Vyvanse and Tiredness: What Users Say

• 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."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 21, 2022

For ADHD "30 mg: I initially had immediate euphoria, sobbing in overwhelming feelings of love and happiness for several days. Gushing to family and friends about my changed life. At the same time, prompting my boyfriend to be extremely concerned that I was so “sped up,” acting and speaking like I’d had 500 cups of coffee. Sadly, positive feelings quickly faded. Within a week, I began more and more raging in violent outbursts of severe impatience, even worse than before. I became unable to smile or feel happy or loving, basically hurrying about trying to take care of things, and snapping at anyone who interfered. Sleep was also bizarre… no matter what time I took it, I would awake on the dot at the same exact hour every AM, even if I’d only been in bed a few hours, and I’d feel revved, though still exhausted. Tried half dose twice, but was just more low-grade angry all the time. Everyone kept exclaiming, “Why are you so angry?” Wrecked my relationships."

• bee...
• February 6, 2016

For ADHD "This drug is awesome. It is only my first day on it, but I have to make a review. If you suffer from both ADHD and major depression, you need to try Vyvanse. I've been on Dexedrine, Adderall XR, and Adderall IR. All of them made me tired. So tired I couldn't function. On Vyvanse, I don't get tired. Is this what life is supposed to feel like? Life is good."

• Anonymous
• March 12, 2013

For ADHD "I am a 23-year-old female, recently diagnosed with ADD. Thanks to my amazing doctor, he discovered my problem was actually not anxiety (like I've been told my entire life), but actually ADD. Makes complete sense. Always been a horrible student, and have had to work my butt off in college. Vyvanse is amazing: gives me energy, do not have to nap every day, my thoughts and emotions are very thought out, have already improved in school. I actually hear people when they talk to me now! I am much more social, relaxed, and confident. I feel like myself with Vyvanse. Only downfall - makes me really tired when it wears off in the evening and I cannot drink more than 1 or 2 cups of coffee during the day, or else I get very anxious!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2016

For ADHD "Wonderful drug. I have been on it for over six months, and it has remained consistent. I used to be on Concerta, which was okay, but I felt as if it lost its potency. Vyvanse allows me to focus and maintain concentration. It also gives me a boost of energy. At times when I have missed a dose and left the house for the day, I have felt tired and disinterested in the activities I was involved in. I have no side effects from it, but I rarely have side effects from any drug. I have read that you are not supposed to have vitamin C while on it because it can interfere with the drug's ability to metabolize in one's system. I avoid vitamin C during the day and take some at night. Take it around 8 or 9 so you can sleep at night."

• 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."

• Zac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 11, 2015

For ADHD "Started on Vyvanse after I was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 19. I had been on Strattera previously, which worked well, but I was still a bit lethargic. The first few months were great, but as the doses started increasing, I became delusional and psychotic. It got so bad at 40 mg that I thought the mafia was coming to get me, but in reality, it was just a car driving in front of my house. This drug ended up with me being sedated by the cops and being placed in the psychiatric ward for a month. The withdrawals I got from this drug were horrible, I imagine it's what it's like to quit a harder recreational drug. I know this drug works great for some people, but not for everyone. I'd be very cautious of Vyvanse if you value your sanity."

• Anonymous
• June 1, 2016

For ADHD "I have been taking Vyvanse for at least three to four years now pretty consistently. I have never written a review before on this medication because I was always in limbo about how I felt on it. I will say that Vyvanse gets the job done as far as helping focus and pay attention to tasks. I am a full-time student, and this medication has helped me jump from a 2.5 GPA to a 3.5 GPA. I have taken up to 60 mg, but I went through time periods where I would withdraw myself from it and start back up again at 30 mg. The 30 mg is way more manageable than any other dose, I think. Although this medication has positively changed my life, it has also created issues for me. I am very tired when I do not take my medicine. Even if I miss a day."

• Lad...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 23, 2013

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD when I was 21. I had failed out of university, I was unorganized, felt like a failure, and was frankly quite depressed. Vyvanse helped me focus and think more typically, and I was better able to do my schoolwork. I'm about to graduate with a GPA of 3.8, and my heart is set on a master's degree! My only issue with this medicine is the moodiness I experience when coming off from it every single evening. I try to be doing something alone at this time since it only lasts an hour or so, but I become very introverted and irritable. I also found that I'm crazy tired in the morning and sleep in. I used to be up at six thirty every morning! But the benefits far outweigh the cost."

• ADH...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 8, 2015

For ADHD "First started off on 30 mg for ADHD and OCD. I have noticed a complete 180 in just two and a half weeks and not just with concentration, but my mood of frustration and confusion. In the beginning, it did make me tired, but that has gone, and I've actually had a dose increase to 60 mg. Overall, great medication for me."

• Aug...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2020

For Binge Eating Disorder "I started Vyvanse 5 months ago 30 mg for BED (binge eating disorder). The first 2 days went absolutely amazing. It curbed my appetite, made me more hands-on and focused with my daughter. I was able to get motivated to do things. Then on day 3, it was different, the motivation stopped. I was focused so much on my phone and nothing else that playing with my daughter became difficult. I lost all my energy, I became very antisocial and withdrawn, very angry, agitated, no one could speak to me without me having an attitude. I started yelling a lot and having random fits of rage. I would feel extremely depressed and unhappy, tired and aggravated. When the medication started to wear off, I eventually went up to 40 mg in hopes that the side effects would go away, but they didn't. 5 months later, I finally told my psych I couldn't handle it anymore. My psych decided to try me on Adderall. I wouldn't recommend Vyvanse to anyone, and for those who are adamant about taking it, tread lightly. This stuff mucked around with my head and made me incredibly on edge. I'll never go back on it again."

• Zak...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2019

For ADHD "I'm still early days (less than 2 months into my prescription), and I must say it is promising. The focus this gives me is amazing, I've started on a 30 mg a day prescription, and since, I have had so many less issues with my memory and recall as my brain feels like it is functioning at a normal rate. The side effects as it wears off are not great, as another user said: tight jaw, tense jaw muscles (much like the drip/gurn on Coke XD). Appetite is nonexistent, but as long as I have my partner to remind me to eat, it shouldn't be a problem. My main issue is my prescriber messed up, and I went 10 days without it after finishing the first 28-day course, and it mucked me up. Extreme tiredness and very irritable, spiraling mood swings. Will update after this next set with more thoughts on it. Overall, an effective medication for me."

• Fra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 25, 2018

For ADHD "Has kept me balanced, focused, and energized with no noticeable decrease in efficacy at 40 mg every day for over four years. I have skipped a day occasionally and took a week off to test myself for lethargy or depressed feelings and felt very little change in mood."

• sca...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2016

For ADHD "This is a miracle pill. It has helped with everything, and I don't have an appetite hardly at all now. But after 3 weeks of being on 50 mg, it stopped working until around 3 in the afternoon, and I feel very tired. Doctor is supposed to hopefully up my dosage. But it really is the best and gives me a happy, good, energetic mood. Better than Adderall."

• Anonymous
• September 26, 2010

For ADHD "I am 44 years old and was recently diagnosed with ADD. I am a successful professional who always had to work a little harder to achieve results due to my lack of concentration and tendency toward distractions. I started taking Vyvanse and have to admit I felt like Superwoman for about a week and ranted and raved about how much I was getting done without the jittery feeling most stimulants provide. But then all in one day, I crashed. I started getting extremely agitated. I then would get so angry I would cry hysterically. I quit taking the medication, and within a few days my mood and attitude have leveled off. Although I have suffered from extreme vertigo and exhaustion since I have been off this medicine. I was on 30mg."

• 24...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 5, 2022

For ADHD "I switched to this medication from Adderall because, although Adderall helped with a lot of things, I still couldn’t focus on college studies. The higher doses of Adderall made me very, very angry, so I switched to Vyvanse, hoping to get better focus with fewer side effects. The first few days on 20 mg were productive. I noticed it didn’t really crash or have too many side effects. I was wrong. After a few days, I started feeling tired and irritable during the time it was effective and after. We decided to up the dosage to 40 mg to see if it would help. Same results as before, after a few days, I felt like crap. The 40 mg actually made me feel super depressed and have suicidal thoughts. I couldn’t feel emotions anymore besides the negative ones - like severe fatigue, hopelessness, and depression. It made me super irritable and almost like I was looking to argue with my girlfriend. It was horrible. After stopping it for a few days, I finally started feeling like myself again."

• ext...
• November 29, 2009

For ADHD "I was diagnosed three years ago with adult ADD (and I'm 46!). First, I was prescribed Adderall, but I found that even the slow-release capsule wore off quickly, leaving me exhausted and crashing at work, scarfing down cups of coffee. My doctor switched me to Vyvanse, and it's been much, much better. I am better able to focus, it lasts longer. However, it still doesn't get me through the whole day, and I find I'm extremely tired at night. Also, sometimes I get caught up in the trivial details of both work and home projects. But on the whole, I am FAR better off since I began Vyvanse. I wish that 70 mg was not the highest recommended amount, but I stick to it."

• Jua...
• February 12, 2017

For ADHD "Things to be mindful of: can cause extreme anorexia - be careful if you are struggling with anorexia or bulimia nervosa; helps reduce binge eating greatly - good for binge eating disorder and bulimia when the person is trying to correct bingeing and not abusing the drug as a way of losing weight; can cause depression, suicidal ideations, and tiredness - usually is a result of taking a dose that is too high and the symptoms usually occur once the meds start to wear off; can cause severe anxiety - taking Vyvanse at a dose that is too high can cause severe anxiety, this can usually be resolved by lowering the dose. Some of these things can be resolved by adjusting the dosage, but sometimes a specific medication doesn't work well with your body."

• pat...
• November 17, 2016

For ADHD "I started with 20 mg, and it was great, but after 5 hours, I felt that I lost the effect of the medicine. The doctor ordered 40 mg instead, and I felt depressed. Instead, I'm taking 20 mg Elvanse and 10/15 mg Adderall. I have to say that this medicine is the best ever. Side effects are dry mouth and sleep problems, and tiredness when the medicine goes away from the body. If you don't eat and drink water, you're going to feel bad, remember that. I recommend taking magnesium if you feel tension in your body and vitamin C before you go to sleep (it makes that medicine go away faster from your body). This medicine makes me focused, I do things properly, I like to talk with other people, and I feel so... quite in my head. Before, I tried Ritalin and Concerta, the worst meds."

• Pin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 29, 2018

For ADHD "I am 46 years old and was officially diagnosed with ADD last year. My doctor put me on Adderall. It worked wonders, as long as I remembered to take my second pill. Since my insurance did not cover the extended release, I was put on Vyvanse 54 mg, I think. My focus is longer-acting, which increases my functionality at work, however, the side effects have been unfavorable for me. I have headaches, diarrhea at least two times a day, nausea, extreme irritability, extreme dry mouth, gained seven pounds this month, feeling more depressed, and halfway through the day, I get very tired and feel like I am waiting for the second wave of medication to hit. My follow-up with my doctor is tomorrow, and I am going to request to go back to Adderall. I just think overall, I was a more pleasant and functional person. I do not want to try yet another ADD medication because I am scared of more side effects, and I had minimal side effects on Adderall. I am glad that Vyvanse helps some people, but it doesn’t work for everyone."

• Voi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 20, 2021

For ADHD "I get prescribed Vyvanse (40 mg) since ~ half a year. Before, I got Focalin XR (20 mg) for ~4 years but started to experience inconvenient side effects (heavy sweating, crash when the effect would fade). The first time taking Vyvanse was amazing: great mood, very focused, extremely motivated (Focalin lacked this motivation component for me). However, after several months, the effects aren’t as significant anymore, so there’s a tolerance. Also, it can make me very tired and irritated when I don't take it (not always). I started to have the same lack of focus/procrastination behavior like with Focalin again, maybe not as significant though. Sometimes I feel empty and sad too, but I don’t blame Vyvanse for this, it can have other reasons. So all in all, I’d say it’s a good medication, especially in the beginning, but it won’t do all the work for you. You’ll still have to motivate yourself after some time and 'force' yourself to discipline & focus, but it surely is still helpful."

• Anonymous
• November 7, 2011

For Narcolepsy "It's my 3rd day, and I love the fact I can function and take care of my 5-month-old without struggling. I'm on the 30 mg. The only reason I didn't give it a ten is I take it at 6 am, and by 2 pm I'm super tired again. Other than that, love it."

• Ric...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2016

For ADHD "Ok, I've been on Vyvanse for 3 years now because I've tried all the other amphetamine-based medications: Adderall, Adderall XR, etc. Vyvanse seemed to address my ADHD issues, but it's almost a year since I've lost my appetite, and most days I'll have a KIND bar in the morning, but I take my Vyvanse. It can be 8 a.m. or 11 a.m., and I still haven't been able to eat. It feels like you have the flu, and nothing seems appetizing. I take a multivitamin, B12 complex, as well as iron. I have lost weight after a year of not eating consistently, but I am tired all day, crabby, and my teeth hurt too."

• Kri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 10, 2022

For Binge Eating Disorder "I was put on Vyvanse July 1 to help with waking me up and energy. Vyvanse is an off-label treatment for narcolepsy. It helps, but it's not a cure-all, and I'm still tired much of the time, BUT it has completely eliminated my binge eating and cravings. July 1, I was 235 lb, and I'm now 190 lb and still using. Very happy with this medication for BED, but not quite as much for narcolepsy."

• run...
• October 22, 2009

For ADHD "I'm 17 and on 60 mg of Vyvanse. I weigh about 112 lbs. I don't know if it's too high a dose, but ever since I got it increased from 50 to 60 mg, I've been feeling actually tired, which is a surprise to me because it's a stimulant. I've also had more intense dizziness and headaches, and I had heart palpitations on the 50, but now they're more frequent, and chest pain, heart races, but I'm able to focus a little better."