patch for that day was applied.

If you forget to apply a patch in the morning, you may do so later in the day. However, remove the patch at the usual time of day to reduce the chance of late day side effects.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine is a controlled substance. It is illegal to give this medicine to anyone else.

Do not use this medicine for normal tiredness or as a stimulant. It can be habit-forming.

This medicine should be given by an adult when prescribed for a child. The safety for children under 6 years of age has not been established.

This medicine may slow growth in children. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

This medicine may cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not allow your child to operate machinery unless he or she is fully alert and can see clearly.

This medicine may irritate the skin or cause an allergic skin rash. Contact your provider if blistering, redness, or swelling in the area around the patch continues or gets worse 24 hours after the patch is removed.

This medicine may cause trouble sleeping. Wearing the patch for less than 9 hours per day may help. Talk with your provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you are unable to reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat), vomiting, agitation, shaking, severe muscle twitching, convulsions (may be followed by coma), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there), sweating.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Mood changes, sudden vision changes, chest or joint pain, twitching, fast heartbeat, weakness and sweating, severe headache, yellowish skin or eyes, light-colored bowel movements, dark urine, rapid weight loss, severe rash.

Other: Skin irritation, loss of appetite, nervousness, headache, stuffy nose, trouble sleeping, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• anticonvulsants such as carbamazepine (Atretol, Carbatrol, Epitol, Tegretol), primidone (Mysoline), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin)
• beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin), acebutolol (Sectral), pindolol, metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), sotalol (Betapace), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), and carvedilol (Coreg)
• blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin)
• calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), isradipine (DynaCirc), felodipine (Plendil), verapamil (Calan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cardizem), and nicardipine (Cardene)
• clonidine (Catapres)
• guanethidine (Ismelin)
• MAO inhibitor antidepressants such as phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and isocarboxazid (Marplan) (Do not take an MAO inhibitor and this medicine within 14 days of each other.)
• SSRI antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofrane), and imipramine (Tofranil), amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), and doxepin (Sinequan).

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the patches in pouches until ready to use. Protect from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.