Psychiatrists are prescribing higher dosages of Vyvanse in reaction to the nation’s shortage of ADHD medication, and according to Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care, the issue will remain unresolved until March 7, 2024.

In July this year, I was awarded an internship and semester exchange opportunity in Bangkok. I’d be alone in a country I had never visited, finishing my remaining electives and writing for online news.

I was thrilled, anxious and excited but also curious. Can I stock up on five months of Vyvanse, I thought? And when border security questions my stash, how will I respond?

Lisdexamfetamine dimesilate, most commonly prescribed under the name Vyvanse, is a slow-release medication used to treat Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in people more than six years of age. And unfortunately, supply is not meeting Australia’s demand.

As a result of my anxiety regarding Thailand’s drug policy, I received the following news when I visited my local Pharmacy 777 for advice. The clerk said 1) I should discuss this with my psychiatrist (obviously) and 2) Australia was experiencing (and still is) a shortage of 30mg of Vyvanse.

My plan for 2024 has changed since I received this information. Nonetheless, although the unpredictability of life made my queries regarding Bangkok’s border security irrelevant, I found a nationwide Vyvanse shortage concerning, and not only for me.

Psychology student and Curtin accessibility officer Filiz Keles said the shortage has and will continue to affect many Curtin students.

“This shortage has the potential to impact all aspects of the lives of Curtin students, not just their studies,” she said.

“Vyvanse, like all other ADHD medications, increases a person’s ability to focus, facilitate emotional regulation and improve overall executive functioning.”

Supply is expected to catch up with demand by March 2024, however, this is nothing more than speculation. Therefore, if the issue persists, universities may have to consider implementing a support system.

For those living with ADHD, Vyvanse is like the gardener’s rake for the mind. In my experience, studying unmedicated was manageable, however, it was far more difficult without a strict routine.

Supposedly, insomnia and anxiety are side effects of Vyvanse. So far, my experience with lisdexamfetamine, however, does not support this.

 Before I was medicated, I experienced anxiety attacks far too often. I spent many nights staring at my ceiling, to escape my mind I would endure a self-destructive but also self-implemented regime of exercise, and I would send long emails to tutors regarding my concern for something not worth being concerned about; and then I would worry about the thoughts of whoever was on the receiving end of these emails. In other words, my thoughts moved too fast for my mind to comprehend.

I feared this state of being and was relieved after discovering I wouldn’t be returning to it. Although I was satisfied with 30mg, due to the drugs scarcity, my psychiatrist increased my dosage.

I started taking 40mg of Vyvanse almost two months ago. Initially, I was warned of the common side effects, including dizziness and nausea, but other than a slight loss of appetite, I noticed no significant change.

I assume that not everybody adjusted to 40mg so easily. Therefore, when a psychiatrist revises a dosage, I believe they must consider both their patient’s biology and psychology.

Fortunately, for students with ADHD who wish to adhere to their original prescription, Filiz described a useful work-around which should be applied with caution.

“You have to mix the contents of Vyvanse into water instead of taking medicine as a whole,” she said.

Drink 100ml of water with each 10mg of Vyvanse. Theoretically, one would mix 40mg of Vyvanse, for instance, with 400ml of water. For correct consumption, Filiz recommended following the below technique:

1. Find a measuring cup with 100ml marking.
2. Fill it with 400ml of water (for 40mg of Vyvanse).
3. Open up the capsule, empty the entire contents into the water and mix well (make sure it is dissolved before moving to the next step).
4. Remove 100ml from the measuring cup, leaving 300ml of product — the equivalent of a 30mg Vyvanse capsule.
5. Drink the product in one go.

Over the last two-and-a-bit months, I consumed more than 60 capsules of my new dosage. In fact, I popped my last pill no more than a minute before writing this very sentence — I have built a tolerance and can operate just as effectively as I could on 30mg. This tolerance, however, concerns me — will my dosage be revised once the shortage is resolved? 

Although this ambiguous reality has left me feeling sympathetic for my fellow Curtin students with ADHD, Filiz’s knowledge regarding the Vyvanse shortage not only addressed my unanswered questions but also lowered the apprehension I have for the future.