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Vayarin vs. Ritalin

Are Vayarin and Ritalin the Same Thing?

Vayarin (lipirinen) and Ritalin (methylphenidate) are used to treat different aspects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Vayarin is used to manage certain lipid imbalances associated with ADHD.

Ritalin is used to treat symptoms associated with ADHD. Ritalin is also used to treat narcolepsy.

Vayarin and Ritalin belong to different drug classes. Vayarin is a medical food and Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant.

Side effects of Vayarin and Ritalin that are similar include stomach/abdominal pain, nausea, headache, and sleep problems (insomnia).

Side effects of Vayarin that are different from Ritalin include dry and itchy skin, tics, hyperactivity, and tantrums.

Side effects of Ritalin that are different from Vayarin include nervousness, agitation, anxiety, loss of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, vision problems, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, sweating, skin rash, psychosis, and numbness, tingling, or cold feeling in your hands or feet.

Vayarin may interact with anticholinergic and cholinergic medications.

Ritalin may interact with blood thinners, clonidine, dobutamine, epinephrine, isoproterenol, cold/allergy medicine that contains phenylephrine (a decongestant), potassium citrate, sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate, citric acid and potassium citrate, sodium citrate and citric acid, medications to treat high or low blood pressure, stimulant medications, diet pills, seizure medicines, and antidepressants.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Vayarin?

Side effects of Vayarin include:

  • abdominal pain,
  • dry and itchy skin,
  • tics,
  • nausea,
  • hyperactivity,
  • tantrum,
  • headache, and
  • insomnia

What Are Possible Side Effects of Ritalin?

Common side effects of Ritalin include:

  • nervousness,
  • agitation,
  • anxiety,
  • sleep problems (insomnia),
  • stomach pain,
  • loss of appetite,
  • weight loss,
  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • dizziness,
  • palpitations,
  • headache,
  • vision problems,
  • increased heart rate,
  • increased blood pressure,
  • sweating,
  • skin rash,
  • psychosis, and
  • numbness,
  • tingling, or
  • cold feeling in your hands or feet.

What Is Vayarin?

Vayarin (lipirinen) is a medical food used to manage certain lipid imbalances associated with ADHD.

What Is Ritalin?

Ritalin s a central nervous system stimulant prescription medicine. It is used for the treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD.

Ritalin should be used as a part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other therapies.

Ritalin is also used in the treatment of a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

Ritalin is a federally controlled substance (CII) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep Ritalin in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away Ritalin may harm others, and is against the law.

What Drugs Interact With Vayarin?

Vayarin may interact with anticholinergic and cholinergic medications. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

What Drugs Interact With Ritalin?

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you or your child are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Can Ritalin be taken with other medicines?

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Ritalin and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Ritalin.

Your doctor will decide whether Ritalin can be taken with other medicines.

Especially tell your doctor if you or your child take:

  • anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
  • seizure medicines
  • blood thinner medicines
  • blood pressure medicines
  • cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants

Know the medicines that you or your child take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not start any new medicine while taking Ritalin without talking to your doctor first.

How Should Vayarin Be Taken?

The usual dose of Vayarin is 2 capsules daily or as directed by a physician.

How Should Ritalin Be Taken?

Tell your doctor if you or your child are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Can Ritalin be taken with other medicines?

Tell your doctor about all of the medicines that you or your child take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Ritalin and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Sometimes the doses of other medicines will need to be adjusted while taking Ritalin.

Your doctor will decide whether Ritalin can be taken with other medicines.

Especially tell your doctor if you or your child take:

  • anti-depression medicines including MAOIs
  • seizure medicines
  • blood thinner medicines
  • blood pressure medicines
  • cold or allergy medicines that contain decongestants

Know the medicines that you or your child take. Keep a list of your medicines with you to show your doctor and pharmacist.

Do not start any new medicine while taking Ritalin without talking to your doctor first.

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