Learn about Dexedrine and Vyvanse and see which one is better for ADHD treatment. Vyvanse and Dexedrine are drugs that make your brain and body more alert. Experts don’t know exactly how they do this but they think they make the signals between your brain and body faster. This can help with problems of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), like being distracted.
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Vyvanse is similar to Dexedrine but it lasts longer. It also has less side effects and less risk of being misused. If you have ADHD and want to start or change your drugs, you should talk to a doctor or a mental health expert about which drug is best for you.
How are Dexedrine and Vyvanse different? Is one better than the other? A comparison can show you how they are alike and different.
For people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy, some drugs that change the levels of chemicals in the brain related to focus and attention can help with their problems. Vyvanse and Dexedrine are two common drugs used for these problems. Both drugs affect similar brain chemicals but they have different ways of working and lasting in the body.
Vyvanse is a changed form of dextroamphetamine mixed with an amino acid, which needs to be broken down by the body’s enzymes before it works, making it start slower and last longer. Dexedrine has dextroamphetamine in its normal form and works faster after taking it but lasts shorter than Vyvanse.
What is Vyvanse?
Lisdexamfetamine (the generic name for Vyvanse) was a big improvement in the group of drugs that also has drugs like Dexedrine. Lisdexamfetamine was first approved by the FDA in 2007. Unlike Dexedrine, which works right away, Vyvanse has a special way of working that slowly releases dextroamphetamine into the body during the day.
It is used for both children and adults who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and it’s also been approved to treat Binge Eating Disorder in adults. With its careful effect on norepinephrine and dopamine, it has less side effects than other drugs that have stronger effects on these brain chemicals.
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is a prescription drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It’s an amphetamine, which is a drug that makes your brain and body more alert.
Experts think amphetamines work by making more dopamine and norepinephrine in the body. These brain chemicals are involved in energy, attention, and mood.
Vyvanse is a changed form of Dexedrine. Changed forms are drugs that are not active until your body changes them into their normal form. Dexedrine is the normal form of Vyvanse.
Changed forms are not active until your body changes them into their normal form. This change process is meant to make the drug go into your body better and be less harmful than the normal form, which can result in less side effects and less risk of being misused.
Doctors usually use Vyvanse for ADHD in children over 6 years old and adults. They also use it to treat medium to bad cases of binge eating disorder (BED).
What problems can Vyvanse treat?
Vyvanse can treat some problems:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Medium to bad Binge Eating Disorder in adults Dexedrine can also treat ADHD, but it is not approved for treating binge eating problems.
How do Vyvanse and Dexedrine help with ADHD and narcolepsy?
Vyvanse and Dexedrine are medicines that can help people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy. ADHD is a condition that makes it hard to pay attention, stay focused, control impulses, and be active at the right level. Narcolepsy is a condition that makes people feel very sleepy during the day and have sudden attacks of sleep.
Both Vyvanse and Dexedrine work by making more of two chemicals in the brain called dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals help the brain cells communicate with each other and regulate attention, focus, impulse control, and activity level. People with ADHD or narcolepsy may have less of these chemicals in their brain. By increasing them, Vyvanse and Dexedrine can reduce the symptoms of these conditions and help people cope better.
Vyvanse and Dexedrine are similar, but they have some differences. Vyvanse is a newer medicine than Dexedrine. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vyvanse in 2007 and Dexedrine in 1976. Vyvanse is also different from Dexedrine because it needs to be changed by the body into its active form. This means it takes longer to start working than Dexedrine, but it also lasts longer. Dexedrine works right away after the body absorbs it.
You can take Vyvanse and Dexedrine by mouth as a liquid or a pill. The FDA also approved a Dexedrine patch that you can put on your skin. This can be helpful for people who have trouble swallowing pills.
Doctors can prescribe Vyvanse and Dexedrine for people with ADHD or narcolepsy who are older than 3 years. These medicines can have side effects, such as nervousness or shaking, trouble sleeping, headache, or changes in ability. Some people may also become addicted to them. Therefore, it is important to follow the doctor’s instructions and not misuse these medicines.
What are the diseases that Dexedrine can treat?
Dexedrine is a medicine that can help people with:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Narcolepsy, a long-term sleep problem that makes people very sleepy during the day and fall asleep suddenly.
How does Dexedrine help with these problems?
Dopamine is a chemical in the body that affects many things, such as mood, motivation, movement, memory, focus, and concentration. When people have low levels of dopamine, they may have problems like ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or depression. Dexedrine makes more dopamine available in the brain which can help people with ADHD pay more attention and act less impulsively.
This is different from Vyvanse which has to be changed by the body before it works. Dexedrine works right away on dopamine levels without needing to be changed by the body like Vyvanse does. Sometimes, doctors may prescribe Dexedrine when other medicines do not work well for a patient or may use it together with them.
How well do both Vyvanse and Dexedrine work?
Both lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) and dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) are strong drugs that affect the central nervous system, which is used to control ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). They both got approval from the FDA, with Dexedrine being an older drug that came out in 1976 and Vyvanse being newer and coming out in 2007. Both drugs increase the levels of some chemicals in the brain that help with focus, attention, and impulse control.
A study in 2015 compared how well they worked and found that they were both good at managing ADHD symptoms. But they have different ways of working: Vyvanse is a drug that has to be turned into active dextroamphetamine by the body while Dexedrine is active as soon as it is taken.
A review in 2013 showed that Vyvanse starts to help with ADHD symptoms within two hours after taking it and lasts longer than other drugs—up to fourteen hours—which makes it helpful for people who need to feel better for a long time during the day. The same review said that it has less chance of being misused because it has to be turned into an active form by the body.
On the other hand, Dexedrine can help not only with ADHD but also narcolepsy. It may be the first choice of treatment depending on the patient’s situation, such as cost or how fast they need it to work, because it works right away compared to Vyvanse’s slower start.
However, both drugs can have side effects like high heart rate/blood pressure or anxiety/irritability and others, so they should only be taken with a doctor’s guidance.
Which one is better for me: Dexedrine or Vyvanse?
If you want to know which medicine is more suitable for you, you should talk to a doctor who knows your health condition. Your family doctor might be a good person to ask.
When you are choosing between Dexedrine or Vyvanse, you might think about how long each medicine stays in your body.
Vyvanse might last longer, which can be a problem if you find it hard to sleep. But you might have more control over the effects of Dexedrine because it does not stay as long in your body.
If you have difficulty swallowing pills, you might want to try the new Dexedrine patch that you can stick on your skin or the Vyvanse tablets that you can chew.
Your doctor probably will not suggest or give you either medicine if you have any of these:
problems with your heart structure irregular heartbeat heart disease weak heart muscle high blood pressure that is moderate or severe eye disease that causes high pressure in your eyes a history of addiction to drugs or alcohol overactive thyroid allergic reaction or sensitivity to amphetamines Both medicines can be misused. A doctor will watch your dose carefully to prevent harm and misuse.
How much Vyvanse is usually given?
The amount of Vyvanse that you take by mouth ranges from 20-70 mg/day for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children who are six years old or older. A common starting dose is 30 mg/day, but a doctor may change this after seeing how you react over several weeks. For Dexedrine, the amount that you take by mouth for ADHD treatment also changes a lot depending on your age and situation – with starting daily doses usually around 5-10 mg for adults or children who are six years old or older - to be taken once or twice a day. However, you should remember that these medicines should always be used with the help of a healthcare professional who can check their effects closely because of the risk of becoming dependent on stimulant drugs. The highest dose that you should not go over in any case is 70 mg/day for Vyvanse and 40mg/day for Dexedrine.
How much Dexedrine is usually given?
Dexedrine treatment usually starts with a dose of 5-10 mg/day for adults and 2.5–5 mg per day for children who are six years old or older. Depending on how you respond to the medicine, the dose can be increased by 5 or 10 mg every week until you get the best results. The highest daily dose is usually around 40 mg for adults and between 20-25 mg for children, split into two doses that are about four hours apart. If after several weeks there is no big improvement in your symptoms at this highest recommended dose, it may be needed to change the treatment plan.
What are some common problems that Vyvanse can cause?
Vyvanse and Dexedrine are medicines that can help people with ADHD, but they can also cause some problems. Some of the problems are:
● Feeling worried or nervous
● Having a dry mouth
● Not feeling hungry, and losing weight
● Having trouble sleeping
● Having stomach problems like diarrhea, nausea or throwing up
● Having a faster heart rate, or feeling your heart beat strongly
● Feeling dizzy, unsteady or shaky
● Sweating a lot
Headache. Some people might feel different emotions like being angry, nervous or sick. You should know that these are medicines that make your brain more active, and that's why they can cause these problems. But everyone is different, so you should talk to your doctor when you start taking new medicine.
Are there any serious problems that Vyvanse can cause?
Vyvanse and Dexedrine are both medicines that make your brain more active, but they can also cause different problems. For example:
Your heart rate might go up with both medicines, which could make you feel chest pain, breathless, or faint.
Signs that you are allergic to the medicine: red bumps on your skin; having trouble breathing; swelling in your face or throat; fever and skin rash - you need to get medical help right away.
Changes in your vision such as seeing blurry or having other eye problems.
Problems with your brain or nerves such as headache, spinning feeling, confusion, anger and shaking. In bad cases this can lead to seeing or hearing things that are not there or being paranoid.
Low salt levels in your blood - shown by feeling sick, headache, confusion and tiredness. -Very bad reactions in your nerves like stiff muscles, high fever, sweating, fast/uneven heartbeat -Signs that you have too much of a chemical called serotonin in your brain such as feeling restless, seeing or hearing things that are not there, fast heart rate, muscle twitching/stiffness, lack of balance.
If you have any of these problems and they don't go away or get worse while taking the medicine, you need to get medical help right away.
What are the prices of Vyvanse and Dexedrine?
For the brand name versions of these drugs:
You need to pay about $380 for 30 capsules of Vyvanse (50 mg), which means about $12.70/day. You need to pay around $420 for 60 tablets of Dexedrine (10 mg), which means about $14/day. So, if you take a higher dose of Dexedrine (like 20mg or more), then the brand-name Vyvanse would be cheaper for you per day. But, you should not choose these drugs based on their prices only.
For generic versions of Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate) and Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine):
It is hard to find generic Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate; but, if you do, it is still quite costly with prices from about $11 to $13 per day.
Dextroamphetamine is cheaper and comes in packs from 15 to many hundreds with prices from as low as $0.25/day to around $1/day depending on how much you buy at once.
How popular are Vyvanse and Dexedrine?
Lisdexamfetamine, as a generic or a brand name like Vyvanse, was given to about 10.7 million people in the US in 2019. Lisdexamfetamine was more than 14% of ADHD prescriptions in the US. It is also the most-common prodrug stimulant (a substance that changes into an active drug in your body). The use of lisdexamfetamine has been going up since it came out in 2007.
Dextroamphetamine, as a brand name like Dexedrine or other forms, was given to about 400 thousand people in the USA in 2018-2019 according to data from IQVIA Total Patient Tracker Database. Unlike Vyvanse’s increasing popularity, prescription rates for Dexedrine and other forms of dextroamphetamine have stayed more or less the same over recent years because of more focus on newer long-lasting forms and prodrugs like lisdexamfetamine which many doctors think are safer and less likely to be misused.
Final Words
Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) and Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine) are both old and trusted medicines for people with ADHD. Many research studies and reviews show that they work better than fake treatments. These medicines can sometimes be used together with a doctor’s guidance, but it’s also good to know that they can cause bad reactions with other drugs. The main difference between them is how they work: Vyvanse is a prodrug, which means it only becomes active after the body changes it, while Dexedrine is a fast-acting medicine.
Vyvanse lasts longer than Dexedrine because of its special way of moving in the body. This makes Vyvanse good for taking once a day while Dexedrine usually needs more doses during the day.
Both drugs can be bought in generic form but the prices can change depending on insurance and pharmacy. Both Vyvanse and Dexedrine may need some time to work meaning that effects might not be seen right away.
The side effects for both medicines are similar, usually mild with common side effects like dry mouth, sleep problems, less hunger or weight loss; but some people find lisdexamfetamine causes less sudden withdrawal symptoms when it stops working compared to dextroamphetamine. For both medicines patients must check their heart rate especially when starting treatment since these kinds of stimulants can raise heart rate or blood pressure.
FAQs
Questions and Answers About Dexedrine Vs Vyvanse
How are Dexedrine and Vyvanse different?
Dexedrine and Vyvanse are both drugs that help people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But Dexedrine works right away and lasts for a few hours, while Vyvanse works slowly and lasts for up to 14 hours.
Which drug is better for ADHD?
Dexedrine and Vyvanse are both good for ADHD. But the best drug for each person may depend on their situation and preference. Some people may like Dexedrine because it makes them feel better quickly, while others may like Vyvanse because it keeps them feeling good for a long time.
What are the possible problems of Dexedrine and Vyvanse?
Dexedrine and Vyvanse may cause some issues like headache, sleeplessness, hunger loss, stomach pain, and moodiness. But Vyvanse is safer than Dexedrine because it is not as strong and addictive. You should talk to your doctor before taking any drug to know the possible problems and the best way to use it.