emotional with strattera | ADHD Information

 

 

Hi das580,

I'm sure now with my son that it was the strattera.  We stopped it this past weekend because now he was getting emotional about going to soccer, church, etc.  I knew it was no longer just a school issue. Monday morning was an absolute nightmare.  He was sobbing and he said he had no idea why. We put him back on his Adderall XR 20mg.  first thing Monday morning.  His guidance counselor and 2 teachers contacted me the next day to say they can't believe it is the same child.  He is 100% better.  I really wish the strattera could have worked because I saw some positive changes (sleeping, homework).  This is the second time we've tried the Strattera. The last time we thought it was a school issue even though he had never had a problem before.  After the last 2 weeks the doctors all agree it's the Strattera.  It really appears to be a very individual thing. It's the greatest for some people and the worse for others.

 

Good luck!

Julie63

 

Hi Everyone,

I have two sons that have adhd.  They are 7 and 13.  My 13 yo has been on medication since he was 5 and my 7 yo has been on meds since march.  My ped recently changed their meds.  My 13 yo has been on ritalin la and chlonidine.  We are now trying strattera with the ritalin and my 7 yo is taking concerta and strattera.  It has been almost two weeks.  My 13 yo has been so out of sorts lately.  He is extremely emotional and seems depressed.  After reading this post, I think that it is probably the strattera.  My 7 yo seems to be doing ok with the straterra. 

 

 

 

WOW! THE FIRST MED MY 7 YR. OLD SON TRIED WAS STRATTERA.  THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS IT SEEMED TO HELP. THEN HE WAS BACK TO HIS USUAL SELF.  WE PUT HIM ON A HIGHER DOSAGE OF 25MG. FOR 2 MONS. AND HE DID THE EXACT SAME THING.  VERY EMOTIONAL, HEADACHES, SICK TO HIS STOMACH, DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, AND AT THE SAME TIME ON HIS REALLY BAD DAYS BECAME EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE.  INSTEAD OF ANOTHER DOSAGE WE PUT HIM ON ADDERALL XR.  WE STARTED AT LOW DOSE OF 5MG FOR 5 DAYS AND EVERY FIVE DAYS WE UP HIS DOSAGE 5MG MORE UNTIL HE GETS THE DOSAGE THAT WILL NOT ONLY HELP US BUT HIM.  AT THIS TIME WE ARE AT 15MG.  I HATE THAT HE HAS TO BE ON AN ADDICTIVE MED. BUT IT HAS DONE WONDERS FOR HIM.  SCHOOL AND PLAYING WITH OTHER KIDS IS SO MUCH BETTER.  I HOPE WE WON'T HAVE TO UP HIS DOSAGE, BUT WE TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME. STRATTERA DID NOT WORK FOR HIM AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT NOBODY KNOWS YOURCHILDREN BETTER THAN YOU.  GO WITH YOUR FEELING AND ASK YOUR CHILD HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE MED. AND IF THEY FEEL IT HELPS THEM.  I'M VERY OPENED WITH MY SON AND WHY HE TAKES HIS MEDS.  WHEN HE TOLD ME HE HATED HOW STRATTERA MADE HIM FEEL - I KNEW IT WAS TIME TO SWITCH. YOU CAN ONLY PLAY WITH THE DOSAGE SO LONG AND IF IT'S THAT BAD WHY PUT THE CHILD THROUGH IT.

Hi everyone:

First time chatting..But I need help. My daughter is 10 and had been diagnosed with ADD when she was 8. She has been on Concerta which was a time release and made her very sick. We changed to Strattera last year. She was in a private school with only 20 children in her class. She did great! The teacher offered to help by giving test orally and allowing her extra time when needed. This year I moved her back into public school. She is FAILING everything!!! She is very moody and "smart mouth". I am now thinking these problems were there in the private school just that her teacher did all the work for her. She is totally lost! I don't know if the attitiude is from the medicine or her hormones changing. But something has to give or we will have to hold her back a year. I am amaking an appointment with her doctor but does anyone have any ords of wisdom in the mean time?

Signed,

Pulling my hair out 

 

Brendamccraw2,

Thanks so much for the reply.  Boy what you described is exactly my son.  It looks like we'll be back to Adderall XR too.  It sure wasn't perfect, but I hate to see my son so not himself.  I've been doing alot of research on Strattera over the weekend and I'm finding  that some peoples' moods are really effected. Wish me luck for tomorrow, he's already upset about school.

thanks again,

Julie63

What I find important with our kids, is talking to them about the effects of their medications.  Not just noting them down or noticing mood changes, but actually saying "hey son/daughter, you are feeling really angry/sad/annoyed/naughty, that is just the meds saying good-bye to your body.  It is not you, you are handling it well, understand son/daughter that this is just the med, not you".  So when you feel these feelings come here for a hug and if you cant, give yourself time alone to get through it." 

Julie63,

The same exact thing happened to my son 11yrs. He was on Ritalin for 5 yrs. than we switched. He was on strattera 40mg when school started he spent alot of time in the nurses office complaining of stomach ache or headache. I went to drop him off at school he got out of the car and started balling  I made the mistake of taking him home, he was fine after 1 hr. or so the next day I got a call from the nurse he didn't feel well I refused to pick him up, It took the  guidance counselor 30 min to get him back in class he was crying again. We ended up stopping the strattera It didn't work at all for him it made him mean, grouchy, and emotional. He was always tough as nails it was so strange seeing him so emotional. He's feeling better

Tamaraw1969,

Thanks so much for the info.  It sounds exactly the same.  Did you put your son on another med and how long until he felt better?

thanks!

Julie63

Julie63,

      The only reason I put my son on another medication is because the strattera didn't work at all. My doctor suggested a child psychiatrist we saw her and she suggested Dexedrine, even after he was off the strattera he was depressed. it's only been 2 days he's feeling much better

Tamaraw196938242.2573842593My daughter was the same way on Strattera.She'd complain of a stomach ache,headache,sore throat,and anything else to get out of going.She would cry at night about not wanting to go in the morning.I would have to make her get out of the car sobbing for about 2 weeks.I knew it was the Strattera.Now she is on Adderall Xr and loves going.She told me friday that she was wanting to stay at school and not come home.I hope you find a med that works soon.

Hi Everyone,

I'm really hoping someone out there can help with our strattera issues.  My 13 yr. old son was on Adderall XR for a couple of years.  We thought we would give Strattera a try.  We gradually took him off the Adderall and increased the Strattera.  By the time school started he was on 40 mg Strattera. I see improvements, such as sleeping, attitude. The down side is he has been an emotional mess with school starting (crying, worried).  I really think it's more than back to school nerves.  He's going to his guidance counselor in tears. We tried last summer and the same thing happened when school started.  Of course, the school and docs think it's a school thing, but I think the strattera has got to be doing something.   This is so not him!!!  I've read a lot of people using stimulants and strattera.  Does anyone think that the combination might help with the emotions?  I definitely see positives with the strattera, but how long do I let him go on like this??