Lisdexamfetamine for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome User Reviews
Brand names: Vyvanse
Lisdexamfetamine has an average rating of 8.8 out of 10 from a total of 18 reviews for the off-label treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. 89% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 11% reported a negative experience.
Reviews for Lisdexamfetamine
- pur...
- May 29, 2010
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) "I have tried several medications for chronic fatigue syndrome and nothing seems to help more than an hour or two. Vyvanse is a wonderful medication for chronic daytime sleepiness and fatigue. I could not believe the amount of work I was able to get done. It does not make you feel 'drugged' like other medications do. I felt like my old self again, before the days of CFS."
- Cha...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- October 2, 2020
"Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) for 4 years completely destroyed my life. Spent 15k trying to recover, finally decided to go to a psychiatrist and ask for Vyvanse (I found this through my own research). Well, it's like night and day. I can function like a normal person. I do have 5mg of instant release Dexedrine in the afternoon as a booster. I also have 2 or 3 days off each week so I avoid tolerance. This has absolutely saved my life. I wish I could take it every day. If you're suffering, get a psychiatrist and give it a go."
Frequently asked questions
- How soon for Vyvanse to start working and how long does it last?
- Does Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) show up on a drug test?
- Ritalin vs Vyvanse - What's the difference between them?
- TAR...
- Taken for 1 to 2 years
- December 12, 2018
"My life has absolutely changed. I've been bedridden for years. I missed a day and a half at a very important client meeting because I couldn't move to get out of bed. Vyvanse 40 mg has given me my life back. I can't begin to express my gratitude. Because some doctors are unaware of this study, however, the doctor that took over for my current practitioner wouldn't refill my RX. I only have a few days left and am terrified to go back to my old way of life, or lack thereof. I would highly recommend Vyvanse for chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. I feel so much better!"
- Lov...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- December 27, 2013
"I have been living with chronic fatigue for over 9 years now. I have gone to so many different doctors and have been put on so many different kinds of medicines that never worked. I finally was put on Vyvanse 30 mg. I cannot tell you how much this medicine has changed my life for the better. I would have to force myself out of bed in the mornings and come back home after taking the kids to school and tell myself I would just rest for 20 mins and then get up. I would fall back to sleep for hours and could not figure out what was wrong with me. I hated feeling so tired all the time. I've been on Vyvanse now for 1 week and it is a miracle drug for me. I have energy and my life back. I only wish I would have known about this 9 years ago."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- nen...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- August 28, 2017
"I was utterly shattered and didn't know what to do before I started this drug. I had bone-crushing chronic fatigue and felt I had tried everything. I was so tired for so long I was planning on ending my life. I am on 50mg, and it has made a huge difference. I have very little fatigue now, I still have some problems with anxiety and depression but I always had those. Overall, I am much better on the drug. I had tried other stimulants like Concerta, Ritalin, and Provigil before with little effect. If you are suffering from chronic fatigue, please give lisdexamphetamine a try as it can make a big difference."
- Anonymous
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- October 15, 2016
"This medicine is a truly lifesaver. Even with my depression well-treated, I kept physically tired the whole day. I wanted to do things, but my body felt like I spent 3 hours at the gym. 30 mg of it at 6 am changed the whole game. I can go on really motivated the whole day and still get a great night of sleep. NO SIDE EFFECTS besides some stomach cramps in the first days. There's no comparison with other meds I've tried before (Provigil and Focalin). I can finally say that I'm capable of doing anything if I truly want to."
- Anonymous
- August 19, 2011
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) "I have suffered from narcolepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, and ADHD all my life. The ONLY thing that has allowed me to feel 'normal' enough to participate in my own life again is Vyvanse. Unfortunately, I have recently moved from AZ to CA, and due to different laws, I have been unable to fill or receive a new prescription in CA (even with all of my doctor's records and recommendations), and I have been severely depressed due to all the old symptoms returning. BUT VYVANSE SAVED MY LIFE AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT."
- PCa...
- September 18, 2019
"Used Adderall XR for a few years and wasn't helping with physical/mental energy, unmotivated and unfocused, even lost my job. Doc switched me to Vyvanse 10 or 20 mg and took even longer to work. I know reviews here are positive, but I didn't get benefits with Vyvanse and went back. Barely noticed any change, like taking nothing at all. Maybe the doc gave too low a dose? Now trying Armodafinil 250 mg. Doc said to break 1/2 and did the 1st week+ and didn't help much. Then 3/4 sometimes full 250. Not great. I'm frustrated I can't find anything to help with mental/physical energy. I was vivacious, hard-working, and driven till mid-40s. I'm sure it's partially hormonal, but I'm a drained person. Can't think, tired all the time, disorganized, foggy, unmotivated. Adderall helped me get out of bed but no physical energy or mental focus. Everything tried, I move around like a saggy robot without passion. Projects undone, papers piled up. I don't know what to try anymore. Looking online for other possible treatments."
- Lau...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- May 6, 2016
"This drug changed my life. I would have to take 4-hour naps during the day, on top of 8-10 hours of sleep in order to get through a day, but now I can stay awake and it helps me FOCUS. Upon taking it, I feel an overwhelming sense of positivity, almost a 'high,' and it lasts for hours. I can accomplish anything I want to. The drug lasts for the whole work day, and I'm back to being my sleepy self by night time. I take 60 mg and weigh 145. I would definitely recommend this drug."
- Ali...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- August 27, 2020
"I was diagnosed with CFS/ME 5 years ago. Although I learned how to manage it better through pacing, I still felt very limited in what I could do in one day. Nine months ago, I started on Vyvanse - 10 mg for 2 weeks, 20 mg for two weeks and then settled in with a dose of 30 mg daily. It did give me more energy, but I had to be careful to still pace myself and not overdo it. I felt more motivated and more positive. It also helped with general pain. I did not like the side effects of dry mouth, and I felt almost like a clenching of my muscles, so my doctor reduced me to 20 mg two weeks ago. My fatigue and pain are back and worse than before. I’m feeling discouraged and will likely go back to the 30 mg. It’s worth the side effects to have more energy and to feel positive and creative."
- TR ...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- April 19, 2018
"I can’t even begin to tell you how much better I’m feeling. I’d gone on a business trip to see a multi-billion-dollar corporation for 3 days. After a day and a half, I had to tell them I was so ill that I needed to leave. By the next day, I couldn’t move to get out of bed. I’d never felt that bad before. That’s when I decided I had enough of feeling exhausted, tired, and foggy all the time. I researched CFS medications and found this forum along with double-blind studies. I started on 30 mg. Initially, I felt shaky, and my heart was pounding. I found that if I ate with the Vyvanse, that didn't happen. I felt great and had energy all day long. I also have fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos, and it’s helped my pain tremendously. I sleep great, and because of all the energy I burn, I haven’t lost any weight or my appetite. I am so grateful for this medication. 10 Stars!"
- Fin...
- Taken for 1 to 2 years
- October 14, 2014
"I finally got diagnosed with lupus two years ago after going to many doctors that couldn't find anything wrong with me. I knew that my extreme chronic fatigue wasn't normal. After five years of different doctors, one did an ANA test, and my lupus was 1:674, which is very high. I started the Vyvanse 20 for a month and didn't help, then went to 40 for about a year, now on 50 mg. I take it at 7 AM, and I can feel it kick in about 9:30. It keeps me awake and able to do what needs to be done. Some days I feel the Vyvanse works better than others. If I eat a high-protein breakfast, it always works better. No OJ or acid drinks or fruit. It makes the Vyvanse not work well. It's expensive if you don't have insurance, try Adderall 20 instant, it's the same and cheaper."
- Cin...
- Taken for 1 to 6 months
- September 6, 2019
"My 6-year-old son has struggled with severe anxiety, sensory processing, and ADHD nearly his entire life. This is the 5th or 6th medication we have tried after having terrible results with the others. He is truly a different child on this medication. His impulsiveness has decreased tremendously, his anxiety is almost nonexistent, his outbursts, rages, and tantrums are nearly gone. And the best part is that we can actually see his true personality for the first time EVER. Hallelujah! His symptoms are so controlled now that he can express himself, be creative, problem-solve, and do well in school. I am so grateful for his pediatrician for recommending this. It has changed the lives of our entire family."
- Juh...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- August 1, 2023
"I was an opioid addict for 5 years, and when I got sober in 2018, I started sleeping more and more. I thought it was depression and adjusting to life in sobriety. I have ADHD and was diagnosed and prescribed Dexedrine back in 2016, but I would trade it for painkillers or abuse it. I was put on Vyvanse in 2018 for my ADHD. And as I got more time of sobriety under my belt, I was then diagnosed with fibromyalgia but still complained of SEVERE debilitating fatigue and was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as well. All these health issues I was hiding with my painkiller addiction, which hid the pain and the fatigue. On 40 mg for years, but you build a tolerance. I would get maybe 3 or 4 hours of low productivity. Now on 40mg, and in the afternoon, another 20mg. I live a much fuller life. Meds aren't the only fix as you need to learn to pace yourself, learn managing techniques to balance life with CFS, plan every day to get the most out of life. But Vyvanse helps my ADHD and my CFS!"
- Duc...
- Taken for less than 1 month
- March 8, 2022
"lisdexamfetamine was a game changer for me after 8 years of dealing with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS due to a relapse of a mononucleosis infection. I have been taking Ritalin before this drug which wasn't bad but not very great either. The difference between lisdexamphetamine and Ritalin is day and night for me. I can finally get a good night sleep at nights even after a hard day of work. It boosted my energy and concentration like nothing else would with almost no side effects. I take 30 mg daily and the only thing that worries me is that there comes a day when I wouldn't have access to it. I also take Doxepin 25mg and Clonazepam 1mg before bed to improve my sleep quality and Paroxetine 20mg to manage my depression and anxiety."
- Aka...
- May 2, 2023
"This medication was the most useless and harmful for me. It didn't give me any energy at all and all of a sudden it made me too exhausted, so depressed and miserable. When my psychiatrist prescribed me this, he told me that it even helps a lot with bipolar depression. When I took any dosage under 60mg, I didn't feel anything at all. When I increased my dosage, it made the depressive episode a lot more intense and just unbearable. The point about this med is that it doesn't matter whether you have ADD, ADHD, or not. It's the most unsuitable medication for many people. I talked to other people using this med and almost all of them were unsatisfied. People who wrote about this med in glowing terms maybe are lucky, I don't know. As far as I've seen people taking this med, they just talked complained about the side effects and its too weak effects or even its paradoxical effects. I suppose stimulant meds at least in my case are not potent enough to decrease the symptoms of CFS."
- abs...
- Taken for 1 to 2 years
- March 8, 2016
"I suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2003 at the age of 17. Comatose for 28 days, and about one year ago, I finally got someone to listen and give me something. Vyvanse helped a ton at first with my waves of fatigue. My daughter was recently diagnosed with ADHD, and she also takes Vyvanse. Worked great in the beginning, but for both of us, it seems to have just stopped? Focus and concentration are worse than before meds. And when it does kick in, it maybe lasts 6 hours. I also believe I am suffering from post-traumatic narcolepsy. Wish this med worked as well now as in the beginning. I was upped to 50 mg recently, she complained it wasn't helping but was making me feel worse, and all that did was make me grind my teeth even more and worsen my insomnia."
- Lui...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- February 14, 2024
"Helps with my chronic fatigue greatly, that I have been battling for years."
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"I have ADHD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and narcolepsy. Vyvanse is a lifesaver. It is the only medication that improves my quality of life. Not only does it help my concentration, it also helps with the pain. I hope that Shire starts making doses higher than 70mg, as it does cause tolerance to increase. The only way around that is to take a day or two off the medication every week. My doctor prescribes me 10mg instant release dexamphetamine tablets to take on those days so I don’t suffer such a hard crash. All in all, it is a consistent medication with few side effects. Yes, it can be abused by people who do not have any medical reasons for taking it. But for those of us that do have medical conditions, it vastly improves quality of life. I am very tired of the demonization of amphetamines, and people equating this to crystal meth. Under the care of a doctor, there is little chance that someone will abuse or become addicted to this drug."