I was diagnosed with extreme Adult ADHD. I started taking Vyvanse and it worked great. I changed med plans and Vyvanse is really expensive now. I've tried Adderal, Concerta, Ritalin and now I'm taking Concerta and Ritalin. I'm tired all the time. Does anyone know anything about Vyvanse and is it a better medication for ADHD?
Does Adult ADHD cause fatigue?
Question posted by COXSK on 20 April 2012
Last updated on 15 February 2024 by ChelleyMI
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10 Answers
I also have tried many different medications for Adult ADD. The only one that ever helped me was Vyvanse ( Brand Name ), the generic did not work for me. I am also ALWAYS tired, and even though the Vyvanse used to help me all day long, now it only seems to help for 3-4 hours... not sure why the change ? Very frustrating... to say the least !
Every individual will respond differently to any given medication so the only answer is that the best medication for you is the one that works for you.
Ritalin/Concerta:
"Common (1% to 10% of users): Dizziness, dyskinesia, tremor, DROWSINESS, feeling jittery, psychomotor hyperactivity, somnolence, vertigo, paresthesia, motion sickness, tension headache"
Vyvanse:
"Common (1% to 10% of users): Dizziness, SOMNOLENCE, tremor, paresthesia, nightmare, dyskinesia, seizures, psychomotor hyperactivity"
BTW, Ritalin and Concerta are the same drug... methylphenidate.
I started titration today Concerta 18mg XL. I took my first one around 12pm when it was delivered. It is 7pm now and i feel wiped out. So maybe it is the meds, i really hope not.
I have been priveledged to have a Psychiatrist that is writing about this very subject.
She calls it a "Paradoxical reaction". Which is having the exact opposite reaction to the intended one, in which includes
extreme sleepiness. I have it also and I take Adderall 30mg. 3x day. I definitely understand that problem but it goes away after napping.
Cheers
yattyew 14 minutes ago
I am 41 and was diagnosed with ADHD 18 months ago, i have always been very hyper but as I've grown older I found fatigue would set in quicker than my peers. I put this down to the amount of constant energy I'd used throughout my life. When I started concerta and worked up to 72mg in the morning, my whole life changed almost over night, energy levels, concentration, willingness, get up go attitude all massively improved, I stopped feeling like a prisoner in my own mind and body and my life is improving every day, but you must remember medication is only the 'tool' the rest is down to you, peace x
Adderall and Ritalin work better for people who have ADHD- hyperactivity. Those medications will make you sleeping because they are meant to calm people down. Vyvanse is the only medication that worked for me - I'm non-hyperactive ADD.
ALL doctors are aware of this but since they get kick-backs from pharmaceutical companies, they continue to push drugs that will benefit them and not the patient. I've never tried the generic form of Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) but I would ask your doctor to give you a trial dose. Good luck.
I am a health care provider with full prescribing priveledges, including controlled substances. There are no kickbacks. Have been in this career (and have had ADHD myself for a lifetime). Comments like this regarding "kickbacks" that are untrue just serve to cause distrust of the medical community in general. Although I feel people need to play an active role in their healthcare, an open dialogue and trust of the practitioner treating you is the cornerstone to the ultimate success of your care.
There is no FDA approved generic form of Vyvanse
I also have have ADD, and Chronic Fatigue. I was first started on Vyvanse, on the lowest and worked my way up to the highest. It made me more tired than I was before I started it. Then I switched to Concerta. Started on 36, then 54 now I am on 70mg. It helps me concentrate, but that's all. It doesn't do anything for keeping me awake. I am so tired and fatigued all the time. I have 36mg in the morning and 36mg in the afternoon. or how ever I want to try and get some benefit out of them. Nothing. I go to bed at 10pm get up with my son for school at 7pm, then take nap from 10am-2pm. And I am tired and can barely stay awake from 5pm on. It's awful.
A side not, ADHD medications are NOT used for Attention Deficit Disorder, that is a learning disorder, not a hyperactivity problem. Thanks
Actually ADHD is Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder. My son has this too. He uses the ADHD meds to help him concentrate and to calm down. They are not sure why but when an over active person with ADHD uses a stimulant type of medication it has a calming effect on the brain. When you are fatigued but also have difficulty concentrating and have been diagnosed with ADHD it is more than likely ADD. Although ADD is not recognized as a true mental health disorder, that is what it is. You may also be experiencing what is called Chronic fatigue disorder. Which only your doctor can diagnose. Not everyone who has ADHD is hyperactive, that mainly occurs in children and will grow out of around the age of 16. Though some adults still have issues with being able to sit still.
How do you manage to fall asleep with the stimulants? I cant. Im tired, but cant.
I am 41 and was diagnosed with ADHD 18 months ago, i have always been very hyper but as I've grown older I found fatigue would set in quicker than my peers. I put this down to the amount of constant energy I'd used throughout my life. When I started concerta and worked up to 72mg in the morning, my whole life changed almost over night, energy levels, concentration, willingness, get up go attitude all massively improved, I stopped feeling like a prisoner in my own mind and body and my life is improving every day, but you must remember medication is only the 'tool' the rest is down to you, peace x
I am 41 and was diagnosed with ADHD 18 months ago, i have always been very hyper but as I've grown older I found fatigue would set in quicker than my peers. I put this down to the amount of constant energy I'd used throughout my life. When I started concerta and worked up to 72mg in the morning, my whole life changed almost over night, energy levels, concentration, willingness, get up go attitude all massively improved, I stopped feeling like a prisoner in my own mind and body and my life is improving every day, but you must remember medication is only the 'tool' the rest is down to you, peace x
I agree, everyone is different.
I had been taking Vyvanse for over a year (along with other meds) and it definitely helped me with my fatigue due to depression. I just recently switched to Adderall because the Vyvanse was causing me anxiety.
My question is this: what dose of Vyvanse were you on before you stopped? And what doses have you tried with the other meds as well? (If you can remember what time of day you took them, that would help too.)
I feel I can help you with this question seeing as I take the medication for fatigue only (I tested negative for ADHD). So I'm pretty familiar with that particular effect of Vyvanse, and I'm learning more about it with Adderall now.
If you'd rather send a private message with that info that's fine. I'll "fan" you so that's an option. :)
Hope I can help!
-B
Before I stopped Vyvanse I was taking 70 mg in the morning and he gave me a small dose of adderall early afternoon. I work in the evenings sometimes and need something to keep me going a little later. I took Vyvanse before I got out of bed. I would go back to sleep and wake up feeling rested and ready to go. I took aderall 60MG 30 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon for a while but didn't help me a lot. Now I'm on 54 MG of Conserta plus 10mg of ritalin in the morning, 10mg in the afternoon of ritalin and 20mg in the early evening of Ritalin which made it like a time release capsule. The only problem was I have cronic fatigue really bad and I found out Concerta doesn't help fatigue. If your so fatigued your not going to be able to function properly so I'm not happy with this. I'm starting Vyvanse next week. I hope for the same great results I had before.
That's good if you've found a way to get Vyvanse again. Hopefully it will help you again! If not, let us know :)
I have Fatigue Badly... My Quality of Life is not the best, however I hope to see a new Doctor re: Fatigue and ADHD(Severe). I Hope everyone is doing the best they can be.
Any Ideas On Howto Manage Fatigue. I take Ritalin.My Doctor won't change my meds.
ty
Dear COXSK,
Hello, and welcome. I say this a lotl... but everyone is different, so you will of course get different opinions. I have tried almost all of them, and I take VyVance and like it the best so far. But I have really good insurance and got a discount through their website. I have taken it almost a couple of years now, and I am still pleased with it. This is just my personal opinion. Good luck and best wishesl. Ruth
Hello COXSK. I am not certain as to what your question is. You said you were taking Vyvanse and stopped because of the cost. What do you need to know about the drug Vyvance since you have taken the drug previously? Regards, pledge
I guess it wasn't clear. I wasn't fatigued with Vyvanse and have been since I changed meds. I was wondering if anyone has tried Vyvanse and compared it to other meds and if they feel it worked better. I'm also curious as to how many with Adult ADHD have cronic fatigue. It's been a real problem for me. I hope I cleared up my question. I was so ill last night I was desperate to talk to someone who would understand.
I'm tired all the time as well.taking. genaric Ritalin..and the cost keeps going up... I'm what to do... I'm l milligrams3 x a day helps better than the 20 milligrams1 in morning and half in afternoon..so. ?.lost lol..the10
Related topics
concerta, ritalin, vyvanse, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd), fatigue
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