Anyone here have experience or knowledge of Vyvance?

Vzuv · 2015-03-20T17:07:26+00:00

I took Vyvanse for about a week (prescribed by a doctor). I stopped after that because I had chest pains and thought I was having a heart attack (mid 20's). I wasn't, but the pain experienced was on the lowest dose.

I did, then, go on Adderall and had a better experience - but basically it went like this. The first few months are literally the greatest feeling of your life. You can focus, your motivation is amazing, you have so much energy that you can do anything. My metabolism went up and I lost 40 lbs (I was overweight, so this wasn't like I was some skinny person dropping this weight) despite not changing what I ate at all. It was amazing, I was more motivated, more focused, and more able to get things done.

... Then after about 6 months, I started noticing the negatives. I could sleep for an entire day if someone didn't wake me up (once the medicine wore off through the night). I woke up EVERY morning with a colossal headache. After 10-11pm, it was like my energy dropped off a cliff and I was a zombie until I took the next dose. I got way more aggressive - and not in a good way. Things that used to annoy me now started to anger me. My fuse with everyone - coworkers, bosses, family, even my pets, was way shorter. I stayed on it because I really loved the positives, though.

About 18 months or so into it, I stopped noticing the positives. My concentration was slipping, my weight was going back up. I was tired all day despite taking my medication. And god forbid I forget to take it, because at that point I couldn't keep my eyes open, even if I slept for 12+ hours straight. That was on top of the negatives.

After maybe 2 years on it (we tried upping my dosage which led to even worse negatives and only slightly improved positives), I talked to my doctor about quitting. All I noticed anymore was the bad stuff, and the positives were more or less gone - except that I felt that I needed it to function normally. I tapered off over a few weeks, then stopped altogether. The first month or so was absolutely hellish. I had zero energy - my productivity at work went from very little to zero. I literally could not eat enough (probably trying to make up for how tired I felt). I gained almost all of my weight back very quickly. It took maybe 18 months or so for me to really feel "normal" again after getting off of it.

I still haven't totally fixed my productivity/motivation issues on many things, but I just know that it went from great to good to bad to awful over time. Your first impression with it will not necessarily last (it didn't in my case, at least). When you first take it you will feel invincible - and it was great - but quitting it was a bitch, I honestly thought about getting back on it a few times simply because of how bad it made me feel when I stopped.

stefanhc1 · 2015-03-20T20:38:29+00:00

This seems like a controversial topic for TRP, but I'll give you my input. I say it's controversial because of this sentence:

Truly, my problem is a complete lack of self discipline.

It's not, because it's hard to draw a line to distinguish your ADHD from your lack of discipline. What is NOT controversial is that in the end, nobody gives a fuck, so it's up to YOU to make up for the deficiency, no matter what it takes. You'll hear ADHD is made up, you'll hear "just eat right", you'll hear you're a fucking junkie. Don't listen to any of this shit.

I was diagnosed last year and I assume my life before then played out a lot like yours. In fact, I've read the same story countless times (r/ADHD is a great source - but I do wish there was more RP mentality). After a 2 year hiatus, I decided to go back to school, so I got diagnosed and learned as much as I could about the disorder.

I was started on Vyvanse 40mg. The first month, I was more productive than ever before, but you need to adjust to the kick. I realized that it was helping my motivation a lot, but I wasn't focusing on specific tasks at school (I'm ADHD-PI, my mind wanders) I tried 50mg too before switching to Concerta 36mg. I'm on my first month, and I see no difference, so my doc will probably adjust accordingly.

Taken at therapeutic doses, these medications can help enormously, but you'll need to find the right one, and the right dose. They're not addictive in the sense that you probably won't feel the need to abuse them, but after a while of taking them, if you stop, you'll obviously notice the difference (more like a caffeine withdrawal).

Some tips specific to Vyvanse: Eat a high protein breakfast with it. The active ingredient in Vyvanse is bound to an amino acid and the two are broken down through digestion (this was done to avoid abuse), so protein is supposed to help smooth out the breakdown and absorption. Also, avoid vitamin C (absorbic acid) in the morning as it has the effect of minimizing the absorption.

I would recommend ADHD medication to anyone with ADHD because it fucking works. However, it's not the only change you'll need to make in your life.

INFORM YOURSELF - Read everything you can about ADHD. r/ADHD is great for stories similar to yours, to ask questions about medication, and overall have a community where everyone knows what you're going through, because you're not alone.
Get a system - Write things down. I have a dry erase board in my apartment where I write shit down. I can't miss it. I also have a school planner.
Nutrition/Sleep - It won't cure your ADHD, but bad nutrition will bring out the worst of it. Nothing specific: Eat whole foods and take supplements you like. Find how much sleep works best for you and stick to a schedule. All these things are relevant to everyone, but you need to pay more attention to it.
Exercise - Lift. Obviously. Exercise has been shown to help ADHD symptoms. I lift and walk with my dog 1.5 hrs a day.
RP Mentality - Obviously, you're on the right track. Accept that you're going to have to work harder than everyone else, shut the fuck up about it, and do it. I barely graduated HS with a 2.0 and I was kicked out my second year of uni. I've always been the smartest of my friends, but I applied myself the least. I'm 24, and my HS friends have mostly graduated from uni and are working in their fields. Last year I decided I'd had enough, I packed my shit and I moved out of my mom's to a new city. I started school and I've maintained a 4.0 at the college I'm at, and I will be going to a BETTER university to major in Physics and Mathematics. This is not because of Vyvanse or any other medication, it's because of my attitude. The medication will help you reach your goals, but in the end you need to put in the effort as well.

Lmk if you have other questions.

EDIT: You should always drink plenty of water, but this is especially important on stimulants.

FelixCopy · 2015-03-20T18:36:39+00:00

Its a very short term solution to a long term problem

RPthrowaway123 · 2015-03-20T21:08:35+00:00

I'm actually switching, I didn't like it. I found it steadier but less effective.

realdev · 2015-03-20T23:18:45+00:00

Modafinil > Adderall > Vyvance

Title	Anyone here have experience or knowledge of Vyvance?
Author	AWALT_AWALT_AWALT
Upvotes	4
Comments	22
Date	March 20, 2015 4:03 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/2zpmg7/anyone_here_have_experience_or_knowledge_of/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/anyone-here-have-experience-or-knowledge-of.147173 https://theredarchive.com/post/147173

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