Hey all-

I thought I'd chime in with my own thoughts about creating a separate forum for Vyvanse. I know there have been a lot of requests by members and responses by moderators. I respect the fact that webpage modification is not easy and site maintainence requires much more than meets the eye.

This is not meant to put down moderators. They do a great job and this is a wonderful resource for members. Of course they take everyone's ideas and needs into consideration, so I'd like to present my own.

In my opinion, a new forum is a great idea and well-deserved! Here's my reasoning:

1. It's a NEW medication!

I know some people are saying that it's just d-amp, but it's not. It's lis-d-amp.

There aren't many resources availble to find information on the drug, other than the Vyvanse Website, prescribing info, and pre-approval studies.

Even our own doctor's can't provide much clinically based experience because it's not possible for them to have had enough personal encounters with the drug. We want to know what this drug is like in the real world, not in a controlled study!

2. Novel Mechanism:

The additional of the peptide group to d-amp causes the drug to enter the body in an inactive state. None of the current ADHD medications are formulated in this manner.

It's activation requires peptide cleavage in the GI system. This isn't a new, synthesized release mechanism. The human body is the release system!

Thus, there's bound to be responses, both positive and negative, to this stimulant that we haven't experienced with previous medications.

3. Prevalence of Member Postings:

There have been a lot of postings on Vyvanse lately! The rate is much higher than any of the other drugs with their own subforum. Of course this is due to the fact that it's a new medication and there are a lot of questions.

4. Organization:

This is an ADHD forum. I think it goes without saying that we'd all benefit from a well organized subforum so that all the Vyvanse info is in one place:) Sorting through the posts in the general medications thread can be overwhelming, even though there's not that much to sort through, it still can be hard to read (at least it is for me!).

5. FDA Approval/Insurance coverage:

I've read that some members felt a forum was not created for Vyvanse because it's not approved for adults. This argument doesn't hold up because the only ADHD medications that are FDA approved for adult use are Focalin XR, Adderall XR, and Strattera. We even have a Daytrana forum, and to the best of my knowledge, there aren't plans for this to be approved for adults.

However, Vyvanse is approved for pediatric ADHD and is not considered an off-label treatment for children. Technically it's off-label for adults, but I think most physicians would agree that it's more of an insurance issue rather than a clinical practice issue. Fortunately, Shire has applied for adult approval!

Sure, some insurance companies won't cover Vyvanse. Some insurance don't cover any ADHD medications for adults, regardless of FDA approval. I don't think this should be a reason to not create a separate forum. Of course some people will have difficulty getting it prescribed, which will limit the number of experienced posters, but this could very likely change.

Personally, I can't get any ADHD medication easily covered by my insurance company. Some are preferred, some are not, but all will have equal coverage if the appropriate forms are submitted by my physician.



I hope my thoughts are taken into consideration and I welcome responses from moderators and members. This isn't meant to be a lobby for a subforum, rather, just a place where people can discuss such concerns, instead of posting in threads about the medication itself.

Thanks for taking the initiative to start this thread Jealibeanz :) this is a great idea. Please do try to keep it civil, y'all.

good for you keep up the good work

dorm

Thanks jealibeanz.
At least someone else here wants to see some progress. I really don't understand the issue here...I'm absolutely baffled to be honest. This shouldn't even BE an issue...

So, my question is this...What is the "actual" reasoning for not having a subforum for Vyvanse yet? I'm not trying to be difficult or disrespectful...I'm just trying to take part in the activities of this forum. After all, it is each of us that gives this forum its character, and it should be us, the users, that decide, as a whole, what this forum is all about. What about a poll?

eric

A poll would be interesting, but ultimately that would not make or break a decision to add a subforum. :) This is, in the final wash, a decision that will be made by administration.

admin this, admin that, blah blah blah. And it all makes a ton of sense doesn't it???

admin this, admin that, blah blah blah. And it all makes a ton of sense doesn't it???It must, or it would not be so. This is NOT a democracy.

here you go...one friendly thread for all discussion about the subforum. Trust me when I say I am reading every single post.

What is the "actual" reasoning for not having a subforum for Vyvanse yet? I'm not trying to be difficult or disrespectful...I'm just trying to take part in the activities of this forum. After all, it is each of us that gives this forum its character, and it should be us, the users, that decide, as a whole, what this forum is all about.
It is a new drug and we are weighing how much discussion it is getting before setting up yet another sub category, when General Meds might be sufficient or another subforum already existing would be more suitable.

Thank you for your participation in the forum. You're right, the members' contributions are what make this site a success. However, it is up to Administration how it will be organized and what the guidelines are. We are all guests here.

Please, share more about this med and how it's helping and how it works in the thread(s) already here. Your knowledge is valuable.

It is with great restraint that I ask that members take the following points into consideration:

* Vyvanese has JUST been FDA approved July 2007,
* Administration equals THREE people with lives, families, employment, and other interests of their own OUTSIDE of this Forum,
* when and IF there is a desire to create a subforum, Administration will make it known; and
* condescension and bullying from members will not be tolerated.

For now, please find a more constructive use of your time, perhaps discussing the medication, how it is tolerated, current trials, etc. and not how a subforum needs to be created.

Have a great day and thanks so much for your input.

I'm surprised at the defensiveness here. I certainly was not looking to upset, insult, or "bully" moderators, as my thread title indicated. The fact of the matter is that members are discussing their desire for a subforum. There have been threads like this for all of the medications when they are released. Vyvanse isn't unusual in this respect. I created this thread in order to separate the forum structural discussions from the medication discussions because they were interferring with the flow of conversation.

I'm surprised at the defensiveness here. I certainly was not looking to upset, insult, or "bully" moderators, as my thread title indicated. The fact of the matter is that members are discussing their desire for a subforum. There have been threads like this for all of the medications when they are released. Vyvanse isn't unusual in this respect. I created this thread in order to separate the forum structural discussions from the medication discussions because they were interferring with the flow of conversation.I don't believe that anybody was specifically accused of bullying staff, and I do thank you personally, Jealibeanz, for actually including some concrete data. I do not, however, see any further medical discussion or personal use stories in this thread.

As long as there is criticism of the structure, there will be replies as to how this forum's policies are enforced. Like EYEFORGOT stated so eloquently, we are all guests here, by the kindness of administration. Admin has spoken with the voice of Andi. There should be no further need to discuss the whys and wherefores as to whether or not there will, or will not, be a subforum created. This has been stated very clearly and is not up for debate.

Please, do carry on with some information regarding this new medication. It would be most helpful if anybody could post reports of their own personal use. We await news of this nature and hope that it will appear very soon.

Thanks crazyfeet.

I don't think I explained my thoughts clearly. I meant that I created this thread with the idea that there would be no actual discussion of the medication here. I honestly don't care all that much about whether or not Vyvanse has its own subforum. We have plenty of freedom in the general medication forum to discuss any drug. However, the idea of a subforum was being presented within the threads about member's experience with Vyvanse. It was getting awfully confusing. So I thought I'd create one little spot where people can vent, because it's already happening. This hopefully will make the other Vyvanse threads less cluttered.

I am certain your heart was in the right place :) and its always nice when somebody tries to make staff's job a little easier by keeping things nice and organized. It is my fear, however, and I am positive that I am not alone in this, that a "vent thread" about this particular issue is something that will possibly get overheated and out of hand.

Andi has made this EXTREMELY clear, when she said:

For now, please find more a more constructive use of your time, perhaps discussing the medication, how it is tolerated, current trials, etc. and not how a subforum needs to be created.
And so, though it may not have been your original intention? This thread will now either proceed to a discussion of the medication itself, die a natural death due to lack of posts, or continue along a distructive course and ultimately be closed and locked, or deleted entirely.

Its really up to members which of the above choices will prevail.:) I'd hope that a respectful choice is made by all and that we can all benefit from new information about Vyvanse.

This thread was about a subforum. Thank you jellybeanz for keeping it a civil, organized conversation.

Since we have heard the pros and cons, the thread is closed, and we may continue to the threads specifically about this medication.