Mental Health tips for handling vyvanse

[simco]

My psychiatrist gave me a new Rx of vyvanse yesterday. I had been on adderall a few times over the years, but I found that doing adderall (even just 20mg/day) every day would catch up to me and I'd end up feeling hollowed out and edgy.

My shrink seems to think I'll tolerate vyvanse better.

I'd appreciate hearing vyvanse in comparison to something like adderall.

Is vyvanse effective for extreme lethargy and lack of motivation due to depression?

Thanks.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

Well, in terms of the experiences of others, there are a number of sites that have reviews for various medications. So, in that sector, we don't really have much to offer. It's a bit of grey area. But we can tell you what the medication is designed to treat, and the theory behind it being approved.

Vyvanse was intended to be a very soft simulant medication, as far as stimulants go. It offers a gradual rise, and a gradual fall. Nothing like an ir dose. It tends to also be more smooth than something like Adderall XR, which has half released upon ingestion, then the other half four released hours later. Vyvanse enters the system at a much more steady rate, and leaves the system with similar delicacy. It is designed to last 12 hours.

It is has no levoamphetamine, as is 25% of Adderall (75% being dextroampehtamine). Vyvanse offers a slow and methodical release of *just* dextroamphetamine, which in theory makes it feel less speedy and edgy.

Dextroampehtamine has more central stimulant effects. Levoapmhetamine has more peripheral stimulant effects.

Apart from this knowledge, I don't see much more information relevant, considering the rules and user agreement. But I'll leave it open for the time being...

 

[simco]

Thanks. That's very helpful.

If taken as directed (30mg/day), is using vyvanse likely to lead to issues of increasing tolerance and/or psychological dependency? I assume it's similar to adderall in this respect, but I wondered if the dependency issue at least might be a bit less than with IR adderall due to the longer onset.

 

[AlphaMethylPhenyl]

If you are using it in a true medicinal manner, it doesn't really lead to much harm. If you take more than prescribed, you'll be abusing it as a hard drug. Mileage varies, but some sort of dependency, if taken every day, isn't out of the question. You may get a so-called "honeymoon period", during which it will seem to be the answer to so many problems. But in the end, it's really only helpful for ADHD and staying awake.

In my experience, ir adderall has a very noticeable onset, peak, and crash. As stated, vyvanse theory is all about things being smooth, less tough to deal with, in a sense.

People get caught into thinking it's supposed to be used for socializing, depression, and anxiety, so they continuously campaign to get higher doses. This makes the incidence of negative side effects increase in chance dramatically.

If 30mg is the minimum that well-treats ADHD/narcolepsy for you, then I'd stay right there--don't budge an inch. That's what I would say.