Vyvanse: How to make it more effective

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Overview

Many people who live with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) take medications to manage their symptoms. A common option is lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse).

To get the best effects from this ADHD drug, you can try several strategies.

How does Vyvanse work?

Vyvanse is a prescription stimulant medication that medical professionals prescribe for adults and children ages 6 years and older living with ADHD.

Vyvanse is the brand name for lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a prodrug. A prodrug is a medication that changes into an active one after it’s absorbed in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Once Vyvanse is absorbed, your body slowly breaks it down, with your red blood cells playing a big role in this process. This creates an active compound called d-amphetamine, which may help relieve many ADHD symptoms. 

D-amphetamine works by binding to areas in your central nervous system and increasing the neurotransmitters in your brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that affect how you feel and behave. 

According to a 2024 research review, Vyvanse can effectively treat symptoms of ADHD in adults and children, including:

• hyperactivity
• lack of focus and attention
• impulsiveness

Can you prolong the effects of Vyvanse?

As mentioned earlier, your body gradually converts Vyvanse into d-amphetamine. This means you receive the effects of the stimulant slowly over many hours. 

According to the Vyvanse package insert, the effects can last 12 to 14 hours and sometimes longer. 

Below are some tips you can try that might extend Vyvanse effects. It is important to consider that everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for all. 

Timing matters

The Vyvanse package insert instructs taking the medication once daily when your day begins, typically in the morning.

While this might not directly change how long Vyvanse’s effects last, it can help ensure that you experience the effects when you need it most — during the hours that you’re most active. 

You may want to avoid taking Vyvanse too late in your day, as this could interfere with your sleep and cause insomnia.

Consistent dosage

When you take Vyvanse, your doctor will usually have you start with a 30 milligram (mg) dose per day. Then, you’ll typically build up to a higher dose gradually over time as your body gets used to the medication, until you find a dosage that manages your ADHD symptoms well. The maximum dose of Vyvanse is 70 mg per day. 

It’s important to always follow the timing and dosage instructions provided by your doctor or medical professional. They have chosen this dosage to optimize Vyvanse’s effects and duration based on your needs.

Consider the effects of food

You can take Vyvanse with or without food, which may affect how long it takes to start working.

Taking the oral capsule form of Vyvanse with food may take longer for your body to process the drug. This means that taking Vyvanse with breakfast can delay when its peak effects occur. 

Also, taking the chewable tablet form with a high fat meal can reduce the maximum d-amphetamine concentration in your blood by up to 7%. This means you may not get the full effects of Vyvanse. Food does not appear to affect the effectiveness of the oral capsules. 

Oral capsules vs. chewable tablets

How long it takes before your blood has the maximum concentration of d-amphetamine can differ between the drug forms.

For oral capsules, it may take around 3.8 hours for the drug to reach peak concentration in your blood. Make sure to swallow Vyvanse capsules whole. Do not open, sprinkle, or chew them. Doing so can make the medication wear off too fast and cause unwanted side effects.

For chewable tablets, it may take around 4.4 hours for the drug to reach peak concentration in your blood. If you take a chewable tablet, your body may absorb up to 15% less d-amphetamine, the active compound, compared with taking the capsules. This may make the oral capsules a better choice for maximum drug effect. 

Consider drug interactions

Taking Vyvanse with specific drugs may cause side effects and also affect how well it works.

Examples of medications that can interact with Vyvanse include:

• monoamine oxidase inhibitors inhibitors, such as isocarboxazid (Marplan) and phenelzine (Nardil)
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as citalopram (Celexa) and fluoxetine (Prozac).
• cytochrome P450 2D6 inhibitors, such as thioridazine (Mellaril) and paroxetine (Paxil).
• urinary alkalizing medication, like Cytra K. 
• urinary acidifying medications, like K-phos (Phospho-trin K500)
• tricyclic antidepressants, such as nortriptyline (Pamelor) and amitriptyline Hcl (Elavil)

It’s important not to take these drugs together, both to ensure Vyvanse remains effective and to ensure your safety and well-being. Mixing drugs without the guidance of a healthcare professional can be dangerous. 

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Lifestyle factors, therapy, and overall well-being

Research does not fully understand how lifestyle factors affect ADHD. 

A 2020 review suggests that adopting the following strategies may help relieve ADHD symptoms:

• meditation and mindfulness
• yoga or tai chi
• dietary changes, including getting more vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids
• regular physical activity (if you’re able)
• memory training
• cognitive behavioral therapy

More research is needed to help understand how these strategies and treatments could support and even prolong the effects of Vyvanse.

A medical professional can provide guidance if you want to learn more about how to manage ADHD without medications. 

How long does Vyvanse stay in your system?

For adults, it takes around 11 hours to remove half of the active compound d-amphetamine from your blood. For children ages 6 to 12 years of age, it takes around 9.5 hours. This is known as the drug’s half-life. 

It generally takes five half-lives for a drug to be cleared from your body. That means Vyvanse will typically be eliminated after 55 hours in adults and about 47 hours in children between 6 and 12 years of age.

Food intake and dosage can influence the duration of Vyvanse’s effects and how long it’s detectable in your body. Talk with a medical professional or pharmacist if you have questions about how long Vyvanse stays in your system.

What to know about the Vyvanse “crash”

Some people who take Vyvanse may experience a “crash” that can occur when the medication wears off each day or if the dosage is reduced. This differs from Vyvanse withdrawal, which happens when you stop taking the medication.

Stopping or reducing your Vyvanse dosage can cause symptoms such as: 

• low mood
• depression
• fatigue
• vivid and unpleasant dreams
• difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
• increased appetite
• movement changes

It is important to speak with a medical professional if you have these symptoms as the medication wears off each day or if you’re thinking of changing your dosage or stopping the drug altogether. 

Summary

Doctors prescribe Vyvanse to help ease symptoms of ADHD, such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and lack of focus. It’s prescribed for adults and children ages 6 years and older.

Generally, the effects of Vyvanse can last for 12 hours or sometimes longer. To prolong Vyvanse’s effects, you can take it with food or choose an oral capsule instead of a chewable tablet.

If you find that Vyvanse’s effects are not lasting long enough, be sure to talk with a medical professional for advice. They may change your dosage or possibly prescribe a different medication that works better for you.