Vyvanse Patient Stories - Macey
Macey's ADHD Story
As told by her mother, Shelby
I never thought I would feel such pleasure when I watched my daughter, Macey, leave for school every day but for the first time in years, I am confident that her ADHD symptoms will not get in the way of her daily successes. Macey will be able to focus in school and at home, which will allow her to enjoy time with her friends and family. Unfortunately, this was not always the case.
Macey always had difficulty focusing and paying attention both at school and at home. It was especially distressing when I would hear from her teachers that she would lose focus during math class, which was her favorite subject. After attending numerous parent-teacher conferences to discuss her behavior, Macey's father and I took her to a doctor, who diagnosed Macey with ADHD during first grade.
At first, we decided to try behavioral therapy to help Macey, but the therapy and organizational tools did not work. In the spring of Macey's first grade year, when she was six years old, Macey's doctor recommended that we put her on medication for her ADHD symptoms. Like many parents I know, I was initially hesitant to put my daughter on medication; however, I knew I had to do something to help Macey, and our doctor explained to me that medication in combination with the behavioral tools were the best option.
Macey started off doing well on the first medication we tried: a once daily, long-acting stimulant. After only four weeks, she was able to stay focused long enough to pass her reading test, a real success because she was unable to accomplish this before she began taking medication. However, the medication wore off by the time she got home from school and she would have great difficulty doing her homework. This frustrating pattern continued as Macey tried several other medications.
When Macey was in third grade, she participated in a clinical trial for Vyvanse, and she finally experienced consistent symptom control that lasted throughout the day. With one pill in the morning, her ADHD symptoms were controlled from school through homework and family time, even at 6pm.
In addition to consistently controlling Macey's ADHD symptoms for up to 12 hours, Vyvanse did not give Macey stomachaches like previous ADHD medications did. The only side effect Macey experienced with Vyvanse was a few mild headaches when she first began taking the medication, but these subsided within two weeks.
Now that Vyvanse has been FDA approved, Macey is back on the medication, and I am happy that her ADHD symptoms are controlled just as consistently as they were during the clinical trial. She can focus all day, come home and get her homework done and still have time to be a kid. Now, because Vyvanse works for 12 hours, Macey has time to enjoy her favorite activities like swimming and playing with her dolls. She is able to do things that she could not enjoy before, like completing crossword and Sudoku puzzles, and creating her own math problems. When Macey is on Vyvanse, I have my little girl back!
About VYVANSE
Tell the doctor about any heart conditions, including structural abnormalities, that you, your child, or a family member, may have. Inform the doctor immediately if your child develops symptoms that suggest heart problems, such as chest pain or fainting.
VYVANSE should not be taken if your child has advanced disease of the blood vessels (arteriosclerosis); symptomatic heart disease; moderate to severe high blood pressure; overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); known allergy or unusual reactions to drugs called sympathomimetic amines (for example, pseudoephedrine); seizures; glaucoma; a history of problems with alcohol or drugs; agitated states; taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the last 14 days.
Tell the doctor before taking VYVANSE if your child is being treated for or has symptoms of depression (sadness, worthlessness, or hopelessness) or bipolar disorder; has abnormal thought or visions, hears abnormal sounds, or has been diagnosed with psychosis; has had seizures or abnormal EEGs; has or has had high blood pressure; exhibits aggressive behavior or hostility. Tell the doctor immediately if your child develops any of these conditions or symptoms while taking VYVANSE.
Abuse of amphetamines may lead to dependence. Misuse of amphetamine may cause sudden death and serious cardiovascular adverse events. These events have also been reported rarely with amphetamine use.
VYVANSE was generally well tolerated in clinical studies. The most common side effects reported in studies of VYVANSE were decreased appetite, difficulty falling asleep, stomachache, and irritability.
Aggression, new abnormal thoughts/behaviors, mania, growth suppression, worsening of motion or verbal tics, and Tourette's syndrome have been associated with use of drugs of this type. Tell the doctor if your child has blurred vision while taking VYVANSE.
About ADHD
Approximately 7.8 percent of all school-age children, or about 4.4 million U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years, have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. The disorder is also estimated to affect approximately 9.8 million adults across the U.S. based on a retrospective survey of adults aged 18 to 34, projected to the full U.S. adult population. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder that manifests as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. To be properly diagnosed with ADHD, a child needs to demonstrate at least six of nine symptoms of inattention; and/or at least six of nine symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity; the onset of which appears before age 7 years; that some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school and home); that the symptoms continue for at least six months; and that there is clinically significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning and the symptoms cannot be better explained by another psychiatric disorder.
Although there is no "cure" for ADHD, there are accepted treatments that specifically target its symptoms. The most common standard treatments include educational approaches, psychological or behavioral modification, and medication.
For additional information, please see Full Prescribing Information.
