Vyvanse Overdose | Lethal Dose, Symptoms, Risk Factors, & Treatment

Vyvanse is a prescription drug that treats attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and binge eating disorder. Its chemical name is lisdexamfetamine dimesylate.

As a central nervous system stimulant, Vyvanse gives you energy and helps you focus. One side effect of Vyvanse is appetite suppression, which is why it’s useful for people who binge eat.

Like other prescription stimulants such as Adderall (amphetamine) and Ritalin (methylphenidate), Vyvanse is a Schedule II controlled substance. It has a high potential for substance abuse and addiction. With drug abuse comes a risk of overdose.

What Is A Lethal Dose Of Vyvanse?

Vyvanse capsules are available in 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg, and 70 mg strengths. You take Vyvanse once a day and the effects last 10 to 14 hours. The recommended starting dose is 30 mg daily. Your doctor may adjust it as needed.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend exceeding 70 mg of Vyvanse in a day. Higher doses have not been extensively studied and may be dangerous. 

While it’s rare that you can die from a Vyvanse overdose, it’s possible. The more you take over 70 mg, the higher your risk of overdose and serious side effects.

Vyvanse Overdose Symptoms

When you take too much Vyvanse—whether a single high dose or repeated overlapping doses—your breathing and heart rate speed up. The stimulation of your central nervous system can have both physical and mental symptoms.

Physical Vyvanse overdose symptoms can include:

• restlessness
• aggressive behavior
• rapid breathing
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• high body temperature
• high blood pressure
• skin flushing
• shaking, tremors
• muscle aches or weakness
• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• fever
• dry mouth
• dilated pupils
• stroke
• seizures
• coma

Mental Vyvanse overdose symptoms may be:

• agitation
• depression
• confusion
• panic
• psychosis with paranoia
• hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there)

Vyvanse Overdose Risk Factors

If you take Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) with other drugs, you raise the risk of complications and lethal overdose. 

Taking Vyvanse with other stimulant medications amplifies stimulant effects. The combination could result in chest pain, heart attack, or other heart problems. One of the side effects of Vyvanse and other stimulants is weight loss, which can be dangerous in extreme cases.

Mixing Vyvanse with a depressant drug, such as a benzodiazepine, an opioid, or alcohol, counteracts the effects of the stimulant. You may not know when you’ve taken too much.

Stimulants, opioids, alcohol, and some antidepressants increase serotonin, a neurotransmitter and hormone involved in many body functions. Taking high doses or combining drugs that affect serotonin can cause serotonin syndrome, a life-threatening condition.

The symptoms of serotonin syndrome are the same as a stimulant overdose. However, serotonin syndrome doesn’t tend to cause aggression, hallucinations, or paranoia. 

Amphetamine Overdose In Ohio

For the last decade, unintentional overdose deaths in Ohio involving psychostimulants like Vyvanse have increased. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of deaths related to stimulants went up by 28 percent.

In 2020, stimulants were reported in 21 percent of Ohio overdose deaths. Many of these fatalities also involved opioids. 

Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is still the leading cause of overdose death in Ohio today. In 2020, stimulants were involved in 1,062 overdose deaths, while fentanyl was found in 4,041 deaths. 

These statistics reflect the danger of mixing stimulants like Vyvanse with other drugs. However, some people who buy Vyvanse on the street in Ohio receive pills cut with fentanyl without their knowledge. It’s always safer to get Vyvanse from a registered Ohio pharmacy.

Treatment For Vyvanse Overdose

If you suspect that someone has overdosed on Vyvanse, call 911 and stay with them until help arrives. Ensure that they’re in a position that allows them to breathe but not hurt themselves or others.

When they arrive at the emergency department, healthcare providers might use multiple methods to get the drugs out of their system and keep them stable.

Treatment for Vyvanse overdose may include:

• Activated charcoal: Ingesting a dose of activated charcoal can absorb toxins from the digestive system before they enter the bloodstream. Repeated doses may be needed depending on how much of the drug was ingested.
• IV fluids: In milder cases, IV fluids can help flush out toxins and keep you hydrated as your body processes the drugs you’ve taken. IV fluids are usually paired with more intense treatment methods as well to keep you stable.
• Cathartic drugs: Having a bowel movement is the natural way to get waste out of your body. Cathartic drugs help this process along.
• Sedation: Some people who overdose on stimulants are hyperactive or aggressive. Their hearts are racing and they’re breathing too fast. Sedation helps them calm down so their body can function normally instead of in fight-or-flight mode.
• Gastric lavage: Also known as stomach pumping, this method isn’t that common today. It’s only used in severe cases. Gastric lavage consists of a tube down the throat into the stomach that flushes the stomach with water or saline and suctions out the toxins.

Vyvanse Addiction Treatment

The most effective way to prevent a Vyvanse overdose is to take the drug only as prescribed. If you or a loved one are struggling with Vyvanse abuse or addiction, help is available now.

Many Ohio treatment centers, like Ohio Recovery Center, offer customized treatment programs for stimulant addiction. 

Vyvanse addiction treatment options in Ohio include:

• cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• motivational interviewing (MI)
• fitness programs
• nutritional education
• yoga and meditation

A substance use disorder can destroy your health and relationships. Don’t let Vyvanse abuse go that far. If it already has taken over your life or if you want to turn away from drug addiction, there’s still hope.

At Ohio Recovery Center, we’re always available to answer your questions and guide you toward recovery. Your call is free and confidential. Connect with one of our behavioral health specialists today.