Info on Strattera | ADHD Information

thanks again!

Dad in Akron - My husband and I tag team to take care of our girls. We have both noticed that when the other comes home, the girls get a bit hyper and act out a bit. I don't know if it is excitement or anticipation of the change or what.

As far as Strattera, we recently added it in addition to Concerta for our soon to be 8 yr old dd. it did take awhile to kick in. I think we are 26 mg now ata bout week 8-10, and have noticed change for the better. The Concerta really helps with the hyperactivity and focus issues, and the Strattera seems to help take the edge off at night as well as helps her working memory; she is not as forgetful, and seems to remember cause and effect better.

I think you give a big breakfast, and take the straterra with it. You don't count too much on lunch, and serve a big dinner.My DD actually experienced weight gain on Strat, but then again she has appetite increase on all ADHD meds.Thanks!Jacob has been on Strat since the beginning of June. He started on 18mg, then ramped up to 25. We saw little change in his hyperactivity and hyperfocusing, so the neurologist increased it to 40mg, which is suitable for his weight. We give it to him at night, right before bedtime. That way it lessens the typical stomachache feeling. If you are giving your son Strattera in the morning, make sure he eats at the same time, or he may not feel hungry due to having a weird feeling in his belly. Also, make sure you never open the capsule because the contents are likely to be an irritant to body tissues, especially the eyes and lungs.

One question I have for other Strat users... Is it possible to have a "rebound" experience with it? We have a small problem with Jacob... When I come home from work, he acts as though the drug is not helping at all. My wife says he does well all day, but acts hyperactive only when I come home from work. We're trying to figure out if it's a rebounding effect, or if Jacob is just VERY excited to see me and spend time with me. If anyone has had similar experiences, I'd like to know your thoughts on it, expecially edbson.Dd did seem to have a bit of "rebound" on Strat, but nothing major. I would guess he is having a bit, and is very excited, the two combined in my experince can wreak havoc.

My husband noticed that Straterra seems to "wear off" as the day went on. He splits his dose now and that seems to take care of it. I think I read somewhere that Strattera is a shorter-acting antidepressant in the bloodstream, which can cause some noticible ups and downs. Maybe that is why it is OK to discontinue without weaning?

If that is true, it may explain why he starts "rebounding" in the evening since you give him the med before bed.

[QUOTE=cchdaja]Does anyone have anything good to say about Strattera? I've heard plenty of negative. My son is on it now. Just started 25mg on Friday. Up from 18. So far he just doesn't want to eat. He is almost 6 years old and is 55 pounds. Any feedback would be nice. Thanks[/QUOTE]

I've had decent success with strattera.

It's a med that takes patience. After about 2 weeks [when the first ramp was done before the second] my appetite went from 0 to 60 and I ate constantly. Fruit craving for some reason...

It's horrid for the first bit but what I love about it is that I don't have ANY sense of being "buzzed" or even that I'm taking anything at all. I feel pretty normal. It levels my moods a bit and shortens them without turning me into having NO feelings. Almost all the drugs I've ever tried turned me totally spazzy. I can't even take sleeping pills or muscle relaxants without it adding to my furbrain and hyperness.

You have to be willing to go a 6-8 week stretch to get the most out of this particular drug. The side effects can really bite for a while, too--especially when ramping. Now I don't even have dry mouth--nada. Zilch for side effects.

Your son is still going to need to learn HOW to get things done etc. No drug can teach him the skills of organizing himself. For that you need an ADHD coach or psychologist.

I wouldn't say the effects are huge but if all your son really needs is a little boost to make coping with ADHD easier--it may be just the ticket.
MetisRebel39287.5094675926

Strattera is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. It is very strictly dosed by weight, and has to be ramped slowly from 10mgs to the target dose. Once target dose is reached you can expect to see results within 4-6 weeks.With his weight his target dose would be somewhere between 30-45 mgs( based on recommended dose of 1.2-1.8 mgs per kilo of body weight).

Why was he started on 18 mgs instead of 10? That is probably why he is having appetite suppression.

Does anyone have anything good to say about Strattera? I've heard plenty of negative. My son is on it now. Just started 25mg on Friday. Up from 18. So far he just doesn't want to eat. He is almost 6 years old and is 55 pounds. Any feedback would be nice. Thanks

My hubby takes Strattera and it is helping him. It has dealt with his "line rage" and frustration with slow traffic etc. He thinks that it is easier for him to focus when needed, but he doesn't have anything to compare that to since he has never taken anything else. It does give him a little bit of a chance to think before saying whatever is on his mind, but not dramatic.

He is on 80mg and has noticed that as he loses weight (we both are trying to do this) it seems to work better. I told him he should probably call the doc and ask at what point in his weight loss he should decrease the dose.

He had some mild nausea and constipation. When he got to 80mg, he got pretty nauseated and so he split the dose morning and evening (40mg + 40mg). That did the trick.

Good luck!