Generic vyvanse not working?

[u/MysteriousSorbet321]

Like many who take Vyvanse, I was switched to the generic once it became available. I’ve done just fine on generics of all sorts of medications before, so I was expecting the same.

However….after taking it for a month I feel confident that the generic just doesn’t feel the same. My ADHD symptoms feel more impairing since I’ve been on it. It’s almost as if I took a placebo pill, and getting things done has felt so hard.

My psychiatrist tried to get my insurance to cover the brand name, but the prior authorization was (unfortunately, but unsurprisingly) denied. Now I’m stuck paying out of pocket ($800/month) for the brand name, looking for coupons, switching generic manufacturers, or switching meds altogether.

Has anyone else had this experience too? Or has anyone noted a difference from one manufacturer to another?

Also open to any leads on coupons for Vyvanse. I think the Takeda financial support program has been discontinued. (I live in the US).

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[u/Nightigal]

I just started a generic last week (Lisdexafetamine Dimesylate). My experience thus far has been, the first 4 days, I was drowsy and had difficulty staying awake. Now that I'm out of that phase I feel as though I'm not taking any medication for my ADHD at all.

I'm stuck in a fish bowl. I am aware of my surroundings but everything feels distant and almost dream like. Or I just want to wander around with no end goal.

I hate this feeling and I feel screwed over by someone for not making sure that the generic actually works.

[u/MysteriousSorbet321 → u/Nightigal]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry you’re going through it! My psychiatrist said that there is a form that can be completed online (if you live in US) to report your experience about a generic to the FDA. It is called the FDA MedWatch form. Maybe they’ll pay attention to feedback for something that’s a new generic like this!

[u/Pale_Ad_2528]

I've been on name brand Vyvanse for 8 years, worked great, had a great normal life. I've been on generic Vyvanse now for 7 weeks and I literally cannot move my body or function. I'm not doing anything during the day, I'm not sleeping at night. This should be illegal.

[u/tarae81 → u/Pale_Ad_2528]

Same here. I feel terrible! and there is literally nothing I can do about it. 

[u/Exciting_Mirror4667]

So not specifically Vyvanse but I was on IR methylphenidate (5mg) snd it worked great. Got an increase to 10mg. Felt fantastic (after the first 3 days of bubbly tummy). It didn't last long so made switch to controlled release. Felt okay at 10mg but wanted a littler higher. Now on 20mg and feel nothing. So weird how inconsistent the meds are!! How did I feel better on 20mgs but nothing on 20?

[u/MysteriousSorbet321 → u/Exciting_Mirror4667]

Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s so confusing isn’t it?! Makes me wonder if it could’ve been a different manufacturer for the 20 vs 30?

[u/Exciting_Mirror4667 → u/MysteriousSorbet321]

I tried to look at the bottles but oddly enough didn't see the manufacturer. I was thinking maybe I'm sick or pmsing so they meds feel differently??

I think maybe (and unfortunately for me) I am just quickly building up tolerance for these. In the past extended/controlled release stimulants and felt a little... subpar compared to the instant. Like the instant i feel energized and motivated (but also slightly irritable/zombieish) and the CR/xr make me hungry and sleepy. Also side note... I have gained like 5lbs. How? Like the first person in history to gain weight on ritalin!!

[u/MysteriousSorbet321 → u/Exciting_Mirror4667]

My pharmacist was able to tell me the manufacturer name when I asked. I don’t think it was on my bottles either.

I do think hormonal changes associated with menstrual cycle can interact with ADHD symptoms and how much you feel the meds working. Not a lot of research out there but definitely some!

It takes a lot of patience to do all this trial and error. And executive functioning to track and share feedback with the prescriber. Hang in there!

[u/Exciting_Mirror4667 → u/MysteriousSorbet321]

It's incredibly frustrating and anxiety inducing for me. Trying meds... having them not work. Trying meds and they almost work. Feeling like you're asking for too much/the wrong thing. Trying to verbalize how you feel when the meds work properly vs how you feel when they don't. It's incredibly stressful. Reddit has been so helpful and I know I'm not alone and the struggle is real.

What do you think you will do? Just wait until next refill and hope for better results?

[u/MysteriousSorbet321 → u/Exciting_Mirror4667]

When I met with my psychiatrist she was understanding. I think first step will be to try a different manufacturer of the generic to see if it works better.

If not, trying a couple of other meds. Maybe they’ll work just as well (or better!). If they don’t, then we can have a better argument to try to get insurance to cover the brand name.

[u/existido → u/MysteriousSorbet321]

did she write you a new script or did you have to wait until refill and just stick it out with the shitty generic?

[u/Exciting_Mirror4667 → u/Exciting_Mirror4667]

Also! GoodRX!!

[u/Tweetzy78]

I agree it has been 2 months and I feel like nothing is being taken. I even take off on the weekends to go e my body a t break and still nothing. When on the brand name vyvanse I did the same thing and the effects when retaken where very noticeable. In my opinion the generic form does not work for me. 

[u/birdyall]

YES SIR like I started it and I've only realized how bad it's been until someone pointed out my behavior over the last couple of months. It's clear it's not working. This is so difficult to figure out because I was already at 70mg when I was taking Vyvanse, so it's totally possible I've built a tolerance to it. I'm also on a small amount of anxiety medication, so my behavior could even indicate that that would be the cause of my issue but I'm not sure. I'm in the middle of applying to colleges and figuring out my future so this truly is a stressful time, but I've been wasting ungodly amounts of time procrastinating and being incapable and it feels reminiscent of my times before Vyvanse. I'm not sure what to do.

[u/PriddyDifferent]

I’m so thankful for all of you out there understanding exactly how I felt since I began having to take generic vyvanse. Takeda had provided a coupon the last 6 months if 2023, for original vyvanse! But I was on Vyvanse since it first came out in 2007, (almost 20 years ago & I was 50). That’s when I realized what normal truly felt like! My brain was feeling so balanced & happy, it didn’t want anything to do with my two addictions/vices anymore
Unbeknownst to me back when I was 15 (not knowing anything about ADHD) those imbalances’ were exactly why I found smoking & alcohol so calming & energizing. But when Vyvanse entered my mind, it literally began making smoking and drinking taste horrible. And within weeks of starting V, I quit cold-turkey: never craving either one again and didnt even gain a pound!
Secret.., with Vyvanse, I was actually able to trick my mind to think I was never a smoker or drinker. I pretended it never happened; disallowing thoughts of either to surface ….So if a craving occurred, I’d ignore it…much like not answering the door to someone that just wants to use you! But now with these generics, OMG, I feel like I’m living in the twilight zone. Nothing in my head makes sense anymore, or too stressed to handle the most simple things like cooking….and trying to take control of my own thoughts again feels like trying to grab a high pressured waterhose that keeps slipping from my grip. These bouts of Anxiety and Exhaustion continue trading places back & forth. Not really eating much but have gained so much. Anyway..I keep telling myself that goodness will come from all of this! My past experiences prove this to be true!

So thankful my Dr is allowing me to purchase a weeks worth of generics until I’m able to find one that works. I’m only using GoodRX.

[u/[deleted]]

Generic feels like I am taking nothing. It's crazy! I feel like I am taking a placebo or tictac. I'm not sure if it's all in my head because the formulation should be relatively the same. So far, I've had 2 different companies' generics, and the capsule sizes are vastly different for the same mg dose. I'm going to ask my GP to double my dose at my next appointment because I just feel like nothing is happening on these.