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 healthcare professionals prescribe to people living with ADHD.
A 2016 article explains that the active ingredient in Vyvanse, lisdexamfetamine, is a prodrug. A prodrug is a medication that changes into an active one after your body processes the drug once it’s inside your body. This takes some time to happen.
After taking Vyvanse, 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 can 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.
A 2018 systematic review explains that taking amphetamine medications like Vyvanse for ADHD may help:
- improve focus and attention
- reduce hyperactivity
- better manage impulse reactions
- improve the ability to organize tasks
- better memory
- reduce fidgeting
- regulate emotions
- manage time
Due to these side effects, some people were hesitant to continue taking the medications, which can affect the overall effectiveness of the treatment. Researchers emphasize that more research will help better understand how well these medications work for ADHD.
Making the most of Vyvanse: Can you prolong its effects?
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 12–14 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, and what works for one person may not work for all.
Timing matters
The package insert instructs taking Vyvanse 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 active hours.
Avoid taking Vyvanse too late in your day, as this could interfere with sleep and cause insomnia.
Consistent dosage
You will usually start with a 30 milligram (mg) dose per day, then gradually build up to a higher dose as your body gets used to the medication and until you find a dosage that effectively helps manage your ADHD symptoms. The maximum dose is 70 mg per day.
Always follow the timing and dosage instructions from the prescribing healthcare 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.
Taking the oral capsule version of this medication with food prolongs how long it takes for your body to process it. This means that taking Vyvanse with breakfast can delay when its peak effects occur.
Meanwhile, taking the chewable tablet version with a high fat meal can reduce the maximum d-amphetamine concentration in your blood by up to 7%, meaning you could feel fewer of its effects.
Food does not appear to affect the effectiveness of the oral capsules.
Choosing the right type
How long it takes before your blood will have a high concentration of d-amphetamine can differ between administration forms.
For oral capsules, it may take around 3.8 hours. For chewable tablets, it may take around 4.4 hours.
If you take a chewable tablet, your body may receive up to 15% less of the active d-amphetamine compound compared with taking the capsules. This may make capsules a better choice for maximum drug effect.
Consider drug interactions
Taking Vyvanse with specific drugs may cause unwanted side effects and might also affect its effectiveness.
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 phospho-trin K500 (K-phos)
- 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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