How Long Does Vyvanse Stay in Your System?

Written by Rob Alston

& Medically Reviewed by Dr. Jessica Pyhtila, PharmD

Medically Reviewed

Last updated: 07/28/2023

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Last Updated - 07/28/2023

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Vyvanse is a prescription stimulant drug prescribed primarily to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults and children. The drug is also used to treat moderate-to-severe binge eating disorder (BED) in adults.

Vyvanse and its breakdown products reach their highest concentration in the bloodstream within 3.5 hours. The primary ingredient, lisdexamfetamine, fully leaves the plasma within a few hours. However, lisdexamfetamine breaks down into other substances that may stay in a person’s system for much longer.

What Is Vyvanse?

Vyvanse is a Schedule II controlled substance that is FDA-approved to treat ADHD and binge eating disorder. Because it stimulates the central nervous system, Vyvanse is similar to stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin. Vyvanse and other stimulants speed up central nervous system processes like heart rate and blood pressure, and they also improve focus and concentration in those with ADHD.

There are many strengths of Vyvanse available, ranging from 10 mg to 70 mg doses. Vyvanse may be prescribed off-label for depression, daytime sleepiness, and other conditions.

Vyvanse Half-Life

The half-life of a drug indicates how long it takes the system to reduce the drug’s concentration by half. It generally takes around five half-lives for most drugs to leave the system entirely. The half-life of Vyvanse is less than one hour in plasma, meaning the drug is out of the system in about five hours and generally untraceable within eight hours.

How Long Does Vyvanse Stay in Urine?

Vyvanse itself is not found in urine. Instead, Vyvanse breaks down into amphetamine, which can be found in urine for up to five days after your last dose.

Vyvanse in Urine could appear in urine for up to five days after someone takes it

How Long Does Vyvanse Stay in Hair?

A typical 1.5-inch sample of hair can show if Vyvanse was taken in the past 90 days.

Vyvanse in Hair may show up in a hair follicle test for up to 90 days after use

How Long Does Vyvanse Stay in Saliva?

For the most part, saliva tests have shorter detection windows than others. These types of drug screenings can show the presence of Vyvanse or its breakdown products for up to two days.

Vyvanse in Saliva might show the presence of dextroamphetamine

How Long Does Vyvanse Stay in Blood?

Due to its short half-life, Vyvanse usually stays in the blood for no more than eight hours. However, Vyvanse breaks down into dextroamphetamine as it is processed. This chemical has a half-life of 12 hours in plasma, meaning it can be detected for around 60 hours.

Can I Get a False Positive for Vyvanse?

False-positive drug testing results can occur for stimulants like Vyvanse. This can happen because of similar chemical structures between Vyvanse and other medications, including:

  • Ciprofloxacin — an antibiotic
  • Aripiprazole (Abilify) — an antipsychotic
  • Fluoxetine (Prozac) — an antidepressant
  • Doxepin and trazodone — sleep medications
  • Phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) — over-the-counter nasal congestion drugs
  • Metformin — a diabetes medication
  • Ginkgo — an herbal supplement
  • Ecstasy (MDMA) — an illicit drug

Getting Treatment for Vyvanse Abuse

If you or someone you love struggles with Vyvanse abuse, The Recovery Village at Palmer Lake can help. The addiction specialists at our Palmer Lake, Colorado facility create personalized treatment programs that address Vyvanse addiction as well as any co-occurring mental health conditions. Contact us today to begin your journey toward a healthier future.

Sources

U.S. National Library of Medicine. “Vyvanse.” October 30, 2019. Accessed October 2, 2020.

Aegis Sciences Corporation. “What Did My Patient Actually Take? An Ov[…] Amphetamine Results.” June 11, 2019. Accessed October 2, 2020.

Hallare, Jericho; Gerriets, Valerie. “Half Life.” StatPearls, April 30, 2020. Accessed October 2, 2020.

Gryczynski, Jan; Schwartz, Robert P.; Mitchell, Shannon D.; et al. “Hair Drug Testing Results and Self-repor[…]isk Illicit Drug Use.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence, May 17, 2014. Accessed October 2, 2020.

Cansford Laboratories. “Oral Fluid (Saliva) Testing.” Accessed October 2, 2020.

Arup Laboratories. “Drug Plasma Half-Life and Urine Detection Window.” January 2019. Accessed November 17, 2020.

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