Newbie on Strattera | ADHD Information

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darlene
Newbie

Joined: 07 October 2004
Posts: 3 Sent: 11 October 2004 at 6:21am

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After being on Strattera ,now(60mg) for almost 2 months I am very undecided and frustrated. At first I was relieved because the med really cleared out the cob webs! The side effects were bothersome, but most of them subsided. The problem now is that I am dissapointed in the med because I don't feel normal on it. It almost makes some of my ADHD traits worse. I could rarely sit still before, don't relax well and on med I am even more driven to do a million things a day. I am a workaholic and that's worse, I run at the mouth on this med and I know people have noticed, but I always was a talker anyway so.... it just seems worse. I don't have any desire to be close to my husband. I feel like some kind of machine. My ablility to follow conversation and consentrate is not consistant. Although I know I said it improved my clarity, I'm still continue to have periods of inattentiveness. I was wondering about trying Adderol, but have heard it has speed like effects and has those highs and lows when starting or coming down. I don't want to become addicted to anything. I don't care for my psych, so am considering a neurologist. I know I've mentioned numerous issues, but I am so depressed about all of this. What's worse is that I also have a teenage daughter with ADD and Tourettes Syndrome. How can I help her when I myself don't have it together. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Darlene,

My psych gave me the choice of taking Strattera or Wellbutrin, both for ADHD. I decided to take Strattera since it is supposedly ADHD specific. It's only been three days, so I can't say if it was the right decision.

I, too, don't want to get addicted to anything, which is why I eschewed the Ritalin/Adderall/Concerta route. If this Strattera doesn't work then I'm going to switch over to Wellbutrin. You might ask your shrink about it. It will also help your depression, supposedly.

Anyone have any experience (good or bad) with Wellbutrin? I found this online which had some useful feedback: http://www.faqfarm.com/Health/ADD/3448

Marty

According to my doc, Straterra was originally developed as an anti-depressant. It did not work as well as the company had hoped. But they noticed that it helped a lot of the patients concentrate, so they re-branded it as an ADD drug.

I think the most important thing with regard to Straterra is that you gradually increase the dosage.

I used it for a few months and was happy with it. But it started to make me feel really strange after awhile, so I went back to stimulants (Concerta).

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Lifesadance:

Which stimulants did you try when you went off the strattera? Have you ever tried taking a stim for focus, and the strattera for the calming effect? If my 80 mg of strattera doesnt help my concentration within the next month, I'm going to ask my doc if I can take a stim and strattera. I really love the way strattera helps me be not so impatient, short fused, and irritated.

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Andiec1,

My pdoc first gave me 54mg of Concerta to take plus the 80mg of Straterra that I was on and this made me feel like s!*t! I now know that it was too much norepinephrine and dopamine at one time and it caused my blood pressure to shoot up among other uncomfortable side effects. I now have learned that he likely started me on too high of a dosage too quickly and that freaked my body out.

Anyway, I was then put on Adderall 10mg up to 3 times per day. I didn't really like the way that this made me feel as it actually made me have tightness in my chest and made me tired. I tried taking 5mg only once or twice a day, but I still had the problem with tightness in the chest.

BTW...I tried Adderall both with and without Straterra...I definitely was more irritable and impatient on Adderall alone. Adderall also made me have headaches and pounding in my chest whenever I was working out or involved in other physical activities.

I then tried Ritalin at only 10mg up to three times per day. I think that this helped some with the concentration, but I didn't feel that it was enough to continue taking it. So, at this time I am only taking Straterra at 60mg/day taken in the morning. However, I am open to trying other stimulants or dosages if they would help more with the concentration. My pdoc is very open and allows me to try what I like, within reason of course and with permission, so I may try additional stimulants to see their impacts.

I think that part of my problem is that I don't really know what to expect from the stimulant meds regarding concentration?? I read about people who have an 'aha' moment when they begin on stimulants, but I haven't seen this. HOwever, I have also taken relatively small doses of stimulants with the Straterra and I have read somewhere that often these can make you feel worse until you are truly at your therapeutic level. I would be interested to hear from others regarding their experiences with Straterra and a stimulant. What stimulants did you take? What dosage? How did you reach the therapeutic level and know this?

Any information is appreciated!

Paul

I was diagnosed a few months ago at the age of 45 after having spent my life as someone who just could not figure out why I wasn't normal. I started taking Straterra before officially being diagnosed and I saw a big difference. The doctor who interviewed me thought I would be better if I took Adderal. It has not taken effect yet since it takes 10 days or so to get into the system so I am back to nothing. I hate it. I hope this is a better choice. The Straterra seemed to work very well for me at 60mg a day so if Adderal isn't for me I have something to go back too. And Adderal is helping me lose weight. I lost 4 lbs in about a week.

I am going to see my primary doc tomorrow only so that I can get a referral to see a good neuroligist that specializes in Adult ADHD. Unfortunately, this is the route I must go due to my insurance. I was seeing a shrink, but like I said, I don't care for him. He glares at me with this cheezy, hidious grin and when I asked him about other drugs, he told me to stay on task. (Made me feel like a baby)! I was already on the Strattera and not totally pleased and just wanted to know about other options. I don't know what the answer is , but since I've been reading what others have to say, I've learned that many try different drugs before they find the right fix. I will consider the Wellbutrin. Anything that helps with the consentration would be great. I do love the motivation I get with the Strattera, plus the fact that it seems to keep my appetite under control. I mainly want something that will help me function with my job and my busy home life. I work full time plus some in a busy Intensive care unit. I have to make important decisions quickly, or understand important info someone is giving me about a patient. I have a really bad short term memory and can't seem to remember stuff I've learned or important details. I was so hoping medication would help me and am dissapointed so far with the results. Thanks for your tip about the Wellbutrin. I will ask both docs what they think. As far as Strattera goes, I will tell you that the side effects did deminish somewhat. At first I couldn't sleep, had a dry mouth all the time, hot flashes, sweaty, no appetite at all, and headache or sinus pain. Most of those side effects have deminished greatly, but are still there to some degree. If it helps you, than it's worth it. Good luck.

Lifesadance:

Hey there,

I am 23 and I started Strattera almost 3 weeks ago and I had the hot flash stuff at first too. It went away after about a week. As far as the being jittery, that mostly ended within the first week as well, but I still have it every once in a while. Mentally though, it hasn't done much good. I'm predom inattentive. I've noticed that it has calmed my hyperactivity down though a bit. Not working out great for me though. I started out on 40 mgs, and thats what I'm on now.

For time management, I have yet to even get close to conquering that monster, but I've heard a lot of people like Stephen Covey's quadrant idea.

Thanks for the feedback. Good to know.

My psychiatrist said it would take a couple of weeks to see results, so hopefully you'll see them soon. Good luck!

After many years of problems, I was finally diagnosed with ADHD (I'm 36).

I'm posting here instead of in the medications section because I'm only interested in adult reactions to Strattera. So far, I've only read negative things about Strattera and adults.

Are there people who have had success on it?

I took my first pill (18 mg to start) and I feel jittery and hot flash-y. I know it will be awhile before results start to happen. I'm supposed to move up to 40 mg by week's end.

Also, do people have any good time management resources? Websites, books, etc.

Thanks in advance.

I am 21 and have been FINALLY diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type. I ve been taking strattera for about a month now. I started at 40 mg for about 2 weeks. The side effects I felt were nausea, I was alittle dizzy, i had painful cramps(when i was on my period) and once in a while I would get this splitting headache that would last for maybe 30 seconds. It also made me alittle depressed for the first few weeks. I then moved up to 60 mg and the nausea, headahces, and depression went away. The only improvements I noticed were that I wasnt compulsively snacking, or eating. I was able to feel when I am full, and stop. Which is a good thing.
Its been about a month now, and I am up to 80 mg. Most of the side effects went away. Except for the fact that I get VERY tired at a certain part of the day, and I wont be able to function unless I get in about a 45 min nap. This usually happens about 6 hrs after i take the pill. Anyways, as far as strattera working good? This is what I have noticed. I have alot of control over my eating. I am alot more patient and calm, meaning I dont break out into temper tantrums ( i have a short fuse). It also relaxes me. As far as attention span, concentrating, and focus? I have yet to see anything, but its only been 5 days on the 80 mg. Hopefully within the next month I'll be able to accomplish more.

Hope this helps, and feel free to ask me any questions

I am 31 and was dx'd ADHD, predominantly inattentive, earlier this year. I began on Straterra and also read all of the negative comments and reports about it. I began at 40mg 1X/day and then went up to 80mg 1X/day. I didn't think that it was working and had read all of the success of the stimulants and decided to give these a shot. After I quite taking the Straterra I noticed the positive effects that it had been having on me. These included much less irritability, less restlessness, and better concentration. The only side effects that I noticed were some lethargy that went away after a few days to a week (this occurred with each increase in dosage as well), and a decreased libido (this is still lower than pre-Straterra, but it has come back some).

While I noticed increased concentration on the stimulants, they didn't seem to provide the 'calming' effect that Straterra did. After being on 80mg for a few weeks I noticed that my anxiety level increased even though I was taking Lexapro for this. I also began to get very lethargic. My pdoc is very good about giving me samples of Straterra so that I can adjust the dosage to the level that I feel most comfortable at. I finally think that I have found this level to be 60mg 1X/day. I know that many are on much higher doses, but this is what seems to work best for me. Of course, everyone's body and chemical balances are different so you really need to be patient and find the right medication, or medications, that work for you.

So, Straterra has definitely benefitted me in dealing with ADHD.

Best of luck to you!

People: thanks. Your comments are almost exactly what I wanted to hear. The side effects are pretty noticeable after a couple days, but I'm going to stick it out in hopes they will subside.

I do worry about the decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, but with any luck, it's a short-term problem.

Well, here's my two-week update:

Five days ago, I moved up to 40mg of Strattera. I have to say, since I started taking this drug, I've seen dramatic results. While I still have problems with distraction and focus, I do feel a little less distracted and slightly more focused. More valuable is that I feel much less anxiety and fidgety-ness. Also, I drink much, much less, which has been an unexpected benefit.

While dry mouth and sleep disruptions are still present, it's not too bad. Sometimes there's some nausea, too. But the other side effects are pretty much gone.

Overall, the drug has met my expectations. A part of me was hoping that it might make me "normal" but that's not my goal. My goal is to be functional. The way I feel now makes me think that I can reach that goal, even though I still have focus problems.

With all their side effects and dependency issues, I'm very wary about taking drugs. When I read about other people who are on multiple drug therapies I get really freaked out. It may work great for them, but it's not for me.

But still, I'm taking this drug hoping that it will give me an edge to tackle this ADD problem. So far so good. I think the most important thing I've recognized is that it's going to take a lot of work. Like a physically handicapped person, we are forced to try harder to fit in with the rest of the world. And especially for us, the work we have to do is daunting and overwhelming.

I wish there were more postings about behavioral strategies people use to tackle ADD. Before I tried Strattera, I tried using self-help books, therapy, a kitchen timer, a PDA, notepads, lists, etc. but I couldn't ever stick with the program. Hopefully the drugs will help me to.

Hi,

I'm on my 10th day of Straterra, and I just moved up to 25 mg. The drug has not helped me yet, I still procrastinate like crazy! However, my shrink said it could take up to 6 weeks for it to kick in. My head kind of hurts and I was a bit nauseous yesterday, but that's about it. The first week I was nauseous and tired a lot, and I had really vivid nightmares. Does anyone else notice that their dreams are extremeley vivid? I had nightmares my first 4 nights on the drug. Wish I could focus that much while I'm awake!

i had 10 hours of sleep last night. it was a complete dream.
even when i woke up and closed my eyes, i would dream
without being totally alseep. it really freaked me out. my dreams
were realistic and continuous. i don't think i stopped dreaming
the whole night. i'm starting to worry i'm getting too much REM
sleep. i dream when i nap too. i'm not even sure if i'm awake
right now. Every time I fall asleep I go straight into a deep dream state. All
of my dreams are really vivid and strange, seemingly lasting
most of the night. I even dream when I take a short nap. I feel
like I'm getting too much REM sleep. I know that is neccassary
to get that sort of sleep, but it seems like I'm getting too much of
it. Or possibly the Strattera is making me remember my dreams
better? Anyone experiencing this? I've been having lucid and
reoccurring dreams. Its really weird.

I have some pretty vivid dreams that do last a long time. It can be fun but so far, nothing recurring. The most annoying thing is that I wake up most mornings at 5:30AM and just sit there, wide awake. So rather than wait for my alarm, I just get up and then feel dead tired all afternoon.

Yes! I wake up at around 4 too. It's awful, and for the weeks before it was after nightmares and i couldnt go back to sleep. And now I have dreams even when napping, and they are vivid and I remember every second. Bizarre.Whew, I've been trying to make Strattera work, went on it for about a
month or two, 80mgs (tried it half in am/half pm, all before bedtime, etc)
as Rx by the MD. I had been on Adderall reg. & XR, usually 40-60mgs/
day, and it was great, cleared all the cobwebs in my head, but did have a
sometimes adverse reaction on libido & "functioning".

The Strattera is very subtle, didn't feel much at first, except I did notice
drowsiness, sometimes to the extreme. It did seem to have no adverse
effect sexually, in fact, quite the opposite!

However, I quit, due to the way it would knock me out too much of the
time. But after reading how for some people it's been a Godsend, I
decided to try again. I liked the idea of not taking "speed" every day, and
also a med that was just a "constant", rather than only effective as you
take it.

So, now I've been back on for about two or three months (I'm very bad at
keeping track of the passing of time, hmmm....another topic), and am
very confused. I still find myself knocked on my butt, sometimes in the
afternoon, other times early evening. I keep late hours, don't need much
sleep, but on this, I'm in bed much more, and very slow in getting up &
going. I've tried taking it all in the evening, so it wouldn't affect me as
much in the daytime, but it still does. I've reduced my dosage from 80
down to 65, taking 40 at bedtime, 25 in the morning.

I don't know, I feel sometimes a bit comatose & spaced, have had a
craving for sweets, been eating more (gained probably 10lbs), and
sometimes feel my heart racing. Just had a physical, everything checked
out fine, except my blood pressure was higher than normal. My MD
agreed that supplementing with some Adderall was OK, it may help
getting going in the morning, and staying awake. But I wonder if I have to
take it as well, what am I gaining?

I'm inattentive, or actually very attentive, just to TOO MANY things, all the
time! I can't get stuff done, which creates mountains of "to do" stuff, and
makes me feel more & more overwhelmed, as I just can't get to "zero".
Like walking in quicksand. Neither drug helps me with time management
or organization, I'm on my own for that. But without anything, my mind
(& therefore my body) gets very cloudy & sluggish.

Any ideas? Will the Strattera be worth waiting out? I didn't mind the
Adderall, as I said, but the sexual side-effect was bothersome....

Sorry for the length, this is my first post.....

Hi Saxman7,

I dunno if it's worth it since I'm only on my second week, and I don't know if I'm focused or not...my mind is a tiny bit clearer, but that's about it. I would wait it out for one more month, and if it doesnt do anything, i guess go to your psych again. Also, I have had many of the same side effects...always hungry, heart races, can't get up in the morning no matter how much sleep I get. I am thinking of calling my psych to check if this is normal. But I do feel "clearer", and I've heard it takes abotu 6 weeks to kick in, so I'm waiting it out. I guess my advice is to wait since a lot of the symptoms do go away...today I didn't have any. And try it in the morning with a lot of food...I eat a huge breakfast so I won't feel tired or nauseous. I also sleep better the earlier I take it. Maybe a morning dose will make you feel better.

gluck,

Crabby

I had a really bad reaction today. I skipped two days of taking
strattera because it was making me constipated

, so I
decided to take another dose this morning, since my tummy
was better. Usually taking it at night, this was my first time
taking it early in the morning. I had a little to eat before taking it,
but I figured my tummy would be ok, because I had never been
nauseous from it. Well, I happened to be in the best of all
possible places. While I was stuck in the middle of over 80,000
people in downtown Madison, WI, at the John Kerry rally, I
started feeling a little sick. Before I knew it I was gagging my
brains out. "Oh GOD, I'm stuck in a huge crowd and I'm going to
throw up on someone!" I squatted down near a fence and dry
heaved. I was totally embarrassed, but thankfully I didn't puke.
After a while I felt better, as if nothing happened. But then I kept
getting waves of nausea from time to time. I never had this
reaction to Strattera, and I've been taking it for two weeks now.
Usually it makes my tummy feel better. I'm wondering if it has
anythng to do with my period. Any women having similar
problems while taking it during your period?Sorry to hear about your malady. Hopefully it's only temporary; according to my shrink it takes weeks to get adjusted. Maybe it's not the Strattera; maybe it's our current President that's causing your nausea.It helps to take it in the morning with a huge breakfast. Otherwise, you'll feel nauseous, and eating helps, but you wont want to put anything in your stomach. So it's better to just eat a lot when you take the straterra. It made me really nauseous the first week, and then when I upped my dose to 25 from 18 it made me nauseous the first day. Just hang in there, the nausea goes away.well, today was my second day of taking it. I'm on 40 mgs
already, then I will be taking 80 mgs daily after 8 days. I didn't
have any nausea today, like I did the night before. I'm in a
super good mood, I can't imagine getting mad or upset about
anything. I feel a little too relaxed though, like I'm drugged. It's a
bit strong, l feel like I shouldn't be taking something like this
everyday. Its like taking Tylenol allgergy/sinus, which really
sedates you, and being slightly drunk at the same time. I feel
like I'm wrapped up in a warm blanket of relaxation and
happiness. It really helps my depression, more so than my ADD
so far. I haven't had that negative inner voice telling me that I'm
a faliure, I feel good about myself. That's one of my biggest
problems. I'm also not figety and nervous, like I always am. I
feel like I could go to an interview today and be totally
confident. As far as concentration, I have seen a slight
improvement, but I should give it extra time for it to start
working. I'm more patient, making it easier for me to complete
tasks. So far I really like Strattera, more so than I expected I
would, only I wish it wasn't as sedating. I really don't know.

Last night I almost wanted to call my
doctor to put me on a lower dose, I was feeling really drugged.
But I think I'm doing ok, I'm not having too bad side effects.

I am surprised at the dosage difference most of you have been started on, I started at 18 mg for 4 days and now am up to 25 for 18 days. It has been a mild adjustment to the side effects. Most of you have started much, much higher. Wonder Why? Laura

Hi,

I was just diagnosed about 3 weeks ago by a psychologist, and I saw a psychiatrist 2 days ago, so now I'm on my second day of straterra. Yesterday, it made me super nauseous. And I do have less of an appetite. Today i still feel really lethargic, like I could sleep for like 16 hours if I wanted to. I know it's only my 2nd day, but it's just depressing. I've had problems with day dreaming, extreme procrastination, running thoughts and lack of focus for a long time, and I'm 20 now and I as finally diagnosed, which is a relief. However, I just hope this medicine works by the end of hte month. I'm on 18 mg now, and I will be for 8 days and then i go to 25. I just hope this stuff doesn't interfere with school...yesterday and today I couldn't work cus I was so tired. Any one have any advice on how to deal with being tired all the time?

thanks,
Crabby

I took Strattera for the first time last night. First it made me
drowsy, then my stomach felt a little upset, then I got a really
pleasant joyful feeling. It made my mouth really dry too. It really
relaxes your body and puts you in a good mood. I didn't notice
much effect on my attention though, I feel sort of more day
dreamy than usual, but that may be due to little sleep last night.
Other than that, its been making me burp a lot.

My first time posting. Just diagnosed with ADHD after many years of being told I was depressed or bipolar - NOT - all the sudden the light bulb of my life went on. On Stattera for 5 days, 18 mg for 4 days last night 25 mg. I think I felt better immediately - maybe a placebo affect. Headaches on and off. Able to stop eating instead of overeating - what a gift hope that stays. I realized an ability to concentrate more in my kick boxing class! Usually, I start thinking about stuff and cannot follow the moves, I was able to stay focused for the entire hour.

Anybody out there a compulsive eater/bulimic type? Has any of the ADHD meds helped you with those types of disorders??????? Laura

Been on Strattera for five days now. A little dry mouth. Some stomach problems. Wake up early a lot.

On the plus side, like couldthisbeit, I have been less gluttonous and a little more focused. When I'm not doing something, my first urge is not to grab something to eat. Also, my drinking is much more moderate, which is a huge plus.

Overall, I'm definitely more relaxed and less on edge. It's a very weird feeling that I don't know is good or bad yet. I'm much more able to sustain conversations, so I guess that's good.

On the downside, I feel extremely fatigued and fell asleep three times yesterday at odd moments (during a movie, while working on the computer, etc.). But I just bumped up to 25mg, so I'll just have to adjust.

Here's hoping...

wetdog238277.6376273148Strattera can definitley help with your moods. I have always been very impatient, and irritated which makes it difficult for me to concentrate, hence ADD! I have been taking strattera for a month, but only a week at 80 mg, which is the correct dosage for me.
The strattera has made me more relaxed, and not so impatient and irritable all the time. Which is excellent for me. It also helps control my appetite, and has made my vision alittle more clearer.
I have noticed alittle bit of improvement with my focus, but it goes back and forth. For instance, yesterday I couldnt stop working, I was like a robot and I finished everything. Now today, I did alittle work, but I'm sitting here typing away about when I know I should be working.
So hopefully, in a few weeks the focus will stay permanantly. So anyone who is staking stratttera, I urge you to give it about a month at the right dosage before you give up. The side effects go away too, I dont have any anymore.

A Andiec138275.4938657407

The prescribed stimulants such as Ritalin or Concerta do not seem to present a major addiction problem unless you have an addiction issue. My doc was hesitant at first due to a history of substance abuse.

But I now take Concerta and stay strictly within the prescribed dosage. It has not been a problem so far (even for me).

But it is up to each person to find out what works best.

I started out on 18mg for a few days and just moved up to 25mg. I'm moving up to 40mg in a few days and I'll stay there for awhile. My shrink is pretty good about not wanting me to medicate more than I need. If nothing happens, she'll move me up or if the side effects get bad, she'll switch me to another drug.

She said that everyone has a different threshold, just like everyone responds to different drugs. I think the whole process is a lot of trial and error. On one hand, you can't immediately judge Strattera's effects because it takes awhile for them to set in and it takes awhile for your body to adjust to the side effects. On the other hand, you don't want to take it if it consistently makes you feel like crap.

My plan is to give it at least a month or two and see if it helps me with tackle other problems. Personally, I hate taking drugs, but so far, I'm very happy about Strattera. We'll see how it goes.

Marty