What is the difference between strattera and vyvanse

Concerta and Adderall are both medications that can help treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD. Learn about the….

Both drugs are similar, but there are some differences in how they…. Doctors prescribe the two drugs guanfacine and Adderall for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which people more often call ADHD.

What are the differences between Strattera and Vyvanse? Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, Pharm. Strattera Vyvanse How to take them Side effects Risks Drug interactions How to choose Summary The Food and Drugs Administration have approved Strattera and Vyvanse to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adults. What is Strattera? Image credit: gloom What is Vyvanse? How to take them. Share on Pinterest Vyvanse comes in the form of both capsules and chewable tablets.

Side effects. Drug interactions. How to choose between Strattera and Vyvanse. Share on Pinterest A doctor can explain the benefits, risks, and side effects of either drug. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help?

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We hear these questions — and others like them — often from parents who are wrestling with the decision to medicate or working with a physician to monitor and adjust a treatment plan for side effects. We saw this trial and error in living color when ADDitude surveyed 4, readers in August to learn more about the most common and effective forms of ADHD treatment today.

In that survey, we learned that:. We asked respondents to tell us which medication s their child had ever used to address symptoms of attention deficit disorder, and learned that Concerta is the most used ADHD medication for children, by far, followed by Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse.

Of course, the data below reflects a long time window; one-third of survey respondents had a child diagnosed more than five years earlier. Among patients diagnosed within the previous year, Concerta, Adderall, and Vyvanse were in a dead heat with a new class of generics that have recently hit the market. Below, we see that the medication used by the fewest households surveyed — Evekeo — was rated extremely or very effective by the greatest percentage of caregivers. Following closely behind was Vyvanse, which is also one of the most commonly used.

This may be due to the small sample size of caregivers who have administered Evekeo — just 20, compared to the who have tried Concerta or the who have tried Vyvanse. So we asked survey respondents to report the the prevalence of three common side effects — irritability, sleep disturbances, and dampened personality — with each of the following medications.

The chart below shows the percentage of individuals who reported experiencing these side effects while on the each medication. She began to lose weight and became irritable due to low blood sugar from not eating. No appetite. Increased irritability due to low blood sugar from not eating. Lost weight. However, he started complaining of feeling sick after about one week, so our pediatrician lowered the dose from 30mg to 20mg.

This stopped the nausea. Also I prefer to say that, rather than lessening his appetite, the medication delays his appetite. He eats little during the day but is hungry from about through to 9 at night.

At home the effects of being on the medication were subtle. He still gets some headaches now and then and he still had some appetite loss but it works better than the previous medication that we tried before. He is well behaved at school. He is happy overall and doing better about completing homework.

But he becomes overwhelmed easily with school work. He has no appetite during the day. He has trouble settling down for the night. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of drug interactions. It is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist for a complete list. Vyvanse and Ritalin are schedule II narcotics, and therefore have a very high potential for abuse and misuse.

These medications should be taken exactly as directed, and patients must be monitored closely by their healthcare providers while on these medications. Sudden death, stroke, and cardiac arrest have been reported in patients taking CNS stimulants, even at recommended doses. Sudden death has occurred in children and adolescents with cardiac abnormalities.

For this reason, the use of Vyvanse and Ritalin should be avoided in patients with a history of coronary artery disease or with known cardiac abnormalities. CNS stimulants can exacerbate behavior disturbances in patients with pre-existing psychiatric disorders. These patients should be monitored closely if CNS stimulants are necessary. Bipolar patients may experience mixed or manic episodes while on CNS stimulants.

Vyvanse is a prescription medication used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as binge-eating disorder. Vyvanse is a central nervous system stimulant and is a schedule II controlled substance as classified by the DEA. It is available as a capsule or chewable tablet in strengths ranging from 10 mg to 70 mg. Ritalin is a prescription medication used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as narcolepsy.

Ritalin is a central nervous system stimulant and is a schedule II controlled substance as classified by the DEA. It is available as an immediate-release tablet in 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg strengths. It is also available as a long-acting formulation in oral capsules ranging from 10 mg to 60 mg.

Vyvanse works to increase catecholamines in the neuronal synapse by stimulating their release, while Ritalin blocks reuptake of the catecholamines to effectively leave more free catecholamines in the neuronal synapse. Studies show that Vyvanse may show a greater improvement in symptomatology, but Ritalin is more cost-effective and leads to a lower rate of side effects. This means there have not been adequate human studies to determine safety.

The use of amphetamines during pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight. Newborns may experience symptoms of withdrawal. These drugs should only be used when the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. Alcohol use could increase the serum blood concentrations of amphetamine-related drugs, and therefore alcohol should be avoided when on these medications.

Vyvanse is converted in the body to its active metabolite, dexmethylphenidate. Dexmethylphenidate is the active ingredient in Focalin formulations. Jornay is a new delayed-release formulation of methylphenidate. It is unique in that you take it at night before bed, and with the delayed release, the active drug is released in the gut in the morning.

It has been shown to cause less insomnia than the older methylphenidate formulations. Lisdexamfetamine, the active ingredient in Vyvanse, is converted in the body to dextroamphetamine. Dextroamphetamine is the active ingredient in Adderall formulations. Adderall XR formulations, as well as their generics, are typically once daily dosing similar to Vyvanse. Focalin and Focalin XR are the active metabolites of Vyvanse and have generic formulations on the market. These are generally covered well by insurance.

SingleCare also offers savings cards for these formulations. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug.

Vyvanse vs. Ritalin: Differences, similarities, and which is better for you.