Vyvanse addiction treatment that actually works

Vyvanse is a prescription medication often prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and binge eating disorder. It is an amphetamine and central nervous system stimulant.

The active ingredient in Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine, which is a stimulant drug similar to Adderall.

Vyvanse may improve focus for people with inattentive ADHD (or ADD) and decrease impulsivity and hyperactive behavior — which are typical symptoms for many ADHD patients.

Like most stimulant ADHD medication, Vyvanse works by increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter, increases alertness and attention. Dopamine is a chemical that’s found naturally in the brain and is responsible for feelings of pleasure, but also helps increase your ability to focus.

Together, these substances help those with ADHD by improving their attention span, ability to concentrate, and impulse control.

Vyvanse is only available in time-release formulation. Its effects typically begin around 1-2 hours after ingestion and last for 10-15 hours, depending on things like body chemistry and how much of the drug a person takes.

After that, Vyvanse is detectable in blood for 6-8 hours. It is detectable in urine for around 3-5 days (again depending on factors like body chemistry and dose), and it is detectable in hair for around a month.

Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) and Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) are very similar. Both are central nervous system stimulants approved to treat ADHD. Adderall can be obtained in a generic version that’s relatively inexpensive, but Vyvanse is only available as brand-name.

Both drugs are classified as Schedule II controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and can only be obtained with a prescription from a physician. The federal government considers both of these drugs to have a significant potential for physical dependence in people who use them and are high-risk potential drugs of abuse.

Adderall comes in an immediate-release form and an extended-release form, while Vyvanse only comes in extended-release. The duration of action for the immediate-release version of Adderall is about 4–6 hours, while the extended-release version lasts about 12 hours. The duration of effects for Vyvanse is about 10–13 hours, though some studies report it is up to 14 hours.

The main difference between the two medications is that Vyvanse is a prodrug, which is a substance that is inactive in the system until enzymes in the body metabolize it and convert it into the active medication. Vyvanse can only be taken orally, whereas Adderall can be ground up and snorted or mixed with water and injected. It also means that the side effects from Vyvanse are considered to be less harsh than with Adderall, and Vyvanse has a lower risk of abuse. In addition, prodrugs like Vyvanse are believed to be absorbed much more efficiently and smoothly due to their biochemistry. When the drug wears off, it is believed to produce fewer negative effects.

Like all prescription medications, Vyvanse may cause negative side effects even when taking it correctly. The most common side effects associated with Vyvanse include:

• Decreased appetite
• Dry mouth
• Feeling irritable or anxious
• Dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Sleep problems
• Blood circulation problems in your fingers and toes

More serious side effects can include:

• Hallucinations, or seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
• Delusions, or believing things that aren’t true
• Paranoia, or having strong feelings of suspicion
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Heart attack, stroke, and sudden death (your risk of these problems is higher if you have heart problems or heart disease)

Like other stimulant drugs such as cocaine and meth, misusing Vyvanse is illegal and can have dangerous medical consequences. Taking an excessive amount of Vyvanse or mixing it with other substances such as alcohol or sedatives can result in a life-threatening overdose.

Signs and symptoms of Vyvanse overdose include:

• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Paranoia
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Heart attack, stroke, and sudden death (your risk of these problems is higher if you have heart problems or heart disease)
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Cramps in your abdomen
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Convulsions or coma

Vyvanse can cause feelings of euphoria or intense happiness when taken in large doses, and as such, has a high potential for abuse and addiction. Some people misuse the drug to get more of these effects, and this overuse often leads to dependence.

With physical and psychological dependence, users need to take Vyvanse just to feel normal. This leads to intense craving for the drug and can drive users to lose control of their actions as they try to acquire more of it. Once someone reaches this point, discontinuing the drug causes withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms can vary in severity and duration depending on the amount of Vyvanse taken and duration of use. Some people use stimulants to counteract the drowsiness or “down” caused by sleeping pills or alcohol. The “up/down” cycle is extremely dangerous and hard on the body.

Stimulant withdrawal can produce profound loss of energy and very intense cravings, which frequently results in relapse back to illicit drug use and even death.

Vyvanse withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Disorientation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Chronic fatigue
• Abnormally long sleep patterns
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression

The type of prescription stimulant used, along with how much and for how long, can greatly affect how long it takes for withdrawal symptoms to subside.

Symptoms during the first week (known as the acute withdrawal phase, or crash) are typically the most difficult. After that, minor symptoms like anxiety and depression, as well as cravings for the drug, may persist for several (3-4) weeks if you’ve been taking Vyvanse for a long time.