Vyvanse and Weight Loss: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Smo...
• October 19, 2016

For ADHD "My son has been on this since last year. From the start of school (2nd week of August) until the end of September, he had 32 office referrals! I was at wit's end and didn't know where to turn. As a psychology major, I didn't want to use meds but needed something. We talked to his doctor, and she prescribed this. At first, it was rough, the first week his attitude became worse, and my wife wanted to try something new, but I stuck with it. From the time he went on the meds to the end of the school year, he only had 1 office referral, and that was because we forgot his meds. Now he does play sports and has a great personality, but the only problem I have is his weight. Since he has been on it now for 1 year, he has lost 3-5 lbs."

• Tee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 9, 2016

For ADHD "My experience was probably the worst I've had so far. I lost 20 lbs with 40 mg of Vyvanse. I was a healthy 145 lbs, I am now 120 lbs. I had horrible diarrhea, it was so bad. I was extremely faint and dizzy. I could go without sleeping and eating for almost days. I had terrible heart fluttering feelings. However, it did work great for my ADHD and also for my depression and anxiety. But, of course, I struggled with malnutrition and have been struggling so much (still) with gaining the weight back. I then had taken 30 mg, but then it was not enough. Finding the right medication is such a struggle."

• Ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 15, 2020

For ADHD "My 6-year-old was on Vyvanse 10 mg. After about 6 months, we put him to 20 mg, and we had a horrible experience. He completely lost his appetite, his weight was 43 pounds, and he went down to 36 pounds. And let's not forget he never slept, was up all night long, and finally, when he did fall asleep, it was about 3-5 am and then back up at 7 am for school. So I took him off it, and now he's on intuitive, and our doctor wants to add Biphentin 10 mg. I'm so worried he will have a bad experience again."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2009

For ADHD "My 9-year-old daughter has been on this for about 2 months. We switched from Adderall XR due to severe weight loss. This seems to work much better and also does not affect her personality like Adderall. She has some loss of appetite but not as bad. Yesterday, I forgot to give the medication to her, and she had a severe crying spell last night and did not know why. I believe she may have been experiencing withdrawal symptoms. She is taking 40 mg. I may switch back to 30 mg. Be aware that you may not be able to stop this medication abruptly if on it for a long time."

• Stu...
• May 20, 2018

For ADHD "So I've only been diagnosed at the age of 33 with ADHD and suffered for so long, and now taking this drug has completely changed everything. The positives I've found are focus, everything seems easier to handle, and I now feel balanced. The negatives I've found are I don't eat much now and have lost weight really quickly. Overall, I'm really happy."

• Anonymous
• March 26, 2009

For ADHD "Absolute miracle pill. I am 17 and take Vyvanse. I went from being a sleeping-in-class 'F' student to being more focused and motivated to do my work, and now my F's are A's and B's. It also made me so much more social and happy. One bad thing is that I do have trouble sleeping, and that's really the only bad thing about this drug. It also causes a decrease in appetite and weight loss."

• Des...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 3, 2017

For ADHD "My 8-year-old was diagnosed with ADHD this year. We tried a non-stimulant first (guanfacine), but it didn't work, plus she was so sleepy on this. Switched to 30 mg of Vyvanse, and instantly her grades and school performance increased. She also plays sports and has improved due to better focus. We constantly had to yell out into the softball field to 'be ready' prior to the medication. Now, she's always ready to go. Side effects to begin were insomnia for about 3 days. The doctor suggested 2 mg of melatonin, which worked fine. We did melatonin for 2 days, then she was back to falling asleep on her own. Weight loss is also an issue. She's down about 6 lbs, but she's tall 4'7" and weighed 94 lbs. I don't give it to her on the weekend, and she eats okay."

• Fvc...
• June 17, 2015

For ADHD "I'm 17 and a junior in high school. The medicine gets the work done for me. I'm so focused and makes me more focused, but there are some things I don't like. It makes my mouth super dry and makes me lose my appetite. Kinda sucks because I want to eat at lunch, but I can't because it makes me want to throw up. I've also lost weight because of the meds. I think the pill is good, they just need to fix the side effect."

• Anonymous
• December 3, 2009

For ADHD "I am a 14-year-old girl, and last year, when in 8th grade, I found out I was ADD. My doctor prescribed me Vyvanse. At first, it took me a couple of weeks to find out what worked for me (when to take it, eat first or after, etc.). My grades at the time were horrible, and they went up after I started taking Vyvanse. I have had a few of the side effects (dry mouth, loss of appetite, weight loss, etc.), but this medication helps me focus a lot more."

• Ric...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2016

For ADHD "Ok, I've been on Vyvanse for 3 years now because I've tried all the other amphetamine-based medications: Adderall, Adderall XR, etc. Vyvanse seemed to address my ADHD issues, but it's almost a year since I've lost my appetite, and most days I'll have a KIND bar in the morning, but I take my Vyvanse. It can be 8 a.m. or 11 a.m., and I still haven't been able to eat. It feels like you have the flu, and nothing seems appetizing. I take a multivitamin, B12 complex, as well as iron. I have lost weight after a year of not eating consistently, but I am tired all day, crabby, and my teeth hurt too."

• Don...
• July 12, 2017

For ADHD "Take Elvanse (50 mg - UK version) in the morning for the past 2 years. Meds are slow-acting and do not improve motivation or efficiency when working. There is no alternative in the UK - no Adderall - so this is the only option. This medication sucks because: 1.) It gives such a great high for the initial 15 minutes to 30 minutes, but it gives such a horrible crash that the negative feeling ruins your day. It does not help motivation, if anything, it causes depression, possibly improves concentration marginally. 2.) I have faced serious and significant weight loss. Being skinny myself, this is of course not a good thing. Currently a 5'11 male, weighing 62 kg or about 135 pounds. Am 24 years old. 3.) The medication is addictive."

• Anonymous
• August 2, 2010

For ADHD "Amazing medication! My teenager has severe ADHD, and it has turned her life around! She is able to be her true self, but before, her severe ADHD often overshadowed her great personality. She does have depression and anxiety, but the Vyvanse does not cause that. The medicine did make her lose almost 25 pounds, and she was in 9th grade and weighed 99 pounds. She was really small, and we almost had to take her off the medicine, but she eventually started gaining weight. She is still very small, but her weight is healthy. It does make her a bit more irritable, but it's nothing compared to the rage she had before the medicine. Vyvanse has finally been able to get rid of that ADHD and help her think clearly and be herself!"

• Den...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 25, 2021

For ADHD "I'm a 57-year-old female and was diagnosed with ADHD about 10 years ago. I struggled big time in school, but back then you were just labeled as a problem child. It was my older sister who realized I was ADHD because she was too, and we had the same symptoms. I've tried quite a few different meds, then I heard about Vyvanse. So I gave it a try. In the beginning, it seemed to work pretty well, side effects were minimal, and I lost a few pounds, but the longer I took it, the more it felt like it wasn't working as well. The crash from coming off it is tough, you will sleep for days! I describe my brain like a radio where the stations are constantly being changed. It did help me focus, and it helped with getting things done, but that didn't last. I started on a low dose, then got up to 70 mg, which was too much. I felt like I couldn't move, heart racing, feeling tense, etc., so it was lowered back down to 50 mg, which was better. Unfortunately, as time went on, it just didn't help as much. I got on a PA program to help with cost."

• rob...
• April 7, 2009

For ADHD "I have been using 70 mg Vyvanse, and it was working perfectly for a month. In fact, it still works. The problem is that my blood pressure, which was perfect, went up 30 points in a month, and now I'm at risk for high blood pressure. Also, I lost weight, which I must gain back now. I'm only 16, and this is bad. I'm lean and athletic and have never had any health issues until this. Besides all of this, I really like Vyvanse and hopefully won't have to stop taking it."

• Kiy...
• May 30, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "This medicine is nothing to mess with, it's very powerful and can change your entire personality. While on this medicine, I lost a relationship with my kids and my spouse. I went from 120 to 98 pounds. I would stay awake for days, have violent mood swings, and worst, I felt suicidal all the time. I was a mess, no one knew who I was. I was sick from losing so much weight and not sleeping. None of this was me. After I got off the meds, I put my weight back on and fixed the relationships I ruined. While on this medicine, I honestly think if I would have continued to use it, I would be dead from either malnutrition or suicide. BE AWARE, VERY AWARE OF THIS MED!!"

• Anonymous
• June 7, 2011

For ADHD "I am 18 years old and just graduated high school. All of my life, I have had issues with going to school and getting things done. Always had great grades the first months of the school year, then they would drop to C's, D's, or failing. I was put on Vyvanse 1 day before my 18th birthday, and it completely changed my life. Not only am I a much happier person, but I actually take interest in things and like finishing things I start! I have noticed some weight loss, but my appetite is and always will be still there. I'd really love to thank whoever discovered the wonderful prescription Vyvanse!"

• mys...
• October 5, 2010

For ADHD "I am 33 years old, and my son is 7 years old, and we both have ADD and ADHD, respectively. His mom started him off with 20 mg of Vyvanse, and it seemed to help out his behavior and focus problems at school. The only thing is the poor kid is losing weight. I was curious about the side effects and wanted to see if it could help out with my focus. So I started taking Vyvanse as well. It has been okay. I like the fact that I can stay on task and not go from idea to idea and not stick to one thing, but there are major withdrawal symptoms, and I tend to be a total space cadet if I don't take it."

• Anonymous
• July 25, 2011

For ADHD "I'm a 46 y.o. female and have been taking Vyvanse for approximately 3 months. I started out on 50 mg in the morning, and it worked great by giving me energy and completing projects. However, I would get tired after 8 hours. After 1 month of taking 50 mg x1 a day, my doctor switched me to 30 mg twice daily to prevent that tired feeling after 8 hours. After 2 months of taking 30 mg x2 a day, I'm tired a lot and seem to have already built up a resistance to it. Maybe I just need to increase the dose, not sure. This medicine worked great at first for ADHD, and I'm hoping I can increase the dose and feel energetic and focused again. The side effects I have experienced are weight loss (13 lbs) the first month but gained 8 lbs back, and have bad breath."

• Vin...
• July 13, 2011

For ADHD "My daughter just turned 7 years old, and we started her on Vyvanse about 2 months ago, as she was diagnosed with ADHD. After two months (this week), I called the doctor and stopped the medication, as she has lost so much weight from not eating and was sleeping ALL THE TIME! My daughter never took naps and would wake up at 6:30 a.m. religiously every morning on her own, but after we started her on the medicine, she falls asleep standing up and cannot wake her up in the mornings. We fight just to get her to eat things she likes and to no avail. I know it might not be the medicine for her, and in fact, I am going to try a non-stimulant ADHD medication before we stop these medicines overall."

• eas...
• September 18, 2010

For ADHD "I've been on Vyvanse for about 2 months now, and I've seen a huge improvement in my motivation to do things and want to do schoolwork. My grades were really bad before I took Vyvanse, but now they are excellent. The only downfall to this is I have lost about 20 pounds, and it seems like I'm always nervous, so I guess I'm going to stop this medicine so I can gain the weight back."

• Mom...
• August 21, 2015

For ADHD "My son was diagnosed with ADHD in 4th grade. Teachers described him as having 'significant gaps' during the day. He'd zone out and get tapped on the shoulder to 'return to earth.' We tried meds, but he's thin and lost too much weight. Also, he developed nervous twitching. He tried various meds, but all had side effects. By 7th grade, he refused to take meds. We moved him to a charter school for kids 'with different learning styles.' It was a good school, but he was furious over being placed there and refused to go. He struggled all through high school, getting mostly C's and D's even with accommodations. He's now starting freshman year at a junior college and has asked for meds! He will start taking 50 mg of Vyvanse. Fingers crossed!"

• Anonymous
• January 12, 2010

For ADHD "I am a 19-year-old college student and just got prescribed Vyvanse about 2 days ago. When I take it, I mainly feel relaxed and sometimes excited. I've never been on any stimulant or ADD medication before. My main concern is losing weight on this medicine. I'm about 5'9" and weigh about 135 lbs. I eat a lot, and I'm still fairly skinny. I've always worried about my weight, and the last thing I want is to get skinnier."

• Anonymous
• April 26, 2011

For ADHD "My son is 13 and has been on several ADHD medications. I liked the Vyvanse at first because I did see an improvement in his ability to sit and listen and pay attention, however, it didn't last long enough. The doctor has increased the dosage several times, and now he is up to 60 mg daily. The problem is that he has lost over 20 lbs because he simply won't eat, and now it seems that after four months on this medicine, it's like his body has adapted to it and he is super hyper. I spoke to the doctor about it, and he said he can do real damage at his age with the weight loss and not eating, and that the stimulant is actually wiring him up. We are going to take him off of the Vyvanse and put him on a non-stimulant medication."

• Jan...
• April 4, 2017

For ADHD "First, diagnosis is mild ADHD. 11 years old. 50 mg. Our experience with my son and Vyvanse. He was on this medication for approximately 9 months. For the first few weeks, he was sort of hyperfocused and had difficulty with transitioning from a task if he was fixated on it. He transitioned well to middle school and achieved great grades. However, he lost a lot of weight, about 15 lbs. He had horrible insomnia. He slowly became very emotional and depressed in the afternoons and evenings. We decided to stop the medication. Within weeks, he was back to himself, and his doctor advised him to stay off the medication."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2010

For ADHD "I have been diagnosed with ADHD, and since then, my life has been a total wreck. I didn't get any work done in school or focused on anything, also forgetting a lot of things frequently. I went to my psychiatrist, and she prescribed me Vyvanse 30 mg. The first day I took it, I felt AWESOME. I focused more, and I was very talkative, which is normal for me, anyways, no change there. But since I'm 5'9" and 230 lbs, I need the weight loss, so that's good for me. Right now, I double dosed because I want this to last longer, not until 12 p.m."