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Vyvanse Withdrawal Symptoms + Timeline

Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate) is a psychostimulant drug that is used to treat ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). It has gained popularity due to the fact that it is very effective at treating symptoms and also is considered slightly less addictive than Adderall. For this reason, many doctors prefer to prescribe Vyvanse as opposed to Adderall – even though they are relatively similar.

In some cases, taking this drug is a matter of personal preference – some individuals respond better and feel better functioning on this drug compared to others. This drug is also sometimes used to treat conditions such as: major depression, excessive daytime sleepiness, binge eating, and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. It is also sometimes used illicitly as a party drug by college kids.

For this reason, many people in the United States have taken this medication. Most people find that it works extremely well when taken for its intended purpose – to treat ADHD. However not everyone likes being medicated for an extended period of time on a psychostimulant. Additionally, some people take the drug for awhile and its effectiveness seems to wear off over time.

In any case, most people that take a psychostimulant will eventually want to withdraw from it. If you plan on withdrawing from Vyvanse, it is important to recognize the potential withdrawal symptoms that you may experience.

Factors that influence Vyvanse withdrawal

When you take any drug, there are factors that are going to influence the severity of withdrawal. Someone that takes a higher dose for an extended period of time is going to have a tougher time quitting than someone who took Vyvanse on an “as needed” basis.

1. Time Span

How long did you take Vyvanse and how frequently? Most people that have a prescription take it daily to help curb symptoms of ADHD. However the longer the period of time you take it on a consistent basis, the more your brain and body will rely on it for functioning – making it more difficult to withdraw from.

2. Dosage (30 mg to 70 mg)

Most people take between 30 mg and 70 mg of Vyvanse per day. The 30 mg is a recommended starting dose, while 70 mg is at the higher end of the spectrum. Some people exceed 70 mg for a therapeutic effect, while most people fall somewhere in the range. The higher the dose of this drug that you take on a daily basis will influence your tolerance. The greater the tolerance you build up, the more difficulty you are likely going to have when withdrawing.

3. Individual Physiology

It is always important to consider individual physiology when withdrawing from a drug like Vyvanse. Some people exhibit absolutely zero withdrawal symptoms, while others have a pretty difficult time quitting. Your nervous system is not the same as anyone else’s – therefore your withdrawal experience will likely be unique to you.  You may notice a few withdrawal symptoms for a few days or you may notice nothing at all. Since withdrawal is unique, there’s no need to obsess over what another person experienced.

4. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering

If you are at a high dose of Vyvanse, you may want to conduct a gradual taper. For example if you are taking 70 mg per day, you may want to wean yourself down to the lowest possible dose before quitting. You can gradually taper over a period of weeks and then just stop from the 30 mg to reduce withdrawal symptoms. A common taper would be to drop 10 mg per week or per every 2 weeks until you are down to nothing.

If you quit cold turkey from the highest dose, you may experience more severe withdrawal symptoms compared to someone who quit from a low dose. Tapering is advised if you have been on Vyvanse for a long term. There are many people that have quit cold turkey without any problem other than fatigue and mood swings for a week or two. Do what you think will work best for you.

Vyvanse Withdrawal Symptoms: List Of Possibilities

Below is a list of possible symptoms that you may experience when you stop taking Vyvanse. These symptoms may be different for you than someone else. Keep in mind that this is a collective list of symptoms – you may not experience everything listed below.  Since Vyvanse stays in your system for around 3 days after you’ve stopped taking it, symptoms may become most noticeable within 1 week of stopping.

  • Anxiety: Many people feel anxious when they quit taking Vyvanse. This has to do with the fact that neurotransmitters are trying to restore their homeostatic levels. It is thought that low dopamine can cause some individuals to feel anxious.
  • Concentration problems: You may notice that your ADHD comes back 10-fold in the initial few days of withdrawal. You may have difficulties with concentration, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity. It may seem as though your thinking is foggy and the world is a haze – some people refer to this as “brain fog.”
  • Depression: Most people report a mild depression when they first quit taking their Vyvanse. This is due to the fact that dopamine levels are lower and you are no longer receiving the stimulating effect of the drug. This depression will likely last a week or two, but will subside.
  • Fatigue: Some people report extreme fatigue and lethargy during the first week of their withdrawal. It may be difficult to get out of bed and you may feel as though you are sleeping or resting your life away. Take the time to rest and recognize that this is just part of withdrawal.
  • Headaches: Many people experience headaches when they stop taking Vyvanse. Most people find that they can find relief by taking an over-the-counter medicine and/or simply staying hydrated.
  • Irritability: It is common to feel extremely irritable when you first quit taking Vyvanse.
  • Lack of Motivation: Most people experience significantly low levels of motivation. This is in part due to the fact that they feel tired, but also linked to lower levels of dopamine. As the dopamine is restored and the tiredness subsides, motivation will return.
  • Mood swings: Most people report mood swings when they stop using Vyvanse. You may feel snappy, agitated, and irritable. Your mood may go from feeling alright, to feeling very angry or depressed. Your moods will likely fluctuate for awhile until your neurotransmitters stabilize.
  • Sleepiness: Most people report feeling especially tired and sleepy for the first week that they withdraw. You may sleep excessively (i.e. hypersomnia) until your body and brain regain energy.

Vyvanse Withdrawal Timeline: How long does it take?

Most people will get over the bulk of withdrawal symptoms within 2 weeks of withdrawing from the drug. The first week you will likely feel pretty depressed with low energy, low motivation, and an overall sense of fatigue. After a couple weeks though, you will likely notice that your energy level returns to normal. For most people, they bounce back to being 100% after a month or two following their last Vyvanse dosage.

The long term effects of Vyvanse are currently unknown, but based on what research shows, this is a pretty safe medication. It is less potent than an amphetamine like Adderall – making it easier to withdraw from for a majority of people. There is no set timeline for withdrawal, but the symptoms a person experiences when they stop this drug may be severe in the first week or two, but they will gradually improve.

The best thing a person can do for themselves during withdrawal is to recognize the symptoms and do their best to cope with them. Many people get caught up in the initial few days after withdrawal and think that they are going to feel low energy and crappy forever, when in reality, these symptoms are going to subside in the next couple weeks. If you have an experience quitting Vyvanse or are currently in the process of quitting, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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140 thoughts on “Vyvanse Withdrawal Symptoms + Timeline”

  1. Well, my story is a little different from most here. This past Thursday, I suddenly stopped taking the 70 mg Vyvanse pill I’d been taking for almost a year now. However, I replaced that pill with another–30 mg generic Adderall (amphetamine salts). Adderall is not new to me, as I’ve been taking one 30 mg pill in the afternoons as a “booster” for the Vyvanse, doing so for pretty much all this year.

    I decided to replace the morning dose of Vyvanse with Adderall because I feel like the latter is equally (if not more) effective and more importantly, it lasts much longer. Vyvanse has never lasted more than 4 hours for me, after which I crash hard, and that IMO is pathetic. They say it works 8-12 hours. Sure.

    Anyway, since I started this new med routine, I have felt pretty horrible for the first half of the day, but almost normal for the second half. I did not expect (and was not told by my doc to expect) withdrawal of this kind when I was replacing the drug with something else, but here I am, definitely withdrawing.

    I can only hope that my brain gets in shape within the next week or the following at the latest. I am starting college again on Monday (tomorrow) and I do not relish the idea of feeling this bad during my first week of classes.

    Reply
  2. I was wrongly diagnosed at the age of 4 with ADHD, and for 20 years I was prescribed high dosages of ritalin, then adderall, then vyvanse. Every day I felt like some sort of zombie. Jittery, irritable, hearing a constant ringing noise in my ears all day, with high anxiety and a plethora of social problems.

    I also had to abstain from doing cardio because it made my heart rate race too high due to the high dosage I was prescribed. Unfortunately as a child my parents never listened or paid attention to my complaints about the side effects, rather they forced the pills down my throat and would threaten me with beatings if I mentioned to the doctor that I felt bad on the med, because they firmly believed that “children are to be quiet, seen and not heard” and utilized the prescription meds to dull my naturally outgoing and cheerful personality as a means of control.

    And then they would ask the doctor for higher and higher dosages as I hit my teens. I haven’t spoken to them in 15 years. I finally had enough and quit cold turkey in my 20’s (was on a 70mg dose of vyvanse, down from the 150 I had in my teens), after being diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and learning that the vyvanse is probably the cause of my intestinal issues.

    I called the ADHD doctor’s office and informed them that I would not be a patient of theirs anymore. Going off medications for the first time in my life, my life improved immensely. I was actually able to focus on things, because I was not distracted by the strong side effects and jitters.

    I developed social skills, such as empathy for example, for the first time in my life. My social life improved greatly, I’m a much more flexible person today. My work life has improved greatly. I went back to school and got an engineering degree.

    I was able to experience what it meant to be alive for the first time in my life. The ability to enjoy the simple things in life. It did take me a week or so to adjust though to life without the meds.

    Went to a follow up appointment the other day with a new doctor. He confirmed that I was wrongfully diagnosed for all of those years. Happiest day of my life apart from my college graduation.

    Reply
  3. Hi I’ve been taking vyvanse for 3 Years. I recently had a panic attack on vyvanse because I had drank a lot of coffee while on it (which you’re not supposed to do, at all). After that I was too scared to take it. A week after I was fine, then anxiety hit me so hard.

    I thought it was post trauma of the panic attack. I would shake and sweat for two days straight. I now understand I went through some HARDCORE withdrawals. It’s been three weeks and I still have a little anxiety, but it’s going away.

    For two weeks (which were the hardest) I had no idea what was going on to even address it. I went to the mental health center twice at my university just to make sure I was “normal”. Now that I know it’s because of withdrawals, I feel I can address and get over this slump more easily. It makes me happy to know that I won’t rely on a pill anymore!

    Reply
    • I was on Vyvanse 50 mg for around 4 years. I did not take breaks from it on weekends and holidays. I stopped taking it for 1 year cold turkey. Definitely withdrawal symptoms were anxiety. If you take too high of milligrams you will get anxiety as well.

      I now take Vyvanse again. But I now take 30 mg instead of 50 mg. I skip taking it on weekends and holidays to prevent withdrawal. I do notice anxiety on those days, and it’s definitely not always easy. I found if I have something to focus on or a task to do it makes things easier.

      I do drink coffee as needed the days I don’t take it, because otherwise I don’t have much energy. I feel that anxiety is simply from the ADD. The anxiety I feel on the weekends off Vyvanse is exactly how I felt for a entire year while off Vyvanse.

      I have phased from 3 different drugs since 8th grade. First was Cylert, second was Adderall, then Vyvanse. Vyvanse seems to be the most effective of all. Just have to figure out what dose works best for you individually.

      Reply
      • Does the tolerance come back quickly?

        Ive been on vyvanse 30-40mg for about 4 years non stop (initially i would take breaks on holidays). I feel its slowly starting to stop working, planning on taking a 3 month break after this semester is over, but I would like to take a full year off if possible and then lower my does to 30 and take it every so often rather than every day.

        Thanks

        Reply
  4. It’s interesting to see everyone stories on vyvanse. I personally have never tried or been on it. A loved one of mine recently quit cold turkey after taking 70mg for two years. I’m just curious if anyone else experienced crazy mood swings – mainly anger? What can your loved one do to help you through the withdrawal process?

    It has been so bad that I’m even afraid to talk to the person I love in fear I’ll get my head ripped off. If anyone has any advice, feel free to let me know. I’m afraid that it may end relationships, because I’m not sure how to cope with it.

    I my self also suffer depression so when the person is so cold-hearted towards me it tends to affect my depression even more. But I can’t just leave because then that causes more problems. Any help or advice would be appreciated!

    Reply
    • Dose down gradually with your doctors involved. Do not quit cold turkey. Especially if he’s reacting explosively. Show him this feed.

      Reply
  5. I wanted to share my experience with withdrawing from Vyvanse (especially since I wish I found this page while I was in the process). I was first prescribed Adderall & was transferred to Vyvanse – originally 70mg and my doctor increased me to 100 mg (2 50 mg per day). I trusted him, but later found out this dosage was way too high.

    I was attending a very intense medical program: Monday – Thursday scrubbed and ready to go by 7am and not leaving until 3pm or after – not including the hour drive I had to take to and from. I had just moved into a new apartment with 3 women I didn’t know – my husband went to another state to fulfill orders he was given by his command – as a military wife and given our unique situation – I wanted to stay back and finish school and get my degree…

    Before this new adventure had begun – I had been switched and taking Vyvanse for about 7 months – my family and friends tried to get me off of it – saying I wasn’t myself, losing too much wait, etc. But I argued it and resented them for judging me for what my doctor and I had decided for my health. Being stubborn I continued taking it – and with the emotional stress of my husband being gone + living in a completely foreign living situation + adjusting to a much heavier work load with school – the Vyvanse was slowing sucking the life out of me.

    With so much going on – I kept feeling like i needed more & more… even at 100 mg. I felt my own unique personality being sucked out of me like a vacuum. I would have really good days – or really bad days – details didn’t seem to stick – I was just going through the motions and everything that was once important to me was suddenly just an inconvenience. I made the decision that once the bottle I had was gone I was done. So when that day came – I stopped cold turkey.

    (Part that you actually care about): I went through severe fatigue – all I wanted to do was sleep. Also experienced severe depression – I lost my sense of happiness that always brought a natural glow. My face looked AWFUL – acne everywhere & skin was very, very dry no matter how much I increased my water intake or packed on moisturizer.

    I was down to 117 pounds – prior to starting the medication (I was on this for a total of 1 year) I usually weighed at about 132/135. I’m 5’7 with long legs and arms – so weight already looks little on me enough – I believe it began deteriorating my muscle sense it no longer had any more fat to burn. I am no longer in the program – I believe that if I was never prescribed or put on this medication everything would have gone much more smoothly – even though the situation I was in would’ve been difficult either way – Vyvanse made it worse.

    Looking back, I would have never started it. I would have used natural remedies to get over whatever hump I was going through and thoroughly believe I was misdiagnosed. Try relaxation exercises (yoga, etc.), eating healthier, getting yourself outside more, surround yourself with positive people (family/friends), before resorting to this medication – it turns you into a Zombie.

    I has been about 2 months now and just beginning to feel more like myself… I’m moving back home and have been around my mom which has helped me overcome this hump faster than if I were someone who didn’t have the support system that I have to turn to. I know this is very long/lengthy – but I know if I just said “don’t” and blankly listed reasons without giving a little bit of background story – it would’ve been like many other comments and taken into consideration, but maybe overlooked.

    Deep down inside – I don’t want anyone making the same mistake that I made.

    Reply
    • Hi Haley, I’m almost 28 years old and have been on vyvanse for almost 2 years. I too feel that I was misdiagnosed. I was frazzled and stressed with lives and had lost my keys the day I went into my appointment. I took an ADHD s questionnaire and boom, I was prescribed Vyvanse. In the two years I have been on 40mg to 70mg and finally back to 40mg but with 20mg of adderall.

      I started my graduate degree shortly after starting vyvanse and also continued to teach full time. I don’t think I would have been able to do everything if not for the synthetic adrenaline. But the side effects — feeling withdrawn and emotionally inept, increased heart rate, anxiety, being super elated for awhile only to crash, and almost addicted to the rush in the morning — I want to stop.

      I’m worried about feeling depressed forever and especially concerned with weight gain. I’m heavier now than before taking any of it, but that is likely due to stopping the SSRI and not being able to run as often. I just don’t want to gain more!

      When I went from the 40mg to 70mg I had a quick weight loss of about 10 pounds. I felt great. I shared with my doctor that Vyvanse/adderall caused anxiety so he prescribed a SSRI that supposedly “helps.”

      Eventually I decreased my vyvanse back to 40 mg and gained some more weight back, even with taking adderall. Can you share with me what weight gain looked like for you long term after quitting? What do you feel like now? Are you happy with your decision?

      Reply
  6. “Superman pill”. I’m 40 years old. I’ve taken ADD medication since 8th grade. I used Vyvanse for 5 years, even with severe side effects. But I continued taking it because it was so effective. Effective mentally and physically. I was in the best physical shape of my life. I had endless physical energy and effortless brain stimulation.

    I was completely lean muscle with zero body fat. Vyvanse was a superman pill. Vyvanse started losing its positive effects after year 5. I noticed my body slowly going back to its normal physique. The euphoria started depleting and depression started setting in. I came to the realization I needed to stop taking it, or up my 50mg dose to something higher.

    I couldn’t go to higher dose because as it was, I was getting anal fissures from the med drying my stools and very frequent urination. I had the most horrible withdrawal and have been depressed since stopping Vyvanse close to 1 year ago. I feel I have gotten where I am today with my career because of Vyvanse. But with a price.

    At this time I take no meds and struggle daily with insecurities and fear of not being able to maintain my career status. I would not recommend Vyvanse to anyone especially children! I’ve since learned bodybuilders abuse Vyvanse daily. It’s the new amphetamine. (Note: I had no withdrawal stopping Adderall).

    Reply
  7. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I a kid and I’ve been taking 50mg of Vyvanse for several years, but I’m on my last prescription and I’ve decided I’ll use it however I can to quit. I had always planned to quit taking stimulants at some point and after realizing my new insurance wont cover this medication, I suppose this is as good a time as any. It’s troublesome though, I finally have a job that doesn’t make me feel like trash and I don’t have the luxury of just taking a week off of work.

    I have around 20 pills left and I’ve bought everything I’d need to split them into whatever I can manage to taper down to before I run out. Part of me wants to just go cold turkey, but I guess using what I have to taper down will at least reduce the withdrawal. To be honest, I’m a little scared. I was just a kid when people started me on stimulants; I’ve lived on them for such a long time, but I never let them push me over 50mg on Vyvanse.

    Some people have muscles and some people have their looks, but in my case, my mind is the thing I treasure most. I’m a creative thinker and I’ve owned that strength in so many facets of my life. How much of what I am now came out of a bottle and what am I going to lose when I’m off these meds for good? Will I just lose my ability to focus and never get any better?

    Tomorrow, I’m taking my last 50 mg pill then I’ll do the math and split what’s left into a week by week taper which should last around 3 weeks. I’ll never go on stimulants again, I just hope I can be who I want to be without them.

    Reply
    • Hey Rick, I was a Vyvanse user…70mg. I am off of it… cut cold turkey. I have been taking 500mg of N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine ever since. I have the exact SAME focus as with Vyvanse but NO SIDE EFFECTS!!!!! dosage can safely be used up to 2000mg total per day. I have energy ALL day. This is an amino acid! I still carry the 16 pounds of weight gain from the withdrawal, but who cares when I feel this great! Hope this helps you! Melissa

      N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine must be taken on an empty stomach 30 minutes BEFORE any food or drink…only water!

      Reply
  8. I’m in my 2nd week of withdrawal after being on 60mg for almost a year. I have extreme fatigue and was a little worried, so I’m glad to read this and see that this is normal. I’m looking forward to getting up enough energy to go jogging again.

    Reply
  9. I’ve been considering stopping Vyvanse altogether for a year or two. Here is my history: I was diagnosed with ADHD (I’m mostly the inattentive type) in 2002. I was 12 years old and 5’3” and weighed 168 pounds. I was clearly very overweight. I started taking Adderall XR in 2002 and took it (at an increasing dose) until 2007. Within the first month of taking Adderall, I lost 30 pounds.

    I focused better, and life was great. In 2007 my psychiatrist switched me to Vyvanse. He prescribed 140 mg per day. He also prescribed me 80 mg of Strattera. Yes, reflecting on it now, it seems outrageous that I need to take this much medication to function like a normal human. At this point, I was unaware that the dose I was taking was double the max dosage approved by the FDA.

    It seemed to work for me. I haven’t had to increase the dose of my Vyvanse since 2007. That is 9 years on the same dosage. Most people on this site have tried to stop Vyvanse after having been on it for 3 to 5 years on a “normal” dose. I should also share that I do not do the whole drug holiday thing. I have been taking my Vyvanse religiously for 9 years with no more than 2 days off of it at a time per year (if that).

    Most people who have shared their stories also mention being “too skinny.” That is literally the opposite of my problem. I have struggled to keep weight off even while being on this high dose. In the past 3 years I have gained 25 pounds. Now, I also work out regularly (I do cardio 5-6x per week for at least 45 minutes) and I strength train twice per week).

    Clearly it is my eating habits that are messed up. I notice that I barely eat during the day, but I snack on EVERYTHING at night. My problem is that due to my dose of Vyvanse I don’t get tired until later at night. Knowing this, I try to take my Vyvanse super early in the morning but I notice that it still is not wearing off at a reasonable hour.

    Over the years, I have noticed that during the time I spend trying to wind down and feel tired, I snack on junk food. When I was in high school I barely ever worked out. I have had sh*tty eating habits my entire life. When I started college I began working out regularly and loved it. I have not stopped since. I mean I was overweight at 11 years old.

    I was using food as entertainment and stress relief and I am still doing it. I know better. Every morning I wake up with the intention of “actually following my plan.” Every night I lose control. I worry that taking Vyvanse is actually causing me to gain weight. I wonder if I weren’t taking this stimulant would I be able to get tired at a normal time and then avoid the problematic snacking?

    I got married last summer and my husband and I want to have kids within the next 3 years. I know that I have to go off both my Strattera and my Vyvanse when I decide to conceive. I have really felt dependent on Vyvanse to an unhealthy degree since leaving college. I moved to Baltimore to become a teacher in a super demanding alternative teacher preparation program.

    I hate that I had to search far and wide for a psychiatrist to prescribe the scary high dosage of Vyvanse that I need in order to successfully complete this program. I have FABULOUS health insurance through Baltimore City Public Schools, but my husband and I want to move back to Michigan and I know that my health insurance will not be as good through Detroit Public Schools. I also have absolutely no idea who I am off of these drugs.

    I have been medicated continuously since I was 12 years old. It’s pretty scary to think that I need to continue taking this drug for my entire life. It is so annoying to have to plan my life around taking the drug. I can never sleep in. I can’t drink. I can’t nap. Lately I just feel like I want to stop taking it completely, because I need to know what my life will be like without it.

    It’s my summer vacation until the end of August. (The perks of being a teacher). So now would be a good time for me to try to quit taking it. I have a few weeks that I can just lay in bed and deal with the withdrawal symptoms. I know it’s better to taper, but I don’t know if I want to deal with how slow of a process that is going to be.

    Reply
  10. Vyvanse is seriously such a miracle drug. I can honestly say I had no bad side effects while taking it, it made my focus just enough to get things done, curbed my appetite significantly and really helped me to think more clearly. However, time flew by and before I knew it I had been on the drug for 3 years. I knew I didn’t want to spend entire life medicated so I decided to quit.

    The highest mg I ever went to was 40mg and I had been on 30mg for the last year. I was surprised that I didn’t have a more difficult time withdrawing, lack of motivation was my biggest issue and eating everything in sight was my biggest issue. It’s been about a week since I quit and I’m starting to feel more in control again. I still really want to take my Vyvanse, I think for me it’s more of a mental thing.

    Reply
  11. I have been on Vyvanse for 5 weeks. I was prescribed 30mg but found the insomnia and dizziness unbearable. Seemed 9k on 20th however my wife bad saying she thinks it is having no effect. In addition over the past few days I have felt itchy all over, depressed anxious and irritable.

    Having read the comments here and the article I’m going to reduce to 10mg for the next week then stop. My Naturopath has recommended some dietary changes, meditation, exercise multivitamins, omega 3 and grape seed extract. It’s good to have a diagnosis and my neuro psych means well, but all he can offer is these terrible drugs.

    Reply
  12. I started vyvanse about two years ago. I’m 23 years old. I started my dosage at 30mg and quickly upped my dosage to 70mg. I already have an addictive personality so it wasn’t long before I was dependent on this drug and needed it to function physically and mentally. I live with my parents so they saw me changing. I wasn’t the daughter I was before I started it.

    I was alert, but I was edgy and little things irritated me. I slowly became less and less “laid-back” and “a happy-go-lucky” girl. When my parents pointed it out, I was offended and in denial but I soon realized they were right and I realized I was different. It’s a scary feeling knowing that a little blue pill could do what it had done. To me it’s like artificial emotions and motives.

    I couldn’t remember the last time I got goosebumps from the natural feeling of the sun warming up my body after being in a cold house, or enjoying hot chocolate with my family and naturally dozing off to a movie. I didn’t realize the effect this drug would have on me, let alone my life. I missed out on natural emotions and experiences I could’ve had over the last two years as a young 20 year old which is why I decided to get off.

    I HIGHLY recommend you tapper off slowly because without knowing you could experience withdrawals, I tried quitting cold turkey. BAD idea. I couldn’t get out of bed. I had mentally and physically shut down and it was horrible. I couldn’t stop crying and I thought I had depression. I felt like I was going to sleep the days away and I was in a unmotivated sad tunnel that had no end.

    Sounds dramatic but boy was that a tough day. I called the doctor and told them my withdrawal symptoms and they were able to get me an emergency dosage. I was so embarrassed and mad at myself that I got to this point of dependency. More importantly, I was mad at myself for starting this big bad blue medicine without doing my research.

    I can’t redo the days I’ve lost because of Vyvanse but It’s never too late…you CAN quit. It IS a mental game. YOU are in control of your mind. Reading these stories and experiences made me cry because I didn’t feel alone. I’m down to 30mg and I’m going down by 10mg each refill. I WILL live a naturally, happy life again.

    Reply
  13. I’m not sure if anyone is still reading this or not. But all the posts on here really helped me when I needed them, so I am hoping my story will help others. About 3 years ago I started taking Vyvanse. I started at 20 mg per day. LOVED it. I could focus, get things done and felt like I had everything under control. Continued to need a larger dose and eventually needed to take 30 mg 2 times per day.

    I knew that I needed to stop taking this, I was like a crazy person when I would take it. It was like being on speed, but at the same time crazy focus and concentration. I was to the point where I felt like I couldn’t get out of bed without it. If I ran out and couldn’t get a refill for a day (1 DAY!!) I would almost freak out.

    I would lay in bed that entire day. As soon as I would get my refill I would run to the pharmacy and couldn’t wait to get this in my system. I was addicted. Completely addicted. A month ago I decided to stop once my current prescription wore off. I didn’t like being dependent on a pill. I didn’t like how I felt coming off of the high that it gave me. I was over it controlling my life. I quit cold turkey.

    My first day without it was on a Saturday. April 30th 2016. I thought I would wake up that day freaked out and not be able to move or accomplish anything. I was WRONG! I got up and kept telling myself I was fine, maybe a tiny bit tired, but when on about the day and was FINE!! The next day I figured I would be so tired, no energy and no will to live. NOPE!! I was FINE again!

    Monday morning I woke up to get ready to work and thought, yep today is going to be horrible. My first work day without it… nope… fine! So strange! So today I’ve been without it for 1 & 1/2 weeks, only 13 days and I’ve never felt better. I have just as much, if not more, energy. I don’t have any brain fog, I feel great. Last week I noticed being hungry a tiny bit more, but nothing to get concerned over.

    I’m not sure why we all react differently. I tried to be positive every day and maybe that is helping? I do have some focus issues, but I just have to learn to make myself focus! Best decision I have ever made was to stop. I think I was so scared to live without it before that I never wanted to try. Whatever it was that clicked in my head, I’m so thankful for.

    Reply
    • Wow! Your story sounds so similar to mine. I loved Vyvanse and stopped taking it about a week ago. The only reason I wanted to stop was because I didn’t want to be dependent on something forever, and I kind of kept wondering when I might be forced to stop. I too, would freak out of the pharmacy didn’t have it in stock and would drive to a farther away pharmacy if they had it.

      It was just getting ridiculous. So I decided to quit and just see how I felt. I quit with 4 pills still left in my bottle, just in case. I honestly feel fine. I actually feel like I am more connected to my life (does that make sense) like I can really have honest emotion and not just be in that “high” state of mind.

      It’s only been a week so I can’t say I will never go back but for the most part I feel great. How are you feeling a couple of months in?

      Reply
  14. Okay folks. Like many of you, I had to quit Vyvanse for financial reasons, or lack of/change of insurance. Because Vyvanse is a controlled substance, understandably it’s a lot harder to get without jumping through hoops and I hated feeling like I was about to lose a best friend when my monthly script was almost out.

    After 5 years on 70mg daily, I decided I had enough. I didn’t consult my Dr. I read enough (these forums helped a lot, too!) to know that I can do this safely if I know what to expect. I am no longer seeing that Dr by the way. Advice to those who are considering quitting Vyvanse; taper your dosages if possible! Cold turkey is HARD for your body, you will crave it, the depression hits you hard. It’s no good.

    However, if you have no other choice, please keep in mind that your body may react differently than others. Drink lots of water and stay hydrated! It’s hard to remind yourself to drink but try your best. If your body is telling you to sleep and you feel like you have no other option at 2 in the afternoon, just do it and forgive yourself for doing it. Naps are okay, this is not forever.

    I recommend, like most people have, to take some time off of work-a week at minimum. Recognize your symptoms; your lack of motivation, feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, extreme hunger, think of all these things as TEMPORARY. They are not forever. They probably didn’t exist much before you started Vyvanse and they won’t linger forever. They will pass. Take it day by day.

    Finally, if you have a loved one you can trust and talk to about what you are about to be going through (or are currently experiencing) I have found this helpful. No one truly knows what their own withdrawal feels like except for the person experiencing it but telling someone you trust can help if they start to notice dramatic changes in you. I am on day 3 of no Vyvanse and it’s been rough, not gonna deny that.

    I tapered from 70mg daily to 35mg daily for two weeks to now nothing. I broke the capsules in half. Water and ibuprofen help with the headaches, sleep helps when I just want the time to pass. I force myself to shower, it’s hard, but I do it. I force myself to put on regular clothing and even makeup, even if I am in no condition to leave the house and face the world.

    People say to “continue with your normal daily routine” but I have found this impossible and if it is impossible for you too, it’s okay. Take a week off, take it one day at a time. You can and will do it and I recommend doing this sooner rather than later. Psychostimulants are effective to a point but they are extremely habit forming, addicting, and no one honestly should take this stuff their entire life. Hang in there.

    Reply
  15. I take Vyvanse for Binge Eating Disorder. I’m scared that if I stop taking it I won’t be able to control my binges.

    Reply
  16. I started taking vyvanse at 11 and went all the way up to 110 mg before we switched to a different doctor. Since then I’ve been up and down the dosages for 7 years, always with withdrawal symptoms as soon as the day’s dosage left, then went cold turkey for about a month, then back on 30 and then 50 mg until about a month ago when I had to go into the hospital due to thoughts of harming myself and others (fun times lemme tell ya).

    Since then I’ve been 0ff of the vyvanse but still experience withdrawal symptoms, along with withdrawal symptoms of prozac. But unlike the prozac symptoms, the vyvanse symptoms are easily identifiable like huge gain of appetite. So, vyvanse might not be as safe as people think or maybe I’m just very unlucky, but I don’t see the symptoms going away any time soon.

    Reply
  17. I took Vyvanse for about a year to 18 months. I loved how it kept me on task. I’d get so much done, but increasingly I found that my creativity on it suffered. So I stopped taking it on the weekends. But then I found that Saturday and Sunday I could barely move. So I finally decided I needed to come off it. I love the focus it gives me, but creativity is too important for my job.

    I stopped taking it about 2 weeks ago and while I am alert when I’m awake, I just can’t seem to motivate myself to do anything. I sit on the couch and sleep. I called in sick twice last week and just slept. I know I will get over these side effects, but I’m worried about what will happen when my boss goes back to complaining about my focus. Oh well.

    Reply
  18. I started this process about 10 years ago. My wife had always expressed that there was something that wasn’t right about me. In high school I was an above average student because I soaked up information like a sponge. I struggled with math and chemistry because they required taking the information and applying it on different circumstances. I struggled in college because in order to absorb the information you had to be there to hear it. (Missed a lot of classes). Studying was difficult because somehow not hearing the information first made it harder to read it and absorb it.

    Somehow I was able to graduate college in spite of myself. My intention was to go to law school. I studied and completed a paralegal studies course the following year thinking this would help me decide if I was ready for law school. I eventually gave up on the idea of going to law school because I knew my powers of concentration would not allow me to put the time necessary into reading and recalling the information that I would need to digest on a daily basis.

    I went into food service management after that full time because it played to my strengths. I was good at multitasking and following a set system of running the restaurant. I have been there most of the last 30 years. I’m giving this seemingly unnecessary background information for a reason. Ten years ago at the age of 43, I was diagnosed with adult oneset ADD or ADHD, not sure which is really accurate. However, reflecting on this at times over the last 10 years, I know the symptoms where there all the way back to first grade.

    I tested poorly on the standardized tests given every year and would be put in the middle achieving group the next year, only to be moved to the above average group by the end of the first marking period. No one recognized this pattern. My whole life I was all go or all stop. I could do something for 10-15 hours mostly non stop, but the moment I did, I was asleep in less than 5 minutes (in a chair, on a stool, in a car, in a meeting)
    The first medicine, prescribed by my regular doctor was Lexapro.

    I didn’t feel that it did anything for me until I stopped taking it. I was extremely anxious and paranoid until it wore off in about 2 weeks. I was then referred to a behaviorist psychiatrist. He started me on 20mg of time released adderall twice a day. It was as though someone had turned on a switch that was off my whole life. I had energy that I hadn’t had in years. My mind was clear and focused. I would have an obsession to organize and fix things for the first few hours of the day which would eventually taper off.

    After a certain amount of time on the adderall, I started to feel anxious and paranoid. I expressed my concerns to my psych, and he switched me to the Vyvanse. I don’t remember if I started at 70mg or worked my way up to it. The Vyvanse was great except it only lasted about 8-9 hours. A typical work day for me ranges between 10-12. He prescribed 10mg of adderall as a boost at the end of my day when I really needed it. Fast-forward to more recent times. Every year, my prescription drug provider want a prior authorization from my doctor.

    They want me to be on a generic form of this drug (which doesn’t exist) so they deny my first refill of the new year. They play this back and forth game for a few weeks where one says the sent it and the other says they didn’t receive it. Meanwhile I’m usually stuck without for a week or two. Luckily I usually have leftover adderall which doesn’t come close to what the Vyvanse does for me. Right now, I am off of the Vyvanse for a second day and it is miserable. The doctor can’t see me till the 16th and won’t write an emergency script to tide me over till then.

    As I stated, I am miserable, I’m tired, lethargic, my legs feel like they weigh 100lbs each. I know I am addicted to it and wish I wasn’t. The adderall and coffee help, but not near enough. If I knew I could get past this, I wouldn’t bother to re up. It’s an expense I could do without. However, the positive benefits are that I keep my weight down in spite of what I eat and how little real exercise I get. The negative is that I could accomplish the same with an exercise routine and would probably feel physically better if I could discipline myself to follow and stick with it.

    In addition, who really knows what harm this is doing to my body. I have a tic that causes me to constantly rub my tongue across the back of my bottom teeth. I will do this occasionally to the point of rubbing my tongue raw. The possible damage to my kidneys, which would be explained away as something else. What I have learned from this experience is:

    1) yes, all of these drugs are addictive in spite of what you might be told otherwise

    2) what you are lacking in cannot be fixed with drugs. Just like pain killers mask symptoms, they do more harm than good because you can injure yourself worse when you don’t get a sense of the pain your are inflicting on that area because you are numb.

    3) most of the things that I lack are learned behaviors that were never learned. My lack of motivation, organizational skills, etc where not fixed by the drugs. The “rush” and the “euphoria ” that accompanies these drugs cause positive motivation and a temporary sense of purpose but if you don’t learn how to organize your time, thoughts, etc., you don’t become an expert on these drugs. I am no more organized now than I was 10 years ago; I just have the resemblance of that in my own head and what others see that I have accomplished in less time.

    My daughter was flunking 2nd grade reading because her cognitive skills where never developed properly. The school didn’t seem to have an answer (which is their job), but my wife worked with her one on one for a period of time and she was able to learn the skills she was lacking. I don’t know what the end result will be of this, but I definitely wish I knew then, what I know now.

    Reply
    • Thank you for the information, and the incentive to work more on cognitive skills for myself and my sons. :) I have been wanting to stop taking Vyvanse for a while now. I do feel like it helped me get my life on track and I know that focusing on cognitive skills will be a goal to keep myself and my family on the road to happiness and a good life.

      Reply
  19. I have been taking vyvanse consistently since 2013. I worked my way up from 30mgs all they way to 70mgs. There were times last year (2015) I would take 70mgs in the morning and another 70mg in the afternoon. When I first started taking this medication I felt great, motivated, extremely efficient at my work. As of the last 6-7 weeks I felt like I needed to take this medication just to remain normal.

    Because of financial reasons I ran out of tabs and today is the first day I have not taken Vyvanse. I realized last week that I would not have the funds to renew my script or get the Meds and it threw me in a state of panic. Today I did absolutely nothing and slept from 11am to about 5pm. Something I never do. I feel extremely lethargic, depressed, irritable, my mind is cloudy and I have a slamming headache.

    I would recommend that if anyone is to stop cold turkey to clear your schedule and be prepared for the withdrawals symptoms. (I work from home and have the ability to control my schedule; I could not imagine working in and office or somewhere outside and function like this). Good Luck everyone.

    Reply
  20. I’m on day 3 quitting cold turkey. I was on Vyvanse 50mg for 8 months. I became so depressed in the afternoons that I’m having to quit. My withdrawals are fatigue and increased appetite. Im taking l-theanine, magnesium, b-6, omega 3, vitamin d and Culturelle to help restore my body during this process. Yoga, walks and weight lifting are helping too. I feel so much happier off vyvanse even though I’m tired.

    I’m on Christmas break, and I’m a teacher. I’m worried about how I’ll do monday when we go back, but instead of medicating, I’ve got to allow myself to fail if that’s what is meant to happen. Maybe instead of medicating to lead my life, I’ll let my life lead me where I need to be. Sometimes inability to handle careers, etc. is Gods way of directing you. I’m just going to let go and let God.

    Reply
  21. I made the ridiculous decision to take 28 40mg pills in 3 days. This morning I woke up anxious with a tight chest and cold arms. I feel like I’m cold inside. Is this withdrawal?

    Reply
  22. This website truly has helped me face and confirm my issues and dependence on Vyvanse. I have been on it for 4 1/2 years and I am almost done with college. My plan was to get off of it after school. I am now planning to get off starting tomorrow. I wanted to comment on this for people to know that God will help you through this. I don’t know what I’d do without God and his saving grace.

    Without Him in me and by my side, I can’t say I’d be able to get off of this drug. But I pray this reaches to whoever it is meant to reach. Jesus is our Savior and He will help. Cry out to Him. I have been saved by Jesus for about a year now (I used to be an atheist) and He was so merciful and kind to me. I didn’t deserve it at all. He was there for me and revealed himself to me…even while taking this medicine I was dependent on.

    He helped me through the ups and downs while taking this medicine. He recently has showed me how much He will provide for me and that I don’t need this drug anymore. It took prayer and calling out to Him but he showed up and answered my cry. Don’t lose Hope. There is a God who is alive and cares deeply about everything in your life. He is gentle and humble and does not put anything burdensome upon us.

    He has showed me his power and grace and I couldn’t say no. He is way too real and alive and good to not believe in. He will help you no matter what the case is. Praise God!!! “For when the spirit of death wrapped chains around me and terrifying torrents of destruction overwhelmed me, taking me to death’s door, to doom’s domain, 6 I cried out to you in my distress, the delivering God, and from your temple-throne you heard my troubled cry. My sobs came right into your heart and you turned your face to rescue me.” Psalm 18 – TPT

    Reply
    • Thank you for sharing. I also am a believer in Jesus Christ and I feel that God has been leading me closer to Him daily. I am also getting a strong message to stop taking Vyvanse. I do feel like it helped me get back on track, but I am to now trust in God and focus on Jesus and His teachings, our mighty counselor and wonderful healer, the lover of our souls. :)

      Reply
  23. I have been withdrawing for about a week now and this article helps a lot. I’m exhausted and feel almost like I’m numb in some ways. I’ve been eating a lot and I find often I can’t think straight. I was on vyvanse for about four months at 40mg daily. It was in treatment of ADHD. I quit because I felt it was making me worse in other ways. It’s nice to know it’s just a matter of time before I’ll be OK again.

    Reply
  24. I just want to thank you for writing this. I just now stopped taking 70mg of Vyvanse and was unaware that I would go into withdraw. Now I know what to expect so thanks.

    Reply
  25. 70mg – 5 years. The last 3 months I’ve taken at least 100mg daily. Quit cold turkey here are my results:
    -Less attention to detail
    -Feel a bit more anxious, but still able to remain calm and content around others or by myself
    -Less motivation, however I’m still able to be productive, I think of it as simply not being lazy
    -More sensitive to caffeine, negatively

    I changed a couple daily activities to help these symptoms:
    -anytime I would physically take the pill (before class, or work, etc.) I instead do a mini workout like 100 push ups, you get the idea
    -always keep a clean area, my room, bathroom, as long as it’s clean and organized, I tend to feel more “in-control”
    -I make sure to take time out of my days to appreciate the simpler things by using all of my senses, whether it may be the touch of my unsightly fat yet oh so loving cats fur, the delightful smell of my girl friends perfume, the sound of my truck accelerating on the highway (it’s a guy thing), the taste of that 12-hour slow-cooked beef brisket, or the sight of myself after looking in the mirror that morning realizing that the only limit on ones life is the limit he or she sets his or herself.

    To conclude my passage (sorry for the poor grammar):
    -for those of you who are experiencing rather severe symptoms from withdrawal, I understand, as I’ve been there myself. Think of it like this,

    The good of vyvanse = a
    The bad of vyvanse = b
    Your life = x

    Your life without vyvanse =
    (x^2)[(1/2b)a](a)

    Reply
  26. *SUPER WEIRD CASE – PLEASE HELP* I’ve been off Vyvanse for a little over a month now. I had never taken besides a couple times in college. I’m about to be 26 years old this fall. I’m 5’7 and weigh 113 lbs. I ended up taking Vyvanse because of my job. I couldn’t focus, felt like I was on auto-pilot, and just went through my day. I would become defeated because I couldn’t take on everything…and then become even more stressed out. I let my doctor know my symptoms after trying to treat me with anti-depressants and he prescribed me 30 mg capsules.

    After one month, I ended up doubling up most of those since my doctor told me I could…and he asked what I would like and suggested 60 mg since I said it worked better when I doubled them. However, the next two months I became a monster. I killed it at work and became a super human. I thought I could have taken on the world, and I felt like I did. I worked my a$$ off…and I did it really well. I just ended up biting people’s heads off and snapping on them if they said the wrong thing or didn’t do their job correctly.

    It was changing me and causes me to have freak out episodes. Man, could I tear someone apart on the phone…I felt like I never slept. I forced myself to eat every day and to go to sleep. I would sleep 5-8 hours a day and felt like I never slept. My mind never shut off in my sleep. I would wake up and as soon as I stood on my feet, it was go time. I could forget to take my Vyvanse and take it at noon and not miss a beat.

    I made lists in my head and couldn’t do anything until I finished those lists. I made patterns and had rituals for everything almost. It’s like it made me OCD. I loved my life at first….but by the end of the 3rd month I wasn’t the same. I wasn’t me and I had to do something about it. My doctor tried to put me on 30mg but now they have 20 mg and NOW have 10 mg. He gave me 3 pre-dated prescriptions and I didn’t use any. I’m too afraid to take it again.

    I needed it because of my job and the way it changed me and the way I worked. I’ve now resigned, been off it for over a month, but feel the want/need to take it every day. My ADHD is worse than before. I’ve never been diagnosed or anything but I know I have it and now it’s 10x worse. I feel like the only way to be normal again is to maybe take 10 mg or a little bit forever. I’m too afraid to try though. I’m afraid of being hooked and I don’t want to take anything forever. I don’t want to take anything at all but I feel like Vyvanse did something to me and changed something in my brain.

    I still have weird patterns, and ticks, and lists I make. I still can’t do anything until I finish certain tasks because my mind will still hyper focus on certain things. I feel like it has completely changed me. Is it that my dose was too high? Could the dopamine not be fully restored? It’s just been a while and it’s starting to scare me to think my job and me taking this has completely changed me for the rest of my life. I feel messed up and worse than before I ever took Vyvanse. Any thoughts or input appreciated!

    Reply
  27. A few things that can really help:
    * Drink LOTS of water: Especially for the first 3-5 days after you quit taking Vyvanse. You really are flushing all of it out of your system. Dehydration is a huge part of why you will feel so crappy. And since a lot of people decide to “tough it out” after they’ve burned through a month’s Rx in about 2 weeks. WATER. And do this during the DAY, so you aren’t up peeing all night!
    * Exercise: It doesn’t have to be BeachBody. But go walk, something. Exercise is to brain fog what sunshine is for real fog – it helps burn it off. And do it everyday, that’s the only way it will help everyday. It also helps with overeating (rebound hunger) and sleep.
    * Sleep at night, try to stay awake during the day. This is HARD. If you have to nap (I did for the first 2 weeks), take a quick, brief nap. Don’t just get in bed in the middle of the day, and sleep it up. It can depress you, and it makes for sleeplessness at night.
    * Find someone to hold you accountable. Tell your Doctor you want off, and don’t go back. Have a friend that will ask the hard questions.
    * Remember, just because you get off of Vyvanse doesn’t mean you didn’t need it in the first place. You may still deal with ADHD, and if you can take it without side effects or abusing it (I couldn’t… I built up a tolerance really quickly and needed more to become therapeutic), then take it. If not, you can live without it.

    Reply
  28. I am on Vyvanse as well and I lowered my dose from 70mg down to just 60mg but towards the months end I skip a few days so as to lower tolerance but mainly to give my body a rest. I always feel the effects you have described. I am exhausted and drowsy all the time, totally useless and unproductive, irritable and sometimes a headache or two. I didn’t know that these were in all actuality withdrawal symptoms. I always thought they were symptoms of my bipolar disorder acting up. Thanks for finally providing that ah ha! Moment.

    Reply
  29. I’ve been on Vyvanse for approximately 6 years. I’ve decided to quit without tapering down from 50 mg. I’ve been extremely tired and some headaches. I’ve also been more hungry. I’m hoping in the next week these symptoms with diminish. I would suggest, if you do this to take at least 2 days off. I’ve not been as productive. I know everyone is different, but at least you know how your body will respond. I hope this helps.

    Reply
  30. SOME GREAT NEWS!!!

    Okay, so I am a 26 year old female who was prescribed Vyvanse for almost 6 years. I started off like many of you at 30mg, moved up to 40 mg and then 50mg a day. I was experiencing many highs and lows of anxiety throughout the day and so my doctor prescribed me two 30 mg capsules a day (one at 7:00am and one around 12/1:00pm). I’ve wanted to get off of this medication for over a year now–mainly to see how I respond to not having it every day and put it off for quite some time.

    Around 2 weeks ago, I stumbled across this forum and was quite terrified of the possible side effects that I (a chronic user of this medication) would probably experience without it. I had two weeks off before my last semester of nursing school and I decided that I would try to not take it and see how it goes. Haha! I know, I’m crazy. I don’t have children yet, but my husband and I want to try next spring sometime and I wanted to see how much time I will need to get off of it before trying to conceive.

    Well, like many of you have posted, the first day without it was rough. No motivation, extremely fatigued, moody and irritable. I felt hungover and like someone took the wind out of my sails. The second day, I surprisingly had more energy than expected. The longest I had ever gone with taking it before was 7 days and I couldn’t remember one thing that I had learned in my nursing school lectures during that entire week. It was rough. I’ve now been off of Vyvanse for 8 days now and I feel amazingly better than I ever expected.

    I never post on these things, but I wanted to share a positive story from someone that had every terrible possibility confirmed as my fate in my mind. I have made myself get up, drink a cup of coffee and MOVE. It’s not been THAT easy, I admit. But, the feeling of having natural energy is priceless. You just feel genuine and real for the first time in years (in my case). I am currently 5’7″ & 158lbs. My biggest fear is the potential weight gain, but the equation for weight loss is what I must follow.

    As long as I burn more than I take in (eat), I’ll keep off my weight and maybe even lose more. I want you all to give yourself more credit for your capabilities and know that this is an individual process that you can conquer! I highly recommend that you consult with your doctor before trying to wean yourself off of Vyvanse. Some suffer more harshly from the side effects of withdrawal than others and it is imperative that this process is supervised by your health care provider. I used my faith in God to get me through the past 8 days.

    Whether you believe in God, a snail, yourself or etc. as your “God”, cling to what lifts you up and keep going. You will NOT live miserably forever. Be patient and trust your capabilities. I pray that you all find my comment encouraging and motivating in helping with your own struggles in regards to this medication. :)

    Reply
  31. I’ve been off vyvanse for 2 days. Was on a 30 mg dose for ADD for a year. My insurance failed to inform me that I needed a new pre-auth each year, and it will take them a week to process it. Therefore I’m in accidental withdrawal. I feel like I have the flu without the fever, runny nose or cough. Exhausted, a little depressed, headache, achy body, and grumpy. It didn’t occur to me that it was withdrawal until my wife asked about it. Thanks for the article. At least now I know what the problem is and I won’t make a doctor appointment.

    Reply
  32. I’m a junior in high school and have been taking vyvanse everyday since 5th grade,currently I’m at 70 mg. I want to try not relaying so heavily on it. Whenever I don’t take it I have big mood swings and I feel like I’m going insane, I’ll be super hyper, eat basically everything but the kitchen sink, and then I’ll pass out for hours. I try telling myself that I need them to be normal I want to see if I can function without them but I don’t know how to cope with the effects of not taking it. Any help?

    Reply
  33. Was on Vyvanse 30 to 60 mg /day for 3 years for ADD, and it TOTALLY changed my personality. I quit because my family/ friends wanted the old me back. Boy am I glad! I lost friends and a good job while taking that crap. Did great in school, but before the amphetamines, I did great also, just had to study A LOT more ( but I’d rather have that back, and all the rest of ME!). Its been 3 weeks, and now I ease into my day.

    My energy and focus isn’t good, but I know in time it will be better. Each day is better now. Every day now (at least past the first week) is better than any day on Vyvanse, or any amphetamine for that matter. Have tried others and every time my family noticed, and encouraged me to quit them. Those meds are true poison! I could get tons done, yes, but tended to over concentrate, and could focus on anything really (whether it was boring or not). Is that how a person should live life?

    I want to know what is boring. I don’t want to go around paranoid, and like a jumped up monkey. You know but don’t want to see it. Others know, trust me. You aren’t you. You are YouVanse! The withdraw is bad, but like anything else, whether it be nicotine, weight loss, a bad marriage, fill- in -the blank…. It has to be done, and the pain felt! ADD/ADHD… learn to deal off meds. Not worth it. Be you, the real you, and not addicted to methamphetamines! You can do it, and will feel great for it!

    Reply
    • I am experiencing much of what you posted! I am so relieved. Have you experienced any weight gain? That is my biggest concern. I have been eating more, but “more” for me is what I should have been eating like all along (in moderation). I would only eat maybe one actual “meal” a day while on Vyvanse. I am active and on my feet most of the day. I am just needing someone’s personal experience with the “aftermath” of being off of Vyvanse. :) Thanks!

      Reply

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