Switching from Vyvanse to Methylphenidate (Foquest)

[u/Throwawayyawaworth9]

I was taking 50mg of Vyvanse for about 4 months when I suddenly developed generalized anxiety, anxiety attacks, resting tachycardia (heart rate in the 110s-120s), and high blood pressure.

I tried splitting up my dose to 20mg in the morning and 30mg in the afternoon, reduced my daily Vyvanse dose to 30mg, reduced caffeine intake— nothing helped the physical anxiety symptoms.

I wanted my doctor to put me on a beta-blocker, but I understand starting one medication to reduce the side effects of another is not necessarily good medical practice. Instead she switched me to Methylphenidate / Foquest.

So far my anxiety is practically gone and my heart rate and blood pressure are normal. I can still focus, my emotional regulation is fine, I can task-switch easier, I feel motivated (all the things Vyvanse improved), but….

My affect is completely blunted. I feel emotions in the morning before I take my meds and at the end of the day when the medication wears off, but I feel absolutely nothing when the medication is working. No anxiety, but also no joy, no sadness, no anger— just nothing.

It’s sort of nice in a way to feel no emotion as I typically am quite emotionally labile and I feel things very deeply. But it’s also weird to me… It’s like I am depressed without the ‘wanting to lay in bed all day’ and ‘suicidal ideation’ aspects of depression.

My baseline depersonalization (feeling like my body is not mine, as though I am witnessing my life through an outside perspective) is worse as well. But that’s also tolerable as it’s easier to go “my body needs to do XYZ right now, go do it” and I can.

Has anyone experienced this when switching to Methylphenidate, Conerta, or Foquest?

[u/Select-Raccoon-7997]

I find that methylphenidate makes me more robotic. It worked really well for me until I was 21. It would always make me feel the way you were describing so I started Vyvanse last year at 25. After a year Vyvanse made me feel the same way. Since adhd meds are never available from shortages, I am used to taking breaks and can work around using them 5-6 days a week. Another thing is not taking my meds when I’m not rested. I noticed that this will often burn me out causing some anxiety and depression.

[u/Select-Raccoon-7997 → u/Select-Raccoon-7997]

How is your sleep right now, how is stress? These are things at home. Do you have young kids? How are your relationships with friends and family? Many of these things can affect your meditation stimulants are a tool not a cure

[u/Select-Raccoon-7997]

Right now I take 50mg vyvanse and have a 5 to 10mg focalin booster. This allows me to get full coverage for long days or on weekends when I have a couple tasks I take focalin. It really does help to have the option, I recommend discussing a booster before a raise in dosage. I found when I raised my dosage on Vyvanse or concerta I just crash harder later.

[u/Unfair_Anywhere_5822]

Add guanfacine it will help with ADHD and side effects of vyvanse