How Long Does Vyvanse Last?

Estimated reading time: 30 minute(s)

Also known as lisdexamfetamine, Vyvanse is a central nervous system stimulant commonly used worldwide to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prescribed for children and adults, the medication also helps people manage well with binge eating disorders. Vyvanse has been classified as a Schedule II-controlled substance, indicating its strong potential to cause abuse and addiction. Hence, its unnecessary use is illegal and can land many people in trouble if they test positive for it without any underlying medical condition justifying it.

For this reason, many people are interested to know how long does Vyvanse last in the body and whether or not it is possible to eliminate this drug from their system at a faster rate. While the time duration this drug spends inside the body depends on its half-life, many other factors also control when and how the body excretes it.

How Vyvanse Affects the Body and the Brain: An Overview

Vyvanse belongs to a class of drugs called stimulants. As the name indicates, the medication works by speeding up the processes in the central nervous system by inducing changes in the brain’s natural chemicals, such as norepinephrine and dopamine. Both norepinephrine and dopamine play an important role in triggering feelings of pleasure and well-being, and because Vyvanse can alter them, its regular use can be habit-forming.

In people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using Vyvanse can improve attention span while reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity. Those who use the medication for recreational purposes may experience side effects like sleep disturbances, anxiety, and irritability. Other possible effects of Vyvanse on the body and brain may include increased feelings of focus and motivation, euphoria, and falsely elevated self-confidence. Some people may develop rare side effects, such as mania, paranoia, hallucinations, or panic attacks.

How Long Does it Take Vyvanse to Leave Your System?

Various factors can contribute to the duration of Vyvanse may stay in the body. Some of these factors include the following:

• Frequency of use: People who consume higher doses of Vyvanse can have it in their system for longer durations. Moreover, the frequency of use, i.e., how many times you use the drug, can also determine its detection times. For instance, using it daily can lead to a buildup and prolong the time it stays in the body.
• Activity level: People with unhealthy or sedentary lifestyles may find that Vyvanse lingers in their system for much longer. On the other hand, people with active, energetic lifestyles can metabolize the drug faster and get rid of it very soon. Exercise can increase the basal metabolic rate, supporting drug excretion.
• Current health: The current health level also determines how faster a person can excrete Vyvanse from the body. For example, people facing problems with their kidneys can excrete them at a much slower rate than those with perfectly working kidneys.
• Method of administration: There are different ways to consume Vyvanse, such as swallowing the pill, chewing it, or mixing its contents in water or food. Depending on how a person uses the drug, its duration in the body may differ.
• Co-occurring substance use: People taking alcohol or other medications alongside their Vyvanse dose can find it difficult to determine how long it persists in the system. This is because other substances can affect the rate at which the body metabolizes Vyvanse. For instance, alcohol can interfere with liver clearance, making Vyvanse last longer in the body.
• Body-mass index (BMI): Your BMI is another factor affecting how long Vyvanse lingers in the body. People with higher body mass index generally have slower metabolic rates, so their drug clearance speed is poorer. As a result, the drug detection time increases as the body cannot clear it from the system at a normal speed. On the other hand, people with low BMI can clear it from the system faster, reducing the detection window.
• Age: Age is one of the most crucial non-modifiable factors that determine how long a drug like Vyvanse may persist in the body. The aging process negatively correlates with metabolic speed, meaning the older a person gets, the slower their metabolism becomes. Consequently, young Vyvanse users find it easier to eliminate the medication with higher efficiency and speed than people in their middle age. Aging also negatively impacts the renal clearance of the drug, lowering its clearance rate and expanding its detection window.

How Long Does Vyvanse Last? Drug Detection Times Explained

The effects of Vyvanse are expected to last an entire day. Hence, experts usually recommend taking it once every morning. For people using it to control binge eating disorder or ADHD, the effects may start to wear off before 24 hours, so they must contact a doctor to find out the best way to keep it in the body for longer durations.

Many companies perform random drug testing on their employees to check for signs of drug addiction, substance abuse, or eligibility for a job. Others use it as evidence in a trial or court. Depending on the type of drug test being used, there can be variable durations for which Vyvanse lasts.

How long is Vyvanse in your urine?

Urine testing is the most common way of detecting recent drug use. In the case of Vyvanse, it can give a positive test for up to three to five days following the last dose. The specific testing method may vary from one company to another, with slight variations in detection times, but most look for unchanged dextroamphetamine and lisdexamfetamine in urine.

How long is Vyvanse in your hair?

A hair test can detect Vyvanse or its metabolites in the body for up to 90 days following the last dose. These tests typically have the longest detection windows as the hair follicles can keep the drug metabolites safe in their structures even if hair keeps growing out.

How long is Vyvanse in your saliva?

Vyvanse and its metabolites stay between five to forty-eight hours in saliva after the last use. Hence, most companies use this drug test to rule out recent use. Remember that saliva testing may not provide accurate results as recent eating and drinking factors may affect the outcomes.

How long is Vyvanse in your blood?

Blood testing is the most efficient and quickest way of testing for Vyvanse, as it can provide a positive result within minutes to hours following the most recent ingestion. When you consume the medication, it rapidly enters the bloodstream, from where a blood test can pick it up. However, because of a shorter elimination time, the detection window for a blood test is quite short.

How long is Vyvanse in your breastmilk?

Experts are unsure about the duration for which Vyvanse remains in the breastmilk and how it can potentially impact the health of the nursing baby. Due to this lack of information, they recommend avoiding its use during breastfeeding.

Passing a Drug Test for Vyvanse: Is it Possible?

Many companies have a mandatory rule to perform drug tests while hiring new employees, while others conduct them frequently every few weeks. The best way to pass these drug tests is to avoid taking the medication completely. Remember that many factors outside this medication’s use can also determine your score on drug testing. 

In general, drug tests to check amphetamines can detect different medications in the body, including Vyvanse or lisdexamfetamineand its metabolites. Additionally, people using one or more of the following substances may also get false positive results for amphetamines even if they are not using them:

• Antihistamines
• Phentermine (a type of appetite-suppressing agent)
• Methamphetamine or MDMA
• Propranolol (beta blocker)
• Tranylcypromine (an antidepressant medication)

Some substances mentioned above have similar chemical structures as Vyvanse, while others produce similar metabolites as the drug. Understanding which medication you have taken most recently can also help prevent falsely testing positive on routine drug tests.

What is the Fastest Way to Get Vyvanse Out of Your Urine and Body?

One of the most recommended pieces of advice to get Vyvanse out of the system as quickly as possible is speeding up its elimination rate or enhancing metabolism. The following tips help speed up metabolism and support quicker drug clearance. However, remember that these tips are general methods that you can use to remove other medications apart from Vyvanse.

• Drink plenty of water to promote quicker flushing. Women should target drinking approximately 2.7 liters of water, whereas men should consume around 3.7 liters of water per day.
• Avoid alcohol for a few days following Vyvanse consumption, as the substance can mess with its elimination rate and potentially slow it down.
• Take a bath with Epsom salts.
• Perform aerobic exercise that helps you sweat. As your body produces more sweat, it can expel some quantities of Vyvanse. Consider joining a sauna to increase sweating.
• Maintain adequate hydration levels by drinking water and healthy, antioxidant-rich drinks, such as herbal teas and cranberry juice.
• Eat more fiber to regulate your gut movement and increase the chances of excreting Vyvanse more rapidly.
• Maintain a healthy diet during the excretion period to maintain natural detoxification.

FAQs

What is the half-life of Vyvanse?

Half-life describes the time duration it needs for the body to reduce the drug concentration by one-half. In most cases, a drug takes around five half-lives to leave the system completely. For Vyvanse, the average half-life is shorter, usually less than an hour in most people. This half-life indicates that the body can get rid of half its dose within 60 minutes of consumption. Based on this estimate, most people will need up to five hours for the drug to leave the system completely. However, even after five hours, some people may test positive for it due to persisting metabolites that may linger on for longer durations.

Can Vyvanse accumulate in the system?

It is generally unlikely for Vyvanse to build up in the system unless you suffer from any renal or kidney issues. The drug chiefly eliminates from the body through the kidneys, and any organ problems can slow down the process. Hence, many manufacturers recommend people with renal impairment or issues consult a doctor before they can use Vyvanse.

What happens to the brain once you take Vyvanse?

Vyvanse can lead to symptoms extending beyond the common stimulant effects. It works by increasing the processing in the central nervous system by changing how the brain balances certain neurotransmitters, like dopamine, that regulate the feelings of pleasure. With time, the process turns into a routine, and many people find it difficult to stop using Vyvanse, leading to dependence. If such people try quitting Vyvanse or reducing its dose, they may feel irritable and anxious with a disturbed sleep cycle.

Can Vyvanse lead to false positive results on drug testing?

Vyvanse belongs to a category of drugs called amphetamines, and when it enters the body, the liver quickly metabolizes it to release amphetamine chemicals. Therefore, people using this medication for legit medical reasons may test positive on drug tests and give the impression that they are using some illegal source of amphetamines for recreational purposes. Hence, it is important to inform the authority conducting drug testing about your Vyvanse use so they don’t confuse it with recreational amphetamine use.