What is Lisdexamfetamine?
Lisdexamfetamine stimulates the central nervous system. It affects brain and nerve chemicals that are responsible for hyperactivity and impulse regulation.Lisdexamfetamine treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults as well as children older than 6 years.Lisdexamfetamine can also be used to treat moderate-to-severe binge eating disorders among adults. Lisdexamfetamine should not be used to treat obesity and weight loss.Lisdexamfetamine can be used in other ways not mentioned in this guide.
Side effects of Lisdexamfetamine
Seek immediate medical care if you have any of these symptoms: difficulty breathing, swelling in your face, lips, throat, or tongue.
Lisdexamfetamine may cause serious side effects. If you experience:
- Signs of heart disease include chest discomfort, difficulty breathing, pounding or fluttering heartbeats, and feeling as if you could pass out.
- Signs of psychosis—hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not real), new behaviour problems, aggression, hostility, paranoia,
- Signs of circulation problems include numbness, pain, or a cold feeling in your fingers and toes.
Serotonin syndrome symptoms include: hallucinations and agitation; fever; sweating or shivering; rapid heartbeat; muscle stiffness; and twitching. Loss of coordination.
Lisdexamfetamine may affect the growth of children. If your child's growth isn't normal while taking this medication, tell your doctor.
Side effects of lisdexamfetamine include:
- Dry mouth and loss of appetite;
- Sleep problems (insomnia);
- Feeling jittery, fast heart rate
- Feeling anxious, irritable, or dizzy
- Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, and constipation.
There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. The FDA can be contacted at 1-800-FDA-1088 to report side effects.
Similar/related drugs
Adderall, Vyvanse, methylphenidate, Strattera, Ritalin, and Concerto
Warnings
Lisdexamfetamine can be addictive and is a drug that people abuse. Inform your doctor about any drug or alcohol abuse problems you may have.Stimulants can cause strokes, heart attacks, and sudden deaths in people who have high blood pressure or heart disease.Use lisdexamfetamine only if you are not taking MAO inhibitors, such as phenelzine or rasagiline.Lisdexamfetamine can cause psychosis, especially if there is a previous history of mental illness or bipolar disorder.It is possible that you have a blood circulation problem. This can cause numbness or pain in your toes or fingers.Call your doctor right away if you have: signs of heart problems—chest pain, feeling light-headed or short of breath; signs of psychosis—paranoia, aggression, new behaviour problems, seeing or hearing things that are not real; signs of circulation problems—unexplained wounds on your fingers or toes
Before you take this drug
If you have an allergy to lisdexamfetamine, it is best not to use it.If you've taken MAO inhibitors in the last 14 days, do not take lisdexamfetamine. Harmful drug interactions may occur. MAO inhibitors are isocarboxazid (linezolid), phenelzine (phenelzine injection), rasagiline (selegiline), methylene blue injection, and others.
Stimulants can cause strokes, heart attacks, and sudden deaths in some people. Inform your doctor if:
- Heart problems or a congenital heart defect;
- High blood pressure
- A family history of cardiac disease or sudden death
Tell your doctor about any of the following to ensure that this medicine will be safe for you:
- Suicidal ideas and thoughts, depression, mental illness or psychosis
- Kidney disease
- Coronary artery disease
- Blood circulation problems in the hands or feet
- Addiction to alcohol or drugs
Certain medicines can cause serotonin-related syndrome when taken with lisdexamfetamine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you are also taking stimulant medicines, opioid medications, herbal supplements, or medication for depression, mental illnesses, Parkinson’s disease, or migraine headaches. Before making any changes to your medication schedule or how you take it, consult your doctor.Unknown is whether the medicine will harm a baby in utero. Taking the medicine during pregnancy may cause premature births, low birthweight, or withdrawal symptoms for the newborn.Tell your doctor immediately if you plan to get pregnant.Lisdexamfetamine may pass into breastmilk and cause side effects in nursing babies. This medicine should not be taken while breastfeeding.Lisdexamfetamine has not been approved for the treatment of ADHD among children younger than six years. Lisdexamfetamine has not been approved for the treatment of binge-eating disorder among anyone younger than 18.
How to take Lisdexamfetamine?
Please follow all the instructions on the prescription label. Your doctor may change your dosage from time to time. Take lisdexamfetamine only as prescribed. Take the dose recommended and do not take more.Lisdexamfetamine can be addictive. Do not share lisdexamfetamine, especially with someone who has a history of drug abuse. This medication is not legal to give or sell.Take lisdexamfetamine first thing in the morning, with or without food.You should read all the information provided, including medication guides and instructions. If you have questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.Chew the chewable tablet before swallowing it.You should not chew, crush, divide, or break a capsule of lisdexamfetamine. You should eat the whole thing.You can open the capsule of lisdexamfetamine and sprinkle it into a glass of orange juice or yoghurt to make swallowing easier. Drink or eat this mixture immediately after the medicine dissolves. Save the mixture for later use.During the course of your treatment, your doctor must check on your progress. You should tell any doctor who treats you about the medication you're taking.Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Track your medication. Lisdexamfetamine can be abused, so you need to know if someone is taking your medicine without a prescription or improperly.In a sealed bag or container, dispose of unused or expired Lisdexamfetamine. Ask your pharmacist to direct you to a local programme for the disposal of unused or expired pharmaceuticals.
Details on dosage
Adult dose for attention deficit disorder:
Initial dose: 30mg orally, once daily in the morning
Maintenance dose: 30 to 70 mg daily; dosage may be adjusted in increments of up to 20 mg every week.
Maximum dose: 70 mg per day.
Comment: Before treatment, check for cardiac disease and abuse risk.
Use: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Adult dose for eating disorders:
Initial dose: 30mg orally, once daily in the morning
Maintenance dose: 50–70 mg/day; titrate dosage in 20 mg increments every week.
Maximum dose: 70 mg per day.
If you continue to binge-eat, stop taking the medication.Use: moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder
The usual paediatric dose for attention deficit disorder:
Age 6–17 Years:
Initial dose: 30mg orally, once daily in the morning
Maintenance dose: 30 to 70 mg daily; dosage may be adjusted in increments of up to 20 mg every week.
Maximum dose: 70 mg per day.
Comment: Before treatment, check for cardiac disease and abuse risk.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
What happens if I miss the dose?
Do not wait until the evening to take the missed dose. If it's almost evening, skip the missed dose. Don't take more medicine to compensate for a missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or seek emergency medical care. A lisdexamfetamine overdose can be fatal.Restlessness, tremors, muscle twitches, and rapid breathing are all symptoms of an overdose. Depression and fatigue may follow these symptoms. A severe overdose can also lead to seizures or a coma.
What should be avoided?
Lisdexamfetamine can impair your reactions or thinking. You should be careful when driving or doing anything else that requires alertness.
Interaction with other drug
Before using stomach acid medicines (such as Alka Seltzer and sodium bicarbonate), consult your doctor. These medicines may alter the way lisdexamfetamine is absorbed by your body and increase side effects.Other drugs, such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products, may interact with Lisdexamfetamine. Inform your doctor of all the medicines you are currently taking and those that you will begin or stop taking.
