When Jane McFadden began taking Vyvanse, the “music” in her head stopped for the first time in her life.
“Before I started taking medication, I felt like I was constantly overwhelmed, in constant anxiety and felt like I had all of these music tracks going on in my head all the time,” the Sunshine Coast mum told 7NEWS.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mum’s struggle amid global ADHD medication shortage.
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“My mind would just be going and going and going, thinking about other things I should be doing, could be doing.
“I felt like there was no ability to relax or switch off.
“It was this constant productivity rat race I was in.”
But the calmness and normalcy she has found in the past year on the medication has been “ripped away” by a global shortage that Australian authorities warn isn’t going to be resolved for weeks.
McFadden, 36, was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in recent years after motherhood made her notice “some things” that may not have been normal.
“All the burnout and stress and being overwhelmed and anxiety and this just lifelong battle with those symptoms,” she said.
“I’ve had lots of therapy, lots of medication over the last 36 years, I just didn’t find anything that worked.
“(After diagnosis) all the pieces of the puzzle came together.
“I was, ‘Wow this is such a relief, this is what it is’. It took me probably four or five appointments trying different medications to find the one that works.”
McFadden and her doctors settled on a prescription of 40mg of Vyvanse, which is also used to treat binge-eating disorders, a day.
“When I first took Vyvanse, I felt like it was quiet,” she said.
“I couldn’t believe everyone was experiencing the world that way.
“It’s been so much easier for me to work, to study, to be present as a mother, to sit down and play games with my kids.”
With the onset of the shortage, McFadden has been required to take drastic measures to find a supply.
She has made the three-hour round trip from the Sunshine Coast to Bundaberg to purchase a 30-day supply.
The location of her next supplier is unknown, and she’s even taken to rationing the medication.
“I’ve had to really dilute the amount I’ve had. I’m supposed to take 40 (mg), I’ve had to take 10, 20, just to get some kind of normality in my life, because I know I’m probably not going to be able to get 40mg for some time,” she said.
“So it’s this constant battle what you need to function and then, not knowing when you’re going to get it again.
“I’ve had 3-4 days without any medication at all, and I’ve been a complete mess.”
The Therapeutic Goods Administration believes supplies of Vyvanse 40mg will return to normal on April 30 this year, according to a notice from the federal authority this week.
Supply of 30mg and 60mg products are expected to return to normal on March 31 and April 19 respectively, while the TGA advises 50mg supplies have been resolved.
“The details of these shortages and how long they may last can change,” the TGA said.
“(Manufacturer) Takeda has advised that the current shortages have been caused by manufacturing delays compounded by increased demand.
“While Takeda is expecting some deliveries during this period, these are not expected to satisfy demand for all strengths.
“We understand the difficulties shortages of this medicine will cause, and we are responding to this issue as a priority.
“We are working with Takeda and other sponsors to monitor the availability and supply of this medicine.”