![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1102 to 1126 of 1242. Go back in thread:
Posted by Palbella on December 10, 2003, at 18:43:17
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by lessismore on December 9, 2003, at 22:17:55
I really really wanted to see good results with Strattera. I found this board to see if there was anything positive about the medication because I wasn't sure I had given it enough time to let it do its thing like it's suppose to. Is 3 months long enough? I do believe it should be but maybe i'm wrong. Trust me I want it to work for my son. He started slowly on it and increased it just like his doctor/doctors said but......the emails i get from his teachers say that it is not doing anything so far. Made him more sociable but as far as classwork ..it hasn't helped at all. Worse according to them. The Zoloft has smoothed his irritabilty from Strattera but I did have to decrease the dosage from 80 back to 40 milligrams a day of *S*. I prayed Strattera would be the right med for ADD but i don't see it nor the school and 3 months is plenty of time.I guess it works for some but not all. Yes it is expensive....! Glad to see it helps you. *S*
Posted by Palbella on December 10, 2003, at 18:56:30
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by MamaB on December 10, 2003, at 9:05:13
Well my son tried it in the AM but it's worse as far as the lesser of two evils. At first taking it at night did make him toss and turn as you said. When he took it in the AM, between 1 and 2 hours later is when it hit him.. made him like in a daze in school. The teachers said he just sits up like he's asleep with his eyes wide open. I just recently switched him to night right before bed and i mean right when he jumps in bed so it doesnt give it time to hit him cuz he falls asleep before that 2 hour time factor. He wakes up much better too. I switched the Zoloft to AM to take the edge off of Strattera mood swings... so things are better that way but still Strattera hasn't helped him with focusing and getting things done. He has to see 1 of his doctors this Friday and i guess we'll go from there. I had such hopes for this drug but i just don't see any benefits at all for him on it. He is in therapy as well and i would love nothing better than for him to be drug free...That would be a blessing.. Take Care *S*
Posted by Palbella on December 10, 2003, at 19:03:17
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by squids on December 10, 2003, at 16:57:15
> I took 40mg Strattera for 2 weeks before discontinuing. I felt warmer than usual and sweated all of the time. But that wasn't bad. The stuff made me drowsy during the day, then at night I would wake up every 2 hours or so. Also I was in a really bad irritable mood all of the time. In 2 weeks these effects had not gone away and it was intolerable taking Strattera any more. I quit that and am taking Provigil and Wellbutrin - with small but definite improvements on my ADD (inattentive type).
That is exactly how it affects him..fortunatly the Zoloft helps with the irritability We started out taking my son off of Adderall because of mood swings and were only working on his ADD for school then the doctors after therapy said he suffered with depression too. I don't know what we will do to help with the ADD situation but that is still a big problem. Good Luck yourself *S*
Posted by Mid-Life Crisis on December 11, 2003, at 0:25:06
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by Palbella on December 10, 2003, at 19:03:17
I keep reading here about primarily bad experiences with Strattera, and my 15 yr. old son is also one who it hasn't helped, possibly because his pediatrician wouldn't allow him to be on more than 60 mg. daily. However, I guess he should've noticed some improvement by now anyway, after 2 months of 60 mg. So it's back to Dexadrine for him, I guess.
However...I've been on Strattera (now 75 mg. per day) for nearly 3 months, and somewhere around 6-8 weeks I stopped having the sleepiness and sweats from it and could finally stop taking it at night instead of in the a.m. Now I take it several times (25 mg. each) throughout the day and it allows me to get away from the roller-coaster caused by Adderall, ritalin, Concerta, in other words, all the stimulants. In addition, it does not increase my anxiety like they do, and best of all, I can now go through a whole day without alternating between states of being hyper and then a few hours later, comatose. I now have a "middle" (normal) state of consciousness, and can function the whole day without "crashing". This allows me to maintain my focus and attention level throughout the day. I hope I never have to be without Strattera, it is a huge help. So, I would definitely recommend a trial of it for at least 2 months, if you can stand it, before deciding that it doesn't work. It may end up being the most helpful drug you've ever taken, but also the longest to "kick in".
Posted by squids on December 11, 2003, at 14:19:55
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by Palbella on December 10, 2003, at 19:03:17
> That is exactly how it affects him..fortunatly the Zoloft helps with the irritability We started out taking my son off of Adderall because of mood swings and were only working on his ADD for school then the doctors after therapy said he suffered with depression too. I don't know what we will do to help with the ADD situation but that is still a big problem. Good Luck yourself *S*
>I should have mentioned that I had been on zoloft for depression prior to adding the strattera. Zoloft worked OK for depression, my mood was better; but it didn't do anything noticable for ADD. As soon as strattera was added I was irritable and in a bad mood all of the time. 2 weeks was all I could endure before stopping - and even then it took another week before I got out of those moods. If the stratter did anything for my ADD (I didn't notice anything), the disrupted sleep and irritability offset any positive effects.
My pdoc has a pretty low opinion of strattera for adult add. He thinks it's OK for children (I don't know what the cutoff age is) but apparently none of his adult patients, including me, has had any success with it. Individual biological factors are different for everyone, so it was worth a try at any rate.
Best of luck.
Posted by Viridis on December 11, 2003, at 22:59:16
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by squids on December 11, 2003, at 14:19:55
I was pretty enthusiastic about Strattera for a while there -- I titrated up fairly slowly, had a few minor side effects at first (mild nausea etc.), but it improved my mood and concentration almost immediately. The annoying thing is that once I'd been on 80 mg/day for a few months, it just seemed to stop doing anything, except raise my blood pressure in a predictable way (my resting blood pressure is usually normal, but consistently went up substantially after each dose of Strattera). It also seemed to cause some weird new cognitive side effects at the full dose, especially if I was sleep-deprived.
So, I stopped it. I had no problems with sudden discontinuation (I was on it for about 6 months), and the blood pressure and other issues resolved within a few days.
It seems like a drug with promise for some people, and I can't say I had a particularly bad time with it. I do recommend increasing the dose in steps of 25 mg or so every couple of weeks or so to minimize side effects. I am a bit disappointed, though.
Posted by Mimi on December 13, 2003, at 16:59:42
In reply to Strange Strattera side-effects, posted by DaveInSATx on December 8, 2003, at 16:39:30
> I have been taking Stratera for my ADD for about 6 days. The doctor started me off on 40mG starter pack, and now I'm up to 60mG. Since taking Strattera, I have had strange things happen. Since take the 60's, I have been extremely fatigued around noon. I take it around 9 AM, and after reading some of the other posts, I realize I should probably take it in the evening. One of the side effects that really bothers me, is the chills, and like today, suddenly becoming hot and sweating. I didn't really notice the hot spells until today while I was shopping, I noticed I was getting really hot, and my forehead was beginning to sweat. I got in my car, turn the A/C on high, and it slowly cooled me down, then I got the chills again. Another thing, this started when I began taking the 60's, when it gets dark and I start winding down and watching TV/reading, I notice my feet and toes get extremely cold. I put them on a heat pad and it doesn't seem to help. I never had problems like this before the Strattera. Does anyone else get these symptoms? Will they go away? Should i contact my doctor?
>
> Someone please let me know...-Dave
Strattera at 25mg. works wonderfully for me. When the dose was upped to 50mg/day I became very very ill and stopped it all together which caused a near lethal reaction.That being said, I've been on 25mg./day for two months and my life is going along exceptionally well.
Mimi
Posted by DaveInSATx on December 16, 2003, at 11:08:18
In reply to Re: Strange Strattera side-effects » DaveInSATx, posted by Mimi on December 13, 2003, at 16:59:42
Well, I've officially been on Strattera for 2 full weeks. Since taking it at night, it has cut down on the hot flashes/chills side effect, but there is one thing that really bothers me. I have no gotten a good nights sleep since! I'll go to sleep, and less than 30 minutes later, I'll be wide awake, as if I'd never gone to bed. Or, after about 4 hours of sleep, I will wake up and be wide awake, not able to go back to sleep. Anyone else have this problem?
Dave..or maybe I should now be Sleepless in San Antonio? ;-)
Posted by riddlemethis on December 17, 2003, at 19:57:24
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by Jim Boardman on January 10, 2003, at 14:33:23
Hey! I started taking Strattera 4 days ago. So far I haven't experienced any terrible side effects. I've been a bit dizzy, but that's not unusual for me. I'm so used to being spaced out and "not there" mentally that, if this is a side effect, it really isn't a bother to me.
As far as positive results, I think it's too soon to tell for sure. The initial reason I began taking it is for my "brain fog" that is caused by my ADD. My doctor said this might help. Here's hoping!
One thing I did notice, though, is that I've been having very vivid/unusual dreams early in the morning. Does anyone know if that's a common side effect?
Posted by Atlas27 on December 21, 2003, at 13:02:09
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by riddlemethis on December 17, 2003, at 19:57:24
I've been convinced that I had ADD since my two sons were both diagnosed many years ago. I finally got the courage to try it, but had to convince my doc to prescribe it. He wasn't familiar with it, and after researching it started me on a 60 mg dose. After reading the postings here, that sounds really high to start with. I'm 6'2", and weigh 190 lbs, and 49 yrs. old. Is the dosage based on size or need? I'm only on my second day, so I haven't felt any impact yet, good or bad. Should I find a new doc, get a lower dose? What do you think?
Posted by DaveInSATx on December 21, 2003, at 13:12:38
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by Atlas27 on December 21, 2003, at 13:02:09
Atlas,
I started on 40 MG, and after 4 days went to 60 Mg. I myself and 5'11, 210. Is it too high of a dose? Not sure. But, I did start to notice the side-effects when I started taking the 60's, so it has me wondering. Let us know if you have any side-effects. The ones I noticed first were the hot flashes/cold feet thing. Hopefully, that won't happen to you :-)
Dave
Posted by MamaB on December 21, 2003, at 13:37:22
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by Atlas27 on December 21, 2003, at 13:02:09
Hmmm...
I am a 5'8" female and weigh 138lbs. The first time I started Strattera at 80mgm all at once. Whoa, did I get side effects! (sweating, chilling, vaginal bleeding, throat like the Sahara Desert)
I stopped and about a month later the doc had me try it again -- 40 mgm. for a week then going to 80 in a divided dose. I have been on it for almost four months and the side effects are pretty much gone. MamaB
> I've been convinced that I had ADD since my two sons were both diagnosed many years ago. I finally got the courage to try it, but had to convince my doc to prescribe it. He wasn't familiar with it, and after researching it started me on a 60 mg dose. After reading the postings here, that sounds really high to start with. I'm 6'2", and weigh 190 lbs, and 49 yrs. old. Is the dosage based on size or need? I'm only on my second day, so I haven't felt any impact yet, good or bad. Should I find a new doc, get a lower dose? What do you think?
Posted by Palbella on December 21, 2003, at 19:31:45
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by MamaB on December 21, 2003, at 13:37:22
>
> Hmmm...
> I am a 5'8" female and weigh 138lbs. The first time I started Strattera at 80mgm all at once. Whoa, did I get side effects! (sweating, chilling, vaginal bleeding, throat like the Sahara Desert)
> I stopped and about a month later the doc had me try it again -- 40 mgm. for a week then going to 80 in a divided dose. I have been on it for almost four months and the side effects are pretty much gone. MamaB
>
>
>
>
> > I've been convinced that I had ADD since my two sons were both diagnosed many years ago. I finally got the courage to try it, but had to convince my doc to prescribe it. He wasn't familiar with it, and after researching it started me on a 60 mg dose. After reading the postings here, that sounds really high to start with. I'm 6'2", and weigh 190 lbs, and 49 yrs. old. Is the dosage based on size or need? I'm only on my second day, so I haven't felt any impact yet, good or bad. Should I find a new doc, get a lower dose? What do you think?
>
>
They prescribe on weight but you are to start slowly and not the full dose all at once. Slowly and work up to the dose according to your weight. Good Luck *S*
Posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
In reply to Re: Straterra approval. » MamaB, posted by Palbella on December 21, 2003, at 19:31:45
Hello,
I was wondering how all the Inattentive
ADDers (meaning main symptoms are tiredness, brain fog, really bad concentration, maybe social shyness and inhibition) have done on Strattera. So far on this thread I have not read anything specifically about how well the strattera works for Inattentives. Sometimes I get really frustrated at how much attention the people with the hyperactive component get in the literature and books while inattentives are barely mentioned. My intuition is that Inattentives as apose to Hyperactives would have a big differences in their reactions to the strattera compared to the differences that are seen with traditional stimulants. I say this because strattera works almost exclusivly on Nuero-epinephrine (spelling ?) as apposed ritalin working on both dopamine and neuroepinephrine. So I am guessing that one ADD type or the other needs neuroepinephrine more than dopamine. Am I right or am I just dreaming this all up?Anyway I was on ritalin for about 2 years before I started getting tolerant of it. Now it barely works no matter what dosage I am on. Did this happen to anyone else? In the beginning it was really a miracle drug for me, not anymore so I am looking into strattera. What I really want to know is what are the cognitive effects of the strat ie focus, concentration how do they compare with stims? Also did strattera help anyone overcome shyness or social inhibitions.
Any shared experiences would be great especially
from inattentives!
Posted by Atlas27 on December 23, 2003, at 23:59:52
In reply to Re: Straterra approval. » MamaB, posted by Palbella on December 21, 2003, at 19:31:45
Thanks for the feedback. Happy to say that four days into this med and I'm doing OK. I felt a little better from day one, but now it's really kicking in. The funniest part is this cold feet thing. I thought people were kidding, but I've got it big time, especially at night in bed. Even my wife was complaining. My doc prescribed 60 mg. now, once a day, then moving up to 120 mg. after a week. With the results I'm seeing now, I think I'll stay at one pill/day. Are most people here on two pills/day? Maybe I should still get my doc to prescribe a lower dose, but take it twice/day. What do you think?
Posted by Atlas27 on December 24, 2003, at 0:04:54
In reply to Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
You've described my problem to a "T". I'm not hyperactive, though I have often been called fidgety. Sometimes I have to get up after sitting for a while, too. I'm shy and easily distracted. Those traits are viewed as antisocial by some. I'm hoping the Strattera will help me concentrate more at work as I have a very detailed job. More than that, though, I'm taking it because I'm hoping it will help me get thru a conversation without looking away or drifting off the topic all the time. It's supposed to help, and already has a little bit after just four days. Stay tuned and I'll let you know what progress I make over time.
Posted by MamaB on December 24, 2003, at 7:10:11
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by Atlas27 on December 23, 2003, at 23:59:52
Atlas,
The lower dose twice a day is what works for me --I'd say give it a try. And the hot/cold thing should dissappear after a week or two, hang in there.> Thanks for the feedback. Happy to say that four days into this med and I'm doing OK. I felt a little better from day one, but now it's really kicking in. The funniest part is this cold feet thing. I thought people were kidding, but I've got it big time, especially at night in bed. Even my wife was complaining. My doc prescribed 60 mg. now, once a day, then moving up to 120 mg. after a week. With the results I'm seeing now, I think I'll stay at one pill/day. Are most people here on two pills/day? Maybe I should still get my doc to prescribe a lower dose, but take it twice/day. What do you think?
Posted by Mimi on December 24, 2003, at 8:47:54
In reply to Re: Straterra approval., posted by Atlas27 on December 23, 2003, at 23:59:52
>Hi,
I'm interjecting here, but just want to say I take 25mg. of Strattera once a day in the morning. This works wonders for me. I tried a higher dose but it was too much.Mimi
Thanks for the feedback. Happy to say that four days into this med and I'm doing OK. I felt a little better from day one, but now it's really kicking in. The funniest part is this cold feet thing. I thought people were kidding, but I've got it big time, especially at night in bed. Even my wife was complaining. My doc prescribed 60 mg. now, once a day, then moving up to 120 mg. after a week. With the results I'm seeing now, I think I'll stay at one pill/day. Are most people here on two pills/day? Maybe I should still get my doc to prescribe a lower dose, but take it twice/day. What do you think?
Posted by polarber on December 27, 2003, at 13:14:51
In reply to Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
Hello,
I am responding to the inattentive-type writer, because I am too. I agree with you, frustration over no distinctions being made in the literature. I do not understand all of the pharmacology of the differences. But I do know that I have tried every drug possible for ADD, and Ritalin was the only thing that worked for me until it began to loose its effectiveness, and then the negative side effects became more troublesome and began to outweigh the benefits. I never had the shyness, but the spaceyness earned me a few nicknames. Ritalin was the only way I could accomplish my goals and graduate in the top of my law school class. But after 7 years of taking ritalin I made a major life move, and it began to give me anxiety and made me irritable and emotional, lost its effectiveness, I had to increase my dosages, with no positive results.I have been on Straterra for a week now, and my dr was unable to give me any info, hence why I am looking on line. In the last week I have been so much happier and relaxed. It has helped me focus, but the results are much "softer" than the ritalin. I seem to go in waves, feeling focused then tired, and a few times each day I have had a "space out" moment where I catch myself staring into nothing. Someone said that the medication works by getting in sync with your biorythyms...I don't know about that but I definitely have different energy levels throughout the day. Also, I have had wild and repetitive dreams. Its as if my brain is awake and more alert. I am able to get things finished, but unfortunately, it does not give me the sustained focus that ritalin always did.
Good luck.
Posted by Dreaman on December 28, 2003, at 20:59:43
In reply to Re: Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by polarber on December 27, 2003, at 13:14:51
I was just wondering how much Strattera you are on. I have been on only 10mg of strattera for about 5 days now and so far I have really noticed a big improvement not so much on my focus, but on my sleep wake cycle. I used to sleep excessibly, almost 12-13 hours a day with naps and still feel totally tired throughout the day. Now I can finally wake up after a more normal 7-9 hours and feel refreshed and totally awake after only a half an hour. So far I have only felt slight improvements in my concentration level, but I think that might take a while to really kick in. But Strattera is definitely doing somethings that Ritalin never did for me. So far it has Lessened my anxiety, and depression that I've had for the past 2 years. It also totally unexpectedly helped with my heart palpitations that even when off ritalin occured. I can't really figure that one out. I havent had any bad sideffects so far.
I think whoever told you about Strattera effecting the Daily Biorythms might have been pretty accurate, at least in my case.Any way you say you were on all the ADD drugs, what about Wellbutrin or Provigil. What was your experience with those if you were on any of them.
Posted by LightShifter on December 28, 2003, at 22:10:09
In reply to Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
I am an Inattentive type ADDer and have found low doses of Strattera (20 mg. once a day in AM) to work well with reducing anxiety, and providing a more positive social bias which helps social anxiety.
If you look up reboxetine or endronax, you will find this norepinephrine (noradrenalin) reupdake inhibitor (which is what Strattera is) has been used effectively for depression and anxiety in Europe for years. Go to www.Reboxetine.com and click on reboxetine for more info.
I find I get jittery on Ritalin and I also hate the "crash" when the drug starts to wear off. Has anyone found dexedrine to be any less anxiety producing? I've been considering adding just a small amount to add just a bit more "enthusiasm" to Strattera though I do find Strattera does help some for this as well.
...Dan
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering how all the Inattentive
> ADDers (meaning main symptoms are tiredness, brain fog, really bad concentration, maybe social shyness and inhibition) have done on Strattera. So far on this thread I have not read anything specifically about how well the strattera works for Inattentives. Sometimes I get really frustrated at how much attention the people with the hyperactive component get in the literature and books while inattentives are barely mentioned. My intuition is that Inattentives as apose to Hyperactives would have a big differences in their reactions to the strattera compared to the differences that are seen with traditional stimulants. I say this because strattera works almost exclusivly on Nuero-epinephrine (spelling ?) as apposed ritalin working on both dopamine and neuroepinephrine. So I am guessing that one ADD type or the other needs neuroepinephrine more than dopamine. Am I right or am I just dreaming this all up?
>
> Anyway I was on ritalin for about 2 years before I started getting tolerant of it. Now it barely works no matter what dosage I am on. Did this happen to anyone else? In the beginning it was really a miracle drug for me, not anymore so I am looking into strattera. What I really want to know is what are the cognitive effects of the strat ie focus, concentration how do they compare with stims? Also did strattera help anyone overcome shyness or social inhibitions.
>
> Any shared experiences would be great especially
> from inattentives!
>
Posted by Siraris on December 29, 2003, at 4:28:18
In reply to Re: Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by LightShifter on December 28, 2003, at 22:10:09
I tried taking Strattera right around when it was approved, and I honestly don't remember the effects, but I know it didn't work since I'm not on it. I definitely have found lately that my concentration is going to hell and I need an ADD drug again. I am DEFINITELY the inattentive ADD type... I get very tired during the day sometimes, I have a terrible time waking up in the morning and not feeling refreshed and concentration is real bad... I think it's causing me memory and learning problems.
I used to take ritilan and it worked at times, but caused me anxiety and to hyper-focus in how my body was working... same with adderall and concerta.
I found out 2 sessions ago (after starting to see my p-doc again) that strattera, in it's initial release, the doseage given by Lilly was wrong... as I've noticed in this thread, the one person who started with Strattera at 10 mg noticed great results, and this is the same thing my p-doc said 2 sessions ago. He said you need to start out with 10 mg a time, and find the right dose, and it could take up to 8 weeks to fully start working.
I am very excited to get back on this drug. Everyone seems to be saying how great it is, and how it helps with anxiety and depression. I think it is VERY important to point out that ANXIETY AND CONCENTRATION ARE ALMOST ONE IN THE SAME! Not many people realize this, but they go hand in hand. I just would like to get my concentration back, because it is definitely getting in the way of me storing information in short term/long term and recalling as well.
Keep up the reports!
Posted by Mid-Life Crisis on December 29, 2003, at 17:10:09
In reply to Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering how all the Inattentive
> ADDers (meaning main symptoms are tiredness, brain fog, really bad concentration, maybe social shyness and inhibition) have done on Strattera. So far on this thread I have not read anything specifically about how well the strattera works for Inattentives. Sometimes I get really frustrated at how much attention the people with the hyperactive component get in the literature and books while inattentives are barely mentioned. My intuition is that Inattentives as apose to Hyperactives would have a big differences in their reactions to the strattera compared to the differences that are seen with traditional stimulants. I say this because strattera works almost exclusivly on Nuero-epinephrine (spelling ?) as apposed ritalin working on both dopamine and neuroepinephrine. So I am guessing that one ADD type or the other needs neuroepinephrine more than dopamine. Am I right or am I just dreaming this all up?
>
> Anyway I was on ritalin for about 2 years before I started getting tolerant of it. Now it barely works no matter what dosage I am on. Did this happen to anyone else? In the beginning it was really a miracle drug for me, not anymore so I am looking into strattera. What I really want to know is what are the cognitive effects of the strat ie focus, concentration how do they compare with stims? Also did strattera help anyone overcome shyness or social inhibitions.
>
> Any shared experiences would be great especially
> from inattentives!
>
Dear Dreaman,
Most people who have ADD/ADHD have the combined type, that is BOTH inattentive and hyperactive, but at different times. I have both, and Strattera helps me with concentration and alertness, and mostly, allows me to make it through the day without being tired and spaced out. I'm 52 years old, and until Strattera, there was no remedy for me for this, though coffee helped.
My son is combined type, also, but, at 15, is much more physically hyperactive than I am. Strattera didn't seem to help him, though the highest he got was on 60 mg. His current ARNP does not believe Strattera helps with grades, so she has him on Lexapro, 10 mg. and Adderall XR, despite his angry mood when on it previously. (She believes the Lexapro will prevent him from becoming angry on the Adderall.) We'll see...
I remain a fan of Strattera, however. Hopefully it will help your inattentive symptoms as it does mine. I don't believe it is enough for those who are truly just hyperactive without any inattention (a very tiny minority, if there are any really like that!)
Posted by Dreaman on January 2, 2004, at 13:48:31
In reply to Straterra approval., posted by scoper on December 28, 2002, at 2:19:34
I was just wondering about how in previous posts people were saying to wait for about 6 weeks to evaluate how Strattera is working. Is the the 6th week when all the side effects go away or when the Strattera starts to increase its effectiveness, ie focus and concentration.
I barely have any bothersome side effects. The two I have noticed are dry skin and really dilated pupils. Friend have noticed the dilated pupils and thought I was on some kind of crazy drug. My eyes almost look totally black now! I thought this side effect would probably be pretty common because of neuroepinephrines effects on the sympathetic nervous system but havent heard anyone talk about it.
Back to the 6th week mark, so what happens? Side effects go away? increased effectiveness? or sideeffects go away so you can increase to an effective dose? I am at 20mg and was wondering wether to go up or just wait 6 weeks to see what happens.Any advice would be appreciated.
Posted by Palbella on January 2, 2004, at 14:38:58
In reply to Re: Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Mid-Life Crisis on December 29, 2003, at 17:10:09
> > Hello,
> >
> > I was wondering how all the Inattentive
> > ADDers (meaning main symptoms are tiredness, brain fog, really bad concentration, maybe social shyness and inhibition) have done on Strattera. So far on this thread I have not read anything specifically about how well the strattera works for Inattentives. Sometimes I get really frustrated at how much attention the people with the hyperactive component get in the literature and books while inattentives are barely mentioned. My intuition is that Inattentives as apose to Hyperactives would have a big differences in their reactions to the strattera compared to the differences that are seen with traditional stimulants. I say this because strattera works almost exclusivly on Nuero-epinephrine (spelling ?) as apposed ritalin working on both dopamine and neuroepinephrine. So I am guessing that one ADD type or the other needs neuroepinephrine more than dopamine. Am I right or am I just dreaming this all up?
> >
> > Anyway I was on ritalin for about 2 years before I started getting tolerant of it. Now it barely works no matter what dosage I am on. Did this happen to anyone else? In the beginning it was really a miracle drug for me, not anymore so I am looking into strattera. What I really want to know is what are the cognitive effects of the strat ie focus, concentration how do they compare with stims? Also did strattera help anyone overcome shyness or social inhibitions.
> >
> > Any shared experiences would be great especially
> > from inattentives!
> >
>
>
> Dear Dreaman,
> Most people who have ADD/ADHD have the combined type, that is BOTH inattentive and hyperactive, but at different times. I have both, and Strattera helps me with concentration and alertness, and mostly, allows me to make it through the day without being tired and spaced out. I'm 52 years old, and until Strattera, there was no remedy for me for this, though coffee helped.
> My son is combined type, also, but, at 15, is much more physically hyperactive than I am. Strattera didn't seem to help him, though the highest he got was on 60 mg. His current ARNP does not believe Strattera helps with grades, so she has him on Lexapro, 10 mg. and Adderall XR, despite his angry mood when on it previously. (She believes the Lexapro will prevent him from becoming angry on the Adderall.) We'll see...
> I remain a fan of Strattera, however. Hopefully it will help your inattentive symptoms as it does mine. I don't believe it is enough for those who are truly just hyperactive without any inattention (a very tiny minority, if there are any really like that!)
>My son was on Strattera for 3 full months without any positive benefits. They started him slowly, increased him to 80 milligrams which would be the dosage he would have taken except for the problem of the angry mood swings started again ,just like the Adderall made him become. That's the whole reason i took him to PDoc. He was placed on Zoloft for his depression which has worked wonders for him but i just took him off of Strattera. It did nothing for him so here we go back to trying a different drug.Ritalin Time released this time. He is the inattentive type of ADD. I think from my experience with my son and the drugs we have tried....inattentive need the stimulent and the hyper should do well on Strattera. I wish my son had the results i was hopeful for but that was not the case. Good Luck to all those who have recently started on this drug. We gave it a shot and tried it for 3 months which 6 to 8 weeks is the time frame to see whether it works for you or not. Happy New Year to All !
Go forward in thread:
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.