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Vyvanse

Generic name: lisdexamfetaminelis-dex-am-FET-a-meen ]
Drug class: CNS stimulants

Medically reviewed by Sophia Entringer, PharmD. Last updated on Dec 25, 2023.

What is Vyvanse?

Vyvanse is a central nervous system stimulant. It affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control.

Vyvanse is FDA-approved to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and in children who are at least 6 years old.

Vyvanse is also used to treat moderate to severe binge eating disorder in adults. This medicine is not to be used for obesity or weight loss.

Warnings

Vyvanse may be habit-forming, and this medicine is a drug of abuse. Tell your doctor if you have had problems with drug or alcohol abuse.

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in people with high blood pressure, heart disease, or a heart defect.

Do not use Vyvanse if you have used a MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days, such as isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.

Vyvanse may cause new or worsening psychosis (unusual thoughts or behavior), especially if you have a history of depression, mental illness, or bipolar disorder.

You may have blood circulation problems that can cause numbness, pain, or discoloration in your fingers or toes.

Call your doctor right away if you have: signs of heart problems--chest pain, feeling light-headed or short of breath; signs of psychosis--paranoia, aggression, new behavior problems, seeing or hearing things that are not real; signs of circulation problems--unexplained wounds on your fingers or toes.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Vyvanse if you are allergic to lisdexamfetamine or any component of the formulation.

Do not use Vyvanse if you have taken an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

Stimulants have caused stroke, heart attack, and sudden death in certain people. Tell your doctor if you have:

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has ever had:

Some medicines can interact with lisdexamfetamine and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. Be sure your doctor knows if you also take stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. Ask your doctor before making any changes in how or when you take your medications.

It is not known whether Vyvanse will harm an unborn baby. However, taking the medicine during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, withdrawal symptoms, and possible toxic effects in the newborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Lisdexamfetamine can pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in the nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.

Vyvanse is not FDA-approved to treat ADHD in a child younger than 6 years old. Vyvanse is not FDA-approved to treat binge eating disorder in anyone younger than 18 years old.

How should I take Vyvanse?

Take Vyvanse exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Lisdexamfetamine may be habit-forming. Never share Vyvanse with another person, especially someone with a history of drug abuse or addiction. Keep the medication in a place where others cannot get to it. Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.

Take Vyvanse with or without food, first thing in the morning.

Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

The chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.

Do not crush, chew, break, or divide a Vyvanse capsule. Swallow the capsule whole.

To make swallowing easier, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a glass of water or orange juice, or mix it with yogurt. After the medicine has dissolved, drink or eat the mixture right away. Do not save for later use.

While using this medicine, your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using this medicine.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep track of your medicine. Vyvanse is a drug of abuse and you should be aware if anyone is using your medicine improperly or without a prescription.

Throw away unused or expired Vyvanse in a sealed container or bag. Ask your pharmacist where to locate a community pharmaceutical take back disposal program.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, but not late in the day. Skip the missed dose if it is almost evening. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of lisdexamfetamine can be fatal.

Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, tremor, muscle twitches, rapid breathing, hostility, violence, panic, muscle pain or weakness, and dark colored urine. These symptoms may be followed by depression and tiredness. Overdose may also cause seizure or coma.

What to avoid

Vyvanse may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Vyvanse side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Vyvanse: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

Seek medical attention right away if you have symptoms of serotonin syndrome, such as: agitation, hallucinations, fever, sweating, shivering, fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, twitching, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Vyvanse can affect growth in children. Tell your doctor if your child is not growing at a normal rate while using this medicine.

Common Vyvanse side effects may include:

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Vyvanse?

Ask your doctor before using a stomach acid medicine (including Alka-Seltzer or sodium bicarbonate). Some of these medicines can change the way your body absorbs lisdexamfetamine, and may increase side effects.

Other drugs may interact with lisdexamfetamine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Popular FAQ

The main difference between Adderall and Vyvanse is that Adderall is a mixture of four different kinds of amphetamine salts (one of which is dextroamphetamine) while Vyvanse only contains one type of amphetamine salt, called lisdexamfetamine. Lisdexamfetamine gets converted into dexamphetamine once it is in the body. One advantage of Vyvanse is that it may be less likely to be abused; although it is slightly more expensive than Adderall, although both have generic forms available. Because both drugs contain amphetamines, they work in a similar way. Studies have shown that Vyvanse is just as effective as Adderall, and side effects, including the risk of dependence, are similar. Continue reading

Dextroamphetamine, the active chemical for Vyvanse, has a half-life of roughly 12 hours. It takes about five half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from your body, so after 60 hours, or 2.5 days, most of the drug is eliminated. However, the half-life and elimination of a drug can vary from person-to-person. Continue reading

For ADHD: In adults, Vyvanse was shown in clinical studies to improve attention at 2 hours and up to 14 hours after taking a dose. In children aged 6-12, Vyvanse was shown to start working within 1.5 hours and up to 13 hours after the morning dose. For binge eating disorder, it can take up to 12 weeks for patients to show a significant reduction in their number of binge days per week. Continue reading

Vyvanse is not a narcotic. Vyvanse is a schedule C-II controlled substance because it’s ingredient, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, is converted to dextroamphetamine (the active agent) in the body. Dextroamphetamine is also classified as a C-II drug. Continue reading

The manufacturer’s product labeling for Vyvanse does not list a drug interaction between Vyvanse and any form of birth control. However, always have your pharmacist or doctor review for possible drug interactions with any new medication to be sure it does not lower the effectiveness of your birth control. Continue reading

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Further information

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use Vyvanse only for the indication prescribed.

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.