My 10 yo son doesn't take either Vyvanse or Concerta, but I just wanted to add a comment because I have already spent 11 years managing my husband's medicine for an anyurism he had which left him missing part of his brain so he's a lot like my son in some ways.

First off, when my son gets sad, angry, etc for more than 3-4 days on a new med we call the doctor and so far it has been because the medicine was too strong. Second, I suggest reading the medical info on the product online or something because they work in different parts of the brain and I find I have to watch the symptoms and see if the medicine is really for my son's problems. For instance, my son is adhd, ocd, has tics, and is a couple of years behind developmentally. He takes tenex for tics and his adhd and though he still has tics they aren't anything like they were. A lot of the adhd meds cause tics, but also, tourette's syndrome can cause them and it gets worse as kids become teens and then gets somewhat better, so you might have to help diagnose what you think your child's tics are from -- adhd, tourette's syndrome, or maybe just the meds.

Then my son was doing real well with Lexapro for about a year and then he started have a lot of really angry outbursts, worse concentration problems, etc. The doctor suggested trying Wellbutrin and so we did but in less than a week he was having saddness, crying, and angry episodes. I could tell he was all mixed up and called the doctor and she had him cut back to half. Then he was doing better, but not enough and I thought about it and remembered that he had done really well when he was switching from the Lexapro to the Wellbutrin and I knew that they affected to different brain functions. I told the doctor at the office visit and now he takes some Lexapro and some Wellbutrin and is doing very well. He's happy and even has better concentration and his tics aren't any worse.

I don't like to give my son lots of medicine but I had a miserable childhood because no one knew I was adhd and I got in a lot of trouble trying to help myself. So learn about the medicines and how they work, it will help you help your child because you live with them and the doctor doesn't and needs your input even if they don't say it. (Also, I find keeping him active really helps but since he's on medicine it's more difficult to get him going.)

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I'm doing pretty good, I only slept 6 hours the last two nights, but my usual is only about 7. I'm new here just one month diagnosed at 41. I think it got approval for adults in April so the person who was saying her older child couldn't take it, may want to check with their doc.

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My daughter was taking Concerta for several years, but was not gaining weight. After careful evaluation and consideration was changed to Focolin XR. I definately think she did better on the Concerta and now that she is doing well with her weight and height we are discussing the posibility of putting her back on the Concerta. Has anyone had any experience with Concerta vs. Focalin? She is also on Zoloft 200 mgs and Lamictal 200 mgs.

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My son is taking 27 mg of Concerta but he is starting to complain about never being hungry or wanting to eat and he thinks he is getting too skinny. My son is 10. I called his pediatrician and he wants to switch him from Concerta to Vyvanse. Is this a good idea???????????

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My son started taking Vyvanse instead of Concerta on 7/17/08. At first he complained of chest pain. He isn't complaining of chest pain anymore thank goodness. I think it may be a little anxiety starting a new medication. I do notice him eating more on the Vyvanse then he did with the Concerta. He also went to the Zoo for a couple hours yesterday with his stupid dad. I am afraid of my son getting his hopes up to high though. His dad still won't let him come to his house because of his wife and step kids. He is also taking Prozac 10 mg for his depression because of his dad.

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My son (10) has been taking Vyvanse since Dec 07 and is at the max dossage. He has an extremely fast metabolism and the long lasting meds last only about 4 hours. It seemed to have helped his hyperactivity but not his attention. We were supplementing his afternoons (during the school year) with a 10mg of Ritalin to get through the homework. He is behind is school and social skills like most ADHD children. We are switching to Concerta starting today. I think these forums tend to show that no child is alike and it takes a very long time and a lot of different meds to get the right results. JUST DON'T GIVE UP!

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karisha said: Yes, I believe that our son is not doing well on this new "miracle drug," either. He is 13 years old and is on the maximum dosage. His ability to focus has diminished significantly, and his short-term memory is non-existant. He sleeps less, which is also affecting his memory, mood, and attitudes. He is also, in my opinion, more irritable and emotionally labile. He was on Concerta before, and I will be discussing the other options available with his doctor at the next visit.

LOST: focus , motivation, a business relationship, a personal relationship... GAINED: Insomnia, Anxiety Irritability and Depression.... Shire Read my Lips: it's a miracle Vvyance didn't kill me. For the sake of establishing a brand you hold out on making either generic adderall or your new version available. This is pure corporate greed influencing mind control of the masses. Eat, Drink ,and Be Merry you pharmaceutical execs...

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Hey there, I was thinking about going on Vyvanse (i'm 21) but I wasn't sure about whether it's even used in adults or whether it actually works.....are the side effects really that bad?

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NeoSerenity87 said: Hey there, I was thinking about going on Vyvanse (i'm 21) but I wasn't sure about whether it's even used in adults or whether it actually works.....are the side effects really that bad?

well this thread is mostly regarding kids, but I am 35, recently diagnosed, and my doctor is having me try various meds to see what is the most effective....started out with generic adderall short acting, then concerta, and now vyvance.....so far concerta's out with vyvance and adderall competing for the lead.....I personally had a bit more side effects with the adderall than the vyvance, but have been trying different dosages, as directed...I think the adderall helped a bit more with the focus, though, and getting started in the moring.....I will be trying the adderall again after the vyvance trial is up to compare again, but honestly the vyvance has been pretty good.....the concerta just wasn't as effective. I have a lot of experiance being treated for other stuff over the years enough to say 100% that one med can be a life-saver for one person, and a nightmare for another. It completely depends on an individual's physiology.

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My son was on Adderall quick release for over a year with good results. When it came time to up the dosage, our pediatrician suggested that we try Vyvanse instead. He said that kids who did well on Adderall got good results from Vyvanse. He did fantastic for almost 8 weeks - good grades, good outlook, good sleep habits, OK eating habits. At about 8 weeks, he VERY quickly developed some horrific rage issues - wanting to run away from home, pulling bed linens off of bed when sent to room for time out, etc. We immediately pulled him off and kept him off through the summer. We struggled thru the summer not on anything and have just started Straterra. We're on our second week with no results at all - our specialist says to give it 21 days. I'm being patient, but not too positive at this point.

Good luck.

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