Strattera and Blood Pressure | ADHD Information
Anyone have any blood pressure fluctuations while starting Strattera? Since it is mostly given to children I did not find much information about side effects for adults. Has anyone else had a spike in BP?Hi DP. I have been on Strattera for a little while now, along with Wellbutrin. I have taken one antidepresssant or another for 8 years, but was only diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago. I also work out at the "Y" 3, 4, sometimes 5 days a week. One day after working out I sat down at the blood pressure machine and took a reading. It was VERY high. I found a trainer and asked him what he knew about high blood pressure. He said that I may get an unusually high reading after excercise. The following week, I took another reading and my numbers were in the range of "High Normal" Just last week, I took another test and registered in the High range again. That same day, I had had a low grade headache all day, and had felt a little flushed 
. I sort of think maybe I have felt a little "flushed" for a while, but barely noticeably so. Anyhow, I read somewhere that Strattera can cause high blood pressure; I also read the info on Wellbutrin and it may cause high blood pressure also (double-whammy). I called my doc, and she told me to cut back Strattera from 120mg/day to 80mg/day until our appointment next month. To tell you the truth, I don't know that Strattera is really helping things immensely. I've never tried stimulants, so I can't compare Strattera to anything else, but I can compare it to "myself", and again, I don't really notice much difference. If anything, I may feel a little more tired all the time, or less excited about things, or something. But I have complained of tiredness and fatigue for a while now; the last time I did not feel a little fatigued consistently, I was taking Effexor (for depression). I would not wish to take it again however; it has a short "half-life" (doesn't stay in your system long) and also a documented "withdrawal syndrome" in some individuals. For me, forgetting to take it one day would cause me acheyness, migrane headaches, & nausea. It also caused intermittent shivers up my spine accompanied by brief (1/2 sec) waves of dizziness.
I know this is more info than you asked for, but some folks try Effexor and Wellbutrin for ADHD, I think because they cause more norepinephrine "reuptake inhibition" than other antidepressants, which helps some people with ADHD symptoms. The more testimonies I read, though, the more inclined I am to want to chuck both Wellbutrin and Strattera and try a stimulant.
hasta
wow, i only take 40 mgs of strattera and I am so tired all of the time. You are right about Wellbutrin it can raise BP too. I am now taking a new BP med. I wonder if the stimulant med would raise the BP the same as Strattera? I would like to try a stimulant (I am recently diagnosed)if the BPrise is the same. My big thing is trying to get my thoughts together and say what I am thinking. My memory is crap too. I just got up to take some allergy medication and forgot to do that and did something else.
i dontknow if the strettara caused my blackout but wehen the medics took my BP it was 170/130 and i felt like not doing anything the last 3 weeks since the blackout hit me and im always tired and on the first of the month the dr has scheduled a EEG to see whats causing the blackouts and the bloodwork showed up ok when they did it that day and i am gonna ask the dr to do more bloodwork as soon as she can order them.. could strettera cause the blackouts???[QUOTE=curtisL34]i dontknow if the strettara caused my blackout but wehen the medics took my BP it was 170/130 ... could strettera cause the blackouts???[/QUOTE]
I have read that high bp is a side effect of strattera. Check out the following website:
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/strattera.htm
Do you take Strattera only or Welbutrin?Hello all,
Long time, no post. Eh? Yes, my bp spiked to 180/110. I went to the ER 3 times trying to get in to within specs. Finally my PCP put on 5 different meds. Now its down to 110/65 and steady. My shrink was able to up my Strattera to 120mgs. I'll let you guys know how I handle it.
Chief