Vyvanse Dosage: How to Get the Right Dose

My 7 yr old daughter started vyvanse 30 mg yesterday 12/1/07. W/in 30 minutes of taking it she turned into almost a zombie. Her eyes were glazed over for the first 1-2 hours, she said she was dizzy and she just wanted to sleep. I tried taking her shopping and she was too messed up to walk that I had to put her in the cart, shop quick and take her home to bed. After a couple hours she started watching TV and playing a video game, so she was up, but had no pep. She had 3 20 second boughts of crying expressing frustration with the video game. She also chewed on her tongue for about 9 hrs. I asked if something was twitching and her answer was basically that was was “doing it on purpose”, but couldn’t stop. She had never done that before. It was what I would consider to be a tic. When she got up this morning, that was gone. . She wouldn’t eat and she couldn’t fall asleep til after midnight. I knew there were going to be side effects, but she seems to have gotten all of them. The dr said there would be an adjustment period of about a week. I wasn’t sure which of these side effects would be for the first week versus which normally go on and on. I did give her her pill for today just about 15 minutes or so ago and will be checking on her shortly. Please comment.

Dave A,
Yes, some people need to take medicine for the long term. I am reluctant to say ‘for the rest of your life…’ because that’s a long time!
Talk to your doctor about this question and see what he/she says.
Dr. Kenny

Dr. Kenny,

Hi. I was diagnosed with ADD 7 years ago, I am 34 yrs old. I’ve taken Adderall XR 30 mg in the past with much success, but was switched to Concerta 56 mg a few years ago because of all the hype about Adderall being addictive. A good friend of mine thought I was acting different on the 56 mg, but my husband didn’t see anything strange. After her comments, I thought I was acting strangly too, so I told my physician & he switched me to Concerta 27 mg. The power of suggestion!!! I took Concerta for 2 years. It only helped a little, but I never said anything because I didn’t know what else they could do for me and is was helping just a bit. I took over a month break in December 2007 from Concerta and my ADD symptoms came back, full blown within a month and a half. My physician just prescribed me Vyvance 30 mg and I started it on Tues, Jan 15th. It is working great, but wears off between noon and 2 pm. I spoke with my physician’s nurse on Thursday to share my results on the Vyvance 30 mg. She said that I would need to wait until my current prescription for Vyvanse 30 mg is finished before they can increase it. Is this because it is a controlled substance and there are certain restrictions on how much ADD stimulant drugs they can prescribe within a month?

Thanks.

P.S. I made a post last night under the name of “L-” to tell my story. I was too embarassed to use my real name because I was parinoid of “people” I work with and others finding out my story. I really don’t care anymore if they were to find out. Am I crazy??? Thanks again for all of your information.

I TAKE 100 MG OF VYVANCE AT 170 LBS.

IS THIS DOSE EXCESSIVE?

Vyvanse Dosage: How to Get the Right Dose…

Vyvanse is the newest medicine for ADD or ADHD in the USA. I have written several articles on this blog on Vyvanse, and have had great feedback and comments from readers of this blog….

100mg isn’t really excessive. 100mg of Vyvanse is like 50mg of Adderall XR which is not uncommon at all. Vyvanse (and most other adhd meds) don’t seem to matter much on the age and weight of the patient. Doctors used to think it mattered but there can be a grown man at 300 pounds taking 30 Vyvanse and a 16 year old 110 pound kid on 100mg. It varries from patient to patient.

I was on 30 mg and the sleep thing went away, in fact I slept great, but then the effect started to wear off, I was upped to 50 mgs and the sleep was only disturbed on night 1. now effects (focus better) seems to have worn off again. I cannot find sites which recommend what dosages I should be on based on weight. I do not have the hyper thing going – just total disorganization and focus (switching around from thing to thing). Both are greatly helped at first. Can anyone (Doc?) answer or point me to a site with guidelines. My doc seems clueless and i start a new job next week and have to go for a refill or up in mgs tomorrow which was, but do not want to suggest an increase if it will make me zoomy…. ANY thoughts would be appreciated!!

Im a 16 year old girl had just (finally!) got diagnosed with ADD 3 months ago. I’m on vyvanse right now and am taking 70 mg. I have noticed that it is not working as strongly as it was in the beginning, so i was wondering if it would be okay to take both a 70mg AND 1 30mg at the same time. I have already done this on one occassion because my sisters boyfriend is also on vyvanse for the first time and he saw results when he combined 2 30mg pills. Is this safe to do and if so can i continue to do this? It did work well ..but maybe a little too well because i was super super calm the whole day. Merci!

i started taking vyvanse this past week on 11/19/08 at 40 mg. im 20 yrs old in college and i have taken it wednsday and thursday. on wednsday it made me high and stoned basically and thursday i felt so weak that i could faint at any time. also i timed my heart rate it was 96 at rest. i dont want to take this any more. i cant see the reasoning behind having to take a pill to make you consentrait i think i should be able to tell myself when i need to focus and concentrait. it wasnt like i was taking medicine to help me it was more like taking a drug to get me high.

Now I have a question…my son started Vyvance at 30mg about 3 weeks ago. He says he really notices a difference in his ability to focus but it wears off by mid-afternoon. I’m assuming he probably needs to increase his dose. The thing I’m concerned about is that though he seems more able to focus, he seems a little more hyper than usual. Will increasing his dosage cause even more hyperness?

hey, i am a 16 year old male i just started takeing the Vyvanse 30 mg. but when i started the pill i noticed nervous tension and yes i was also a little hyper but i was able to control that before it got out of hand. Also another thing I noticed was that my (feet), and (hands) were really, really cold even when i tried to warm them it never went away. So i waited it out but its been about a week and couple days now and its still there (WHAT SHOULD I DO)? And also from reading one of the articles above about it (wearing off) for me its in the after noons about 12:30 1:00. But other then that i like it it has really made a tramindis change in school i am more focused and in to what i am doing and from switching over from concerta pshh thats nothin i hated that pill but now i look forward to takeing Vyvanse……. THANKS EVERYONE and dont mind leavin a comment.

Hi Sarah,
I would really caution you about using an ADHD medication to lose weight. There are side effects to these medicines, and in my experience, most people don’t really lose much weight – i.e. they aren’t hungry during the day, but then they are very hungry in the evening and make up for it.
If you think you have ADHD, then go to your doctor to get an assessment.
If you just want to lose weight – then the reality is that there are no short cuts.
Basically, eat sensibly, and exercise more. Go to a weight loss program of some sort, or better yet, join a gym or get a trainer.
I appreciate your honesty here – I hope that you can do that with your doctor so that you won’t make a decision to take medicine for the wrong reason.
Please have an honest discussion with your doctor before making a decision.
Best,
Dr. Kenny

Barry,
You’ll need to talk to your doctor about whether this works OK with you in particular.
In general, it’s not a problem to vary the dose as you describe.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
http://www.adhdworld.com

I am 29 years old with AD/HD and was on Ritalin until I was a sophomore in high School. Due to problems concentrating at work and relationship issues I decided to work with my daughter’s pediatrician on getting me back on meds. I started with Stratara, which had lots of side effects including weight loss, VERY poor sleep and it had no positive effects. Then I tried Vyvance witch offered a little help with the ADHD, but caused loss of breath and faintness every time I stood-up. Now today I took 54mg of Concerta and I am doing great (as long as sleep is not interrupted)! Remember if something isn’t working try different doses and different meds. A doctor that is patient with this and will work to get the right meds for you is better than how much they know about AD/HD. They will learn and be better Dr.’s for it.

I am 20 years old and after slowly increasing my dose of Vyvanse (starting at 30 mg) I am currently taking 150 mg a day. (100 in the morning, and 50 in the afternoon) I feel like this is the correct and perfect dose for me but when I asked my regular doctor (not my psychiatrist) if he would be able to perscribe it, he said he would only do 70 mg. I am trying to save my parents money by not visiting an expensive psychiatrist on a weekly basis, but I know that 70 mg will not fully help my ADHD. Is 150 mg/daily really excessive or is my doctor just not familiar with this newer drug Vyvanse?

When I take a 25mg Adderall XR I will sweat under my arms excessively. It’s pretty annoying because I have to leave my arms down when in class or outside. I also have a suppressed appetite and won’t think of food for hours when normally I would be in stomach pain from not eating. Also when trying to sleep at night, toss and turn and mind wonders on and on.

Guess I should find 20mg instead, I have two 70mg Vyvanse but im nervous about taking those

Dear Doctors,
I was wondering if adderall XR can have any side effects on ones teeth, mainly the jaw structure and teeth themselves. I’ve noticed after I have been prescribed 30 mg XR that I have dry mouth, which is common. However, my teeth are moving almost as if they are shrinking in diameter. I did some research and know all the technical terms and what not, but I would love your opinion also. If they adderall is causing some horrible side effect I’ll just live with the ADD and ADHD because my teeth matter more. Thank you, I really appreciate it.

Has anyone noticed that when they increased their vyvanse dosage they were more tired?

I have been taking vyvanse 50mg since november after being upped from 30mg in th past 1.5 months the effectiveness has been wearing off I’m still much better of then without it. Yesterday I went and saw the doc and instead of upping to 70mg prescribed me 36mg concerta. I took the concerta today for the first time and the last time I’d rather take nothing than the concerta it produced the complete opposite effects than working it made me really tired all day and I pretty much felt stupid all day I couldn’t focus on the easiest task for more than 2 minutes. I was all over the place so hopefully I’ll go to 70mg vyvanse or I’ll just stay with 50 but I definitely won’t take concerta again.

I live in MN and have been taking vyvanse for about a year with excellent results, up until recently. The 70mg dose is just not effective in controlling my adhd symptoms and this is causing a problem for me at work. Unfortunatly my doctor refuses to prescribe anything over 70mg. Does anyone know of a doc who would be open to prescribing a higher dose of vyvanse? I can be reached at pdanderson5@yahoo.com.

I am 33 years old, and was FINALLY told I had ADD after starting my first year of college, 14 years ago. I was put on Ritalin, along with an anti-depressent. This worked great for awhile, but upon getting married, and starting my family, I took a 10 year break from all ADD medication. Upon completing my family, I decided it was time to go back on the medication, and started taking Vyvanse almost 1 year ago.

The first couple months I was on it, I felt wonderful! I felt like I was becoming the person I always wanted to be. I really felt this was a huge blessing in my life.

Around this same time (about 3 months after taking the medication) Myself, and my family were hit with one hardship after another. The last 8 months I have had to face some very hard things. It seemed like around this time I started noticing the side effects of the medication,(or what I thought were side effects?) which I had not seemed to notice before. The biggest one seems to be the irritability, which is really bad, and what I would describe as loss of my personality. I don’t feel like the same person, I just want to be “me” again. I am having a real hard time deciding if this is side effects of the Vyvanse, Depression, because of all that I have been through recently, or a combination of both.

My Dr. is NO HELP TO ME! I want to switch Dr’s but because of the insurance I am on, I can only see a family Dr (that’s all they will cover) I have no idea who to pick, and who would work well with me.

I really would love to continue taking medication for ADD, if at all possible. I love the changes I have made in my life for the good. For the first time life seems to make sense, It’s like my eyes have been opened, and I wonder how I have lived so many years like I did before. I not only notice this, but my parents, brothers, sisters, all extended family ect…

However, I can’t take much more of what I would best describe as a “Mood disorder” I need me again, but wonder if there is any way of having the best of both worlds. The good of the ADD medication (I have only tried Vyvanse) and yet to still feel some what of the same person again?

Also, about 4 hours after taking the medication, I feel horrible! I usually need to lay down, because my body hurts so bad. During this time as well I cry a lot, and feel like the world is against me. About an hour later, I feel better, pysically and emotionally. The irritability gets a little better as the day goes by, but is at it’s peck, until about 12:00 pm. (I take med at 5:30am) OH! also (is this normal) In the morning, when I first wake up, before taking the medication, I seriously feel horrible! My joints hurt SO BAD! feet, hands, and knees. As I start walking around, I feel like, what I would describe as the flu. Most of the time I have to lay around until the medication kicks in, then I feel great. I feel like my body is addicted to it, but Dr. says this is not possible. Why would i feel horrible without the medication in me, if my body didn’t depend on it? I have never abused it, in anyway, I take one 60mg pill in the morning and that’s it. I tried the 30mg and then the 50, and then up to 60, where I have been at for the last 6 months.

PLEASE, any advice would be so helpful! I am at loss at what to do anymore. Also is there any way of getting a question to Dr. Kenny? I am new to the website, and have not done much looking around.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP,

Hi Julia,
I’m sorry to hear of your trouble.
I dislike hearing that you can’t get to a specialist who can help you because of your insurance coverage.
Based on what you’ve said – you may be experiencing a mood disorder as well as your ADHD. I can’t tell that from online comments. You’ll need to talk to a doctor about that.
Regarding medication – there are many others to try outside of Vyvanse.
In general – you can view ADHD medication as really only being 3 medicines.
They are:

Methylphenidate (including ritalin, concerta, metadate CD, focalin, etc.)
Amphetamines (including adderall, adderall xr, dexedrine)
Non stimulant (including Strattera).

If you are taking a medicine from one group – and it isn’t working, consider a medicine from another group. You may actually get a different response from Vyvanse and Adderall – because Vyvanse is actually unique.
I hope this helps.
I did a comprehensive course on ADHD medication – and you can find out about it here: http://www.medicationmastery.com
It is completely digital at this point – though it will soon become a physical course – with DVDs, CDs, a manual etc. (of course the cost will have to go up when it goes physical).
Please do consider signing up for my email updates – the subscription box is in the top right hand corner of this blog.
Best,
Dr. Kenny

Thank you Dr. Kenny!!!

You have provided me with great information, on the different medications. I am exicted to look into the medication mastery, and would love to get email updates!

Thank you again for your time, it’s much appreciated!

Julia

I am a 36 yr old man and after years of suffering w/ adhd have finally got some help. My doctor prescribed me 30mg and has moved me up to 70mg over the past 3 months. My problem is it works great during the morning but lacks its effectivness in the afternoon. My work day starts at 4 am every morning and ends around 6 or 7pm. I am wondering about the next step. I weigh around 290 and have lost very little weight and I sleep well everynight so the side effects are minimum to me.I am not sure if I should ask about dosing issues or ask about changing to a different med. please help

The ‘konopin’ is klonopin, aka clonazepam. Asma pills is another mistype. Sorry for the mixup.

I had been taking vyvanse 120 mg for 4 months. I was experiencing extreme irritability, and mood swings. I have been on this drug for the past two yrs. Started at 70 mg and then went up from there. I had very positive effects from this drug when I first started but since then I can’t help but complain. My doctor suggested I try adderall IR. For the first week I didn’t feel like it was helping much but could have been due to a sinus infection. So I saw my doctor and he gave me my usual script of vyvanse. I wasn’t able to get it filled yet cause I was busy and had to go out of town for my cousin’s graduation, therefore; I continued with the adderall IR. After a few days of continuing the Adderall IR, it started working and I didn’t feel sick anymore. Once I got back I decided to go ahead and fill my vyvanse script cause that is what my doctor suggested. So today was my first dayback on the vyvanse, and am having the same problems as before. Feeling irritable and wishing I would have just trusted myself about being sick and continued with the adderall IR. The vyvanse once again is making me feel like crap, and paying $ 291.00, I deffinately think for next months visit I should get back on the adderall IR. Should I continue taking the vyvanse or try to call my doctor before my next appointment and tell him what I experienced?

Hello,
I am 15 years old and was recently diagnosed with add/ADHD. I am more of the innatentive type so for so long it was ignored and was labeled and undisciplined and lazy. I would constantly get in trouble in school for either saying things I didn’t mean, space out in class or not turn in work. I also had a hard time staying still so I would freak out if I was punished by sitting in a corner or by taking away things that I enjoy and calm me down such as guitar tv or friends.
Over the last year I started using marijuana because I was bored with nothing to do and even though now I havn’t used In 6 months my mom and my entire family has labeled me as a hardcore drug user. Which sickens me.
My diagnosis came after was looking up ADHD on line and all of the symtems matched the way I was. So I told my mom and she willingly set up an appointment. After being diagnosed I was prescribed 36mg’s of Concerta. I am into the scone week and am feeling nothing but irritability and mixed emotions meaning I’ll feel angry, happy and sad all at the same time. Has anyone had this side effect?
So I was reading and see that there are all these people with good results from Adderall or Vyvance that I’d like to try it BUT since my mom told the doctor I am this huge drug abuser that the doctor said he pretty much speciffically said he prescribed this because of it’s low abuse potential. And my mom said I really needed this because she thinks I a huge druggy. And is afraid to give me anything else.
Is there anyway I’ll be able to get a script or am I going to have to go with my dad to a whole new doctor?
Thanks,
Ben.

[...] 50 mg of vyvanse Vyvanse Dosage: How to Get the Right Dose | ADD ADHD Blog.com maybe i [...]

Hi my name is bridget i think so far so good im on the 30 mg 1 a day tab.However im not getting much sleep.Ifeel energized and more focused.It seems like alot of people on this page have several issues like myself.My biggest problem was i jumped subject to subject task to task and never really had it in me to finish anything.I am 32 years old and thought i would try vyance to help me because at times it was annoying to others and to family to even carry a conversation and vyance so far has given me what i need to live my life right.

The Vyvanse is really helping. The 30mg dosage had to be adjusted to 50mg. I do seem to need alot of cognitive therapy, which I can’t find the time to get. I think 70mg may be my Dr’s next advice, we’ll see on next apppointment. i get the vyvanse online from here http://vyvanse-online.com if you have other source to buy online.. please let me know.
i want to compare the prices.. i want to buy from the cheapest online pharmacy

Dear Dr. Kennt,

I am currently taking anywhere between 50-75mg of Vyvanse a day and am thinking about getting off the medication. I am wondering if you can tell me what is the best way to do this with the least amount of side effects. Honestly, I have lost weight since being on this medication which I have been on for about 10 months now and don’t want to go off the medication and gain the weight back. Do you have any suggestions. Also, I want to know just about how much time I need to give myself to get used to not having the drug in my body. I am about to start a new job and don’t want to feel like I am a walking zombie. Do you suggest going from 50 to 40 or 30mg and how many days or weeks should I stay on each mg so that I have the least amount of side effects.

Thank you for your help!

I started with 30mg and I was tweaked. I’m going to half my pills just for a little pickme up. Those of you on 70 and 120’s etc. must have a serious case of lethargy or something to require that amount. My god, I was bouncing for 12 hours on 30mg. I must not be that bad off but people here giving 7yr old this drug…jesus christ what are you thinking, your really an idiot to trust a pill pusher to fix your kids behaviour problems. I’m a 200lb grown man and well aware of my bodies equilibrium and know that to take this stuff for an extended amount of time will take months or years off your life expectancy, high blood pressure at minimum. There are some seriously f-d up people on here I guess. Diet, exercise, behaviour modification and maybe a little pickme up during key days is what you need.

Dr. Kenny – My 7-year old daughter (about 47 lbs) was recently prescribed Vyvanse at a dose of 10mg daily. I came across your website as well as some others including the Vyvanse site that all say 30mg daily is the minimum therapeutic dose. Her doctor prescribes the 20mg strength and has us empty out half to give her each day. Last school year she was on Adderall and did great but the side affects were too much for her. I am wondering if we should discuss the dosing with her doctor or just discuss with her teachers to make sure she is handling school okay and if so, stick with the 10mg for now. Your input is very much appreciated.

Seth

Seth

Has anyone ever heard that Vyvanse can cause or exaccerbate OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) symptoms?

Dr. Kenny,

Firstly, thank you for all you do and the information you provide. ADHD is a huge, debilitating condition that affects so many. It has paralyzed our family life, and our sweet, intelligent 15 year old daughter is struggling terribly. No one seems to be able to understand what is going on. I relay all her symptoms, inattention, emotional lability, anxiety etc, and it is tremendously difficult to pinpoint what’s truly going on. (whether it’s a side effect, depression, dosing issues, tolerance to stimulants.) She’s been on Adderall, (both long and short acting) and Vyvanse (from 20, now up to 30 mg) also now Strattera in the afternoons for that end of school day crash. She really crashes hard. Either volatile, or extremely depressed. We were hoping it would help her get through coming down off of the stimulant and get through all that homework.

We are super diligent (or try to be) about diet, sleep and getting her outdoors (like pulling teeth) for exercise. BIG correlation on all of this with her behavior and focus. Natural foods seem to help some, but she is a teenager and naturally hesitant if it isn’t in a branded package.

Oh, and as most can attest, her self-esteem in painfully low, despite her being super smart, and creative, and just a beautiful young girl.

She’s had UTI’s and horrible moodiness with Adderall, and now volatility with Vyvanse. Maybe a non-stimulant class next?

Can you talk a bit about co-mormidities that go along with ADD? I know she has anxiety and depression. Who wouldn’t with all the stuff this child has to deal with?? I just feel we (along with two dr’s, plus a homeopath) can’t figure out just how to help her feel better. And the scary years of drug/alcohol/promiscuity are right around the corner for her.

We are very concerned and exhausted.

hey i’m a 25 year old guy from Australia that was diagnosed with adult add at 23. I have pretty strong illict drug use prsesent up until i was treated by an add specialist. I was put on ritalin up to 180mg at one stage and have gone down is doses as low as 80 mg back to 170ml. I recently changed to dexamphetamine and feel much better but my doctor is only prescribing 30ml a day and by 1pm I’m aggitated, have a short temper and cant can’t concerntarte. I’m waiting to see another physc. in 6 weeks but I’m having a hard time on such a low dose. Any idea’s on how I can make my G.P understand unitl hopefully my new physc. can assist?

okay since a lot of people are being honest: i recently took a 50mg Vyvanse to help me study for a test, it did wonders for my studying(great focus, comprehention, as well as keeping me awake)… i have trouble reading without getting distracted but i dont think its severe enough to be perscribed… is it bad if i take a 50mg Vyvanse every once and a while for the grade boost?

- many doctors would be against this, i’am aware of that because i didn’t consult a doctor, but i would really like to know if its a bad idea

I was just diagnosed with ADHD through the TOVA test. I’ve been taking Vyvanse for the last few days. 60mg seems to work best for me, but how do I know it is really working? I’m in grad school at the moment and I’ll bet I study more than anyone else in my class and yet I can’t remember a thing when I take tests. My studying is always sidetracked with doing something else. I have almost all the symptoms of ADHD, eg clutter, disorganization, hobbies out the yinyang, projects start but most aren’t finished, can’t sit still, finish people’s sentences, take the shortest means to do things (acellerated courses), ect… But how do I know if the medication really works? I mean the Vyvanse helps me focus on my studying, but I’m not sure I remember what I studied, and I’m still cluttered,& disorganized. So does that mean the medication doesn’t work or does it mean I don’t have ADHD????

I have taken Adderall XR since it came out and it has worked great for me. However, I lost my job and no longer have insurance. Shire has increased the cost of my monthly dose from around $275 to somewhere in the $400’s over the last 2 years. Who can afford that? I have resulted to taking “fake” generic short acting Adderall and my life has fallen apart. My actions and thoughts are impulsive, my mind races, I never slow down, and have terrible anxiety. I talk so fast that nobody can understand what I am saying. I am considering seeing a psychiatrist to have Vyvanse prescribed, as they have a patient assistance program to help with the cost. What I am wondering is, what kind of dose does that program cover? Also, I was taking 20 mg of Adderall but when switching to XR I took two 20’s together in the a.m. My doctor explained that in a capsule, half of the beads dissolve immediately and the other half dissolves in several hours – which means that you are only receiving half of what the dose is at any given time unless you double it. 40XR worked the same as 20 twice a day. I am wondering if Vyvanse works the same way? Would I need to take the equivalent to 20 or 40 mg of Adderall XR? this is important in figuring out if I will be able to afford it, even with the patient assistance program. I just may have to accept my life being absolute hell until I get insurance again. Help, please!

Is 70 mg a logical dosage for a 40 yr old 185 pound male, who suffers from/with self esteem issues, concentration, and very good at avoiding problems head on?.

Dear Dr. Kenny,
My son is 16 and he is now on concerta 72 mg again. We tried vyvanse and it seemed to work over the summer but then again he wasnt doing any school work. They put him on adderall xr because it was the drug of choice and the insurance doesnt pay for the vyvanse. That made him really angry and moody all the time – impossible to deal with. Concerta seems to be his best but his trouble is that it takes him a very long time to do homework with it. I dont know if it is too much or not enough. He sat and did 2 pages of algebra for 4 hours and hates to do any homework because he works so slow. What do you think?? Could it be too much or too little and is there something else that could give him the extra “ump” to get through his work??

Hi im about 14-15 years of age weighing 125 pounds 5′5 and i’ve been taking
add medication all my life, recently started taking 56mg for about 4 days now and its a lot better then my last dose and is really accurate. but when i drank it with monster i felt a little shaky. i took two concerta pills with 56mg is that enough to make me overdose?

I am an adult currently using vyvanse.
I have lost my prescribing psycholgist and would recomendations on whom specializes in Adult ADHD in Newport Beach CA.
Your medication has changed my life. I have become a productive, enthusiastic human being. I don’t want to go backward by choosing a physician not versed in adult ADHD.
Please either e-mail your recomnedations.

Dr. Kenny,
When are going to get Vyvanse in Canada?
Sue

I’m a 33 year old woman who was recently diagnosed with ADD (inattentive type). My doc started me on vyvanse 30mg, and three months later I’m up to 50mg. For starters it’s amazing how much better I feel just being medicated. For so long I just thought I was depressed and lazy etc. This really has been a life saver for me.

The only thing I’m having trouble with right now is figuring out the right dose. The 30 was working ok for about a week, then I didn’t feel the effect any longer and noticed some mood issues. 50 has been better for the most part, but lately I haven’t felt it kicking in like I used to, and am feeling less ‘motivated’. I’ve done a bit of research and don’t necessarily want to try another medication since I like the fact that this one hasn’t made me feel too out of whack. My doc also thinks I may have anxiety (I kind of agree) and he wants to give me a mild anti anxiety med which he feels should help the vyvanse be more effective. Just curious if anyone else has gone from 30-70 and if they still felt 70 wasn’t enough?

I want to comment on anyone here dealing with adult ADHD, it is truly debilitating and a struggle daily. I am 28 and was diagnosed a little over a year ago. I have now been perscribed 30mgs Vyvanse and just took it today. I have not felt much and am hoping something happens soon. Right now I am not understanding what all the fuss is about with this pill and how it is changing lives. I have also taken the short acting tablets, 2, 20mg per day and had horrible mood swings, anxiety and feelings of doom and dread after a few hours. I liked the pick me up but did not like the crash. I am hoping that this Vyvanse doesn’t keep my up all night which was the case with Adderall XR (stayed awake with maybe 3 hrs sleep per night for almost 2 weeks b/f I had to switch.)I will try this for a week or so before I try a higher dose. I have a pretty high tolerance to medications so this may not be enough. I also have a question about comorbid add and anxiety. I have been diagnosed with GAD that went untreated due to intollerance for side effects of many different antidepressants that I tried for years to help myeslf with no good results. The more I complained that I was not getting any help, the more I became labeled a chronic complainer, drug seeker, etc and just got fed up with doctors all together and stopped seeking help. However, at one of the lowest points in my life, a doctor gave me a prescription of 2 mg. clonazepam that I took once per day while attempting to take buspar (which was awful, I felt drugged, nauseated, faint, like a zombie) that I also could not tolerate. Honestly, that was the best month of my life. Of course, I was obviously labeled seeking drugs when I complained about the buspar and that was the end of that. It has been several years ago, but I do not remember feeling as good before or since and I have tried many drugs that I end up not taking because I cannot stand their effects after a while. Should I be honest my new doc about the past experinces with anxiety? I feel like that is still an issue and is causing me to feel very worthless, lazy, not wanting to go anywhere, etc. Now, I am on this add kick and that isn’t going well either. As a footnote, I am seeing a family dr, maybe need to see a psychiatrist that would be better versed on these meds and what is going on? I am not fully sold on the add over anything else, so far have only had pills thrown at me and even they have not been good. Other than going to the street and finging something else(which would be extremely stupid), I am at a loss. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Ashley,

I wanted to attest to your statement that Adult ADD/ADHD is debilitating. It certainly is for me, even on medication at times. My struggle with ADD has attributed to unnecessary arguments (that I’ve caused & is my fault 90% of the time) with my husband. It makes me sad that it affects our marriage in such a negative way. I am naturally a very responsible person and am NOT quick to blame ADD or other outside sources for my issues, problems, and struggles. However, I DO know that ADD negatively and positively influences my struggles. I don’t blame all my negative personal, professional, and internal struggles on ADD alone; however, the ADD does play into those issues! I must constantly “re-evaluate” how I manage my day-to-day life. What works one week, may not work the next, but there is one thing that does work, consistency in a daily routine! The biggest eye opening life skill that helps my ADD is a good daily routine. If I stick to my routine, my ADD is better managed, and my life goes much smoother. The routine entails getting out of bed by 7 am during the week, eating, showering, dressing, moving into my day, and getting to work on time. If I lull around the house, especially on my days off from work, I end up floating from activity to activity, get little accomplished, and only gain an increased level of frustration and decreased self-esteem. As an adult ADDer’s, we must manage our daily habits and routines to get the best results from our medications.

My son (8yr) has taken 20 milgrams of vyance for 10 days now he has build a tolerance and is not effective. He is moving to 30. I am wondering how fast tolerances can build? Can one reduce the tolerance effect by not taking it on weekends? How much is to much.

My son is 11 and I think 40mg is not enough. He has taken it for nearly two months and the “honeymoon” period wore off long ago! This is crazy! He also takes 18mg Strattera to help “lengthen” the time of the Vyvanse. I’m not sure we’ll ever find the best one.