Dextroamphetamine

This information from Lexicomp^® explains what you need to know about this medication, including what it’s used for, how to take it, its side effects, and when to call your healthcare provider.

Brand Names: US

Dexedrine; ProCentra; Xelstrym; Zenzedi

Brand Names: Canada

ACT Dextroamphetamine SR; Dexedrine

What is this drug used for?

• It is used to treat attention deficit problems with hyperactivity.
• It is used to treat narcolepsy.
• It may be given to your child for other reasons. Talk with the doctor.

What do I need to tell the doctor BEFORE my child takes this drug?

• If your child is allergic to this drug; any part of this drug; or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell the doctor about the allergy and what signs your child had.
• If your child or a family member has any of these health problems: Blood vessel disease, high blood pressure, heart structure problems or other heart problems, or Tourette’s syndrome or tics.
• If your child has any of these health problems: Glaucoma, agitation, anxiety, or overactive thyroid.
• If your child has ever had any of these health problems: Drug abuse or stroke.
• If your child is taking any of these drugs: Acetazolamide or sodium bicarbonate.
• If your child has taken certain drugs for depression or certain other health problems in the last 14 days. This includes isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine. Very high blood pressure may happen.
• If your child is taking any of these drugs: Linezolid or methylene blue.

If your child is breast-feeding a baby:

• Be sure your child does not breast-feed a baby while taking this drug.

This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug.

Tell the doctor and pharmacist about all of your child’s drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe to give this drug with all of your child’s other drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug your child takes without checking with the doctor.

What are some things I need to know or do while my child takes this drug?

All products:

• Tell all of your child’s health care providers that your child is taking this drug. This includes your child’s doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Have your child avoid tasks or actions that call for alertness or clear eyesight until you see how this drug affects your child. These are things like riding a bike, playing sports, or using items such as scissors, lawnmowers, electric scooters, toy cars, or motorized vehicles.
• If your child has been taking this drug for a long time or at high doses, it may not work as well and your child may need higher doses to get the same effect. This is known as tolerance. Call the doctor if this drug stops working well. Do not give more than ordered.
• Long-term or regular use of this drug may lead to dependence. Stopping this drug all of a sudden may lead to signs of withdrawal. Talk to your child’s doctor before you lower the dose or stop giving this drug. You will need to follow the doctor’s instructions. Tell your child’s doctor if your child has any bad effects.
• Your child may need to have some heart tests before starting this drug. If you have questions, talk with your child’s doctor.
• This drug may cause high blood pressure.
• Have your child’s blood pressure and heart rate checked often.
• Talk with the doctor before giving your child OTC products that may raise blood pressure. These include cough or cold drugs, diet pills, stimulants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen, and some natural products or aids.
• This drug may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your child’s health care providers and lab workers that your child takes this drug.
• This drug may raise the chance of seizures in some people, including people who have had seizures in the past. Talk to the doctor to see if your child has a greater chance of seizures while taking this drug.
• This drug may affect growth in children and teens in some cases. They may need regular growth checks. Talk with the doctor.

If your child is pregnant:

• Tell the doctor if your child is pregnant or becomes pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of your child using this drug while pregnant.

Skin patch:

• Have your child avoid use of heat sources (such as sunlamps, tanning beds, heating pads, electric blankets, heat lamps, saunas, hot tubs, heated waterbeds). Avoid long, hot baths or sunbathing. Your child’s temperature may rise and cause too much drug to pass into your child’s body.
• This drug may cause harm if chewed or swallowed. This includes used patches. If this drug has been put in the mouth, call a doctor or poison control center right away.

What are some side effects that I need to call my child’s doctor about right away?

WARNING/CAUTION: Even though it may be rare, some people may have very bad and sometimes deadly side effects when taking a drug. Tell your child’s doctor or get medical help right away if your child has any of the following signs or symptoms that may be related to a very bad side effect:

All products:

• Signs of an allergic reaction, like rash; hives; itching; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin with or without fever; wheezing; tightness in the chest or throat; trouble breathing, swallowing, or talking; unusual hoarseness; or swelling of the mouth, face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs of high blood pressure like very bad headache or dizziness, passing out, or change in eyesight.
• Restlessness.
• Shakiness.
• Trouble controlling body movements.
• Trouble controlling sounds, like humming, throat clearing, yelling, or making loud noises.
• Change in eyesight or eye pain, swelling, or redness.
• Seizures.
• Stomach pain.
• Muscle pain or weakness, dark urine, or trouble passing urine.
• Erections (hard penis) that happen often or that last a long time.
• Change in color of hands, feet, or other areas. Skin may turn pale, blue, gray, purple, or red.
• Numbness, pain, tingling, or cold feeling of the hands or feet.
• Any sores or wounds on the fingers or toes.
• Sudden deaths have happened in people with some heart problems or heart defects. Tell the doctor if your child has any heart problem or defect. Get medical help right away if your child has any signs of heart problems like chest pain, abnormal heartbeat, or severe dizziness or passing out.
• New or worse behavior and mood changes like change in thinking, anger, and hallucinations have happened with this drug. Tell the doctor if your child or a family member has any mental or mood problems like depression or bipolar illness, or if a family member has committed suicide. Call the doctor right away if your child has hallucinations; change in the way your child acts; or signs of mood changes like depression, thoughts of suicide, nervousness, emotional ups and downs, thinking that is not normal, anxiety, or lack of interest in life.
• A severe and sometimes deadly problem called serotonin syndrome may happen if your child takes this drug with certain other drugs. Call your child’s doctor right away if your child has agitation; change in balance; confusion; hallucinations; fever; fast or abnormal heartbeat; flushing; muscle twitching or stiffness; seizures; shivering or shaking; sweating a lot; severe diarrhea, upset stomach, or throwing up; or severe headache.

If your child is or may be sexually active:

• Not able to get or keep an erection.
• Change in sex interest.

Skin patch:

• Swelling or blisters where this drug is put on.

What are some other side effects of this drug?

All drugs may cause side effects. However, many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects. Call your child’s doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother your child or do not go away:

All oral products:

• Dizziness or headache.
• Dry mouth.
• Trouble sleeping.
• Constipation, diarrhea, upset stomach, or decreased appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Bad taste in your child’s mouth.
• Feeling nervous and excitable.
• Hair loss.

Skin patch:

• Decreased appetite.
• Headache.
• Trouble sleeping.
• Upset stomach or throwing up.
• People using this drug may get skin reactions where this drug is used. These reactions may include burning or stinging, itching, pain, or redness. Call the doctor if your child has skin reactions that are severe, bother your child, or do not go away.

These are not all of the side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, call your child’s doctor. Call your child’s doctor for medical advice about side effects.

You may report side effects to your national health agency.

How is this drug best given?

Give this drug as ordered by your child’s doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

All oral products:

• Give this drug with or without food.
• To prevent sleep problems, avoid giving this drug late in the day.
• Avoid giving this drug with fruit juice.
• Give this drug at the same time of day.

Liquid:

• Measure liquid doses carefully. Use the measuring device that comes with this drug. If there is none, ask the pharmacist for a device to measure this drug.

Capsules:

• Have your child swallow whole. Do not let your child chew, break, or crush.

Skin patch:

• Do not give this drug by mouth. Use on your child’s skin only.
• Put the patch on 2 hours before the effects of this drug are needed. Take the patch off within 9 hours after putting it on unless the doctor tells you otherwise.
• Do not put on more than 1 patch at a time.
• Do not use more than 1 patch within 24 hours.
• Put patch on clean, dry, healthy skin on the hip, upper arm, chest, upper back, or side of the waist.
• Do not use this drug if it is cut, damaged, or changed in any way.
• Do not put on cuts, scrapes, or damaged skin.
• If there is hair where you are putting the patch, clip the hair as close to the skin as you can. Do not shave the hair.
• Do not put on skin where you have just used creams, oils, lotions, powder, or other skin products. The patch may not stick as well.
• Wash your hands after use.
• Move the site where you put this drug on with each dose.
• Do not touch the sticky side of the patch. If you do, wash your hands with soap and water right away. Do NOT use hand sanitizer or another product with alcohol instead of soap and water.
• Have your child check to see if the patch is still sticking during the day. This includes after your child bathes, showers, or swims. Read the package insert for more details.
• If the patch loosens at the edges, press the edges firmly. Do no use dressings, tape, or other sticky items to hold the patch in place. If the patch comes off, put a new patch on a different site. Take the patch off at the regular time. Do not leave this drug on the skin for longer than 9 hours in the same day.
• After you take off a skin patch, be sure to fold the sticky sides of the patch to each other. Throw away used patches where children and pets cannot get to them.
• To prevent sleep problems, avoid putting this drug on late in the day.

What do I do if my child misses a dose?

All oral products:

• Give a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your child’s next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your child’s normal time.
• Do not give 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

Skin patch:

• If needed, put on a missed dose as soon as you think about it. Do not leave on for more than 9 hours.
• Do not put on 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

How do I store and/or throw out this drug?

All products:

• Store at room temperature protected from light. Store in a dry place. Do not store in a bathroom.
• Store this drug in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it, and where other people cannot get to it. A locked box or area may help keep this drug safe. Keep all drugs away from pets.
• Throw away unused or expired drugs. Do not flush down a toilet or pour down a drain unless you are told to do so. Check with your pharmacist if you have questions about the best way to throw out drugs. There may be drug take-back programs in your area.

Skin patch:

• Store patches in pouch until ready for use.

General drug facts

• If your child’s symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your child’s doctor.
• Do not share your child’s drug with others and do not give anyone else’s drug to your child.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. If you have any questions about this drug, please talk with your child’s doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

This generalized information is a limited summary of diagnosis, treatment, and/or medication information. It is not meant to be comprehensive and should be used as a tool to help the user understand and/or assess potential diagnostic and treatment options. It does NOT include all information about conditions, treatments, medications, side effects, or risks that may apply to a specific patient. It is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for the medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of a health care provider based on the health care provider’s examination and assessment of a patient’s specific and unique circumstances. Patients must speak with a health care provider for complete information about their health, medical questions, and treatment options, including any risks or benefits regarding use of medications. This information does not endorse any treatments or medications as safe, effective, or approved for treating a specific patient. UpToDate, Inc. and its affiliates disclaim any warranty or liability relating to this information or the use thereof. The use of this information is governed by the Terms of Use, available at https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/know/clinical-effectiveness-terms.

Last Reviewed Date

2023-10-27

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