Vyvanse and Headaches: What Users Say

• Eri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2019

For Binge Eating Disorder "I have been on Vyvanse for over a month now for BED (binge eating disorder). I am on 20 mg. The first two days of taking it, I had a headache. That has been my only negative thing. I have noticed that it has helped with my binge eating habits due to my anxiety. Also, my anxiety has decreased as well. I noticed that I am more focused on work and completing my tasks. I am having great conversations with people at work. I feel alert but not to the point where I feel like my heart is beating fast or anything like that. I feel normal, and sleeping well. I take it early in the morning and by the time I am home, I feel relaxed. I really like this medication. I suffered from depression and anxiety, and tried so many different medications with many other side effects. Vyvanse, in a good way, brought me back."

• 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."

• Mel...
• March 2, 2016

For Binge Eating Disorder "I have struggled with BED for years. I have been in therapy and tried many different coping mechanisms. I even tried joining Overeaters Anonymous. Nothing worked. I started to see a psychiatrist who tried me on an antidepressant. While I must admit I did have a general sense of feeling better, I was still binging. I have been on Vyvanse 30mg for about 6 weeks now. I have not binged in those 6 weeks! At first, I did experience headaches, nothing a Tylenol couldn't take care of. The headaches disappeared after a week. I still feel the urge to binge at times, but the Vyvanse along with the coping skills put me back in control. Thanks to this medication, I am in control of my binges and my health."

• Lin...
• November 7, 2019

For ADHD "When I started my treatment with Vyvanse for ADD, it was a blessing: for the first time I felt motivated to do great at school and have better grades because I had never felt so focused and clear-minded in my life, after years of unsuccessful treatments with Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall. But that's what happens to everyone when they're first introduced to Vyvanse, it fixes your entire life and then suddenly and surprisingly it ruins it in new ways. It's been a little more than a year since I started taking it, and it didn't take much longer for the bad effects of it to hit me: every time I consume this drug, I get depressed, I feel empty and anxious, my head hurts, and I lose all my motivation because the sadness it brings is stronger than any other positive effect it is intended to give its users. I have never been this depressed in my life, and I blame this drug for that, I mostly (if not only) feel this way when I'm on it."

• sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 23, 2017

For Binge Eating Disorder "I've struggled with binge eating and depression my entire life. I'd spend hours trying to convince myself not to binge and then ultimately do it anyway. In the past ten years, I've doubled my weight, my highest being around 260. I've been on Vyvanse for just over a week, and I no longer eat everything in sight or binge. Some days, I have to make myself eat because I don't have any interest. I also have increased energy and feel motivated to do things, which has helped my depression. If I'm not active, however, I do feel anxious. I've already lost 9 lbs, and this drug has given me the push I needed to turn my life around. I did have some side effects with blood pressure and headache, which warrants the 9/10."

• 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!!"

• 30...
• January 31, 2013

For ADHD "I am a 30-year-old woman, recently diagnosed with ADD. I always knew there was an issue there because I have always been extremely irritable/short-fused, indecisive, impatient, impulsive, forgetful, anxious, etc. I somehow busted my butt through school and even managed to get my Bachelor's degree but this came with re-reading lines of texts, taking several breaks while studying, and telling myself to focus constantly. I usually stare at someone talking but don't know what was said because I was thinking of something else completely. I couldn't remember movies or conversations to save my life. Docs said it was anxiety and increased the dose constantly. At 30mg and 4 days on Vyvanse, I feel great. Only headaches here and there but I'm hopeful!"

• Jea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2020

For ADHD "I am in my thirties, and Vyvanse was the first drug I tried for ADHD. At 20 mg, it was great for my symptoms, but only until about noon. Over a couple of weeks, I went to 30 mg and 40 mg. It was less helpful as I stepped up the dose, and I started getting terrible headaches in the evening. I will be trying something else."

• Rrr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2022

For Binge Eating Disorder "I was given a diagnosis of binge eating disorder and an unofficial diagnosis of ADHD, the first week was a little rough. I was getting headaches for a few days and felt very tired around dinner time. However, that went away after a week. I was also experiencing a coldness sensitivity on my skin that made my skin feel sensitive to the touch, and that went away after the first month. It would only last for a few hours each night, so it didn't bother me much. I weighed 160 lbs. I was dieting but uncontrollably eating everything at night when I was alone, no matter how full I got. I just couldn't say no, I couldn't stop myself. I would always feel depressed and disgusted the next day and diet and say I'd never do it again, and it just kept happening every day. But ever since starting Vyvanse, I've stopped binge eating completely, and I'm now 138 lbs. I've only been taking it for almost 3 months. It's also made me feel calmer and able to listen to conversations."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 6, 2023

For ADHD "I took Vyvanse for about a year but had something similar since I was about 8-10 (15 now). I used to be a super happy and respectful little girl. This drug drained me of my personality. It made me a walking nightmare of anger and depression. I even attempted suicide on this drug. I experienced severe confusion and dizziness at times. I still have poor coordination (started a little while after I started taking it), and there have been days at a time when the thought of food made me sick, so I just didn't eat, making me actually sick. I always got random feelings of nausea and headaches, as well as hypersensitivity. My personal belief is that people under 18 (or people unable to decide for themselves) should not be prescribed this drug unless 100% necessary. I made it very clear that I didn't want to take it but was not taken seriously because I am a minor. I have been off of it for some time now, and I'm slowly making progress toward a better me."

• Wif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2014

For ADHD "I have been on Vyvanse for 2 months now and started at 30 mg. That did nothing at all. Then I upped it to 40 mg. I have headaches constantly, no appetite, and constant mood swings. I'll go from happy to crying to just plain mean within minutes. If I'm not having mood swings, then I'm pretty much emotionless. I also have manic depression and a severe anxiety disorder. Vyvanse has done nothing but make my depression and anxiety worse, and now it's causing marital problems."

• Cou...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 26, 2023

For Binge Eating Disorder "Starting side effects: It was incredible for the first couple of months. Pounds dropped off due to Vyvanse and my work schedule. It made me feel nauseous some days early on. Horrible headache the first couple of days. Fast heart rate when it kicked in. Very intense focus and euphoric feeling. 1 year side effects: I still have an increased heart rate when it kicks in. I can feel the effects fully for about an hour, and a slow gentle “come down” for the next couple of hours. Not a euphoric feeling anymore, but I do feel motivated and focused. I feel like it has little effect on my appetite anymore, however. Overall: I’ll still continue to take it, even if it doesn’t help with binge eating as much. It still helps with depression to be able to have motivation and focus to complete tasks. Advice: Don’t let the weight dropping off at first let you think it won’t come back. Use that as motivation to start a healthier diet and exercise routine."

• Gin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2019

For ADHD "Honestly, I have unbearable ADHD that I have never treated in my 30 years of life. Finally took action 6 weeks ago - Vyvanse, 40 mgs morning for the last 6 weeks. Now I am also 'fine-tuning' with 20 mgs 12 pm due to severe crashing, causing me to slur my words because of how bad the drowsiness is. I told my doc I have also had diarrhea for 4 weeks, apparently, it's anxiety causing this. I am so depressed. I had my first nervous breakdown ever during week 2, I feel disassociated - like I am seeing my memories as someone else's. I have lost 25 pounds in the 6 weeks. I feel nauseous, can't get up in the morning, headaches, incessant thinking. So many cons. Only pro is that I am less impulsive. That's it. My quality of life is even worse now. Everything seemed great the first week, though. Will try taking 20 mgs in the morning like week 1. If this doesn't work, getting a new doc that actually listens to me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 28, 2014

For ADHD "Vyvanse has changed my life in the best way! It's almost like a motivation pill. I can spend 12 hours in the library at a time studying, with little distractions. I made a 4.0 my first semester of college. I used to always want to work hard and study, but could never quite pull it together, and with Vyvanse I can! The only downside is the dehydration. Remember to drink lots of water, or you will get headaches!"

• Ean...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 1, 2019

For ADHD "I’ve been on Vyvanse daily for the past 8 years (recently, my doctor has added 10 mg of Zenzedi in the afternoon). Vyvanse has truly been a godsend for my ADHD. I also have anxiety, which causes even menial tasks to seem unbearable. With Vyvanse, daily life tasks are not only easier to complete, they are easier to begin. Prior to Vyvanse, I tried Ritalin and Focalin (gave me horrible anxiety and agitation), Strattera caused me to lose an unhealthy amount of weight, Adderall gave me headaches and plunged me into a depression as it would wear off."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2009

For ADHD "Vyvanse has worked great for me. Before I started taking the medication, I was like a walking zombie. I was zoned out about 90% of the day. Since I have started Vyvanse, I can tell a huge difference, and so can my family and friends. They say that I am more talkative and a great listener now and that I also seem much happier. The only downfall of this medication is some of the side effects, such as loss of appetite and sometimes I get headaches. I think I can deal with the side effects."

• Sta...
• April 26, 2014

For ADHD "It's good during the day for my attention, but I have to force myself to eat. I've had bad headaches, probably from not eating enough. Also, as the evening progresses, I notice I start feeling moody and depressed. I sometimes cry over the silliest things. I also notice my appetite comes back later in the night as well, which could turn into a bad thing with weight gain. Normally, I can't fall asleep till around 2-3 a.m. every night. I know there seems to be more cons than pros, but overall, I rate Vyvanse a 7 due to the fact my mind isn't all over the place, when someone is talking to me, I'm actually listening. I seem to be in a better mood during the day, nighttime is my downfall!"

• 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!"

• alv...
• September 4, 2013

For ADHD "My child is a young teen girl with autism or Asperger's, recently diagnosed with ADHD due to impulsivity. Very bright and attentive normally, but trouble with transitions, outbursts, interrupting, slow processing speed, getting agitated and not being able to calm down, lack of awareness of surroundings, misunderstanding others' signals, sensory overload. Responding well to Vyvanse 30 mg. Easier transitions, speaks more fluently without stammering, less agitated, less angry, much more cooperative and calm, able to converse without interrupting or changing topics, happier, feels better about self. Side effects are dizziness with exertion, worst when changing position from sitting to standing, needs more sleep, mild headaches, weight loss."

• CAN...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2021

For Binge Eating Disorder "I gained 55 lbs in 9 months and was only diagnosed 4 days ago with BED and ADHD. The dr put me on Vyvanse, and I am already down 8 lbs in 3 days. I haven't had the urge to binge, and I haven't even taken my as per needed anxiety medication in 3 days! I am on the lowest dose, and I also feel like I have been better focused at work. I wasn't expecting weight loss, I was honestly just desperate to stop binge eating. I guess I will see where 30 days takes me as I check back in with my dr then. No stomach upset, no headaches, actually no side effects yet, other than the good ones! I even sleep fine, my mind isn't racing, and despite the warnings, I fall asleep faster, just a little later than normal. I feel good. And it's been a long time."

• 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."

• Que...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 28, 2016

For ADHD "At first, I felt like it was a miracle pill. THE PROS: I could finally focus. I got things done. My grades improved extremely. I'd feel so happy, I wanted to talk to everyone about everything. THE CONS (These are the side effects that came after taking it for a year or so): I'm not the same person anymore. I only care about what I'm focused on doing. I'm not fun and happy anymore. I don't like to joke around. I'm constantly anxious. It makes me obsess over everything. Terrible headaches. Beyond exhausted and light-headed for the first few hours. No appetite. Can't sleep without medicine. In the middle of doing things, it's like my brain just freezes for a minute. Worst of all, I feel addicted to it, and I don't enjoy time with my children and loved ones like I used to."

• HMH...
• October 30, 2018

For ADHD "Began 20 mg on Wed. 10/24 at 9 a.m. First day fine - didn't feel as anxious as I have been on Ritalin 10 mg 2x/day. My doctor said it maybe would work because it's slow-releasing compared to Ritalin's immediate release. Thurs. awoke with a headache. Took another 20 mg Vyvanse at 9 a.m. Headache disappeared and focus was good through my 10 a.m. class, but by 1 p.m. felt very anxious. Went home at 5 p.m. Felt so emotional, kept crying. Kept thinking about everything that has happened in my life. Trouble falling asleep. Took doses Fri., Sat., & Sun. at 9 a.m., but by Sun. my emotions were so unbearable I went off Vyvanse on Mon. 10/29. Had wheezing/breathing trouble and brain zaps. Took Ritalin instead because of all these. Wish Vyvanse was a miracle drug for me, but it's not. Tried many different drugs. I'm overwhelmed but went back to my doctor, who prescribed Zoloft for the anxiety. Began 10 mg today. Doctor said to stick through the next 2 weeks and call him if I feel suicidal. Just sensitive to meds. Be very careful."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 5, 2013

For ADHD "I am a 17-year-old junior, and I started taking Vyvanse in 9th grade. I'm not saying it doesn't work because I went from an average student to where B's are a disappointment to my mom. But I haven't had much of a social life anymore, the people at my lunch table think I'm anorexic, and I don't sleep most nights. I get headaches constantly, and I'm tired of this. I tried other medicines, but my mom said nothing works as well."

• 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."