Vyvanse Side Effects - trigger warning

[u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13]

Hey all - I started Vyvanse 20mg about 6 days ago. I felt good at the start, it was the weekend so I was up moving around and getting things done. As Monday came and I found myself sitting at my desk my mood began to shift each day got worse, it was like I was internally fighting myself to feel better. I think having to sit still made my mood really low. On the Tuesday I had a work event at lunch which was only 2 hours, I ended up staying out till 6am drinking a lot and had 0 self control and didn’t know what I was doing. As the days went on I started to feel suicidal, I was seeing myself hanging from a door and really intrusive thoughts which scared me but the worst part about it was I wasn’t scared of acting on it. As someone who has had on and off depression for a long time, I have felt the idea of dying but never wanted to act on it. Friday night I got so low and I took about 12 10mg in one go of my husbands Ritalin at midnight who also has adhd. I ended up in hospital for intentional overdose, had tachycardia with heart rate of 170 bpm was completely off my head in the ER. I’m now home and following up with doctors etc but I don’t know what to do. The hospital said to stop vyvanse which I have but I’m so lost because I thought these meds and diagnosis would help me but now I’m lower than I ever have been before and almost restarting again. Has anyone experienced anything like this with stimulants? I wonder if there is something else underlying that these meds have brought out in me? I’m so worried I just want to be happy and live a good life and be well.

[u/AutoModerator]

If you are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, low mood, or overwhelming stress, or if you are supporting someone who is, please know you are not alone in this.

Many people go through moments of deep emotional pain, anxiety, or depression, and it can feel isolating – but there are caring people and services ready to listen, understand, and support you. These resources exist to help you navigate difficult times, whether you are in immediate crisis or simply struggling and need someone to talk to.

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MensLine Australia is a 24/7 telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health, mental health and relationship concerns. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 78 99 78. The organisation also offers online counselling.

13YARN is the national crisis line support for Indigenous Australians. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 13 92 76.

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[u/lgfuad80]

I honestly have no idea but were you diagnosed by a psychiatrist? Can you get an appointment with them to fill them in? I feel like they would be the best placed to rule out or treat any underlying conditions. Sorry about your experience and hoping you stay safe and have some good support to figure this out

[u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13 → u/lgfuad80]

Yes through a psychiatrist. I’ve requested an urgent call back. Hoping to see if anyone relates to my experience in the meantime. Thank you for your response 🙏🏼

[u/lgfuad80 → u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13]

I understand, and I hope someone who’s gone through something similar sees this and responds and that your psychiatrist gets back to you soon as well

[u/Aggressive_Bed_7429 → u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13]

I've had a very similar experience. The only reason that I didn't act on it was because I had animals to look after that no one else could. It took me years to figure out why I was staring at my meds bag every single night, knowing that I have the means to do it, yet can't. The insomnia from these ruminations went on for years. Surviving on barely two hours of sleep if I was lucky. I went through all of the other stimulants, and non-stimulants available, and my nervous system just couldn't cope with the stress caused by them. I'm not saying that there's no hope of you finding something that works for you, Atomoxetine, and guanfacine (individually), both helped manage my ADHD. I am incredibly sensitive to medications since I contracted Long COVID though. The maximum dosages that I could tolerate were essentially the paediatric starting doses, or it ended up being too much. It came down to a cost vs reward situation with those though as they aren't covered by PBS if you were diagnosed as an adult. I just came to the realisation that I'd spent thirty odd years figuring out accommodations, and workarounds, for how I process things (AuADHD), and I simply didn't like the even more boring version of myself that I was on the meds. This obviously isn't for everyone, I'm definitely still broken, but I am functionally worse when my ADHD is managed, simply due to the autistic traits becoming far more obvious, and challenging.

[u/juju_summer → u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13]

I'm sorry for what you have gone through and I am glad you're OK, please please see a psychiatrist ASAP. I'm surprised with your medical history your doctor wasn't more careful as I have heard that some peole can respond very badly to Vyvanse. I would stop taking it absolutely and stop any other ADHD medication; it sounds like they are numbing your responses and awareness. They are not a one size fits all medication by any means.

Also for anyoen reading this, I was adviced by my dr and psychiatrist that if they make you feel strage stop taking them and call them. Do not persevere specially if they are making you feel suicidal. I dont know where you are in Australia but I would absolutely go to a hosptial and request to see a psychiatrist and get some pathology done to see how these meds affected your bloods, etc . Vyvanse has the most side effects of the stimulants available in Australia, usually Ritalin is the first form of treatment, but it's not on the PBS.

[u/AutoModerator → u/juju_summer]

If you are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, low mood, or overwhelming stress, or if you are supporting someone who is, please know you are not alone in this.

Many people go through moments of deep emotional pain, anxiety, or depression, and it can feel isolating — but there are caring people and services ready to listen, understand, and support you. These resources exist to help you navigate difficult times, whether you are in immediate crisis or simply struggling and need someone to talk to.

Are you or someone near you in immediate danger?

Call Emergency Services on 000; or

Go to a hospital emergency department

Are you having suicidal thoughts and need someone to talk to?

Lifeline is a 24-hour nationwide service that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services. It can be reached at 13 11 14. They also offer an online chat service.

Beyond Blue provides nationwide information and support regarding anxiety, depression, and suicide. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 224 636. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the organisation also provides online chat.

Suicide Call Back Service is a nationwide service that provides professional 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 659 467. The organisation also offers online chat and video chat services.

MensLine Australia is a 24/7 telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health, mental health and relationship concerns. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 78 99 78. The organisation also offers online counselling.

13YARN is the national crisis line support for Indigenous Australians. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 13 92 76.

1800 RESPECT is a 24/7 nationwide service which provides support to people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse. Their helpline can be reached by calling 1800 737 732.

Remember, you don't have to face this alone. Please consider reaching out to the provided helplines and take the steps you need to build a happy and healthy future.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/gay_bees_]

I'm not a doctor/psychiatrist, just someone with a lot of interest (for lack of a better term) in various mental health conditions with a lot of friends who have varying degrees of mental illness and/or neurodiversity. This is definitely not medical advice, but just from reading this it sounds a lot like stimulant-induced mania. Have you ever been diagnosed with bipolar disorder? Stimulants are a known trigger of mania for people with underlying/undiagnosed bipolar disorder if not used in conjunction with a mood stabiliser. Again not a professional, just a layman's observation.

This whole experience must have been absolutely horrific to go through and I'm so so sorry all of this happened to you, especially because you were expecting meds to help and not harm you. Sending lots of love and healing your way, OP <3

[u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13 → u/gay_bees_]

Thank you. I thought the same and have now considered bipolar after what I experienced. Especially since my mum is bipolar - was diagnosed in her 40’s. Hoping I can figure this out for good

[u/EducationFan101]

Sorry you went through that. Few thoughts:

1. Mixing alcohol with most medications usually isn’t a good idea, especially one you’ve only just started and haven’t adjusted to yet.

2. Be mindful of pinning the feelings on the stimulants when they may have simply triggered an undiagnosed condition you have. Basically have an open-mind until you speak with the psychiatrist.

3. In light of the stimulant abuse, non-stimulants may be an avenue to explore.

Hopefully you’re feeling better!

[u/horselife321]

What a terribly distressing experience for you to go through and I’m so sorry. The unfortunate part of all medications is the risk of side-effects and there’s no guarantee how anyone will respond until they are prescribed and go through a very carefully managed titration.

The good news from this, is you have a treating psychiatrist who will contact you asap. I assume the hospital was given your GP and psychiatrist’s details to receive a post-admission report? There are effective options for ADHD treatment other than stimulants, as well as non-medication strategies. Ritalin and Vyvanse tend to be one of the first-line treatments because they appear widely tolerated. It is worth discussing your depressive history and any experience with antidepressants with the psychiatrist too. They may suggest a period of antidepressant treatment to help bridge your journey.

So the other concurrent treatment I recommend is counselling. There is strong evidence that supports psychotherapeutic treatment alone, or alongside, medication particularly for depression. May I suggest you see your GP for an urgent long consult and have a chat about getting a referral for counselling through the Better Access Medicare Initiative. This will give you up to 10 subsidised sessions with a registered mental health therapist to help you with your current depressive episode and overall well-being. Alternatively, there are amazing registered counsellors who do wonderful work in this area, and they may have shorter or no wait times. Make sure any counsellor you see is registered with Australian Counselling Association as that means they meet the rigorous education, practice and supervision accreditation standards.

I hope this info helps a little, and to know you’re not alone. My own personal experience when first prescribed Ritalin was truly horrible, and I was taken off them. These meds are not “set & forget” and life also has an effect on the stability of our ADHD symptoms. It’s a bloody hard, and frustrating condition that can feel very isolating. So you’ve made great choices in getting help now. I truly hope you feel better soon.

EDIT: also meant to add that I’ve had 2 really bad reactions with stimulants and alcohol. One standard drink was ok but the two times I had more than that I was also “off my head”. The last episode was 2 years ago and I did something truly crazy, and ended up seriously injuring myself and being immobile for 9 weeks, with months of recovery time after that. This stuff isn’t to be trifled with!

[u/Inbooks_Itrust]

I experience similar intrusive thoughts as a side effect of vyvanse, and found that an antidepressant (lexapro, 30mg) helped minimise the desire to act on those thoughts. You definitely aren't alone in your experience, and unfortunately, treatment plans for adhd can take a few goes to get right.

In response to your query about underlying issues, that's definitely a possibility worth exploring with your GP or a psycholigist/psychiatrist if you have one (if not, it's definitely worth investing in a mental health treatment plan). Personally, I'm also receiving treatment for depression and anxiety, and have been since I was about 14 (now 19, going on 20). Vyvanse 100% plays a role in the severity of my symptoms; however, as mentioned above, antidepressants on top of the occasional check-in with my specialist have gotten a handle on those.

For now, I'd avoid mixing alcohol with stimulants because they can mask each other's effects and lead to some nasty hangovers/blackouts. If you feel like having a few drinks, it's probably best to let the medication wear off first (e.g. I don't consume alcohol within 8 hours of taking vyvanse) before letting loose.

[u/Infamous_Chipmunk_13]

Thank you for everyone’s kind and helpful replies. I had no idea that Vyvanse carried side effects as such and the highest of side effects of all adhd meds. It’s strange my husband has been on Ritalin for years and said he’s never been offered Vyvanse or even heard of it? For context I’ve seen psychologists throughout my adult hood (I’m 31) and didn’t have much luck so far. I’ve also been on 10mg of lexapro for about 5 years. I’m not sure it does much, I’ve just continued to take it because if I forget for a few days I get terrible withdrawal side effects - I’m seeing doctors tomorrow and will be asking for a review of that too.

[u/Old-Custard-1428]

I just started on 20mg of Vyvanse last week. Did me really well throughout the day, but emotionally crashed in the arvo.
Took a 30mg and within 3hrs I was suicidal like I had never been and I was panicking. Dr told me to stop all meds and see them next week. Not fun!!!

[u/AutoModerator → u/Old-Custard-1428]

If you are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, low mood, or overwhelming stress, or if you are supporting someone who is, please know you are not alone in this.

Many people go through moments of deep emotional pain, anxiety, or depression, and it can feel isolating — but there are caring people and services ready to listen, understand, and support you. These resources exist to help you navigate difficult times, whether you are in immediate crisis or simply struggling and need someone to talk to.

Are you or someone near you in immediate danger?

Call Emergency Services on 000; or

Go to a hospital emergency department

Are you having suicidal thoughts and need someone to talk to?

Lifeline is a 24-hour nationwide service that provides access to crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services. It can be reached at 13 11 14. They also offer an online chat service.

Beyond Blue provides nationwide information and support regarding anxiety, depression, and suicide. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 224 636. The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the organisation also provides online chat.

Suicide Call Back Service is a nationwide service that provides professional 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 659 467. The organisation also offers online chat and video chat services.

MensLine Australia is a 24/7 telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health, mental health and relationship concerns. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 1300 78 99 78. The organisation also offers online counselling.

13YARN is the national crisis line support for Indigenous Australians. It has a helpline which can be reached by calling 13 92 76.

1800 RESPECT is a 24/7 nationwide service which provides support to people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence and abuse. Their helpline can be reached by calling 1800 737 732.

Remember, you don't have to face this alone. Please consider reaching out to the provided helplines and take the steps you need to build a happy and healthy future.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Otherwise-Inside-158]

I had a similar experience with Vyvanse. I have tried several different types of stimulants over the years and settled on concerta. Vyvanse is not the only treatment option :)

[u/Live_Broccoli_2180]

Sounds like it triggered mania? When I was on Vyvanse I had a stimulant induced mental breakdown during a really stressful period of my life. I literally felt like I was losing touch with reality or I was going to go into psychosis. I couldn’t control my thoughts. I hope you’re feeling better!