Conclusion: Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs.
Lisdexamfetamine side effects
Across 439 first-hand reports, people mentioned a side effect 76 times (about 17 per 100 reports). The most common: anxiety, insomnia, fatigue. User reports show what people notice — they can't tell you whether Lisdexamfetamine is safe for you.
Reported side effects
What got worse for some people
In their own words
“It's been a game changer for my focus and energy levels, really brought me back to life.”
“I got diagnosed with ADHD and tried Ritalin and Elvanse and they do help somewhat when I need to learn for an exam but I hate the feeling of being on them.”
“I used vyvanse daily for years. I have not felt pleasure, motivation, or desire in the same way since.”
“Concerta, Vyvanse (they gave me stimulation and a mood booster but it felt really artificial, left me with more depression when I was not taking it)”
“now, even after taking 7-10 days off it seems that 60mg still is just OK and i still cant reduce the dose successfully and feel slow/down unless i bump up to even more than 60mg.”
“within a few months of her starting on Vyvanse, it completely changed who my wife was.”
Is Lisdexamfetamine safe? What the research covers
Conclusion: Overall, despite a class effect of improving clinical response relative to placebo, there were few differences among the individual ADHD pharmacotherapies, and most studies were at risk of at least one important source of bias. Furthermore, the certainty of the evidence was very low to low for all outcomes, and there was limited reporting of long-term adverse events. As such, the choice between ADHD pharmacotherapies may depend on individual patient considerations, and future studies should assess the long-term effects of individual pharmacotherapies on patient-important outcomes, including qu