I am at my wits end with this med. We have been through so much w/ it during the past two months, I am determined to make it work!
A complained that she was tired in the a.m. at school and that her stomach hurt. She curled up and took naps at about 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. This is after two months on Strattera! I thought the tiredness was supposed to be at the beginning. She has been on this med two months, and at her target dose for 4 weeks. By the way, she has not seemed excessively tired until recently. But perhaps we just weren't paying close attention?
So we switched her dose times. She was getting 18 mg at breakfast. and 10 mg. at lunch. We switched it to 18 mg. before bed and 10 mg. at breakfast. Well, I can definately see the difference - it is only about 2:30 p.m. and she is bothering everyone. This did not happen before. Actually, we thought the med was working ok - just ok, not great.
So, do I go back to the previous breakfast and lunch dosing times and risk tiredness and poor sleep? Or do I stick it out w/ the nightime dose and see if things improve?
And if we do go back to the previous schedule, what would help w/ the restless sleep? Melatonin helps her fall asleep, but not stay asleep.
Help!
My son was tired steady for the first few weeks and would fall asleep in the car (which he NEVER does) on the was home many of the days. That went away after about 2 weeks but he still had a day or two here and there where he would just fall asleep on the couch (another thing he NEVER does!) before dinner. So most of the sleepiness was gone after a couple of weeks but it still came back once in a while for several months. I guess it will just be up to the doc if you've waited long enoug to see if her system will adjust. If she doesn't adjust then the dose will have to come down.Good luck on Spring Break and keep us posted! My son 11 was on Strattera for the reccomended 8 weeks to see a change. we had nothing but trouble. now hi is back on his Concerta along with newly started INTUNIV quafacine long acting. This has been a great thing so far for him we still have 2 or so more weeks to go at the 2mg dose then decide whether or not we need to go to 3mg or not. So far he says he feels calmer and is definatly less impulsive and he just feels better. This is such good news finally as everything else we havve tried has tanked for us. my son was also tires for months on the Strattera. glad we changed. Good luck to you.
I guess it's been a few days since your post so how's it going now? My son had episodes of being tired on and off for several months but it finally went away.
If the Strattera isn't cutting it alone maybe adding a small dose of a stimulant may do the trick? Also, there are long acting forms of Melatonin. It should help her fall asleep and stay asleep. Hope things get better for you!
Gosh, thanks for answering!
I am really alarmed today because my girls had a babysitter tonight who they LOVE, and A fell asleep on the living room floor at 7 p.m. Before the pizza, which she also loves. I will call the doc on Monday. I wonder if he will back down on the dose. She is now on 18 mg. am, 10 mg w/ lunch. She is 41 pounds.
You say your son had episodes of tiredness for several months? I thought it was only supposed to stick around a few weeks! I guess it's just that I didn't expect this. Funny - I expected things to get better! But in many ways they are. Her emotions are more even, certainly.
We are going to stay w/ my parents next week - Spring Break - so I will be able to watch her closely. Hopefully things will improve so she can have some fun. She is looking forward to this visit so much, it would be a shame if she slept through it all. She only gets to see them about 2 times a year.
Thank you so much for replying! Hope everything is well w/ you...