Vyvanse and Dry Mouth: What Users Say

• Nie...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 14, 2014

For ADHD "I was not officially diagnosed with ADD until I was 30 years old. I have been on Vyvanse for over 10 years now. I have had to increase my dose from 30 to 50 and have now been at 60 for over a year. Sometimes I feel it causes irritability, but other than that, only dry mouth. It has definitely helped with my attention disorder. It initially made me lose 10 lbs and then leveled out. I have always been athletic except when my chronic pain is too bad. My son has ADHD and took Concerta for about 2 years. It helped tremendously with his anger, outbursts, and grades. I only wish that my parents had me tested when I was younger as we did for my son. It would have taken away a lot of heartache! My daughter never suffered, thankfully."

• alw...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 12, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I just turned 30 and had been struggling with binging for a few years. Over the last year, it got totally out of control. Food consumed my life, and I was easily going on 3-4,000 calorie binges every night. It was just my routine. Therapy, meditation, exercise - nothing could break the cycle. I heard about Vyvanse and talked to my doctor. Because of how rapidly I was gaining weight and how out of control I was, he happily prescribed it. Honestly, it was hard at first - it made me feel sedated and tired, and I had headaches and dry mouth. But the binging was gone from day one. My dosage is leveled out now, my body has adjusted, and I have lost 25 lbs in 6 weeks. It has changed my life for the better! I have no emotional connection to food now."

• Dia...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 27, 2020

For Binge Eating Disorder "I was bulimic for 5.5 years and after Vyvanse, I was able to quit. I had a hard time eating healthy without constantly having cravings like crazy. I've taken Vyvanse since 2007 now. Back then, it was sold as an ADHD drug only. My coworker used it and it curbed her appetite. So I got a prescription, and it was a life changer! I still ate, but good food. It only curbed the bad cravings! As for side effects, dry mouth is really the only thing. I still need 2 alarms to wake up when my doctor asked if I'd be able to sleep. No mood changes or anything else. Most mild drug other than what it's supposed to do! I love Vyvanse!"

• Jay...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2019

For ADHD "I have taken Vyvanse for ADHD for 4 years-amazing! 30 mg at 5am and 30 mg at 2pm on my 12-hour shift, never on weekends. I am a 35-year-old otherwise healthy female. Initial weight loss from 140 to 130 but stopped there. Never tired, clear thinking. I have to remember to drink water because my job involves a lot of talking, and dry mouth is huge, and sometimes sweating (learned to wear T-shirts and dress lighter). Recently decided to take time off because I wonder about long-term effects, but I think after four years I’ve lost many of the natural strategies I developed and was much more all over the place than I remember in university... very frustrating, so I started again. I will always take med breaks, though, because I don’t want to develop tolerance-I also love my many qualities of having ADHD. I’ve read a lot of comments about pains, aches, and emotions-not experienced this in four years... everyone is so different, and what works for some just doesn’t for others."

• the...
• March 25, 2009

For ADHD "42-year-old male recently diagnosed with ADD (no hyperactivity). Vyvanse is the only medication I've tried and I'm reasonably happy with it. Started 30 mg for 2 weeks. Felt a little jittery and had a funny taste in my mouth. Increased to 70 mg. No longer feel jittery, no funny taste, but my mouth is always dry so I drink a lot of water. Vyvanse seems to help me get more done. I can't say I'm more focused, but I am more motivated, so the end result is more productivity, though not always directed in the best place. It decreased my appetite, so it was easier to switch to a healthier diet. Lost more than 25 lbs. in the first 3 months, which has also helped increase self-esteem, motivation, and energy level."

• Amm...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 29, 2019

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD and PTSD (resulting in extreme panic attacks) about 7 years ago. I went down the line, starting with antidepressants, then Adderall, and finally, Vyvanse. I had a hard time with Adderall as I felt the jolt after taking it daily, even with XR, and I broke out with these horrible cyst-like pimples. My psychologist had heard of Vyvanse and recommended changing. I started with a low dose of 20mg and finally ended up with 60mg XR daily. It has been a life-changer for me. I take one pill first thing in the morning and that's all she wrote ☺. I haven't had a panic attack since I started them. My Dr. encourages me to go on 'drug holidays' monthly, which keeps me from going up in dosage. I will say, if you go without them longer than about 5 days, there are the side effects of dry mouth and tension headaches which reside by day 3. Good luck, and I do recommend for ADHD!!"

• Pet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2015

For Binge Eating Disorder "Vyvanse has been a miraculous drug for me. I have been binging/dieting/binging/dieting for the last 40 years. During my last diet, I managed to lose 80 pounds and felt great, but almost as soon as I hit my goal, I started binging again, sometimes 6 days a week. Very quickly, I regained 15 pounds. I asked my doctor about Vyvanse, and he (rather reluctantly) prescribed it. Well, those endless obsessions about food are just gone. I don't worry about what I'm going to eat for my next meal. I've always had a problem with Thanksgiving, worrying about what I will eat WEEKS in advance. The only side effect is dry mouth."

• Suz...
• January 13, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I've had a lifelong experience (I'm 45 now) of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating. This medication has helped me tremendously. Side effects at first were feeling high and running around 100 mph everywhere. I took Xanax as prescribed (I've been taking it for 20 years) and it curbed that feeling within days. I experience dry mouth at times, so I just drink lots of water (which is great for us anyway, right?). I don't think about food like I used to, in fact, there are times I forget to eat. I love the medication because it also makes me feel in a very good mood and not uptight about the little things. I take 30 mg at 9 am and 30 mg at 5 pm because it wears off after 6 hours for me. So long to discover, but worth the wait!"

• 26y...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 12, 2017

For ADHD "First I want to say that everyone is different and not everyone reacts the same to medication. I started with Concerta, it didn't work for me at all. I didn't feel like myself, it took over my personality, and I started to have heavy anxiety, panic attacks, antisocial behavior, and paranoia. Then I got Vyvanse, and it's life-changing. It doesn't feel like I'm on a prescription. It's more a tool that helps me get through everyday life. I'm much calmer, I can concentrate on one thing at a time. I get so much more done, and I feel like I'm at peace with my mind. My patience has improved, I'm less impulsive, and I can sit for a long time straight without feeling bubbly or restless. Side effects: dry mouth, no appetite. But eat and eat smart, it gets back."

• pop...
• March 10, 2014

For ADHD "I have been on Vyvanse for almost 2 years and have had no major symptoms. I had a dry mouth, but that pretty much subsided. I did lose about 30 lbs, but I'm 5'9" and was weighing about 240 lbs, so it wasn't as bad a thing. I have ADHD, I started this medicine when I was almost 40. I'm almost 42 and really have had a great experience. My son is on it for ADD, and my daughter for ADHD. She was just tested and accepted into the gifted program, and he is 2 years younger and has had significant improvements in his grades and behavior. I would recommend."

• Ali...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 20, 2014

For ADHD "I'm 19 years old, 4'11, small-framed, and I weigh 85 pounds. I didn't notice a great change in weight when I stopped it for one whole summer when I was 11. I just gained 4 more pounds. Nonetheless, I'm not underweight, bulimic, or anorexic. I've always been thin and petite. I'm on 60 mg of Vyvanse for ADHD currently, but I've been prescribed it for a while. What can I say about this medicine? It's great! Yes, it suppresses the appetite a little, and sometimes I have to force myself to eat. This medication doesn't alter my personality, oddly, like Adderall. I'm still me, just more focused. My only complaint is that it mostly wears off in the evening when I need focus. I'm a singer too, so dry mouth is a side effect that I could do without."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2016

For ADHD "Vyvanse has changed my life. I went from being a failing student to having grades above 90% in only a few weeks. These past 3 1/2 weeks have been the most productive weeks of my life. However, this med does come with a downside. Some side effects I experienced have been loss of appetite, dry mouth, trouble staying asleep, as well as some minor OCD. The OCD is really the only side effect that has been bothering me, when I have paper in front of me and I'm writing, I will constantly keep erasing what I wrote and writing it back down until it looks perfect, which I've never done before in my life. As for social anxiety, I actually feel more confident going outside, my brain feels slowed down when working, and I don't zone out anymore. 9.5/10"

• JPT...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 1, 2022

For ADHD "I've been on Vyvanse for 12 years now, and it's done nothing but positive things for me. Normally, I'm a scatterbrained mess due to ADHD, but Vyvanse has allowed me to live a productive and wonderful life. Not sure where I would be without it. I've only had to raise my dose once in the 12 years that I've been on it, and only because I started an anxiety drug that slightly diminished its effects. Started at 40 mg daily, now at 50 mg daily. The only lingering side effects have been minor: decreased appetite in the mornings (I take my pill with breakfast to help with that), dry mouth in the mornings, and increased libido (girlfriend loves that, as do I, so I'd say it's a positive!). I highly recommend Vyvanse for ADHD. It is a life changer. The only downside is that it is incredibly expensive, even with insurance. The out-of-pocket cost is insane, so if you don't have insurance, good luck."

• Sho...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 7, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I have been taking Vyvanse for about 6 months now. It is working really well for my binge eating disorder. I think I binged one time since taking this, and most days I consume less than 1,200 calories. It hasn't taken away my appetite completely, but it has decreased it by a lot. I was able to lose 17 lbs and plan on losing more. The side effects for me have been dry mouth and just a slight bit of agitation in the mornings, but I take the pill in halves throughout the day to maximize its usefulness. I am prescribed 70 mg and open the pill to add half the powder to a drink around 12 pm, then eat the other half about 4. This way it will not wear off and helps me not binge all day."

• mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 2, 2016

For ADHD "This medication saved my life! Better than any antidepressant I've ever tried (and I've tried a lot). Currently on it to help with my ADHD and manic depression (bipolar 2). Side effects are small and definitely worth it (to me, at least). Dry mouth and decrease in appetite. I've also lost 40 pounds since I've been on it (went from 182 pounds to *currently* 142 pounds)."

• Anonymous
• March 3, 2008

For ADHD "I'm a 43-year-old female with ADHD. I tried other medications but hated the up and down jittery feelings. I started Vyvanse 30mg 6 months ago and have since moved up to 70mg. This medication has significantly improved my concentration and focus. The only downsides are dry mouth and it doesn't last the full 12 hours as stated, I get about 8 hours of effectiveness. Even my daughters started Vyvanse, one on 50mg. My 15-year-old's grades have improved, and my 20-year-old commented, 'If this is how normal people focus and think, I'm jealous.' Overall, Vyvanse has been a wonderful help :)"

• Tm5...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 8, 2019

For ADHD "I was prescribed Vyvanse in high school for ADD. I always had a really hard time paying attention in class, and Vyvanse helped a lot. My grades went up, and schoolwork became easy. However, there were various bad side effects: extremely dry mouth, weight loss, trouble sleeping, and the worst of all, mood swings. During the day, I would be fine and very productive, however, at night, when it started to wear off, I would get extremely depressed and even, at times, have increased really dark thoughts. They call this “Vyvanse crash,” and it is no joke. This became a big problem. I loved Vyvanse because I was able to get so much done, but the mood swings made it unbearable. I am now a college student and no longer take Vyvanse consistently. It is great for concentration problems and ADD, but beware of the dosage of the Vyvanse and the possible side effects that may occur. There are also studies that show it can be very addicting."

• lam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 19, 2016

For ADHD "After years of trying both stimulants and non-stimulants for my ADHD, Vyvanse has been a game changer. It's helped me to actually start LIVING life! Previously, I had the best results while on Adderall, however, the mid-afternoon 'crash' left me irritable, moody, and feeling like my ADHD was, in a sense, magnified. Thank goodness Shire (developers of Adderall) set out to fix the negative side effects (or at least attempt to), but keep the positives. For me, the dry mouth is way more intense than with other stimulants. I have also noticed a drastic decline in sex drive. I would not be able to afford Vyvanse (I don't have insurance) if it were not for the Shire Cares patient assistance program."

• Hoo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 1, 2021

For ADHD "Age 47. Diagnosed age 4 with ADHD. On Ritalin until age 16. Begged the doctor to take me off. Back on at about age 35. Started with Vyvanse 20 MG. Over 15 years, have gradually increased. Just went to 50 mg this week. Love that I can choose not to take it on the weekend if I don't need it. I have never lost weight with it, but then I have been a moderate eater most of my life. It gives me just enough calm to focus and get through the day, feeling normal. I can tell when the dose no longer is enough, I start to become more forgetful, anxious, fidgety, and quick to stress react. I figure I have another 20 years until retirement and hope to continue on this until then. No side effects other than dry mouth. Oh, it does not constipate me, like others. It actually helps keep me regular."

• Anonymous
• July 21, 2015

For ADHD "I have been taking this medicine since I was in the 6th grade! I am now 22 years old. This medicine made me feel like I could actually sit in class without falling asleep or not being able to concentrate. It's a great feeling to actually get everything done. Yes, it does cause dry mouth, and you may not eat like you used to. However, you have to make yourself eat something, otherwise, you can cause your blood sugar to drop, which would cause headache and nausea. With time, you do get used to the medicine, and you will get your appetite back. I'm on 50 mg. On days I don't take it, I'm like a walking zombie, I don't feel like doing anything, I can't concentrate, and I will most likely eat all day long. I'm more active when I do take it! I love it!"

• TC8...
• December 8, 2017

For Binge Eating Disorder "So far, so good. I'm not having any side effects but dry mouth, which I combat with gum. The medication makes me almost completely disinterested in food, so I am being very careful with meal planning to make sure that I eat enough and the right foods. I've lost 11 lbs this month. I'll probably only use the medication long enough to really change my eating habits and then get off of it, but it really does work. It's more than the binge eating, though. This medication makes me feel very positive, and I'm pretty sure it has prevented the deaths of a couple of coworkers, lol. I'll miss that part!"

• Lre...
• December 29, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I am using Vyvanse to help me lose weight. I have been on it for about 3 weeks. Positive: loss of appetite, doesn't make you feel jittery or nervous, more focused, increased energy. Weight loss about 5#, but it is the holidays. Neg: back acne (never had acne before starting), you have to make yourself eat and drink, headaches at the end of the day, dry mouth, if you take too late in the day, you won't be able to sleep."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2015

For ADHD "There are many positives such as motivation and a brief period of content, but there are also many negatives: rapid heartbeat, chest pains, weight loss, dizziness, dry mouth. When the medicine kicks in, I feel this amazing sense of being content, no matter what I'm doing at the time, I just feel happy, but soon feel an extreme sadness and despair when it wears off because I wonder why I can't be happy anymore. I also become extremely irritable, anxious, and restless. I continue to take this medication because it helps me get things done and focus, but the negative impact is extremely hard on me and affects my mental and physical health greatly. Most common side effects for me are chest pains, sadness, rapid mood change, headache, and loss."

• Anonymous
• May 29, 2008

For ADHD "Wow, what a difference maker. I am a young male (30ish) and have found that Vyvanse has been such a life changer. I am getting so much more done at work. When I go home at night, I find myself enjoying my time with my children more. I am not getting the crash effect I was experiencing with other medicines. That reason alone is so worth it. I have not had any side effects, well, maybe minor dry mouth, but it lasts me 12-13 hours. It is truly an awesome medication. I would recommend it."

• Drj...
• June 24, 2015

For ADHD "Been diagnosed with severe ADHD as a child on all the generic medications: Ritalin, Adderall, Adderall XR. Decided to run my life without it and did well for a while until I became 25. As you get older, ADHD changes and involves more depression, emotion, and anger while still keeping your energy level and craziness. Vyvanse was prescribed at a low dose, and it is clearly night and day on it. Emotions are manageable, and my mind is clear. One thought at a time. The lights in our mind do go out a tad. It's not so exciting in your own head anymore, but you do gain a sense of control that is, with ADHD, you don't even know exists. Some dry mouth, and it will keep you up at night if you take it too late. But that's to be expected from amphetamines. Some loss of appetite."