Withdrawal From Vyvanse (Page 20) (Top voted first)

My son had a terrible experience on wyvance. He has phyciatic systems to include halluciations. The doctor took him off the drup cold turkey and Ihe seems to be having withdrawal systems? Is that normal?

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Re: Banana Phone (# 416)

yes. This is because the pharmacies and the generic drugs are so poor these days that insurance wants to know if you are getting the right drug. IMHO

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Re: Leslie (# 413)

Thank you. Taking too much is probably not pleasant; I'm not trying that dose, but it is useful info...

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Re: debra (# 1)

Why would you put your five year old son on anything. He’s a kid! Gateway to drugs when he gets older. Don’t give him anything!!

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In my experience its necessary to taper off psychiatric drugs. Especially id your son was taking more than 20 mg. I am curious what side effects he is having?

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I am 29 years of age. I have been having 'behavioral issues' since I was a child growing up in pakistan, and came to USA around when I was 12 (culture shock, different family (living with mother here, left father in Pakistan) and since then I've been here in the states. At 17 I was prescibed wellbutrin because my parents took me to a psychiatrist because I was cutting myself and I was depressed or whatever, I didn't feel depressed... I dunno. Anyway, I didn't take it for too long, only a few weeks. Then a few years later at age 23 I was prescribed another anti depressant and I took it for a few months and didn't really notice any difference. Now, 1 month ago, at age 29, I started having nightmares and flash backs. I've been having some dreams over the course of my life which reoccur every 8-12 years... and the dreams are about when I was 4 and raped/abused by my babysitter. Always had to battle with it in my mind, pain, shame, the fact that I never told anyone and I should have said something then... anyway, all my life I've never had good relations with anyone, or trusted anyone, always had maternal problems with my mother, hated her all my life... I don't know why... my dad filled my head with hatred toward her while growing up in Pakistan with him, and then at age 12 when I finally came to USA and saw my mother I started having problems with her. Anyway, lots of things have been adding up and past few years I felt myself losing my patience with everyone, I started avoiding people and just stayed in my house all the time. I lived in Oklahoma City for 4 years and New York City for 5 years by myself and did fairly alright, not too good though... always depressed. I can' have a normal relationship with anyone including women...

All these things were adding up and it came to a point where I couldn't do anything in life. I just couldn't get the thoughts of myself being raped at age 4, coupled with everything else and no matter how hard I tried I could not. On top that I lost my job in NYC and decided to start my own software development company. I did well for a year, and then I fell back into the depression and couldn't do anything but stare at my cieling for hours on end while still in bed in the morning. Nothing held my interest. I wanted to do nothing at all no matter how much I wanted to do it. I could never focus on anything, and I've had impulse control problems since I was a child.

Now that you have a little background, here is my current situation. I am 29 now, and a month ago in march 2010, I got fed up with my life and went to a psychiatrist and pretty much just told him EVERYTHING, and held nothing back, and I felt no shame and no shyness. I just laid it out. He talked to me for an hour, then he called my friends and family members. The whole session lasted about 2 hours and then he basically said that I've been misdiagnosed my entire life. I've not got depression, but ADHD, subtype 2, impulse control and ADD. He prescribed me Vyvanse a month ago.

I've never done any drugs in my life other than in college, and then only very rarely to experiment, like Acid, Coke, Meth, Weed, Opiates. Before college and after college, I've never done drugs. I've not done anything but smoke pot in the last 10 years. Just pot thats it. I told my doctor that too.

Anyway, the first day i took it, 30mg, I was tweaking like I've never tweaked before. I WAS HAPPY! I went outside and looked around the trees, the grass the sky, the nice breeze, the sunlight, and that was the happiest/best day of my life and for absolytey no reason at all... just woke up, took the med, and few hours later I was the hapiest man on this earth. I've never taken speed before , and I'm not used to it.

So the doctor told me to open the capsule and only eat half the powder for a week and then report to him. I took 15mg Vyvase for about 2 weeks and after that it started to make me feel kinda crashed out around late afternoon early evening.

I told him everything when I saw him after two weeks. I told him what time I took the med, when I woke up, what I ate, what I drank, how hydrated or full I was, what physical excersions I did (I KEPT A LOG OF EVERY DAY and even now I do).

Its been one month... I've got super focus... I'm not jittery... I'm much calmer.. the relaly really small small life things in everyday life that people consider irrtations or just nuisance, I USED TO GET ENRAGED ABOUT THAT! NOT ANYMORE! I just let s*** slide... not many things can break my calm now... I can program faster, think faster, code faster, find solutions faster, type faster, get along with people better.... and most of all..

I STARTED TO THINK BEFORE I SPOKE OR DID ANY PHYSICAL ACTION!

THAT IS THE BIGGEST THING! AMAZING! My impulse control seemed to have started to get under control slowly. The doctor said it will take a while before you really get used to the medicine and also with THERAPY and active behaviour modification and positive thoughts and etc. you'll do very well.

Also, he advised me to not keep it a secret. I talked to my two best friends that are girls, and I told them what happened to me... and I started to cry... and they told me that they went through something similar. It seems both my best friends were abused also as children and unlike me, not only by one man, but by many and hit and beaten too by their dads and abused... and it became easier to talk about it. I now talk to people and increase awareness about leaving your kids with baby sitters. What happened to me and f***ed up my life should nto happen to anyone. Children don't deserve this lifetime of shame and pain and anger and guilt.

Anyway, thats my story, and Vyvanse has been a miracle drug for me. I don't believe in God, as I think no one who claims that they know of a supernatural omnicient entitiry have provided any evidence for it. As such, I won't say thank god... I would say thank myself for taking the initiative to be totally open with my psychiatrist and tell him everything, EVERYTHING!

REMEMBER GUYS, DRUGS ALONE DO NOTHING FOR YOU. YOU NEED ACTIVE BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION AS WELL AS THERAPY, UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE TO BE AROUND, AND PEOPLE WHO WON'T PUT YOU DOWN ON YOUR SMALL MISTAKES. IT TAKES MORE THAN DRUGS TO GET BETTER, AND I WISH ALL OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.

PLEASE SHARE MY STORY WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

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I already have a long story to tell, even in the short period of time I have been on the stuff.

I've been taking Vyvanse for almost 4 months now for ADHD-I (inattentive). My doctor started me off on 30mgs of the stuff. Like most people, It started out as a fairy tale. I could finally think clearly, and maintain focus for long periods of time. Dieting had never been easier, infact I've lost 30+ lbs so far. I felt level for the first time in
my life.

Unfortunately, this fairy tale does not last forever. After two months, my doctor moved me up from the 30mgs to 40mgs. I didn't notice much of a difference. Then I started to have tiny panic attacks during long bouts of inactivity. I could usually alleviate the problem with a good stretch and a little walk. Last week I ran out of my 40mg and went back to the 30mg as a back up. My God, I've never been more miserable in my life. Severe depression, agitation, anxiety, and malaise. Right now, I can barely focus on the computer screen.

Why can't I fix this problem and just refill my prescription? Because It's the same reason why I took it, The Job Corps. The Job Corps does not allow you to handle or dispense your own medication, nor go out and refill it without an outside party, such as your parents or loved ones, even if you are over the age of 18 (thank the US Gov't in it's all knowing wisdom on how to protect me from myself). I'm stuck on a campus with a bunch of noisy and irresponsible kids. Right now, I'm pretty much going through Hell with these withdrawl symptoms, that will recive no attention or care for the next few days.

So if you are on this drug, you should know what to expect. Do research. This is an Amphetamine. It is addictive. Abuse pontential is just as high as anything else. The only difference with Vyvanse is that It can only be ingested orally in pill form, not snorted, injected, or smoked (but, I have heard contrary). If your doctor says it's not addictive or not-as addictive, he's a lying quack or needs to seriously rephrase himself.

Be smart about it. Plan to handle withdrawl properly. If you are in a binding situation (like me), learn from my mistakes. make sure to have a better plan B than I did.

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I have been on Wellbutrin 5 years, Kolopin 7, Vyvanse 1.5 years. Prior to Vyvanse, Adderall for 8. Today is 7 days off Vyvanse and 5 off Wellbutrin under medical supervision and taper. I was diagnosed hypothyroid 3 months ago. All the reasons I was prescribed Vyvanse and Wellbutrin were effects of hypothyroidism which now at 2 months on Armour Thyroid has eliminated feeling spacy and sad. So I'm now better everyday and shocked that a blood test would have saved me years of wondering why nothing got better. Because the cause was not adhd and depression, but Thyroid. Symptoms mimic Adhd, anxiety, depression. I'm grateful that a primary care doctor tested my blood. If it doesn't feel right, get bloodwork. The detox off kolopin shall take months but the reality is that I could have died without correct diagnosis. Please eliminate other causes before another day on Adhd and Depression Meds. I'm lucky I questioned my prescriptions and finally I feel alive.

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I hae been taking Vyvanse for 6 months now and I can tell a big diffrence. I have ADD as a child and stoped my medication at 21 and now at 34 I started back to school again I started medication again. I did not realize what a diffrence it was untill now. I dont take my medication everyday only the days that I have school and the days that I am going to study because I do remember the withdraws. When I take it this way it is not so bad going a few days without it. I have not decided to stay on my meds after i graduate but I am more productive with it.

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We are in the same boat with our 6 year old son, 30mlg and he has been on it for about 4 weeks, we are concidering taking him off now because of all these posts and the side effects of hilucinations and withdrawl and dependency... What are we to do???? He is totaly not his usual self on this Medication!!

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RE: CAP..glad to hear ur decision to take ur son off of this medication..educate yourself on the food additives in our food today..artificial sweeteners can affect u and ur child much the same as add, adhd, etc...also food coloring added to our food has a negative impact..i wish u the very best of luck..i do not know the diagnosis of ur son, but there are other alternatives..google things like " natural ways to treat this or that" or "does my child need this medicine" a good website is "naturalnews.com" and check out Dr Mercola's site also..Dr's are so quick to hand out meds without considering the side affects..sometimes we need to look in another direction..after all the longer we stay "sick" the more money they make..much luck to u all

There are thousands of sites out there ...
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-ways-to-treat-adhd-naturally.html
http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-There-Any-Natural-Ways-to-Treat-ADHD?&id=370296
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2818122/the_3_top_natural_ways_to_treat_adhd.html?cat=68&id=370296
http://www.naturaladhdcure.com/
http://www.naturalnews.com/024302_aspartame_Splenda_soda.html

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Vyvanse, or lisdexamfetamine is a prodrug of dextroamphetamine. It is not a narcotic (narcotics are pain-killers such as morphine, Vicodin, OxyContin) but all amphetamines (including Vyvanse, Adderall, Desoxyn, Dexedrene, methamphetemine, etc.) can cause physical and psychological dependence and/or addiction. Addiction and dependence are not the same thing! If you are dependent on a drug you may not be addicted and you are not abusing it but you will get withdrawal symptoms. Amphetamine withdrawal symptoms are not deadly ot life-threatening just uncomfortable. I used to take Vyvanse and Adderall. And I am a Nursing Assistant becoming a Nurse and now about medication (: Any questions just ask -Michael

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My 17 year old son was taking 60mg of vyvanse for the past 8 months as prescribed for his ADD. Initially he did well but over time his personality changed for the worse and he started to have bad physical symptoms. Rapid pounding heart rate, dizzy, light headed, tight chest, shortness of breath. Prior to taking this drug my son was very physically active and in great condition. We immediately notified the Dr. about his symptoms and he took him off the Vyvanse cold turkey. It has been 12 days and he can hardly function. Periodically still gets pounding heart rate, irregular heart rate, but is always dizzy,lethargic, and has fainting spells when he ties to move around. He has missed 7 days of school in the past 10 days. Does anyone else have experience with this withdrawal and its symptoms lasting so long? Thanks for any help you can give.

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Ha that's a lie cause I just meet this kid today who started doggin me for some as soon as he found out I took it..

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The people having issues with Vyvance have probably either been misdiagnosed with ADD or have additional medical conditions that need to be separately treated. A low dose of Vyvance will probably help calm a person with ADD down as their brain will get the stimulation it needs to stay focused. One without ADD will probably feel over-stimulated.

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My son was on Vyvanse for 2 weeks after taking for Biphentin for many years. He changed dramatically and the doctor told us to stop using it. He has been crying and sleeping for the past 3 days. I am so angry you have no ideal...i can not believe that i let this happen to him.

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I've always been worried about the long term effects on the body. I can't imagine taking a strong drug like this not taking its toll on the body. Three weeks ago, I tried to get off Vyvanse because I knew I was dependent on it. When I stopped taking it, I couldn't get out of bed and the house because a mess. I had no energy. I gave up and started taking Vyvanse again. Last night, I threw it in the garbage so I won't cave in and take it again. I found this forum to see if anyone else had the same side effects.

Today, I dug through the medicine cabinet and found an anti-depressant that I used years ago.Hopefully, it will get me through the withdrawl period.

Thanks for your post.

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TO LOST, Man if you are taking that much vyvanse a day you obviously have a problem, I dont think anybody is even supposed to take that much in a day, Id bet 10 - 1 you arent prescribed all that from your doctor, and if you are which I doubt, go to a real dr. as for the rest of you complaining about the medication, you chose to take it, nobody forced you, and for those of you with kids, you should have had enough sense to start them off on a really low dose, I'm 29 with 3 kids, Im diagnosed with adhd so are my 2 oldest, and I wouldnt let my kids take it before I did, Because I did research extensively before I would even fill it at the pharmacy. 20 mg what was prescribed to my kids, I'm prescribed 40mg and tried to give me 50 but I had enough sense to go lower and refuse anything higher, with a new med, I take nothing else at all with these meds, Now the 20mg I took before I would allow my kids to start it an hour into it almost put me to sleep, calmed me down gave me clarity in my mind I havent felt in years, strong enough for me just about, so i knew then to To cut my kids capsules down to only 10 mg to start them off with, Now if you truly have ADHD then the chances of this medication stimulating you to the point you people are talking about not likely unles you are purposely or possibly accidently abusing this medication, and parents dont give your kids high doses of meds just because the dr gives it to you, ADD and ADHD are easy to misdiagnose, happens alot if you are not truly hyperactive this medicine will speed you up, or if you take way more than you should dont trust a dr's opinion all the time you should always start with a lower dose than recommended with meds like these to see how they affect you first, its common sense. Especially if your giving it to your kids, I only allow my children to have it for school weekends, school breaks summer vacations. they dont get it, alot of you parents try to use the meds to do your job because you dont want to deal with hyperactive kids, its sad but its true. If your doses are to high then you most certainly will have bad and negative effects from stim meds especially if you really arent ADHD, remember just cause a doctor said you are doesnt mean you are,

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GabFab! My insurance doesnt cover my vyvanse however Shire Pharm has a prescription program that gives it to you-for free!!! This is not a hoax. You should check out other programs such as Bridges to access for any other meds. This is what you need to do when you apply for the Shire program (rxassist.org/pap-info/company_detail.cfm?CmpId=84) i told them:I do not have insurance, (for vyvanse) don't tell them you do because technically, you dont. Anyway, check it out. Good luck and hang in there. p.s. dropping meds cold turkey is never the best and withdrawl symptoms occur: depression, irritability and lethargy. take care!

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I can care less about my punctuation I dont try to type like a f***ing receptionist Half you people are taking to much FACT you were not being responsible with your meds FACT Some people have bad reactions either way like with any med FACT Only meant to be taken once a day FACT Commas dont mean s*** compared to that FACT You cant say nothing about what Ive said other than my punctuation because everything I said can be backed up by documented and actual FACTS Grow up and find something else to complain about

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Vyvanse, the miracle pill. Immediately the world takes on a rosy glow, and there's nothing you can't accomplish. You love everyone, and everyone loves you. For a while. Sad to say, my physician suggested that I, as a middle aged female had classic symptoms of ADD (without hyperactivity). She had discovered the "miracle drug" herself and felt that it was helping her to focus and avoid impulsive behavior. She prescribed it for me, beginning at a low dose as recommended and gradually increasing the dosage according to the pharmaceutical recommendations. Well, as I said, I felt pretty darn great and had all the energy in the world....but that was a little over a year ago. I have topped off at 70 mg/day. Since last year, I have lost my job, had trouble getting another one, become an absolute fearful hermit of a person. I avoid people, have lost interest in the things I used to enjoy. I have joint and muscle pains. I have terrible anxiety and overwhelming sense of hopelessness. As a Christian, I look forward, almost too much so, to death and the eternal peace of God's presence. I no longer have the energy or motivation to exercise regularly as I've done for years, though I know it would help my mood immensely. I have increased my use of hydrocodone and alprazolam (xanax) due to the headaches, muscle/joint pain and anxiety issues. I, like many of the blog participants am afraid to face withdrawal, as I am going to try to start a new job next week. I went back to talk to my doctor about adding buproprion (Wellbutrin) to help me wean off the V. She gave me a choice: Vyvanse or buproprion, but not both..It may shock some to hear that I am a healthcare provider. I have prescribed vyvanse to a couple of my own (adult) patients in the past. Never again. It's just an amphetamine....no place to go but spiraling downward, eventually. Medications affect individual persons differently. Some people can stop cold turkey with minimal side effects, but it's never a good idea to stop a medication suddenly unless your reaction to it is severe: anaphylaxis, etc. I just want to personally thank each of you who has had the courage and honesty to tell your story. I actually have had thoughts of leaving this life, and I have 5 adult children, a wonderful loving husband, and extended family who I know would be devasted. I also have faith in God, who led me, this day to read this blog; something I never do. I now know that these disturbing emotions, thoughts and feelings are a direct result of this medication. I am going to do the gradual withdrawal, as I have tried cold turkey a few months ago, and felt like I'd been hit by a Mack truck. Now I know there are other brave and honest souls are out there who have faced the same challenges and succeeded. With God's help, so will I.

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