Why I Stopped Taking Vyvanse/Elvanse! | November 2020 ADHD Update

Hi bubs,
The long awaited update video is here.
I stopped my vyvanse / elvanse. It's been a hard time having ADHD in 2020 but we move!
Stalk me 🖤
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[@zarinsikov]

Glad you are managing to find drug free strategies and coping mechanisms that work for you. I was diagnosed through Psychiatry UK (Cheapest semi - private NHS clinic in the UK set up with the intention of helping people get their diagnosis quicker by making it affordable and accessible) in July and have been titrating on Elvanse ever since. I went through 20 - 40mg over a couple of weeks but decided to give it a rest as I wasn't in a decent routine so decided to wait until I was back at work to titrate properly. Currently back at work and going up the doses each month, started again on 20mg and now on 50mg. It is working well for me with minimal side effects but hopefully I can settle on a fairly lower dose that continues to work well. After trying a few Doctor's practices I've managed to find a doctor in Peckham that'll agree to the shared care agreement so just need to settle on the perfect dose before the NHS take over the prescription. Top Tip for you if you decide to try meds again and anyone who is interested, if you are paying for your Elvanse/meds then Morrisson's Pharmacy comes in cheaper than most places eg. £67.00 for 28 x 30mg. If not then Asda or any supermarket pharmacy will do. Good luck!

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Amazing advice! Thank you so much for the information. I'm going to pin this! 💫

[@i-ian6268]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles Hi, can I email you a few questions? They're a bit private so I don't want to ask on here. Thanks. X

[@WFKIV]

Hi there! From one ADHDer to another. I've been successfully using Vyvanse for around five years. It sounds to me like the dosage was much too low. I've a higher metabolism as well, and what you've described is exactly what I experienced at lower dosages. My beginning dose was 30mg. Within a month I was moved to 40mg, and then 50mg. The initial 30mg was only to get my body use to the drug. It helped a little, but barely. Once acclimated my Psychiatrist titrated me to 40mg. I stayed there for a month or two before going up to 50mg. The 40mg worked, but didn't offer enough hours of coverage. I'd take it at 8AM, and it wore off around 2pm. The initial 30mg wore off by 12pm. Adjusting to 50mg added a few more hours. Wore off around 5pm. For my own comfortable I chose to stay at 50mg for a couple of years. Eventually realized I needed a few more hours of coverage after work. I spoke with my Psychiatrist, and he moved me to 60mg. The dosage he originally wanted me at. He was right. The 60mg dose is my sweet spot. It keeps me covered until around 8pm, which is perfect. I was diagnosed at 6yrs, and medicated through High-school at 17yrs. Took a break for a decade+, and came back after a second diagnosis ADHD-C at 31yrs. I'm now 36yrs. Between then, and now I've used a number of ADHD meds. From Ritalin, to Concerta, Dexedrine, Adderall, various extended release variants, etc. Tried all the non medicated paths for a decade as well. Hence the break in treatment. It was a rough 10+ years. Not recommended. In the end Adderall, and Vyvanse have been the most effective for me. Along with weekly therapy. In my case CBT. You'll eventually find what works for you, but I caution not to give up on any one med too soon. Especially if it's benefits have outweighed the negative effects. Vyvanse may not be right for you, but I do suggest it may be worth giving it one more shot. You may not need 60mg daily like myself, however, I suspect you'll see a significant increase in effectiveness with a higher dosage. The only thing that could get me to change meds now is a lapse in insurance coverage (USA - God our healthcare system sucks.). Or if a better drug comes onto the market. Best of luck! And thanks for sharing your journey with us! ❤️

[@Mel0nMel]

I agree with you, (I know late reply sorry) I just started my trial of 30 to test if this medication is good for me and so far it's amazing, but I don't feel that it's stong enough. On the second day I felt less focused then the first and the 3 more so. I have an appointment at the 10 day mark. I'll suggest an increase or a split dose. This is my first adhd med trial and I don't want to switch meds till I try at least 3 months on this, the others have crazy side effects. I'm ok with the jitters and heart beating

[@MyHeartForBio]

Did you experience hair loss on vivanse?

[@LemonTangWang]

You were on a really low dose. It's pretty normal for low doses to lose effectiveness after a few weeks (my psych told me to expect that and to expect to up the dose after a few weeks). I hope you give them another chance. Stimulants aren't for everyone and the trial and error in dosing is frustrating but when you get it right they can be life changing. I went through most of my 20s unmedicated and it's no exaggeration to say it set me back by a decade. Now I'm playing catch up and trying to get my degree in my 30s :D. Meds haven't made it easy but they have made the impossible feel possible.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Thanks for your story! Good luck with your degree, I wish you all the best 🖤 I haven't given up, it's just expensive and the pandemic hasn't made getting help easier 😅 Thanks for watching!

[@gatestimonymiracle1302]

Same

[@aumgelic]

Congratulations on your new job, you are doing good. I did see your 1st video. All the best with everything, I hope you get your consult and dosage right soon. keep up the meditation practice it benefits on many levels.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Thank you 🖤

[@UpwardsOnly89]

Thanks for sharing, love! This is super helpful. I'm on titration waiting list at the moment. Have you tried using noise cancelling headphones and Muse headband to up your meditation game? It's amazing to do a meditation first thing in the morning using the headphones and the Mind Monitor app that tracks your brainwaves. Can track if I'm actually going into Alpha brainwaves. For a ADHD person, having that feedback keeps me motivated to continue doing it (otherwise before I was meditating and didn't know if I'm even doing it right). As others mentioned, sounds like you should just up the dosage. Best of luck with your treatment!

[@jrr2045]

I'm sorry to hear that the meds stopped working. Oftentimes that has to do with the dose being too low. Most people need to up the dose a few times until it works. And after a little while on the right dose, a lot of people get less side effects. I know this might not be the case for you, but I just wanted to make sure people don't loose hope in medication. Talk to your psychiatrist people ❤️

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Precisely this! To be fair, I went up the elvanse dosage and it got to the point where it worked consistently but it also gave me terrible side effects that ended up being dangerous to my health. I now take a different stimulant and I'm doing much better, but that's the point of titration right? Trial and error. Ultimately, I love elvanse but it doesn't suit my lifestyle needs anymore and the high dosage was too much on my body! Thank you for commenting!

[@liverush24]

I was prescribed this on the NHS last Tuesday, but I still haven't taken any. I'm too scared to, to be honest. You, and others, have mentioned the palpitations, etc, & it sounds terrifying to me. The dry mouth doesn't sound fun, either. Thanks for the videos. 👍

[@1x56]

Thanks for sharing. I've just been diagnosed with adult ADHD via psychiatry UK via my GP and will be on Elvanse soon. Your prescription can be much cheaper when you get a prescription prepayment card where you pay a fixed fee per month for your prescription no matter how many you get per month.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Congratulations! 💫 welcome to the neurodivergent family. Thank you for the tips, that's golden information. I hope everything goes well for you, keep me updated!

[@1x56]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles Thanks! I love that your videos are so informative and straight to the point. I hope you're able to get back on meds and be on a higher dose x

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

@@1x56 thank you, my love 🖤🙋🏾

[@Reckoning2943]

It is so interesting to see how differently we all react to it. Methylphenidate did nothing for me, even in very high doses, so we switched and even now I’m at 70mg a day, but it works. No nasty side effects aside from having to make sure that I’m eating enough, because my metabolism is through the roof. Whenever I do a meds-holiday, I radically cut out sugar and wheat, and it does not work as good as meds, obviously, but it still does wonders for the ADHD brain.

[@8u88aPepper]

I took 60 mg of vyvanse for 7 years and stopped 4 weeks ago. I leaned on it for way too long, and the effectiveness tapered off long ago. The first weekend sucked. The second week was better and now I’m set on not going back. I just need to make sure I watch the diet. Thanks for the video.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Thanks for the insight! 60mg seems like a lot, wow. I'm glad you're taking lead in your life and changing things up to see what works for you. Good luck on your journey! Update me, if you can 🙂

[@usamaali664]

I’m glad I found your video, listening to your experience was great, is there any update though? I’m going through a similar situation, with Methylphenidate 20 mg, it worked initially for 4- 5 days then after that it stopped working, only was giving me side effects and made my adhd worse, I took double dose on 40 mg twice and it also didn’t work.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Hi! Glad to hear my video helped in any way! I'm currently taking 10mg of amfexa which is an immediate release version of Elvanse. It works a lot better for me because it doesn't last as long, is more forgiving, and it's also a higher dose. My tip is to maybe try an amphetamine instead of methylphenidate if it isn't working for your system on a higher dose. Praying this helps!

[@tarafarrell4325]

I'm starting on Elvanse (Tyvense here in Ireland) tomorrow. Hoping it can help me. Iwas only diagnosed 6 months ago at 27. Have you ever tried nootropics? I have used Motion Nutrition Power Up and I've found it amazing! Maybe just something to look into, It's natural and costs about £25 per month. Thanks for your videos. x

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Hi bubs, I'm so glad to see another person in the family, congrats on your diagnosis. I didn't know it went by another name 😯. Good luck on your journey though 🙋🏾. To answer your question, I have tried nootropics. I like them. But I prefer the results I get from my meds. More to the point and I can expect certain results, whether good or bad. Some I like are Ashwaganda and Shilajit.

[@vahid1206]

Dont make the mistake of being depended on it. Cause if you do, your life gonna change and not in a good way. If I were you i wouldn't start using it.

[@LeonardoWood]

Have you heard of Psychiatry UK and Right to Choose? It’s an online service on the NHS in England. Might be worth a look 👀

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Wow I truly wish I knew of this when I began my journey. Thank you 🖤💫

[@LeonardoWood]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles yeah, a friend of mine found out about it 2 months ago... his Elvanse medication plan starts next week. Your story was a interesting... did your medication plan include a gradual increase in dose each weeks for 6 weeks?

[@elizalorente]

Did you get transient mydriasis? look it up and let me know. I am currently having that side effect.

[@lo5822]

hii! currently on 20mg and may go up 30mg - were you taking supplements when taking elvanse? i’m in a lot of reddit forums about how to alleviate side affects via supplements + avoiding acidic foods // vitamin c an hr before and after you take meds + for some women meds don’t work during the luetal phase and during period - my period starts tomorrow and today and yesterday my meds aren’t as strong (im on day 5) x first couple of days of takin the meds i was a bit anxy but it was way better than taking methylphenidate

[@lo5822]

if we aren’t given this info (my psych just said read what’s on the medicine pamphlet lol) we end up tolerating it more or thinking its not working, which means going up in dosing = more $$$$ , the higher the dosage the more expensive

[@samyoe]

I got diagnosed with inattentive subtype via Psychiatry-UK within 2 weeks of my GP referring me. I wanna try elvanse, but my psychiatrist has me on a generic for concerta atm. Those palpitations are annoying, I ain't try have a heart attack in my 20s aha.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Ahh 😅 I feel you on those palpitations. Congratulations on your diagnosis, welcome to the neurodivergent fam 💫 Let me know how it goes with your journey 😁

[@Esdeserinutiles]

I just started with elvanse today.... it was so weird. I felt so much out of control like A TON of energy just came to me and cleaned the house. Thing i had to do, but my heart beat was crazy and i was with open windows, and sweating, and then it dropped and i had a nap, and now i feel tired, and “myself” again, I don’t know if that’s normal, i am super scared of the side effects

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

When you first start stimulant a medicine, or even a new dosage, it can make you quite 'high'. It should settle after 3-5 days of continued use. If you don't feel safe, stop taking it and consult your psych 🖤

[@Esdeserinutiles]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles The problem is that i felt that "high" the first day, today is the second i feel NOTHING

[@uriellekm7343]

@@Esdeserinutiles how is it going now?

[@Esdeserinutiles]

@@uriellekm7343 i's actually going quite well!!! i am still not sure now if it's really working that dosis, i might need 50gr, but for 3 months later i started feeling that it calmed my head down really really much and i was able to keep my flat clean (now not because i got surgery on my armpit and i can't move much) but overall i think i have a better relationship with the medication :)

[@nimratsandhu4130]

@@Esdeserinutiles How is it going now? What dose are you taking and does it work well with no noticeable side effects?

[@alanischaffey8508]

❤️❤️

[@retropursuit992]

ADHD is always going to be hard to treat. At the end of the day you are taking heavy stimulants which are controlled substances for a reason. The side effects also outweighed the positives for me as well, I tried for a month but the lack of appetite made me feel inhuman and then the positives were do minimal I could barely feel them. As much as people say "they aren't high" you are. That's how the medication works just like recreational stimulants like speed and coke.

[@javu]

I'd recommend staying off, you doing great!

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Thank you Daniel 🖤

[@Marco-ys2he]

I got my appointment through Psyc UK Still on elvanse and get the no so good symptoms and don’t feel so productive. Dry mouth is insane at times! What systems do you use to meditate? I learnt tm from an instructor but that was W while back.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Hiya hun, Short guided meditations on KZbin are always great. I use frequencies to focus as well, Sapien Medicine does some great things. Also the Fabulous app on Google Play store and iOS App store is a must for me, for routines and meditations.

[@Marco-ys2he]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles Thank you shall check that out. all the best to you

[@paulabevan]

Hi I’m on 30m and I don’t have to pay how come you have to

[@Zayden.]

It really dulls personality. Better to stay off it, and work on building up your focusing capabilities...by practicing. Just like anything else.

[@MyHeartForBio]

Did you experience hair loss on vivanse? So worried 😖

[@zoecoote3746]

It made me into a zombie, just a shadow of myself. So I stopped taking it. It’s a difficult decision when trying to be “ normal “ , to zombie or not to zombie.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Precisely!! Oh my goodness, THIS. God bless, hun ♡

[@Taisiedoll]

You know you can get a free referral to Psychiatry-Uk under the NHS from your GP with a 'right to choose' form

[@Taisiedoll]

@@georgelydda8320 they want people to pay for what with their own money? Psychiatry-UK? You just have to get onto them until they refer you. Without a diagnosis, you can't get them, I'm afraid.

[@georgelydda8320]

@@Taisiedoll I've been asking in person for years and via email for at least the last year. They don't seem to want to make the referral. I was diagnosed with something else 6 years ago. They misdiagnosed my adhd. I have an appointment tomorrow. What can I say to my dr? I can print the forms from psychiatry Uk but I'm sure the referall will 'get stuck' again. That's what my dr said... that the referral 'got stuck'. I don't understand what that means. Do you have your own prescription?

[@Taisiedoll]

@@georgelydda8320 Hi. Sorry, only just saw your message! How did it go?? I find that behaviour really odd. I suggest calling Psychiatry-UK to explain the situation because it is wrong, and if they are unable to help, I would say find another medical centre near you; if they say you're not close enough, tell them how your current one is treating you.

[@nobody4448]

Your dosage Was safe too less ithink if you was first in good Mode and then tiered and everything point 0. Im now on ~65 mg elvanse a day and its perfect for me. Some days i need only 50mg , normal days 65 and sometimes 4-5 days a month 80 . Works good so.. sry for my Bad english, im from Germany 😄✌

[@tanishabuchanan6396]

Bit confused as to why you didn’t up your dosage and just stopped suddenly? as 20mg is a very low dose?

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

It's not up to me whether my dosages get increased or not. I actually ended up getting to 50mg. Then switched altogether to a different drug. Happy Saturday!

[@BC-xu8yq]

After your titration period the NHS could have taken over. I hope you can go back to your psychiatrist and get it sorted. Its a shame the cost to get it started is so huge.

[@naughtyducky6325]

I would say try a higher dose but if you’re getting bad side effects maybe ask to try a methylphenidate based stimulant instead. I was on Xaggitin Xl for a while and got pretty bad side effect like a racing heart and feeling like I was gonna pass out all the time and it also only lasted about 4/5 hours for me, I was also on the maximum dose. Then I switched to Elvanse and I’m currently on 40mg and it lasts about 12-14 hours and it’s a huge improvement in everyway, so maybe the one that didn’t agree with me will agree with you 😂.

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

I currently take 10mg of Amfexa now and it works great! I love it! Glad elvanse is working for you!

[@naughtyducky6325]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles thanks! glad you’ve sorted it out :)

[@jinzo1171]

concerta felt less like a brain nuke to me imo

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Interesting, some people find concerta to be kinda harsh. I'm so glad it's working for you 🖤

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Interesting, some people find concerta to be kinda harsh. I'm so glad it's working for you 🖤

[@topman.9646]

From what I understand you shouldn’t feel anything you should just stay on it and record how much you get done over a week or two and ask people around you do they see any difference in you compared to off meds. I would say your dose was to high if those side affects did not reduce after a few days. I use 10mg MPH twice a day don’t feel nothing but when I really look closely at my behaviour and how much I am getting done and how my relationships are which have all drastically improved. But good luck in the future. 😉

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Hiya lovely, I've actually increased my dosage and it's perfect for me! Everything you describe, I get with my new dose of 50mg. The side effects are nonexistent and the effects are smooth and very pronounced. Thank you for the feedback, this will be extremely helpful for newcomers! Good luck on your journey

[@topman.9646]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles glad to hear that maybe you could do a new video update as I’m just doing some research on elvanse as I thought it might be more effective than MPH while only taking 1 pill per day. Your experience of it working now would be great input. Thanks for the quick response. 🙂

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

@@topman.9646 For sure! I'm just doing some experimentation myself. I'm going to try a slightly higher dose so I can see what the effect is. I'd like to film a video on what too little, too much, and just enough can feel like for new comers. Thank you so much for the comments! And good luck on your research, hun.

[@junipercosmic6841]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles Yes please make an update video, I'd be very interested! I'm going to be starting it for the first time this week 😊

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

@@junipercosmic6841 ah, then I might film a video either this week or next week on my new results, since I did as I said I would and tried an even higher dosage! I wish you all the best for next week! ☆

[@gaycrusader2269]

it sound stupid but i think yyou did something wrong xD just well maybe you did take the meds in the wrong time. you know our ADHD brain is good at fighting so dont take your meds before training? and i dont know your work but the same principle there? if your job si stressfull then its mabe better without meds. but if you have to sit at a desk for more then 30 minutes teke the meds beforehand. so use them but dont always drug youself. im sorry to hear about your financial struggel. in germany we have free healthcare and we dont really pay for our meds. the us is behind an many issuses. greetings

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

Hiya, I'm in the UK so healthcare is free. I just had to go private to speed up my diagnosis. And I hear what you're saying about timings. It's good advice, but I was taking my meds consistently everyday (bar the weekend) and they just gradually became less and less effective till they no longer worked. Which is why I experimented with taking them at different times, on different days, under different circumstances, for leisure, for work, etc. To gauge if it was user error. Thanks for the comment

[@stefaniacredidio3869]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles Hiya! Just wondering, the initially 5days in and then 2days off, was it your idea or the psychiatric told u to do that? I am starting Elvanse next week and my psychiatric told me to take it everyday in the morning, with no off day. Starting at 30mg dose, was wondering if it stopped to work for you because u were taking it everyday?

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

@@stefaniacredidio3869 my suggestion, but my psychiatrist approved and many people do this method too. To be fair, I started to feel the effects dwindling before I even took my first day off. Psychiatrists, and all other medical professionals, have differing opinions, since they're just people with their own experiences and results. I'd be interested to see why your psych doesn't recommend it. For me, I just don't like the idea of being on a stimulant even when I'm trying to rest. I might have chosen differently if I was on non-stim meds instead. Let me know how it goes with your treatment!

[@stefaniacredidio3869]

@@TheProcrastinatorFiles thank u for the reply! It’s an interesting point of view, I wonder if not taking the medication every day affects somehow the efficacy or if increases side effects. I think I m going to try a full week on and maybe try ur method as well. I understand what u mean by saying there is no point to take stimulants if u want to rest! It sounds difficult as ur described being able to rest when u are on Elvanse :/ I am hoping to find a right balance with it, starting it this Saturday, will tell u how it goes !

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

@@stefaniacredidio3869 I look forward to your update 🖤 good luck! 💫