Why Strattera? | ADHD Information

Hi,

I came back from the psychiatrist's today and wanted to share my experience.

I was evaluated as being very ADD by someone who specializes in that and the psych himself sent me there. So, I took three hours worth of tests and the specialist sent the report to the psych.

Today, the psych was ready to write a prescription, and said have you ever tried Welbutrin? I asked what it was. He said it was an anti depressant that worked well for attention disorder. I told him I did not have any type of depression, and would rather not take medication for something I didn't have. He then asked me...what did I think I had. I told him I have what the guy said I had. What guy? He asked. The guy you sent me to for an evaluation where I spent three hours. Well, he then said he didn't have the report. I told him he should have it. He says his assistant probably has it with the files. But I see he has my two page file in front of him.
So then he said okay, I will give you Strattera. What do I know? I go to the pharmacy and they say that insurance won't cover that drug. I call the doctor. He insists that he will ask for a special authorization. It will take some time, meantime, come over tomorrow and pick up samples. My next appointment is in one month and the milligrams he prescribed were 25. By the way, I told him, I have NEVER been on any psychiatric medication before. But I take Darvocet regularly for back pain.

Now I am thinking, something is wrong. I feel like he didn't really care what I have. Why is he wanting to prescribe antidepressants? Why this Strattera that has some antidepressant history? Why should I go through a trial of horrible symptoms that I read about here, if there are other things out there. I am not an addictive person. I drink 8 shots plus of coffee when I am working to help me concentrate, but I don't have to drink it otherwise. Actually, on the weekends I don't drink any. I am not, and have never been an alcoholic or a drug addict. But I did see people in the office waiting room that scared me.  Some were acting retarded...could it be the medications?

What do I do? Do I take the evaluation to another doctor and start over? Should I try this stuff? I finally found a freelance job that pays and would hate to blow it. I need help, not to sabotage what little I have. I suppose I am desperate for help. Any of you who are adults who have taken this and only have ADD or ADHD...not any other stuff...Can You Help???
Oh...by the way...he never read the report sent by the evaluator. why straterra? good question

I don't or haven't been posting here much but...

I like to think that I am one of the Strattera success cases.  I am ADD inattentive type.  Starting strattera was like coming out of a fog for me.  It was like I could see clearly for the first time.  That's not to say that I don't get in a fog/funk sometimes but I figure that is mainly hormonely. (yes, I'm peri-menopausal... or was that TMI?) 

Strattera can work but at lower doses it's affect can be somewhat limited but then so are the side effects.  As far as the side effects.  They aren't nearly as bad as what you may have heard.  Dry mouth, yes but think of it as a good way to drink more water.  Nausea, a little at first or at really high doses (120 mg) but it is very short lived. My sister who also takes it had a time with the nausea but she found taking it with buttermilk (blech!) eliminated it.  I imagine yogurt would do the same thing.  

For me, the benefits of taking it far outweigh the negatives.

 

 

Hi Shawn.

Thanks for the hug!

I am getting by with the Freelance job I just got a couple weeks ago. Before that, I was ready to crumble into homelessness. Whatever it takes to keep my business going. It's video production. I do graphics too. Funny how I keep bumping into people with such similarities, not just here.

Anyhow, if I were rushing I would have taken the Free Samples offered of Strattera a week or so ago.

I have read from a lot of people, and heard from some people I know, that statistically...Strattera only works for a few people. The psychologist who performed the evaluation suggested medication. I told him that I feared side effects. Especially since there is nothing else wrong with me. I don't want to screw up other parts of me to fix this. He is the one who told me that the stimulant medicine works immediately and that I would feel the difference right away. He also said they flush right out of your body fast.

I am glad you are not homeless anymore and are finally happy with a medicine that works for you.

I am NOT going to risk my current job and my business. I know that I am not doing as good as I should be doing both the biz and the job. I risk losing both. I also am risking other things. But my daughter depends on me. I have gone through many stressful times, many jobs and much turmoil. It's a miracle I am here now where I am.

By the way, I began trying to get help last year. Doctors canceled appointments, even while I was driving to them. The ones I could find for an appointment were booked and I waited to see them, to get canceled. So, months later, I want to finally do my job without the stress and anxiety that I am going through. My restlessness is really getting old. My mind wondering. My not being able to perform at times due to concentration issues and the stupid mistakes are killing me inside. Not to mention the impression I am making. They are being patient...for now.

It has not being easy to get work and the bills I have are not getting smaller either. Did you read about the statistics of Strattera with other people like us? Am I just being a real idiot, you think? I mean, I hear some medicine works great (right from the doctor's mouth) and Strattera takes a month to six weeks to even see if it works, after a bout of serious side effects.

Sure...I suppose I could just take nothing and pretend there is nothing wrong with me, which is what I have done so long. But it has all been an act at the expense of my family, my future, my daughter and my friends...and everything else.

I really feel alone right now. I do have some support through a couple of friends. They want nothing more than to see me get help and to get over this. I know there is no cure...but to even think there is SOME help and I can't get my hands on it just hurts.

But don't misunderstand, stimulant or Strattera, if I spend one or two days with bad side effects and no help with the ADHD...I will stop right away. I cannot afford to keep taking it in hope that it will work at some point risking everything.
soberxinsanity...thanks for telling me your story. You bring up the fact that I had to deal with when I dealt with my horrible crushed vertebrae and then fusion surgery in my upper back. Medicine that is meant to help some of us is abused by others and hurts the ones that need it most.

I hope you are better. I hope I get better too. Thank you for understanding. I take pain medication only when I need it. Otherwise, I don't take it. And my doctor know it. I hope he doesn't freak out all of a sudden. Or I may just give up on this all together and continue suffering until I end up needing Prozac instead. What a drag!
By the way...don't worry about the prozac thing...I tend to be sarcastic sometimes.

Somehow...I will succeed. I got off the phone with someone who is older and believes in me. She hopes I get help, but she told me that even if I don't and life is harder for me than it should fairly be...I am very strong and will make it.

So there.
I kinda know how you feel. I have been trying to get dx'd and treated for, what, 3-4 years now. I used to go to a psychologist who did one of those TOVA tests and then said I was fine. Well that was disappointing. So I left her and went to a new shrink, who suggested the possibility of me having ADHD in sept. '05. I'm just now starting meds. I was diagnosed with anorexia 5 1/2 years ago, but it was a misdiagnosis. I had a lot of anxiety revolving around a specific phobia so I went to a psychiatrist. When I brought up ADHD to him he had a fit and told me if I'm doing well in school why bother, if it ain't broke don't fix it, bla bla bla. My mom was afraid to even think about stimulants because my psychiatrist kept saying how they're contraindicated in people with anorexia. But I don't even have anorexia! So it took me about a year and a half to get my parents to switch doctors (I'm 17 so I'm still under their insurance) and I thought I finally had the right doctor, but apparently he thought I was drug-seeking to lose weight, going from doctor to doctor looking for stimulants so I could be skinny. It's frustrating when you're the only one that sees how much you're suffering, and everyone else thinks you're doing just fine and you're "almost there" and one day everything will be nice and happy, you just have to wait for it. Bull! If someone is trying to get help can't other people realize that if they're looking for help, they probably have a good reason?

Then comes the lovely insurance that only covers so many visits a year, and you have to space those precious 45 minute sessions so that you don't run out at the end of the year. I only have one working parent, my dad, who is still trying to pay off debts from when he was unemployed for 2 years, and they try to make me feel guilty with "We can't afford all that other stuff if all our money goes to doctor bills" So one good alternative would be for me to get a part-time job. I can't do that if all my time goes into schoolwork and I have no time for anything outside of school. So now it's like "I'll get a job once I get the ADHD out of the way and use my time more effectively".

I don't know if I'm helping at all, but I thought maybe you could relate to this a little since I could relate to what you are saying. The finances, the looney doctors, the medical insurance issues..I've been down that road too many times.

Don't give up yet. Maybe your GP will be of better help, or maybe there's a better psych. out there. My new doc says writing an rx is the easy part...if you find a doc that can say that it's probably true, and it's probably a good doctor for you. [QUOTE=ricochet]Shawn...thanks for your info. I have considered somethings in the last few days.
1. The doctor who doesn't bother to close the door, stay off personal cell phone calls while meeting with me for a total of ten minutes during two appointments, and who never even looked at either my medical record, or my evaluation and wants to begin treatment right away.

I agree to find another Dr. That's not right.

2. The fact that I have finally found a freelance position that is helping me pay the rent as a single Mom so that I can get my business off the ground.

I'm happy for you!

3. The fact that I don't know how this medicine will react with me and I have a history with my regular doctor of not selling pain killers or becoming addicted. As a matter of fact I asked to go off Vicodin to a less potent drug two years ago.

You see...the painful side effects of something that I would have to wait out for days and weeks is unacceptable at this time. I wish you could understand my distress.

Oh but I do understand where you're coming from. I'm a mother of 4, and running my own Graphic/Web Design Business. I couldn't afford to wait either... but the thing of it is, if you try a stimulant it may not work immediately for you either, you may have to try several different types of drugs and/or several doses before you find the right one for you. There is no 'miracle drug'. I figured I've survived and lived with ADHD for 36 years.. a few weeks isn't going to make or break me. If it does then perhaps you should choose not to take any drug at all.

If I take it and I have side effects, which I hear most people have them, I could stand to lose what I now have and become homeless. If I don't get help and get treatment that works, soon...I am risking not doing as good a job as I could. Plus I am risking getting my own biz off the ground.

True, but that would be the same if you took ANY drug, not just Strattera. What type of business do you have? I understand needing money, and if it's seriously that bad you should find a secure job and start your own business on the side while you build it. You don't start a business on it's own if you're not financially prepared for the down times that comes with it. You have to make the choice if you want to get better and deal with the side effects or stay how you are un-medicated and lose your job too. If you won't lose your job being un-medicated then don't start any drug.

The worst thing that could happen is that I take Strattera and I begin to not be able to show up at work or show up sick as a dog. Where is my future then?

Like I've said before... that can happen on any drug. Not just Strattera. Sounds to me like you're making excuses as to why you shouldn't try it. I didn't want to try it either thinking oh.. if it's going to take that long it's not going to work for me. I don't have time to waste, I have a business to run and a home to keep. Well, it was tough, but I'm glad I did stick with it because now I can work longer hours than I could taking a stimulant. I'm sure your day doesn't end at 5-6pm does it? Will you have to work late into the night? If so a stimulant won't be the best thing for you either. You can't take that at night unless you work at night and sleep during the day.

Your future you hold in your own hands.. you can't blame a drug for losing your job. In the end no drug is going to 'cure' you... you still have to put in an effort and do your part. Strattera does help me, but I do still have to pull my butt out of bed in the morning (which it doesn't help me with at all).

If you think negatively you'll get negative reactions and your world will crumble. Don't think about what you DON'T want to happen in life, think about what you DO want and you'll get it!

I am in a horrible mess when it comes to my financial situation. It's a catch 22.

So, if my regular doctor says start with Strattera, I will do it. Because he knows me and I trust him, unlike the other guy. But I can be honest with him and tell him, that if I react bad with it...I will not be able to wait it out at the risk of being jobless and homeless. I find it hard to understand that I seem so alone in this. If no one will help me and treat me...then I will be forced to not get the medication help because my situation is so immediate.

You're not alone in this.. Every single person on this forum can relate to what you're going through. Why is it so immediate now? Why not a month or two ago? a year ago? You've been going along this long without meds.
One job will not make or break you hun.... There are plenty of options out there, even if it means working two jobs. I've been homeless, on the streets so I know how much it sucks... but you have to remember where there's a will there's a way. You WILL make your Business succeed... you have to believe in yourself first though.


I am literally about to cry right now. What a rock in a hard place I am in. And so alone in it. This really hurts...and I feel really hopeless. It is horribly unfair. I am not a drug dealer nor an addict. I just need help. Unfortunate.....okay...now I have a huge lump in my throat and tears are rolling.

I'm sorry you're hurting, no one is saying that you are a drug dealer or addict (and believe me, I know how it hurts to feel that way because my Dr came right out and said he wouldn't prescribe stimulants to me because he didn't know me) Your post sounds exactly like me a few months ago. It will get better, don't give up! You are NOT alone! {{{{Hugs}}}}
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ShawnB39168.6808912037Strattera was first made to be an Anti-Depressant but it didn't work well, however they found that it is effective in some forms of ADHD. I have been on Strattera for 6 weeks now and glad that I stuck with it. It IS an ADHD Medication. It can be a pain to deal with at first, but it's a 24 hour medication. Non-Stimulant. I think Psych's are now pushing Strattera more and more in fear of handing out Stimulant meds that may be abused. My Psych told me outright that he does not prescribe stims to new patients that they have high street value (at first I was very offended, but then I had to realize that it wasn't personal, he just doesn't want to get in trouble if it did get in the wrong hands and he's to blame).

You basically have to make a decision, do you want to help yourself or not? Are you willing to try a med that may help you, even though it may be rough at first (it was rough for me for the first 3-4 weeks). It's up to you, try it or don't... or find another Dr.  Shawn...thanks for your info. I have considered somethings in the last few days.
1. The doctor who doesn't bother to close the door, stay off personal cell phone calls while meeting with me for a total of ten minutes during two appointments, and who never even looked at either my medical record, or my evaluation and wants to begin treatment right away.
2. The fact that I have finally found a freelance position that is helping me pay the rent as a single Mom so that I can get my business off the ground.
3. The fact that I don't know how this medicine will react with me and I have a history with my regular doctor of not selling pain killers or becoming addicted. As a matter of fact I asked to go off Vicodin to a less potent drug two years ago.

You see...the painful side effects of something that I would have to wait out for days and weeks is unacceptable at this time. I wish you could understand my distress.

If I take it and I have side effects, which I hear most people have them, I could stand to lose what I now have and become homeless. If I don't get help and get treatment that works, soon...I am risking not doing as good a job as I could. Plus I am risking getting my own biz off the ground.
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The worst thing that could happen is that I take Strattera and I begin to not be able to show up at work or show up sick as a dog. Where is my future then?

I am in a horrible mess when it comes to my financial situation. It's a catch 22.

So, if my regular doctor says start with Strattera, I will do it. Because he knows me and I trust him, unlike the other guy. But I can be honest with him and tell him, that if I react bad with it...I will not be able to wait it out at the risk of being jobless and homeless. I find it hard to understand that I seem so alone in this. If no one will help me and treat me...then I will be forced to not get the medication help because my situation is so immediate. I am literally about to cry right now. What a rock in a hard place I am in. And so alone in it. This really hurts...and I feel really hopeless. It is horribly unfair. I am not a drug dealer nor an addict. I just need help. Unfortunate.....okay...now I have a huge lump in my throat and tears are rolling.