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.

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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.

Well, I am no expert, but my ds is 14, was dxed over the summer, and started with Concerta. It didn't seem good for him at all with stomach problems and lack of appetite, not to mention zombie like behavior. So we tried Vyvanse. At first it seemed really smooth and helpful. But as time went on and he had a few increases of dosage, he became very negative, hda bad rebound, and couldn't remember much of anything he had learned or been told to do in class. He got angry with the whole thing and refused to take meds anymore!

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My son's dad and I decided today that our son is not getting Vyvanse tomorrow. He's been on it for approx 6 weeks, has had a dosage increase already, and not only is it not helping him in school, but in just the past 3 days or so he's developed tics, severe mood swings, horrible temper tantrums ranging from mild to full-blown meltdowns, severe loss of appetite, racing thoughts and actions - his hands looks like they're moving 50 mph - close to an hour to get to sleep, and other side effects. He said he feels sad, nervous, and jittery. He's a totally different child than he was 6 weeks ago, and I want my little boy back!

Calling the doc in the morning!

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My son started Vyvanse a couple of months ago. It is working wonders with the ADHD, but he has developed a host of tics since he started taking it. First it was problems with his eyes (blinking, squinting, etc). Now he is constantly clearing his throat and making jerking type movements. The Dr. swears that it is common for kids with ADHD to have tic disorders, but he never had one before. The Dr. is also sure it is not the Vyvanse causing it. If it wasn't working so well for the ADHD I'd pull it immediately, but he's doing SO much better. Anyone else having problems w/ Vyvanse and tics?

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My 9 yr old son has been taking vyvanse for about a month and 1/2. It is the first drug of a long list that has done any good. He is doing better in school, is listening and following rules at home, even enforcing the rules with his little brother. He loves to color and write, something he never has liked. He is doing things without being asked. HOWEVER he is constantly, non-stop chewing his finger nails. The poor little guy has chewed them down to nubs. He also has the eye twitching and lately clearing his throat that others have mentioned. His appetite is deminished, but that has been with every drug we have tried. I have decided to take him off of the drug until our next Dr. appt. Pretty much have figured out we have to figure out a different way to handle things, not medication. Anyone have any success stories there?

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My just-turned 12-year-old son had a miserable 5-day experience with Concerta (crying and hiding under the desk at school); switched to Adderall, with increasing doses for two years until he said it stopped working. We tried 30 mg Vyvanse and he's now getting honor roll grades, falling asleep and staying asleep, and his appetite is much better. He's still on the initial dose and it's working great six months later. He had a lot of throat-clearing with Adderall, but none to speak of right now.

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My son has been on Concerta just about 2-years with success. We definitely went through the appetite issues and insomnia, but they did clear up at the 4-6 month point. We have increased his dose, without any return of those side effects, although we are still below the recommended for his weight because we supplement with neurotherapy. I do see some benefit to what I've read here about daily exercise. It seems to help burn off the excess energy from the meds to allow them to fall back into a more normal sleep and appetite pattern. And, when my son gets moody, I always suggest the same thing that relaxes me, a nice shower and maybe a few minutes alone. It doesn't always work, but alteast it removes him from whatever is stressing him out.

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we switched from adderall xr to vyvanse 50mg. it helped him with the impulsivity. His appetite came back slightly until we increased the dose to 70 mg. He has started picking at his lip and constantly wiping the corners of his mouth. I have actually been giving him drug holidays when we have nowhere to be. He eats like a horse on those days and sleeps very good. Vyvanse has helped him in school but I am choosing not to give it to him this summer unless we have to be somewhere like church or camp!

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We have 4 adopted children with ADD/ADHD. Three were switched from Adderal to Vyvanse with really good results. We wish we could put the 14 yr old on it but Vyvanse is not approved for children over 13 (not sure how the mother with the 14 yr old is getting it but would like to know). Kids haven't developed any tics or behaviors they didn't have previously. I can't say there's been any change at all, actually, other than the Vyvanse is longer lasting so they don't have to take ADD meds as often. We do still need to give them a small dosage of Adderal after school, however.

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Our 8 year old (now 9) had been taking Adderall for 2 years, increasing the dosage regularly until it no longer worked. Always in trouble at school. We switched to 30 mg of Vyvanse 3 months ago, and had to increase to 50mg within 2 weeks. Since that increase the behavior has improved dramatically. No more notes from school. In fact, he scored at the top level on standardized math & reading tests! We also continue to work with a psychologist with behavior therapy which has helped tremendously. Our goal, of course, is to have our son be medication free some day! Good luck everybody!

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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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Neoserenity,

I am on Vyvanse and so is my 26 yr. old daughter and 16 yr. old son (who had been on Concerta when younger). I don't have any side effect problems with Vyvanse, except for decreased appetite but I consider that a plus. My children don't have any problems with the Vyvanse either. My husband takes the Adderall XR and since he had no problems with it and had been on it for several years, he didn't bother trying the Vyvanse.

Keep in mind that just because someone else has a particular problem with some medication, doesn't mean you will. My daughter is allergic to penicillin and can't take it. Millions of others take penicillin without a problem. I know people who are deathly allergic to shell fish or peanut butter but obviously not everyone has that type of reaction. We all respond differently to certain foods, medications or substances.

Elaine

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debw6051 said: We have 4 adopted children with ADD/ADHD. Three were switched from Adderal to Vyvanse with really good results. We wish we could put the 14 yr old on it but Vyvanse is not approved for children over 13 (not sure how the mother with the 14 yr old is getting it but would like to know). Kids haven't developed any tics or behaviors they didn't have previously. I can't say there's been any change at all, actually, other than the Vyvanse is longer lasting so they don't have to take ADD meds as often. We do still need to give them a small dosage of Adderal after school, however.

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My daughter who is now 11 has been on Vyvanse for 4 months. At first the medication seem to be working great. She was increased to the max dosage of 70mg but. for the past 2 months the medication has not seem to be working. Though her appetite increased with Vyvanse her memory did not. She seem to forgot more and more simple instructions and homework assignments. Her anixety increased and she was not able to sleep. She had mood swings and increased nail bitting. When my daughter was first diagnosed she was 8 years old. She started with Concerta and at first it work well but her dosed was increased to 36mg then to 54mg. Unfortunately one was not strong enough to help her symptons and one was to strong. But now that she is older and has gained weight since then she will be back on Concerta tomorrow and I was not happy with Vyvanse ending results.

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My son is 18 and started vyvance 2 months ago. His symptoms include short term memory loss, shaking hands, irritability, agitated, he is doing poorly in school again, he explodes at almost anything I say to him, over reacts to everything. I have A.D.D. also and wanted to see if it was the Vyvance causing the problems, so I took some. After 2 doses over 2 days, I couldn't control my emotions and became extremely agitated; I became very aggressive to the point of screaming. I now know Vyvance is not good for my genetic pool and need to get my son on something else.

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little_eeyore77 said: My son started Vyvanse a couple of months ago. It is working wonders with the ADHD, but he has developed a host of tics since he started taking it. First it was problems with his eyes (blinking, squinting, etc). Now he is constantly clearing his throat and making jerking type movements. The Dr. swears that it is common for kids with ADHD to have tic disorders, but he never had one before. The Dr. is also sure it is not the Vyvanse causing it. If it wasn't working so well for the ADHD I'd pull it immediately, but he's doing SO much better. Anyone else having problems w/ Vyvanse and tics?

What drives me nuts is that these TICS come from nowhere. My son was on Focalin XR for about a year and then one day he started ticcing. It started with his head shaking side to side and now is a full blown body movement...almost like he's having a seizure. We added Risperidone to buffer the tics and that didn't work. We took him off of FOCALIN XR and put him back on Concerta, but it didn't work for concentration in school, but he did stop ticcing. We are now trying Vyvanse and for the first time and he is ticcing very hard today...I give.

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