Vyvanse and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• September 20, 2009

For ADHD "I'm an 18-year-old college freshman and started taking Vyvanse 10 months ago when I had finally gotten medicated for my severe ADD. It has significantly changed my life for the better. For as long as I can remember, my teachers always told my parents that I was very bright, but I just would not 'apply' myself. But after taking Vyvanse, my grades have skyrocketed. I can finally pay attention in class and actually absorb the information. I feel energized, motivated, and more organized to do things. My days will be filled with productivity, and I feel like it boosts my mood in general. My side effects include slight anxiety because I feel like I should ALWAYS be doing something productive, so sometimes it's hard for me to relax."

• Tri...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 13, 2016

For ADHD "Worked great for a couple of months when I first started. I've had ADD my entire life and have never felt clear-minded for focus. At first, when I started Vyvanse, I had no side effects. After a couple of months of being on it, my grades were up in school, but I started getting tons of side effects from it. The most notable was the social anxiety from it and having a hard time talking to people. When I first got put on this drug, I was able to hold conversations with everyone, but then it made me super shy and introverted. So, fast forward another 3 years, I was still taking this drug and actually addicted to it. Every day, no matter the circumstances, I would take anywhere from 30-90 mg per day. Stay away from this medication if you are easily addicted."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2018

For ADHD "First day or so was great. I was focused, great, had heaps of energy, felt good. Then came the next few days: loss of appetite, pains in my body and chest, extreme anxiety, and outrageous mood swings. It was so bad I don't think I'll take it any time soon. Not a medication for me."

• Tan...
• December 2, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I have several BED signs, i.e., hiding my food intake, feeling extreme guilt over it. I hide food from my husband, as I am very ashamed of my 45 lb weight gain over the past two years. I feel, too, that I have a serious addiction to food, particularly sugar. I eat a lot of food in my waking hours (and middle of the night). I don't eat enough in one sitting to make me feel ill. My psychiatrist prescribed Vyvanse 20 mg a year ago. I took it for several days two separate times but was anxious as anything, mind racing, sleepless, so I stopped. But I have become desperate and further out of control with my eating. I am a week in at 20 mg. All the same side effects as before. I am sticking with it and hoping for a major decrease in these behaviors."

• Anonymous
• May 25, 2010

For ADHD "I am fifteen years old and started taking Vyvanse 30 mg dose in October. I moved to 50 mg and am now at 70 mg. At the lower dose, I noticed a definite improvement in my attention span and work ethic. On the 70 mg, I feel anxious, depressed, and I have headaches constantly. I feel like isolating myself socially from everyone else and am extremely moody. I do not recommend more than 50 mg of this medication to anyone."

• Jua...
• February 12, 2017

For ADHD "Things to be mindful of: can cause extreme anorexia - be careful if you are struggling with anorexia or bulimia nervosa; helps reduce binge eating greatly - good for binge eating disorder and bulimia when the person is trying to correct bingeing and not abusing the drug as a way of losing weight; can cause depression, suicidal ideations, and tiredness - usually is a result of taking a dose that is too high and the symptoms usually occur once the meds start to wear off; can cause severe anxiety - taking Vyvanse at a dose that is too high can cause severe anxiety, this can usually be resolved by lowering the dose. Some of these things can be resolved by adjusting the dosage, but sometimes a specific medication doesn't work well with your body."

• Sam...
• February 10, 2017

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD, and my doctor recommended me to take Vyvanse 40mg. The first day, I took it around 6:00 am, and it started to work about an hour in. I was able to focus very well and was a lot more sociable. However, the good effects of the medicine only lasted for 5 hours, and then everything went downhill, and I felt depressed. My heart was beating faster than usual, dry mouth, and I had no desire for food. The next day, thinking it would be better, it didn't kick in until around 2:00 pm and only lasted for a few hours. Sometimes, it would leave me feeling very antisocial and agitated. Today is my last day taking it because it hasn't worked for me at all today. I wasn't hungry all day, felt very sweaty, nervous, agitated, out of breath."

• Its...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2016

For ADHD "This pill is very effective and has its ups and downs. I took this med back in 2014 for my ADHD and stopped completely in 2015 due to the side effects. I am currently taking it again, and it has changed me completely. PROS: *You can concentrate incredibly. *You get work done fast. *It makes you think twice. *Lose weight (if you're interested in that). CONS: *You get paranoid. *You feel nauseated the whole time. *You become very antisocial. *You get aggravated very quickly. *People always think you're sad or something's wrong. *APPETITE IS GONE. *You get sad fairly quick. *Everything bothers you. *It's very hard to get or stay happy. *It gets hard to fall asleep. This is my 2nd month back on it, and there has been a substantial change in me already."

• Jac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2019

For ADHD "Zyprexa and Prozac for bipolar depression. 60 mg Vyvanse for ADHD. Helpful but may need to increase to max dose of 70 mg. I agree with the person who said he or she wished they could take it twice a day. Very smooth drug without excessive excitement or anxiety. Adderall XR is stronger than Vyvanse, but the anxiety crash isn't worth it."

• Des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2019

For ADHD "I started Vyvanse 20 mg two weeks ago, and I was having a big crash in the afternoon. My doctor decided to increase my dose to 40 mg. For the next 3 weeks, I was wonderful, but now I'm really depressed and anxious. I don't know if it is normal or not."

• Jus...
• May 1, 2015

For ADHD "I had my college finals coming up, and I couldn't get myself to concentrate, so I got my doctor to prescribe it for me. I was able to concentrate, but the thing is, I have a lot of anxiety, and by taking these pills, it just makes everything much worse. I got really anxious and upset at the end of each exam, even if I knew I did well. I never had this type of behavior before taking the pills."

• 12A...
• May 1, 2017

For ADHD "I've been on Vyvanse for 2 years. I started on 50 mg. I was on that dose for about 6 months, tapered down to 30 mg for a few months, and found a happy medium at 40 mg. 50 mg was too strong and 30 mg was too weak. I have a pretty severe case of ADD. For an adult, I never thought ADD would be an issue. I finally saw my doctor, who prescribed me Vyvanse. Vyvanse was the first pill I've ever taken for my ADD, and it's seriously improved my life immensely. The biggest side effects for me are increased anxiety, OCD tendencies, insomnia, and frequent mood issues after taking it. The ultimate biggest con for me is price. My insurance pays very little. It's around $250 per month."

• Aus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2022

For ADHD "I’m 44, have lived with undiagnosed ADD and mild BED my whole life. I’ve been treated for depression, anxiety, and BPD for 14 years with some temporary improvement, then diagnosed with ADD at 43. Ritalin and Ritalin LA gave me worse anxiety, so I switched to Vyvanse 70mg. I no longer take any other medication and am finally getting my life under control. I am motivated, have energy, and a clearer head. I’ve also lost 8kg and no longer crave carbs at all. The downside is I find it harder to go to sleep, but I need less sleep now to function."

• Kat...
• January 29, 2017

For ADHD "I was first given this drug when I was only 6. I started having horrible crashes. When I was 7, I started getting hallucinations of my toys coming to life and beating me to death, and I'd scream and kick when my parents came in to try to calm me down. I have 30 min-4 hour anxiety attacks. I feel sad, empty, and useless. I felt like everyone was judging me, and I almost committed suicide twice, once when I was only 9. I tried stopping the drug but found the nausea, pain, and anxiety only got worse without the medication, so now I'm stuck. These people saying the drug is great have not been on it for long. Please, if you are thinking of getting this drug, don't."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2009

For ADHD "I have been taking this medicine for two weeks now. Most of the side effects have gone away with the exception of the lack of appetite, which is not really a bad thing. My life has improved, I have been taking 50 mg. I cleaned my car for the first time in 6 months! The only problem is it does not last for 12 hours, after about 6 hours, I start to crash, then at 8-9 hours, I start to get anxious and OCD. I don't know if I have to increase my dose, but am unsure because of heart issues it causes. Pros: Helps with organization, I am excited about things for the first time since I was a teenager. My symptoms went from more external ADD to internal ADD as I became an adult. Cons: Does not last a full 12 hours, can make me moody."

• Blo...
• February 22, 2012

For ADHD "I started taking this medicine about 2 years ago now. I am on the 40 mg dose, and at first everything was great, my grades improved, and I could focus in public. But now, my loss of appetite is crazy. I'm 13, and I only weigh 82 lbs. I become very short-tempered with my friends, and I get annoyed at the littlest things. It also brings my mood way down. When I'm on my medicine, I feel depressed and anxious constantly. I still get my A's and B's in school, but I don't think it's worth all the side effects."

• Anonymous
• July 8, 2009

For ADHD "I am 55 years old and was diagnosed with ADD only last year. I changed from Adderall XR to Vyvanse, and after 3 weeks, I am having anxiety and total lack of focus. It seems to make me more agitated and more easily distracted. There is definitely not a 'focus' benefit for me on this drug."

• Jax...
• April 17, 2012

For ADHD "My general physician first prescribed me Concerta (intermediate dosage), and it seemed to make me feel depressed, anxious, and more obsessive (thought-wise anyway). I was then prescribed Adderall XR (10 mg) and found that I would feel more productive and relaxed earlier in the day upon taking it, but then the side effects really began to hit hard. I was hesitant to continue to try another stimulant because I was actually diagnosed with anxiety (by my psychiatrist) and mild depression, and the stimulants seemed to heighten these symptoms. He then suggested that I try Vyvanse, and he also put me on Atarax (for anxiety/allergies ---weird combination, I know) in addition to Prozac. Vyvanse has been a life-saver, mild side effects, and no 'crash.'"

• Min...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2019

For ADHD "My doctor switched me from Adderall IR 20 mg twice a day to Vyvanse once a day. It takes a long time for the Vyvanse to kick in, but when it does, it causes tremendous dry mouth like I've never experienced. I would take it at 5 a.m. At 10:30, I would feel dry mouth and anxiety for about an hour. On my ride home from work around 5:30 p.m., I got very drowsy. By 8:00 p.m., I was extremely drowsy and would fall asleep on the couch if I sat down to watch TV. This never happened with Adderall. My overall anxiety seems better while on the Vyvanse. My mood also stayed relatively constant throughout the day, versus the ups and downs I feel on IR Adderall. I found that my appetite actually increased on Vyvanse, and I gained 8 pounds in 1 month, which is unacceptable to me. Nothing else changed in my life except the medication, and I attribute the weight gain to this. Also, constipation was worse. Overall, the drowsiness and weight gain outweighed the benefits I felt from Vyvanse."

• Dan...
• November 8, 2016

For ADHD "Was recently diagnosed with ADHD 32/F. Prior to this, I was always told I was depressed and had generalized anxiety disorder. Was put on numerous drugs (all failed), Zoloft being the latest for anxiety, and it helped (150 mg). Recently was put on 30 mg of Vyvanse (had to stop until I was pulled off Zoloft, they didn't mix well). Today's my first day on Vyvanse (last night was my last dose of Zoloft), so I feel anxious and shaky. I know this will subside. For years, I've always felt so exhausted because I wake up a lot at night. Today, I cleaned my car, kitchen, and showered all before 9 am. I'm liking Vyvanse so far, lol. I will post at month's end to give another review since I'm still in the gray from switching meds."

• NOV...
• December 29, 2015

For ADHD "Do not prescribe this to anyone! This drug should not be legal. After 2 weeks, it made me feel suicidal, which I've never been in my entire 33 years of being alive. It swung me into a severe depression and accumulated a huge amount of anxiety. This is the most unhealthy experience I have ever had. It ruined my relationship and my personality when I was taking it. I started a college class, and the doctor prescribed this to me for concentration. It made me feel like I was on speed. When I stopped taking it about 6 days later, I was a completely different person, I was finally back to normal. Please watch your children or anyone you know who may be taking this."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2021

For ADHD "I experienced red ear syndrome, increased anxiety, both social and while alone and in thought; as well, I had nausea quite often. It did help with attention and motivational issues, but overall, the length of time it takes to work plus the disabling side effects really have me leaning towards calling my med office and discontinuing it. If it's a leave it or take it situation (mostly is nowadays to prevent abuse), I say leave it. Rating 3/10."

• Sai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2021

For ADHD "Recently diagnosed with ADHD, after explaining all of my symptoms I’ve had over the course of my lifetime. Started on Adderall and was highly anxious and itching to argue with someone, and my heart rate was resting in the mid-90s. Switched to Vyvanse, and it’s been a game changer. I’m calm and focused and feel much more refreshed. I’m able to complete tasks without getting sidetracked, and my overall mood has improved greatly as well. My heart rate doesn’t skyrocket either, and I no longer feel anxious."

• Cor...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 5, 2016

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD in fourth grade, however, my doctor decided to just have the school put me on a learning program (504 Plan). Throughout the years, I started to develop depression, agitation, severe anxiety, and OCD. I had tried EVERY antidepressant, and they had all failed. My PCP started me on benzos, which helped a little. I decided it was time to go see a mental health physician assistant. She went over all my symptoms, and she immediately realized that I had been misdiagnosed and the PCP had me on about 5-6 medications. She started me on Vyvanse 40 MG, and my life has forever changed. I am generally very happy and able to function, went from severe anxiety to mild, which is helped with Valium. I recommend Vyvanse!"

• Anonymous
• November 28, 2013

For ADHD "I have a 16-year-old son who was put on Vyvanse for his ADHD 3 years ago. It worked well for a while, made better grades in school. He had less impulsivity and was able to focus more. He had decreased appetite and needed to be put on another medicine to help him sleep. In the past year, his grades went down. He was already on the highest dose of 70 mg. He was becoming aggressive and very hateful. I found out that he was smoking weed and drinking. He told me he felt so jittery from his Vyvanse that was the only way he could relax. I put my son in a rehab and they switched him to Strattera and he is doing a lot better."