Vyvanse is a medicine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adults. It’s also used to treat binge eating disorder (BED) in adults. It’s a type of stimulant medication and works by increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain. This can help improve focus and decrease impulsive behaviours like spending money or eating food on impulse. Vyvanse is available as capsules or chewable tablets and comes in several strengths. Your doctor will prescribe the smallest dosage that is needed to provide the right effect for you. The most commonly prescribed strengths are 10 milligrams (mg), 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, and 70 mg. Your doctor will start you on a low dose and then gradually increase the dosage. They will do this until they find the right one for you.
This medicine can cause serious side effects, including heart problems. It can also affect growth in children. Your child’s height and weight should be checked often while taking Vyvanse. Call your HCP if your child’s growth is slower than expected while taking this medicine. It can also cause circulation problems in the fingers and toes (Peripheral Vasculopathy, including Raynaud’s phenomenon). This may lead to numbness, coolness, pain, or changes in skin color (pale, blue, red, and purple). Tell your HCP if you or your child notice any unexplained wounds or gangrene in the fingers or toes while taking this medicine.
Serious side effects from Vyvanse are not common, but they can happen. If you or your child have any of the following severe side effects, call your doctor right away:
agitated behaviour (restless, anxious, aggressive, emotional, and feeling not like yourself) and suicidal thoughts and actions.
It is important to avoid consuming caffeine while you’re taking vyvanse. This is because it can interact with the medication and cause harmful effects. Caffeine is found in foods such as chocolate, coffee, tea, soda, and some over-the-counter and prescription medicines. It can also be found in certain weight loss supplements and energy drinks.
This medication can increase the risk of seizures in some people, including people with a history of epilepsy or other seizure disorders. If you or your child have a history of seizures, talk to your doctor before you take Vyvanse.
Before you take Vyvanse, tell your doctor if you are allergic to it or any other medications. Also tell them if you have any other health conditions, such as heart disease or a family history of it, or if you smoke. Finally, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine can pass into breast milk and harm an unborn baby.
Tell your doctor about all of the medicines you or your child are taking, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Some medicines can react with Vyvanse and cause a serious problem called serotonin syndrome. This includes isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, and tranylcypromine. vyvanse 50 mg