I have been taking Strattera since it first came out in 2003. I take two of the 40mg pills in the morning. It has worked fairly well for me, if I don't take it for a few days my wife can definitely tell.

It is not a magical cure, but it is definitely a good aid. I have discovered by experimentation that I do VERY well on Strattera with Ritalin, but I don't know if my doctor will actually go for prescribing both. Will let you know if he does.

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Just started strattera yesterday. 1st four pills 25mg. next 24 days 40mg. goal is around 80mg. strattera apparently is good for add vs ad/hd. as explained by a neurologist/psychiatrist. Paul look forward to more focus

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I've been on Strattera for a few months. I take 2 40mg caps every morning. Now I'm getting to where I get VERY sleepy in the afternoons. I could use some feedback as well! Thanks

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I've been on 80 mgs/day of Strattera since the moment it was available. My nice doc gave me samples he had. I was thrilled to be on a med that could be PHONED IN instead of having to drive to pick up the script. Also, dexadrine shows up in drug testing (as in for a new job.)

I know when I haven't taken it. So, it has to be working. I'm a poor self-reporter so can not compare well to Ritalin or dexedrine, which I've been on in the past. What is nice is having to only take it once per day. I used to have a terrible time remembering to take meds at lunch time. (My old work-mates used to TELL me when they could tell I had forgotten...LOL)

You should feel safe taking Strattera as an adult. The research that was done prior to the FDA approving it involved research using adults as well as children. Actually, it is one of the few that was tested on adults. The results were good.

My sleepiness sometimes comes in the morning drive, about an hour after I've taken my two capsules. I've heard that some people try to avoid this by taking it at night. I've not tried this yet.

I just feel better taking a medication that is not a "controlled substance."

Hope this helps.

Have a wonderful week!

- MK

P.S. to Zonneschejn... (sp?) I'm 48, so that means I've been on meds since 37 or so, Strattera since it was available, what is that, 2 years?? Not sure.

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I tried Stattera just over a year ago. I am a 52 year old adult male. I don't think there has been enough research done with adult males, because I had some very disturbing sexual side effects. The drug seemed to confuse my system and threw the timing off, among other things, during physical intimacy.

I looked into other forums and found enough other complaints from adult males that I quit taking Strattera right away. I don't know the longer term effects. I can be more detailed and graphic but don't know if this is the place for it. I was hoping for something better.

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it has been 3 months + , now on 80 mg each night I take staterra. PF

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i take 80 mg of strattera & 200 mg of welbutrin once/day & have been for over 2 months now. bad side effects, sexual & urinary, but ive noticed that they seem to be lessening with time. i know dr wants to up my strattera-he figures me to be around 100, but wants to avoid stomach distress.

im a 45yr old male, & have noticed a small improvement in my concentration & focus ability. heres hoping for more.

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I tried Strattera for about 2 weeks. I stopped taking it because I started getting severe tics and muscle tremors. It got so bad I could hardly manage stairs and they actually gave me an MRI to test for Multiple Sclerosis. Now, I understand this is an extremely rare case according to the latest research -- but it was very scary while it lasted, and it CAN happen.

Good Luck to you! Rachel

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i'm a young adult, and was put on strattera almost 3 yrs ago.

it seemed to work very well for managing attention, however because of the side effects, i have discontinued it's use. I started to have "episodes" during sleep, and was thoroughly evaluated for seizure/tremor activity... with those episodes, came very irregular heart beats, and urinary problems, and headache...

too bad, bc it's the only drug that really helped my attention.

has anyone else had these strange side effects?

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i should update my reply. I no longer take stattera, too. side effects for me: increased blood presure and heart rate. and nightmares.

I take RUNNING as my meds.

Still need to focus to do stuff, but, when I run 5x weekly, I am more on top of stuff.

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I tried Strattera for a couple of months when I was first diagnosed with ADD. I had the same timing issues in the sexual department as others mentioned.

More importantly Strattera definitely fixed my concentration! Actually it fixed it to good. I would be so focused that people would walk into my office and actually have to yell at me to get my attention. Needless to say that did not work out to well.

Now I take Adderall XR and have been extatic with the results. The only down side, as previously mentioned, is the rules that govern schedule II meds.

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I was given Straterra when I was first diagnosed, I can't remember what the dosage was, but I also had bad side effects from it. It gave me really bad headaches (and I rarely get them) but the worst thing for me was the vertigo. For instance, If I were riding in the passenger seat of the car and we came to a stop I felt like I was still moving forward. I get motion sick extremely easy and I just couldn't take it anymore.

I stayed on it for around 4 months I think and it just wouldn't go away. I wish I had been able to continue to take it because like some of you have said it really did help me with my ADD. I'm now on dexidrine 60mgs a day which if the max dosage I guess and Wellbutrin XR 450mgs a day I also take Lamictal to help stablize my moods because the Dexidrine makes me quite antisocial.

I'm still tired most of the time I can't seem to shake the depression I know it's a chemical imbalance somewhere but I can't seem to find the right medicine combo that works for me. The doctor who has been treating me for my ADD stopped taking my insurance, and I'm relying on my family doctor for my medicine but he doesn't know a lot about adult ADD and recommends that I find someone who does.

I'm sick and tired of being sad and tired and totally unmotivated to do ANYTHING! My house is a disaster, and my money situation is all screwed up to boot. Does anyone know how I can find a good Doctor who specializes in treating ADD and its comorbidities? Any suggestions would be very welcomed.

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I am 32 and was diagnosed with ADHD about 4 months ago. I was taking 80mg Strattera and had great results the very first week. The sexual side effects and fatigue became too much and I was also feeling as if it wasn't working after about 3 months.

I switched to Concerta for 3 weeks and very quickly began to appreciate how much the Strattera had been helping after all. Nothing positive resulted from Concerta for me. Now on day 3 of Adderall XR. Too early to tell I guess but I am hopeful that this will be the answer.

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Hey all,

My nephew was on strattera, and switched to adderall with great success. There are only four or five meds that effect AD/HD - Ritalin, dexe-drine, Cylert, Adderall. The other drugs for AD/HD such as Straterra and Concerta are derivitives.

You need 80 to 100 mg's to do the job that 5 or 10 mg's of a class II narcotic will do. The side effects arise from the other ingredients. The class II narc's are still in there, they are just so diluted, that you would have to "do" a lot of them to get "high". Ergo, they are no longer a "controlled dangerous substance".

I would like to add that amphetamines have an opposite effect on AD/HD people,compared to normal people. I've been taking Dexe-drine for 14 years, and after the first three mnths, I stopped bouncing my leg. Soon after, I could relax my abdomen, and stop clenching my teeth. These are SYMPTOMS that occur when a "normal" person takes amphetamines to get "high".

I hope I have reduced some of the stigma against the meds that work!

The def. of AD/HD is; "An area of the brain that is missing. Usually three to four percent, and towards the frontal regions. This lack of Grey matter denies the transmission of seretonin across some synapses, thereby creating deficits in the brains operations. This in turn, creates deficits in the connected systems of the body."

The medicine's job is to bridge the gap for seratonin transmission, and return normal brain function. The affected area of the body, tells you what part of the brain needs work. The affected part of the brain, tells you what kind of medicine to use.

Also, There is a co-existing learning disorder that creates social issues. I had to relearn how to interact with people correctly.

That's all for now. Namaste! Jameeboy

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I had every side effect on the page with Strattera couldn't last more than a week. Yuck. High energy exercise every day 40 min in the morning and an hour in the evening has me feeling better than ever.

Still going in for a full eval with an ADD specialist, maybe get a drug cocktail.

Been on Wellbutrin for a year and it helped with the really negative attitudes and low self esteem. Production and organization at work is still to low for my goals hence the new ADD doctor. Also signed up for a 10 week group ADD session with an ADD psychologist. Again exercise has been so good, actually miss it when I skip a day.

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I too tried Strattera. Read about it and thought it might work for me. Went to the doctor, got a script. What a nightmare!

Literally..I had night terrors, wanted to sleep all day, made me SO anxious. Was a very scary thing for me to take. Since then i have tried concerta. It works okay..need to try another..can't seem to make that appointment though. An ADD situation at its best! Jennifer

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I have been on strattera for 11 months. I had a bit of nausea at first. That left. I am not having any of the bad side effects. It is working well for me. I should also state I was misdiagnosed for 20+ years and also have cut back on effexor and klonopin. I am feeling great.

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Hi, My son and I have been taking Strattera for a couple of years. I think it is a Godsend. I have been on Ritalin before and I do not like the side effects.

I take it after dinner and I sleep very well. You need to have something in your stomach when you take it. Sometimes I forget and I don't take it until bedtime, which still works well. I am able to homeschool my two children and keep my house fairly well.

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I take 100mg a day. I feel nausea in the AM, when I take it, but feel fine the rest of the day. I am extremely thirsty and have no appetite.

Despite these side effects, it has done wonders for my Anxiety and Focus at work. I feel a certain calm come over me when I take it, especially if I forget one day and take it the next. When I took Ritalin, growing up, i was too irritable.. that is why I gave up on ADD/HD meds.. I hated it. I am very glad this non-stimulant has come along.

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The first med I tried was Strattera. I felt extremely... odd... for the first 5-6 weeks. Slept a lot, but not during normal times. Alternately tired and wired.

It seemed to finally start working well for the ADHD, but my wife made me ask the doctor to try something else, because it brought my libido to a screeching halt (3/week -> 1/6 weeks). I changed to Adderall XR, which works quite well for me.

One other thing I didn't like about the Strattera -- once it started working, it controlled my ADHD 24 hours a day. I enjoy being back to my "wacky" self sometimes. With the Adderall, I still have my nights to be scattered. I just have to be sure not to go shopping late at night.

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I started taking Strattera when I was 30. I can't say who it is better for, adults or children, but adults do have less intense side effects.

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Started taking Strattera, 2 weeks 25mg increased to 60 for 4 weeks, it was the worst 4 weeks of my life! I was like the walking dead, I could hardly stay awake, could not listen or even understand some people, it felt like it intensified all of my ADD symptoms, plus hectic headaches.

I am now on Concerta 38mg and loving it, feel as if a whole new world has opened up for me, I actually did my filing yesterday.

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I tried Strattera for about three weeks. I had a severe psychological reaction to it. I became irritable and agressive, much more that usual, and quite noticably. I had to discontinue immediately.

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Started with a low dose intending to build up. Completely in a fog during the day, but unable to sleep for 4 consecutive days. Surprisingly, I didn't have nausea. And the sexual side effect was complete impotence - which was alarming because it was the first time I've EVER had that happen with any med.

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I've been on Strattera for 5 years...it has made my life amazingly better...However, the stomach pains and the hot flush that I got with this drug made me want to stop. After taking my morning meds, I'd have to lie down for 30 minutes while I did a Jeckle and Hyde type thing where I'd be hot and sweaty and then cold and then I'd be buzzed and then calm...really hard on you when you have to head right to work because you are running late for a meeting...I tried taking half in the morning and half in the evening only to have my brain be unable to shut off at night.

I read a study somewhere that said that Strattera had been found to be just as effective in most people at HALF the dose the company that produces it recommends! So I went from 80mg to 40mg and now I don't have the side effects. I also find less stomach complications when I slowly sip on a huge glass of ice water for the first hour after I take the meds. My adult son did the same thing and got the same improvements...most side effects went away.

Yes, they wouldn't tell us or our doctors...because they would lose HALF their revenue stream...

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The biggest problem with Strattera's success is that most people compare its action to that of stimulant medications. My personal experience is that Strattera is much better than Stimulant medications because it lasts 24/7 and if you are a professional with a family like myself, you need something that does not wear off in the evening.

What I have found is that Lilly has marketed Strattera as taking allot less time to reach full efficacy than it really takes. I believe that the reason for this is that because of the prevalence of its comparison to stimulants which take effect immediately. And, people are impatient by nature and because of this, stimulants appeal to allot of people, especially parents that are trying to control their children.

Also, since stimulants wear off every day, one rebounds to their ADHD symptoms every day, so it is quite easy to tell that the medication is working. Strattera really takes months to work and often requires doses much higher than what the FDA has approved. So, most people give up on it. If however you have taken antidepressants, which I have, then you know that it takes a long time for some medications to take full effect.

Since it takes so long to take effect, one often wonders it the medication is working atall. It is something like the frog analogy where, if you throw a frog into boiling water it will jump out immediately, but if you gradually crank up the heat over time the frog will not notice and boil to death. That is to say that it is easy to forget what our baseline ADHD symptoms were like. And, often people think that it is not working when it is. Whereas with stimulants you can actually feel them kick in and wear off.

Personally, it took about 10 months for me to get to my optimal Strattera dose of 160mg/day. It was a frustrating experience but patience paid off. With Strattera I take it every day and it is af I don't have ADHD, the symptoms are gone 24/7. All of the nasty side effects have disappeared as well.

The truth is that if Lilly marked the drug for what it actually is most people would not even try it because of the required time, cost and side effect investment. Most people would opt immediately for the stimulants like I first did. Lilly wants to make money like all companies so they tell you that it takes less (so that the side effects are minimized) and it takes less time.

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hi psychomom.....i never heard anybody else talk about the hot flushes, maybe it's not being peri-menopause after all? have you tried yoga? i never thought i could ever sit in one place for so long and do 'quiet mind'. now i say, yoga has changed my life. i still take strattera along w/ paxil, but it's the yoga that has really calmed me.

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TheDopaminekid said: Just started strattera yesterday. 1st four pills 25mg. next 24 days 40mg. goal is around 80mg. strattera apparently is good for add vs ad/hd. as explained by a neurologist/psychiatrist. Paul look forward to more focus

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megadanny54 said:

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TheDopaminekid said: Just started strattera yesterday. 1st four pills 25mg. next 24 days 40mg. goal is around 80mg. strattera apparently is good for add vs ad/hd. as explained by a neurologist/psychiatrist. Paul look forward to more focus

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your awsome also ask about paxil for ihave been takeing for about three or four months now my ot come hasbeen good also ihave been taking Strattera an im takeing 10 mg of paxil an 40mg of strattera help me focus an stay calm also .

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whoever said it makes you very sleepy, I had the same thing. The medication helped me focus but put me completely out in the afternoon. My doctor told me that was an indication to up the dosage, which we did, and I am doing much better.

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I have been on Strattera for about 5 weeks. I understand the sleepiness issue, though I though it was just because I don't sleep well. I also have had some stomach pains, but was unsure if it was because of the Strattera or because of stomach issues. Does anyone else get headaches? My psychiatric NP and my internist have taken me off of Adderall XR, so Strattera is my only option at this point, since it is not a stimulant. I do feel focused and able to function fairly well. My counselor has told me that she see a big difference, since I've been on the Strattera. I hope it works in the long run and the side effects go away soon.

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zonneschijn said: Are any of the adults here taking Strattera? My doctor just prescribed it to me and I'm not feeling too good about taking it. I'm 33. Does it have a better effect on adults than kids?

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I had read a lot on strattera (not this site though!) and when I had my first visit with my Psychiatrist yesterday, I asked him about it; he said he hasn't seen very good results with it and wouldn't even prescribe it to me without trying the other things first.

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Has anyone else experienced problems getting their meds through Express Script (mail order)? My child has been taking generic Ritalin for a few years. Express Scripts always lose the scripts. Every May we have major problems trying to get meds. Thank you.

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my daughter (9 years old) is on strattera. she was on concerta for about 8 months and it was causing her to have severe tantrums almost every evening. i was scared to say anything that might upset her because i knew it would set off a tantrum, and it didnt take much either. they would last about an hour. once i realized the connection to the concerta i took her off them immediately and requested another visit to the ped who diagnosed her and started her on concerta. while waiting for an appt i did lots of reading and had an occupational therapist so a sensory profile on her. we learned that she is naturally over stimulated. when i went to the ped he suggested the strattera and i said i was actually going to request it because of the fact that it is not a stimulant. she has been on it for about 3 months and hasnt had any tantrums while on it. im not sure yet if its helping, if so its very subtle. i will have a better idea once she goes back to school. so far we like it though.

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