I've been on 70mg of Vyvanse (Elvanse) for a few years. It's just enough to get me through a 10 hour work day. Everyone's bodies react differently.
You'll get used to the medication, so a given dose will feel like it's doing less over time. If I don't take my meds for a few days, my pulse will be elevated when I start taking them again. After a few days of that, it's about 10 BPM higher than my non-medicated heart rate. I've found the first day of a new stimulate medication to be not at all representative of what long term use is like. After being on a few stimulant medications for a while, it eventually feels like I'm my normal self, just more focused.
Do not split the pills over food without talking to a pharmacist first. With stuff like Adderall XR, splitting the capsule can make the meds instant release. I'm not sure if Vyvanse is the same way or not. Either way, don't rely on an idiot on the Internet (me). Ask a professional.
Personally, I've found Adderall XR to work decently well for 6 to 8 hours. That's not enough for me, but it might be for you. A smaller dose of Elvanse is also a good idea. Personally, I'd go with changing dosage before changing meds. If the smaller dose is still not going well, try a different med. I tend to give myself a couple of weeks on the med before I think about changing it unless I have an extreme reaction. I only did one day of Ritalin because it made me extremely aggressive, for example.
To add to the splitting thing, it says very specifically in my elvanse panphlet that you shouldn't split it. Even if it didn't I would be very difficult to split such a tiny dose of powder accurately, and getting a consistent dose everyday is important.
I take the same dose as you, and like you I felt it was a bit much on the first few days. Your body takes some time getting used to them, after two weeks 30 didn't feel like too much anymore. It feels just right, it raises my heartbeat a bit 2 hours after I take it, and a bit later it evens out.
The splitting advice is correct in theory; it can become instant-release and thus briefly stronger, even dangerous. But in this case I trust my belief over science that trying 1 % - 5 % first is always the safer option. Splitting a slow-release by 50 % - that might cause this problem, yes.
There is also the theoretical possibility that the active component(s) are not evenly distributed. Even a split marker is supposedly not safe, only instructions that say so. But - doubt
Funny, I didnt get a tolerance often, for example with Cannabis. I got one with Caffeine I think.
I think with cannabis was because I took so little.
I want to try the "as low as possible" way. And maybe also 10mg Elvanse in the morning, something shorter lasting in the afternoon.
I will wait a few days and see how that evolves, but that was so much I am sure I dont want that every day and also not sometimes.
Actually, on the packaging it says that you can open the capsule and digest with joghurt. Pretty strange method, but thats why I did it.
Maybe the fat helps with a slower release. I will see, today I experiment with 10mg sober, may kick a bit too hard.
Vyvanse seems to just be a chemical prodrug, so the capsule is less important than the actual compound, regarding the release delay. That is my interpretation, I may keep you updated.
Thanks a lot for all the tips! I will try a lower dose and also make pause days (apart from weekends).
I will try Adderal, if that is not good enough, if I can find the compound it includes (it is also just some form of Amphetamine, likely with less molecules attached so it goes faster).