Posted by CareBear04 on October 18, 2009, at 23:17:48
Hi everyone,
Was switched last week from 30mg of Adderall XR twice a day to Vyvanse, mostly because it's supposed to last longer. The dose I was started on, though, was incredibly low for reasons that are unclear. The prescription was for 30mg of Vyvanse once a day for four days, then 30mg twice a day. From what I've read, it seems that the general consensus is that 30mg Adderall XR = 70mg Vyvanse, so my dose conversion should have been to 70mg Vyvanse twice a day. I don't think the pdoc wants necessarily wants to lower my stimulant intake because he asked me whether I've ever tried higher than 30mg Adderall bid. I hadn't because I think it's stated that the highest adult dose was 60mg a day.
I was a little conflicted about whether I should call and ask to increase the dose. My tendency is to self-medicate and play with meds and doses without consulting drs. But this tendency has gotten me in big trouble at times, and since I'm seeing a new pdoc, I want to send the impression that I'm a responsible patient, not a reckless and seriously disturbed one. So I called and reported that the 30mg of Vyvanse feels like nothing and asked whether I could take the two doses at once. He said sure, but the way he responded made me feel like I had wasted his time by even asking. My overall impression is that he is quite liberal in his use of meds and would probably be fine with whatever I suggest works.
I did double to 60mg of Vyvanse twice a day, and while it definitely lasts longer to the point that it's harder to fall asleep, I can't necessarily say it works better. I'm disappointed because the first day I took it, I thought it was amazing--I was incredibly focused and more productive than I have been, and even though I had absolutely no appetite, I took that as a sign the drug was working. The only period of the day that I would say that the V is as good as or better than Adderall is in that period where the doses overlap, so that I must be getting somewhere between 60 and 120mg. So maybe the Vyvanse would be a good switch but I need a higher dose? If it's relevant, I've tried Dexedrine spansules, but I've always gone back to Adderall--it just works better for me, whatever the reason.
I see the pdoc for the second time tomorrow. He was hugely enthusiastic about the Vyvanse, so I also hate to rain on his parade...
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
CB
poster:CareBear04
thread:921515
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091012/msgs/921515.html