ADHD Medication Tools
Switching from Vyvanse to Adderall? Concerta to Focalin? DoseCompass converts across every major stimulant using published clinical equivalence ratios — so you can walk into your prescriber's office with the right question.
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.
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.
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 |
|---|
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.
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.
Plain-English deep dives into the questions the tools above answer numerically.
The most common reasons a stimulant "stops working" have nothing to do with the medication.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.