Vyvanse is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor. This medication is in a class of drugs known as stimulants. It works by changing the amounts of certain chemicals in the brain. This increases focus and energy, allowing you to concentrate better and complete tasks more quickly and efficiently.
This medicine comes in capsule form. It is usually taken once per day in the morning with a glass of water or milk. If you have difficulty swallowing the capsule, you can open it and sprinkle the contents into a glass of liquid. Mix well and drink immediately. It is important to not save the medication for later use. If you have any questions about this, talk with your child’s doctor or pharmacist.
Mild side effects of this medication usually occur within the first few weeks of treatment and typically dissipate with continued use. Your child’s doctor will monitor your child’s progress and may switch your child to a lower dose after a few weeks.
You should inform your doctor of any mental (psychiatric) problems that you or your child has, including a history of depression or bipolar illness; new or worse behavior and thought problems; hearing voices or seeing things that are not real; or manic symptoms. You should also tell your HCP if you or your child is pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Vyvanse can cause harm to an unborn baby.
A potentially life-threatening problem called serotonin syndrome may happen if this medicine is combined with some other medicines. Tell your doctor or pharmacist before taking Vyvanse with any other prescription or nonprescription medicines, vitamins, or supplements, especially those that contain caffeine. Some examples of these include SSRIs, MAOIs, or other antidepressants, SNRIs, or other medications that affect serotonin levels. Symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include agitation, hallucinations, high body temperature (hyperthermia), fast heartbeat, involuntary muscle twitching, changes in blood pressure, tremors, seizures, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Serious side effects from Vyvanse aren’t common, but can be serious. Your doctor will carefully evaluate your or your child’s risk for drug abuse and dependence before prescribing it and will monitor you or your child while taking it. You should not take Vyvanse if you have a history of drug misuse or addiction or a family history of these problems.
Your doctor should also check you or your child for signs of heart problems before and during treatment with this medication. These can include a family history of heart disease, heart problems or stroke; a family history of high blood pressure; or other health problems such as liver or kidney disease.
If you or your child is taking this medication to treat ADHD, your doctor will likely start you on a low dose of 30 mg once daily and increase your dose weekly by 20 mg until you reach 70 mg per day. If you or your child have BED, your doctor will prescribe a higher starting dose and may change the dosage to 70 mg per day in increments of 10 to 15 mg each week until you reach the desired effect. vyvanse 50 mg