SWIM is interested in obtaining a prescription for
Modafinil, and is wondering if anyone has had any experience with switching from
Adderall/Vyvanse/etc. He's currently prescribed 30mg of Vyvanse for his ADD. In the past he has experimented with Adderall in the range of therapeutic dosages (10-20mg). His goal with these
drugs has been to aid his academic performance at the university level, which he believes is severely impacted by the inability to pay attention in lecture, stay focused with difficult topics, manage time, and keep notes/room/everything organized.
After being prescribed 30mg of Vyvanse during the past quarter, his initial impressions were that the drugs were indeed helping. He felt like he could pay much more attention in lectures. However, at the end of the quarter he was quite shocked and disappointed to realize that his GPA was his lowest thus far in university.
One thing he questioned was to what extent Vyvanse affected his perception of what he thought he learned and accomplished vs. what was actually accomplished. He came to the conclusion that it indeed can give one a false sense of security, and this was particularly relevant to him with regards to studying and such.
Vyvanse also had a lot of side effects. The common appetite decrease and insomnia was somewhat alarming, but the major problem was with mood/anxiety. SWIM is not sure if any of SWIY have experienced this, but Vyvanse (and to a lesser extent Adderall) use was typically accompanied with a slight uneasiness of feeling jittery or overstimulated. He feels this
side effect was a major impediment to maintaining optimal attention in lectures and in completing his daily tasks. Now that SWIM is off from class for the summer, he has stopped taking Vyvanse. Though initially low mood was accompanied with the sudden cessation of the medication, he began feel much happier a few weeks after discontinuation.
SWIM has experimented with Adrafinil, which metabolizes into Modafinil. Though he had a relatively small supply, the period at which he used Adrafinil on a regular basis yielded some of his highest grades in university. Though he is certain that the effects were much more subtle, he did not experience the negative side effects with regards to mood, sleep, and appetite. He feels as if Modafinil may be a better choice in treating his ADD, and that it would likely be as least as effective as Adrafinil, if not more powerful.
SWIM would like to hear about
experiences and opinions of Adderall/Vyvanse/Ritalin/etc vs. Modafinil with respect to academic performance and
experiences being prescribed from a psychiatrist or GP Modafinil when already prescribed another stimulant for the treatment of AD(H)D. He'd appreciate any relevant insights to these topics if SWIYs have not experienced these firsthand.
Thanks.
