Straterra Side Effects | ADHD Information
My daughter is almost 8, in second grade. Was diagnosed about a year ago, in first grade. She was miserable in school, unable to control impulsive behavior and focus on tasks.
She has been on Adderall since diagnosis, progressing from 5 mg to 20 mg. Seems to be at the optimal dosage currently but she has lost some weight, which concerns me and her pediatrician. She also seems to have mood swings and experiences depression. Recently her pediatrician prescribed Straterra to replace the Adderall to see if it might help her moods.
Her pediatrician gave us a sample of Straterra that included several varying dosages to take progressively to "ease into" it. On the first day we gave her the Straterra, we went to pick her up at afterschool care and she was extremely depressed - bottomed out! She would not even speak on the the way home, just stared out the window. When she got home she did not want to play, watch tv or eat dinner - she just wanted to go to bed. It's really heartbreaking to see your seven year old in such a state!
Of course we did not give her another dose of Straterra even though her doctor told us that we could not judge her reaction on this one day to her long term response to the drug. He wanted us to give it to her for at least a week before we decided whether it was having any effect. We refused to give her any more Straterra and went back to Adderall.
I was just curious whether or not anyone else has had any similar reaction!
We just started Straterra, 25 mg. The first day he was tired & had stomach cramps, very common I understand when you first start, & now 1 week later he is not experiencing any side effects. Our CSW says he wants 1 month before deciding if the dosage is going to be good for my son. HTH
honestly it takes a good month before you can decide if the dosage is right...when yopu start a new med things like this happen....then when their body adjusts it gos away.
I am not trying to be harsh...because i did the same thing ...i would never give the med a chance to work ...and as a result my boy was switched from med to med...which isnt good:(
Lorien
I feel like I am becoming a "know it all" with how many times I have posted with my opinions on this board. I really hope I am not coming off that way! I have been consumed with ADHD since my son was diagnosed with it, and this board is such a great way for me to feel like I am not in a world by myself!
Benitac, you are right to be concerned. A doctor should not be giving you a sample of a drug like Stratera to try on a child with such unorganized dosages. When doctors get samples, it is from drug companies trying to "sell" their drug. They give the doctors samples to give to their patients and if they see good results... they prescribe them. Stratera has worked well with tons of kids, and maybe your child needs to be on a dosage fit for her.
I have heard that doctors make money off prescribing meds from well known drug companies... but I have not looked into it, so that could be false. Go with your guy instinct.... it is right.
I am not an expert on ADHD infact im just a 19 year old who has been through his share of medications trying to find the right one. I was first on Metadate CR (spelling) and then I was prescribed Adderall XR. I have to say that judging by what you are saying... the depression is a direct result of the Adderall. Five of my friends and myself included were prescribed Adderall and within 3 weeks fell victim to severe depression. I had never been diagnosed or showed signs of depression. Strattera is by far the best ADHD medication on the market. From what I understand Adderall has stimulants that are far too powerful for most children. My psychiatrist who prescribed Strattera does not distribute Adderall any more because of those side effects. Please don't take this as me telling you how to raise your kid but do her a favor and bring her to a psychiatrist. Pediatricians do not have enough experience with ADHD to be telling you what medication she should be on. Take her to a psychiatrist and spend the two or three visits to really go through ADHD and get a better understanding. Those three meetings with my psychiatrist were ones I will never forget because it helped me understand what was going on with my body. Instead of just accepting the fact that I had to take pills to concentrate, which is how many kids feel in regards to ADHD. I strongly suggest you give Strattera another chance. I have been on it for 2 years now and never experienced the depression, crash, sleeplessness or any other side effects I experienced with Adderall XR. I hope this helps. If you have any direct questions feel free to e-mail me.
Jonathan Boyle
George Washington University
Major in Sports Medicine w/ Pre-Medical Concentration
Minor in Public Health and Psychology
I am not an expert on ADHD infact im just a 19 year old who has been through his share of medications trying to find the right one. I was first on Metadate CR (spelling) and then I was prescribed Adderall XR. I have to say that judging by what you are saying... the depression is a direct result of the Adderall. Five of my friends and myself included were prescribed Adderall and within 3 weeks fell victim to severe depression. I had never been diagnosed or showed signs of depression. Strattera is by far the best ADHD medication on the market. From what I understand Adderall has stimulants that are far too powerful for most children. My psychiatrist who prescribed Strattera does not distribute Adderall any more because of those side effects. Please don't take this as me telling you how to raise your kid but do her a favor and bring her to a psychiatrist. Pediatricians do not have enough experience with ADHD to be telling you what medication she should be on. Take her to a psychiatrist and spend the two or three visits to really go through ADHD and get a better understanding. Those three meetings with my psychiatrist were ones I will never forget because it helped me understand what was going on with my body. Instead of just accepting the fact that I had to take pills to concentrate, which is how many kids feel in regards to ADHD. I strongly suggest you give Strattera another chance. I have been on it for 2 years now and never experienced the depression, crash, sleeplessness or any other side effects I experienced with Adderall XR. I hope this helps. If you have any direct questions feel free to e-mail me.
Jonathan Boyle
George Washington University
Major in Sports Medicine w/ Pre-Medical Concentration
Minor in Public Health and Psychology
I had the mood swings when I was on a 60/40 split night and day. I would talk to your psychiatrist about taking 20 in the morning and 20 at night.
My son is 9 and was Dx ADHD with possible depression and trichtillomania. He is on Prozac and has been on Adderall until just recently. He has just been Rxed Straterra after having what we can only term a psychotic episode with the very first med Rxed--Concerta (his bro is on it, so instead of trying Ritalin, the Dr went for the long-acting--why I'll never know..), they then switched him to Adderall, which made him more anxious, and which he is coming off of now and taking Straterra at night (a good way--sleep thru the side effects). He's understandably irritable, but my question is--he has been having diarrhea the past 4 or 5 nights, which would coincide with the jump from the 5-day low-dose titre period to the 40mg actual dosage. Is this normal and will it go away?
What can I do about the diarrhea, and I have also been told to watch for aggression. Oh joy! More agression from the non-agressive one!
I also must reply to the person whose son was slammed on Straterra at first visit--YES!! See a child psychologist. My PCP will not even TAKE ADD/ADHD kids, he figures its all in their heads, I guess! Many PCPs are reluctant to take on this role. I hope you do find someone good, who can observe your child and Rx what HE needs, not what some pharmaceutical co. wants the pediatrician to shove out. And I don't think Drs should be handing out samples of Straterra or ANY new medicine (Tylenol--OK!). I'd seek another Dr! See a psychiatrist and not a psychologist as only psychiatrists can prescribe meds.
I really need help for this diarrhea though--SO many things going on--I would like to be a regular poster cause there is just so much to relate--and relate to--here! 
Thankyou!
My son who is 8 is on Strattera 60 mg which he takes at bedtime and Adderall XR 10 mg which he takes in the morning. This has been the best combination he has tried so far. The Stattera helps with the hyper and the Adderall XR helps with the focus. He is also taking Lexapro 10 mg at bedtime for OCD tendencies and depression. He is still stubborn and moody sometimes but overall things have greatly improved.
When he first started on Strattera his pediatrician gave us samples as well. This was so we could try the med without paying for the prescription and also the sample pack from the manufacturer is made specifically to ramp up on the meds so as to avoid side effects if possible. The sample we recieved had 2 bottles of the med one he took for 4 days which was 25 mg and the 2nd was for the remainder of the month which was 40 mg. By the end of the time I was to take him off the Adderall XR. When I did the teachers noticed an immediate difference in his ability to concentrate so he went back on it but at a lower dosage. The reason we starte the Strattera in the first place was because of the side effects he had from Adderall XR 15 mg, weight loss and insomnia. We just recently 3 weeks ago increased the Strattera to 60 mg to improve the evenings. His behavior has improved in the evening but I am noticing now he is having some problems getting to sleep but not anything like when he was on the Adderall XR 15 mg.
Hope this information helps you. You'll here this over and over again but it is true, What works for one may not work for another. Each persons chemistry is different so each solution is different. Good luck in your search.
This is to Jonathan,
You stated that you have been on Strattera for 2 years....but it only received FDA approval 17 months ago. And there were no studies any longer than 9 weeks.
How did you get 2 years?
AZDreams38125.6221064815My son is 7 and has been on med for 3yrs.....Strattera was one drug that frightened me...I know that it works really well for a lot of kids, but it doesn't for all. My son became very angry, combative, and very emotional. We actually tried it twice, the second time was in conjunction with an antidepressant both times with the same result. It can be a very good drug, but not for everybody.
Yes, I have noticed moodiness in my son and more stubbornness than usual--although you will see his picture in the dictionary if you look up 'stubborn' anyway! I do so hope he gets better...this is the last adhd med to try--adderall and all stims give him problems. Adderall gave him facial tics. Ugh! So...I'm sticking with it, but giving it to him in the AM now because the PM dose woke him up about 3AM and no sleep after that. :( SO. Here we are. Thankyou all for your replies--this is a good board.
PS--also the diarrhea has seemed to gone away....for now. An update!
I myself just started on Stratera but a week ago. The very first day I was very very tired and my muscles were relaxed. To me this would seem like someone would sell this in school to make money, but thats because I've been around those kinds of people and schools. But as for side effects, after only a week...when my muslces go relaxed in my arms and such, It feels like i just got blood taken out and I feel a little weak. My apetite has deminished very fast, and I have a new urge for soda's and chips and pizza and candy. My lunch at school is usually a couple pieces of pizza and a chocolate milk and then a bottle of water from the vending machine, because I have been getting very thirsty lately too. I also get flushed often and stomach problems. My headache's or migraines are worste then ever and my neck problems have increased (Muscle tension). But this has only been a week and they could just be 'gettin-the-grip-of-it' side effects and will hopefully wear off after a month or so. As for attentiveness...what was i saying? 
My dosage is 40mg, once a day.
BTW - I'm 17 Years old. Would that matter? Because this med seems to be being given to 10 and under?
I was on both Strattera and Lexapro (I'm 45). Long story short, had to stop the Strattera because it made me EXTREMELY depressed as well as angry. I'm off the Strattera and now trying Wellbutrin along with the Lexapro.
Lexapro has been a life saver for me as far as anxiety and anger goes. So I'm not giving that one up. The Wellbutrin, well, it doesn't seem to be doing much yet. Been 2 weeks now. I'm a bit more positive and upbeat, but the ADHD symptoms are still there. No help at all so far.
Interesting post...
keep us posted if your pedi tells you anymore more about whats going on with Strattera.
Well my dd's doctor agreed we should stop the Strattera and gave me a script for Concerta. We're going to start low and work our way up, so hopefully, we'll find a dosage that works with minimal side affects. She also agreed we should try anti-anxiety meds to help with dd's social and adjustment anxiety disorder, so she referred us to a child psychiatrist.
Her ped was disappointed it didn't work (as was I), and said that when it works it's great, but it seems that it either works great or doesn't work at all--no middle ground. She also has had more failures with this med than successes, so I would be interested to hear more about any new studies that are being done on Strattera.
She did warn me that it takes a while for the med to completely leave your system, so my dd will probably suffer lingering side affects... well, she was right, she's been up and down emotionally all night. Hyper one minute and crying over nothing the next--sheesh! I hope it doesn't last too long, we have a jam packed weekend ahead of us and I'd hate for her to be an emotional basket case all weekend!
Maureen
Oh, yea, I meant to ask a question . . .
For those that have tried Strattera in the past but had to stop, how long did it take for the med to completely wear off, where you weren't noticing any more side affects?
Maureen
For me, I felt almost immediate relief. The first day I was off the med I felt great! No more depression, anger or irritability. The urinary hesitation side effect took a few more days to get over. But mood wise, I got over it right away.Bobbie:
Around the 3rd week my daughter got very nervous and had anxiety attacks, but they only lasted a few days. If it persists, than I'd give a call to the doctors.
She also seemed a little subdued, but that definitely went away too.
I'm glad that Strattera is working with your daughter, unfortunately, we haven't been as lucky. (more on that in the next post)
Maureen
Well, my daughter has been on a split dose of Strattera for almost a week now and I see no benefit from it, except for the fact that she is still falling asleep much earlier than usual. And that is becoming a problem since she's not reading at bedtime like she used to (used to read for at least an hour, now she reads a page or two and passes out). She needs to finish three book reports by the end of the month and she's only managed to finish one (and without being able to focus you can all imagine what a struggle writting THAT was!). She gets really agitated around the time she takes her meds (super impulive and mean) and she's even more scattered than usual.
So, I guess that's that. At least I can say we tried it and gave it a fair shot.
I'm calling her doctor tomorrow morning. I know she's going to want to try the Strattera in conjunction with Concerta, since we've already spoke about that, but after the last week of troubles and no improvement, I can't see why we'd do that.
I'm just not looking forward to going back to her not eating, having trouble falling asleep and being quieter and less animated. 
Maureen
Hello,
When my daughter was first diagnosed they wanted to put her on Concerta. I requested Stattera instead because of all I had heard. She was on it for about 2 months and had terrible cramps and mood swings. I met with her pediatrician and he suggested the Concerta again. I put her on that and have had good luck (she is 7).Also Her blood pressure was also dangerously high while on the Strattera. Her pedi told me he has not had good results with this drug at All. Also stated that the company that puts it out is taking another look at its effectiveness and side effects. Keep an eye on the BP and if things don't improve I'd try something else.
Hi! My daughter is 8 years old and just started taking Straterra two weeks ago. We're going on our third week of 25mg. I saw a big difference in her ability to concentrate and follow through with tasks, but other people are asking me why she is so subdued. She also seems to be very fragile emotionally and is crying a lot. Is this a common side effect? How do you tell what's normal growth moodiness and what is directly a side effect of the meds? We wanted to start the meds before school started so she had a better start in the second grade. She is great one on one, but if there is more than 8 or 9 in the class, she can't concentrate. She's totally lost and makes very impulsive decisions. The straterra seems to be helping that already. Any suggestions or comments would be helpful.
Thanks!
Bobbie :)
[QUOTE=TDerrico]Lovemygirls......
Maybe you can ask your daughter's docter if you can try her on it in the mornings or try a split dosage. My son takes it in the morning. But, at first it would make him sleepy too. She will get use to it. Don't get discourage....just pray. You will have good days and bad days, but you will make it through. Like I said, after a while, she will get use to it and may not be as sleepy. But, at least it is helping. Stay encouraged, and thanks for your encouraging words. Take care and God bless.
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Thanks!! I did speak with my daughter's doctor this morning and after I told her all of my concerns she suggested that we split the dose before giving up on it.
She will start taking the 18 in the a.m. and 18 in the p.m. tomorrow and give it a week. We'll see. I kind of think if we were going to see the benifits we would have by now. Actually, I don't like what I see lately. Not only is she not focused, but she seems more forgetful and hyper in the happy sense, if you know what I mean. She's so happy she's obnoxious and getting on everyone's nerves now. Even her little sister is annoyed by her behavior and has told her on more than one occasion to stop acting weird. sigh.
She's always been forgetful (working memory stinks), but now it seems like she has the memory of a gnat. She was telling me something through the kitchen window last night and 5 minutes later came in the house and was telling me the same exact story--she actually stopped herself and said, "Mom, did I tell you that before?" I said, "Yea, 5 minutes ago!"
Between that, her not showing any signs of being focused, and waking up every morning to tell me about yet another strange dream she had, I'm starting to wonder about MY sanity for continuing it. Guess I'm just wishing it would miraculously work so we wouldn't have to go back to the stimulants and her not eating, sleeping, or being social.
Well, I guess we'll see how the split works. Wish us luck!!
Maureen
Hi Jonathan,
I appreciate your very quick and informative responses to my posts!!
I understand where you're coming from about seeing a specialist as apposed to a pediatrician, but my daughter has seen a psychologist that specializes in ADHD at an ADHD clinic. Unfortunately, he was the type to push the medication for this and medication for that and I never felt like he listened to me or cared about my daughter except to try to 'sell' us all the programs that they had, which, btw were very expensive and not covered under insurance (I've found similar programs in the community for much less money if not free from other reputable sources--hospitals, advocacy groups, etc.). He also lied to my daughter's pediatrician, so how could I trust him?
Her pediatrician is very informative about ADHD and the most commonly prescribed medications. She did her residency at a well-known psychiatric hospital for children (Bradley). Best of all, she obviously cares about my girls, listens to my concerns, never rushes me, and I feel that I can discuss anything with her. She has even called me on a Sunday afternoon to check on my daughter when she was sick! For now, she seems to be helping us, but if there comes a time where my daughter needs more specialized help, than I have no problem seeking the help of a psychiatrist or another psychologist. She has also seen a neuropsychologist to be tested a couple times and she has helped as far as school and dosing.
My daughter is 10 years old and was officially diagnosed in 1st grade and the diagnoses has been confirmed by several other specialists. She also has sensory integration dysfunction and an anxiety disorder, which I think complicates matters, but we're working on them (that's why I don't like the stimulants--they seem to make her sensory and anxiety issues worse). She started medication in the 3rd grade when nothing else seemed to help. Over the years we've tried several medications at various dosages: first Adderall, then Adderall XR, then Concerta, then Ritalin LA with a short acting Ritalin in the afternoon, and now we're trying Strattera.
The following quote from your message below is confusing to me (way over my head). Can you explain it in layman's terms and give an example? "The balanced diet is key but carbohydrates should be limited to low-glycemic (what is this?) variables. The more the energy source is pulled from unsaturated fats the more consistent her energy and concentration levels will be."
I think your thoughts on her rebound are right on. I'm hoping that when we switch to twice a day she'll do much better. I really don't want to have to go back to the stimulants if we don't have to! She looks SO much healthier!
Thanks again for everything!
Maureen
As long as you have found the right doctor that takes time to look into his/her diagnosis, you dont need to go anywhere else. Many times Pediatricians just prescribe medication from Day 1 and go from there, but this doesn't seem apparent in your case.
3 years after my ADHD diagnosis, I was diagnosed with anxiety as a result of taking Adderal XR. As a result I started a medication called Effexor XR while starting strattera. Look into Effexor XR as it is known to address some ADHD symptoms and works well with Strattera. I would ask your pediatrician about this as well.
To simplify what I am talking about in the area of dieting... With the new Atkins diet fad a lot of emphasis is put on carbohydrates. Unfortunately many see every carbohydrate the same. To break it down, when you look at a carbohydrates effect on the body you can place it on a glycemic-index scale and insulin-index scale; the former more important for sugar-rush and latter more important for dieting. The gylcemic index tells you how much impact this specific carbohydrate has on one's blood sugar levels (for informative purposes, the insulin-index shows you the level of your body's insulin production following intake of that carbohydrate). As blood sugars rise we become more hyper and less attentive, extreme cases can be seen in insulin-dependent diabetics who have often been mistaken for being drunk as a result of not taking their insulin. While not the ultimate factor, carbohydrates can be killer for ADHD patients, but no doubt it is important to have them in your diet. Thus, it is important to choose carbohydrates that sit low on the glycemic index. IF you go to www.google.com you can type in glycemic index and it will bring up lists of the types of low-glycemic index foods. To help you out Ill give you a quick breakdown. Low glycemic carbohydrates are going to mostly consist of whole natural grains, berries and non-tropical fruits, and veggies (excluding tomatoes and carrots). IN terms of the healthy fats, these can be an ADHD patients best friend because they help to steady blood sugar levels when your body is burning them for energy. Health fats include olive oil, any nuts, peanut butter, flax oil (non-capsule form is best), fish oil, any fat from fatty fish (salmon). I hope this helps. If you would like to speak more in depth about the diet my email is in my profile.
My 12 year old son recently started on strattera (10mg/day) because the ADHD finally began causing
significant problems in school. Within 2 days his
hair started falling out in patches! He even started
loosing his eyebrows. We stopped the meds
immediately and are waiting to see how long it takes
to begin growing back. Our doctor says that he has
not heard of this side effect with strattera before, but
he has seen hair loss associated with some other
meds. This was our first experience with ADHD
medications, and now I'm afraid it will be very difficult
to convince my son to try again.I took Strattera and took myself back off of it. I didn't like the side effects. I didn't like feeling like I had no energy. However, I will say, it practically cured my impulsiveness and helped me to concentrate. But I couldn't get past the extremely uncomfortable side effects. I had cold sweats, dry mouth, constipation, sores in my mouth. It's a personal preference on which drug is the BEST drug on the market. Because every drug works differently on each person. I just know that Strattera wasn't right for me. I took it for about 4 months. Each time I came off of a medication, it felt like I was back at square one. It's taken several years to find the right medication. It's a long trying journey to find the right medication. Good luck.
I had my daughter up to 80 mg of strattera and now have pulled it back to 40mg., we also started her just 3 days ago on Lexapro for depression. She can't fall asleep at night and will toss and turn horribly. She seems more crabby in the last few days also. She is 16 and has attempted suicide twice in the last year, I thought it was the concerta she used to be on and had taken her off of that. It seems like she is somewhat better but still wanted to try the anti depressant lexapro. I wondered if anyone else is taking this combination. Dr's don't seem to be of much help. We do see a psychiatrist finally on Monday, maybe he will want a different medicine combination. I just want her to be her happy cheery self again. She was in an outpatient program for a couple of weeks all she had to say was that everyone was a phsyco and she didn't belong there. I am losing faith in conseling as it has been a full year of it and we have gone down hill not up. Actually church is it seems better than the conselors. But maybe I don't understand and maybe this will be a lifelong struggle. can anyone offer up suggestions.
This is for Kathy:
What med are you on now? My son is still on Strat 40mg 1x/day in the AM, with a prozac chaser at 5mg. As I mentioned earlier, he is moody, and combatative; and sometimes just flat. We have run the gamut, so to speak, of ADHD meds--Concerta gave him a psychotic reaction that was REAL fun, (not!), Adderall gave him facial tics and Trichtillomania (hair-pulling) that disappeared once the Strat kicked in. However. He has trouble sleeping, and today my DH was sleep-deprived and forgot to give son his meds. Oops. He had a BD party to go to, but surprise--no hyperness! He came home and immediately went to sleep at 3:30 and its 9:30 and he's in bed for the night, barely waking during the afternoon; only to go to sleep again. I figure its a combo of being out in the weather fishing (possibly a cold coming on) and the lack of his med combo today.
We shall see tomorrow, when he goes back to school. Has anyone noticed this tiredness when missing a dose? Thanks for any response--even though he couldn't sit still a yr ago, this doesn't mean (in my mind) he actually HAS ADHD. This may be a controversial statement, but my eldest really does have ADD, and his meds help him--he goes thru the roof if he misses a dose. I have wondered all along if my 2nd son has been misdiagnosed. ::SIGH:: another trip to the psych who must have a broken arm from writing so many Rx's........
I'll keep you updated if you keep me updated! And Kathy--again, what med keeps your ADHD/ADD at bay, if you don't mind me asking? Thanks! :)
Johnathan
My nephew is on straterra, just started. I have been reading about libido problems and other sexual side effects in adult males and was wondering if you have heard how this drug may affect his developement - he will be 11 this year.
Thanks Debe
Johnathmy 12 year old son just started stattera, he had previously taken a non traditional med for his diagnosed add, proponolol. he has been on the strattera for 10 days and seems to be getting progressively more moody. he had an incident in school today in which he punched another kid in the head after verbal attacks. very much not like him. he seems to be getting very beligerant and irritable. i will see the strattera though the 30 days which he was precribed, but thankfully, the school year is coming to a close, i may take him off all medicine and hope for the best. ps. the proponolol worked well for several months but seemed to lose it's affect, and the only alternative was increasing dosage to 4x a day. he did not have the other side affects w/the strattera. in fact his appetitie increased. but he see's an endocronologist, because he is very small, and there are growth concerns i understand with the strattera, but not the proponolol. it is very difficult deciding what is right, i think the doctors lose patience and give up on us:)
I've heard of Effexor and will mention it to my daughter's pediatrician. I'm not giving up on the Strattera yet though (if anything, I'm determined). Planning on giving the twice a day dose a try for a few weeks and see how that works. I'm concerned that I haven't noticed her being more focused, but I only see her in the morning before she goes to camp (she's still very tired in the a.m.) and when she gets back in the late afternoon (when the meds seem to be wearing off). We'll see how she does this weekend.
Would you happen to know what the percentage is for those that Strattera works? I can't remember what her dr said. I think 75 or 80%?
Thanks for explaining in more detail your diet! I'm definitely planning on Googling for that index! Is this similar to tha Feingold diet I've heard about?
Maureen
Do not give up on the strattera atleast until you try it twice a day... if not after you try it in addition to an anti anxiety medication.
I am not familiar with the percentages... strattera is relatively new to have accurate percentages.
The most similar diet to what I am talking about is The South Beach Diet. I am not familiar with the diet that you mention, but I will look into it and let you know.
Hello, I am a mom of a son with a traumatic brain injury who takes straterra 60mg, once a day. So far, we have had positive results. He has been on the medication for almost 1 year now. He has problems at school from the brain injury, the medication seems to help him focus. He sleeps fine. At first his doctore tried Adderall and Dexadrine, neither worked, both had really bad side effects. So...so far the Strattera has been working. He also takes proponolol for his behavior, he has been on that for about one week now. So, if any parents out there have similar situations please respond.
[QUOTE=TDerrico]Hello, I am a mom of a son with a traumatic brain injury who takes straterra 60mg, once a day. So far, we have had positive results. He has been on the medication for almost 1 year now. He has problems at school from the brain injury, the medication seems to help him focus. He sleeps fine. At first his doctore tried Adderall and Dexadrine, neither worked, both had really bad side effects. So...so far the Strattera has been working. He also takes proponolol for his behavior, he has been on that for about one week now. So, if any parents out there have similar situations please respond.
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Hi, my daughter has been on Strattera for almost 5 weeks now. I am noticing that she's more focused a few hours after taking Strattera, but she's taking it after supper so it appears she's sleeping through the most effective period of the medication, since I'm noticing that she's not as focused as she needs to be in the morning and our late afternoon's are terrible.
I'm glad to hear another positive post on Strattera. I'm trying not to get too discouraged, but it's hard sometimes--especially when everything seems like such a struggle. I'm awaiting a call from her doctor about either giving it to her in the morning or splitting the dose. I hope it helps, since Strattera doesn't seem to give her any of the negative side affects the stimulants do--it's great to see her sleeping and eating well again! Plus, she seems so much more social!
I'm glad your son is doing well on Strattera! Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Maureen
Lovemygirls......
Maybe you can ask your daughter's docter if you can try her on it in the mornings or try a split dosage. My son takes it in the morning. But, at first it would make him sleepy too. She will get use to it. Don't get discourage....just pray. You will have good days and bad days, but you will make it through. Like I said, after a while, she will get use to it and may not be as sleepy. But, at least it is helping. Stay encouraged, and thanks for your encouraging words. Take care and God bless.
I am not an expert on ADHD infact im just a 19 year old who has been through his share of medications trying to find the right one.
I have been on it for 2 years now and never experienced the depression, crash, sleeplessness or any other side effects I experienced with Adderall XR. I hope this helps. If you have any direct questions feel free to e-mail me.
Jonathan Boyle
George Washington University
Major in Sports Medicine w/ Pre-Medical Concentration
Minor in Public Health and Psychology
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Hi Jonathan,
I know this is an old post, but I couldn't help but respond, since my daughter has switched from Ritalin LA to Strattera almost 4 weeks ago and I'm looking for some answers from those that have more experience with this medication.
For the most part, I've been very happy with this med as apposed to the stimulants she's taken in the past. She's experienced very little/mild side affects with the Strattera and some didn't last more than a week.
Here are my questions:
Are you taking it once or twice a day? If once, are you taking it in the morning or evening? How long did it take for you to notice a positive difference in your focus and ability to follow through on tasks? Have you experienced any rebound two to three hours before your next dose?Thank you in advance for your help with this. I really hope that this med works for her--she looks so much healthier and happier on it than when she was taking the other meds. I'm just concerned that I haven't noticed any improvement with her ADHD symptoms yet and it will be four weeks on Monday.
Maureen
Hi Maureen,
I’ll answer your questions below….
Are you taking it once or twice a day? If once, are you taking it in the morning or evening?Twice a day. Once upon waking up (I try to wake up within a 1-2 hour range each day) and then the second dose within 12 hours of the previous. The best combination ive used is… 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM…. This was my approach in high school.
How long did it take for you to notice a positive difference in your focus and ability to follow through on tasks?
Approximately 1 month but I think the biggest differences took me a while to “notice” because it just started to happen naturally. I’m a big proponent of diet to. I used to eat a lot of sugar candy and processed carbohydrates as the main component of my diet. Now that I have switched to a more balanced diet I notice the medication works well and my ADHD is much more under control. A supplement that has worked wonders for me is Fish Oil. Fish Oil has many health benefits which could take forever to list completely. I take 2 capsules 3 times a day (with meals). If you want more information on the type of diet I am eating… feel free to ask
Have you experienced any rebound two to three hours before your next dose?
A little confused on what your opinion of a rebound is. If you could just explain from observation I would be happy to answer your question.
I hope I answered your questions completely feel free to email me whenever you have questions.
A personal thought, strattera can be a great medication if it works. It actually lets you live your life without feeling like its the only thing that helps you survive. Don't lose hope though and always consider taht the dosage may be too low.
Jonathan A. Boyle, NREMT-B
George Washington University - '07
School of Public Health and Health Services
Major- Sports Medicine w/ Pre-Medical Concentration
Minor- Public Health and Psychology
[QUOTE=jabgwu]Hi Maureen,
I’ll answer your questions below….
Are you taking it once or twice a day? If once, are you taking it in the morning or evening?Twice a day. Once upon waking up (I try to wake up within a 1-2 hour range each day) and then the second dose within 12 hours of the previous. The best combination ive used is… 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM…. This was my approach in high school.
How long did it take for you to notice a positive difference in your focus and ability to follow through on tasks?
Approximately 1 month but I think the biggest differences took me a while to “notice” because it just started to happen naturally. I’m a big proponent of diet to. I used to eat a lot of sugar candy and processed carbohydrates as the main component of my diet. Now that I have switched to a more balanced diet I notice the medication works well and my ADHD is much more under control. A supplement that has worked wonders for me is Fish Oil. Fish Oil has many health benefits which could take forever to list completely. I take 2 capsules 3 times a day (with meals). If you want more information on the type of diet I am eating… feel free to ask
Have you experienced any rebound two to three hours before your next dose?
A little confused on what your opinion of a rebound is. If you could just explain from observation I would be happy to answer your question.
I hope I answered your questions completely feel free to email me whenever you have questions.
A personal thought, strattera can be a great medication if it works. It actually lets you live your life without feeling like its the only thing that helps you survive. Don't lose hope though and always consider taht the dosage may be too low.
Jonathan A. Boyle, NREMT-B
George Washington University - '07
School of Public Health and Health Services
Major- Sports Medicine w/ Pre-Medical Concentration
Minor- Public Health and Psychology
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Thank you Jonathan for your quick response. I'm planning on calling her pediatrician this week to see if maybe giving it to her twice a day would be better. I like the fact that she's falling asleep much earlier and getting a better night's sleep, but she's waking up too drowsy, so I think it might be too much all at once for her system. Also, perhaps giving it to her in the morning might help her focus better.
I've heard that Omega fatty acids are very good for many things, but I've also heard that too much is bad because it releases more free radicals. Have you heard that? Is fish oil better than flaxseed oil or are they pretty much the same as far as the quality of Omega 3's? She eats a pretty balanced diet and is not a picky eater, so I'm not too concerned about her eating right, especially since she's eating much more than when she was on the Ritalin, but am interested in other suppliments that would help her focus better.
As far as rebound, she's experienced it with all the meds she's taken, with varying degrees. For her, she goes through a period after the meds wear off where her ADHD symptoms are worse than if she wasn't even on meds (bounces off the walls, more scattered than usual, silly, etc.). With the stimulants, the rebound lasted about an hour or so, with Strattera, I've noticed that a few hours before her next dose she starts to get overly silly, obnoxious, and hyper. This might be eliviated by splitting her dose, as well. I've just never heard of rebound on Strattera and wondered if anybody else noticed it.
Thanks again for all your help with this!
Maureen
Strattera is supposedly pushed as a 24 hour medication that is meant to be taken twice a day. If you can afford the visits I would highly suggest speaking to a psychiatrist or psychologist instead of using a pediatrician. In fact, you can now find psycholgists that specialize in ADHD treatment. They will have more answers, by far, than a pediatrician. You are talking about two entirely different residencies.
In all my nutritional research Ive never heard anything about Omega-3's releasing more free radicals, although I could have just not come across such an article. Most nutrition specialists will say that up to 20g of supplemented fatty acids (in capsule form) is safe (which is 40 capsules). Fish Oil far surpasses Flax Oil in the quality of Omega 3. Because of the forms to make a long story short Flax Oil does not contain one of acid forms that Fish Oil does, however it is converted to that form by the body (if need be). The problem is that the process is not efficient. The benefit of Flax Oil, that many do not understand, is seen in the ability to be taken raw in the pure oil form. This is key because it provides a healthy supplement of Polyunsaturated fats. The reason she is eating more is the simple idea that stimulates greatly reduce appetite. As far as other supplements are concerned there aren't any that are really preached. There is stuff like FocusFactor but i personally believe its just a multivitamin in disguise. The balanced diet is key but carbohydrates should be limited to low-glycemic variables. The more the energy source is pulled from unsaturated fats the more consistent her energy and concentration levels will be.
As far as the rebound is concerned I have never experienced that. This could be because she is only taking once a day. As I said, I believe strattera is meant to be taken once a day. This could be why she is having a rebound (because she is crashing) and why she hasn't seen that positive of an effect (because the medication is struggling to cycle)
If you don't mind me asking... How old is your daughter?