There have been no instances of chronic liver injury or vanishing bile duct syndrome associated with either oral or intravenous methylphenidate.
One of the medications used to treat ADHD, atomoxetine (Strattera), a nonstimulant medication, may cause liver problems. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child are taking atomoxetine (Strattera) and signs and symptoms of liver effects develop, such as: Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice)
Acetaminophen. Taking acetaminophen in excess is the leading cause of drug-induced liver injury.
High doses of amphetamines can be associated with liver injury and distinctive forms of clinically apparent liver injury which has been most commonly associated with methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA: “ecstasy”).
Early Signs of Liver Damage from Medication
Fever. Diarrhea. Dark urine. Jaundice, a condition that occurs when a substance called bilirubin builds up in the blood and causes the skin and whites of the eyes to appear yellow.
Taking too much acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States. Outside of the United States, acetaminophen is known as paracetamol.
People who misuse high doses of Ritalin every day can become paranoid or hallucinate. This seems to go away when they stop using the drug but this may take some time. Sometimes these effects don't completely go away.
For adolescents and adults, whose attention and performance requirements remain constant through most of their waking hours, two or three daily doses are the norm. From a strictly physical standpoint, it appears Ritalin can be taken safely every day.
Nervousness, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, weight loss, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, or headache may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
In terms of non-stimulant medications, ADHD specialists recommend using atomoxetine as a first-choice medication for children and adults, followed by guanfacine or clonidine for children, and bupropion or nortriptyline for adults.
A study from Europe suggests that adults with ADHD are more likely to develop a number of physical conditions like fatty liver disease and epilepsy.
The diagnoses most strongly associated with ADHD were alcohol-related liver disease, sleep disorders, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), epilepsy, fatty liver disease and obesity. ADHD was also linked to a slightly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia.
Blood tests used to assess the liver are known as liver function tests. But liver function tests can be normal at many stages of liver disease. Blood tests can also detect if you have low levels of certain substances, such as a protein called serum albumin, which is made by the liver.
A liver blood test measures the levels of various things in your blood, like proteins, liver enzymes, and bilirubin. This can help check the health of your liver and for signs of inflammation or damage.
As liver failure progresses, you may experience some or all of the following symptoms: Jaundice, or yellow eyes and skin. Confusion or other mental difficulties. Swelling in the belly, arms or legs.
Liver failure occurs when your liver isn't working well enough to perform its functions (for example, manufacturing bile and ridding your body of harmful substances). Symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, and blood in the stool. Treatments include avoiding alcohol and avoiding certain foods.
So, when the liver is stressed, it can disturb our emotional health. Emotions like anger, impatience, irritability and depression are common symptoms when the liver is in distress. Worse, it can affect your decision-making abilities and cause brain fog. It may even result in aggression and nasty outburst.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Eat a well-balanced diet every day. That's five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, along with fiber from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Be sure to include protein for the enzymes that help your body detox naturally.
French fries, wafers, burgers, and pizzas do no good to your liver. These food items are high in saturated fat or trans-fat content and are difficult to digest. In other words, your liver needs to work hard to process these food items.
Foods that support liver health include berries, cruciferous vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and fatty fish. Coffee and green tea contain antioxidants that are helpful for liver health.
Barring complications, the liver can repair itself completely and, within a month, the patient will show no signs of damage. However, sometimes the liver gets overwhelmed and can't repair itself completely, especially if it's still under attack from a virus, drug, or alcohol.