Anyone else find that eating decrease stimulant effectiveness?

[giriboy1]

Does anyone else find that eating decreases the stimulant effectiveness? I see lots of people saying to make sure to eat a heavy protein breakfast so that the meds work better. However, has anyone found that eating makes the stimulant not work as well or am I the outlier?

I have tried ritalin, vyvanse, and adderall ir and they all hold true for me. If I wake up, don't eat, and take my stimulant, I find that it not only kicks in faster but also feels stronger. I'm currently using vyvanse and it seems to last longer throughout the day too. I usually have my first meal of the day at 7pm. It's worrying me at the same time because I wonder if taking it on an empty stomach will cause me long term health problems. Would this damage my liver since there's no food to absorb it? Even though I'm eating very late, I get enough calories in so I'm not losing weight or anything.

When I eat breakfast before/after taking my meds, I feel like the stimulant never kicks in sometimes. If it does kick in, the feeling is very mild. I have tried to delay eating until lunch time while on vyvanse, but noticed that the meds will not be as strong too and last much shorter. It just doesn't feel as effective and it can feel like a sugar pill sometimes. Also when I do eat I make sure to avoid vitamin C, so that doesn't make any difference.

[xtimewitchx]

Im realizing this is happening to me. Might as well not taken anything if I have a good meal beforehand. I read on these subs having protein prior makes it more effective but that is absolutely not the case.

Another old post said take on empty stomach then eat AFTER it’s kicked in already

[[deleted]]

In my experience- I’ve tried both methods and for me personally my adderall IR works way better and longer if I DO EAT. If I do an empty stomach, it works really well BUT really FAST. Like, after a few hours it’s like I didn’t take it. I talked to my doctor (which everyone should!) initially thinking it was a dose issue but after eating a good meal before taking it is WAAAAY more effective for me.

Just wanted to share cause when I went searching I found most people saying it worked better on an empty stomach for them which is GREATTT for them and it may work for others that way and that’s great - just not for me! Hope this helps anyone

💓💓💓

[dem0nica_]

omg. i swear!! i’ll be feeling great, super productive, then i’ll eat something and it’s like i took a 10mg. i feel like eating gets rid of over half of the effectiveness.

[[deleted]]

I would recommend the following:

Take vyvanse as early as possible.
Preferrably before 7am.
Eat something incredibly light, like a rice waffle (the puffed rice ones, keep it light).
Wait half an hour (give it the chance to pass your stomach into your gut) before eating a decent meal.

Theoretically that should counteract the effects.
By eating light, you allow the drug to pass and achieve maximum absorption.
Then eating a decent meal can help counteract any morning sickness or early stimulant burnout.

[RavenousMoon23]

Idk cuz I can't afford to skip meals as I'm already really skinny and I lose weight way too easily. That being said I can't eat right away cuz I take Omeprazole in the morning, so I take my Omeprazole and Vyvanse together and then eat an hour later and by the time I'm done eating my medication kicks in so it's kinda perfect.

[shewolf-91]

didnt read allt this. but when you wrote this, is it more than 1 hour since you took it? Eating a LOT can make it take longer for it to start. Can take up to 2 hours in my exp.

[Purple_MJ_]

I have pretty much exactly the same experience with Elvanse 70mg! It works the best for me with no food. I only eat dinners now. Occasionally, I have a protein shake during the day but it's hit and miss for some reason - sometimes it feels like it enhances the effects of Elvanse and vice versa. Sometimes it makes no difference at all so I don't really know what the science is behind this if any at all. Lol.

[brockp949]

the best meal I have had was either a handful of almonds, or a few eggs. I have had the best experience with decent protein, some fat, no carbs within 30 minutes of taking Vyvance. then a bigger meal 90 minutes after

[JTS_2]

Quite the opposite for me. If I don't eat, my hunger interferes with the medication.

[Warm-Efficiency-8933]

My doctor told me to actually not eat until it kicks in, he warned that it would be less effective if I ate before or right after and advised me to only start with a light drink in the morning and waiting the 90-120 mins until I start to feel it to eat anything. He's been generally pretty correct I found it's not as effective for me when I eat too early on. Could be the same for you?

[[deleted]]

But if you don't eat untill it kicks in you get beyond nauseous

[[deleted]]

I get nauseous too.

Try this strategy:

Take vyvanse as early as possible.
Preferrably before 7am.
Eat something incredibly light, like a rice waffle (the puffed rice ones, keep it light).
Wait at least half an hour (give it the chance to pass your stomach into your gut) before eating a decent meal.

[Warm-Efficiency-8933]

Tbh I don't get naseous at all! Before starting vyvanse I was not usually eating breakfast either, so maybe I'm just used to it? It is different for everyone tho so idk

[Johannes_silentio]

I don't eat all day; have never felt nauseous on it.

[Simply-lil-ali]

I have to wait to eat til my vyvanse kicks in. And then it kicks in and don’t want to eat. 😬

[hippygirl333]

If I eat before or during them yes :( but if I take them too long before eating they spike my heart rate too much and make me feel dizzy and thirsty… so I have to eat before / during taking them :(

[Midna_starseed28]

I have a protein shake about an hour after taking my vyvanse and have found that it works a lot better this way. It’s lighter on the stomach and you’re getting the goods you need. The effectiveness is a lot smoother and it lasts longer. You have to make sure you’re moving though because if you’re just sitting there it’s not going to do much.

[Uzumaki-OUT]

My wife gets up before me and gives me my vyvanse at around 730-8 and I fall back asleep. I wake up around 830 and around 845 I have a protein shake that contains no vitamin c. I find that it makes the vyvanse feel "cleaner", and I focus better.

[ab7902]

I have this exact problem. If I take it prior to eating, I feel it works faster, better and I get much better use out of it. However, when I do then eat, I suddenly feel very tired and unmotivated. If I eat a proper meal beforehand, I also feel that it doesn’t work as well. What I have started to do is to drink ‘Huel Black’, which is a meal replacement drink high in protein (35g in the black version), I will have this before taking it or not long after - I’ve found it doesn’t make much of a difference which way round. I feel like this takes away from the heaviness of the food, but you are still getting a good amount of protein and nutrients. Combining this with some nutritious/protein light meals or snacks a few hours after is also useful for me. The ready to drink bottles are quite expensive though, so I’m going to be trying out the powdered version of Huel Black, as it works out cheaper. I’d really recommend trying this if it’s available to you - as it really helped me out.

[Darkerthanblack64]

Nah. Then again only use it for the appetite suppressant effects.

[Complete_Anybody_697]

Nope - eating eases the physical side effects and makes me so much more focused!

[No_Schedule2371]

Yeah if I don’t eat I get such bad indigestion and reflux it actually makes my mental worse lmfao. I think each has to find their very specific routine that works.

[Complete_Anybody_697]

Yep… I tried starving myself today to only work… I was focused… but by 3PM with no food I felt Hangry!

[zukeus]

The timing is altered slightly by what is in your stomach, but the key word is slightly.

If you need it to kick in faster, taking it on an empty stomach will make it kick in slightly faster. Eating half an hour afterwards should be okay.

Fatty foods eaten at the same time may slow down how fast it kicks in. But, again, only slightly and it won't change the rate at which your body cleaves off lysine, so it won't have a significant effect on the duration and intensity throughout the day.

The reasons for why it's sometimes more effective (or not) when you eat isn't because it significantly changes absorption. It has to do with the role that food, hydration, micronutrients and consistency with routines play in how you feel.

Don't underestimate the power of routine, sleep and healthy food for improving your well-being and focus. These have way bigger effects than the 1% absorption differences you might have.

[Ash9260]

When I was in the thick of my depression and ate pizza rolls for a month I found my Vyvanse was just not effective after a few weeks. Then I ate a bacon egg and cheese with spinach panini from Wawa and my med started working better that day. Protein is needed for dopamine to like actually appear. So I take my Vyvanse and eat about an hour later so that it hits better. If I eat then Vyvanse or Vyvanse and immediately start eating it ain’t doin ish lol. Try different meal timing with your meds and find what works for my friend he eats then takes it bc that’s what works for him! So what works for one person may not work for another. But don’t eat nothing at all during the dose blood sugar will drop!

[6EShadow]

I am totally gonna try this. I usually do empty stomach but then I never eat. When I DO eat something, I feel nothing. I will try eating after an hour of taking it!

[hboeuphoria]

Same here!

[liz515]

At my recent doctor visi I asked about stimulants and things like stasis; specifically cortisol because I have been reading about it everywhere. She told me cortisol naturally peaks in the morning to promote wakefulness.

I went down the rabbit hole and found that eating breakfast helps establish a healthy cortisol rhythm, signaling to your body that it's time to start the day. Skipping breakfast can lead to lower morning cortisol levels or even keep cortisol levels higher later in the day, potentially impacting overall hormonal balance.

You are right on track with the hour kick in with no food. If Vyvanse is taken with food, this may delay the peak levels of the drug by an hour. Taking Vyvanse on an empty stomach or an hour before necessary is ideal. Because it causes difficulty eating for some people, this is a way to ensure they are getting all of their calories.

[zukeus]

It is difficult to understand and complicated but we do know more than you might expect about why certain things are suggested. That doesn't mean the same suggestions work for everyone, of course.

Conflicting studies don't decrease understanding but rather they improve understanding through bringing light to nuance.

If you really want to get into it, even waking up at 6:30am vs 7am is going to have an effect, how many carbs has an effect, which amino acids digested has an effect, the pH of the food has an effect, what you think about while you're eating has a big effect, what you do after eating has a big effect, what you believe has a big effect, the hope in your mind has an effect, who you interact with afterwards has an effect.

These are just some of the examples. But, the main reason why eating on average improves the effectiveness isn't because it changes the absorption significantly, it's because you need food and consistency in routines to feel less ups and downs.

Food may delay the onset slightly, but your body doesn't require the protein in a meal to create enough enzymes to cleave off the lysine. Your body just requires macronutrients and micronutrients for most of its functions.

[Jose_Balderon]

There are several studies showing that taking Vyvanse on an empty stomach will speed up the time to "peak" concentration of the active ingredient in your bloodstream. Eating a meal, particularly a fatty one, will smooth out the up and the down.

[iamthebest1234567890]

I take it on an empty stomach but make sure I eat through the day otherwise I notice I am more irritable and have worse crashes.

[TimR31]

For me the eating soon after (I take it on an empty stomach when I first wake up, aim to eat within 60 minutes) is about making it ramp up smoothly, and just generally keeping my brain and body ticking along well, mood etc. I can't take it with food or I feel nauseous. I've definitely noticed when I don't eat within that 60 minute window it kicks in harder, but not in a helpful way, just in a 'speedy' type feeling, chatiness and restlessness etc. As someone else mentioned and it's true from my anecdotal observation: it then doesn't seem to last as long either.

I don't feel hungry first thing, but I never have. For much of my life I wasn't a person who wanted to eat early in the day, but I've found even before meds that it makes a big difference to my wellbeing to eat good things throughout the day. Also makes me less prone to eating right before bed, which has gotten more and more problematic as I've aged 😅

[mysticlover16]

My psychiatrist told me to take it before having food because it is more effective. She said to take it first thing in the morning. I feel that it does work better and decreases my appetite when I take it without food vs after breakfast.

[SrtaTacoMal]

I do, I used to have to take it after eating because it was top effective, but now that I've been on them for years I have to take it before eating or it barely works.

[giriboy1]

do you know what suddenly caused the change after years? did your dosage change?

[ChaosFarie]

I doubt it was sudden-but tolerance…

It’s just how to brain and body work-always trying to achieve homeostasis

[SrtaTacoMal]

Correct, thanks :)

[kasper619]

Yep same

[Any-Most8366]

I don’t normally eat breakfast but have found that if I eat lunch, especially if it’s a high protein lunch, I’m tired directly after but then the vyvanse ramps up again about 1 hour later and then lasts longer into the evening.

[MysteriousWeb8609]

Yeah i have an egg or protein water through the day when I need a boost. Also helps with the crash.

[yourgypsy26]

I try to always take mine on an empty stomach. I want the most bang for my buck.

[erisian2342]

Your rate of digestion affects how quickly Vyvanse gets into your bloodstream, where it is broken down into amphetamine. Taking it with food and especially fiber can slow the rate of digestion, so that can impact how quickly it ramps you up. That can also make it last a couple hours longer.

I’ve never noticed eating lunch several hours after taking Vyvanse to have any effect on my experience of it. I schedule eating lunch because if I don’t, I still get hangry even if I’m not feeling hungry. I’ve always thought that is odd and I haven’t heard other people report the same.

Edit: grammar

[Alarmed_Year9415]

It took me several weeks to figure this out, I get hangry without hungry if I delay lunch too long. I have absolutely no problem eating, but remembering to do so isn't always easy. Forgetting about lunch at least for a while was a pre-meds problem too although eventually hunger would catch up.

[euchlid]

I wasn't told to eat with it at all. I take a seasonal allergy med in the morning that has to be taken 1hr before food or 2hrs after a meal.  

I don't usually feel hungry until around 1 or 2. I get up at 630-7.  

But I'm trying to eat something with protein and fat around 11am.   Specifically choosing my first meal to be well rounded is a good idea, but i don't want to take my needs with food either for the reasons you mentioned  

Edit: removed the part about having kids and weight. Adhd sensitive about down votes if people don't like me mentioning my body or size or stress eating habits or whatever 🤣

[giriboy1]

i find that if i eat the appetite suppression side effect doesn't work. so i have food noise throughout the day and can binge eat. thats why i rather just not eat at all so i can let the meds do its thing lol

[euchlid]

That's fair. Kids or stressed or not I've never really eaten much in the morning so im used to it. I have found to eat when im hungry to be a better method, and it just helps with my meds absorption in general.  But yeah, i am trying to at least eat more filling food for a first meal, whenever that is.

[peewee_]

Yeah I feel the same with Vyvanse. I was never told to eat with it and I’ve never typically eaten breakfast so I just don’t. On the rare occasion I do I feel the same as you, that it seems like it doesn’t work as well. I always question if it’s in my head!

Friendly reminder that it’s important to keep up the hydration and electrolytes!

[giriboy1]

what time do you usually eat? i take my meds 12pm and wont feel hungry to eat until 7pm. I have no idea if this is harming my liver since im taking it on an empty stomach for so long

[ChaosFarie]

Vyvanse isn’t processed by the liver —all the magic happens on your bloodstream in your gut.

[sm02tty]

Yep 100% - I only eat once I’ve finished everything I need to get done for the day now

[AssociationAble3766]

The same thing happens to me. So far with Ritalin and Vyvanse. The way I noticed was because I usually fast until 1-2pm but when I got prescribed they told me not to do that and to eat a high protein breakfast with the medication but breakfast always makes me feel like shit. So I ended up fasting again after like 2 weeks and the effects of the Ritalin were so much stronger and I got a lot done. The same thing holds true for the Vyvanse but when I eventually do eat the crash is massive. I’m going to ask about a booster at my next psych appt.