Brief history, 43 yr old woman, diagnosed last spring when my 8 yr old son was diagnosed. I was initially prescribed Focalin xr, burned through it in no time (could only get about 5 hours out of it, then practically went narcoleptic). Then tried Concerta, loved it to begin with, truly does last longer, and then started experiencing a lot of anxiety on it. Now I'm on Vyvanse 50mg. I've been on it about a week, really like the focus I get off of it, feels natural, unlike the others that I have tried. The only problem I have is pretty severe headaches late in the day and evening.... has anyone else had this and does it subside with time? I had headaches with Concerta for the first couple of days and then it stopped.

Would appreciate any imput. I would like to try my son on Vyvanse, but I'm a little hesitant until these headaches subside. He's on Concerta 36mg has done very well but in the past couple of weeks he's losing focus by afternoon at school. It really is a balancing act, isn't it??? What works for some, doesn't work for others, it's all a little maddening! :eyebrow:

The headaches may subside a little bit as you adjust to the medication.

I was getting headaches on the Vyvance too. Honestly though I've only taken it 4 times since I got it. I upped it to 90mgs on Thursday and didn't take my meds on Friday or the weekend. I took it for the 2nd time this morning so we'll see how the headache goes. I attributed the headaches in the afternoon to not having eaten anything all day! Vyvance makes me not want to eat. Today I ate breakfast before I took the meds so we'll see if that helps. I did notice that once I ate something on Thursday, the headache went away.

I got a slight headache my first day at 30mg, then fine the rest of the week, and again my first day at 60mg, then fine the rest of the week.

Give it a week and see if you are still getting headaches at a particular dose.

HYDRATE! Make sure you're drinking TONS of water, especially if you feel any drymouth. Headache could be partly due to the being dehydrated from the Vyvanse. Also, make sure you're eating.

I realized my headaches and stomachaches were due to my lack of eating and drinking, mostly... If I ate and drank regularly, I felt much better.

Thanks for the imput, I definitely have to remember to eat and drink, so that may have been part of it!

Update: I haven't had a headache in 2 days now, yeah!!!! They've gotten better with each day and last night was the first night, since starting Vyvanse, that I've actually gone to bed and slept really well, before that, I was sleeping really lightly, any little noise would make me jump.... I talked to my Doctor today and she said that the Vyvanse rep told her that patients should give the medicine 2 weeks to fully adjust to it...... I've almost made it and I would say that it definitely an improvement over the Concerta and Focalin Xr that I have tried..... hope it stays this way!

Aye...

I just started vyvanse on Monday, and I've had excrutiating headaches almost every night since starting. :|

My first week adjusting to the meds I had an intense migrane (right in my eyes and forehead) it would not go away no matter what I took to relieve the pain... it was hardly tollerable.... but once I got used to the meds.... i don't get headaches anymore... its quite nice.
Also if you go off of them for a couple days and go back on them, (in my experience) you will get a headache for the first few days... and then you adjust

i got some initial headaches but they came along with jaw aches, which i attributed to tension. definitely hydrate, though. it should go away.

I just switched to 70 mg after being on 50 for 4 or so months. I liked the 50 a lot, and only tried to switch because I have such long days of class at my college (all conversation-based and attention requiring!). Last week I started getting really bad headaches, which sort of felt like migraines except that nothing I did would help (yoga, aspirin, ibuprofen, allergy med that i can take w/ vyvanse, eating healthier, etc.). Then my jaw started to feel really stiff and painful on the 3rd day. I even went to the local spa last night to try to soak the tension away... Only to get a headache when I got home!

I've also been having more trouble focusing, and get those feelings of hopelessness I mostly had before I got diagnosed. My guess is for some of us, higher dosages can actually make a negative difference. I'm switching to my old bottle and seeing my psychiatrist soon.

I'm Bipolar II (that's the mild kind), and I believe my attention/motivation problems result from my other medications.

I had a great first day on Vyvanse two days ago, feeling a little sped up but focused and productive, with a mild headache.

I awoke yesterday with a headache, and that's never a good sign. I thought maybe the Vyvanse, being an upper, was like caffeine, which is actually good for headaches. Coming off caffeine can give you headaches, actually. So I took Vyvanse again yesterday morning, and I spent the rest of the day debilitated by the headache. Went to bed with it, slept a long time and awoke with a residual headache this morning.

So today I didn't take it again, and over time the headache wore off. Not sure if I should try it again or not. I liked the effect, but I can't afford to lose a whole day, even if it's preceded by a day of productivity. I'm successfully treated for bipolar, but this is the one last piece of the puzzle I can't get right. Unproductivity threatens my career and social life, and it makes me want off the meds I truly need. In the past I've taken or experimented with Wellbutrin, Ritalin and Concerta, and headaches and muscle tension are the most common side effects for me. But that was before I was on a mood stabilizer, so I was hoping Vyvanse would work and keep on working.

Maybe I'm just venting, but I'd welcome any advice someone can give. Thanks, folks. Keep the faith.