(cont) Tip from u/MaryDellamorte: In times of need, you can stretch your dose of Vyvanse by dissolving it in water. Open the capsule, dissolve it in warm water, and drink half. Drink the other half the next day. It's better having a little bit every day than running out and having nothing.

Tip from u/ExpertlyPuzzled: If you dissolve your Vyvanse in water and let it sit, it may lose its potency. It’s much better to open the capsule and divide it. Say you are taking 10mg, but are able to get 30mg capsules. Open the capsule onto a plate with a raised rim and using a sterile knife or razor equally divide the powder into threes. Take your needed dose and then cover the remainder with plastic wrap. You could also dissolve the powder for each day's dose in water immediately before taking it and drink it immediately, so it doesn't have time to lose potency.

Tip from u/BabyTBNRfrags: You can split up Adderall XR capsules and mix the little beads contained within into applesauce, pudding, or yogurt for taste. If you find a higher dose in stock and your doctor approves it, you can divide the beads and only take half, as long as you do it evenly and throw away the part you don't take. This will not be as exact as if you took a similar amount in a proper pill, but you can use a milligram scale to measure the amount of medication more precisely if you wish. By the way, you cannot do this with Strattera, because it is a respiratory hazard.

Tip from u/BabyTBNRfrags: With CVS Caremark you can call them (at the phone tree, say "override") and you can ask for a "drug shortage override." Many states have an order where they have to cover weird drugs and brand names due to the shortage.

Tip from u/rogue144: If you have any chronic conditions of any kind, do some very specific googling to make sure the medication you switch to doesn't interact badly with your condition(s). Doctors by and large do not know about these things. They tend to know most drug-drug interactions, but not always drug-condition interactions, so you may never know unless you check.

Tip from u/thykarmabenill: You can keep a reserve of your Adderall by having your psychiatrist prescribe it to you as 'take one in morning and one in evening' and then just not using the second dose unless you're having a very difficult day. You can also do days where, if you don't have to be productive, you skip a dose. You should tell your psychiatrist that you do this or want to do this, but if they support it, it is a good idea.

Tip from u/Jasnah_Sedai and u/highway-dreamer: People trying alternatives should be mindful that you can get a partial fill as a trial. Even if your scrip is written for 30 days' supply, you can literally just tell the pharmacy to only dispense 5, and if you don't like them the other 25 can be returned to stock. Anyone getting an alternative is potentially taking medication away from someone who already had that obscure medicine prescribed, so you want to make sure you're not wasting any. Requesting a partial for a new 30-day medication is a great way to do that.

Tip from u/queeerio: Be careful upping your dose if you have bipolar disorder, as it may increase the risk of mania.

Tip from u/velvykat5731: If stimulants are not an option, remember that there are nonstimulant medications like Strattera, Qelbree, Kapvay, and Intuniv. They take their time to work and may be weaker or ineffective for some people, but they can still work in many cases and are almost always better than nothing.

Tip from u/tldnradhd: If your doctor is willing to send in multiple prescriptions per month, get a partial fill. Pharmacies that don't have a whole month's supply in stock may still have 20 left. Ask to fill the 20, and then your doctor will need to call in the rest of the month for more. In some states, they do need another prescription for the remainder, and they'll definitely need a new prescription if it's a different pharmacy. After you've used up the partial (or are close to finishing them), call pharmacies again until you can find one with any in stock. You'll need to pay another copay with insurance, but it's still way less than the cash price to pay 2 or 3 copays a month. Only works if you have a doctor that will send in prescriptions quickly when you find stock, since the pharmacies will rarely hold it for you.

Tip from u/litui: If you can set alarms on your phone, Dexedrine IR might be a good stopgap for Dexedrine XR shortage, if it's available to you. It only lasts 3-4 hours, but it's a solid 3 hours and you can take multiple a day. There are IR (instant release) variants of a few of the drugs listed.

Tip from u/burningmyroomdown: Many insurance plans will not cover more than one fill a month or cover partial fills, so be aware of this if you have a hospital pharmacy that stocks your meds but will only give partials. Also, Mydayis has a manufacturer savings card like some other medications. Also, because Adderall XR contains 2 different types of XR coated beads -- and Mydayis contains 3 types -- splitting these medications will not guarantee you an even split or dose even if you weigh them out evenly. Split at your own risk.

Tip from u/legone: You may be able to get a paper prescription and try different pharmacies (treat this like cash -- some doctors may be unwilling, or unable, to replace it if it's lost). Go in person with the paper and ask if they can fill it. If they can, great. If they can't but offer to hold your prescription until they can, do not leave it with them. Take it and go to the next pharmacy. Repeat as many times as needed. A pharmacist or tech may be willing to tell you if/when they expect their next shipment, but they often don't know. If they tell you it's on backorder, chances are they don't know when it's coming, so keep coming back and trying them on subsequent days.

Tip from u/HTHSFI: You can get meds shipped to you from Canada. The full tip is too long to paste into here, so I'm going to link the original comment it was sent through, which is here.

Tip from u/sharkbait469: Half-doses of Adderall (such as 12.5mg, for instance) are in less common use than the whole numbers like 10mg and 20mg, and are thus often easier to find. You may want to ask your doctor about switching you to the half dose closest to your current dose if your pharmacy has it.

(cont.) Anecdotal med reports

Medication report from u/houstonlove63: Patient has been unable to obtain Adzenys XR in Texas since November 2022 due to shortage.

Medication report from u/justmedownsouth: Patient has been somewhat able to find Evekeo, but availability is spotty and insurance pricing is unstable and often prohibitive. Some pharmacies are refusing to accept GoodRx discounts for this medication. Some pharmacies are out of stock of this medication.

Medication report from u/Purple_Passenger3618: Patient has been fully able to obtain refills of Mydayis with no out-of-stock or prohibitive price issues reported.

Medication report from u/ZForZimmer: Patient has been able to obtain Mydayis after switching to it due to shortage, and insurance is covering it.

Medication report from u/WhiskyTequilaFinance: Patient has been fully able to obtain Aptensio and is very happy with it after switching to it due to discontinuation of Adhansia.

Medication report from u/Whitedragon86: Patient experienced an issue with Mydayis stock for the first time ever last week. The pharmacy wasn't able to order the Mydayis until after the weekend.

Medication report from u/Grey_Hedge: Patient started Dyanavel XR tablets and is able to get it just fine, but states that it is very expensive without insurance and many insurances won't cover it. However, Dyanavel has a liquid version that is about half the price. Stocking issues are minimal so far.

Medication report from u/snowflake711: Patient started Wellbutrin during this shortage and it has made a huge difference for them. They would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t been able to fill their stimulant medication.

Medication report from u/renagakko: Patient in upstate South Carolina was concerned about the shortage, so their NP put them on Adzenys XR ODT. Received it one day later than planned after getting it mailed from Pine Ridge Pharmacy in Columbia.

Medication report from u/introvertedspaz: Patient had to wait a week for their Adzenys XR ODT to be stocked and filled last month.

Medication report from u/seanmharcailin: Patient's doctor just switched them to Metadate CD after years on Concerta. Patient did not like the medication, reporting that it does not last long at all and it causes impulsive behavior. Patient wishes to get back on Concerta and says the Metadate is unworkable due to 12-14 hour work shifts.

Medication report from u/youafterthesilence: Patient takes Jornay PM (they were the first one their doctor had prescribed it for) and states that availability is full and good so far, but they still worry about the shortage. Patient states that they absolutely love the medication and while they don't want to have to compete for it, they think more people should know it exists.

Medication report from u/ultamentkiller: Patient is from the Boston area and has had no issues acquiring generic methylphenidate ER or IR pills.

Medication report from u/plato_la: Patient is from Southern California and had delays and issues with filling Adderall at their Costco pharmacy, but eventually they were able to get it.

Medication report from u/zyzzogeton: Patient switched to Azstarys from Concerta and states that they cannot tell the difference. They have heard that Azstarys metabolizes more quickly at the start to produce a better boost in the mornings, but they haven't noticed that effect yet, at least since they've been taking it for the past week.

Medication report from u/Baultzak: Patient used to take a high dose (35mg tablet 5 times per day) of Bontril (phendimetrazine) instant-release, for ADHD. Patient states that it worked far better for them than Adderall. Patient states that it is by far the best ADHD medication they have encountered. The phendimetrazine was very effective for motivation, focus and productivity.

Medication report from u/burningmyroomdown: Patient has been on Mydayis for well over 6 months now, and availability is full (they have never had any issue obtaining fills of Mydayis). Patient uses manufacturer coupon to get cheap fills on Mydayis since it an expensive medication.

Medication report from u/CJMande: Patient is on Azstarys and loves it; they use the manufacturer coupon to get cheap copays. Patient states that this drug is a good mix of fast-acting and long-acting.

Medication report from u/CostcoAisleBlocker: Patient's Concerta prescription has not been obtainable for 2+ weeks now, their worst fill delay yet. The pharmacy's wholesaler's supply is still at 0, so they are not even sure they will get it anytime soon. Concerta shortage appears to only be worsening.

Medication report from u/GomiHiko: Patient can vouch for Nuvigil (armodafinil) helping with some of their ADHD symptoms, though they take it for their sleep disorder. It has not caused them any noticeable side effects, and it lasts about 14 hours. Patient has never had any trouble getting it filled or noticed any shortage of it. Patient states that armodafinil is incredibly expensive out-of-pocket, but that you can get it at Costco Pharmacy for under $40 and you do not need a Costco membership.

Medication report from u/Billy5481: Former Concerta patient in Illinois had no problem getting Azstarys filled due to stock or price. There’s a manufacturer coupon, so regardless of insurance coverage, the most that anyone will ever have to pay is $50 (and the first fill is free). Patient reports that Azstarys has been longer-lasting than Concerta while having less physical side effects. Patient was also switched from methylphenidate (Ritalin generic) to dexmethylphenidate (Focalin generic) and that one still has not been filled due to shortage, so Focalin shortage is definitely progressing.

Medication report from u/blhylton: Patient vouches for Provigil and Nuvigil (modafinil and armodafinil) in ADHD. They were both tried off-label prior to settling on Vyvanse. The patient states that both the drugs were effective, but not as effective as Vyvanse. They were effective enough that the patient is considering them as a fallback if Vyvanse becomes unavailable. The psychiatrist who originally prescribed the Vigil drugs to this patient was involved in a clinical trial for their use in ADHD, and said the only reason they weren’t approved for this use is because one trial patient had an adverse reaction of some kind (which the psychiatrist didn’t believe was actually related to the medication). The patient cautions to take the trial story with a grain of salt since it is only hearsay, but they reiterate that the Vigil drugs were reasonably effective for them until their symptoms worsened during the COVID lockdown.

Medication report from u/ActSmart01: Patient takes Wellbutrin (never taken any other meds) and they report that it's "wonderful." It gives the patient a light "focus-buzz," in their words, and a slightly good and productive feeling. It lasts for 24 hours for this patient (so I'm going to assume this report is about Wellbutrin XL.) The patient lists a few downsides: it takes several weeks to start working, it exacerbates the effects of caffeine, and it can cause sleep issues if taken too late in the day. The patient also lists two "bonus effects," which are as follows: it helps with quitting cigarettes and nicotine, and it makes them feel happy for no reason sometimes.

Medication report from u/PersephoneRose_X: Patient in Vermont takes 5mg Adderall XR. Has had no issues with stock, price, filling, or delays whatsoever. I suspect this is because of the unusually low dose, which would be in low demand.

Medication report from u/sajohnson: Patient states, regarding Nuvigil for ADHD, that it is "a nasty, unpleasant drug" for them. It worked slightly, in that it kept the patient barely functional and awake, but it caused terrible headaches and unreasonable irritability. Patient would not recommend Nuvigil (armodafinil). Patient had previously been taking Adderall with good results. They found Vyvanse to be effective but too expensive to continue. They found Concerta to be effective, but not as effective as Adderall.

Medication report from u/BeaBernard: Patient's first ADHD medication was Jornay PM. Patient states that you take it at night an hour before bed instead of in the morning, and it required a somewhat strict set bedtime and wake-up time schedule. Patient suggests that if you’re working odd hours where sometimes you’re day shift and sometimes working nights, or you just don’t like having a set schedule, this might not be the best medication. It’s probably better for folks with 9-5 jobs, or kids/teens with a sleep schedule enforced externally by parents or school.

Medication report from u/KiDKolo: Patient formerly took 30mg adderall twice a day. They went a month and a half calling everywhere and getting nothing on availability, so they asked to “lower” their dose to 20mg three times a day. Then, their new prescription got filled in less than a couple hours. They are still taking the same amount they were before, they just have to cut one in half.

edit: this was a post in the r/ADHD subreddit about 2 years ago, and the account owner has been banned/deleted, so I wanted to repost it here + the obvious utility this has for people seeking ADHD medication but is unable to get it due to shortages and the likes. Also made some tiny corrections so you may be seeing this a second time. Plenty of people in the biohacking/nootropics community have ADHD and many are seeking treatment, so this is here to help. With any problem, there is always another solution or strategy.

Homeopathic "remedies" are the most expensive way of stocking up on (potentially contaminated) water imaginable. They don't work. They can't work. They are snake oil. They do not belong as a recommendation in any serious discussion of the topic of preparedness. Their inclusion makes me doubt your judgement and your information for every other post that provides health advice.

The American Medical Association, the National Health Service, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia have all stated that there is no good evidence that homeopathy is effective.

All relevant scientific knowledge about physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology contradicts homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies are typically biochemically inert, and have no effect on any known disease. Its theory of disease, centered around principles Hahnemann termed miasms, is inconsistent with subsequent identification of viruses and bacteria as causes of disease. Clinical trials have been conducted and generally demonstrated no objective effect from homeopathic preparations. The fundamental implausibility of homeopathy as well as a lack of demonstrable effectiveness has led to it being characterized within the scientific and medical communities as quackery and fraud.