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Adzenys vs. Vyvanse: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better for Treating ADHD?

By Jillian Foglesong Stabile MD, FAAFP, DABOM

April 09, 2025

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Prescription Drugs, Your Health & Wellness

Adzenys vs. Vyvanse: What’s the Difference and Which Is Better for Treating ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a challenging neurodevelopmental disorder that can have a significant impact on your health. ADHD is not uncommon, occurring in over 8% of children and around 2.5% of adults. Symptoms of ADHD often start by age 6, and about a third of children with ADHD will continue to have symptoms into their adult years. Symptoms of ADHD in adults often include:

Difficulty dealing with stress
High temper
Difficulty tolerating frustration
Mood swings
Trouble finishing tasks
Difficulty planning
Poor time management
Restlessness
Feeling impulsive
Trouble prioritizing tasks
Being disorganized

Not everyone with ADHD requires treatment, but many people find treating the condition improves their symptoms. Choosing a medication to help you manage this challenging condition for either yourself or your child can be daunting. ADHD medications come in stimulant or non-stimulant classes, with many different medications available. Two of the stimulant medications available for ADHD include Adzenys and Vyvanse.

What is Adzenys?

Adzenys is a long-acting form of amphetamine approved to treat ADHD in people with ADHD aged six and older. Adzenys comes in six different doses as an oral dissolving tablet (ODT). The starting dose for children is usually 6.3 mg, while the starting dose for adults is usually 12.5 mg. After monitoring your response to treatment, your healthcare provider can adjust the medication up or down depending on your response.

What is Vyvanse?

Vyvanse, also known as lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, is a long-acting stimulant medication approved to treat ADHD in people over 6 years of age as well as adults with moderate to severe binge eating disorder. Vyvanse is available as a capsule or chewable tablet, with 6-7 doses available depending on the form.

Why take Adzenys vs Vyvanse to treat ADHD?

The symptoms of ADHD can interfere with work, school, and family life. The symptoms include:

Difficulty paying attention, staying organized, or completing tasks
Feeling restless, excessive talking, or the need to move around
Feeling impulsive, difficulty waiting your turn, or feeling the need to interrupt

The goal of treatment with medications such as Vyvanse or Adzenys is to control the symptoms of ADHD to improve your ability to function and do the things you need to do. There are many reasons why you may choose Adzenys XR-ODT vs Vyvanse or another medication to treat your ADHD.

Adzenys vs Vyvanse: what is the difference?

There are many similarities between Vyvanse and Adzenys, but the two medications also have significant differences.

	Adzenys	Vyvanse
Indications	ADHD in people 6 and older	ADHD in people 6 and older Adults with moderate to severe binge eating disorder
Medication class	Stimulant of central nervous system	Stimulant of central nervous system
Form of medication	Dissolvable tablets Oral suspension	Capsule Chewable tablet
Doses	6 strengths available	Capsule – 7 strengths available Chewable tablet – 6 strengths available
Half-Life	11 hours	1 hour
Abuse potential	High	High
Take with food	With or without though decreased absorption with high fat foods	With or without
Generic Available	No	Yes

Is Adzenys the same as Vyvanse?

Adzenys is not the same as Vyvanse, though they are similar medications. So, there is no simple Adzenys to Vyvanse conversion. When comparing Adzenys vs Vyvanse dosage, Adzenys dosage range is lower than Vyvanse, with pills ranging from 3.1 mg to 18.8 mg. Vyvanse, on the other hand, has dosages that range from 10 mg to 70 mg, depending on whether you take the capsules or the chewable tablets. Both medications are controlled substances that require a prescription to acquire. Vyvanse and Adzenys both affect the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically norepinephrine and dopamine. This helps improve your focus and can decrease hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Vyvanse is a precursor or prodrug of dextroamphetamine, whereas Adzenys is a form of amphetamine. Amphetamine consists of both dextroamphetamine and its mirror image, levoamphetamine. Dextroamphetamine is the more active of the two mirror images.

Is Adzenys as good as Vyvanse?

Adzenys is a flavored dissolving tablet that is geared more toward children who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The dissolving tablet is available as an extended-release medication that can be dosed once daily. This medication has raised some concerns from psychiatrists regarding potential abuse because of its appeal to children. As a long-acting pro-drug, Vyvanse may be less likely to be abused because it doesn’t work until the body processes it. While both medications are considered to be high in abuse potential, the abuse potential is likely higher for Adzenys vs Vyvanse. Adzenys works slightly more quickly than Vyvanse, with an onset time of 1 hour for Adzenys and 1.5-2 hours for Vyvanse. Both medications last around the same amount of time, with Adzenys lasting around 12 hours and Vyvanse lasting 10-14 hours. The efficacy of Adzenys is similar to that of other amphetamine-based medications. Vyvanse also has comparable efficacy to other medicines to treat ADHD.

What side effects are common between Adzenys and Vyvanse?

Stimulant medications have several similar side effects. Comparing the side effects of Adzenys vs Vyvanse, some of the similar side effects include:

Anxiety
Changes in moods
Feelings of depersonalization or detachment
Feelings of nervousness
Nausea or vomiting
Crying
Feeling agitated
Abdominal or back pain
Increased depression or suicidal thoughts
Uncontrolled movements
Sudden outbursts of sounds or words
Prolonged erections
Pain or numbness in fingers or toes
Feelings of cold in fingers or toes

Some stimulant medications can decrease the appetite and contribute to weight loss, though these medications are not indicated to treat obesity.

What side effects are not common between Adzenys and Vyvanse?

While Adzenys and Vyvanse have several similar symptoms, there are also differences in the side effect profiles of the medications. Adzenys side effects that are not common to Vyvanse include:

Changes in skin color
Shortness of breath
Pain in the chest, jaw, or arm
Sweating
Headaches (severe)
Palpitations or irregular heartbeat
Seizures
Swelling of the face or throat
Urinary tract infection

Some of the side effects that occur with Vyvanse but are not common with Adzenys include:

Twitching muscles
Unexplained weight loss
Extreme fatigue
Changes in sexual interest

These lists are not an exhaustive list of side effects that people may experience with Vyvanse or Adzenys. If you are experiencing severe headaches, weakness, sudden vision loss, blurred vision, or halos around lights, you should seek medical care immediately. Other symptoms that should prompt you to seek medical care include stiff muscles, high fevers, sudden dizziness, or passing out. It’s always important to mention any side effects you experience to your healthcare provider.

How successful is Adzenys in treating ADHD?

Adzenys is chemically equivalent to medications such as Adderall XR but has a unique delivery mechanism that may make it more desirable for specific patient populations. Adzenys is effective in treating ADHD at all doses, though the medication should be titrated to effect based on the individual response. The medication is also safe for use in children aged six and older.

How successful is Vyvanse in treating ADHD?

Vyvanse successfully treats ADHD and binge eating disorder. Studies showed that the medication significantly improved ADHD symptoms at all doses, though the effects were slightly higher for the 30, 50, and 70mg doses. The side effect profile for Vyvanse is also favorable, with more than 95% of the adverse side effects being mild or moderate and not leading to discontinuation of the medication.

Is Adzenys better than Vyvanse for ADHD treatment?

Ultimately, the decision about which medication is better for ADHD treatment depends on several factors specific to the needs of the individual. Each person responds differently to different medications, and whether Adzenys vs Vyvanse vs some other medication for ADHD is better for treating your ADHD is best decided in consultation with your healthcare provider. There are many medications available to treat the symptoms of ADHD. Monitoring symptoms and discussing your concerns with your healthcare provider is one of the most important things you can do. ADHD can be very serious and have potential long-term health concerns. If your healthcare provider has recommended medication for ADHD or any other health condition, consider visiting us at ScriptSave® WellRx to help find the best prices in your area. Some people save a little. Some people save a lot. Prices vary across zip codes. Even pharmacies across the street from each other can have substantial price differences. Our aim is to bring transparency to prescription medication pricing, helping consumers keep more money in their pockets. ScriptSave has been helping consumers save on their prescriptions for 25 years.