ADD-ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication

Actually, that sounds probable. My highly intelligent, extremely depressed (just above the suicide line), musically articulate, high school BF John J. had to get off Prozac because of the HORRIBLE night terrors. He was on another antidepressant after that for 4 or so months and he would tell me about the OCCASIONAL creepy, psychological horror dream that he remembered. They were always extremely vivid and there was even attention to detail. He must have been traumatized by them. they weren't very frequent- but they didn't have to be. They stuck with him. I wish I knew everything he was on. I'm pretty sure it was just an A.D. though. I knew him b/w the ages of 16-18.

I am both a recovering alcoholic and bulimic. I have absolutely no appetite on strattera, so it should not trigger any bulimic behavior. I have just over a year sober and have had no desire to drink since taking the medication. So for me, strattera has not had any negative effect on either affliction. Good luck!

Strattera (atomoxetine) has a half-life of three to four days. This means it has a steady state of about 15 days. This is about normal for most drugs. As far as how long it treats ADD/ADHD symptoms, it seems to last about six hours. Strattera affects hyperactivity and impulse control by reining it in by treating chemicals in the brain and nerves that cause those conditions.

According to the 2008 PDR: Absorption of Strattera may be delayed with co-administration of any fatty-rich diet, however the extent of absorption should be the same. So in other words, since Strattera's method of action isn't really based on how quickly it absorbs (remember, it takes about 2 weeks to have an effect), it should still work the same. Here's a better questions though: who told you to put him on omega-3 supplements? While certain fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) have been shown to be necessary for creation of additional synaptic connections in the brain, the evidence that taking supplements to increase their activity is limited to say the least. Since a child's brain is continually creating new synapses (and destroying ones deemed inappropriate), I'd be very careful with any supplements. Try a healthy diet instead with fish like salmon.

Strattera has severely effected my prostate in that I'm so sore I can barely sit. My prostate aches so much it keeps me awake...I spend all day being tired and trying to go to the bathroom.

I just wanted to ask that question to other people, because I do not feel like myself on Strattera. I'm usually a pretty outgoing person, not totally obnoxious or anything, just pretty social, chatty and spontaneous. I know that some of that is due to the fact that I have attention deficit, but it is the predominantly "inattentive" type.

However, since I've started Strattera, I don't feel very social, and I can range from just feeling quiet and a bit reserved to completely socially withdrawn and easily irritated. Sometimes I almost just want to go hide or something. That used to happen to me about 2 or 3 times a year, since I was struggling w/ depression and stress from school. Now it happens almost every day.

I'm slowly getting used to the effects, and having a little less trouble with socializing, but I still just don't feel like myself. I'm moving to college in a couple weeks, and I want to feel natural when I'm getting to know new people. My doctor says the dose might be too high, if I'm feeling "emotionally flat." (I'm taking 80 mg.)

Has anyone else had this side effect?

I had the same problem. I've tried Straterra three times since January. Each time for four to six weeks and had to quit due to side effects like you describe as well as urinary and sexual side effects. I just quit again one week ago. At this point I will never try Straterra again. I find my personality is much better on Ritalin but don't like the cyclical ups and downs during the day. The cycles during the day on Ritalin are far better then the side effects of Straterra for me. If you choose to stop, do it several weeks before school and see your doc before you quit. Going back to school is such a big change in itself that you don't want to be struggling with changes in meds at the same time. Best of luck!

Yeah, I definently noticed a change in my sense of humor too, I think that's a big part of the social change I feel. I usually joke around a lot with my friends and say strange, spontaneaous, out-of-the-box things --which I guess is one of AD/HD's blessings, among the challenges it creates. So it's been pretty hard going from being the life of the party to a fly on the wall. I think I'll talk to my doctor about lowering my dose, cause she said that's probably the issue.

I've taken Strattera for about three weeks now. One of the things I have noticed is a change in my sense of humor. I don't laugh as much (or as easily) as I did before. I thought maybe it was due to my increased focus - but maybe it's the medication. I plan to give it a few more days before I talk to my doctor.

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Depending on the side effects you are experiencing from Strattera, some may reoccur each time you take the drug, while other may subside with time.

I took Strattera for 6 weeks, and my heartburn did not go away so I stopped taking it.

Strattera seems like one of those drugs where the side effects actually do occur and some are more extreme than the others.

Im going to say that for the most part the side effects will most likely not go away.

But for example if you get headaches, you could take some kind of aspirin, or Tylenol. (if your doctor approves) or maybe you just get used to it and it doesnt bother you, but from what I've seen the side effects are reoccuring and vicious.

hope this helps*************

I know focalin would not work because it has to stay in your system for a little while to see the good effects (side effects are usually present immediately). I have high metabolism and adderall IR and strattera didn't work for me either.

not guilty by reason of mental illness

Remember that milk contains TONS and TONS of sugar. I would not advise feeding sugar to a child with ADHD or ADD. My best advise is to take the Strattera after the first bite of a meal, definitely before the meal is finished, and with lots of water. I eat two fried eggs, a bowl of yogurt with organic flax seed sugar free multi-grain cereal, and a a cup of fresh blueberries for breakfast. I take my Strattera at the beginning and seldom have problems. Before being so careful about my diet I had vomitted several times as well as experienced some of the worst nausea of my life several times a week. Luckily the nausea seldom lasts more than 10 minutes but it is horrifying. I still take Strattera because of the benefits but an organic diet rich in whole grains with plenty of fresh fish and fruits and vegetables definitely helps my symptoms as well. Also eating every 3 hours has been a miracle for helping my ADD. If your kids cannot eat a snack every three hours there is a major problem with their school and medication should not be tried until they are eating properly. Every kid is different though and I am not a doctor, these are just my own experiences. All in all a quarter-pounder with cheese and a large ice water is the best thing to help the sickness but I really can't recommend that to anyone. Once again from my childhood experiences I cannot stress the importance of eating at the right times and eating the right diet. Here is more information: * Our son complained of an upset stomach when he took Straterra in the morning. We switched to taking it in the evening right before bedtime with half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. The doctor recommended taking it with peanut butter because he felt the oil in the peanut butter somehow neutralizes some of the gastro-intestinal effects of the Straterra. My son doesn't complain of an upset stomach anymore and he is able to sleep just fine. == == * I come unpleasantly close to vomiting if I take Strattera in the morning with little or no food. If I take it after a reasonably-sized breakfast, I'm fine. == == * My daughter has been on 18mg for about 7 months. This is the first time that it has started to affect her. She takes her pill with her supper. She has just now started to complain about her stomach hurting. Take with a big meal as this will usually help. I do not know which foods assist in absorption the best though. Most important though: WATCH HER DIET! Dairy, esp. cow's milk, affects the usage of Straterra! Check out ADD and diet online. I have read that Omega-3 Fatty Acids are very important. These are found in flax seed & olive oil. You may have heard that fish is "brain food." Omega-3s are why they are. == == * I take Stratera and originally I awoke during the night with searing stomach pain. I have found that drinking thick shake type drinks such as Slimfast immediately calms my stomach. == == * I have two children taking Straterra, one is 13 and one is 17. My son (13) has been on it for about 6-8 months and has had mild stomach pain to vomiting, but generally has been better lately. Our biggest problem is that he still doesn't have much of an appetite until late in the afternoon or supper time. My daughter just started on Straterra, and has been so happy with how she feels (after 4-5 years of not trying anything -- allergic to Ritalin, Adderall gave her migraines), however, she was very nauseated, and when the dose increased she vomited all morning. She researched this problem, and started eating PBJ every morning for breakfast, and has felt great. We also started giving my son PBJ for breakfast and now he is eating lunch better also. I don't know why, but it seems to be doing the trick. == == * I take Prevacid already and started taking two Pepcid (famotidine, Wal-Mart brand) and that seems to really help. I also tried taking it with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I think both helped as I was feeling nauseous my first day taking it. I am on my third day of 40 mg. I will increase it to 80 mg. in the mornings after one week. I also take Prozac and I feel much better mentally and physically than I have in many, many years. I am fifty-three. My psychiatrist said he wanted me to try Straterra before he tried Adderall. He said that it works well with mood disorders (combined conditions) and that if it works for me it is much better than Adderall would be for me. == == * It's really simple. If you are vomiting STOP taking the Straterra. My doc and the children's both want it stopped if there is vomiting. One suggested to try again later, maybe it was a coincidence virus, but quit. The doc said this happens to about 6% of people who try Straterra. So stop taking it if you are vomiting!!!!!! If you are worried about a child loosing weight add Carnation instant breakfast to their diet or slim fast. They should take it at night w/ whole milk and extra powder. Take last thing AFTER dinner. This is meant to add calories not substitute... == == * The upset stomach associated with Straterra is only one of many outward side effects of a dangerous drug that could be an indication of far more serious and devastating--even permanent-- side effects that no sane adult should tolerate inflicting on an innocent child. Published data reports that this drug is a non-stimulant medication, however the side effects are similar. It works upon the norepinephrine neurotransmitter. Straterra is considereda Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Norepinephrine is the brain's adrenalin. Norephinephrine is involved in the increased rate and force of the heart muscle, constriction of heart muscles, pulmonary function (Hedaya, 1999). If these functions are increased, it would be evident that Strattera could produce possible untoward effects on the cardiovascular system. It is interesting to note that in the safety information that Eli Lilly provides on its website, it refers to possible hazards to those who have heart disease or high blood pressure. Information provided by Eli Lilly accompanying prescriptions of this drug note the possibility of tachycardia, and increased blood pressure. Tourette's disorder, though the etiology is not fully known is being examined as difficulties arising in the metabolism of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. it is known that stimulant drugs can produce Tourette's like behavior in some children (Breggin, 1998). If Straterra affects the norepinephrine system, then it would seem evident that the possibility of such Tourette's like behavior could also become manifest in some children using Strattera. Therefore, though Straterra is being marketed in the fashion of being a non-stimulant drug, its ill effects are quite similar to that manifested by the stimulant medications. Eli Lilly's website notes that growth suppression is a common side effect and needs to be monitored in children making use of this drug. Loss of appetitite and weight loss is also seen. The most common side effects as listed by Lilly are upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, and mood swings. These are not unlike that associated with the stimulant medications. Lilly states in its press release in regards to Straterra's introduction: "It�s not known precisely how Strattera reduces ADHD symptoms. Scientists believe it works by blocking or slowing reabsorption of norepinephrine, a brain chemical considered important in regulating attention, impulsivity and activity levels. This keeps more norepinephrine at work in the tiny spaces between neurons in the brain.� If we examine this statement carefully, we see it states 'it is not precisely known', therefore once again a drug is being prescribed whose effects are not fully known for a'disorder' whose psychopathology is not yet delineated. Clinical trials for Straterra have been limited and any information on long term effects has only been studied by Lilly itself. It is interesting to note that before Straterra was actually placed on the market and had just received FDA approval that the stocks for Eli Lilly rose 6% at the announcement (CBS Marketwatch, November 27, 2002). Lilly is aware that it will profit highly by being able to market a drug as a non-stimulant (though its ill effects are similar), that is not a Schedule II drug thus less subject to scrutiny and regulation. Hemant K. Shah, an independent analyst qouted in an AP Health News Report (August 15, 2002) states that Strattera's market potential is large at a time when Eli Lilly is seeking to offset recent setbacks. , "Parents who have refused stimulant dangers because of their knowledge of the hazards involved will now be coerced to utilize Strattera being led to believe it is somehow safer because it does not fall into the category of a stimulant/ Schedule II drug. There is no test for ADHD and neurological testing shows these children to be perfectly normal. == == * My son is 7years old and has been on Straterra since it came out on the market. He experienced stomach pains, vomitting and surpressed appetite. What we found that works for him is to eat his breakfast first and then about half hour later he takes his meds and he is fine. If is should bother him we always pack crackers or granola bar and he is good to go. Be certain to communicate with your child's school nurse and teachers. == == * For anyone with a family member who is taking a prescription drug you should read the Reader's Digest, May 2004 issue, pages 114-120. If your child is vomiting from taking any prescribed drug, this article is a must read. == == * Although the label says it is not necessary to take with food - eating a good meal AND drinking a glass of milk 10 minutes prior to taking Strattera effectively controlled the nausea for me (it disappeared entirely after about three weeks on the medication!). == == * I want to thank the peanut butter faction for this suggestion. I've started eating it just prior to taking Strattera and wow! what a difference! I'm going to mention it to both the doctor and the pharmacist. == == * I have a great remedy that worked wonderful for my son who is 14. FLAXSEED capules. the peanut butter didn't seem to work well enough so I tried giving him 2 1000mg FLAXSEED OIL capules in the am with his 40mg straterra and again in the evening with his 40mgs more. He did not get the usual terrible stomach ache or nausea at all. Try it out. If I give my son the staterra on a very full stomach and make sure he drinks his juice to dilute the acidity of the stomach he does not throw up, if I give just fruit and yogurt something not filling he vomits within about two hours.

Strattera helps with many of the different symptoms of AD/HD. One of the most common symptoms that Strattera treats and helps to reduce is impulsivity.

No, Strattera is non addictive thus does not have to be prescribed monthly by a physician. Stimulants however like Adderall need to be prescribed monthly by hand or by fax to the drug store where you buy your meds from.

Strattera was created so that people who become addicted easily can have a safer, non addictive alternative.

No it is not possible to become addicted to Strattera I currently take Strattera and have had no ill effects or chemical dependance from it

Strattera was created so people would have an alternative to stimulants although many people take it in addition to smaller doses of stimulant medications

Although not addictive in the normal sense of the word, I have been on straterra for four years and have had trouble when I tried to stop taking it. In my case it caused me to feel very socially anxious when I had not been previously and also caused increased heart rate and a strange feeling in my head. This is not the same as coming off a stimulant such as adderall, but it may still make you feel bad and is worth noting. I have tried weening off the drug and it is more effective and causes less negative symptoms.

im not saying it is or it isn't but all i know is that 2 years ago i was told that strattera would help me but since then i became worse than i have ever been i counldnt stop wanting to take strattera when i knew i did not need it as well as it made me very withdrawn from everyone else and as soon as i stopped taking it i got better now two months later im perfectly fine in fact better then i ever was and you no what everyone around me will tell you and my doctors that the strattera was doing something bad to me

Answer: Getting chills from Strattera is not a normal side effect, and it is more of a flu-like symptom which is not a good thing really. While taking Strattera if you get flu-like symptoms (such as the chills, fever, or aches) this can be an indication of liver damage. Strattera has been shown to cause liver damage in rare cases. You should talk to your doctor especially if you have any one of the following other symptoms: uncontrollable itching, dark colored urine, yellowing of the skin or the eyes (jaundice), upper right-side abdominal tenderness or discomfort.

i get dizzy if i dont take the medicine about an hour after eating - taking the med with food doesnt work for me, the medicine seems to beat the food into my system. I am a 47 year old woman who has been on this drug for 4 months. In the last month, I have had increasing problems with dizzyness, I even wake up at night and when I turn over in bed the room begins to spin...rather strange. ANYWAY, because this symptom is becoming a daily thing, along with B/p and pulse problems, insomina, abdominal cramping, stomack upset (all daily issues)...I will be discontinuing use of Strattera....these are problems I don't need to live with.I bent over in my garden yesterday, and about fell over due to the dizziness ..believe it to be orthostatic hypotension issues that is mentioned in side effect possibilities. My 17 year old daughter has been on Straterra for just over 4 months. She started having dizzy spells and headaches about 6 weeks ago. She even passed out once. Her doctor does not think it is the medication -- I have made an appointment with a neurologist, but in the meantime I will be seeking to ween her off this medication, hopefully without major side-effects.

Our daughter was changed over to Strattera last fall. There was a definite phase of irritable, defiant, argumentative behavior that got worse on a higher dose. At the same time it was clear that her concentration and focus were better and that she was not experiencing the emotional shut-down that often happens on stimulants. We watched her be able to do her homework AND laugh at the same time. We were motivated to figure out how to fix the problem. As I also am a psychiatrist I looked for the patterns in the behavior and saw fairly quickly that she was at her worst in the morning and nearly as bad in the evening. I suspected that the severe behavior/attitude swings were happening when the med was wearing off. We added an afternoon dose and saw a small improvement. We had to wait a couple of weeks for the med and behavior to stabilize, but they did resolve - completely. All in all there were about three weeks of pretty difficult mornings. In retrospect it is well worth it. She is much closer to a "normal" child. She can choose to do her homework or choose not to. She is eating better and sleeping better. I would add that we did decide that she needed some concerta as well, but it is a quarter of her previous dose. When we added the concerta she was unstable again for a period of time. Not behaviorally, but she had trouble sleeping and troulbe doing homework when the concerta wore off. That also stabilized over the following two weeks. She is back to being able to do her homework whenever she chooses. She may still procrastinate, but it isn't because she can't do the work until the crisis is on.

So yes, our experience is that increasing the dose can result in that type of behavior but it was not the higher dose. It was the crash off of the higher dose. For us increasing the dose by adding an afternoon dose gradually resolved the problem.

I now use strattera as first line with my newly diagnosed adult patients who do even better. I explain that stimulants often flip people right based normal concentration and into hyper-focus where the person can do work, but can't enjoy the rest of their life and can't multi-task. Strattera seems to do a better job of getting to the middle.

Yes. Strattera is effective in about 60% of patients who take it. This is in comparison with methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, etc) and Adderall, which are effective in about 85% of the patients who take them. There are advantages to Strattera: It isn't addictive, it can be prescribed with refills, and it works 24 hours a day. There are disadvantages to Strattera: It takes several weeks to reach its maximal effect. There are advantages to the stimulant medications (Ritalin, Adderall, etc): They work almost immediately, they decrease appetite (an advantage in the obese patient with ADD). There are disadvantages to the stimulant medications: They cause decreased appetite (a disadvantage for children who are not overweight), they cause insomnia, they can make the patient jittery, and they don't last all day. Also, they cannot be prescribed with refills, so the patient has to pick up a new prescription at the doctor's office every month.

My husband swears Strattera has affected my moods (also not for the better). I have been on the medication for three weeks. I am hoping this ebbs or passes entirely, just as the nausea did.

You can't, I've tried to do everything for it. In my opinion you should let your kid off meds and save you and your son a lot of trouble, I'm a extremley under-weight fourteen-year-old girl and you can thank the ADD meds for it, my parents make me take it, so if you don't want to see the poor kid sick I suggest you take him off meds. Get him into individual classes (If he's in school) and that can help, just don'tput him through the pain and misery, seriously.

My son has been on Stattera for a few years, and for a while he had bad chest pains. We went to the hospital emergency room one night, but left because the pain had subsited. Our doctor suggested that we try treating him for heart burn, since all the test came backk ok. We even went to a heart doctor. We have been treating him with over-the-counter heartburn medicine, and when the pains come, he drinks a sode and burps, and this helps. Good luck.

Upping your dosage on any medication is your doctor's call, not yours. When you are initially diagnosed there will be a period when dosage will need to be adjusted. Most typical time frame is 30 - 60 days.

If taking these two medications makes you paranoid, then you need to communicate that to your doctor so an alternate solution can be reached.

You should be open with your doctor about side effects you are having. It could simply be that the meds are new and your body is getting used to them. If it persists after a month or two, you should see your doctor again. It could just be that your dosage is too high.