Quick Answer:
The active form of the prescription drug lisdexamfetamine (Lisdex) is dextroamphetamine and is called a prodrug because the drug lisdexamfetamine is turned into an active substance in the body. Generally, most people will clear lisdexamfetamine and its metabolites from their system in about 2–3 days, although individual factors can alter this timeframe. Urine drug tests can generally detect the presence of amphetamines for a period of 1–3 days after the last time the drugs were taken [1]. Important: How long you feel the effects of Vyvanse is not the same as how long it remains detectable in your system.
Lisdexamfetamine is the generic name for Vyvanse, a prescription ADHD stimulant used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and binge eating disorder. Understanding how this medication works in your body helps explain why detection times vary.
Lisdexamfetamine functions as a prodrug, which means that it remains inactive when initially consumed. Once you ingest this medication, your body transforms lisdexamfetamine into dextroamphetamine, the active stimulant that provides therapeutic benefits. While lisdexamfetamine is eliminated from the body relatively quickly, the effects of dextroamphetamine last significantly longer. Therefore, when we consider “how long lisdexamfetamine stays in your system,” we’re actually referring to the duration for which dextroamphetamine and its breakdown products can be detected [1].
When people ask how long lisdexamfetamine stays in their system, they might actually be asking three different questions:
Clinical effects: How long does the medication control your ADHD symptoms? This is typically 10 to 12 hours for most people.
Pharmacokinetics: How long do the drug and its metabolites remain in your body at a chemical level? This is typically 2 to 3 days for most elimination.
Drug test detection: How long can various tests detect that you’ve taken the medication? This varies by test type, with urine detection typically lasting 1 to 3 days.
The Discovery Institute appreciates that there are many various reasons why a person would inquire into the time frame of detecting the drug in their system. The inquiry may stem from a current use of lisdexamfetamine (as prescribed), where knowledge of the detection timeframe for drug testing would be helpful, a person who has completed a substance abuse treatment program and whose blood level is still being monitored, or a person who is concerned about his/her use of the medication. Whatever your reason may be for asking this question, we want to provide you with accurate, compassionate information.
A drug’s half-life is defined as the amount of time required for 50% of the drug to be removed from your body. After conversion of the pro-drug lisdexamfetamine into the active substance dextroamphetamine, dextroamphetamine is cleared from most adults ‘ bodies in approximately 10-12 hour increments (half-lives) [2].
In pharmacology, the majority of a drug’s total clearance from your system is typically achieved after approximately five half-lives of the drug. With dextroamphetamine having a half-life of 12 hours, after 60 hours (2.5 days), there remains only about 3% of dextroamphetamine in your body. Therefore, due to this extended time frame, many sources estimate that you have eliminated, or mostly eliminated, lisdexamfetamine from your body in approximately 2-3 days (48-72 hours) for the majority of individuals [3].
While the term “mostly eliminated” refers to the vast majority of dextroamphetamine being eliminated, sensitive drug testing may show residual amounts beyond what was previously stated above. This time period of 2-3 days is an average of a larger population of people,e and individual variations can mean that one’s actual elimination time could be shorter or longer than this average.
Many people feel the therapeutic benefits of lisdexamfetamine for 10 to 14 hours after taking it, which is why it’s prescribed once daily. However, just because you no longer feel the medication working doesn’t mean it has left your system. Detectability extends well beyond when you notice symptom control, which is why drug tests can identify lisdexamfetamine use days after the last dose [4].
Urine testing is the most common method for drug screening in employment, treatment, and legal contexts.
Standard urine drug tests use immunoassay screening that looks for amphetamine-class compounds. When Lisdexamfetamine converts into dextroamphetamine, urine tests will show the substance as amphetamine. Screening urine tests that show positive results will be subject to additional confirmatory testing via methodology with greater specificity, such as GC/MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) or LC/MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), which will allow for distinguishing between the various forms of amphetamine that exist [5].
For most people taking therapeutic doses of lisdexamfetamine, urine tests can detect amphetamine metabolites for approximately 1 to 3 days after the last dose. This is a general range, and your personal detection window may fall anywhere within it or occasionally outside it.
Several factors influence where you fall in this range, including the sensitivity of the specific test being used, your hydration status at the time of testing, how your kidneys function, your body composition, and whether you’ve taken a single dose or use the medication regularly.
Two people who take the same dose can have different urine detection windows. Urine Concentration is very much impacted by hydration, and the pH (Acidity or Alkalinity) of the urine is also relevant, as more acidic urine slightly increases the rate at which Amphetamines are eliminated from the body. Additionally, the rate of drug excretion depends on how well the kidneys function, which varies from person to person, and the speed at which drugs are metabolised and eliminated depends upon the individual’s body size, body composition, and how often drugs are used [6].
If you’re in treatment or monitoring, you should check with the laboratory, clinic, or probation officer what kind of drug panel and cutoff levels they are utilizing. Urine detection windows are not a single number that applies universally; each test scenario can have different detection thresholds.
Multiple individual factors influence how quickly your body processes and eliminates lisdexamfetamine:
Dose: Higher-dose drugs require a longer time to be processed and eliminated from your body than lower-dose drugs. Taking higher doses of drugs on a daily basis will result in the drug being present in your body longer than if you took the drug only once.
Genetics and Metabolism: All individuals metabolize drugs at different rates due to differences in the liver enzymes that metabolize the drugs. Generally speaking, some individuals are “fast” metabolizers and process drugs very rapidly, whereas some individuals are “slow” metabolizers.
Age and Body Composition: Age affects the rate at which an individual metabolizes drugs and how his or her kidneys function, with older adults typically metabolizing drugs at a slower rate. Body composition also impacts how drugs are dispersed in the body, as they have different appearances in the body based on body mass and fat-to-water ratios.
Urinary Excretion: Since amphetamines are eliminated from the body primarily via urination, it is to be expected that a person’s kidney function has a direct impact on how long lisdexamfetamine will remain in their system. Individuals with impaired kidney function eliminate lisdexamfetamine at a slower rate than those who do not have impaired kidney function.
Hydration and Urine Acidity: The degree of acidity or alkalinity of an individual’s urine plays a role in how quickly amphetamines can be eliminated through the urinary tract. Generally, more acidic urine will expedite the elimination of amphetamines from the body, whereas more alkaline urine can slow down the elimination of amphetamines from the body. Hydration has an impact on how concentrated the urine is, but hydration will not alter the total amount of the drug that is eliminated [2].
Other medications and substances: Some medications can interact with lisdexamfetamine or affect how your body processes it. Always tell your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and substances you’re using. Never combine lisdexamfetamine with other stimulants without medical supervision.
Different drug testing methods have different detection windows for lisdexamfetamine.
| Test Type | Typical Detection Range | Notes |
| Urine | 1 to 3 days | Most common method; detection depends on test sensitivity, hydration, and individual factors |
| Blood | 12 to 24 hours | Shorter window; used in medical settings or accident investigations |
| Saliva/Oral Fluid | 1 to 2 days | Similar to urine, easier to collect and harder to adulterate |
| Hair | Up to 90 days | Detects historical use; not useful for recent use within the past week |
Urine testing is by far the most common method for workplace screening, treatment monitoring, and probation. Blood testing has a much shorter detection window and is typically used in medical emergencies or driving under the influence investigations. Salvia or oral fluid testing is becoming more popular because it’s easy to observe collections. Hair testing can detect drug use over a much longer historical period, but cannot detect very recent use.
These are general ranges. Actual detection depends on many factors, and no test can provide absolute guarantees about detection at any specific time point.
Knowing the duration of Lisdexamfetamine’s effect on your body is critical to ensure proper medical care, not just to pass a drug test. If lisdexamfetamine and/or other medications are taken before the previous dosage has been flushed out of the system, the risk of potential side effects such as elevated heart rates, high blood pressure, increased anxiety, insomnia, and even cardiovascular complications increases due to the accumulation of the drug in the system [4].
Mixing Lisdexamfetamine with other stimulants (including large amounts of caffeine, other stimulant medications for ADHD, or even illicit stimulants) further increases the potential risk of serious health risks associated with these drugs ,i.e., increased heart risk, seizures, and dangerous mental health symptoms.
If you notice any of the following patterns, it may be time to reach out for professional support:
These signs may indicate developing dependence or a problematic relationship with stimulant medication. Recognizing these patterns early and seeking help is a sign of strength.
At the Discovery Institute in Marlboro, NJ, we offer compassionate and comprehensive services to those who have an issue with stimulant drug use or addiction. We view the ADHD drug lisdexamfetamine, along with many others, as keystones in many therapeutic processes for individuals who would benefit from that medication. We recognize that while these drugs have an important role in the treatment of ADHD, they can also be abused and create an addiction in some cases.
The drug treatment services offered at Discovery Institute provide safe, medically supervised withdrawal, residential treatment that provides support on an intensive level; outpatient programs that allow people to work or go to school while receiving treatment, comprehensive dual diagnosis programs that treat both substance abuse and/or co-occurring mental health disorders, relapse prevention programs, extensive family support, and personalized therapy designed for each individual’s unique needs.
Reaching out for help is the first step towards a positive new life, whether you are worried that you are using too much of your medication or you have a family member who is abusing their prescription medication.
Our compassionate counselors are standing by to answer any questions you may have. After helping thousands of people over the last 50 years, we have the resources to help you and your family and all your individual needs.
The Discovery Institute aims to provide accurate, ethical, clinically sound information regarding addiction and mental health for individuals and their families. All content published by The Discovery Institute is reviewed for accuracy and clarity by qualified individuals and is medically reviewed. We aim to make complicated subjects easy to understand without resorting to fear-based marketing techniques or misleading assurances. Content is regularly reviewed and updated to reflect current best practices, ensuring readers receive reliable, supportive guidance.
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