Tools
Methylphenidate dose converter
See how a methylphenidate dose lines up when changing between immediate-release (short-acting) methylphenidate and a modified-release (long-acting) brand, or from one brand to another. It is a guide for the conversation with your prescriber, not a prescription.
Written by Adam OdusholaADHD Advanced Practitioner and Clinical Prescribing Pharmacist
Last updated:Key points
- Each brand’s manufacturer publishes a table that lines its doses up with immediate-release methylphenidate.
- Enter your immediate-release dose and how many times a day you take it. The converter adds them up to a daily total.
- Where two brands have no published equivalence, the result says “Not a direct swap”.
- Your prescriber sets the dose, the start date and the review.
What dose would I take on a different product?
Choose what you take now and what you are changing to. The result shows how the published tables line up, and the day’s dose times before and after.
No listed match for 20 mg a day
Concerta XL’s conversion table lists immediate-release totals of 15, 30, 45, 60 mg a day. Your total is 20 mg a day, so your prescriber would choose between the nearest rows (15 mg and 30 mg a day) and review you.
- How to take it: swallow whole. Do not crush, cut or chew.
- This is a guide for the conversation with your prescriber, not a prescription. Your prescriber sets the dose, the start date and the review.
Doses from each product’s manufacturer conversion table and the NHS list of equivalent brands.
Where two brands have no published equivalence, the converter works through the immediate-release total that each brand’s own table gives and says so. Treat that as a starting point for your prescriber, not a swap.
Sources: Prescribing and switching between modified-release methylphenidate; Concerta XL: Summary of Product Characteristics; Ritalin XL: Summary of Product Characteristics; Medikinet XL: Summary of Product Characteristics; Equasym XL: Summary of Product Characteristics; Tuzulby: Summary of Product Characteristics.
Why do the milligram numbers differ between products?
Modified-release brands release methylphenidate in different ways, so the number on the pack does not always match the immediate-release total.
For example, Concerta XL 18 mg lines up with 5 mg of immediate-release methylphenidate three times daily, 15 mg in total. Ritalin XL 20 mg lines up with 10 mg twice daily, 20 mg in total. See Ritalin XL vs Concerta XL.
A matching milligram number is not enough when the release formulation differs.
Sources: Concerta XL: Summary of Product Characteristics; Ritalin XL: Summary of Product Characteristics.
How would my dose times change?
The chart in the converter shows each dose as a dot, with a bar for roughly how long it covers: immediate-release about 4 hours, capsules about 8, tablets about 12.
Changing to immediate-release changes the dosing schedule and may change coverage through the day. The times are examples. Follow the times your prescriber gives you.
What should I do before changing my dose or product?
Talk to your prescriber first. They will give you an individual plan: the dose, the start date and when it will be reviewed.
Do not borrow another person’s medicine, combine leftover brands or calculate a replacement dose yourself.
To check which brands are listed as a match for yours, use the methylphenidate brand switcher.
Common questions
Can I use the converter to change my own dose?
No. It is a guide for the conversation with your prescriber, not a prescription. Your prescriber sets the dose, the start date and the review.
Why does the converter say “Not a direct swap”?
There is no published equivalence between those two products. The converter works through the immediate-release total that each brand’s own table gives. Treat that as a starting point for your prescriber, not a swap.
Can Equasym XL or Tuzulby be converted to another brand?
The converter only lines them up with immediate-release methylphenidate. No brand is listed as equivalent to Equasym XL, and Tuzulby is not on the NHS list of equivalent brands. Any change to another modified-release brand needs your specialist’s review.
Can I change to immediate-release methylphenidate instead?
Sometimes, but this changes the dosing schedule and may change coverage through the day. A prescriber needs to give you an individual plan.
Sources
- Prescribing and switching between modified-release methylphenidate. NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service
- Methylphenidate long-acting (modified-release) preparations: caution if switching between products due to differences in formulations. MHRA Drug Safety Update
- Concerta XL: Summary of Product Characteristics. eMC
- Ritalin XL: Summary of Product Characteristics. eMC
- Medikinet XL: Summary of Product Characteristics. eMC
- Equasym XL: Summary of Product Characteristics. eMC
- Tuzulby: Summary of Product Characteristics. eMC
This page is written for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your prescriber or pharmacist. If you have concerns about your medication, contact your clinical team.
About this page
- Written by
- Adam OdusholaADHD Advanced Practitioner and Clinical Prescribing Pharmacist
- First published
- Last updated
“Last updated” is when the content last changed. “Last reviewed” is when it was last checked against current sources.
How this content is written, sourced and checked: editorial policy
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