Is anybody here on Strattera? (Adult ADHD Help)

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

I was recently prescribed it for adult ADHD. According to my doctor it has less side effects than the stimulant based drugs, so he likes to start patients on that. However, I was researching it online and it seems to have the same list of side-effects plus sexual side effects. I am not cool with that and neither is my girlfriend most likely. I also have always found that I do well on stimulants.

So basically, is anyone here on it? And how do you like it? How do you feel about it compared to other ADHD drugs?

[NewHampster]

1. I've been on Rit forever but looking at Strattera

I'll be interested to see any replies and may help keep this kicked.


yes, fellow DUers. NH is a speed freak.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. kick

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. kick

[Bossy Monkey]

4. Tried it as a last ditch for my depression; no noticeable effect

but it may be that I just don't have ADHD. (The shrink thought it was a possibility.)

Here's the side effects as seen in clinical trials: http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/strattera_ad.htm
Looks to me that sexual side effects are pretty uncommon. This is the same stuff found in the Physician's Desk Reference (or the package insert, for that matter) but is machine-searchable and printed a lot bigger than the insert.

Good luck with it regardless

[SmileyBoy]

5. I used to be on it, but it made my stomache extremely upset.

When I first took it, I would vomit on a regular basis. I stopped taking it for a few months, then I took it again a month or so ago, and an hour after I took it, I had to puke again.

I'd say to watch out for the side effects.

[Susang]

6. I was on it for two months for ADD and atypical depression

Contrary to the package inserts and clinical trial data, I had horrible side effects, Tremor, fatigue and exhaustion but unable to sleep, as well as what can best be described as a feeling similar to electrical shocks in my brain at random time. I called them my little "mini ECTs".

I gave it a full two months because having had experience with various antidepressants and other psychopharmaceuticals, I know that side effects take on average two weeks to a month to go away and the patient doesn't usually see noticable improvement until at least 6 weeks into treatment. After two months with no abatement in my symptoms and still experiencing the horrible side effects, I made my doctor wean me off of it (very important, as going off it cold turkey causes even nastier side effects than I was experiencing).

Of course, the beauty of these drugs is that they work differently on every person, so just because I had a terrible experience with Strattera doesn't mean that you will. I do think it's important to be told all the potential side effects so that if you develop them, you know what's happening. The literature on Strattera did not list many of the problems I was experiencing and I had make a few anxiety-ridden calls to my doctor to before I understood what was happening to me. When you have neurological issues along with depression, it can be very disconcerting to have side effects from the medication you take that are also neurological in nature. It makes it hard to differentiate between the disorder and the medication/side effects. So if you decide to try Strattera, just make sure you read everything you can about the drug. Remember, it's your brain your messing with.

Here's a great site that has great user feedback on different drug therapies for various ailments. I found a quite a bit of useful real life information on this website. Here's their link for Strattera:
http://www.remedyfind.com/rem.asp?ID=5032

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Yeah I was kind of annoyed

because my doc told me it had almost no side effects and gave me a sample bottle without literature. So then I looked it up online and started reading all these side effects.

[Susang]

9. You have to take it upon yourself to find out everything

I have a great doctor, but even he can't be up on every new development. If I'm putting it in my body, I want to know what it is, what it does and what it's potential side effects and adverse effects are. It's your responsibility as much as your doctor's, IMHO.

[Lizz612]

7. My friend down the hall started in October

The only side effect she had was really strange. For the first week, her eyes were dilated. She looked like a baby seal, she could see just fine, but whoa! Went away after about a week. Strangest thing.