Does Vyvanse Work?
ByVyvanse is the newest medicine for ADD and ADHD. It uses an innovative approach so that it is an ADHD ADD medication that cannot be abused.
As a Canadian doctor, I am not able to prescribe Vyvanse, because it is not yet available outside of the US.
So, my biggest question is: Does Vyvanse work?
I have read the research, I have heard the presentations, but I don’t have real life experience with this medicine.
This is where you can help me out.
I want to hear from anyone who has tried Vyvanse, or even considered trying Vyvanse.
Just go ahead and enter a comment below.
Please realize that when you click submit, it will take a little bit of time until your comment reaches my blog. That is because every comment is moderated (i.e. I want to make sure that there are no spam comments, and nothing hateful, racist, etc.).
I found this video – where someone shares his or her experience with Vyvanse – and you can watch it here:
Now, it’s your turn. Please type in any of your own personal experiences with Vyvanse so that the readers of this blog can benefit from your knowledge and experience. I know that the readers of this blog span the whole globe – so if you have experience with Vyvanse, all of the readers of this blog (American, Canadian and International) will appreciate your contribution very much!
Thank you for your help,
Dr. Kenny
Technorati Tags: Vyvanse, ADD, ADHD, Medication for ADHD, Adult ADHD, Adult ADD, ADHD Video, Vyvanse Video
Hello Doctor, I am a 37Y/O/F who always knew that I had some form of ADD. When I was growing up there wasn’t a term for it, just either hyper or a misbehaved student. I was neither, I loved to learn and was an A student. However, I would remember my teachers saying you needed to dedicate 2 hours a night to study and do homework. I would laugh because it obviously would take 6-8 hours to study. Then as an adult I struggled at work. Couldn’t focus on topics in meetings. I needed information given to me in big picture format because I didn’t have the attention span for anymore detail. I thought this was how all people were. Then as time moved on I struggled with things that didn’t have a definitive deadline. I couldn’t stay on task to accomplish the goal. I would get distracted, and when they didn’t pan out, I would attribute it to “it wasn’t meant to be”, or “I’m really not interested in that anymore”. The only way I would stay on task and complete something was if I had a definitive time line, the time line was in short order, and was under an immense amount of pressure to complete the task in the short time frame. There, I was able to shine.
I’m in the middle of a career change and was in paramedic school when the kids all talked about a drug that would help them focus and study for hours at a time (firefighters/paramedics probably have the highest incident of employees with ADD). Adderall was the drug most were talking about but an instructor mentioned that he tried Vyvannse and he was able to focus without the harsh side effects of Adderall (heart racing, crashing, depression).
I was curious to see if my suspicions were correct that I might have ADD and went to see a neurologist. He said I was textbook. He prescribed 30mg of Vyvansse to see if it might help. After taking it, I was sad, not because the medication made me sad, but because I realized I could have done something about what was hindering me from accomplishing my goals sooner. I now realize how someone with out ADD functions in this world. I was able to stay focused in a conversation. I was able to study material ONCE and not read the same chapter 4 times.. I am able to organize my thoughts and FINISH tasks. The anxiety of wondering if I can meet a deadline because i couldn’t concentrate is gone. Before taking the medication, I would often find myself lost, especially when i was forced to do tasks, or work problems out that weren’t in my comfort zone. When I take Vyvanse I don’t experience that.
I started taking vyvanse 1 month ago. At first, I experienced severe dry mouth and a little what kind of felt like mild hypoxia in my head (I’m a pilot and it felt similar to how I feel after 30 minutes at 11,500 feet with no O2). Never had the heart racing, my pulse stayed in the 60′s. No elevated blood pressure, no syncope, no dizziness. With each pill I took the symptoms kept getting milder and milder. Now, the only side effect I feel is mild dry mouth, and something I’m happy about, some appetite suppression. I’m actually eating the appropriate amount of calories a day.
For me, Vyvanse is almost a miracle drug. It has helped me immensely. I accomplished more in my personal life the first week I was on this drug than I had the entire year. I’m not exaggerating. I feel compelled to complete tasks and study. I was able to “cram” for my Paramedic state exam in 1 week studying 10-12 hours at a time with only bathroom and meal breaks. I was able to retain the information, and didn’t have to read the material more than once. I passed the exam with 95%. I highly recommend this drug for anyone like me who find themselves struggling in their personal and professional lives, not due to intelligence, or lack of regard, but because they struggle to reach the finish line.
I just read your comment and I felt like you were telling my story. I was an A student as well, all through university. It wasn’t until I started my first job that I really started to struggle. Have had many different jobs, getting bored very easily. Have a hard time staying on one track in conversations, hopping from topic to topic. Just started Vyvanse yesterday…waiting for the same great results you report!
wow jasmine thank you for sharing. your story is exactly my story. Especially feeling sad because we wish we knew of this solution earlier. Thanks and thanks to the doctors that came up with vyvance.
I started 30 mg of Vyvanse and now have stomach bloating and it’s hard to get a full breath of air. My shoulders/neck are really tight. I have searched and searched on the net for anyone who has had similar reaction and can’t find a thing. Anyone have this??
27 mg of Concerta didn’t work well enough to keep me going and 36 mg was too much (the crashes were devistating).
I really want to like Vyvanse and for it to work well for me.
Just started 30mg of Vyvanse.
Literally… like today.
Have had problems with attention and focus and task completion for years.
Will update as things progress… though if it helps me pull my C’s into B’s or A’s, I’ll be ecstatic!
Seriously sickening how many are in here that are plain drug addictes. My son was diagnosed with adhd and odd its been a long, we have been though the adderal we have started on vyvanse 30mg and the Dr also gave him an adderal at lunch and takes clonodine at night… Still and up hill battle but it has been a great effect on him in school and behaviors
Maybe they are drug addicts because the medication they have previously been on were addictive? They died not chose to become addicted.
I posted on this question awhile back. I am 43, male and just retired from the military. Went back to school to pursue a new career and on the advice of a doctor friend I sought help. I tried everything (well, almost in the stimulant category) with mixed results and did not get the feeling that my doctor was believing me. I told her I wanted to try Straterra as it is a non-stimulant and then asked for some Adderall IR to help while it took the requisite 4-6 weeks. She wanted to drug test me at this point… Wow.
So, after 6 weeks of nothing but side effects from Straterra, I have decided to drop out of school and find a job instead. I was not completely convinced I was ADD and was leaning toward anxiety but after getting the last response I will just keep it to my self.
As for the nice woman here that commented on us all sounding like drug addicts-thanks lady, means a lot. You are so helping.
Just something to consider when you feel like your add medication is wearing off too soon.. What do you eat/drink? Alot of foods can interfere with the meds and make them wear off sooner than it should. For example… citrus & caffeine both make it wear off sooner, and not be as effective. I don’t do either one and it helps alot. I actually eat mostly all natural and organic foods, I try to stay away from artificial ingredients, preservatives, food dyes.. Etc.. Food dyes and caffeine are the worst for ADHD in my opinion, it interferes with ur meds and makes you irritable cranky & moody. I find that eating natural foods helps my family’s mood drastically, we get along so much better and anxiety level is much much lower. My husband and I actually take less meds than we used to before the diet change. Hope this helps.
OH MY GOODNESS! Thanks for sharing that! I was put on vyvanse about 3 months ago and I am sometimes afraid to eat because I go right to sleep. But I do a lot of caffeine some days, like today for instance…and my step son and I sat down to snuggle for a minute and he kept telling me to wake up. LOL So I went and grabbed more caffeine. ha! to no surprise, it didnt help any.
Thank you Clara, my own personal devil will always be diet. I just don’t know how to fix it-I know it sounds easy. How did you and your husband do it?
On a side note, I did get diagnosed with sleep apnea so now the only thing I am on is a CPAP and fish oil =) Not even sleeping pills. Sleeping better has helped enormously but as I said, diet is my own personal devil that I shall work on next.
Dean:
Its actually alot easier than it sounds. The key is to not call it a diet, because really it isn’t. It’s a healthy lifestyle. We changed our overall eating habits 3 years ago. We started with portion control then added one or 2 things at a time, low calorie, low fat, low sodium, etc.. Cut out caffeine and cut way down on sugar.. The past 3 months we started with all natural/organic products and cut out the food dyes, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and high fructose corn syrup. Alot of it tastes better, idk why they need to put all that artificial crap in it. And when you see and feel the difference in your mood etc and find yourself taking less prescription medications its worth it. Most people think organic = tastes like cardboard and super expensive. But like I said most of it tastes better esp the meats. Now the meats are a lil pricey unless you find it on sale but the rest you can get at reasonable prices if you shop around and price compare. WalMart has alot of all natural/organic products. When my husband switched from ginger ale to all natural sierra mist along with cutting out the high fructose corn syrup he lost 15 lbs in 3 weeks. High fructose corn syrup specifically makes you gain weight. Which is probly why most people have trouble with their weight. We had each lost 70 lbs in the past 3 years. If we knew a long time ago what we do how about the artificial sugars and all that we wouldn’t have had such a big problem with weight. All that and the fact that it interferes so much with the prescription medications so much its totally worth it. I know I can tell a difference in my mood and anxiety/irritably level whenever I deviate from the healthier foods, and I don’t like feeling like that. I want the vyvanse and other meds im on to last road ling as they can in the day, which most of the time is all day. I love the vyvanse.. My husband daughter and I are all on it and its been a life saver. It saved our marriage, drasticly improved our relationship with our daughter and her school performance. She’s had the same teacher 2 yrs now and she says the meds help my daughters focus, and since the switch to vyvanse she sees 200% difference. Ok this is turning into a book, but I wanted to share about things that help improve daily life.
Thanks again-Very much =) I am off of all prescription meds and the CPAP is helping me actually get restful sleep. I like the idea of changing eating habits little by little and will do so. As for “organic” I usually stay away from that stuff because of the people who push it (i.e. nanny-state Prius drivers) as a personal protest against anything green =) Besides, my little diesel gets way better mileage and is much more fun to drive…
HOW ON EARTH DO I GET MYSELF OUT OF THIS FREAKING COMMENT RAGE OF YALLS????? Every 5 minutes I have a new email about how vyvanse is either working or not. Please please please take me out of this blog so I stop getting emails ASAP. I already unsuscribed and IT WON’T STOP!!!!!
To Garrison (and others) – this blog itself has a subscription to forward comments to people who had the box checked under their comment when they submitted it. The idea of this is for people to participate in ongoing discussion on a post they have commented on.
When you receive an email from the blog about a new comment – you can click a link on it to unsubscribe yourself from future updates. If you have any problems with this – please reply here – and we can see if we can change it on our end. Sorry about that!
I have been on vyvanse for almost a month now 40 mg a day. For the most part it has helped me focus on my school work and sit through class without having my mind somewhere else. Up until today I hadn’t had any really extreme side effects, only one of the days I had an empty feeling in my stomach with pains and coming down off the med I sometimes had either a slight panic feeling or depression for a short time. Today I actually had a pretty scary experience. I took my dose at about 1:30 and started a bio exam at 2:30. Half way through the exam I suddenly got a loud ringing in my ears, so loud I thought it might have been a noice going off in the school somewhere. I then got scared when I realized it was coming from my ears. I felt relaxed even though I was scared, I checked my pulse and it was slightly elevated. The ringing lasted for about 10 minutes at a high level and then slowly lowered. I still hear it but at this level it is normal for me because I just about always here a ringing in my ears especially when I am in a quiet room. I am also on Welbutrin 150 mg 2x’s a day. Does anyone know of these side effects from vyvanse or maybe it has to do with the combo of meds? Please reply if you have had this happen or know of these effects. Thanks so much. I called and left a message with my doc today after this happened so when I hear back from him I will post what he tells me it might be from. till then…
On drugs.com it says there are severe reactions when taking these two medicines together. My gf is on the same medicine except at the the highest dose 70mg and it does nothing for her but cause her uneasy feelings. I hope you get the help you need from your doctors and i wouldnt take it until i had confirmation from your doctor
Best Wishes
I take 70 mg of Vyvanse. I’m the only patient for whom my psychiatrist prescribes Vyvanse — adderall xr is his default — but I requested Vyvanse three years ago and have been on it ever since. I don’t feel like 70 mg is sufficient, but it is the highest he is willing to prescribe, so I end up skipping days here and there, and then taking extra on the days I take it. It is really easy to measure out partial doses b/c you can dissolve the powder in water and then drink a measured portion of that water. Typically, I do best with about 105 mg.. 70 mg wears off too soon, and with 140 mg I’m focused but not really productive b/c I zoom in on some trivial detail and misallocate my time.
In my experience, Vyvanse works longer than adderall xr, though no where near as long as the 12 hours that Shire claims — after 6 or so, I start to fade, and after 9, I’m worse than if I had not taken the Vyvanse to begin with. It lasted noticeably longer the first year I was on it — but I couldn’t adjust my dose after a year b/c I was already at the 70 mg maximum. I can mitigate this a bit by taking part of my dose in the morning and then taking the second part 3 hours later, which again is really easy to do with the water method. Unlike more quickly releasing forms of amphetamine, there is much less of an up and down, and when it is working, I don’t really feel like I’ve taken any drug (unless I’ve taken about 140 mg, which as I said above can be counter-productive). I’ve also found that taking 4 grams of tyrosine in the morning extends its duration an hour or so.
For about 6 months, I took it along with 100 mg of desipramine. It worked noticeably better during this period, but there were sexual side effects (erectile difficulties) and I didn’t sleep as well, so I stopped the desipramine. I’m about to start taking bupropion with it. I don’t fault my doctor for being unwilling to prescribe an off-label dosage, but I do think it is sort of funny that he has no problem with these sorts of off-label combinations, about which there is not very much research (at least as far as I can tell via pubmed)…
I have found the same problem with the 70 mg.. I have been on this dose for about 2.5 months and I’m finding it wears off after approx. 4 hours. My Dr. had mentioned another drug he may try me on that for chronic fatique. I like the fact the Vyvanse doesn’t give me the drug feeling like you’d mentioned but it just isn’t effective for me after 4 hours. I’m so tired and no concentration level.
My son is 10 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD a few years ago. He was first put on Aderal but he would get sick to his stomach and too tired to work in the afternoons. He has been on vyvanse for the past year and a half and he is doing Great. Before taking this medication he could not write a paragraph in school. a few weeks after he was put on vyvanse his teacher called to tell me that he had written TWO WHOLE PAGES for his research and I will admit that I just started crying. It was a HUGE accomplishment and he continues to do much better in school. He is not a straight A student but he has had a few A’s which is much better than his previous reports when he got mostly C’s and some B’s.
Vyvance has worked amazing for me for 8th grade, 9th, and 10th! I’ve gotten such great grades and everything was wonderful! I take 30 mgs, im now 17 years old (I started when i was 14). Over the period of taking the drug i was fat, but i lost all the weight and diden’t eat much. Once the weight was lost i became very tired almost all the time. I figured out i needed to eat and once i did that things were great again! But it’s now my juniour year and i fear my body is building a resistance or tolerance to it. I almost failed history but got it up to a C. I just got out of math class and i coulden’t comprehend any of what was being said today! Not to say i diden’t study, two days ago i was hitting the books harder then i ever had to before! So thats really why I’m here, i need help. The medication definatly isen’t working as well as it used to and i think i might need to up my dosage. The only thing is, if i have to up it now then maybe another year or two from now I’ll have to up it again! What happens when i reach my limit? I’m scared, i don’t want to go back to my old life. It’s not a life worth living.
I would recommend that you take the weekends off of taking the meds or take a week or two at a time without taking it. This helps me a lot and I have been doing that for more than 7 years. If I always take the medication I have no reference point of how it is when I don’t take it.
I am a 45 y/o male and have a history of major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. I don’t believe that I have all the indicators for a diagnosis of an attention deficit disorder, but a new psychiatrist I recently saw started me on 20mg Vyvanse and wanted me to continue on my low dose SSRI (Paxil 5mg). My therapist of 2 years, who thinks highly of this psychiatrist, referred me to him for an initial evaluation since I have had not had a positive response to many of the SSRI drugs, mood stabilizers, and atypical anti-psychotics. By the way, I have been off all benzodiazepines for the past 2 years following a history of “tolerance” dependence on them and have no intention of taking them again for management of anxiety (I took this drug as prescribed by my treating psychiatrist for a period of 15 years).
Based upon what I read on the Internet (mostly anecdotal), psycho-stimulants are not recommended for people with pre-existing anxiety disorders. However, other evidence and reports from patients seem to indicate that it can help reduce anxiety symptoms. My psychiatrist has assured me that Vyvanse will reduce anxiety symptoms but it may take a couple of weeks. So, as you can see I’m a bit confused from all these mixed messages.
When I first began taking Vyvanse about 10 days ago, I was able to notice the benefits of the drug – increased attention span, concentration, and memory, and, paradoxically, a pretty significant reduction in anxiety. However, after about day 4 the benefits were not as pronounced and the side effects seemed to take center stage – increase in anxiety symptoms and nervousness, nausea, diminished appetite, dizziness, headaches, facial flushing, and sweating. Most of the side effects have reduced in intensity, but the ones still bothering me the most are anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and facial flushing. I make sure that I stay hydrated throughout the day, exercise every morning before work, stay off caffeinated products, and eat throughout the day.
Since I have an anxiety disorder, I am a bit concerned about taking a psycho-stimulant. Logic would seem to dictate that this type of drug would be contraindicated for a person such as myself. Have any of you have had a positive response with Vyvanse in terms of reduction in anxiety symptoms? And, since I have never been on a drug like this before I would appreciate any tips and advice.
I was on Aderal for about a year. I didnt like it when it was wearing off because I would get a tense back and neck and I was coming down about the time I needed to be caring for my family at night. So my doctor tried me on Vyvanse about 3 months ago, and I dont get the soreness effect from them, which is very nice. However, I feel like the Aderal helped me focus more. I am more edgy on Vyvanse at times compared to Aderal, and I agree with Paul about it supposedly lasting for 12 hours, so I too split it into twice a day. And it is not possible to get a qty of 60 in a smaller dose because my insurance will only cover a qty of 31 each month.
I’m 54 years old, with a dx of bipolar disorder and adult ADD. The bipolar is under excellent control using Abilify, Lamictal, Wellbutrin. The ADD is treated with Vyvanse (140 mg./once a day) and Adderall (30 mg. once in afternoon).
I first tried Vyvanse several years ago after responding poorly to Ritalin. I do like extended release formulations, as they avoid the severe ups and downs of immediate release stimulants. Vyvanse seemed like a good bet at the time.
Vyvanse has worked extremely well for years. I take two 70 mg. capsules in the AM, which lasts most of the day. It tends to wear off in the mid-afternoon, and I take an immediate-release Adderall at that point to cover me into the evening.
Though Vyvanse does not work for me as long as advertised, I find it does have significant therapeutic value for about nine to ten hours. During that time there are virtually no “ups and downs” or coverage gaps. Drug release is always smooth and consistent.
In my experience I’ve found Vyvanse to be as helpful with my ADD as other ADD drugs, such as: Adderall, dexedrine, concerta, and others. Unlike like other ADD meds, though, Vyvanse tends to be subjectively milder or “smoother” in effect and thus tolerated much better. Ritalin, for example, leaves me feeling very wired and I can’t tolerate it for long.
I need to mention a very important consideration with Vyvanse that some psych patients should be aware of: I’m bipolar, but my mania is rarely affected by stimulants. I should add that my mania IS affected by certain stimulating antidepressants such as Prozac, so there must be a critical difference between a “stimulant” and a drug which is said to be stimulating. This is very important to understand if you are bipolar but have ADD-like issues that may respond to stimulant meds.
I went for decades with my ADD component undiagnosed. This was, basically, a nightmare situation, and I was labeled as “treatment refractory.” It was not until I urged a psychiatrist to experiment with a stimulant (Cylert, at the time) that I experienced relief and doctors began to see what was going on. Things only improved as the doctors and I found the proper stimulant meds and the correct dosages. Discovering and taking Vyvanse was an important step in optimizing my bipolar and ADD treatment.
I would urge patients who aren’t responding well to stimulant meds–and haven’t tried Vyvanse yet–to give it a try.
I recently accepted a new job in a new state, so upon my move I had to find new doctors. I have heard headaches of new patients trying to convince doctors of their ADD, but thankfully my doctor talked with me for a half hour and saw how apparent my ADD was. My old doctor had me on Adderall 20 mg 2x a day. My new doctor did not like the idea of me taking two instant when I could take a long lasting pill. Instead of putting me on Adderall XR, he decided Vyvanse (thankfully insurance covered it. I heard A LOT don’t). He didn’t tell me why, but I’ve been on it for 3 months now, with only a change from 30mg to 50mg after the first month. I like it a lot better than Adderall…It’s SO much smoother. Every time I took Adderall, it were as if a bucket of ice cold water was splashed in my face, and I would be like “HYPER-FOCUSED” for a time, than a steep decline. Vyvanse is more gradual. I cannot pinpoint the time it starts working or when it fades, it just sort of happens and I usually say to myself, “Oh I can feel it,” or “It must have worn off.” The company I work for is revamping their healthcare plan, so I’m hoping it will still be available because I really like it.
My grandson, 6yr. old starts VyVanse this week. I am really worried after looking at all the negative side effects. He is little for his age, less than 50 lbs. Anyone have a small child on VyVanse? Thanks!!
Listen I have had Add my who life but all the regular drugs (Ritalin, aderall and a few other) cause me to get so hyper and the non-stimulant alternative have horrible side-effects, so who wants those. I have been using Vyvanse for a week now (30mgs) and it’s a different world. I feel focused, excited and extremely positive with a touch highness. Side effects seems to be extreme loss of appetite and a touch of IBS sometimes after eating, both of which I can deal with because they cause weight loss. All in all a positive experience. I would recommend switching to decaf with this drug too. I hope that helps.
My youngest child was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD. We were aprehensive about meds for a number of reasons. However, after some continually problems in preschool, we were prescribe 20 mg of Vyvanse. It made an immediate difference.
I decided to try one. To my surprise, I had not had that focused a morning in years. I had to confess to the family doctor, but after a screening, I’m now on the team.
The best way I can describe the feeling without Vyvanse is this way:
The front of my head feels like a huge egg shaped chamber. 3/4 of it filled with water under a grey overcast sky. I’m underwater watching tugboats float back and forth above delivering messages to the shorelines… From 8ish am till nearly 1:30 pm, I could probably just lay down anywhere and sleep… Coffee, energy drinks, etc, no effect. I could drink a MONSTER and take a nap…
I take 40mg and it makes all the difference to me. I cannot explain how much I love being able to focus and get things done now.
I do take a break from time to time, especially if I don’t have anything hugely pressing to accomplish. I come from a family of addicts, and I want to make sure I’m always in control.
Hi,
I’m a 31y/o/f, I’ve been on vyvanse for a little over 3yrs. I’ve never been on any other ADD medicine because I was afraid of developing a dependency or liver damage. So before going on it I did a ton of research and had several conversations with my doctor, and eventually together we decided it was the best option for me.
After a week of taking it, my husband noticed how much more calm, less fidgety, not easily overwhelmed I’d become. And I felt like the bunny ears were finally pointed in the right direction and my brain was able to tune in to the right channel.
At the time I was going to school for my masters and it was amazing how much more easily I was able to absorb the content; I’ve always got As and Be but I knew my good grades came with double and some times triple the effort that others put in.
Ever since I started taking the medicine my relationships are better (I don’t interrupt as much, I guess – and I’m less likely to put my foot in my mouth), I’ve gotten a better job and I feel much more at peace wit myself because I’m able to deal with everyday life.
I’d agree with the person who posted about diet impacting ADD, I’ve removed gluten and I feel even better. Also, sleep is very important, although it’s sometimes difficult to get to bed on time specially if I take the med after 7am. Running or some time of physical activity helps clear the mind too.
I know this medicine isn’t for everyone but I’ve had an excellent experience.with it
My son started taking 30mg of Vyvanse about 8 months ago just before he turned 7. He had taking a baseline test at the beginning of kindergarten and scored in 70% range and according to his teacher was having poor impulse control and difficulty concentrating and focusing. The first day we started him on the medication I had not told his teacher but she approached me at the end of the schools day and told me how focused he had been and that for the first time he was able to sit still. Subsequently, a few months later when he took that baseline test again he scored 97%. Ever since we started him on the medication he has performed well at school, has had better impulse control and has overall been a more pleasant child to be around. He does get some insomnia so I make sure to give it to him first thing in the morning. Also, since he started taking it I’ve noticed he’s only grown and 3/4 inch and he is one of the tallest in the class. My only concern with the medication is its effect on his overall growth,
I have been taking Vyvanse since I was 26 and I just turned 30 a couple of weeks ago. This drug is amazing I am totally a different person when Im on it. I just feel that it makes me concentrate on work better and my focus on other things are a hell of a lot better. The only question or concern I have is is that is Vyvanse a drug that can cause heart problems because I dont want to come off the drug because I have never done well in school and have had problems with jobs in the past due to my ADHD but I dont want to harm myself as well. Im just wondering if I am ever going to have to come off this drug sometime down the road or is it safe for me to take for another 20 or 40 or how many years I have left on this earth
I am 19 years old, and have been on vyvanse for 3 months now.
I was on Concerta before for about 6 years, and It was not very “smooth” . I would feel really awkward with people, quiet, my eating habits were horrible, had trouble sleeping, and I just didn’t feel very “me”. Although i did notice it helped me focus in class, i felt more like a zombie that just couldn’t do anything else but focus.
My doctor reccomended me Vyvanse. I’m taking 30 mg right now, and I have to say. Its really something ! If I didn’t have this pill, I don’t know if i could be in university. Im so proud of myself and thankful for this drug. I can concentrate during a 3 hour lecture with ease (I’m actually really into it) . I used to gaze over at the prof, trying to concentrate but it would be foggy, and i couldn’t absorb any of the information. I feel so in control of what I’m doing, and it feels great. I’m happier forsure, and in terms of my “hyperactivity”, it really helps me stay leveled. I’m still the fun, outgoing me, but just a bit more in control
If i have an argument with someone, I’m very in control, and can feel confident that i’m not being inappropriate, and am not a loose cannon) . Everyone else notices the changes as well. It helps in all areas of my life, and I’m so happy to have decided to make the change. If ANYONE has add or adhd and is struggling in school, at home, or anything like that then i really reccomend making the change to Vyvanse because it really does wonders and I’m a much better me.
If i don’t take my medication, then i cant focus on my work. I remember trying to do a reading for a class, and i was saying out loud “i cant focus” and it was really frustrating cause i just could not pick up the information and i would read the sentence 10 times. Now i read it, and i stay focused on the task at hand and i gey my work done. I’m not “thinking about what im going to watch on tv later, and I’m not getting distracted on the computer” . If i had this during elementary school or high school i would have been a much better me. Parents , i’ve had adhd all my life, and i was really skeptical about medication, as my parents were. Trust me. This could very well be the solution for you.
I also wanted to add, that because it can sometimes give you trouble sleeping, I take melatonin. My doctor let me know it was ok for me to do this and it helps me feel naturally tired. Also it’s good because i have altered sleep schedules because of university classes. Talk to your doctor about what would be good for you for sleeping .
Josh – congrats on doing so well! and thanks for sharing your experience. I believe it will help many other people.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
A lot of posts on these websites seem to either say that the drug is amazing or it’s awful. My account is mixed. I’m 27 years old, male, been on Vyvanse since the end of September (about 4 months at the time I write this).
Short version: the drug works for me with very few side effects, but I’ve built a tolerance, and I’m refusing my doctor’s suggestion to up the dose yet again.
Side effects: dry mouth and decreased appetite. I’ve been a horrible overeater before, so this drug puts me back to a normal appetite.
Started on 40 mg/day. First dose felt happier than any time in my life. I also had no choice but to focus. It was awesome. I was definitely a bit jittery. I am a runner, normally with a resting heart rate of 55, and the pulse rose to 90 the first few weeks I was on 40 mg. It’s since dropped back down.
I had NO trouble sleeping, although I should note that I virtually gave up caffeine as soon as I started Vyvanse, so that change probably eclipsed any side effects of the Vyvanse.
My fidgeting WAY better than it ever was before.
Unfortunately my body started to build a tolerance. The drug didn’t last nearly as well as it has before. I started fidgeting again, had trouble concentrating. The doctor upped the dose to 50 mg. I reached a point where I was building a tolerance to that. The doctor wanted to up the dose again, but I refused. I just didn’t buy the argument that the body builds a tolerance at a lower dose but doesn’t build a tolerance at a higher dose.
Back in December I took a full week off of stimulants entirely. First two days I was sleeping all the time, and I didn’t have the energy to focus my eyes to read text on a computer screen. By the end of the week I had cleared up. For instance I was able to function on 4 hours sleep with no caffeine.
By the end of that week I felt my old self returning, at least emotionally. Objectively I probably accomplished very little at work that week.
When I went back onto the drug (50 mg) it was quite powerful, but nowhere near as strong as the first time I took it. Got a lot done that day, had trouble sleeping that night.
I sometimes misuse the drug on the weekends. Fridays and Saturdays I may take one 50 mg dose in the morning and one 50 mg dose in the evening. I’m a guy in my 20’s, and the dating scene requires some late nights to meet women. I’m not asking for a sympathy card, just giving an honest anonymous account of a patient’s behavior on the drug. Vyvanse works better for me than 5 hour energy or Red Bull, and allows me to sleep better once the night is over.
Other things to mention – some of my lifestyle behaviors could be better to improve the effectiveness of the drug.
I used to self-medicate by exercising vigorously. For instance, I would go into the supply closet once every hour or so and do 50 push-ups just to get the blood flowing back to my brain. I had to run every day or I got depressed.
This is where a third party would play devil’s advocate with my account.
It’s hard for me to say objectively how much I’m actually getting done on the drug. The only way I can measure it is to say how I feel on the drug. When I feel like I’m building a tolerance, the thing that I notice most is that I don’t have the buzz that I had the first time I tried it. Maybe I’m not “high” from the drug, but I’m still getting my work done.
The other thing to note – I cut back on my exercising once I was on the drug. Other people drag themselves to the gym, my body had a primal urge that forced me to exercise. On the Vyvanse I didn’t feel the desire to exercise anymore. The amphetamine high replaced the need for the runner’s high. It’s not a stretch to assume that the lack of exercise has caught up with me. The other thing to mention is that I have not been seeking ADHD therapy, which I need to be doing.
My grandson started vyvanse in 2nd grade and before taking it he was struggling in school–he was not hyper–just couldn’t pay attention. He is an A/B student, never has to do homework with him any more. Only issue is that every once in a while he wakes up with night terrors–feels bad and thinks he is going to die. However, no other major side effects–it does interfere with his appetite, however, before taking it he was chunky. So far has not interfered withi his growth. Anyone has any real negative side effects?