Methylphenidate Ritalin Blood Pressure?

Question

I take two 20 mg of Methylphenidate throughout the day is it suppose to raise your blood pressure. I went to check it today at the store and it was 140 Im 23 years old and Im use to it be at 109. Is this normal and should I only be worried if it stays like that all day? Also after it wears off I feel myself being agitated like Im about to turn into the HULK for very small reasons.

Answer 1

It's normal for your blood pressure to rise and to feel agitated when taking an amphetamine. A systolic of 140 is right on the borderline of prehypertension and hypertension in "normal" people (who aren't taking stimulants). However, there are circumstances to examine before making a judgment there. You are experiencing a side effect of the drug and it is unlikely that you have hypertension. This should go away after a few weeks but if it doesn't, tell your doctor and switch to a new medication if you don't want to continue with Ritalin. Since you indicate that your blood pressure drops but you experience agitation as the day progresses, you may want to consider a lower dosage (perhaps it was too much too soon).