Complete adverse effect profile including incidence rates and management
Important Safety Information
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any unexpected symptoms. For serious or life-threatening side effects, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
Decreased appetite (most common — 50–80%)
Insomnia (20–25%)
Headache (20–35%)
Abdominal pain (10–20%)
Irritability
Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
Dry mouth
Cardiovascular events (palpitations, tachycardia; rare sudden death in patients with structural heart disease)
Psychiatric effects: new or worsening psychosis, mania, aggression, anxiety
Growth suppression in children (modest, typically 1–2 cm over treatment period)
Medicine dependence (Schedule II — significant abuse potential)
Raynaud's phenomenon (digital vasospasm)
Priapism (rare but reported with all stimulants)
Tic disorders/Tourette's worsening
Severe skin reactions (Daytrana patch — chemical leukoderma)
Like all medications, Methylphenidate can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes this medication will experience them. Many side effects are dose-dependent and may improve as your body adjusts to the medication. Others may require dose adjustment or medical attention.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience:
Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience signs of: