One month on Vyvanse - oh boy...

[arepa]

My journey with Vyvanse seems to be an odd one, so I thought I'd post this in case anyone else had similar experiences. If that's the case, please share your thoughts - I'd really appreciate it!

I was recently diagnosed, at age 32, with ADHD the inattentive type. I live in the UK and my doctor's first choice was Vyvanse (Elvanse here). I heard so many amazing things about Vyvanse in these forums that I was eager to start.

To my disappointment, the first days were really tough. I couldn't think, I was slow and felt quite altered as if I had been sedated. My anxiety and insomnia however improved. I decided to keep taking it, although I felt no actual benefits and was not enjoying feeling drugged.

Week 2, I still felt very weird. Ups and downs. But I cleaned my whole house as I had planned, cabinets included.

Week 3, I finally began to feel better, sharper and more energised, especially after I started taking it on an empty stomach. I actually got some work done during working hours, which was a miracle. Crash was exhausting though, and it came too early, at 4 or 5 pm.

Now, however, week 4, I'm back to my old habits with the bonus of having very physical anxiety. I get completely absorbed in random things and I just can't stop (old me). I actually tell myself "stop it!" but I keep doing this. I'm also more impatient and immersed in my own mind. I acquired an annoying breathing tic and feel short of breath, although my blood pressure and pulse are fine – the thing is I don't feel my lungs get full when I breathe deeply, so I keep trying t catch my breath. Insomnia is back as well. However, the crash is gone.

To be honest, I feel frustrated. My doctor advised me to keep taking it before any adjustments because I had such an unusual first response to it. So I just spent another 80 pounds on a new prescription but to be honest I can't see myself having a full month of this. I wonder if it will go away, if Concerta (his next choice) will be better or worse, and if I will ever find something that helps me before I fail all my work commitments...

[Furiosa68]

Hi there…I’ve been taking Vyvanse for about 5 years. It has helped me tremendously but in the last few months I’ve noticed it’s effectiveness lasts only half of the day. My psychiatrist mentioned at my last appointment it might be time to make some changes to my meds. I’ve never had the reactions to Vyvanse that you describe, but I’ve always been told that everyone reacts differently to every medication. Keep talking with your provider and your support systems, including this group. We’re all here

Furiosa68

[arepa in reply to Furiosa68]

Thank you so much. It's really good to feel I'm not alone and this forum has ben such a bless

[ZtoThePhour]

concerta sounds familiar but i dont remember if thats the non-stimulant one i tried years back, i just remember tingly legs. I find myself not listening to me too, its odd. Something to try for the breath thing, when you remember, do the opposite of what you're trying to do, get it all out, all of the air.. i find doing that has a higher bating ratio. breathwork has been incredible for me, james nestor and patrick mkoen(sp?) have practical and accessible youtube content. asthma hasnt been an issue for me for years now

[arepa in reply to ZtoThePhour]

Thank you, I will give it a try and look them up!! Concerta is also a stimulant (I think the non-stimulant one is Strattera).

[ZtoThePhour in reply to arepa]

that sounds right too. this is why people are concerned about the ethics of advertising medications (not only, but this can add to it)

[RussellRussell]

Hi, from speaking to people and the underlying advice from this user group it seems is that medication works very differently for different people so unfortunately it’s a bit of a trial and error. I’m recently diagnosed at 38 with very similar behaviours to you by the sounds of it as also have the ADHD inattentive. I was initially put on Xaggitin XL, but I had lots of side effects and basically felt like I was wired for half the day with no improvement to my behaviour in terms of task completion etc, and then on a come down for the rest of the day with even less energy and with the addition of anxiety. The next medications my consultant said to consider Lisdexamfetamine and Atomoxetine, so I will try others and hope that one feels right for me. I’m thinking Atomoxetine as the other 2 are stimulants , and to me that’s not necessarily the problem and Atomoxetine was initially used as an antidepressant so might also support some underlying anxiety as it seems quite hard to separate the two - and it’s a chicken and egg . My view is that it can be horrible getting the wrong medication for a few weeks, but if you do land on one that works you could have a lifetime of improvement. Would be great to hear how you get on and likewise I’ll report back on mine , as it sounds like we have the slightly less common inattentive type , which to me has very different behaviours to the classic hyperactive type - yet they medicate in the same way - which seems a little odd (full disclosure - I have no medical background :)) , . Good luck , Russell

[arepa in reply to RussellRussell]

You're right, I think that we need to keep trying until we find the right one... It might be a long process. I keep thinking about how well can I tell if the medication is doing more harm than good. I'm also wondering if I need an antidepressant... Anyway, do let me know how it goes! Elvanse is lisdexamfetamine and seems to work for many people, but as you said, it is a stimulant. I will look Atomoxetine up. It would definitely be good to take something that can help with anxiety instead of making it worse. Let me know how you get along with it! I will also update once I figure out what to do.

[tinyturnip]

I had some odd reactions to Vyvanse as well, but by month 2&3, they dissipated. I went through a period in month 2 where I was napping nearly every day around 4pm from the come-down, but that went away in the third month. I'm still uncertain how well it's working to resolve *all* my issues, but I'm also open to the idea that I can cope even if only some or most of my issues are helped with medication.

I was very surprised how long it took for my body to adjust to the meds (before changing dosage)! I can't really offer advice, but I can say that I'm glad my doctor made me hold out and keep trying for a few months. I just got an increase on the dosage and am hopeful it'll help with the residual issues, but I might have to deal with side effects again!

Good luck!

[arepa in reply to tinyturnip]

That's really good to hear... I keep thinking that I should already have changed medication, but perhaps it will get better this month. I also get the feeling that my body is taking a while to adjust, as every week is different!

[Raimuntas in reply to tinyturnip]

What kind of odd reactions? Did you crash in the beginning?

[tinyturnip in reply to Raimuntas]

Yes, see my comment about daily naps! It was almost impossible to not fall asleep for several weeks.

[sharkticon]

I'm currently on Vyvance 50mg and have ADHD inattentive. I started taking the meds back in November. Many things in my life have significantly improved, but it took me some time to see it. My wife and therapist had to convince me to stay on the drugs because I felt like they weren't doing anything. But I did notice some negative side effects like irritability, and up and down emotions after it wore off, restless legs at night, dry mouth, anxiety, and other annoyances. Most of those went away in time especially after I started drinking more water. Vyavance really dehydrates you and that alone can have negative symptoms mentally and physically.

I wish I could say that it was a magic pill like it sounds like it is for many people. I think for kids it is because they have teachers and parents to help them stay on task. I feel like Vyvanse increased my interest and motivation, but it's up to me to pick the right task to start. If I get to work and find something in an email that is interesting, I could easily squander half the work day down some rabbit hole. I've theorized, that before meds, if I could find something interesting I would hyperfocus on it till I burnt out because being able to do something that stimulated my brain was few and far between. So I've taught my brain not to let stuff go if it finds it interesting. Now that I have drugs to help me out I think I can overcompensate in many ways.

[sharkticon]

Just did some reading, and your symptoms sound like you might be on too high of a dose. I also read that it's harder to tell if you are on the right dose with Vyvanse because of the smoother transition. Have you considered titrating up to the right does on Adderall. Then if it works you could try Vyvanse. What dose did the doctor start you on and what are you on now? Did the doc gradually increase the dose to what you are on now?

[noles88]

So I'm 33 and have taken a few different thinks. I was on Ritalin to started no go, then Vyvanse, then Focalin, then Focalin with Adderall, then Adderall, and now back to Vyvanse. I also tweaked my doses for all of those except the Ritalin it was 10mg and I was a rage machine. I hear so many things about how it is suppose to make you feel and not make you feel. Some of the time I didn't even take them for a week before saying I know I need a higher dose. I take 60mg now and that is to get me through the work day. I work 8 to 6 but that can turn to 7,8, or even 9. I sell cars so I get late deals and need something that can keep me from crashing and blowing up on some unrepaired customer. Things I go by that I've read and heard from doctors include: Not feeling like a zombie or not myself. Not feeling different but feeling different at the same time (I'm in control of myself but I don't feel just how I use to). I went from a 20mg to a 40mg and felt like I was high (bonus) and then I adjusted and felt normal and that was good. Not increasing bad side effects like mood swings and things like that.

Idk your body type or daily routine but all those things go into consideration with how effective it is and what dose works for you. I started at 216 and when I got on Vyvanse I was imediatily never hungry for the first couple months and would only eat once or twice a day. I dropped 40 lbs and then started to eat regular times just smaller portions. The other things that impact it is what else you are putting in your body and how active you are. You would not believe how much of an impact waking up a little early and working out has on your mood, focus, energy levels, productivity, and rest. I work 30 minutes from my house and leave around 7 most days. I started getting up at 5:20 to workout and shower and it has done wonders for me. I wait to take meds until after I shower and I'm just about ready to leave so I'm not coming off them when I am trying to work. Do research on what types of exercises work to help get the heart rate up and get you going in the morning. I know for me I didn't want to be running all the time because it bores me, plus I live in Texas and it's currently 105 f and we get freezing temps to, it was -10 f last February. I still need to do something when it's like that. So I started doing dumbbell and bodyweight workouts. I sometimes do Yoga Flow and meditation. I was very skeptical on meditation but enjoy it sometimes. ADHD is a mind thing but to treat it you have to treat your hole body. You have to eat better, exercise, get good rest, and do things that are different than in the past. I take vitamins and supplements to help start my day and eat breakfast if I want to. I have experimented a lot with how they interact with my meds and what makes me the most productive. You might need to take melatonin to help get you to sleep I rarely do but sometimes I need it when I'm wide awake at midnight. I bought my wife a 25lb weighted blanked for Christmas a couple years ago and it is a queen size. She said it was to heavy and felt like she was trapped and didn't like it. I on the other hand loved it and wanted it heavier so I fold it in half and lay it over me lol. You also need to understand that some moments and even some days the ADHD will win. You won't be as productive as you want, say/do something you shouldn't have and that's ok. Just know that just because you fell short today doesn't mean you need to scrap everything and start over.

You might have luck with other treatment options but I would really consider finding a new doctor. If you told them it makes you feel like this and they said keep going then they're not guiding you down the right path. You should change meds if they're to intense because they need to be something that is helping you and this doesn't sound like it is. You could do some of the things I said and they help to make your current dose work just fine, everyone is different. Also don't take on to much at once. I started small with everything I've done. Find the one thing that is easiest for you to change and start there. I grew up playing sports and working out so that was easy for me to say I'm going to commit to this and work out everyday. You might need to start with a 2 or 3 days a week and then walk or bike for the other days. Doing something daily is important and first thing in the morning gets a dopamine hit that makes you feel better and like you did something great and you haven't even gotten to work. An accountability partner makes this easier or an app that has alarms to tell you if you missed a workout. I also recently started therapy and that has done wonders for my mental health and with dealing with marriage and parenting issues. I've been married for 11 years and we have 4 kids so things get hard.

In a nutshell take it slow, be patient with yourself, be your own health advocate, and seek help like you are. Hope this helps and hope you have a great day.

[CrabElectronic2650]

Hi! I'm on Vyvanse 30 mg for the past 8 months and have the same reaction. It's terrible. I was cursing at all my friends. A friend I've had since I was 18 told me not to speak to him until I am off of amphetamines. The other MAJOR side effect for me is a big increase in my blood pressure. Strattera causes high blood pressure too. I'm at a loss for a non-amphetamine ADHD that doesn't cause irritability & high blood pressure.