Strattera

Your boyfriend must discuss the side effects he is experiencing with his doctor. There are many other meds available to treat ADD. He needs to find the med that gives him relief from the ADD symptoms without severe or life altering side effects. Good luck ... it's rare you find the right med on the first try.

Jerri

Lisa, I completely agree with Jerri that your boyfriend needs to contact his physician and try something else.

In regards to these mentally--altering types of medications, I can tell you that they can make you think that you are unable to perform as well as just plain cut you off physically. I'm a woman who has experienced the problem and can sympathize how it would affect a man.

Strattera did not work for me.I did not experience sexual side effects with it but developed a disoriented feeling and also made concentrating much more difficult for things like my school work (I am a student) and also while driving. I have noticed that I have difficulty finding the right words also when on Strattera.

So just like your boyfriend, I am having to deal with disrupting my life to find the medication that works best for me, even if it creates havoc. Many times men feel that they have gone to the doctor, they are taking what the doctor has prescribed and that they don't need to ask any questions or go back. A lot of times they are just shy about questioning the doctor's choice. But try to reason with your boyfriend and hopefully he will not settle for what this medication is doing to your relationship--there are alternatives!

By the way, one physician I was seeing for taking one of these medications mentioned that a lot of times it is the family members who call to notify them of odd or disrupting behavior and side effects--not necessarily the patient--and they will take into account the information given by family members. You might try calling his physician yourself and see what he says!

Sincerely,Dawna

I am a physician who is moderately familiar with prescribing Strattera,and also familiar with it personally.

it is possible the drug will work and not have the problems the original poster described, IF the drug is started VERY LOW and incereased VERY slowly. the boyfriend should see the doctor.

I am the original poster. It has been a while since I posted this. Our relationship has improved greatly, but a new problem seems to have focused. After speaking to his doctor, he was removed from Strattera. This was great for his frame of mind, but the physical side effects still loom almost 4 months after being off the medication. He still has no desire or performance sexually. This is still very frustrating. He has spoken to a doctor and was told that there was nothing wrong with him. Obviously something isn't right since he was sexually very aggressive before Strattera and now he doesn't even consider it an option.

Have any of you experienced something like this? I am looking for medical advice as we have tried the psychological avenue already. After 2 months of "therapy" the doctor dismissed him as healthy and not posessing 'identifable phsycological issues pertaining to sexual performance and drive.'

Ideas? Thanks so much for all of your thoughts. Just knowing he wasn't alone was helpful. :) ~Lisa

Hi. I've tried strattera a couple times, but have dismissed it becasue of side effects. This is the third attempt (It really enhances my efficiency up to an extra 50% to 100%), and I'm trying the smallest dose availabe this time. It doesn't reduce ADD symptoms as well as higher doses, but lowers them to a manageable level and side effects aren't as bad.

My advise is to take your boyfriend to an urologyst to have his prostate checked. Strattera might cause prostate irritation (It's my case), and that might be the cause of his lower sexual drive. If his prostate is slightly irritated, symptoms might not be noticeable but it might reduce sexual drive.

I'm not a physician, so I might be talking nonsense, but are talking from self experience, and since you have no clue on what to do, I thought I might share this idea.

I would also recommend you to take a look at "attend". It's a new medication for ADD with no reported side effects and better results than strattera. I'd love to try it myself, but it's not available in Mexico.

Carlos

There's another thing that has helped me a lot !

There's a book named "Multiorgasmic Man" by Mantak Chia.

It has some exercises that have really helped me in overcoming strattera sexual side effects.

Carlos

YES! I am 29 and have been on Strat since 12/03. At first I thought I had a hernia. But in speaking with a friend who has had one operated on, the symptoms didn't match. Then when I spent a busy week working out of town on the 4th day that tenderness returned again. My tenderness is always accompanied by abdominal discomfort.

What I realized is that if I go 4 or 5 days without having any "sexual release" the tenderness appears. And it doesn't go away until the second or third "release". Also the first one is forceful and painful.

I have also been experiencing increased sensitivity during intercourse that causes very rapid "release". It is very emberassing to be a literal minute man.

From what I can tell this isn't going to go away. My doctor has informed me that I am his third patient to come to him with this complaint. He had mentioned it to the drug rep who told him if a third person comes to him with the problem to contact them. That was last week and I haven't heard anything yet. My doc said that, for now, the best work around is to make sure I have a release at least every three days.

He didn't recomend stopping the Strattera because I NEED to be on it for my and my family's sake.

Yes it certainly can.

I'm regularly sexually active, so I've never noticed increased pain after a three or four day build-up, BUT I do experience mild testicular tenderness a few times a week.

In fact, the pain manifests and gets MUCH worse when I need to urinate, and have to hold it back for several minutes due to the inaccesibility of a restroom during shopping or driving a car.

Timing my urinations and controlling my beverage intake during shopping or driving helps somewhat, but I still experience an immediate need with no warning from time to time, neccesitating "the pee-pee dance" across a Wal-Mart, or an inprompetu 50-yard dash from my car to the nearest tree along the highway.

Yes. I am a 28 year old male. A few months ago I took strattera for about a month, but stopped it because it caused tiredness. Recently, I started taking Strattera again and the same day noticed discomfort in my frelum and testicles. By the fourth day, the pain was severe. I also had something weird going on with my rectum. It didn't click in my head that it was the Strattera until I read about it on the net. I had the same symptoms when I first took Strattera a few months ago. That time, the pain and discomfort went away after a couple of weeks, but I kept getting sharp pains in my testicles a couple of times a week. Sometimes the pain was so severe that I couldn't even walk... it felt like I got kicked in that area, hard. I have not noticed any correlation between having to urinate or how long since my last release. The only thing I notice is right after sex, It is very difficult to urinate for a while. After reading a lot on the internet, I think the thing going on with my rectum is my prostate swelling. I stopped taking the Strattera (I only took 25mg for 4 days) as of today, so it's been about 36 hours since my last dose, and it is getting a lot better, but I still have a lot of discomfort in my testicles.

Yes I am an 18 year old male. I just started using Strattera 4 days ago. I have noticed discomfort in my testicles. Also after urinating it seems as if I have to continue even after I am done, although that goes away pretty quick. It seems to make me worry less, but does not seems to not be very effective for my add. I am only on a low dose of 25mg right now maybe that will change, hopefully without an increase in side effects.Bill

WOW time to find something else. If you are sexually active. You may experience severe pain and Premature Ejaculation. And a ton of abdominal pain!

Strattera is usually taken for ADD. It can affect appetite, therefore making u lose weight.

:

It is not normal for Strattera to cause depression. This is not a "normal" side effect, is what I'm trying to say, and you should contact your doctor immediately. Especially if you have sudden changes in behavior, are a minor, or have thoughts of suicide.

hope this helps *****

This is just another opinion, though it's not listed as a "normal" side effect, when first starting strattera I experienced crying spells as well. I wasn't necessarily depressed, just stressed. After about a week everything started to calm down. This has happened twice, once when initially being prescribed the medication, and again three months later when my dosage went up.

Strattera's a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, used to treat ADD or ADHD... opioids are used mainly for pain relief.

Nothing

there is no chemical in ibprofen that will get you high; ive tried, done my share of drugs, and yours, and everyone else here's (10 points for getting the reference :P)

heroin, coke, weed, lsd, oxys, etc etc

ibprofen doesnt do anything except relive your headache

No; there is no clinical data to suggest this is a possibility.

All narcotics have central nervous system effects, which is in part responsible for their mode of action. It will effect people differently but yes it can make you feel drowsy or tired. Like all medication take precautions when taking them and make sure to follow the proper dosage and read all the warnings on the lable. If you ever have questions about the medications make sure to ask the pharmacist when getting them filled.

Mixing Lexapro and Strattera can cause a few side effects. The Lexapro can cause the Strattera to build up in the blood more. This causes dry mouth, sleep problems, dizziness, loss of appetite and heart palpitations.

What type of rash does strattera cause

For common drug interactions, visit: http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/1,4109,,00.html There, you can "plug in" different drugs and find out if there are any known interactions. You really need to ask a pharmacist to be sure. Don't gamble with drugs, drug combinations or your health. Call your local drug store. They'll be glad to assist. ~ T

Absolutely, terrible mood swings, irritability and withdrawal has caused anger and rage. If you see these symptoms, please have your physician notify the FDA of advser effects. It will help others make decisions on whether to prescribe or take Strattera

That is extremely difficult to respond to without more information. I have an eight year old son and have found that there are varying degrees of maturity amongst kids his age. Especially boys for some reason. I would strongly recommend that you talk to their pediatrician, and also seek a few other professional opinions. I would be very careful not to accept everything you are told unless you are thoroughly comfortable with it. Some children do need medication, but I also believe that there are many children who are medicated needlessly simply because they don't fit into a specific mold. (i.e. sometimes they are daydreamers or bored or more active than others, etc...) I pray that you find your answer. Don't allow ANYONE to label your boys though, be their best advocate and help them reach their highest potential regardless of what obstacles you may have to overcome. God bless, Cathy

I started taking strattera and I use to be a meth addict and I had a slip up, will Strattera show up as meth on a home urine test?

PLease let me know ASAP!

Strattera's most common side effects are stomach upset (including nausea, vomiting, dyspepsia or indigestion, appetite decrease, fatigue, and mood swings).

What will happen if I am off 36mg of strattera for 5 days till my grandson who is 10 gets a new refill from the doctor

yes it is

Answer: No, currently the only form of Strattera is pills. Unfortunately, there are no generic forms of Strattera( atomoxetine HCI), yet.

MY 13 YR OLD WAS ON STRATTERA AND I TOOK IT HIM RIGHT OFF IT AND HE HAD NO SIDE AFFECTS WHAT SO EVER. AND YOU SHOULD'NT HAVE ANY SIDE AFFECTS CONSIDERING STRATTERA IS AN ALL NATURAL MEDICATION USED FOR ADHD

Yes, my daughter has been on Strattera, Wellbutrin and Depakote for about a year and a half.

If he stops taking Strattera the medicine will obviously not be doing the job it was prescribed for. If he has been taking the medication for some time and has other ways of dealing with his ADD/ADHD such as he is able to understand his problem and how to cope with the situation he may be ready to stop the medication. As always his health care provider should be consulted of you have further concerns. I have been scaling down from 100 MG and the day after I took my last pill (25 MG) I got incredibly dizzy and found it more difficult to concentrate than before. I have been off for 5 days now and am still unable to drive because I am so dizzy!

There are a lot of different meds out there on the market. What works for some may not for others. As you probably have seen, patients sometimes need to try different combos and that really is the only way to find out what will work the best. Sometimes 3 or 4 meds are needed and sometimes 1 or 2 work. It is very important that patients report any side effects, good or bad. It may take a little time but be patient and you will find something that will work. Hang in there! The meds you said he is presently taking are normal for his ADHD and Bi-Polar. Just to let you know, I am 38 and have been diagnosed with both of the same disorders. Find a good MD who is very experienced in those illnesses and make sure there is a good communication between him, yourself and son. Last, make sure the doctor listens to everything you or you son tell him. He will be able to give your son the best treatment if the lines of communication are open. You should have him explain in detail what each drug your son is taking does to the body and how it helps. Some drugs are only given for side effects of another. But most important of all is to let your son participate 100 % because he will most likely follow instructions and confide in you if he has any fears or questions. Sorry I kind of blabbed a little too much. I just have had a lifetime of handeling my conditions along with family members who also suffer various conditions. I would be happy to talk to you about my experience but for right now it is important that you confide in your MD and get your questions answered. If you still feel unsure, go get another opinion or change physicians. Good luck.

Margaret San Diego, CA

As margret said it's really very individual when it comes to these sort of diagnosis. I have both adhd and bipolar disorder as well and take several drugs. It's all about finding the right combo that works for your son. I wouldn't suggest tampering with his current combo if it's working for him. Although clonipin lithium and abilify are three medications which treat mania. And both lexapro and lithium will treat the depressive phase. Again it depends on the severity but some of these meds are redundent. Klonopin is also typically used for anxiety not bipolar disorder although it will work to control mania. Klonopin is something i take myself but i would be reluctant to give it to a child unless everything else failed because it can be quite addictive. If your son suffers from anxiety their is a bipolar med called Valporate that works on the same chemical in the brain as klonopin but it is not addictive. Also straterra affects the neurotransmitter norepinehrine and lexapro affects serotonin. Their are a class of drugs called SNRI (serotonin norepinehrine reuptake inhibitors) that affect both. Some examples of which are Effexor XR and Cymblata. If he took one of them he wouldn't need to take 2 pills and could just take one. Like i said before it all depends on his individual response and possible adverse reactions to the meds. But always get a second or even third opinion.

Karan New Jersey

ADHD is a genetic trait that is present at birth. It is the way a person's brain is wired. It allows people to think quickly, learn by doing, excel under pressure.

In adults with lack of REM sleep, often a Sleep Study will reveal various degrees of sleep apnea. People with this affliction may stop breathing as often as every 45-seconds, through the night. Thus, they awaken feeling drained, fatigued, and often with a dull headache from oxygen deprivation.

Strattera merely helps an ADD/ADHD person maintain focus. The drug also tends to interrupt ejaculatory function in men. However, Strattera should not interfere with REM sleep.