Before taking lisdexamfetamine,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to lisdexamfetamine; other stimulant medications such as amphetamine (in Adderall), benzphetamine (Didrex), dextroamphetamine (in Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat), methamphetamine (Desoxyn); any other medications, or any of the ingredients in lisdexamfetamine capsules. Ask your doctor or pharmacist or check the manufacturer's information for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or if you have stopped taking one of these medications during the past 2 weeks. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take lisdexamfetamine until at least 14 days have passed since you last took an MAO inhibitor.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: acetazolamide (Diamox), ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), other medications for ADHD, sodium bicarbonate (Arm and Hammer Baking Soda, Soda Mint), and sodium phosphate (OsmoPrep, Visicol). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with lisdexamfetamine, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
tell your doctor if anyone in your family has or has ever had an irregular heartbeat or has died suddenly. Also tell your doctor if you have recently had a heart attack and if you have or have ever had a heart defect, high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, hardening of the arteries, or other heart problems. Your doctor will examine you to see if your heart and blood vessels are healthy before you start taking lisdexamfetamine and will check your heart and blood pressure regularly during your treatment with lisdexamfetamine. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take lisdexamfetamine if you have a heart condition or if there is a high risk that you may develop a heart condition.
tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had depression, bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited), or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), motor tics (repeated uncontrollable movements), verbal tics (repetition of sounds or words that is hard to control), or Tourette's syndrome (a condition characterized by the need to perform repeated motions or to repeat sounds or words), or has thought about or attempted suicide Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had Raynaud's disease (problems with blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears, and nose), mental illness, seizures, an abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG; a test that measures electrical activity in the brain), glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye that may cause vision loss), hyperthyroidism (condition in which there is too much thyroid hormone in the body), or kidney disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking lisdexamfetamine, call your doctor.
talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking lisdexamfetamine if you are 65 years of age or older. Older adults should not usually take lisdexamfetamine because it is not as safe as other medications that can be used to treat the same condition.
you should know that this medication may make it difficult for you to perform activities that require alertness or physical coordination. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
you should know that lisdexamfetamine should be used as part of a total treatment program for ADHD, which may include counseling and special education. Make sure to follow all of your doctor's and/or therapist's instructions.