Picked up my bottle today, and I'm starting tomorrow. I really hope it works, I'm so tired of being tired! I've only ever taken Focalin, and Adderrall twice recreationally. The Focalin was all over the place for me but I did not have any sort of schedule. One day no food, next day caffeine, next day food and no caffeine, etc. So I wasn't able to tell if it was helpful, I just know on the days that I felt gacked out I did NOT like it.
Curious if anyone would want to share their experiences taking Strattera?
Strattera is pretty polarising.
The best advice for it would be to increase your dose slowly, even if it means going at half the rate that your doctor advises. If possible, get their go-ahead to increase the dose slower than usual.
Expect side effects when you increase your dose. Often they settle down over time.
I'd try to go into it open-minded and without reading up on the side effects too much because of the nocebo effect (the opposite of the placebo effect). If you start feeling side effects and you want to know more about them and how to manage them, definitely go searching at that point but before then try to avoid bringing too many expectations into your experience of it.
Some people love Strattera, some people hate it, some people can't tolerate it. It's a very neat medication and it's unique in how it works but the side effects kill it for a lot of people, unfortunately. It's an absolute game changer for some people though.
Yeah, I took my first dose this morning at 18mg. The first 30 minutes were pretty weird but I seem to have levelled out.
I already read up on a lot of the side effects on reddit lol but trying to keep in mind that it's really life changing for some people with little to no side effects. I just hate the idea of having to stick it out for a month or two to see if I come out on the other side and it's the drug for me or not. But better than nothing, I suppose
Best med I have ever taken for my combination of disorders (ADHD and OCD), it made me feel normal. However, it reduced my sleep time to 3h so I had to stop taking it. As far as sexual side effects go, it caused my ejaculations and orgasms to desync by a few seconds if that makes sense, was kind of funny actually
I read about the ejaculation thing on reddit lol....seems pretty common. I'm sure I'd find it hilarious in the bedroom but the random misfires in public...not so much haha
Sucks that you had to stop! It sounds like it can be really effective but people seem to have soooo many side effects that outweigh the benefits
This probably won’t be helpful. But here’s my experience.
I took it for about 4 months. 40mg daily. In terms of treating ADHD symptoms, it was ok. Kind of like caffeine without the racing heart or thoughts. It made me feel pretty emotionally numb though. Like everything was a little too placid in my head. And it affected how my brain prioritizes things. Like it made me feel calm when I probably should have felt a little bit anxious, like studying for an exam that I bombed or being late on papers. I could study and write papers more effectively, but I just didn’t because I wasn’t that stressed about it.
The worst was the stomach issues. My doctor kept telling me it was normal to have changes in my appetite and eventually it’d go away. It just didn’t really get better. I felt nauseated for hours everyday. I hated how it made my stomach feel. I had no appetite for anything. It sucked.
However, while I was on Straterra I was being treated for other medical/mental health issues. Those other treatments I was undergoing probably changed the Straterra’s effectiveness in some way.
Oof, 4 months is a long time to deal with those side effects! It seems like it's really hit or miss for folks and that there will generally be weeks long side effects for people...which is definitely notttt ideal. Did you ever settle on a medication that works for you? I really struggle with racing thoughts, distractedness, intense fatigue, executive function/motivation primarily so not sure if that's the end if the spectrum you're on
I didn’t have the mental wherewithal to advocate for myself effectively at the time.
I eventually ended up being prescribed Adderall, which I’ve been on for about a decade. At this point it’s sort of an as-needed medication. I feel like it helped me be able to strengthen my executive functioning muscles. It’s not that big deal if I go without it now. Like I don’t really take it in the summer because I’m not working (teacher).
Being able to take ADHD medication as needed would be ideal for me. Seems like Adderall is the most effective for people, but I have to jump through the hoops of trying several others first
I take Strattera, and it works great for me, but only because I also take Wellbutrin.
I really hope it works, I'm so tired of being tired!
This is what I like the most about Strattera, I don't feel drained outside of some small window of time when I'm supposed to try to be productive like I did when I took stimulants. I can focus pretty much whenever I want, though cardio exercise still helps me feel focused, post-workout.
Other than not draining me like stimulants do, Strattera by itself does not make me feel like I have more energy. I take it a few hours before going to bed, it does not keep me awake. Wellbutrin wakes me up during the daytime, for me it functions as a replacement for a stimulant (Strattera helps with focus, Wellbutrin helps with alertness).
When I took Strattera without an antidepressant, I felt a little depressed. It's hard to say if that was because of the Strattera, though, that was over a decade ago.
Hmm interesting. I've never taken wellbutrin but I'm currently on Lamictal. Do you experience any side effects?
I've never taken wellbutrin but I'm currently on Lamictal.
I've never been prescribed Strattera and Lamictal at the same time, Lamictal might prevent feeling depressed while on Strattera as effectively as Wellbutrin does in my case, I'm not sure.
Do you experience any side effects?
For the first year or so, Wellbutrin made me feel a little angry sometimes. It still happens sometimes, but I'm not typically angry, so it's not a big deal for me personally.
Worked great for me, but had completely unacceptable side effects.
This seems to be a lot of what I'm hearing which sucks :/ can I ask how long you were on it for and what symptoms you're trying to treat? I took my first dose this morning, it was weird but I evened out a bit. Now I just feel totally unmotivated lol
