*An off-label use of a medication is a use that is not FDA-approved. Prescribers can decide to use a medication off-label because, in their professional judgment, they believe it may offer a benefit to someone.
It is not recommended to mix Vyvanse with any amount of alcohol. If you take Vyvanse with alcohol, serious side effects could occur, such as substance abuse disorder, coma, or death. It is important to consult with your prescriber about the risks of using alcohol with Adderall.
If you are considering Vyvanse or want to discuss your current medication treatment with a provider, Circle Medical is an online psychiatry platform that can and will prescribe stimulant medications, which are controlled substances. Their providers can determine your best treatment options, answer any questions you have about taking your medication, and provide new prescriptions as appropriate.
Boxed Warning: Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (Vyvanse) – Risk of medication misuse or abuse
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, the active ingredient in Vyvanse, has a black box warning. These are the most serious types of warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate has a risk of misuse (abuse) which can lead to dependence on the medication.
Vyvanse is a controlled substance, which means that it’s more likely to be misused or cause dependence. There are federal and state laws that limit the amount of medication that can be prescribed or dispensed within a certain period of time.
What Is Vyvanse?
Vyvanse is Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved to treat attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) in children 6-12 years, adolescents 12-17 years old, and adults up to 65 years old.1 It also treats binge eating disorder in adults.2 Vyvanse acts as a stimulant by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. The results are feelings of pleasure and reward, which help improve energy and attention span. Vyvanse contains the active ingredient lisdexamfetamine is not currently available as a generic medication.
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Can You Mix Vyvanse & Alcohol?
Vyvanse and alcohol can have serious effects if mixed. Vyvanse is a stimulant that increases your body’s activity, while alcohol is a depressant and lowers your inhibition and functioning.
What Happens When You Mix Alcohol & Vyvanse?
Vyvanse and alcohol both act on the central nervous system, affecting your brain and body’s functioning. They each have serious side effects and when combined, they can be even more dangerous. There is no specific FDA warning against mixing them but there is still a possible risk in combining the two.
Since they have opposite effects, Vyvanse can mask the effects of alcohol making it take longer to feel the effects of alcohol which can risk alcohol poisoning. Also, Vyvanse and alcohol can both risk serious heart effects. Both substances also have a risk for substance abuse. Also, alcohol can counteract Vyvanse’s stimulant effects.
Side effects of Vyvanse may include:2
- Decreased appetite and weight, including anorexia
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Irritability
Side effects of alcohol use may include:
- Impaired coordination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Inhibited decision-making skills
- Slurred speech
- Alcohol poisoning
- Seizures
- Coma
- Death
Mixing Vyvanse and alcohol is dangerous because they can create a health risk and the side effects of each substance can be dangerous in themselves. They both can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to serious dehydration. Also, they both can have serious heart effects, risking heart attacks, strokes, and death.
This is not a comprehensive list of possible side effects with Vyvanse or alcohol. You should talk with your doctor about potential risks of any medication before you start taking it.
Vyvanse & Alcohol Interactions
When combined, Vyvanse and alcohol can risk severe side effects. Instead of canceling each other out, Vyvanse and alcohol’s effects may be masked or have unpredictable effects.3
Severe side effects of mixing Vyvanse and alcohol include:
- Alcohol poisoning: Vyvanse can enhance the effects of alcohol, which can lead to alcohol poisoning. Symptoms may include impaired breathing, seizures, coma, or death.
- High blood pressure: Vyvanse and alcohol both have an effect on the heart and can increase blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a serious side effect that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and death.
- Rapid or irregular heart rate: Both Vyvanse and alcohol can speed up your heart activity and can have a dangerous effect on your heart’s function.
- Heart problems: Vyvanse has a risk of heart side effects, including heart muscle death, sudden heart death, heart attack, and stroke. The risks of heart problems can increase when combined with alcohol.
- Reduced Vyvanse effectiveness: Alcohol can oppose Vyvanse’s actions, potentially impairing Vyvanse’s effectiveness.
- Substance use disorders: Since they act in opposing ways, alcohol use disorder and ADHD can make each other worse.
Alcohol & ADHD
It is not recommended to have any alcohol with ADHD or ADHD medications. ADHD can make you more sensitive to alcohol’s effects and increase the time it takes your body to recover.5 Alcohol can also worsen ADHD symptoms by making it harder to think clearly. In addition, Vyvanse and alcohol both have a risk for substance use disorder.2
Alcohol use disorder and ADHD can occur together as a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis and make each other worse.5 Alcohol use disorder is the psychological need for the use of alcohol despite it having negative consequences.
Some use both substances together simply due to the lack of knowledge about the combination. Because adult ADHD can occur with alcoholism, the risk of harmful outcomes can be increased.
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Can You Ever Drink While Taking Vyvanse?
Ask your doctor if it’s appropriate to skip a dose on the weekend to have a drink. Vyvanse can stay in your system and have effects for at least 14 hours.6 A lower dose of Vyvanse has fewer risks but should still not be combined with Vyvanse. Alcohol dependence and potential Vyvanse withdrawal symptoms can make the side effects of each substance worse.
Can Vyvanse & Alcohol Kill You?
If Vyvanse and alcohol are mixed, dangerous side effects such as alcohol poisoning are possible.. The risk depends on many factors, such as sex, height, weight, age, and if you have low alcohol tolerance. Even if you don’t drink alcohol all the time, binge drinking is still dangerous and there is an increased risk of death when combining alcohol with medications.
Risk Factors for Abusing Vyvanse & Alcohol
Risk factors for substance abuse include ADHD, anxiety, depression, being under a lot of stress, and drinking heavily as an adolescent. 7,8 Additional risk factors include having a family history of alcohol or drug abuse and environmental factors, such as peer pressure and being in social settings with alcohol. Also, not having a support system or hobbies to channel your energy into can increase your risk of substance abuse.
Vyvanse dependence can occur due to the half-life of the medication (the time it takes to eliminate half the dose from the body) being longer than alcohol in adults, but can still lead to withdrawal symptoms when the dose wears off. 2 Signs that someone may have a substance use disorder include engaging in high-risk behavior, impulsiveness, and changes in behavior.
Symptoms of an Overdose of Vyvanse & Alcohol
If someone is actively under the influence and experiencing severe side effects or overdose, you should call 9-1-1 or visit the nearest emergency room immediately. If you suspect someone has overdosed or is overdosing on both, lay them on their side in case they vomit so they can still breathe. Try to wake them, keep them warm, and offer water. Perform CPR if they stop breathing and don’t have a pulse.
Symptoms of an overdose of Vyvanse and alcohol include:
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Tremor
- High blood pressure heart rate
- Decreased responsiveness
- Irregular breathing
- Clammy skin
Treating an Alcohol & Vyvanse Overdose
Treatment for an alcohol overdose may involve intravenous fluids, pumping the stomach, blood filtration to remove any alcohol, and oxygen if you are having trouble breathing. For aftercare, try to stay hydrated with electrolytes and eat some crackers. Although additional research is needed, crackers contain vitamin B3, or niacin, which can help break down alcohol and get rid of the hangover effects faster.9
Treatment for a Vyvanse overdose includes fluids and surveillance to ensure you don’t harm yourself or anyone else. If you are having severe side effects, such as irregular heart rate, high blood pressure, or seizures, you will be given medications to help treat these conditions. Afterward, you may want to consider therapy or joining intensive outpatient care or a support group.
Seeking Professional Help
Seek professional help if you feel you will not be able to abstain from alcohol use. You can get help from your doctor, psychiatrist, or therapist. Treating alcohol use disorders and mental health conditions together can be challenging, but addressing them at the same time is important, especially if you are experiencing cross addiction. Alcohol use disorder and ADHD can make each other worse, and Vyvanse also has a risk for addiction.
You should discuss alternative treatments with your psychiatrist if you are worried about interactions or side effects from using Vyvanse with alcohol. If you need a new psychiatrist, online psychiatry options are available. Treatment options include intensive outpatient treatment for support and finding solutions like finding new hobbies to distract you. Other options may include disulfiram as an alcoholism medication if your doctor thinks it’s appropriate to stop Vyvanse short-term to treat alcohol use disorder.
Questions to Ask Your Health Team About Alcohol & Vyvanse Use
It is important to ask your doctor questions about taking Vyvanse and alcohol together. You may want to ask if you can take a “drug holiday” on the weekends to skip a dose of Vyvanse in order to have a drink. If you don’t know how Vyvanse may affect your body, you have the highest risk of adverse effects. Asking questions with your medical provider is the best way to educate yourself.
Questions to ask your doctor about alcohol and Vyvanse include:
- Is there a safe amount of alcohol that I can consume with Vyvanse?
- If I want to drink, can I stop taking Vyvanse for the day?
- Is there ADHD medication that isn’t negatively affected by alcohol?
- What should I do if I decide to drink anyway and have an adverse reaction?
- Can ADHD lead to alcohol use?
- What side effects can I experience from a Vyvanse overdose?
- How can I prevent mixing Vyvanse with alcohol?
- What treatments are available for Vyvanse or alcohol use disorders?
- How can I prevent overdosing on Vyvanse or alcohol?
- How can I prevent experiencing side effects from Vyvanse or alcohol?
- What should I do if I am with someone who I think overdosed on Vyvanse or alcohol?
- How do Vyvanse and alcohol interact?
- How do ADHD and alcohol use disorder make each other worse?
- When should I seek professional help to abstain from alcohol?
In My Experience
In my experience, doctors are willing to let patients skip a dose on the weekends to have a drink. It’s important to talk to your doctor about taking Vyvanse with alcohol because the side effects can be very dangerous. If you develop a substance use disorder, your doctor can help make sure you get the right support and treatment to prevent other health issues.
Additional Resources
To help our readers take the next step in their mental health journey, Choosing Therapy has partnered with leaders in mental health and wellness. Choosing Therapy is compensated for marketing by the companies included below.
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Best Online Psychiatry Services
Online psychiatry, sometimes called telepsychiatry, platforms offer medication management by phone, video, or secure messaging for a variety of mental health conditions. In some cases, online psychiatry may be more affordable than seeing an in-person provider. Mental health treatment has expanded to include many online psychiatry and therapy services. With so many choices, it can feel overwhelming to find the one that is right for you.
