Methylin: Liquid and Chewable ADHD Medicine
ByYour doctor has just handed you a prescription for the attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) medication methylin. You’ve just received a different form of methylphenidate. In other words, you’ve just received a prescription that has the same chemical compound as Ritalin with one major difference. The medicine you’re about to take to your pharmacy comes in two forms: liquid or chewable.
Parents of children who can’t swallow pills are tremendously thankful for these forms of the stimulant. Ironically, this same medication that you use to treat your child’s ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the very same one used in adults to treat narcolepsy. This is the disease where people fall asleep for seemingly no reason.
Methylin, in most cases, should be taken two to three times daily. For the most part, your child will probably be administered a dosage of anywhere from 10 mg to potentially 60 mg per day. This will be divided into two and possibly three dosages. Your last dose, by the way, shouldn’t be taken after 6 p.m., because it can interfere with sleep.
If your child is taking the chewable variety of the medicine encourage her to drink an entire, full glass of water after chewing the medication. Ensuring that the medication is downed with at least eight ounces of water helps to prevent any possible choking.
Many parents, when giving their children liquid medications — especially over-the-counter — depend on the household “teaspoon” as a measurement. Try not to do this. As tempting as this may be, if you’re administering the liquid form of Methylin, use a regular “dosing spoon” for a more accurate delivery.
You may want to instead even use a regular measuring cup or even an oral syringe for measurement.
It doesn’t matter whether you take the medication with your meal or not. However, it is important that you follow your doctor’s instructions — and the directions on the label — when using methylin. Otherwise, you may not get the best results from it.
Of course the exact doses of Methylin will vary depending on a number of factors, not the least of which of them is the age of the person the medication is prescribed for. Your child’s dose may also vary depending upon if she’s already tried several other alternatives for treating her ADD/ADHD. And of course, the last variable in dosing amounts will hinge on any other prescription medications she may be currently receiving.
Yes, every prescription medication (and over-the-counter ones too!) come with some type of side effects. Those of Methylin include nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, stomach pain and weight loss.
Has methylin been helpful for you? Please share your comments and experiences below.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Dr. Kenny – This is probably the ONLY information I have found on the internet regarding liquid Methylin. Thank you so much! We have just begun medication with our 4 year old son. When should we start to see results, typically? He has been on the medical for almost two weeks now. Started at 2.5ml and now takes 5ml. Thank you so much for your information!!
Brandi – you should see results about 60 minutes after taking the dose. Seriously.
If it isn’t working, it could be a dosage issue, and the doctor may be starting low and gradually increasing to avoid side effects. Good luck.
how long does one dosage of the chewable tab last? i just started my daughter on this – she was on adderall but wont take the pill and opening it with food etc. was just a nightmare! she is now taking the 5mg of the chewable Methylin but it seems to only last about 3 hours – is that about right?
Maria – Yes – that’s about right. Some people may get 4 hours, but it’s a little less for your daughter.
My 11yr old nephew has ADHD is supposed to take 1 capsule per day, he managed to take them for nearly a month opened on a spoon sandwiched between various things ie chocolate spread and ice-cream as he cannot swallow the capsules but finds the taste so bad he gags and is nearly sick. My sister has tried everything but he just point blank refuses to take them now and it’s such a shame as his school and behaviour improved massively. He did have a heart operation when he was 6 weeks old and has a grafted artery from under his arm onto his heart and need to visit the hospital yearly for checks just to make sure the graft is stretching but apart from that he lives a perfectly normal life. Is there any other medication he could take maybe in a liquid form. Thanks.
Nicola,
You would of course have to talk to his doctor about the heart side of things. Regarding medication which can be swallowed easily – there are medicines which can be opened and sprinkled – i.e. Vyvanse, and there are other beaded Methylphenidate medicines as well. There is also the daytrana skin patch (in the US) which has methylphenidate in it and attaches to the skin.
Hi, just wondered if the liquid or chewable methylin is available here in the UK?
Thanx.
We are struggling with swallowing a pill at my house. Currently trying swallowing candy decors and small m and ms’…..we’ll see….. My child’s dr. prescribed Concerta tabs–how is Methylin similar/different than Concerta? I’m very tempted to ask the pediatrician to consider switching from Concerta tabs to a Methylin liquid or chewable. We dont’ have time to “hee-haw” in the mornings! Thank you,
Angela – Methylin and Concerta have the same active ingredient in them, but the concerta is longer acting. You can ask about a long acting sprinkle capsule – that may help.
My nine year old(54 lbs) daughter takes two 5mg Methylin in the a.m. along with a 15mg Daytrana patch. However, we are having a hard time getting through homework as the medicine has worn off by 3pm. Could I give her two more 5mg. Methylin tablets when she gets home from school?
Thank you!
My sister who is seven was recently diagnosed with adhd and she cannot swallow a pill. Without it i find it very hard to communicate with her and get her to do simple tasks and i find my self getting frustrated with her. Her doctor prescribed her methylphenidate but i think she needs either a chewable or liquid form. Any suggestions?