This is day 24 of our son (5 yo) being on Strattera 18 mg.. At first we noticed little difference other than him being a little bit more attentive. His behavior these last few days is worrying us because we don't want it to intensify into something worse. He is really "down" all the time. He says that he's just bored, but even when he has plenty of intersting things in front of him he still appears to be lethargic and so "whatever" about everything. I asked him the other day what was wrong and he said that he just didn't want to be bothered, so I left him alone for a while thinking that his mood would be short-lived. But then again last night we went to dinner and he was down all night. Our friends have children and our son LOVES playing with them. Well, he didn't. When all the other kids were in a group playing, he sat on a bench and played with his Spiderman toy by himself. He just isn't acting like himself being so down like this. He's normally an active, funny, loud little guy. And then today...he came home from school and got into my bed. That's it. He just wanted to veg out. I offered to let him play his game boy, color/draw, play his V-smile since we can't go outside today, but he won't do anything. He just wants to lay in bed and watch tv. I hate that!
So, I'm wondering is this medicine too strong? Is this "down"/ depressed mood just a temporary side effect? Will this lethargic/whatever/down mood of his go away once the medicine gets into his system good? He is also complaining about stomache aches alot. Do these tummy pains wear off once the medicine gets into his system good? I've heard that it takes up to 6 weeks to be really effective, but it's already been in him for 3+. Isn't that long enough to tell? I don't want his depressed/down mood to get any worse, especially if it's because this medicine is causing it.
If anyone can tell me if this is normal on this medicine or what your child was like 3+ weeks into the meds, I'd really appreciate it.
Valarie
I noticed this some with our son. He takes depakote with it also.We believe our son has many disorders. Helpes with mood and zoning out.rshnThanks for the responses. Crazycat, did your son switch to another med or are you guys doing med free?
just curious.
Momof2inSC,
My son 11yrs. He was on Ritalin for 5 yrs. than we switched. He was on strattera 40mg when school started he spent alot of time in the nurses office complaining of stomach ache or headache. I went to drop him off at school he got out of the car and started balling I made the mistake of taking him home, he was fine after 1 hr. or so the next day I got a call from the nurse he didn't feel well I refused to pick him up, It took the guidance counselor 30 min to get him back in class he was crying again. We ended up stopping the strattera It didn't work at all for him it made him mean, grouchy, and emotional. He was always tough as nails it was so strange seeing him so emotional. He's feeling better he is now on Ritalin LA
Thanks Tamaraw. I really like some of the effects of this medicine (listening at school and sleeping at night, mainly), but the emotional, down/sad, withdrawn kid with stomach aches that it has caused I don't like at all. Before dinner, his dad took him outside to play and he refused; we made him go anyway. He sat at dinner tonight and refused to eat. He didn't talk to us, just sat there. He has an appointment on Friday with his psychiatrist, and I will have to have a serious heart to heart with her about this med.
I don't want a medicine that's going to give me a perfect child. I had a perfect child before we started all this. I'm not just saying that. He really is a good kid--funny, caring, upbeat, smart. But these meds are taking away all that, and they're not helping him in the ways I think it should. I know that all meds have side effects. I just don't want to trade the lively kid that I had before for a shell of a kid now. Ya know? I read on another post or board somewhere someone ranting about how parents don't give the meds long enough to work before switching to another med. This person said that parents see a side effect and change. See another side effect, change again. Hoping to make the kid "perfect". That's not what I'm wanting. I hope it doesn't appear that way. I'm really NOT looking for him to be a "stepford" kid. I just want to be able to talk to him and have him listen to me and his teachers without running in front of cars and doing impulsive things. I'm just not willing to let him live with these side effects though.
This is impossible!
Momof2inSC38406.7902546296my son was on strattera for about ten weeks:took him off over a week ago after being informed by his psychologist of possible liver damage reports with this drug.I just wasnt seeing enough truly positive results on it to warrant his staying on-and yes,we noticed a definite decrease in his smiles,laughs,interest in the little things..I missed my active,interested and funny kid! Constipation was a biggie,and the stomacheaches were there for about three weeks initially..also insomnia the first week.Of course,this may not be applicble to your child at all,use your own best judgement..but for us,quitting strattera was a good move.My son is doing ok in school,pleasant at home,and generally just himself again,no more depression.I am keeping an eye on him and we'll take it a day at a time..but no more strattera.Hope things work out for you!Hello,Momof2inSC,
For my son The side affect of depression with strattera was enough to frighten me. I had never in his life seen him so emotional. He was on it for 3-4 weeks to long. since we switched meds. he hasn't shown signs of depression, this is not to say that this med won't work with some children.
Tamara
Our son on Strattera. I believe these kids are this way because of various other issues not the medacine.I will not teach him take a drug for every problem you have.Being emotional what's wrong with this. I would rather have him this way than the opposite.Our son has Sensory issues, and I believe aspergers also so this makes things 3 times as hard.In his SI therapy he will learn about approppriate ways to handle things.Shool I believe is hard to day because taught to average leval kids. I also believe taught subjects at earlier ages. We here are seeing our kids in elementry do things I didn't learn till later on.They don't really notice weeknesses because busy teaching as a whole class. State tests decide pass or not. 70% is passing so sad.We always had to correct all wrong answers until correct.Not here. rshn The ot told me social problems not part of ADHD. They told her 27 years ago son ADD. Later told Aspergers.This a Autism disorder.rshn
Thanks everyone for your opinions.
I took my son to his psychiatrist today, and she reduced his Strattera to 10 mg, from 18. I hadn't been giving my son his Adderall because the Strattera alone was too much, so she said not to give the Adderall to him either and lets see how this 10 mg. dose does on its own. She seemed quite concerned that he was so lathargic, which was very reassuring to me to see the doctor care so much. For right now, we're gonna try the Strattera 10 mg., and if this seems like it's not improving his inattentiveness, then I'll give him his Adderall 5 mg. again.
hi mom of 2-to answer your question,yes at the present I am leaving my son med-free,and so far so good.I know at any point I may have to look into other meds,but really,right now my gut feeling is that medication isn't the answer for us.Just seeing him eat dinner with us in the evening(as compared to strattera days of no appetite,nothing appealed to him),seeing him laugh and get excited..well,you get the picture.The depressive action of this drug just wasnt worth taking it.How much of our problems with add/adhd stem from school and their expectations-the method of teaching all students at an average level when my kid is reading at an eight grade level in fourth grade,for example,and gets hollered at by his teacher for 'reading ahead of everyone". I am seeing the whole educational system as one huge monster that chews up kids and spits them out as "useful members of society".Getting kind of cynical and that is not my usual style! Hope things are clearing up for you about the strattera-feel free to email me and best wishes!-crazycat
statera
it cuases mood swings which can and will eventuslly cause depression
ask your doctor once someones on starterra and haviing mood swings if you child can also be on effexor at the same time.
Strattera should be taken on full stomach. We use depakote together. Read about info@healthy place.com ( my story.)Tells a boys story. Looks like adhd comes with more than 1 thing. I found the sideffects gone after a while.All meds have bad points. Since on these much happier boy. We all have bad days mine has been this week.rshnI was on Strattera for a while, and I did notice those depressive symptoms. It is only now that I am realizing that it may have been a result of the Strattera, after reading this post. Right now I am pregnant, so i'm not on anything, but once I have my baby, I don't think that I will be going back to the Strattera.
I am a very small statured individual, and I seem to notice a lot of kids in this topic with stomach aches and constipation and I know I had severe problems with that, and that's why I stopped. It was hard noticing the POSITIVE effects of strattera while being doubled over in stomach pain (constantly for about 6 months...that's about how long I took strattera). It was not worth all the side effects to me personally.
Some people swear by strattera, but it was not for me.