Vyvanse wearing off too quickly...? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

Mollyyy · 05-25-2009, 07:52 PM

I'm on 60mgs (three 20mg capsules) of Vyvanse for my ADD (executive dysfunction type... not sure if that makes a difference in this thread, but I'm just throwing that out there). I take them in the morning, at about 6:30, before school.
It takes about 40 minutes for me to actually feel the effects of it, and they're pretty good when I can feel them. My social anxiety goes down a ton, I have less triggers, I can focus, for the most part, on something when I need to. My mood is elevated and I'm wayyyyy less irritable and grouchy. I have a lot less negative thoughts. My little OCD tics go away as well, for the most part.
Overall it puts me in a very "chill" mood. Like... everything just feels "okay." It's a nice content feeling, in comparison to when I was prescribed with Adderall, and I got a euphoric rush (it worked way better than the Vyvanse in terms of concentration and anxiety, but it only worked every other day and the crash was too much for me).

Anyway.
My doc said that Vyvanse is time-released, and it should last about 12 hours. When I take it, I notice that it works for maybe the first two to three hours of intake, and then the effects taper off into not-so-good side effects. I become irritable and cranky, and it feels like I have no emotions. My motivation goes away, and nothing seems funny to me. I have to force myself to laugh and smile. Basically I become very robotic... and it's not enjoyable. A few days ago when it was wearing off after third period, I walked out of my classroom up to my friend who had this weird look on her face. When I looked at her (from looking down at the ground with anxiety) she said, "What's wrong with you? Are you sick or something?"
Apparently I wear the tapered side effects of Vyvanse on my face... haha. Or... something like that. I don't know. All I know is, I really don't like becoming a robot when it's wearing off.
And that's not even the main point of this thread.

What I'm asking is, why is it wearing off after like.. 3 hours, when it's supposed to last 12? It doesn't make any sense. I don't eat or drink anything with citric acid in it, so it's not that the medicine is metabolizing faster...
My parents and I have read around about opening the capsules and dissolving the actual meds in with a drink, and it says it's okay as long as you drink it right away.
I don't think it's because I dissolve it in with coke (the soda... as in, Coca Cola), because the first time I took Vyvanse I took it with a spoonful of applesauce (well... I guess that's citric... but it was literally just one bite) because I have trouble swallowing pills... and it still wore off within the first three hours of taking it.

What could be the reason for this? Do I need a higher dose?

Thunor · 05-25-2009, 10:36 PM

I've never used Vyvanase, so take this for what it's worth.

How long have you been taking this med? It appears from what I've read that irritability is one of the side effects, so I expect that one probably isn't going away, but depending on how long you've been on it, the effect may taper off.

I know you touched on this in your post, but stirring your Vyvanase into Coca-cola may not be the best idea. The instructions that I read online specifically recommend that it be stirred into water, and I'm wondering if the highly acidic nature of Coke may be an issue. You talk about the need to avoid citric acid, but it's important to note that the pH of Coke is somewhere in the 2.5 range, which is very strong. That said, it's still not as acidic as stomach acid, so who knows. I might recommend that you try it with water for a few days and see if that helps. Another thing to consider is that we all metabolize substances at different rates, and you may simply be one of those people that does not respond to Vyvanase.

I would recommend discussing your issues with your doctor to see if maybe a different med is better for you, or if perhaps they have some input regarding the acid question.

Mollyyy · 05-25-2009, 10:53 PM

Thanks for replying.

I've been taking it for about a week and a half. Not that long at all. My doctor also told me that I need to give Vyvanse a chance, and to not give up on it so quickly. She ALSO mentioned that for some people, it can take up to two/two and a half weeks before the full effects of it are felt. So I'm going to continue Vyvanse and see how things go...
I'll try taking it in water. I've read that Vyvanse doesn't really taste that bad, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem for me (I have horrible gag reflexes).

Also, before it starts wearing off, my irritability pretty much goes away. I'm normally extremely grouchy and irritable toward people. I think it's because of my anxiety and/or depression. Not sure. But Vyvanse makes me "chill out," and it makes it so I can actually think before I snap at people.
But if that's a side effect of it, I can manage that. The good things outweigh the bad.

Thanks again.

addprogrammer · 05-26-2009, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thunor

You talk about the need to avoid citric acid, but it's important to note that the pH of Coke is somewhere in the 2.5 range, which is very strong.

So that's why Coke strips car paint. Whoa!

Thu covered it all. I'll add what my shrink told me. "Rarely do extended release formulas work for as long as the manufacturer claims."
I think they use the one out of a 100 that experience 12 hour efficacy as the basis for their claim.

Vyance is yet another way to sell the ultra evil dextroamphetamine. Yes, Vyance acts as extended release. Dexadrine Spansules solved same problem 200 years ago. Please note that was a use of hyperbole.

Waiting could help. It isn't so much for plasma levels to stabilize as it is to give you a chance to figure out how to use your new found ability to focus. I for one experience increased focus without directly feeling the medicine.

Hmn, are you taking all three 20mg's at once? Why didn't doc prescribe the 60 mg version? Try spreading the pills out over the entire morning to early afternoon. You're burning the stuff fast enough. It won't keep you awake unless you take it within 6 hours or so before hitting the hay.

Something ain't right here? Am I miss-reading all 3 20's at once?

Bob

Thunor · 05-26-2009, 04:51 PM

Yeah Bob, between the extreme acidity, the high Fructose Corn Syrup and the complete lack of nutritional value, cola is one of the worst things you can put in your body that is not already illegal. *Hypocritically takes another swig of Pepsi*

I think, though I may be corrected, that when they judge the length of efficacy of sustained release meds, they base their claims on excretion, not actual reported effects. Sort of like: Subject X excreted Y amount of dextroamphetamine by the 12 hour mark and thus the concentration should now be too low to be effective. Judging effects is likely deemed too subjective to be . . . scientific.