Vyvanse or Adderall XR ?

[Fractal]

Hi everyone !

I’ll try to do this short, since I have a hard time reading long posts myself ! I just got diagnosed for ADD, inattentive type. I got a Vyvanse prescription, but I’m wondering if Adderall Xr would be a better fit ? As anyone tried both ? What experience did you have ? The psychiatrist asked me which medication I would like to try, but I did not really know. I was appealed by the “steady” release (to avoid “peaks”), the 14 hours of action and the possibility to have less side effects with Vyvanse. But now, I’ve been reading some infos and forums since I got back home and I’m starting to doubt my choice, since Adderall might seem to work better… no ? I got the pills today, but I can wait and call my psychiatrist to change it if that’s a better choice. Once I’m set, I’ll take enough time to judge its effects and adjust the dosage.

Thank you very much for your time… and attention !! Hope to hear from you soon !

p.s. sorry for my bad english.. it’s not my first language.

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[nellie]

I’ve tried both among others. I find for me the Vyvanse works really well without any side effects. There’s really no way to know until you try a medication as to how you will affect you, so you might as well just try it. From what I’ve read and what both the doctor and pharmacist told me, Vyvanse is said to be more easily tolerated in terms of side-effects. It took me a while to find something that worked so there’s no guarantee that this will work for you right off the bat. Many patients switch through several medications before settling on one.

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[Fractal]

Hi Nellie,

Thanks so much for the answer ! I’m happy to know that you found some benefits with the medication… it doesn’t seem easy to find the right one for each of us. Did you try each medication for many weeks with different dosages before trying another one ? Can I ask if you have the inattentive type ? What were the benefits (and side effects) you noticed mostly with Vyvanse ? And did you feel (like others I read) that Vyvanse was less effective with your motivation ? I heard that it would be mostly effective with hyperactivity and impulsivity… but I mostly don’t have these symptoms (except that I talk a lot and have some mental hyperactivity).

And you’re totally right, since I bought them, I should just try it and see what happens for me ! The thing is, I’ve read some mixed feelings about Vyvanse and got the impression that Adderall was somehow more effective and that it could be more useful for the inattentive… hard to start on (and finish) type ! I think that I’m really just hoping that this really works and that I just got myself “the” pill ! But, since I’ve been like this for 30 years… and just got diagnosed this morning… I guess I’m probably asking a lot !

Meanwhile, I’m really interested to read your thoughts about ADD medication…

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[nellie]

Hi Fractal,

Actually what I find it helped most with is the motivation, it takes away the ” I don’t give a darn. feel like doing it etc. ” feeling. SOrry about not being more articulate in describing this though!

The adderall was too speedy for me.

Actually gotta rush off to take my kids to school so will write more later about dosages….

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[Fractal]

Thanks Nellie ! It is interesting, since the motivation to start things up and actually finish them is one of my biggest problem (as I’m writting, I’m cruelly late for something important, but it doesn’t seem to stress me until the last *** minute!). According to what I read, Adderall seems to be stronger, but also to give some anxiety or “jittery” feelings to some people…? Anyhow, I will also try to write back later on, but I think that I will start Vyvance tomorrow morning (I’ll have to get out of bed early to do so…and that could be a big challenge too!) and I won’t hesitate to try other medications, in order to find out which one suits me best. I’m starting to think that it’s a good thing to take our time and try them out, since we’ll probably live with them (medications) a while after that !

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[Anonymous]

Start here first to learn about Vyvanse

http://totallyadd.com/forum/topic.php?id=1340

Adderall XR goes in much faster and I find, clinically, that people on Adderall XR don’t like the slow onset of Vyvanse but those who have not tried any stimulant find Vyvanse pretty good.

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[Fractal]

Thank you Dr. J !

I’ve already read the post on Vyvanse. Now, I’m having that strong/weird feeling that maybe it would be better for me to try Adderall first and then see with Vyvanse if I don’t like the feeling of it… ? I’m kind of hard to start in the morning… Also, I read that the different salts involved in Adderall were maybe a little bit more effective for the inattentive type and for the motivation. And it also have the advantage of not being a new drug… in the sense that it’s more known and maybe we are more confident about it…?

Someone else experienced any differences between both ?

(Thank you so much… it’s really nice to have found you all in this forum !)

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[Fractal]

Hi everyone !

Just to let you know that I finally jumped and tried Vyvanse !

I took my third dose (10mg) today… but had to take it around 13:00 each day, since I have some serious sleep problems !! (The Dr said to take the medication before 9h or just don’t take it…. but then, it could have taken a while before I actually tried it !)

Did I see results ?

---

No. No side effects either: Just nothing. But the dosage seems to be low… I even have to take the lowest pill, mix it in 200ml and drink half of it (and put the other half in fridge for the next day…).

Did some of you experienced any results with Vyvanse 10mg ??

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[Anonymous]

I take both. The Adderall XR keeps me from swearing at work, keeps me more focused on tasks that need completion. The Vyvanse is “comfortable” (no sensation on the up swing or coming down, or during dips during the day- behavior changes are my only clues) and definitely takes an hour to hit my system (I know when my meds kick in because I get up off the couch and start cleaning, typically). I appreciate the duration of the Vyvanse and the fact that when it is done, it is done and I can go right to sleep. Right now, I am ending an Adderall boost that I took to help finish some projects around the house as well as remember to feed my kids. Though the meds stopped at 9, it is now 11 and I am UP!

I fell asleep on Vyvanse 10mg and 20mg. I am on 80 in the morning upon waking and another 20mg of Adderall XR on my way to work.

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[Anonymous]

I am a 48 year old male and just got diagnosed with ADHD 4 months ago. I was misdiagnosed and being treated for Bipolar Disorder and chronic depression!!! What a mess I was for 2 years. Med changes every 2-3 months and nothing helped! they only made me feel worse! Got hospitalized 4 months ago and all my medications were discontinued. I started Vyvanse 70mgs 2 months ago. Previously I was on Adderall XR 20 mgs AM and PM. I did not like the crashes between dosages. Vyvanse is Awesome! No crashes or headaches….however it only lasted 8 – 9 hours! After some trials with an Adderall booster I am now taking 20 mgs Adderall XR @ 5:00 AM, when I wake up…then my 70 mgs of Vyvanse @ 11:00 AM. It is perfect! All day coverage until about 7:00-8:00 PM. No crashes, headaches or any side affects. My Doctor did have to contact my Health Insurance in order to inform them that he was in fact prescribing 2 XR medications and it was necessary for proper treatment. I just hope it continues to work….getting adjustments with ADHD medications is a real pain!

Since I have been properly diagnosed and medically treated my life has made a complete turn around! It is great!

I feel alive, organized and focused for the first time in my life!

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[Jimi]

Please check out our “Read This First” post for a full explanation of these medications.

Adderall: http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/read-first-for-information-on-adderall-xr/

Vyvanse: http://totallyaddconnect.com/forums/topic/read-first-for-information-on-vyvanse/

 

Also, be sure to register for our upcoming Webinars about medication!
Dr. David Pomeroy with be taking questions on September 2!
Dr. Chuck Parker will be joining us for 3 webinars in October!
Register for Dr. Pomeroy’s webinar now: http://totallyadd.com/webinars/
(Dr. Chuck Parker’s webinar registration will open in September.  Sign up for webinar reminders here: http://totallyadd.com/register/)

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[mlswanso3470]

I was diagnosed toward the end of college and Adderall 20mg XR did wonders for me. Over the years, it did have less effect and so I got 5mg immediate release tabs for an afternoon “booster” to get through night classes. I think Adderall had been working well for me. Unfortunately, I got involved in substance abuse issues and was taken off the Adderall. Now that the substance abuse is well behind me, I’ve started treatment again. My doctor is hesitant to give me Adderall again because she’s afraid of a relapse (I was abusing meth). She started me on 37mg of Ritalin and it was awful! I would get moments of highs and lows, cold sweats, anxiety, it was a roller coaster! I stopped taking the Ritalin within a few days. She just put me on 30mg of Vyvanse and after the first two days, I can say it’s MUCH closer to what I remember Adderall XR doing for me. Granted, I last took Adderall about 2-3 years ago, so it’s hard to directly compare. But I feel that Vyvanse is giving me a much more consistent effect. I don’t get the ups and downs, and the dry mouth and anxiety are very minimal. Also, the Vyvanse seems to last for almost 8 hours amazingly (I made the mistake of taking it late afternoon yesterday and was up all night in a weird twilight state).  I think the Vyvanse will work just as well (for me) as the Adderall did, maybe better. I’m going to ask to be bumped up to a higher dose though, 50 or 70 maybe. I don’t think the 30 is producing enough effect to help me concentrate (it’s there, just too subtle to be useful). The kicker here is that Vyvanse doesn’t have generic yet and Adderall does, so the cost is higher :-/

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