Ritalin (Methylphenidate) Dosage For Adults

A daily dose of Ritalin or methylphenidate for adults is between 20 to 30 mg, taken 2 to 3 times daily. The dosage of Ritalin your doctor prescribes can depend on your medical history, the formulation of Ritalin taken, why you are taking Ritalin, and other specific needs.

Ritalin is a prescription stimulant that can treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Ritalin is prescribed in immediate-release and extended-release tablets. 

When taken as directed, Ritalin can relieve ADHD symptoms and help narcolepsy patients stay awake during the day.

Ritalin and methylphenidate are Schedule II controlled substances with a high risk of drug abuse in Ohio. Abusing Ritalin can put your health and possibly your life at risk.

Immediate-Release Ritalin Doses For Adults

Ritalin can be prescribed in immediate-release or extended-release dosage forms.

Immediate-release Ritalin is prescribed in 5 mg, 10 mg, or 20 mg tablets. The average daily dose of Ritalin for adults can be between 20 to 30 mg per day. You may take Ritalin multiple times per day to reach your daily dose.

If your Ohio doctor recommends a higher daily dose of Ritalin, they may prescribe higher increments of Ritalin doses until the recommended dose is reached. The maximum daily dose of Ritalin for adults may be 60 mg.

Extended-Release Ritalin Doses For Adults

Extended-release Ritalin tablets have a daily dose of 20 mg. The daily dose of extended-release Ritalin for adults is similar to the immediate-release formulation. Extended-release Ritalin tablets are available in 20 mg tablets only.

Unapproved Ritalin Doses For Adults

If you take Ritalin without a prescription, take Ritalin as an “upper,” or take Ritalin in higher doses than your doctor prescribed, you may be abusing Ritalin.

You may experience strong side effects of methylphenidate if you abuse Ritalin, such as abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, psychosis, blurred vision, and other effects.

Risks Of Taking High Doses Of Ritalin

High doses of Ritalin increases your risk of serious adverse effects. If you take Ritalin unsupervised, you may mix methylphenidate with other drugs.

Ritalin can cause life-threatening drug interactions with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) antidepressants and beta blockers.

If you take Ritalin without a prescription or without talking to your Ohio doctor, your health risk may outweigh the potential short-term benefits.

Physical Side Effects

Serious cardiovascular side effects have been observed in patients taking Ritalin, such as:

• stroke
• heart attack
• heart palpitations
• sudden death
• hypertension (high blood pressure)
• tachycardia (increased heart rate)
• Ritalin overdose

Your risk of these adverse reactions may decrease if you take Ritalin as prescribed. Before prescribing Ritalin, your healthcare professional may screen you for a family history of heart problems and cardiovascular issues, such as heart arrhythmia or high blood pressure.

If you do not have a health screening before taking Ritalin, taking Ritalin can make pre-existing health problems worse.

Ritalin Addiction

Ritalin is habit-forming, especially if you take the drug in higher doses than prescribed. If you take Ritalin without a prescription and have trouble quitting, you may be suffering from a Ritalin addiction.

A Ritalin addiction can cause problems with your daily life, mental health problems, and withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit.

ADHD medications such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall can all be harmful to your health if they are not taken as directed. To find out if our CNS stimulant addiction treatment program works for you or your loved one, please contact us today.