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Has anyone just used Strattera for ADHD? Never anything else. Lets chat…

Has anyone just used Strattera for ADHD? Never anything else. Lets chat…2011-04-30T14:17:43+00:00

The Forums Forums Medication Strattera Has anyone just used Strattera for ADHD? Never anything else. Lets chat…

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  • #89460

    Anonymous
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    Post count: 14413

    I would like to chat specifically with anyone that has used Strattera only. Someone that has never used any other stimulant medication or other medication at all in there treatment for ADHD. I am going to be careful in keyboarding this so please the following is my opinion only. After visiting over a hundred sites (Blogs, forums and etc.) regarding ADHD medications I like what I see and have learned about Strattera but we are all different and medication results may not be the same for everyone.

    That said, From what I have learned it appears that Strattera works best on persons that have not taken other stimulants for there adhd first.. (Just my opinion). That would be me..So please reach out to me if you are a first time ADHD med user and your medication is Strattera as I would like to here your opinions of the medication… I am inattentive type ADHD but of course I have my moments of hyperactivity…

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    #103217

    michaelbp
    Member
    Post count: 4

    I use strattera. the only one i’ve tried. It seems to help, but not the drastic improvement reported by others using stimulants.

    I’ve doubled the dose. seems to help a little more.

    Cant get an erection while using it. have to be off for 1 or 2 days for things to operate properly.

    (I was on Zoloft for long time to help with depression – not currently)

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    #103218

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    Well, @ njadd: I am pushing 50 really hard, and was on Ritalin (only drug available in the 60’s) as a 1st grader. SE were so bad, my mom took me off, and I went to school only 1/2 days for most of 1st grade.

    Fast forward to 5 yrs ago; I told my Dr about inattentiveness and other issues, and he placed me on Strattera. Worked great for a bit, but then I would hit a plateau in a few weeks, need a dose increase, etc. I am now on just concerta.

    @ michaelbp: In the midst of an often turbulent life, I still by God’s Grace became an RN. U still may be having LONG-TERM SE form the Zoloft, but I suppose the Strattera could be a culprit also.

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    #103219

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    Hi, you might want to start by reading this:

    http://totallyadd.com/forum/topic.php?id=1341

    then go here:

    http://www.caddra.ca/cms4/pdfs/caddraGuidelines2011Document7B_MedInfo.pdf

    OK. atomoxetine is a brother of fluoxetine, Prozac, which accounts for some of the sexual side effects. Michaelbp is correct that if you wait a couple of days (takes about five days to completely leave your system), you can get your mojo back without a significant alteration in blood levels.

    Atomoxetine (Strattera) works differently than psychostimulants and Lilly’s own research shows that when patients are naive to any medications, their outcome on attention is the same as those who had been on psychostimulants (e.g. Ritalin).

    I don’ t think it is very good for impulse control but a pretty good med for inattention and because it is a blood level based medication it is there in the evening when a stimulant will not be at peak levels.

    The dosing is described in the references above but you have to take a dose consistent with your weight.

    Always speak to your doctor before making any changes to medications. Dr. Jain provides advice generically and not for any one person. Advice does not constitute a therapeutic relationship or promise of care. Please consult the privacy policy for more information

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    #103220

    michaelbp
    Member
    Post count: 4

    So, Dr. J,

    Is it bad to go off strattera for a few days? (for romantic activities?)

    you say “get your mojo back without a sig. alteration in blood levels” does that mean that the strattera is still at effective levels in my system even after no pills for 2 days?

    What about going off strattera for 5 days (to completely get it out of my system)?

    what are the effects of going on and off this med.?

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    #103221

    tkinder
    Member
    Post count: 2

    I was taking Adderall XR and did pretty well on it. After taking it for a while I started to feel very conscious of my heart beating. Probably doesn’t help that I drink lots of caffeine. Switched to Strattera. It has helped me and I have not noticed any side effects. Sometimes I do better at accomplishing tasks than others. This may or may not be related to the Strattera though. I work an odd schedule so my sleep pattern is not as regular as I would like. Overall, however, I think the Strattera has been a big improvement for me versus pre-medication.

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    #103222

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    tkinder… interesting post about racing heart… May I ask if you were diagnosed as impulsive, inattentive or both symptoms in regards to your ADHD?

    Curious based on Dr J post above if a psycho-stimulant “might” be better for one with both impulsive and inattention issues over Strattera. Anybody have thoughts? Has anyone been on Strattera and then switched to another stimulant and gained better results for these two specific issues.

    I have no drug or alcoholic addictions past or present! (I understand this may be a concern if prescribing certain stimulants).

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    #103223

    billd
    Member
    Post count: 913

    My doc prescribed Strattera for my ADHD (which he diagnosed)

    He said he would not give stimulants for a person in their 5th decade of life (nice way for a younger guy to call me old?)

    He was afraid of the side effects on heart, arteries, etc.

    I’m impulsive, hyper, you name it.

    However, lately I find that I sleep a LOT. In fact, I basically slept away my 4 day weekend this past week. Any excuse for a nap, and honestly there are times I simply can’t go any farther and MUST sit or nap. It’s getting worse (it was always bad but seems the Strattera is doubling that feeling)

    I’m starting my second week on it – first week was 1 a day, now I’m doing 2 a day, once a day.

    It makes me feel jittery and tired and like I’m OD’d on cold medications or allergy meds.

    I’m not an abuser of drugs or alcohol so there’s no interactions there.

    I’m on triamterene for Meniere’s – prescribed by a ENT a couple of years back.

    Otherewise the only other med is a stimulant IF and ONLY IF I feel the impact of Raynauds – which constricts blood vessels in cold weather instead of opening them. The stimulant is intended to open them up. I’ve not taken that for over a year – not a one.

    Too early to tell if strattera will help or is helping, but I HATE the way it makes me feel, absolutely sucks after just 1 week low dose.

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    #103224

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    Interesting thread. I’ve been on Strattera now for about a year. ADHD combination type; it seems to be helping with the innattention, and somewhat with anxiety, but hasn’t done much if anything for the hyperactivity. . . I’m still going like the energizer bunny. No side effects that I’ve noticed, but I’m actually starting a discussion with my doctor about whether I ought to be using a stimulant med instead of the Strattera because frankly, my hyperactivty is more of a problem for me right now than my inattentiveness (of course, that could change if I change meds!)

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    #103225

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    billd & Catic15

    I have noted both of your interactions please keep me posted. seems to kinda fall in line with posts in other forums and websites. I am trying to be careful as persons have only positive effects from Strattera might not even need to be communicating on any sites i visit.

    njray

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    #103226

    billd
    Member
    Post count: 913

    Now noting terrible dry-mouth in the morning, but I drink a LOT of stuff every day anyway, just never felt dry-mouth this bad before.

    Other side effects – the “urges” or desire for sex have dropped a lot. (my wife might appreciate that part)

    I’m currently 12 days into it. First 7 days – 1 40mg pill taken once a day, then second week, 2 40mg pills taken one time a day.

    Probably too early, but I’ve not noted much improvement in the AD/HD, but then I’m probably not the one who should judge me on that.

    I feel less energy, have had NO desire in the evenings to go out and work on my cars – I used to rush home every day to go to the shop and spend my evenings out there almost non-stop. Haven’t been out there all week.

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    #103227

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    I was diagnosed with ADD a couple months ago and my doctor started me right away on straterra. We slowly worked up from 20 strength up to 80. As soon as it went from 60-80 i had the worst side effects. I would get dizzy and nauseous from reading, which was a bad bad side effect considering im a university student. It didn’t matter what time of the day it was or when I had taken the dose, if i didnt eat a full sized breakfast (who has time for that?) or if i got just a little too hungry Id get sick.

    Eventually my doctor stopped pushing the drug and now im on vyvanse which was a whole new mess

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    #103228

    billd
    Member
    Post count: 913

    I saw the PA (doc was gone and I never got the notice) Friday. They took me off the Strattera because of the side-effects I was complaining about.

    Now I’m to see a psychiatrist in late August for another opinion, and other thoughts on meds.

    Took a 90 minute “assessment” on Friday with a licensed nurse – WOW, they dug deep, but one of the issues is my thoughts on some answers change. ( was asked if I worry a lot – not like my mother, no, I don’t think I do – however when I got home I realized that I DO because I worry all of my projects won’t get done “in time”……….. so I guess I answered based on degree – my mother’s case is severe extreme worry, then depression. I never get that far. So I replied “no”)

    Anyway – only 4 weeks on the med, already taken off.

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    #103229

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    i have never taken any medication other than strattera for my ADD.

    i do 60 mg

    my side effects :: nausea for an hour or so after taking the pills, and certain sexual side effects.

    but currently i’m off them, so i actually started writing this yesterday afternoon, and just got around to finishing it this morning.

    when on strattera —

    1.) i can actually concoct an efficient plan to a multi-step list of errands in my head

    2.) i don’t spend half my time lost in thought and the other half trying to remember was i thinking about (exaggerating a bit)

    3.) i find myself in fewer awkward situations because i think through what i’m about to say, instead of just blurting out the first thing that comes to mind

    4.) when off the meds, i can’t make my head quiet down, my mind just wanders about aimlessly and i frequently find myself ruminating over past experiences needlessly, while on strattera, i can easily control what i am thinking about.

    i can see that if i skip a day here or there, everything’s okay, and yeah, it takes about 5 days to leave my system.

    i used to be afraid that if i went on meds (any meds) that i would lose the positive things of adhd, like my uncanny ability to grasp the essence of what people are saying so much more quickly than other people, but i have come to believe that that is a skill acquired in response the symptoms and not a symptom itself.

    anyway, right now, i’m already thinking about how wrting this is keeping me from doing what i need to do, but i am continuing

    i need to stop now, i should go start my meds again

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    #103230

    Anonymous
    Inactive
    Post count: 14413

    The drugs seem to be a bit of a “shot in the dark”. I have been on max dose of Wellbutrin since August 1st, no change still hyper, anxious, all of both ADH traits … next “suggestion” is 40 – 80 Stratera .. problem is I have a heart murmer, and aneurism .. that stays

    away as long as i do pills to keep BP down. Nothing I have read as yet suggests much solid medical knowledge about what costly

    drug to try next … tends to make me testy .

    Wondering if bio feedback does anything . Seems to have been going on for decades .. depressing to say the least

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