Strattera advice please

[Anonymous]

I was first diagnosed with ADD back in high school and was given a sample of Strattera just a few months later. This was in the middle of 2003 and I think the drug may have been in some sort of experimental stage- between when it had been declared safe and when it was really being sold en masse. I could be totally wrong about this, however.

Anywho, I can’t even remember if it worked well or not, since it was the summer and I had no classes, but it made me extremely tired. Like having to quit playing outside with my friends and lie down on the couch in the middle of the day because I was so tired, even though I was getting plenty of sleep. Ended my trial of it early and never looked back. I actually got mad when I saw a commercial for it a few years later, because I felt like it took away from what had been one of the best summers of my life.

If you’re looking to try something else, I’ve been on Adderall almost constantly since I was diagnosed almost 10 years ago and it’s been great. Though it’s certainly not for everyone; some people can get kinda hooked. It may take some time to figure out the right dosage for you. Also make sure you get the generic version, because there is a HUGE difference in price.

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[Anonymous]

I tried strattera, and all I got was nausea. :S

But then again, I didn’t get any affect from 40mg of biphentin either (except for extra anxiety?)- my shrink says my body’s probably just not tolerant of these types of drugs.

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[Anonymous]

Well I’m still taking the Strattera at 18mg/day @ 165 lbs. Frankly it feels like a waste of time. My GP sent me to see a head doctor and get an official evaluation. He seemed to agree with the ADD minus the hyperactivity and that Strattera should help but that the dosage will need to be increased. Back to the GP on Friday. After 3 weeks at this low dosage and the elimination of Ciprelax I am starting to feel but there is still no energy or motivation and I still feel disconnected from most things but not as bad as before. I’ve always bounced from periods of low to high energy, low energy cycles leave me feeling burned out and bummed out, high energy cycles would be the periods when I got things done but drove people crazy. Neither was balanced. The Ciprelax balanced those periods, but running at baseline for me is frustrating because although I don’t get burned out as often, I also don’t have the energy or desire to do anything. There are two reasons for me, one motivation or making it important enough to start and focus and complete the task, the other frustration from constantly needing to kick myself in the ass to do anything. That on it’s own tires me out and adds to the frustration and anxiety surrounding my ‘laziness’.

So I’m sticking it out for another few days, drinking lots of coffee and ignoring this spinning feeling, crazy digestion issues and the need for a nap, while researching the options and how or if they will be any better. I believe that the best perscription for me is getting into a routine that includes lots of fresh air and exercise. Need to remove the excuses and find a way to make this hit my attention threshold, soon.

Will follow up Friday.

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[Anonymous]

I haven’t tried Strattera. I did try Welbutrin. I got bitchier, so discontinued that. – I am currently on Effexor (generic). It helps with the mood swings and depression. I have fibromyalgia, which goes along wth depression.

I also am a hoarder. I’m thinking this is part of the ADD. I look at the clutter and have no idea what to do with anything. I recently started counseling for many reasons; hoarding, depression, abusive spouse. Watching the ADD special on Public Television with Rick & Patrick brought me to this website. I’m liking everything I see and watch.

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[Anonymous]

My son who is VERY ADHD tried Stratera when it first came out. It was totally useless then. Perhaps it is better now, but with all of the different meds available now–Stratera is the last thing I would recommend.

Currently, two of my kids and I are using Daytrana patches and they are great.

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[Anonymous]

i’ve been on strattera for (60mg) for about 4 or 5 months. i now sleep about 8 hours instead of 12 or 14, and i experienced having absolutely no thoughts in my mind for a good 10 seconds straight, for the first time ever- and it was freaky- usually there is a whole torrent of them swirling about in there, all constantly rolling off on their own little tangents, along with a few songs- with strattera its more of a light rainshower than a hurricane, with occasional dry patches. i’m not any more focused or organised though- its just somewhat quieter inside my head and not quite so exhausting.

– i should add that i’m also on effexor (and have been for years, for major depression- the swirly thought hurricane was a bit of a negative one- effexor gets me from a feeling of complete psychological doom to a sort of level flat nothing, emotionally) and wellbrutin (for about a year- which enables me to be um… sort of happy, with the laughing and the desire to get out of bed in the morning, and whatnot).

it only took about a week or two for strattera to kick in for me. i was quite detirmined that it wasn’t working, nothing was happening, it was all very pointless, etc- and then one day when we were driving somewhere my bf turned to me with a nervous look on his face and said “your mouth isn’t moving, and no noise is coming out of it. whats going on? are you ok? what are you thinking?” and i said “nothing”. and sat there openmouthed in shock for a bit- cos i actually meant ‘nothing whatsoever is being thought, currently’ and not ‘nothing very important or that i wish to disclose is getting processed by the thinking parts of my brain’.

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[Anonymous]

jeneticallymodified: nice

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[turbo]

call me crazy-

18mg would just be a very low starting dose for Strattera. It is very possible you would see no effect at all on that dose. Adolescent and adult starting dose reccomended by the manufacturer is 40mg/day. In Dr Jain’s lecture series he explained the optimal effect with Strattera is seen at 1.1mg/kg which would mean about 80mg/day for you, I believe. It could be your doc started you on a low dose to try and ease it’s side effects. Has he talked about bumping your doseage?

I was started at 25mg (second time around on the med after evaluating a half dozen or so different ADD meds) as I was pretty sensitive to side effects when I was on it before. My schedule was to be 25 mg 2-3 weeks, 40 mg for 2-3 weeks, 65 mg for 2-3 weeks and then -depending on side effects and results- looking at 80mg and higher dosages. At my weight ,110mg/day calculates out as “optimal”.

Also, Jeneticallymodified makes an EXCELLENT point. Sometimes we are not the best people to judge a medication’s effectiveness. Talk to those closest to you (parents, significant other, best friend, co-workers) and see what their thoughts are. There may have been some very subtle changes you were not aware of. Even though the manufacturer states it typically takes 1-4 weeks to see results from Strattera, the first time I was on it I myself noticed significant improvement after only 2 or 3 days. Of course meds work differently on everyone so your mileage may vary

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[Anonymous]

1mg per kg? damn. i need to lose some weight- quickly, or i’ll end up choking on a handful of pills every morning.

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[turbo]

Good news for me is Eli Lilly recently release 80mg and 100mg versions — previously, they stopped at 60 so if you needed a 100mg dose you would have needed to fill TWO prescriptions @ $175/month EACH. ouch.

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[Anonymous]

yeah, that stuff aint cheap.

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[Anonymous]

Try Costco, Turbo. Cheapest prescriptions in the land. haha.

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[Anonymous]

I have been on Adderall XR for a few years, I experienced immediate improvement with memory. I was initially at 25mg then it seemed that my body got used to the dose and my memory / retention was decreasing, my psychiatrist upped the dose to 30mg.

After a nervous breakdown that left me with severe depression and anxiety my psychiatrist put me on Prozac and this did not seem to work. By the time my Dr raised the dose I crashed and burned again 2 weeks into the new dose. The ER Psychiatrist that saw me put me on Klonopin. The Klonopin REALLY helped me calm down and deal with the anxiety. My Psychiatrist switched me from Prozac to Wellbutrin This seemed to work for a couple of years but then I felt really bogged down, cloudy and no energy. I finally convinced my Psychiatrist to stop the Wellbutrin. I felt so much better and continued the Klonopin and Adderall.

I have been having major issues at work that I allowed to brainwash myself to working insane hours and pretty much 7 days a week. After watching the ADD show I had to admit to myself that the depression is back. I saw my psychiatrist and asked her if there is a drug for ADD that helps with depression. She started me on Strattera (40mg for a week then up to 80mg). I will stop the Adderall a month into Strattera.

Once I started the 80mg I have been dealing with daily headaches. I do not know if the headaches are due to the drug, stress at work, and / or the pressure systems going through the Chicago area.

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[turbo]

Kelly- Are you talking Costco Canada? Any idea how much a 1 month supply of Strattera is through them?

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[Anonymous]

TLY – I was getting a very tight neck, so much that my face tingled and even moving my eye quickly was uncomfortable, it lasted for a week but I seem to have adjusted to the meds and that side effect is gone.

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[Author]

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