Availability
Pharmacy out of stock? Find the closest alternative.
Stimulant shortages usually hit one product at a time while near-identical alternatives sit on the shelf. Pick what you can't fill and see every substitute, ranked by how seamless the switch usually is — with the equivalent dose to ask your prescriber about. Note: Schedule II prescriptions generally can't be transferred between pharmacies, so your prescriber will need to send a new one wherever stock exists.
Coverage window
How long does each one last?
Typical effective duration after dosing. Solid bar = the low end most people can count on; the faded extension = the upper range some people get. Your metabolism decides where you land.
Jornay PM is dosed the evening before — its coverage window starts on waking. Patches (Daytrana, Xelstrym) last roughly as long as worn, plus ~2 hours.
Pricing
What it costs without insurance
Approximate U.S. cash prices for a typical 30-day supply using a free discount card (GoodRx, SingleCare). Generic status matters more than anything else — a switch that saves $300/month is a conversation worth having with your prescriber.
| Medication | Generic? | Est. monthly cost | Notes | Compare |
|---|
Rough mid-2026 estimates — prices vary widely by pharmacy, strength, and region. Brand-only products often have manufacturer copay cards that cut the price dramatically for commercially insured patients. Always compare before filling.
OTC support
Supplement center
Supplements don't replace medication, but a few have real evidence for supporting ADHD symptoms or backfilling the nutrients stimulants suppress. Evidence badges reflect the current state of research — talk to your doctor before adding anything, especially iron.
Education
Guides & comparisons
Plain-English deep dives into the questions the tools above answer numerically.
Vyvanse vs. Adderall XR: what actually changes when you switch
Same drug class, very different delivery — why one feels smoother and the other feels stronger.
5 min read comparisonWhy Concerta 18 mg isn't Ritalin 18 mg
Same molecule, wildly different milligram math — the OROS pump explained.
4 min read comparisonFocalin vs. Adderall: switching between the two stimulant families
Dexmethylphenidate and amphetamine work differently in the brain — and about a third of people clearly do better on one.
5 min read practicalThe stimulant shortage survival guide
Why the shortages keep happening and the exact steps that get you medicated this month.
6 min read evidenceDo ADHD supplements actually work? An honest evidence review
What the research supports, what it does not, and the marketing to walk past.
6 min read practical8 reasons your ADHD medication "stopped working"
Before asking for a dose increase: the sleep, protein, timing, and generic-switch explanations to rule out first.
7 min read comparisonAdderall IR vs. XR: same drug, different day
Duration, the booster-dose pattern, flexibility, and how the milligrams map between forms.
4 min read comparisonStrattera vs. stimulants: what a non-stimulant can and can't do
Onset time, honest effect sizes, who benefits most — and why there's no dose conversion.
6 min read practicalADHD medication and sleep: fixing the insomnia without losing the focus
Why stimulants and sleep fight, the dose-timing arithmetic, and when the ADHD is the insomnia.
6 min read evidenceGeneric vs. brand ADHD medication: when the difference is real
Bioequivalence rules, why extended-release generics vary more, and how to track manufacturers.
5 min read practicalVitamin C and Adderall: the breakfast interaction nobody mentions
How acidity weakens amphetamine absorption, and the one-hour timing fix.
4 min read practicalStimulants killed your appetite. Here's how to eat anyway.
Protein-first mornings, calorie backloading, and when weight loss needs a prescriber.
5 min read product guideJornay PM: the ADHD medication you take the night before
How evening-dosed methylphenidate covers the brutal first hour of the morning.
4 min read product guideGuanfacine (Intuniv) for ADHD: the calm-down medication
The non-stimulant for impulsivity and emotional regulation — and the taper rule you must know.
5 min read comparisonMydayis vs. Adderall XR: when 12 hours isn't enough
The 16-hour amphetamine: who needs it, the sleep trade-off, and the wake-up-and-dose rule.
4 min read best ofThe ADHD supplement starter stack: what to take, in what order
Test-first nutrients, the one foundation supplement, and two quality-of-life additions.
6 min read best ofThe best omega-3 for ADHD: what the trials actually used
How to read a fish oil label, the EPA rule, and picks that match the studies.
5 min read best ofThe best magnesium for ADHD: the form matters more than the brand
Glycinate vs. citrate vs. oxide vs. threonate — what each does and which to buy.
4 min readDaily practice
Small timing tweaks, big difference
The most common reasons a stimulant "stops working" have nothing to do with the medication.
Keep vitamin C away from amphetamines
Orange juice, citrus, and vitamin C supplements taken within about an hour of Adderall, Vyvanse, or Dexedrine can reduce absorption. Take your dose with water; save the OJ for an hour later.
Eat protein before your dose kicks in
Stimulants suppress appetite for hours. A 20–30 g protein breakfast before the medication peaks steadies the effect and prevents the afternoon crash-and-crave cycle.
Magnesium and zinc go at night
Both are gentler on the stomach with food, and magnesium glycinate's calming effect helps with the stimulant-related sleep-onset delay many people fight.
Watch the coffee stack
Caffeine on top of a stimulant raises heart rate and anxiety more than focus. If you drink coffee, keep it to the morning and count it as part of your total stimulant load.
Dry mouth means drink water, not sip soda
Stimulants reduce saliva. Constant acidic or sugary sips are the main cause of dental problems on ADHD meds — keep a water bottle in reach instead.
Track, don't guess
Before asking for a dose increase, log a week of sleep, protein, and timing. "It stopped working" is usually two of those three drifting — and that's a better conversation to bring your prescriber.