Strattera...anyone on it? and another ???

I know, I know, long time no post. I got distracted!

Quick Reader's Digest...I'm 39 and just got dx'd with ADD in February. Our 7 1/2 yo son is also dx'd. I'm currently not taking any meds for my ADD. I have full bottles of Prozac and Wellbutrin but honestly, I'm feeling great and now recognize the signs of ADD when it threatens to take over my life (house goes to pot, lots of time online, work not getting done in a timely fashion). I've gotten two promotions at work...granted, they were in the works long before my dx but they came at a great time in our lives.

Anyway, Mac (our son) got a script for Strattera, 18 mg taken with food at night. I understand it's not a stimulant. Of course the online info is made out to be horrific. I'd just like to hear some of your experiences.

Also, our psych and therapist don't believe in testing. They are strictly observational dx's. I understand their approach but then I hear from an acquaintance of mine that her daughter had an initial ADD dx but has since been IQ tested, etc, and now she's taking her girl to a neurologist for seizures. Thoughts?

Okay, time to focus (HAHAHAHAH!) and get crackin' on the next 13 chapters of HP7. I'm up to chapter 13 but needed a break. It's so intense!

Here is another thread on strattera: http://forums.psychcentral.com/showf...ev=#Post485210

iv took it for my adhd, but i got off of it, it made me feel sick and gave me more worse mood siwngs then i already have XD

I just say my MD on Friday. After talking with my psychologist about my current and past symptoms she suggested that I may have adult ADHD. She suggested I ask my primary care doctor if I could try Adderall or another brand of stimulant for a few week to see if it would help my symptoms. She seemed to indicate that the non-stimulates were not as effective and would take a lot longer to see results.

Well the appointment with my MD did not go well. He refused to Rx me the stimulant because of the risk of abuse. I have never had any previous hx of substance abuse, am well educated in this area, and plan on continuing therapy etc. Despite my wishes he still refused to give me anything other than Strattera-- at the minimal dosage 18 mg. Then proceeded to recommended that I try some breathing exercises, looking at a candle????, and gave me a title of some self help book. HELLLO, one of the reason I a seeking treatment is that I cannot focus on the many things I have to read at this point. The last thing I need is another book!

Needless to say I am very upset. I've filled the Rx and have taken it for the past 2 days. I really haven't noticed any real changes at this point.

On Monday I plan to search for a new MD.

I took Mac off the Strattera. It didn't do squat for the ADD. My son doesn't have 6 months to wait and see if it works, darn it.

I have another thread to start...no need to muddy up this one.

My son was on strattera when he was first diagnosed. It made him sick to his stomach. He is now on Adderall and he has had no complaints. He also went through an observation AND testing stage when he was first diagnosed before the doctor would give him any meds.

Hi,
I am 23 years old an I was diagnosed with ADD last spring. I took Strattera this summer at 40 mg and then up to 80. I was prescribed it by one of the leading experts on ADD in the country. He said the only side effects I should feel were dry mouth, drowsiness and a decrease in appetite, all of which should go away after a few doses. But when I went up to 80, I got horribly dizzy and almost blacked out. He said that a side effect that extreme was very very rare, and suggested that I might have a slow metabolism for meds and so would need a lot less for it to be effective -- so I am getting tested for that.

In the meantime, I stopped it altogether because I had just graduated college and I am pretty highly functional without it and I wasn't sure if I would be able to tell a difference because of all the changes in my life -- no more school, new city, new apt, new job. Now that I am settled in the city but was having a lot of anxiety about life after college, I am on it again at 40 mg.

But my doctor stressed that Strattera was slow acting and that a lot of adults got frustrated by that. I didn't want to take stimulants because I was afraid of getting adicted to them and because I didn't like the idea of the feeling of it kicking in and then leaving my system.

Strattera works by increasing the amount of norepinepherine (I have no idea how to spell that) in your brain by causing the brain to be slower in reabsorbing the hormone, so that needs to happen gradually over time.

I dunno if it is going to work (it's been a week) , but I have high hopes. I just wanted to chime in and say that it is SUPPOSED to be slow acting and build up over time, so if that's what you are looking for this might be it. Also, most of those fear mongering things on the Internet are bogus, and that comes from someone who essentially was poisoned by too much Strattera. I still believe that taken at the right amount it's safe.

@mckell13: I've heard that a ton of MD's don't want to diagnose meds right away because it takes a while to sort out reactions to the ADD and determine how ADD is really affecting your life.

That being said, it sounds like your doc didn't take the neurological basis of ADD seriously -- it's not always something that you can get over by yourself.

When I was debating whether or not to go back on the meds, I told a close friend that I wanted to fight myself, that I didn't think I should need outside help.

He said "This is bigger than you. Your doctor gave you meds, you should take them." That phrase, "this is bigger than you" really put it in perspective. It's not something you are supposed to attack on your own necessarily, and so the meds make sense,

Hope this was coherent.

My daughter was on Stratera to help her thru homework and chores. She took a stimulant in the morning before school and then 40mg after school. We never saw any change...was like eating candy for her.

McKell my psychologist tested me for adult ADD. Initially he treated me for depression and a few weeks later, did a letter to my doctor with his recommendation regarding Concerta or Adderall.

I've been on Adderall XR and it is truly the best med. I suggest maybe going to a p-doc. Also see if your psychologist can test you because that is really how I was diagnosed (along with my history).

Dump that MD, how ridiculous...

I'm currently on Concerta but I've taken Straterra before. You need to eat a big breakfast before taking Straterra or you will get the WORST case of nausea. I once made the mistake of not eating before taking it and I was so nauseated I could barely walk.

I'm actually glad that there are doctors out there who are conservative about prescribing stimulants. I'm sorry, I know it's unfair and I understand your frustration but it's necessary for doctors to be cautious because there's too much potential for abuse. When I was in college my friend's roommate pretended to have ADHD so she could get Adderall and she sold her meds for $5.00 a pill. It would go up to $10.00 per pill during exam time at the end of the semester. It made me soooooooooooo mad!

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Graham77 said:
the neurological basis of ADD

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">What is the neurological basis of ADD? What causes it?

My older son was on strattera it worked for three days and stopped working. Wasn't a right fit for him but the three days were very nice and pleasant, unfortunattly its trial and error. Good luck

I was on it for 4 plus years. It worked great for a while, then I had to go up from 60mg to 80mg a few months ago. It still didn't completely control my symptoms 100% so my Dr. wanted me to add a smaller dose in the afternoon when I hit my lull. Each strength cost me $50 as my insurance doesn't like me taking it. $100 a month and still no guarantee of symptom control didn't sound like a good option to me, so I switched to yyvanse 50 mg a week ago. True the vyvanse doesn't last 24 hours like strattera was supposed to but it is less expensive, and my symptoms don't return for over 12 hours which is better than strattera did. I am gradually reducing my dose of strattera over the next 10 days.