Vyvanse Dosage: How to Get the Right Dose
ByVyvanse 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. For example – if you want to find out if vyvanse works, visit this post to read many people’s first hand experiences.
One question which many people ask is about the dosing of Vyvanse.
This article will provide you with the answers you need to get the right dosage of Vyvanse.
Research studies compared the dosing of Vyvanse with Adderall XR. What this research showed was the following:
- Vyvanse 30 mg = Adderall XR 10 mg
- Vyvanse 50 mg = Adderall XR 20 mg
- Vyvanse 70 mg = Adderall XR 30 mg
The recommendations for the starting doses of Vyvanse are as follows: Doctors should start Vyvanse at 30 mg, and then gradually increase the dose to 50 mg, and then up to 70 mg if needed. Of course the doctor would monitor response to the medicine (i.e. if there is a great response and ADHD is controlled at 50 mg, then there is no need for 70 mg of Vyvanse). The doctor will also monitor for side effects – i.e. if there are too many side effects at 70 mg, then the dose may need to be dropped to 50 mg of Vyvanse.
The importance of the ‘conversion’ dosing listed above relates to those people who may switch from one stimulant medicine to Vyvanse. Using the information above, you can figure out how to change your dose of Adderall XR to Vyvanse.
When it comes to the available strenghts of Vyvanse, Vyvanse is now available in the US in the following dosage strengths:
- 20 mg
- 30 mg
- 40 mg
- 50 mg
- 60 mg
- 70 mg
In Canada, all of the dosage strenghts are available except for the 70 mg dose. The dosage recommendations above are the general recommendations for dosage. That said, your doctor may start lower, and may take a different approach to your dosing. When Vyvanse was first release, there were fewer strengths of the medicine available – i.e. only 30mg, 50 mg and 70 mg. Now, there are the ‘in between’ doses as well (the 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg). This does give doctors more flexibility in adjusting the dose to tailor it to suit you.
If you are switching from Concerta to Vyvanse, then you will need to follow these rough guidelines (and of course, talk to your doctor – who can personalize the information to suit your treatment):
- Concerta 36 mg = approx. Vyvanse 30 mg
- Concerta 72 mg = approx. Vyvanse 50 mg
I have to say that the dose changes from Concerta to Vyvanse are based on logic, and not on research.
Here is the logic:
- Concerta 36 mg works out to approx. 8 mg of regular ritalin three times daily.
- That is approximately 5 mg of regular adderall twice daily.
- That works out to approximately Adderall XR 10 mg once daily.
- Since Adderall XR 10 mg daily is equal to Vyvanse 30 mg, once can guess that Concerta 36 is equal to approximately Vyvanse 30 mg.
[Click here for a full review of how to calculate concerta doses.]
There are two important points to remember here:
- Even though I can suggest what the equal doses are, you may react differently to any one medicine. Only testing, monitoring and talking to your doctor will help to sort out what the right dose is for you.
- Please talk to your doctor about your individual care. Even though this blog article may help you to find the right dose of Vyvanse based on a combination of my review of the research and my opinion, your doctor is an expert in your care.
Thank you for reading, and please post any comments or your experiences with the dosing of Vyvanse in the comments below.
Dr. Kenny
(Updated May 2010)
Hello! Does anyone know if the maker of Vyvanse has plans to increase the available doses, especially for the adult population? I am a 35 year old female who does well on Vyvanse 70 mg, but it seems to stop working too quickly. I’m not getting the full 12 hours of focus as stated by Vyvanse. My focus time on Vyvanse 70 mg is usually 4 – 6 hours and I’m thinking an increased dose may last longer. Thanks!
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?
Also, before taking vyvanse I was on adderallXr 30 mg. I wasn’t having any problems with this drug or dosage. When I first switched to vyvanse from adderall,the vyvanse worked great. It seemed to make everything clearer and easier to comprehend. After a while of taking the vyvanse the doctor had to increase my dose more often ( didn’t have to with the adderall). I am also more anxious on vyvanse. I am terribly confused on what to do and am starting to think I should just give the adderall IR another try since it seemed to have worked for me after getting over the sinus infection. I feel like the vyvanse is too intense and it seems to take too long to work for me. I take it at 7 in the morning and it doesn’t seem to start working until 11 in the morning. Has anyone else went from adderall to vyvanse and then back to adderall? I am a college student and don’t start back till the fall. I would like to see what really works for me, now that I have some time off. Any suggestions would help! Adderall IR is cheaper for me since I am self pay. My doctor said it would take some tweeking with the adderall IR to try and get it’s full effect. Please help!
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.
The spell check messed up, instead of scone week it’s second week
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Hi,
I took Vyvance 30 mg for 2 weeks in a row then discontinued for 2 weeks.
I was diagnosed with ADHD last year I am not on any meds but thought of giving it a try. I wrote a journal everyday and almost between 4:30pm to 5:30pm I feel really really depressed like the world has come to an end. For no reason i feel gloomy. I weigh 115lbs and I don’t like this feeling of crash which i feel everyday at about the same time in evening. My heart beats really fast all the time. I dont think i can take more than 30 mg. Last time she wanted to increase my dose to 50 but i refused as I get very agitated with everyone. I took vyvance 30mg last year for about a month and my relationship with my hubby crashed and we got divorced due to my crankiness. I try to stay calm but tend to flip out on small issues. I want to get rid of this feeling of crash which makes me angry and frustrated. My study gets messed up and i dont do anything the whole day while on meds i can study and get my work done but how can I prevent the 4:30pm crash??????
I take my meds at 8:00am in morning.
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.
Dear Dr. Kenny: My son (age 7, 85 pounds) has been diagnosed with ADHD. He is very hyper, talkative, has symptoms of anxiety and sometimes excessive worry. He also has some motor tics that developed 8 months ago (while on no meds). We just started with Vyvanse 20 mg (doctors indicated that will likely increase to 30 mg after short period). The low dosage was recommended because of the tics. After four days on the med, we noticed him more hyper and more talkative. Is this in your opinion the right med for a hyper kid? Our main concern is the hyperness, and then the attention deficit as well. Also, we give him B and Magnesium vitamin supplements for the tics. Should these be discontinued while on the Vyvanse? Thanks for your guidance in this regard.
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
Thanks for sharing the site where one can get Vyvance on line, I wonder if its less expensive there. The results of the 70mg have been very effective in curbing the impact of Topamax and the Attention Deficit.
Thank god, for something that has started to allow me to return to greater independence after a head injury several years ago. I’d like to find a doctor that can monitor my care confidently without collecting a fee every month. I don’t have health insurance and find medications are expensive enough and would like to have a doctor that can establish a relationship where one doesn’t have to feel like a criminal. If anyone knows of a doctor in Philadelphia, and the surrounding area, please extend the name. I happen to have an a number for my work that lets anyone leave a message that will be saved for three days and no more. Thanks for forwarding your information!
1-888-382-1323
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!
Hey Dr. Kenny
We have had a fair amount of success with our son and Vyvanse. He is on 60 mg in the morning and this lasts much of the day. However, we find that this does not last through the entire day and we have difficult evenings.
With our doctor, we tried adding 20 mg at lunch, and we did not see (at the time) much difference.
Since then, our son has been hospitalized and they keep trying to raise his Seroquel to calm the evenings.
Over the weekend, we experimented and gave him another 60 mg of Vyvanse at 2 PM. This worked stunningly effectively – but seems like a LOT of Vyvanse (120 mg a day).
Should we work with our doctor(s) to try maybe a lower dose twice a day? Or will we not see the good side of that morning dose if it is too low?
Thanks
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.
Dan R,
I’m experiencing some of the same affects from Vyvanse as your son. I am an adult who was diagnosed with ADD at age 27. I’ve been on Vyvanse for a year and a half. It seems to poop out on me after about 6 or 7 hours. I too tried taking a higher dose than 70 mg and it was stunningly effective as well, but I am also nervous that it’s a lot of Vyvanse. However, I still go back to the fact that Vyvanse was initially dosed for children and perhaps more is needed for the older child and adult. I see my Dr. this month and I’m considering talking to her about what I’ve experienced this summer. Adderall XR 30mg worked very well for me and lasted 12 hours, but the Adderall XR was not as “smooth” as Vyvanse. I experienced a racing heart the first few hours of taking Adderall XR and decreased appetite. However, it’s been at least 7 years since I’ve taken the Adderall XR.
Let me know how your experience is going and what your Dr. is saying about dosing.
Thanks.
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
Hi Seth,
If you can get away with a lower dose – then fantastic. You hit the nail on the head – you’ll need to discuss with the doctor how your daughter is doing – both at home and at school. Get feedback from the teachers. If needed, the dose can be increased (discuss it with the doctor).
Dr. Kenny
Has anyone ever heard that Vyvanse can cause or exaccerbate OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) symptoms?
Hi Casey,
Stimulant medicines can exacerbate OCD. Talk to your doctor about what you can do about it.
Dr. Kenny
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.
Thank you dr. and just curious do you have any suggestions or ways to prevent a large weight gain if I decide to quit taking the medicine? And, how to deal with the lack of energy and tiredness when getting off vyvanse. I am planning on gradually decreasing the dosage, but I was wondering what other suggestions you may have.
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?
Hi. Im 20 years old and a student. I was just diagnosed with ADD a week ago and I just started taking Vyvanse 30mg on monday and so far it has worked great. The first day I took it i noticed a huge difference. (I cleaned my room from top to bottom, making piles of clothing, then going through that and making smaller piles of the colors and then put then in order in my closet. && i HATE cleaning my room so that was huge) I was able to study the next two days all day without noticing that time had flown by. I was able to remember all the information the next day for a exam and was actually excited to go to class and take notes. I would never study and always wait until the very last minute possible to write a paper, or do homework and now I am able to do it and get it done very fast and i also seem be retaining the information a lot better than before.
I have one question and one concern about it so far.
So far everyday I have to force myself to eat something. I wake up and take the medicine around 10:00am everyday. I will go all day until around 5ish and I will try and make myself eat a couple grapes or snack on something. Then ill wait till around 8ish and eat dinner. I can’t say im really hungry at dinner but I am able to eat something without it sounding gross. Is this normal? And also I haven’t been very thirsty..
And the question that I have-
Like i said before i have been on this for a week and I have classes monday-thursday. Mon-thur I was able to get everything done without putting it off or stopping half way done. BUT the thing is i have a doctors apt. this week and starting tomorrow we have fall break. My doctor told me that when i come in we will go over how it made me feel and maybe try a higher dose. Im not sure what i should do because over this next week i wont be doing much studying. the past two days i haven’t noticed that much of a difference but than again i haven’t really tried to focus on anything. (studying which is why i am on it). Is that a sign of me needing a higher dose? I guess the question is should i try and go up to 50mg and see if that works better or keep using the 30mg?
I know it is long but thank you so much!
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
college kid – you’ll be fine. but hey, you could go talk to a doc anyway and get your own drugs.
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????
Dr. Handelmann, I was on 70mg of vyvanse and i was doing great except for the fact that i was sweating a little more than usual. He brought me down to 60mg and i feel as if i’m developing tolerance. It really sucks. Would it be ok if i were to skip my dose one day and continue to take it as prescribed afterwards. I used to take my adderall tablets back in 8th grade only during the week and not on weekends and i felt fine. Would it be ok for me to skip my 60mg of vyvanse dose just once? Maybe all i need is something like a jumpstart.
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!
I am currently taking 70 mg of vyvanse and have been for over two years. I have taken two at a time many times just to get the results. What should my new dosage be?
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??
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??
My son is 8 and is about 60 lbs. We started out taking 20 mg of Vyvance over the summer. About 6 weeks later we had to pump him up to 30. We are now going thru another dosage change…we were bumped to 40 a week ago and it is apparent that we will need to bump to 50 today. The Dr. assures me that his age and weight have nothing to do with his dosage. As a mom, I always worry. My son’s only side effect is no appetite during the day. He doesn’t eat his lunch at school and will sit quietly while watching the other kids eat…it breaks my heart. He is under weight and we try to give him high calorie foods just before bed and at breakfast if he is willing to eat. When we find the correct dosage, Vyvance works beautifully. Hope my post helped other parents.
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 take vyvanse 50 mg everyday. I am a college student, and as much asI hate medication, vyvanse has made a major difference in my life. I was always easily irritated and sometimes in a bad mood for no reason at all. Vyvanse takes that away, and I also focus much more when I am studying. I lost weight at first, but now my appetite has planed out.
DO NOT take ADD/ADHD medication for weightloss. I’m sorry, but this will only temporarily help you. Medications hurt your metabolism, thus your body will only temporarily have a loss of apetite, and once it comes back you will gain all the weight back and most likely more. EAT right and exercise… this will help your metabolism.
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.
I felt I had to comment for Kim’s situation with her daughter…and this is for anyone experiencing a lot of side effects from Vyvanse. THE DOSE IS TO HIGH! The great thing about Vyvanse is that the capsule can be opened and diluted in 1/2 cup of water. You can then distribute different amounts until you find the right about for your child. We had all of the same horrible side effects (twitching, gnawing on mouth, stuttering, jitters, etc.) and they all went away when we lowered the dose and found just the right amount for our daughter. All ADD medication is tricky…there is no perfect solution that generically fits everyone and over time the body changes or it builds up in your system and you always need to monitor and be ready to modify it if need be. If you are having BIG side effects from the start, it is too much, and you really shouldn’t force your body to get used to too much.
Dr. Kenny,
When are going to get Vyvanse in Canada?
Sue
Sue – Vyvanse will be launched in Canada on February 1, 2010. I will post more on this when it launches.
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 am 26, started 30mg yesterday and for the first time in my life I can focus! I have never taken add meds before but I can see. HUGE difference. Today didn’t seem like it worked nearly as well. I have to go back to the Dr. Next month so I might try to have him increase to 50 if the “focus” doesn’t come back. BTW no side effects, sleep was great and studying was easy!
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 too was diagnosed with ADD when I was 28 yrs old. I am now 36 yrs old. My first diagnosis is GAD and then ADD. I would recommend telling your doctor that you have GAD. Through experience, I’ve found that seeing a psychiatrist or an ARNP that specializes in psychiatry is the best form of treatment for managing my GAD and ADD. I currently see the nurse (ARNP) and it’s working out great. I now only need to see her every 3 months. I take Vyvanse 70 mg and Zoloft 100 mg (for the GAD)once a day. The 30 mg of Vyvanse barely relieve my ADD symptoms, so I was bumped up to 50 mg for several months with good results. Now, I’m up to 70 mg. I have good and bad days on the 70 mg. Sometimes it helps me focus and some days it doesn’t seem to help very much. The 70 mg seems to “poop out” on me after about 6 to 8 hours; however, Vyvanse is the best ADD medicine for me at this time. I’ve been on Adderall XR, Concerta, and Strattera. Vyvanse is my first choice and Adderall XR is my second. By far, Vyvanse has the least side affects for me. When I was on the Adderall XR, it worked consistently everytime, but I experienced a racing heart much of the time. The racing heart concerns me, so I’m sticking with Vyvanse right now. I do have some issues with frustration and anger when the Vyvanse seems to be leaving my system. This has been going on for quite sometime and I don’t like myself being angry with my family. I am discussing this negative side affect with the nurse I see next week. Of course, everyone’s chemical make-up is different. It’s all about you and your doctor working together to find the best medication combination for you. I hope this helps. Hang in there . . .
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 has been taking Vyvanse for about a month after taking 27mg Concerta for about 4 years. He started on 20mg, which did nothing. The doctor raised his dose to 40mg and that was wonderful! I noticed another young man mentioned cold hands. My son also has cold hands even on a regular day. If he’s outside in the winter, wearing gloves, he comes in absolutely bawling as if he had frost bite! Is this from the medication???? I also read that the Vyvanse wore off around noon, I thought is was supposed to last 16 hours? Does that mean a larger dose is needed? Thank you!
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.
Dear mom from Chicago, I was wondering how old is your son? Mine is 8 and is starting 40mg.
Thanks mom from Az
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.
did all the add stuff and found a book on water! Yea was a life saver, drink 2 quarts a day or a half gallon.It does wonders after a week or so. Your front part of the brain and more or less your entire body is suffering from chronic dehydration. what im saying is that u have been starving the body of water for most of your life and body organs start to slow down (hence your brain)to conserve water for the major organs. im not a doctor, but i play one on T.V. come on people alot of this game is commonsense and most of us including me have been brain washed into chemical inbalance theorys!!!!!!!!well guess what there right except u dont need medicine u need water thats the chemical that balances everything in your body!!!!!!!research it yourself the books called your not sick your thirsty! google it
Is the Vyvanse Adderall (non time release) conversion the same as with Adderall XR?