(cont.) Anecdotal med reports

Medication report from u/houstonlove63: Patient has been unable to obtain Adzenys XR in Texas since November 2022 due to shortage.

Medication report from u/justmedownsouth: Patient has been somewhat able to find Evekeo, but availability is spotty and insurance pricing is unstable and often prohibitive. Some pharmacies are refusing to accept GoodRx discounts for this medication. Some pharmacies are out of stock of this medication.

Medication report from u/Purple_Passenger3618: Patient has been fully able to obtain refills of Mydayis with no out-of-stock or prohibitive price issues reported.

Medication report from u/ZForZimmer: Patient has been able to obtain Mydayis after switching to it due to shortage, and insurance is covering it.

Medication report from u/WhiskyTequilaFinance: Patient has been fully able to obtain Aptensio and is very happy with it after switching to it due to discontinuation of Adhansia.

Medication report from u/Whitedragon86: Patient experienced an issue with Mydayis stock for the first time ever last week. The pharmacy wasn’t able to order the Mydayis until after the weekend.

Medication report from u/Grey_Hedge: Patient started Dyanavel XR tablets and is able to get it just fine, but states that it is very expensive without insurance and many insurances won’t cover it. However, Dyanavel has a liquid version that is about half the price. Stocking issues are minimal so far.

Medication report from u/snowflake711: Patient started Wellbutrin during this shortage and it has made a huge difference for them. They would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t been able to fill their stimulant medication.

Medication report from u/renagakko: Patient in upstate South Carolina was concerned about the shortage, so their NP put them on Adzenys XR ODT. Received it one day later than planned after getting it mailed from Pine Ridge Pharmacy in Columbia.

Medication report from u/introvertedspaz: Patient had to wait a week for their Adzenys XR ODT to be stocked and filled last month.

Medication report from u/seanmharcailin: Patient’s doctor just switched them to Metadate CD after years on Concerta. Patient did not like the medication, reporting that it does not last long at all and it causes impulsive behavior. Patient wishes to get back on Concerta and says the Metadate is unworkable due to 12-14 hour work shifts.

Medication report from u/youafterthesilence: Patient takes Jornay PM (they were the first one their doctor had prescribed it for) and states that availability is full and good so far, but they still worry about the shortage. Patient states that they absolutely love the medication and while they don’t want to have to compete for it, they think more people should know it exists.

Medication report from u/ultamentkiller: Patient is from the Boston area and has had no issues acquiring generic methylphenidate ER or IR pills.

Medication report from u/plato_la: Patient is from Southern California and had delays and issues with filling Adderall at their Costco pharmacy, but eventually they were able to get it.

Medication report from u/zyzzogeton: Patient switched to Azstarys from Concerta and states that they cannot tell the difference. They have heard that Azstarys metabolizes more quickly at the start to produce a better boost in the mornings, but they haven’t noticed that effect yet, at least since they’ve been taking it for the past week.

Medication report from u/Baultzak: Patient used to take a high dose (35mg tablet 5 times per day) of Bontril (phendimetrazine) instant-release, for ADHD. Patient states that it worked far better for them than Adderall. Patient states that it is by far the best ADHD medication they have encountered. The phendimetrazine was very effective for motivation, focus and productivity.

Medication report from u/burningmyroomdown: Patient has been on Mydayis for well over 6 months now, and availability is full (they have never had any issue obtaining fills of Mydayis). Patient uses manufacturer coupon to get cheap fills on Mydayis since it an expensive medication.

Medication report from u/CJMande: Patient is on Azstarys and loves it; they use the manufacturer coupon to get cheap copays. Patient states that this drug is a good mix of fast-acting and long-acting.

Medication report from u/CostcoAisleBlocker: Patient’s Concerta prescription has not been obtainable for 2+ weeks now, their worst fill delay yet. The pharmacy’s wholesaler’s supply is still at 0, so they are not even sure they will get it anytime soon. Concerta shortage appears to only be worsening.

Medication report from u/GomiHiko: Patient can vouch for Nuvigil (armodafinil) helping with some of their ADHD symptoms, though they take it for their sleep disorder. It has not caused them any noticeable side effects, and it lasts about 14 hours. Patient has never had any trouble getting it filled or noticed any shortage of it. Patient states that armodafinil is incredibly expensive out-of-pocket, but that you can get it at Costco Pharmacy for under $40 and you do not need a Costco membership.

Medication report from u/Billy5481: Former Concerta patient in Illinois had no problem getting Azstarys filled due to stock or price. There’s a manufacturer coupon, so regardless of insurance coverage, the most that anyone will ever have to pay is $50 (and the first fill is free). Patient reports that Azstarys has been longer-lasting than Concerta while having less physical side effects. Patient was also switched from methylphenidate (Ritalin generic) to dexmethylphenidate (Focalin generic) and that one still has not been filled due to shortage, so Focalin shortage is definitely progressing.

Medication report from u/blhylton: Patient vouches for Provigil and Nuvigil (modafinil and armodafinil) in ADHD. They were both tried off-label prior to settling on Vyvanse. The patient states that both the drugs were effective, but not as effective as Vyvanse. They were effective enough that the patient is considering them as a fallback if Vyvanse becomes unavailable. The psychiatrist who originally prescribed the Vigil drugs to this patient was involved in a clinical trial for their use in ADHD, and said the only reason they weren’t approved for this use is because one trial patient had an adverse reaction of some kind (which the psychiatrist didn’t believe was actually related to the medication). The patient cautions to take the trial story with a grain of salt since it is only hearsay, but they reiterate that the Vigil drugs were reasonably effective for them until their symptoms worsened during the COVID lockdown.

Medication report from u/ActSmart01: Patient takes Wellbutrin (never taken any other meds) and they report that it’s “wonderful.” It gives the patient a light “focus-buzz,” in their words, and a slightly good and productive feeling. It lasts for 24 hours for this patient (so I’m going to assume this report is about Wellbutrin XL.) The patient lists a few downsides: it takes several weeks to start working, it exacerbates the effects of caffeine, and it can cause sleep issues if taken too late in the day. The patient also lists two “bonus effects,” which are as follows: it helps with quitting cigarettes and nicotine, and it makes them feel happy for no reason sometimes.

Medication report from u/PersephoneRose_X: Patient in Vermont takes 5mg Adderall XR. Has had no issues with stock, price, filling, or delays whatsoever. I suspect this is because of the unusually low dose, which would be in low demand.

Medication report from u/sajohnson: Patient states, regarding Nuvigil for ADHD, that it is “a nasty, unpleasant drug” for them. It worked slightly, in that it kept the patient barely functional and awake, but it caused terrible headaches and unreasonable irritability. Patient would not recommend Nuvigil (armodafinil). Patient had previously been taking Adderall with good results. They found Vyvanse to be effective but too expensive to continue. They found Concerta to be effective, but not as effective as Adderall.

Medication report from u/BeaBernard: Patient’s first ADHD medication was Jornay PM. Patient states that you take it at night an hour before bed instead of in the morning, and it required a somewhat strict set bedtime and wake-up time schedule. Patient suggests that if you’re working odd hours where sometimes you’re day shift and sometimes working nights, or you just don’t like having a set schedule, this might not be the best medication. It’s probably better for folks with 9-5 jobs, or kids/teens with a sleep schedule enforced externally by parents or school.

Medication report from u/KiDKolo: Patient formerly took 30mg adderall twice a day. They went a month and a half calling everywhere and getting nothing on availability, so they asked to “lower” their dose to 20mg three times a day. Then, their new prescription got filled in less than a couple hours. They are still taking the same amount they were before, they just have to cut one in half.

edit: this was a post in the r/ADHD subreddit about 2 years ago, and the account owner has been banned/deleted, so I wanted to repost it here + the obvious utility this has for people seeking ADHD medication but is unable to get it due to shortages and the likes. Also made some tiny corrections so you may be seeing this a second time. Plenty of people in the biohacking/nootropics community have ADHD and many are seeking treatment, so this is here to help. With any problem, there is always another solution or strategy.