Jornay PM: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

Serious warnings and precautions box

What JORNAY PM is used for:

JORNAY PM is a once-daily treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children 6 to 12 years of age.

JORNAY PM is NOT recommended for use in children under 6 years of age.

Your healthcare professional may include as part of your treatment with JORNAY PM, other measures such as psychological counselling, educational and social measures, as part of your total treatment program.

How JORNAY PM works:

JORNAY PM belongs to a group of medicines called central nervous system stimulants. The way JORNAY PM works in the brain is not completely known. JORNAY PM helps increase attention and decreases impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD. It is designed to be taken as a single dose in the evening to help symptoms of ADHD by delivering the active ingredient, methylphenidate hydrochloride, to the bloodstream, both in the morning and later in the day.

The ingredients in JORNAY PM are:

Medicinal ingredient(s): methylphenidate hydrochloride.

Non-medicinal ingredients: dibutyl sebacate, ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, methacrylic acid copolymer Type B, microcrystalline cellulose, mono- and di-glycerides, polysorbate 80, and talc.

In addition, the capsule shells contain the following non-medicinal ingredients:

• 20 mg: FD&C Blue #1, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, yellow iron oxide, and black ink for the imprint.
• 40 mg: FD&C Blue #1, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, yellow iron oxide, and black ink for the imprint.

Drug Dependence

Like other stimulants, JORNAY PM has the potential to be misused or abused. This can lead to you becoming dependent on JORNAY PM or feeling like you need to take more of it over time.

• 60 mg: FD&C Blue #1, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, and black ink for the imprint.
• 80 mg: FD&C Blue #1, hypromellose, titanium dioxide, and black ink for the imprint.
• 100 mg: black iron oxide, FD&C Blue#1, hypromellose, red iron oxide, titanium dioxide, black ink, and white ink for the imprint.

JORNAY PM comes in the following dosage form(s):

Delayed-release and extended-release capsules: 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, and 100 mg of methylphenidate hydrochloride.

Do not use JORNAY PM if:

• you are allergic to methylphenidate hydrochloride, to any other central nervous system stimulants, or any of the ingredients in JORNAY PM.
• you have ever had heart problems such as a heart attack, irregular heartbeat, chest pain (angina), heart failure, heart disease or were born with a heart problem.
• you have moderate to severe high blood pressure (hypertension).
• you have hardened arteries (arteriosclerosis).
• you have an overactive thyroid gland.
• you have significant anxiety, tension, or agitation.
• you have increased eye pressure (glaucoma).
• you have Tourette’s syndrome or a family history of Tourette’s syndrome (including uncontrolled speech (verbal tics) and body movements (motion tics)).
• you are taking or have taken within the last 14 days, a medicine from a group called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI).
• you have a condition called pheochromocytoma (a rare tumour that usually grows in the adrenal glands, above the kidneys).
• you have a history of drug abuse or is showing interest in drugs.

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take JORNAY PM. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• have heart problems, heart defects, or mild high blood pressure.
• have an abnormal heart rate or rhythm.
• have a family history of sudden death or death related to heart problems.
• have any other current or previous heart problems.
• do strenuous exercise.
• take other stimulant drugs.
• are interested in drinking alcohol, are drinking alcohol or have a history of alcohol abuse. You should not drink alcohol while taking JORNAY PM.
• have had seizures or abnormal EEGs (measure of brainwave activity).
• have or have had any disorder of the blood vessels in the brain such as weakening of blood vessels (aneurysm), stroke, inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis).
• have mental problems or family history of mental health problems including psychosis, mania, suicide, bipolar illness, depression, anxiety or aggression.

• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. JORNAY PM passes into breast milk. Talk to your healthcare professional to determine if you should stop breastfeeding or stop taking JORNAY PM.
• are farsighted (objects in the distance are seen clearly but objects nearby may be blurry).

Other warnings you should know about:

Driving and using machines: JORNAY PM can affect your ability to perform certain tasks such as driving and using tools or machinery. You should not do these tasks until you know how you respond to JORNAY PM.

Dependence and tolerance: Like other stimulants, JORNAY PM has the potential to be abused if not taken correctly which can lead to dependence, tolerance or misuse. If you have a history of drug or alcohol abuse, discuss this with your healthcare professional. DO NOT change the dose or stop taking JORNAY PM without first discussing this with your healthcare professional. If you stop taking JORNAY PM, you will need careful supervision because you may feel very depressed.

Growth in children: Slower growth (weight gain and/or height) has been reported with long- term use of methylphenidate hydrochloride in children. Your healthcare professional will carefully watch your height and weight. If you are not growing or gaining weight as expected, your healthcare professional may stop treatment.

Heart related problems: The following heart related problems have been reported in people taking medicine to treat ADHD like JORNAY PM:

• sudden death in patients who have heart problems or heart defects,
• stroke and heart attack in adults,
• increased blood pressure and heart rate.

Sudden death has been reported with drugs used for ADHD treatment in children/adolescents with structural heart abnormalities or other serious heart problems. Although some serious heart problems alone can carry an increased risk of sudden death, JORNAY PM generally should not be used in children, adolescents or adults with known structural heart abnormalities or other serious heart disease or conditions.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure or a family history of these problems.

Your healthcare professional will check:

• for heart problems before starting JORNAY PM,
• blood pressure and heart rate regularly during treatment with JORNAY PM.

Get medical help right away if you have any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, difficulty breathing or fainting while taking JORNAY PM.

Mental health problems: The following mental health problems have been reported in people taking medicine to treat ADHD like JORNAY PM:

• new and worse thoughts or feelings related to suicide (thinking about or feeling like killing yourself) and suicide actions (suicide attempt, suicidal ideation and completed suicide);
• new or worse bipolar illness (extreme mood swings, with periods of excitement, switching between periods of sadness);
• new or worse aggressive behaviour or hostility, anxiety or feeling agitated;
• new psychotic symptoms (such as hearing voices, or seeing or believing things that are not real, being suspicious) or new manic symptoms.

These new or worse mental health problems may be more likely to occur if you have mental health conditions that you may or may not know about. Tell your healthcare professional about any mental problems you have, or about any personal or family history of suicide, bipolar illness, or depression.

A small number of patients taking ADHD drugs may experience unusual feelings of agitation, hostility or anxiety, or have impulsive or disturbing thoughts such as thoughts of suicide, self-harm or harm to others. Those suicidal thoughts or behaviors may occur at any time during treatment, particularly at the start or during dose changes, and also after stopping JORNAY PM. Should this happen, consult your healthcare professional immediately. Close observation by a healthcare professional is necessary in this situation.

Raynaud’s phenomenon: Stimulants used to treat ADHD, such as JORNAY PM, are associated with Raynaud’s Phenomenon. During treatment with JORNAY PM, your healthcare professional may check for problems with the circulation in your fingers and toes, including numbness, feeling cold or pain.

Serotonin toxicity (also known as serotonin syndrome): JORNAY PM can cause serotonin toxicity, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. It can cause serious changes in how your brain, muscles and digestive system work. You may develop serotonin toxicity if you take JORNAY PM with certain anti-depressants or migraine medications. Serotonin toxicity symptoms include:

• fever, sweating, shivering, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting;
• muscle shakes, jerks, twitches or stiffness, overactive reflexes, loss of coordination;
• fast heartbeat, changes in blood pressure;
• confusion, agitation, restlessness, hallucinations, mood changes, unconsciousness, and coma.

Testing and check-ups: The healthcare professional may do tests before you start your treatment with JORNAY PM and during your treatment. These tests may include:

• tests that check for problems in the heart or brain;
• tests that check your blood pressure and heart rate;
• blood tests to check complete blood count, platelet counts and liver enzymes.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.

Serious drug interactions:

Serious drug interactions with JORNAY PM include:

• monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, or moclobemide. You MUST NOT take JORNAY PM if you are taking or have recently taken (within the last 14 days) any MAOIs as it may cause serious side effects.
• clonidine, used to treat high blood pressure. You MUST NOT take JORNAY PM if you are taking clonidine as it may cause serious side effects, including sudden death.

The following may also interact with JORNAY PM:

• alcohol. You should avoid drinking alcohol, including any medication containing alcohol, such as some cough syrups, while taking JORNAY PM;
• certain medicines for depression or anxiety called tricyclic antidepressants, ‘selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors’ (SSRIs) or ‘serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors’ (SNRIs);
• medicines used to manage psychosis (antipsychotic);
• medicines used to prevent seizures such as phenobarbitone, phenytoin, and primidone;
• medicines used to prevent blood clots (commonly called “blood thinners”), such as warfarin;
• medicines used to increase blood pressure;
• medicines used to treat high blood pressure;
• anesthetics on the day of an operation, as there is a chance of a sudden rise in blood pressure and heart rate during the operation;
• risperidone, used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.

How to take JORNAY PM:

• Your healthcare professional will decide on the dose that is right for you. Always follow the directions of the healthcare professional and never change the dose or stop taking JORNAY PM without first discussing it with your healthcare professional.
• Take JORNAY PM once a day, in the evening. It should be taken at the same time each evening.

• JORNAY PM can be taken with or without food but should be taken the same way each time.

• Swallow JORNAY PM capsules whole.

• If you are unable to swallow the capsules whole, the capsules may be opened and the entire contents sprinkled onto applesauce.

  • Swallow all the applesauce and medicine mixture right away.
  • Do not chew the applesauce and medicine mixture.
  • Do not store the applesauce and medicine mixture.

Usual dose:

Children (6-12 years of age):

• Take JORNAY PM exactly as prescribed by your healthcare professional.
• Your healthcare professional will determine the best dose to treat your symptoms and may adjust the dose until it is right.
• From time to time your healthcare professional may sometimes interrupt your JORNAY PM treatment to check for symptoms while you are not taking the medicine.

Overdose:

If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much JORNAY PM, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre, or Health Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no signs or symptoms.

Missed dose:

If you forget to take your dose at the usual time, you should take it as soon as you remember in the same evening. If you do not remember until the next day, you should not take the missed dose. Do not take a morning or afternoon dose. Wait until the evening and take the usual dose at the usual time. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed dose.

Possible side effects from using JORNAY PM:

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking JORNAY PM. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

Side effects may include:

• sore throat, cough and runny nose;
• decreased appetite;
• trouble sleeping;
• sleep talking, sleepwalking;
• nausea, dry mouth;
• trembling;
• headache, dizziness;
• feeling drowsy, tired or sleepy;
• diarrhea, constipation, vomiting;
• indigestion, stomach pain;
• muscle, back, or joint pain;
• bedwetting in children during the night (enuresis);
• weight loss;
• lack of bladder control (incontinence);
• feeling jittery, nervous, anxious or irritable ;
• increased sweating, night sweats;
• ear ringing, ear pain;
• vertigo;
• swelling of the breasts in boys or men;
• difficulty opening the mouth (trismus);
• double vision;
• stuttering.

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:

• Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (canada.ca/drug-device-reporting) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
• Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.

NOTE: Contact your healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.

Storage:

• Store at room temperature (15°C to 30°C). Protect from moisture.
• Keep unused or expired JORNAY PM in a secure place to prevent theft, misuse or accidental exposure.
• Keep JORNAY PM out of sight and reach of children and pets.
• JORNAY PM should never be thrown into household trash, where children and pets may find it. It should be returned to a pharmacy for proper disposal.

If you want more information about JORNAY PM:

• Talk to your healthcare professional.
• Find the full Product Monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes the Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada Drug Product Database website (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website (https://knighttx.com), by emailing medinfo@knighttx.com, or by calling 1-844-483-5636.

Date of Authorization: 2026-01-14