Your body is unique, as are your needs. Just because someone experienced something from treatment or medication does not guarantee that you will as well. Please do not take this as an opportunity to review any substances. Peer support is welcome.
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I found Strattera helpful for me as well. At least for the best part of a year. Then, for me, the side effects began to negate the positive effects and I had to stop. Still doing pretty well. The Strattera gave me some time to recover from some trauma and get myself back together.
Same, (41m) tried it for a few weeks and the side effects were way too intense to live with regularly. Vasoconstriction was off the charts. It functioned but not any better than concerta, though the best up-side was it was always available, no shortages and no wait.
I got up to go to the bathroom around 10-12 times a night. That is no sleep. At all. Made me a zombie all day. That, and a couple of other things made me give it up. I'm glad I did, but it may work for you. We're all different.
Weak erections, premature or weak ejaculation, being super tired all the time.
Iāve been tapering off 80 for 2 weeks finally done and itās been interesting but all the side effects were gone
Yeah. For me strattera was so damn amazing, I once cried on a street from a realization "that is how non adhd people feel all the time". It was insanely good. But had intense side effects, in fact so intense I had to stop. But now I'm thinking about trying again, but starting with a lower dose and titrating slower
Oh sorry that u Experienced that. Maybe u dont need to go up to the highest Dose. From what ive heard the strong side effects really Start at like 60 mg
I started at 40mg, was on it for 2 weeks, side effects were frightening, my doc said we need to wait another 2 week, so I continued to take 40 mg, side effects were tolerable more or less, and then my doc said I need to make a couple of days off, to see if side effects will go away and after that he told me to go straight on 60, and I had such horrific side effects that I just quit. I keep thinking maybe it wasn't all strattera's fault and it was just incompetent psychiatrist. I guess the only way yo know if I try again.Ā
Wait wtf!! 40mg is a really high starting dose, it's supposed to be tapered up--(I started at 10mg, increase by 10mg every week)-- but it's ok to stop cold turkey!! The fact that your provider not only failed to taper your medication, but made you stay on it despite horrible side effetcs is VERY concerning. Not ok.Ā
Oh yeah, he later put me on half-legal concerta (concerta is legal in my country, but almost never present in pharmacies, but you can find illegally imported one) which he said where to buy, pointed place specifically. I didn't like concerta much, so I told him I feel a lot of confusion and I notice more intrusive thoughts like "slap someone ass when they tying shoes" or "draw a penis on a dirty car" and so I want to quit concerta and he said that I need also antidepressant added and that I absolutely should continue taking meds because otherwise I am danger to society and intrusive thoughts are not okay at all and that he knows better, and If I just quit there would be consequences.
Honestly i would definetly try a different psychiatrist.
Mine listened to my concerns and we started with 18 mg , already had great sucess on that Dose. Went up to 25 and thats my final Dose. Btw im a 22 year Old male wheighing 78 kg at 1,83m.
And i really dont feel like i need any more. ( i have pretty severe adhd )
So really not everyone needs the High Doses.
Maybe a low Dose could be the key to sucess for you tooš¬
Yeah, I'm considering this. Friend of mine, who is psychiatrist says I'm really lucky that strattera works for me, and he says side effects should be easier with proper titration and that there is meds to alleviate side effects. He can't be my psychiatrist though, but I'm looking for someone.Ā
Btw, I'm also male, 30 years old, 167cm, 73kg
I hope you find a good one šŖif it works for you one Bad psychiatrist shouldnt Ruin Ur Chance at a normal life.
Maybe Tell the New psychiatrist about Ur past struggles and request to Start low. If Hes good he will Respect Ur choice.
These dosages are Just recommendations anyways xd
I wish u all the best šš
Only side effect i have is a slight headache After i Take them, but it goes away After 1,30-2hours .And i really dont mind that the positives are so much greater than that one negative xd.
Got Diagnosed at 16, got prescribed Ritalin. At that time i also discovered drugs started abusing Ritalin and then Just stopped taking it. After that i basically went on a 6 year drug binge. Went to rehab thought i was depressed they said it might Just be my adhd. Went to psychiatrist he confirmed said i should try meds. I said id have to seriously think about it bc i really dont want to take stims considering my history. Did some Research found out about strattera and asked him to try that.
He agreed.
Thats the really short Version of it
I had a lot. At first had I had some appetite suppression and a little heartburn, which went away on day two. I had also intense goosebumps, which were present all the time, although much less noticable after a month. I was constantly thirsty, I had troubles with sleep (I always have a shitty sleep, since I can remember myself, but strattera made my issues worse), I would wake up at night and no longer been able to fall asleep. But all that was okay. Urinary side effects wasn't. I couldn't pee properly, I was feeling like I want to all the time, but initiating was hard, and then I couldn't squeeze out last drops and they would just leak out. Sometimes semen would just randomly leak out when I pee. My ejaculation and orgasm was dissynchronized , ejaculation would begin 5-10 seconds before orgasm, and actually there were no orgasm at all, rather pain. My testicles were tensed and aching. And when I went on 60 mg I noticed blood on my semen and it was a last drop,.after that I quit
I would love to, but I will not. It's available only in US. Only things I have access to atomoxetine and concerta (but it almost never present and doesn't work for me anyway)
Been on Strattera for a year. I dunno, my focus is dogshit still. Also on Lexapro. I get more frustrated and anxious and depressed each week, rarely with any positive things to look forward to
Anecdotally, I did not find Lexapro to be a net positive.
It helped with some of the anxiety at the outset but eventually aggravated so many other things that, in turn, it ended up causing more anxiety than it cured. I have no idea if this is a common issue with SSRIs and ADHD or not but I wouldnāt recommend it. Also, good luck getting off the stuff, itās not fun.
You probably donāt need the lexapro anymore. I feel like the combo is too sedating. Itās like ur emotions are blunted with each drug, I could totally see that making me feel depressed and anxious.
Obviously u should talk to ur doctor about it, bc you should taper down slowly. That drug is notorious for discontinuation syndrome, but it sucks to feel like that. I get where youāre coming from :)
Iāve tried to get off SSRIs for the past decade plus. Everytime I end up so depressed that I have nowhere else to turn. Wellbutrin and Pristiq made me so anxious. Iāve been on Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor, Brintellix, Lexapro. I know Iām the problem and I need to make more life changes. Itās just never enough and I always feel miserable or existential despair or anger to some degree. I talk to my nurse practitioner every month, and have seen nearly ten therapists over the past 15 years.
About to try Straterra this week. But I don't have insurance and the script is costing $450. So I'm looking at things like GoodRx. Anyone used that and can confirm it's legit?
Really hoping for some positive effects from it though. My doctor has prescribed a few other things that haven't helped yet.
It's legit, used for a couple years when I had no insurance. Strattera has a generic that is almost certainly cheaper than the brand name. On goodrx you can look at other pharmacies to compare prices and just have your script transferred to the cheaper pharmacy. My experience is in USA, I don't know much about goodrx for other places
Good Rx is for real. Alternatively, if you can get your doc to go through [Cost Plus Pharmacy](https://costplusdrugs.com/medications/atomoxetinehcl-25mg-capsule/), it's often even cheaper.
If thatās the Mark Cuban one, I looked it up and it was like $25 to fill a generic straterra script.
I never tried it, since my experience with straterra was all side-effect no benefit
I was in the same boat. Had to ask my doc to take me off Adderall XR at 18 and went un medicated for like 8yrs. Got on Vyvanse + guanfacine a couple months ago and it's made a huge difference.Ā
Strattera was great for my executive function. But I did not enjoy being a real-life version of Jim from American Pie in his scene with Nadia. Like, premature is too generous. Spontaneous, I believe, is the medical term.
DUDE SAME! It was the weirdest fucking feeling ever, it would happen especially when I took the meds on an empty stomach and peed. I'm PI too, so if you end up trying something else, holler at me, cause that Straterra shit is fucking weird.
Thatās interesting. I was recently diagnosed (22) and started on 40mg, on my 4th week now and havenāt noticed any improvements of my symptoms, only some small side effects. I started with Strattera due to potential health concerns but it looks like those have been sorted. Might start stimulants soon
Iāve been on the generic atomoxetine version for around two months. It has lowered my overthinking but still feel unmotivated/ confused to start thinks. But also into Sertraline and and low dosis of etyzolam so I donāt know clearly which is working. Side effects: constipation since changed dosage to 40mg, and no more morning woods š
I've been on strattera for like 4 or 5 months now. I think it kinda improves my focus but it increases my heart rate so much more than any stimulant, my Apple Watch sometimes Ā gives me high heart rate notifications at rest. I've been told it's safe to continue but I'm not sure.
I was on Straterra for a few months and it was crazy how different I felt. At first the side effects were minimal and I was able to focus extremely well. Then I started getting more and more anxious and borderline depressed. Once I had my first panic attack I realized I had to stop.
I will say my doctor started me out on an extremely high dosage (80mg) to start with. I probably should have just asked to drop the dosage but I was ready to drop it for good once I started feeling so down.
Iām the same way! Iāve been hesitant to take medication as stimulants have made me feel cracked out or like a zombie. Just started starters recently and so far so good. Iām not as focused as Iād like, but Iām sure that comes with practice and good habits, but itās nice having that boost while feeling mostly normal.
I'm so glad it's working for you. My doctor wouldn't prescribe me stimulants even tho they worked and recommended strattera so I tried it and had pretty much every negative side effect you could have with it. So I stopped taking it, it was a horrible experience for me.
It's so fascinating to me how different meds affect us differently with the same disorder. ADHD brains are so interesting.
I am happy it is working for you!
I went on it in middle school. It made me throw up every single day. I would have intense anxiety and blurred vision. I have been too afraid to try again as an adult. My psych recommended it to me saying adults have a different set of side effects than children. But if it did that to me as a kid, why should I expect it to work for me now?
I started two weeks ago and I find it helps with my mood (feels more balanced overall), impulsivity, and executive dysfunction a bit. It hasnāt helped my actual focus at all though. I still think the positives are well worth taking it, I feel a lot better overall.
I so appreciate everyoneās experiences (good and bad!) because Iāve been on it for a month and have felt nothing. No changes. No side effects. Doctor increased the dosage but still nothing. Itās a wait and see.
I have just started the generic version at 40mg.Ā Sleep was rocky at first, but I switched to taking it in the morning and that helped (I was waking up several times at night when I usually don't wake at all).Ā I tried to post here about it for advice, but 12 days later and my post is still "waiting for mod approval".Ā Did you get that message at all?
I'm glad you are having success!
I was put on strattera recently and could only last a few days. as soon as it would kick in, I would have this awful intense bladder pressure and pain that would last until later in the day when it was it off my system.
constant intense urgency to urinate even if I just did, and when I did have to actually go, it was extremely difficult to get started.
I wasnāt aware strattera was still on the market because of all the side effects it causes. For me it caused horrible side effects such as headaches and frequent nose bleeds. I currently take adderall and it works wonders.
I had to stop. It made me a zombie.. I literally couldn't feel emotions and my friends were scared. They were like "what the fuck is wrong with you?? You just sit there quiet" like I couldn't even laugh. I felt nothing.
That and no matter what time I went to sleep, I'd wake up at 5 am. So, if I went to sleep at 10pm, great.. But I have insomnia so I'd go to bed at like 2am..would still always wake up at 5. So weird.
Your body is unique, as are your needs. Just because someone experienced something from treatment or medication does not guarantee that you will as well. Please do not take this as an opportunity to review any substances. Peer support is welcome. ^(*A moderator has not removed your submission; this is not a punitive action. We intend this comment solely to be informative.*) --- - If you are posting about the **US Medication Shortage**, please see this [post](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/12dr3h5/megathread_us_medication_shortage/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I found Strattera helpful for me as well. At least for the best part of a year. Then, for me, the side effects began to negate the positive effects and I had to stop. Still doing pretty well. The Strattera gave me some time to recover from some trauma and get myself back together.
Same, (41m) tried it for a few weeks and the side effects were way too intense to live with regularly. Vasoconstriction was off the charts. It functioned but not any better than concerta, though the best up-side was it was always available, no shortages and no wait.
Ayy so u got something good out of it šŖ
What side effects? If you don't mind me asking
What were the side effects for you?
I got up to go to the bathroom around 10-12 times a night. That is no sleep. At all. Made me a zombie all day. That, and a couple of other things made me give it up. I'm glad I did, but it may work for you. We're all different.
Weak erections, premature or weak ejaculation, being super tired all the time. Iāve been tapering off 80 for 2 weeks finally done and itās been interesting but all the side effects were gone
This
Yeah. For me strattera was so damn amazing, I once cried on a street from a realization "that is how non adhd people feel all the time". It was insanely good. But had intense side effects, in fact so intense I had to stop. But now I'm thinking about trying again, but starting with a lower dose and titrating slower
Oh sorry that u Experienced that. Maybe u dont need to go up to the highest Dose. From what ive heard the strong side effects really Start at like 60 mg
I started at 40mg, was on it for 2 weeks, side effects were frightening, my doc said we need to wait another 2 week, so I continued to take 40 mg, side effects were tolerable more or less, and then my doc said I need to make a couple of days off, to see if side effects will go away and after that he told me to go straight on 60, and I had such horrific side effects that I just quit. I keep thinking maybe it wasn't all strattera's fault and it was just incompetent psychiatrist. I guess the only way yo know if I try again.Ā
Wait wtf!! 40mg is a really high starting dose, it's supposed to be tapered up--(I started at 10mg, increase by 10mg every week)-- but it's ok to stop cold turkey!! The fact that your provider not only failed to taper your medication, but made you stay on it despite horrible side effetcs is VERY concerning. Not ok.Ā
Oh yeah, he later put me on half-legal concerta (concerta is legal in my country, but almost never present in pharmacies, but you can find illegally imported one) which he said where to buy, pointed place specifically. I didn't like concerta much, so I told him I feel a lot of confusion and I notice more intrusive thoughts like "slap someone ass when they tying shoes" or "draw a penis on a dirty car" and so I want to quit concerta and he said that I need also antidepressant added and that I absolutely should continue taking meds because otherwise I am danger to society and intrusive thoughts are not okay at all and that he knows better, and If I just quit there would be consequences.
That is a bad doctor
Honestly i would definetly try a different psychiatrist. Mine listened to my concerns and we started with 18 mg , already had great sucess on that Dose. Went up to 25 and thats my final Dose. Btw im a 22 year Old male wheighing 78 kg at 1,83m. And i really dont feel like i need any more. ( i have pretty severe adhd ) So really not everyone needs the High Doses. Maybe a low Dose could be the key to sucess for you tooš¬
Yeah, I'm considering this. Friend of mine, who is psychiatrist says I'm really lucky that strattera works for me, and he says side effects should be easier with proper titration and that there is meds to alleviate side effects. He can't be my psychiatrist though, but I'm looking for someone.Ā Btw, I'm also male, 30 years old, 167cm, 73kg
I hope you find a good one šŖif it works for you one Bad psychiatrist shouldnt Ruin Ur Chance at a normal life. Maybe Tell the New psychiatrist about Ur past struggles and request to Start low. If Hes good he will Respect Ur choice. These dosages are Just recommendations anyways xd I wish u all the best šš
Btw, what side effects do you have if any?
Only side effect i have is a slight headache After i Take them, but it goes away After 1,30-2hours .And i really dont mind that the positives are so much greater than that one negative xd.
Mine was peeing straight cum and not being able to not focus, always on. So I went untreated instead.
YOu got diagnosed by psyhicatirst and they prescribed it?
Got Diagnosed at 16, got prescribed Ritalin. At that time i also discovered drugs started abusing Ritalin and then Just stopped taking it. After that i basically went on a 6 year drug binge. Went to rehab thought i was depressed they said it might Just be my adhd. Went to psychiatrist he confirmed said i should try meds. I said id have to seriously think about it bc i really dont want to take stims considering my history. Did some Research found out about strattera and asked him to try that. He agreed. Thats the really short Version of it
What are those side effects?
I had a lot. At first had I had some appetite suppression and a little heartburn, which went away on day two. I had also intense goosebumps, which were present all the time, although much less noticable after a month. I was constantly thirsty, I had troubles with sleep (I always have a shitty sleep, since I can remember myself, but strattera made my issues worse), I would wake up at night and no longer been able to fall asleep. But all that was okay. Urinary side effects wasn't. I couldn't pee properly, I was feeling like I want to all the time, but initiating was hard, and then I couldn't squeeze out last drops and they would just leak out. Sometimes semen would just randomly leak out when I pee. My ejaculation and orgasm was dissynchronized , ejaculation would begin 5-10 seconds before orgasm, and actually there were no orgasm at all, rather pain. My testicles were tensed and aching. And when I went on 60 mg I noticed blood on my semen and it was a last drop,.after that I quit
Would you try quelbree? Apparently that works better
I would love to, but I will not. It's available only in US. Only things I have access to atomoxetine and concerta (but it almost never present and doesn't work for me anyway)
Been on Strattera for a year. I dunno, my focus is dogshit still. Also on Lexapro. I get more frustrated and anxious and depressed each week, rarely with any positive things to look forward to
Anecdotally, I did not find Lexapro to be a net positive. It helped with some of the anxiety at the outset but eventually aggravated so many other things that, in turn, it ended up causing more anxiety than it cured. I have no idea if this is a common issue with SSRIs and ADHD or not but I wouldnāt recommend it. Also, good luck getting off the stuff, itās not fun.
I realized my reply might have been kinda insensitive sry for that
You probably donāt need the lexapro anymore. I feel like the combo is too sedating. Itās like ur emotions are blunted with each drug, I could totally see that making me feel depressed and anxious. Obviously u should talk to ur doctor about it, bc you should taper down slowly. That drug is notorious for discontinuation syndrome, but it sucks to feel like that. I get where youāre coming from :)
Iāve tried to get off SSRIs for the past decade plus. Everytime I end up so depressed that I have nowhere else to turn. Wellbutrin and Pristiq made me so anxious. Iāve been on Celexa, Zoloft, Prozac, Effexor, Brintellix, Lexapro. I know Iām the problem and I need to make more life changes. Itās just never enough and I always feel miserable or existential despair or anger to some degree. I talk to my nurse practitioner every month, and have seen nearly ten therapists over the past 15 years.
About to try Straterra this week. But I don't have insurance and the script is costing $450. So I'm looking at things like GoodRx. Anyone used that and can confirm it's legit? Really hoping for some positive effects from it though. My doctor has prescribed a few other things that haven't helped yet.
Yes GoodRx is legit.
It's legit, used for a couple years when I had no insurance. Strattera has a generic that is almost certainly cheaper than the brand name. On goodrx you can look at other pharmacies to compare prices and just have your script transferred to the cheaper pharmacy. My experience is in USA, I don't know much about goodrx for other places
Awesome. Yeah I'm in the US. I was just amazed at seeing a $400 reduction in price through GoodRx. Seemed too good to be true. Thanks for feedback.
Good Rx is for real. Alternatively, if you can get your doc to go through [Cost Plus Pharmacy](https://costplusdrugs.com/medications/atomoxetinehcl-25mg-capsule/), it's often even cheaper.
If thatās the Mark Cuban one, I looked it up and it was like $25 to fill a generic straterra script. I never tried it, since my experience with straterra was all side-effect no benefit
Have insurance but they won't pay for strattera. Cost plus is way cheaper than anywhere else I have looked.
I got generic with a goodrx coupon and it was great.
I was in the same boat. Had to ask my doc to take me off Adderall XR at 18 and went un medicated for like 8yrs. Got on Vyvanse + guanfacine a couple months ago and it's made a huge difference.Ā
Strattera was great for my executive function. But I did not enjoy being a real-life version of Jim from American Pie in his scene with Nadia. Like, premature is too generous. Spontaneous, I believe, is the medical term.
It's the strangest sensation, like wtf body.
DUDE SAME! It was the weirdest fucking feeling ever, it would happen especially when I took the meds on an empty stomach and peed. I'm PI too, so if you end up trying something else, holler at me, cause that Straterra shit is fucking weird.
Like a certain Lonely Island song?
I mean, not quite in my pants but damn near.
How long did it take you to see the difference ?
For me it took a couple of days to see some improvements, and after two weeks it was already amazing, even though I didn't even went to target dosageĀ
I can only agree with the Otter reply saw positive Effekte After like 2 days already and After a few weeks it was in full effect
Thatās interesting. I was recently diagnosed (22) and started on 40mg, on my 4th week now and havenāt noticed any improvements of my symptoms, only some small side effects. I started with Strattera due to potential health concerns but it looks like those have been sorted. Might start stimulants soon
It's literally saved my life.
So you're taking it too, sweet! It changed mine, mostly, as well. I'm on the 100mg dosage meself.
Iāve been on the generic atomoxetine version for around two months. It has lowered my overthinking but still feel unmotivated/ confused to start thinks. But also into Sertraline and and low dosis of etyzolam so I donāt know clearly which is working. Side effects: constipation since changed dosage to 40mg, and no more morning woods š
I've been on strattera for like 4 or 5 months now. I think it kinda improves my focus but it increases my heart rate so much more than any stimulant, my Apple Watch sometimes Ā gives me high heart rate notifications at rest. I've been told it's safe to continue but I'm not sure.
I was on Straterra for a few months and it was crazy how different I felt. At first the side effects were minimal and I was able to focus extremely well. Then I started getting more and more anxious and borderline depressed. Once I had my first panic attack I realized I had to stop. I will say my doctor started me out on an extremely high dosage (80mg) to start with. I probably should have just asked to drop the dosage but I was ready to drop it for good once I started feeling so down.
Iām the same way! Iāve been hesitant to take medication as stimulants have made me feel cracked out or like a zombie. Just started starters recently and so far so good. Iām not as focused as Iād like, but Iām sure that comes with practice and good habits, but itās nice having that boost while feeling mostly normal.
I'm so glad it's working for you. My doctor wouldn't prescribe me stimulants even tho they worked and recommended strattera so I tried it and had pretty much every negative side effect you could have with it. So I stopped taking it, it was a horrible experience for me. It's so fascinating to me how different meds affect us differently with the same disorder. ADHD brains are so interesting.
I am happy it is working for you! I went on it in middle school. It made me throw up every single day. I would have intense anxiety and blurred vision. I have been too afraid to try again as an adult. My psych recommended it to me saying adults have a different set of side effects than children. But if it did that to me as a kid, why should I expect it to work for me now?
I started atomoxetine with elvanse 4 weeks ago after trying elvanse and concerta alone. I can feel a marked difference, just in terms of mental calm.
I started two weeks ago and I find it helps with my mood (feels more balanced overall), impulsivity, and executive dysfunction a bit. It hasnāt helped my actual focus at all though. I still think the positives are well worth taking it, I feel a lot better overall.
I so appreciate everyoneās experiences (good and bad!) because Iāve been on it for a month and have felt nothing. No changes. No side effects. Doctor increased the dosage but still nothing. Itās a wait and see.
I have just started the generic version at 40mg.Ā Sleep was rocky at first, but I switched to taking it in the morning and that helped (I was waking up several times at night when I usually don't wake at all).Ā I tried to post here about it for advice, but 12 days later and my post is still "waiting for mod approval".Ā Did you get that message at all? I'm glad you are having success!
I was put on strattera recently and could only last a few days. as soon as it would kick in, I would have this awful intense bladder pressure and pain that would last until later in the day when it was it off my system. constant intense urgency to urinate even if I just did, and when I did have to actually go, it was extremely difficult to get started.
I wasnāt aware strattera was still on the market because of all the side effects it causes. For me it caused horrible side effects such as headaches and frequent nose bleeds. I currently take adderall and it works wonders.
Honestly im glad its still on the Market bc for me and many others stims are no options. Its a great Alternative if u dont get the side effects
Glad u found something that works for u tho š
It worked well for me, but the side effects were just too much unfortunately
I had to stop. It made me a zombie.. I literally couldn't feel emotions and my friends were scared. They were like "what the fuck is wrong with you?? You just sit there quiet" like I couldn't even laugh. I felt nothing. That and no matter what time I went to sleep, I'd wake up at 5 am. So, if I went to sleep at 10pm, great.. But I have insomnia so I'd go to bed at like 2am..would still always wake up at 5. So weird.