Difference between Adderall XR and Vyvance

[Greenjuice]

This is copied and pasted from (http://healthlifeandstuff.com/2009/0...le-vs-complex/) and thought it would be great for everyone to simply understand the difference between the two similar drugs. Very fun and makes perfect sense, being prescribed both. Enjoy


There are several important things you should know.
First, it’s important to realize that Vyvanse is Shire’s replacement for their old blockbuster drug, Adderall XR, which is losing its patent.


If you’re being suggested to take Vyvanse, it’s not necessarily because it’s a better medication.


Shire wants to turn it into a billion dollar drug, and has unleashed a marketing campaign of that magnitude, aimed at consumers and doctors.


On the other hand, Vyvanse does have some advantages over Adderall. It also has a few disadvantages.


Comparing Vyvanse vs Adderall is made slightly harder because both drugs are amphetamines. If you take either, you’re getting pretty much the same thing. That said, there are some important differences.


1) Vyvanse is 100% d-amphetamine, while Adderall XR is a mix of 4 different d and l-amphetamines.
This mix in Adderall may make it more effective, stronger. But it might cause more anxiety or physical side effects. See later for discussion of the differences between the amphetamine types.
The next big difference is that:
2) Vyvanse is released via digestion, while Adderall is released by bead technology.
The digestion release may make Vyvanse smoother, last longer, and have less variablity. What you eat might not effect it so much.
This release also means that snorting or injecting Vyvanse provides less of a high. As many have pointed out, however, Vyvanse can provide a high just by being taken at higher doses.
But – in general – is Stimulant Treatment for ADHD Safe?
Problems with Vyvanse
There are some things about Vyvanse you should know. First, that it’s basically nothing more than extended release Dexedrine. And while it seems to have fewer side effects relating to anxiety and release, it may cause more side effects like reduced appetite.
Because Vyvanse is so new, it may be significantly more expensive than other options or not covered by insurance, especially since both Dexedrine and Adderall are available in generic form. We also simply do not know as much about it as we do about the older drugs.
Finally, some users feel that it’s not as strong as Adderall, and that it stops working earlier than advertised.
Good things about Vyvanse
It might last slightly longer than Adderall XR. It might have less side effects related to anxiety. Finally, it might be more resistant to acidity in the stomach, meaning less variability in drug release.
l versus d amphetamine
Remember that Vyvanse is pure d-amphetamine, while Adderall is a mix of d- and l-forms.
The d form may be more effective at reducing impulsiveness and overactivity. Thel form, on the other hand, may increase concentration better, but it may also cause more anxiety. It is also per molecule less effective than the d form, but such a distinction is perhaps irrelevant.
The d form may effect more dopamine, as opposed to both noradrenaline and dopamine in the l form. This theory, however, is not established. Noradrenaline is involved in anxiety responses, which may explain why Adderall XR seems to be worse for anxiety.

[The Absent Mind]

Hmm, very good to know. :-)

One thing I personally noticed about Vyvanse is that it does not affect my appetite at all really... or at least doesn't make it hard to eat anyway--I'm not always hungry, but eating isn't difficult at all like it is with some stimulants-- where even the thought of eating can make you gag.

So far I have gone from 30 to 50 to 60 to 70 to 80mg of Vyvanse.

At first it was lame. I was sleepy after about 4 hours and super-space-cadet-y. Now it seems to last about 6-7 ish hours, but I think I'll probably still need some sort of booster for the afternoon-- though not a twice-a-day booster like I thought I would originally, which is good.

Another problem is the crashy feeling I tend to get right around 4:00 PM after taking the vyvanse always at 6:00 AM. It is a creepy, cold-sweaty, depressed-ish feeling that can--but doesn't always--trigger an anxiety response in me. So some sort of anxiolytic might be needed for the evening too.

Just my experiences so far.

[demo3210]

The Absent-Mind, I think you would benefit from a booster as well. I drink coffee in the afternoon to cope with those feelings you're talking about. When the depression or 'creepiness' (a term I can relate to you meaning) gets too bad, I stop by the local drugstore and pick up some 5-HTP and 150-200mg really does the trick, at least for me. After taking 5-HTP for a couple days, I seem to be able to go a prolonged period without taking it again for at least a couple weeks.

I wonder how 'extended release' Vyvanse really is if it's released by digestion. I've read reports Vyvanse is really just a glorified instant-release. Vyvanse isn't converted until the gastrointestinal tract, which technically is a large body of organs, including the stomach, so which organ is it? The intestines? Digestion takes typically between 4-6 hours to get to the intestines from the stomach. Vyvanse does not take 4-6 hours to kick in and when it does, it's definitely front-heavy - most effective in the earlier part of the day within the first few hours. And opening a cap of Vyvanse, it's all the same substance. There are no extended release beads or instant release beads like Adderall, so I think it all just gets digested at once - no extended release digestion whatsoever. I think this is all just manipulative advertising on Shire's part to get hype for their 'new' product. Though, I suppose the benefit of lowering the abuse potential (to what degree I do not know) is good, but who knows how many doctors actually utilize this factor.

There's also no denying that Adderall is still more effective for some people, so it is really a moot point releasing Vyvanse other than it put dexedrine back on the map.