Vyvanse is a type of prescription medication known as an Amphetamine. It is used as part of a treatment program to help control the symptoms of ADHD in adults and children.
Vyvanse is not recommended for people who are prone to alcohol abuse, or if you have any history of it.
It’s also not advised to combine the use of Vyvanse with alcohol or another stimulant. Doing so can result in negative side effects that are far worse than the symptoms for which you take Vyvanse in the first place!
However, if you need both medications for separate purposes and monitor your usage of both consistently, there won’t be any problem taking them together at the same time.
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Vyvanse and Alcohol Abuse
Many people mistakenly assume that taking Vyvanse with alcohol is safe or even beneficial.
However, Vyvanse and alcohol are both depressants. You’re actually mixing two depressants together, which results in an overall effect of reduced stimulation, reduced focus, and more relaxation.
When you drink alcohol, you become euphoric and relaxed. When you take Vyvanse, you experience the opposite effect: You become irritable, anxious, and unable to focus on any one thing for any period of time. It’s a dangerous combination when you mix Vyvanse with alcohol.
Taking Vyvanse with alcohol can lead to negative side effects, such as hallucinations, anxiety attacks, blackouts, or even seizures. It can also increase your risk of addiction. You may feel like you need more of the Vyvanse to get the same results as before or you may want to increase your dosage of Vyvanse even though you don’t need to.
Mixing Vyvanse with alcohol can also lead to overdose. If you take too much Vyvanse, it could lead to a toxic reaction in your body.
How long does it take for Vyvanse to metabolize?
Vyvanse is an extended-release medication, which means it’s designed to be slowly released over a longer period of time. This is why it’s safe to take it without having to worry about taking it before bed.
The exact time it takes to metabolize varies from person to person, but most users will find that it takes about 5-7 hours to completely leave their system. This can vary according to many factors, such as your metabolism, your weight, and what other medications you’re taking.
It’s important to note that while the Vyvanse is metabolizing, it won’t actually affect your blood levels of Vyvanse. This means that you’re still in danger of the negative side effects of mixing the two, even though it’s out of your bloodstream.
What are the effects of Vyvanse and alcohol together?
The general consensus is that alcohol inhibits the breakdown of Vyvanse, which leads to an increased level of Vyvanse in your bloodstream compared to when you take it on its own.
You’ll also find that Vyvanse doesn’t seem to be as effective, even though you’re taking the exact same dosage as before. This is because Vyvanse is metabolized differently than alcohol is. Due to this, you may experience all of the negative side effects of mixing the two.
You may experience an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and an inability to focus. You may also find yourself becoming more irritable than usual, making it harder to get along with other people. You may also have trouble sleeping due to increased anxiety and restlessness.
Other reasons why you shouldn’t mix Vyvanse with Alcohol
- Increased Risk of Drug Interactions: When you mix Vyvanse with alcohol, it increases the risk that the two will interact negatively with one another and cause a toxic reaction.
- Increased Risk of Overdose: When combined, Vyvanse and alcohol can lead to overdose. You could accidentally take too much of either medication, which results in side effects that are far more serious than you’d see if you took them individually.
- Increased Risk of Addiction: Vyvanse is a controlled substance, which means that it’s highly prone to addiction. If you take it regularly, you’re at a higher risk of becoming addicted to it. When you add alcohol to the mix, you put yourself at a higher risk of becoming addicted to both of them at once.
- Vyvanse Isn’t as Effective: When you take Vyvanse with alcohol, you’re putting your body under more stress than it’s used to. It’s still metabolizing the Vyvanse and processing the alcohol, which means it’s working twice as hard for the same amount of time. This leads to a drop in effectiveness of Vyvanse, even though you’re still taking the same amount as before.
Final Words: Why You Shouldn’t Mix Vyvanse with Alcohol
Mixing Vyvanse with alcohol can result in serious side effects, including an increased risk of addiction or an overdose. You may also experience an overall drop in effectiveness of the Vyvanse, meaning that you won’t experience the same results as you would if you took it without alcohol.
If you need Vyvanse to help you maintain your daily life, mixing it with alcohol can seriously hinder your progress and make life more difficult than it needs to be. If you have a history of addiction, mixing Vyvanse with alcohol may put you at risk of relapsing.
If you’re unsure about what to do, it’s best to talk to a medical professional before taking the two together to make sure that it’s safe for you.