Strattera

I have had dysthimia (I think that is the right spelling) which is a difficult to treat, but not severe, depression. I have been on Strattera for 10 days, and I feel that the depression is lifting some. But there are other side effects that make it debatable if it is worth it. Strattera was originally intended to be a new antidepressant drug, but in clinical trials, no benefits could be proven. Since Strattera works to inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine, the manufacturer ran trials on the effectiveness of Strattera for ADHD and was subsequently approved (Information is from Wikipedia), making Strattera the first non-stimulant ADHD medication on the market.

If your doctor is giving you Strattera for depression, you might want to request a new drug, as that is basically an off-label use since Strattera is for ADHD and has been shown in clinical trials to NOT be effective for depression.

I thought Strattera would be a helathy alternative to the often--dreaded stimilants (Adderall especially... no good for me), but Strattera made me feel less like "me", and more like some sort of anxioius, paranoid, mess... it was not fun. I stopped taking Strattera (80mg/day) several days ago after taking it for several months (8+), I know finally am feeling "normal" again. although I'm already on Lexxapro and Vyvanse. Personally, Vyvancse is magic for me and Strattera is poison.

other people swear by it. a friend of mine says Strattera saved his life.

Just ask your doctor and google / search more for stories that you can relate to,.

Also be aware of testing morning versus evening, and try different doses.

Basically, if you feel it helps yoru overall mood, focus, and drive, then it helps. It should not cause anxiety or uneasieness...Some people say it's b

ADHD and bipolar share many of the same symptoms. If a person is misdiagnosed with ADHD and they actually have bipolar, ADHD medications like Strattera can make the bi-polar WORSE. If you find you are having rapid cycling (anxiety, manic episodes, or extreme highs of moods) on Strattera, you might want to see a psychiatrist to be re-evaluated for the possibility of a bipolar disorder.

As far as being able to tell if Strattera is working for your ADHD, since it is not a stimulant, you will rarely get the kinds of energy you might see on a drug like Ritalin or Adderall. It's more of a silent drug.

Your body will need to adjust to the initial side-effects, such as fatigue, which can take a couple of weeks. Also, it takes 3-4 weeks from your first dose to truly see the benefits of Strattera.

If after a month or so on Strattera you don't find that your impulsivity, focus, or mood have leveled off to something more normal, you might then want to consider trying one of the stimulant drugs -- but you have to give Strattera a chance.

Some people stop taking it because they had already been taking stimulants and since Strattera doesn't give you that same burst of energy or "high" you may not feel like it's working. Some people stop taking it because of the initial side effects, which can re-occur each time you increase your dosage or go off the medication for a day or more and come back on it. Some people stop taking it because they expect immediate results when it can take a month to see the results.

Just be patient and you'll know if it's working. It's just one of those "things" that you know is different... and better... about you. As I said, it's more a silent drug.

Answer: Strattera is used for the main purpose of treating ADHD; it is not a controlled substance or a stimulant. It may have been shown to treat depression for some people although this is controversial due to the new black box warning for strattera claiming it causes suicidal thoughts in children. my psychiatrist prescribed this to me to treat both adhd and depression. however the only outcome from taking 40mg of this crap for 6 weeks was horrible heartburn. i highly recomment NOT taking this medication for the treatment of depression especially if you are under 18, but i am not a doctor and ultimately the decision is yours, i hope this helps****

Because if you don't your body starts to deplete the hormones and stuff that works so it wont be 99.9% effective. its more the case for progesterone based birth control pills than estrogen. And remember, no form of BC is 100% effective. If you miss a day take your pill as soon as you remember and consider having a back up method like a condom. Hope that helps!

Some are;

Sticking plasters, bandages, sutures, glue, antibiotics, disinfectant.

I currently take 80mg straterra, 70mg vyvanse (a speed-derived drug like adderall), and 10mg lexapro (an ssri like paxil, luvox, etc) and it is working great!

before I started vyvanse, I was taking straterra with lexapro and adderall: about 40 mg of adderall daily.

taking too much adderall caused me to be very anxious, self-conscious, and almost paranoid. when I reduced adderall to about 20 mg/day, as well as when I switched over to vyvanse, things smoothed out much better.

i should add that I was smoking a decent amount of medical marijuana at for most of this period too, which probably increased the paranoia....

I have since stopped the pot, and things are very smooth.

Just my personal experience, your results may vary, but whatever you do, be very cafeful with adderall!!! I had a mild psychotic episode where I thought everyone was out to get me, I couldn't leave home, and I am a "normal" person!

be safe. these are tools, not toys.

I am on 40mg of Srattera (once a day), 30mg of Adderall and 37.5mg of Paxil. I haven't noticed any unusual side effects, but that is just my own experience. Every individual is unique in their response to certain medications.

The answer is YES!!! The person asked a yes or no question. They didn't ask for your medical history.

Are you stupid enough to try? What would happen if you jumped in front of a bus? there's a chance you'd live. OK, off my soapbox. My (educated) guess is that you'd immediately have an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, possibly enough to send your heart into arrhythmia (that's bad). I doubt you'd get any pleasurable effectes such as euphoria, but you'd be wide awake at best, and dead at worst.

I have been on Strattera for almost a year, while it did not do a whole lot my my add, it did cause me to loose over 70 pounds, size 14 to a size 4. I just stopped and tried Vyvanse, it worked great for 2 days, but a night my hunger was uncontrollable, going to continue with the Strattera. I am taking 100mg.

I have been taking Strattera for 4 weeks now. The first week I was only on 10 mg and then I was increased to 18mg. On the 10 MG I noticed that I was able to focus better and I felt more motivated. I have had bouts of energy late at night and have trouble sleeping. I take my pill in the morning with my Zoloft. I drink a venti Starbucks every morning to get me going. If I have a goodnight sleep then I wake up feeling refreshed. As soon as I started taking the 18 MG I noticed the problems with urinating. I have a feeling on needed to constently go to the bathroom and yesturday there was a little blood. So I am not sure what that is all about. I do feel better though!

My 10 Year old daughter recently started taking strattera. Our doctor said it would take a minimum of six to eight weeks to reach its optimal level. At that time the dosage would be evaluated for it effectiveness. Also, because it can increase blood pressure, we check in with the doctor's office bi-weekly for to monitor my daughter's blood pressure as per doctor's orders.

My doctor said it would take anywhere from 4-8 weeks before I would see the effects. I am on day two and I see them now.

My son is 7. He has been taking the medicine a week and we noticed changes in two days even his teachers said he acted better. The teachers were not even told he was on the medicine. He has started haveing crying spells though.

I noticed an initial effect on the first day. I'd been stepping down from my old medication (a stimulant) and was feeling the 'ADD fog' effect pretty badly, and the first day on Strattera, it was like someone had flipped a switch and my brain was finally working again. It was such a relief!

After that, the effects seemed to fade over the next couple of days (so maybe it was just the placebo effect?) but they're increasing again now. I would say that giving it 4-8 weeks is safest, but that you might see it start to work within days. Still, don't become discouraged if you don't.

The side effects (dry mouth, urinary retention) kicked in right away. The ability to focus started to kick in around week 2. But of more immediate interest, I've been on 8-10mg of Valium for over a decade now, and I'm at less than 2 mg a day. This is appearantly common.

S. seems to work but does have some annoying but relatively minor side effects. A small price to pay IMHO

I would say I am the most sexual active person that I know, Iam always aroused and hard. I constantly rub or touch on my wife and you know what else. But then I was placed on Strattera 60 mg for a about week, I touched her twice once is when I first taken the pill and then when I was drinking, but then I had erectile problems ever since two days of taken the pills. It's like you do not have an desire for sex at all, guess she do not have to worry that I may cheat, since you can not get an erection. Maybe God had me get on the MD's so that I would go to heaven and not commit Adultry or something. You know the Rapture is around the corner.

SIDE Effects started for me the first day.

The side effects start right away. I had pain in the testicles and it felt like I had continue to urinate even as after I finished, although that went away pretty quick. Right off the start I have noticed that I have calmed down a lot and don't worry about things as much. The add part didn't really kick in yet to my knowledge. I have not told my girlfriend that I am on medication yet and she seems to notice that i am paying more attention to the boring things she has to say. So all in all some effects are seen right away. It is just a matter of what you are willing to trade to get them. Right now I seem to not have as much energy as i used to. I don't know what to do about that right now.

I am a 23 year old guy. I started taking this yesterday. I took it in the morning, and immediately starting yawning. That was the only side effect for me. I also take welbutrin for my anxiety. I never EVER watch chick flicks with my girlfriend, but last night when "Legally Blonde" was on, I sat there and watched the whole thing attentively. I didn't have one argument with my girlfriend, either. Everyone reacts differently to medications. Don't neccessarily count this out or be 'scared' to take it just because some people have had bad experiences. Trust your doctor. They didn't go to school for 8+ years for nothing.

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Im 20 yrs old this is my second week taking strattera im taking 80mg I started off with 40mg and imma continue taking 80 for the next couple of weeks and then ill move to 100mg. I havent had any urinating problems like some ppl above have had. I'm still pretty active but i can actually sit and read for a good hour which is AMAZING!!! and even thou ive always had trouble sleeping and having more trouble now!!! and my school wrk is still not that great but i mean is only my second week! so i hvent really noticed that much difference yet other than the couple mentioned above.

Ive taken strattera before and i can say that after a couple of weeks taking it you really really feel the difference. Idk how to explain it but you'll see!!! and my fam and friends also noticed the difference in me!!!

This question could have been answered simply by doing a little online research. STRATTERA Withdrawal Symptoms May Include: aggression, anxiety, balance issues , blurred vision , brain zaps, concentration impairment, constipation, crying spells, depersonalization, diarrhea, dizziness. electric shock sensations, fatigue, flatulence, flu-like symptoms, hallucinations, hostility, highly emotional, indigestion, irritability, impaired speech, insomnia, jumpy nerves, lack of coordination, lethargy, migraine headaches / increased headaches, nausea, nervousness, over-reacting to situations, paranoia, repetitive thoughts or songs, sensory & sleep disturbances, severe internal restlessness (akathasia), stomach cramps, tremors, tinnitus (ear ringing or buzzing), tingling sensations, troubling thoughts, visual hallucinations / illusions, vivid dreams, speech visual changes, worsened depression -http://www.labelmesane.com/strattera_withdrawal.html

Because of differences in tolerability, Strattera might be able to be taken at night. Some people, however, may need a morning dosing schedule, because they find it activating. 25 mg is a relatively low dosage, where adults generally start at 40 and make their way up to 80 or 100 mg total. And no, in case your wondering, strattera has 24 hour coverage, so you don't have to be concerned about the effects wearing off during the day time. This is different from all other medications available, especially in the USA where it is the only medicine of its kind currently. Above all else, talk with your doctor or whoever was licensed to prescribe this medication to you or someone else, since I don't know whether this question was for you or another person's benefit.

My nephew started taking medications for ADHD at age 5. He's been on Ritalin, Concerta, then Adderall. He had crying episodes and no appetite. We asked his pediatrician about Strattera. He's been on it for about four months. He's six now. We've had to adjust the dosage, but it has changed his life. He has gotten his appetite back. He is more focused and calm. He is happy and still has plenty of energy. He is doing much better in school.

My son was just turning 5 when he started taking strattera. He had tried one other stimulant medication for just about a month when strattera came out and we opted for the strattera instead. He is turning 6 in Feb. He is just about 41 pounds and is on 25 mg. every morning. He has experienced nausea and vomiting occasionally, when he hasn't had enough to eat, but we concentrate on getting a good breakfast and it usually works out okay. He has complained of occasional dizziness and a headache every once in a while. We have found that it has worked pretty well so far. He was in a 1/2 day pre-k program when we started and his teacher observed a noticable difference. He is currently in an all day kindergarten program and has done pretty well. He has had some continued problems with staying on task and getting his work done, but I feel he is doing much better. (I'm planning on calling his pediatrician tomorrow re: what the weight based dosage is for an increase - I just came to this website looking for answers myself) His IQ score (he is in a school for gifted kids) jumped about 30 points from no medication to about 4 months after taking strattera due to being able to focus better. He still has some difficulty and we have been told by a psychologist that she feels that he can be managed more effectively on another medication. However, at his age we are reluctant to put him on a stimulant medication for what could be the rest of his life. We feel as though we are pleased with the gains we have gotten and can always re-evaluate as his studies become more difficult. Good luck!

Try reading ritalindeath. Don't forget the message boards; they contain a lot of information.

I'm not sure, but I've used Strattera for some months. I've OCD myself, and Strattera hasn't helped me with this problem.

But neither have medications like Lexapro, Efexor or Zoloft.

The only stuff I find helpful is bezos like Aprazolam or Diazepam. They just make me a little less conserned about things that i usely worry about. But in the end of the day, they're quite addictive. So you should be careful using them

Sorry for my bed English.

Loratadine is an anti-histamine. It's major side-effect (not common) is drowsiness. It is safe to take it after the expiration date. Depending on how long after, it may simply have a weaker effect. It will not harm you, it just may not work as well. Do not use this if you have kidney or liver disease of some kind or are breast-feeding.

Atomoxetine (Strattera) is much, much safer. Its side effects are very minimal. Adderall is racemic amphetamine mixed with dextroamphetamine. The negative effects of Adderall and other amphetamines can be very devestating, inducing or potentiating severe psychological dependence, weight loss, an array of heart problems , blood pressure problems, psychiatric disorders (aggression, depression, mania, psychosis, paranoia), dental problems, twitching, changes in libido, and probably some other stuff. If you experienced any of these from atomoxetine, they would be very minimal, especially compared to the degree which you would experience them on amphetamines.

Strattera and Adderall can both be used for ADHD but they have different side effects and therefore different results.

Strattera website: http://www.strattera.com/index.jsp

Adderall website: http://www.adderallxr.com/

~ T

NO! If you research any REAL study done with Adderall XR or Strattera, you will see that Strattera is maybe 50% as effective as Adderall XR at the most. Also, from patient and physician feedback, you will see the same results. Strattera is not only weak in its efficacy, it is not a very safe product. Adderall XR and other stimulants have been around for over 50 years and are very studied regarding safety. Stimulants such as Adderall XR are proven safe and effective for the treatment of ADHD. Think about it, Eli Lilly has spent more advertising Strattera than all of the other 7 or 8 ADHD branded products combined. Why is Adderall XR still the number one prescribed and fastest growing ADHD product on the market? Because it works the best and has the highest response rate. It has changed my life.

My heart rate has jumped as well. When I was working out the other day the machine started yelling at me b/c my heart rate was so high. Is this dangerous at all? Should I be working out less b/c of it?

I have only been on strattera for three days. Everyone is touting it as a non-stimulant , so far its effects dont seem much different that adderal or other stimulant meds. It definitley helps me focus and concentrate but along with it comes increased heart rate, and appetite suppression.

I am a 47 yr old woman, who was RX'd Strattera about 4 months ago......worked fine until about 4 weeks ago.....my blood pressure has jumped, my pulse faster than ever, constant upset stomach, dizzy spells with increasing frequency, insomnia, daily abdominal cramping......will be discontinuing today, as I cannot tolerate this and am concerned about the heart symptoms....and the dizziness is becoming alot worse, a daily thing that causes the room to spin-----and incapacitates me. In my line of employment, this could be dangerous for myself and others...it's gotta go !

I am 49 year old and very physically active male. I do long distance road riding on a bike. The increase in heart rate has diminished my stamina. I am on 80mg of Strattera and will reduce it to 60mg to see if that makes an improvement.

I am only 21 years old, and am actually concerned about my health because of how much Strattera has increased my heart rate. I cannot discontinue it because I need to concentrate for college, yet just a fe wdays ago I went to give blood and was denied as my heart rate was 120 bpm.

I suggest talking to your doctor, as I will

Different medicines work differently with different children. I have tried Ritalin,concerta, adderol and none of those medications worked. But Stratera works fine with my child. Ask your doctor for alternative medicine for ADD because I went through 3 different kinds and finally one that works

It either works (as some say, i guess) or REALLY doesn't. I used Ritalin when i was younger...great.Strattera has really messed up my daily routine....or lack there of...I'm paranoid, tired...obnoxious.

More than you can achieve with a 102 IQ, and just a bit less than if you were cruisin' at 104

a drug prescribed for adhd

yes brownies!

you can mix it with acid, for some people it makes it work faster. also when you are coming down off of x or acid it helps with the feelings of depression or anxiety for me. you have to know how you react to weed before you try this though. if it makes you parinoid i do not recommend mixing it.

If you are currently taking Straterra twice daily, as I am, you may need to try different times during the day. After I experimented, I found that I enjoy longer uninterrupted sleep if I take one dose at bedtime or a couple of hours before and take one dose in the morning. I tried taking a dose mid day and it would keep me focused longer, but I did not get the sleep results I desired and a good night's sleep was more important to me. After doing some research on Straterra I would say you should talk to your Dr. about increasing the mg she is taking. Check out Straterra.com and it will help you out alot. You should talk to your doctor about increasing the dose. An initial dose midday might allow her to complete her homework and be more engaged at school. My 8yrold weighs 40 pounds and takes the same 20mg dose. About the bedtime dose.. Not all children get drowsy on Straterra. A bedtime dose helps some children sleep. My son didnt sleep throught the night until he was 6. He now takes Clonidine for that.(He also has Tourettes and that takes care of both)

altho i have been told to take it in the am , because it makes me feel sick i take it with dinner, fatty foods help digest it so u dont feel sick, hard to eat fatty foods for breakfast

No