How does Strattera Work?
ByI have recently started posting to this blog. I have really appreciated the great response to it, and I am watching the comments to find questions which may be worth answering on the blog. As my subscribers know, I have a database of thousands of questions on ADHD, and I will use these as well to draw for content. To become a subscriber, please go to: The ADHD Doctor.
Tim wrote a comment the other day with a question: “I’ve recently started taking Strattera (2 weeks ago). Would you please comment on its effectiveness, how long it may take (should I already be noticing a difference if it is right for me?), why its not prescribed for kids (or is it or when it might be acceptable to use it if it is effective), and what I should be looking for in regards to figuring out whether or not it’s working?”
Let’s answer this one.
Strattera is the first non-stimulant medication which has come out for ADHD. It is FDA (and Health Canada – for us Canadians 
) approved for the treatment of ADHD from the age of 6 years old and up. It is approved for Childhood ADHD, Adolescent ADHD as well as Adult ADHD. As a Psychiatrist who deals predominantly with children and teens, I occassionally like to smile at the idea of there being ‘Geriatric ADHD’. While I cannot comment on that at length, I am aware of adults who have started Strattera in their sixties with good effect.
Stratter’s other name is: Atomoxetine.
How does Strattera work?
Strattera selectively blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine (or noradrenaline) in the brain. This, in and of itself, can increase the ability to pay attention and improve hyperactivity. The interesting thing is that Strattera gradually has a downstream effect on the dopamine in the brain, specifically in the frontal lobe. Now, I am throwing around a lot of medical terms very quickly here. Allow me to explain:
The frontal lobe is the ‘command center’ of the brain. This is the area that new brain imaging studies show is most affected in individuals with ADHD. This command center allows people to use their ‘executive functions’, which are the thinking skills which allow for: sustained concentration, impulse control, delayed gratification, etc.
Norepinephrine and Dopamine are called ‘neurotransmitters’. These are little brain chemicals which jump from one nerve cell to the next in the brain to carry a message through the brain.
In individuals with ADHD, research shows that they have ‘underactivity’ of the dopamine and norepinephrine in the frontal lobes.
ADHD medication generally increases the activity of the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine in the frontal lobe, and in so doing, they increase the attention, and decrease hyperactivity and impulsivity (i.e. they increase these ‘executive functions’.
So, coming back to Strattera.
Strattera brought some very unique features to ADHD treatment which were not there prior to its release.
The benefits of strattera include:
- 24 hour symptom control – although it takes the medication about 3-4 weeks to ‘kick in’, when it does, it works 24 hours per day, contrary to the stimulants which work up to 12 hours per day
- No abuse potential at all: because there is no increase of dopamine in the part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, Strattera cannot be abused to provide any pleasure
- No increase in tics: because Strattera doesn’t increase dopamine in the part of the brain called the striatum, there is no increase in motor or vocal tics with its use. So, for people with ADHD and Tourette’s, this is likely the best ADHD medication
- Good for ADHD + Depression or ADHD + Anxiety: A recent study showed that Strattera helped depression and anxiety (when they were present in combination with ADHD) and the ADHD. This can often mean that someone could take one medication for their condition – i.e. Strattera, instead of needing to take two medications – i.e. one for ADHD and one for the anxiety or depression
- May help for nocturnal enuresis: Strattera causes some ‘urinary retention’. This means that for some children who wet themselves at night, this medicine may lead to more dry nights. This is not a main treatment use for strattera, but it can be a side benefit
- May not cause ‘personality changes’: Some of my teenage patients complain that their stimulant medicine helps their concentration, but may take away their personality, or spontaneity. Strattera is a good option for this, as it does not clinically appear to cause these results
Strattera works for approximately 75% of people who take it. There are some data which suggest that if one takes it after having had treatment with a stimulant, that this may yield a slightly lower response rate. Why is this? It is my clinical impression that this does not relate to the fact that the stimulant has ‘changed the brain’, but rather the fact that as in many conditions in medicine, if something doesn’t respond completely to the first treatment used, it is much less likely to respond to the second treatment – i.e. it is ‘harder to treat’.
How can you tell if strattera is working?
Generally, one should notice an improvement in concentration, and a decrease in hyperactivity and impulsivity. The benefits should generally last for 24 hours -and be more ‘steady’ than they are with the stimulant medicines. As mentioned above, it takes about 3-4 weeks for Strattera to start working, so one needs a little patience.
The long acting nature of strattera means that the benefits of the medication last into the evening – meaning that if a teen has homework or a project to be done, they can still have the benefits of the medication to help them late at night.
Also, there are a lot of data that people with ADHD have many more troubles driving – increased tickets, motor vehicle accidents, etc. So, if a teen (or adult) is going to drive home late at night after a party -it is better if their ADHD medication is still working in their system.
The last part of your question, Tim, was why this medicine isn’t prescribed for kids. The answer is (as I am sure that you have gathered by now) that it is used for kids too.
There are some safety issues with Strattera, and these will be addressed in an upcoming blog post.
Thanks for the great question Tim, and I encourage other readers of the blog to comment on this or any other post. Please remember, that I cannot comment on every question, or every post, but I will try.
Hi ~ I am kind of a “newbee”. My very first experiance with any typeof antidepressant was after my mother died 11 years ago. I was put on Celexa, changed my life, I quit smoking and was a happy person. Was taken off for a while and was doing great then Sept 11 th happened, back on something, I believe Wellbutrin. For a while I started to clench my teeth and muscles ( not realizing that I was doing this )ALL night and oftn during the days, WHAT IS THIS ????
Recently I tried something else to get me going etc…etc… I had adderall . WOW you couldnt piss me off if you tried..LOL. I was such a ” YES ” person until it wore off, so we tried Vyvanse.. AWESOME ! The ONLY issue I had was TERRIBLE gas. I couldnt even go out. Is this normal? I would throw away all antidepressants and just take this IF the gas wasnt so bad. HELP : )
Our 7 year old son has been on Strattera now for almost 2 weeks. The decision to try medication was heart wrenching for my husband and myself. We both have ADHD on both sides of our families and also, have many symptoms of ADHD ourselves. My husband is a successful attorney and I am a psychologist. We tried increasing structure at home and at school, b-mod token economy systems, vitamin supplements, etc with partial success. My son, however, was feeling lost at school and extremely frustrated. He is a bright and creative little guy with a cheeky sense of humor that we adore; unfortunately, he is a square peg forced into a round hole through the school system. I couldn’t be happier with his school and teacher, though. Very loving and dedicated to helping him (and NON pathologizing which I so value!). The bottom line, though is his teacher said, “look, he focuses about 10% of the day in class. The rest of the time he is daydreaming and then gets so frustrated and has a melt down because he didn’t hear the instructions. He’s not learning because he can’t focus.” After a tearful talk with my husband and a long history of being called to leave work to get my son at school for impulsive “melt downs”, we decided to try medication. My pediatrician was great. She too, has a son with ADHD and describes herself as someone with ADHD and said to me, “Look, don’t loose sight that these kids are the creative, passionate ones who think outside the box. We just need to get them through school and keep their self esteem in tact, and they’ll be fine.” I had never heard of Strattera before and was thinking Ritalin or Adderall would be a good first trial medication based on what Daniel Amen recommends in his 6 subtypes of ADHD….My son’s doctor didn’t discount me, but encouraged a first trial of Strattera and then revisiting his progress in 2-4 weeks with an open attitude to change meds if need be. I have to say, we are all so thankful and grateful for the positive impact the Strattera has made for our son. At first it was difficult to get him to take the medication (we had to break the capsule and put the powder in a spoon of jam since he can’t swallow pills yet). After a few days, his teacher noticed improvement at school and we noticed a happier mood at home…and for the first time ever, homework was NOT a battle that lasted 2 hours but rather 20 minutes with no fussiness or melt downs…This means the world to us….and not only that, my son said, “you know, I used to have bad days all the time, but since the powder (strattera), I’m having good days, every day!” he still has melt downs due to what I like to call his “cognitive inflexibility”; others call this defiance or opposition…but these episodes are brief and HE comes to us to say that he was sorry and can now tell us how he would handle future probems differently. We haven’t seen too many side effects. He does take a nap around 5-6 pm which is new for him but he sleeps soundly through the night (9pm – 7 am). His appetite is about the same. The one area that the strattera did not impact dramatically was his hand writing which alot of the stimulant meds. do help from what I have heard/seen at work…but a small price to pay. We are really happy and grateful to all of those who have helped us travel this bumpy and tear filled road at times…but what never fades is our devotion and adoration to our son whom we think the world of…We also got him a few books for children to understand ADHD which have been great….I wish you all the best and hope that the right treatments come your way, whatever they may be…and my favorite parting line is this: “ADHD is not caused by bad parenting!” We love our kids and we love their frontal lobes even if they are wired a little bit differently than most peoples
After nearly 10 years of successful experience with Concerta, and given that I have been having recent problems with headaches and side effects (Glaucoma) I would have liked to change to Aderall RX, as an alternative suggested by Dr. Handelman in response to an earlier query.
Unfortunately, according to my doctor, here in the Philippines only two medicines are available to treat ADHD: Concerta and Strattera.
I may still try Aderall RX later in the year. I travel often and might be able to get it either in the US or in Spain.
However, I have always shied away from Strattera, but may be my best option right now. I very much appreciate the excellent description of Strattera given by Dr. Handelman in response to Tim’s question.
I have one lingering doubt. One thing I have noticed with Concerta, which is seldom spoken of, but is very real, is that (at least for me) it acts as an anti-depressant. Before Concerta I was depressed all the time. Concerta changed the way I feel about life and even my level of energy. This effect has been and still is very important for me.
Can I expect to get the same effect from Strattera?
Francisco
Francisco – Some people can get antidepressant effects from Strattera – but it is not a proven effect from the medicine (which is the same situation for Concerta). Probably you’d just have to try.
Dr. Kenny
Thanks, Dr. Handelman, I appreciate your swift and always informative response.
Francisco
Does it always take several weeks for stattera to start working, or can it start helping the first week? My 11 year old daughter is trying strattera because two diferent stimulants caused her to have a “flat” personality. Thankyou
Mary – In my experience, there are some rare times that it may start helping sooner, but you have to give it a full several weeks (at least 4-6) to see if it will work.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Hi Dr. Kenny Handelman, I am a 22 year old male and in the past abused drugs and because of it now on a Drug Court program in the state of NJ that I must with stain from all drugs. That is not a problem anymore for me. I now see myself as a motivated drug free person. But as of right now ever since i stopped using any drug (3 years ago) there has just been something a matter with me I couldn’t figure out, it has been like there’s a motor in my head. Until recently tonight I randomly looked up symptoms of ADHD and at this point whole heartitly believe i am suffering from it. So I spent tonight looking into all the medications and came across the big ones like Adderall Ritalin Concerta and Strattera. Strattera is the only one so far that I came across to not find anything about it showing in a drug screen which is what I’m pretty sure i need due to the Drug Court situation. Now do you think Strattera is a good ADHD medication to start with? I am hesitant due to the others seem to be alot more popular. And also I am wondering if you know anything about the others that if I was prescribed would it be illegal for a court to tell me i can not take it? Because if it wasn’t for the Drug Court I think i would be a lot more confident trying out Concerta which I have heard good things about through my research so far. As I hope you can understand that after reading and comparing myself with the symptoms to ADHD i am now so excited that I found out there is actually a cure to these symptoms that I have been going through for a long time now. I appreciate your time help!
Samuel,
Strattera is certainly an option. Taking a long acting stimulant – exactly as prescribed, should be OK with the court mandated drug screens. That said – it would be best to check with your worker there to know what the standard is – i.e. do you need a letter, or something else to be allowed to take it?
Though you should be allowed to take it.
Good luck – getting diagnosed as an adult can make a big difference in your life!
Dr. Kenny
Thank you i guess the only way to find out is ask though it is just a little embarrassing to me. Hopefully will be well worth it though. Appreciate your blog.
is strattera an antidepressant for mild adhd
Darrius,
No, Strattera is not an antidepressant. It doesn’t work well as an antidepressant. It is an ADHD treatment.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
is strattera for mild adhd
Darius,
Some doctors view it that way – but it can be helpful for any kind of ADHD.
Dr. Kenny
Hi Dr. H. This is such a wonderful forum, thank you for providing this much needed support! My question is can Strattera and Pristiq be combined?
Thanks so much!
Susan
I’m sorry, I have little experience or knowledge of Pristiq, so I can’t say.
My son has been on Straterra 40mg for around 4weeks now as well as taking Concerta 54mg. He is 12 and we feel he dosent really benefit at the moment doc says give him another 2/3 weeks but were at our wits end.
He’s been on meds for iver 15 months now it took me 9 years to get him a diagnosis he has ADHD Tourettes and Tics.
His worst times are mornings and evenings. We as a family are close to breaking point. Please any advice would be great. He has 2 younger siblings his 6 year old brother has ADHD he’s on 5mg Ritalin(he has impulsive hyperactivity) but is a lot calmer.
Any way like i was going to say the younger siblings are frightened to death when my son has one of his over the top tantrums.
Sorry in continuation to my last comment i should of also said there is ADHD in the male parts of our family although i had all the signs when i was younger and high school age although this condition wasnt heard of then back in 80′s early 90′s as fas as i am aware.
Kathryn,
It is best to give Strattera 6 weeks or so before throwing in the towel.
If there are serious behavioral problems, ask your doctor about a trial of risperidone. It may be helpful, but it merits a longer discussion with your doctor.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
My 14 yo son has struggled with inattentiveness forever, but he is smart and between he and I we have coped until this year. Color coding his folders etc is no longer working and we needed something more. He is also going through puberty with episodes of depression and worry. His father has GAD so I worried that that too was an issue. He has been on it now for only 1 week and he feels it is helping. A teacher has also commented. My question is since this is suppose to take 3-4 weeks before it kicks in could this be a placebo affect or could it really be starting to help?
To ‘Mom’,
Even though it’s supposed to take 3-4 weeks to work, some people get a faster response. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he is faking, or it’s a placebo response. Realize that doctors say it will take that long so that if it doesn’t work right away, people are willing to take the time needed.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Hi Kenny
Thanks for replying i will defiently speak to the doctor about it.
As it’s near;y 6 weeks now and things havent really improved.
Many thanks.
Am i right in finding out that Risperidone is Lithium?
Risperidone is quite different than Lithium. The only similarity is that they can both help to stabilize moods.
When i looked up Risperidone yesterday it came up that it was Lithium:$
Sorry about the confusion.
But thanks again for the swift reply:)
My son also responded well to Strattera in only a few days Ive been amazed at the results. He is 14 and has struggled with focus, organization and processing instructions given to him since he was about 7 years old. When he was 8 we tried ritalin, however, despite it working extremely effectively within 2 months he developed tourettes and this was very disturbing. We obviously stopped meds immediately and have spent the last 6 years struggling to keep him on task. Our family life has been basically supporting him through school and his self esteem was as low as it could be. Teachers continually told us how intelligent he is but ‘just needs to pay attention and get organized’. His grades were never really poor but everything has been a huge struggle for him, and as parents you feel terrible to see a child put in so much effort just to get by, when other kids just breeze through. Homework took hours.
We were recommended strattera but were so anxious of side effects and spent 2 years wondering whether or not to try. Since my son started the meds the success is so huge we regret not trying it years ago. It is definitely the medicine for him and we are seeing only one side effect, he takes 60mg at 6.45am and when he gets home from school at 3.15pm he feel very sleepy and often naps for an hour. This is actually strange as he was NEVER tired before meds, and never slept well, so to see him tired and relaxed is actually not a problem to us!! He now can follow more than one instruction successfully instead of zoning out he is very focused. He follows through on chores and can start and complete a project to the end even if it takes an hour. Previously he would lose focus and we would spend an hour directing him back on task. We can already see his self confidence improving, he has spent all his life feeling like the ‘loser’ of the class and now he sees he is completing work quicker than other kids and the fact he has to put in less effort and still attain a high grade is just a great feeling to him. I hope other kids can get such a good result from Strattera.It has literally changed our life, not just his but the whole family as he took such a lot of work and often my other two younger kids didnt get the attention they needed
Tracey > not just his but the whole family as he took such a lot of work and often my other two younger kids didnt get the attention they needed.
This is how me and my husband feel with our situation.
I can really relate to you.
Although our son has been on Strattera last few weeks it has helped a bit we are still having a few blips here and there with him.
Kathryn stick with it, we have seen continual gradual improvement over the last few weeks, even though we saw a difference immediately. I hope your blips disappear, it was great to hear someone can relate to us. Most of our friends here cant relate and Im glad I found this blog, I could really relate to #104 above, especially regarding the homework that usually took 2 hours now takes 20 minutes. That is one of the biggest bonuses. Hope things continue to improve for you.
My almost 8 yr old was prescribed Strattera this week, however we have been unable to get her to be able to swallow the pills. I can’t find another form of it. Do you know if it is safe to open the capsules and sprinkle it on food? We don’t want to do this if it is going to make the meds ineffective. Otherwise we will have to find another med that we can do this with and its the pill form that is causing the problem. We really just want to get moving on helping her.
Thanks
Rose – We have found straterra to be very effective mixed with some milk and chocolate syrup or chocolate pudding (in mini food processor) or really any type of yoghurt smoothie, also with some honey to disguise the bitter taste. Dont make the drink too big, and have a cookie or something to eat right after to take the taste away. The effectiveness has still be amazing administering it this way.
My son has (7) has been on First Concerta (for about 1 month) but he seemed really down and angry… almost over aware and paranoid of some people. His teacher said she noticed a difference in structured settings but not in unstructured settings. We switched him to Addderal and deal with the side effects (Lack of appetite, sleeplessness – i.e. he is already skinny but before would go to bed at 8am and sleep like a log – great for getting up to school now but he lies in bed awake at 10pm). It seems like after a few weeks on a new does it stops working. We took him off for March Break and the first few days he was really low – then his amazing personality came back but he was all over the map! My husband has Generalized Anxiety (as does his father, grandmother etc). When on the medication my son is awkward in social settings, seems to develope alot of ‘habits’ (i.e. making faces with lips, licking limps, twitch his eyes) and seems very hyper. We agree that Adderall helps but seems to make him very anxious etc. Wondering if Stratera might be a better fit….I am concerned about it being in the back half of the year and having 2 weeks where he is ‘unfocused’ at school. Can you take the two together for the interim period until the Straterra works? Or would it be best to wait until summer and try then? I also see how much he struggles socially when on the medication outside of class etc…..
Samantha – yes people can take both the concerta and the strattera together while the strattera is starting to take its effect. that is if your doctor agrees
good luck,
dr. kenny
My daughter (5) has been on Strattera two months. She weighs 41 pounds and takes 28 mg. (one 18 mg. and one 10 mg.). We had been splitting the dose between breakfast and lunch, but she still was tired in the a.m. and didn’t go to sleep, so now we do 18 mg. at dinner and 10 mg. in the a.m. But it seems to poop out by the afternoon.
Ideas?
I’m a 50 yr old female who started Strattera about six weeks ago. First, 20 then 40 now up to 80mg. I felt such a difference within a week. But i noticed over the past week, I’ve been sliding back to being more disorganized and forgettful. My desk is back to being a mess, and I’m irritable. Could it be that I need a higher dose of Strattera, maybe 100 mg? I have high blood pressure, so the doctor doesn’t want to put me on any stimulants. I’m afraid that it might not work for me at 100mg.
is this true that strattera is less effective for treating hyperactivity
Darrius – Strattera does work predominantly on norepinephrine, and it works on both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. For any one individual it may not work as well on a particular symptom.
strattera is norepinephrine how does norepinephrine do
Hi, I’m a 20-year-old male and was recently prescribed Strattera 40 mg pills and have been taking them for about 5 days now. I do sort of feel a ‘buzz’ or whatnot about an hour after taking it in the morning, but it’s not really the type of buzz you get when you take adderral or ritalin. I do think I’m improving in my concentration abilities, but it’s too early to tell.
Some of my concerns are regarding the side effects. Most notable are constipation, lack of appetite, and dry mouth. The first day I took it, I noticed some urinary hesitation, but it’s not as bad now.
The other three symptoms are really bothering me, however. I’m used to daily bowel movements, but now I get them every other day and they aren’t really ‘satisfying,’ if you will, when I’m done.
My lack of appetite is also alarmingly disturbing. I just am not hungry anymore. I just force myself to eat food during lunch and dinner, but it’s always a struggle and I end up eating less. I already have lost a couple pounds.
The dry mouth isn’t as frustrating, but it’s definitely a bit annoying when I’m talking to people and engage in prolonged conversations.
Do you know whether these three side effects will disappear? I’m still on day 5 and am taking 40 mg, so I’m scared what will happen when my doctor tells me to increase my dosage to 80 mg (I only got 40 mg pills, so I’d imagine she’ll tell me to take two instead of only one). What can I expect to happen in regards to my side effects disappearing, and also when I increase my dosage?
Thanks so much for your time!
Dear Dr. Handelman,
Do you think that Wellbutrin works as well for ADHD as Strattera does? I know that Wellbutrin is used for depression, but have been told that it can help with ADHD symptoms as well. What is your opinion?
Thanks
Beth
Beth,
There is some data that Wellbutrin can help with ADHD.
That said, in my experience and reading of the research, Strattera is much better.
Doctor,
It is day 24, the 9th day at 60mg. When I decided to resume treatment after a few years of non-treatment I was ready to go back on the Adderol because it worked well for me. The doctor told me that he does not like to prescribe Adderol to those in my age group (I am 25, male).
I do not have the driving urge to impulse buy that I normally have and I have been doing more around the house, finishing half finished projects etc. This is great.
Sex is much less satisfying for me, but my S.O. says that it has not reduced her experience. She would not hesitate to tell me if it had. I have been tired at work which has never been a problem for me. I have always been WORK WORK WORK. Oddly I get a feeling in my eyes like they want to open up wider than normal when I drive or look at a computer screen. This is accompanied with a sort of very minor disorientation. This might be a bad description. I can feel SOMETHING happening in my head but it is difficult to describe.
I am willing to keep trying this out, but should I consider another Doc? This was my first time visiting Dr. B and he might have been worried that I was just trying to get a prescription out of him, but I do not like the idea of taking a treatment option off of the table just because of my demographic.
Any advice about anything that I have mentioned would be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Jon
I posted awhile ago. Our son was on Adderall and we were getting some very anxious behaviour from him. He started on 10 mg for 1 week, 15 mg week 2 and then 36 mg week 3 forward. We are now on week 5… for the 3 weeks he was still on 15 mg of Adderal & Strattera he was doing amazing… in fact his teacher sent a note home saying that he’d had a fantastic week, printing was great etc. We noticed a home though that he was very wound up/hyper and every night had troubles sleeping. We have taken him off of the Adderal and last week his teacher noted up and down behaviour… some days good… others not so good. He said he was fidigity and not great in unstructured settings… Just wondering if we should give it some more time or should be seeing results?
My 13 year old son has been on Strattera for about 4 years now. We started seeing results in the first month and I never looked back.It works for him wonderfully.
I am 22 year old male, and only just realised that I actually have ADD. I’m not exactly sure which treatment option I should go for, but my symptoms include:
Lack of focus
Tiring easily in the middle of the day
Distracted easily by internet etc.
Lack of interest
Hard to finish projects.
Can you give me some advice please?
Please help me, I have been struggling to get my childs adhd under control for over a year and nothing seems to help. Right now he is 9 years old and has been worked up to 60mg of stratera and 20 mg of adderal. He takes both each morning everyday and still has major conduct issues at school. Any advice?
Jon,
Once ADHD medication has been tried thoroughly, some doctors consider risperidone for conduct issues. Talk to your doctor about that.
Dr. Kenny
Thanks for this website! I’m a 55 y.o. female, just diagnosed with ADD after a lifetime of feeling something was not right but not sure what to call it. What a relief to have a diagnosis! My other issues are generalized anxiety and social anxiety disorder. My psychiatrist and I decided to start with Strattera, mostly because I don’t need the additional anxiety that goes along with stimulants. So I’ve been on it for 2 weeks (now at 40 mg), tapering up doses to 80 mg by the end of the month. So far, no help with the ADD (I’ll be patient). I do notice that my anxiety has lifted somewhat, for the past 2 days I’ve noticed a vague feeling of well-being. Do you think I’m imagining this or could the med help anxiety this soon? The side effects I’ve noticed so far is difficulty staying asleep (I take it at night because of drowsiness for several hours after taking it). By the way, for the constipation problems, one stool softner at night seems to work. Good luck to everyone trying this, maybe if we hang in there we’ll get the results we need and a better life for it!
Kathy – you have to give it at least 4-6 weeks to see the effects. And yes – anxiety can lift earlier than the ADD symptoms.
I have just been diagnosed with ADD, at 40 years old. I was prescribed Strattera, but as I’m reading, it sounds like strattera is for ADHD. I’m afraid this will make me lifeless.
I haven’t started taking it yet.
Your thoughts?
Kris
Hi Kris,
Strattera works for both ADD and ADHD.
ADHD is the official term right now, so it encompasses ADD and ADHD.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
I am 47 and was just diagnosed with ADD Inattentive type about four months ago. I suffered from depression for years and have been taking Celexa 20mg per day. I started with Ritalin but found it wore off too quickly and suffered lots of ups and downs. Eventually I switched to Concerta and found it effective but eventually had to raise my dose to 90 mg/day. At that point my blood pressure went through the roof ( I have been on Hypertension medication since i was in my 20′s). My doctor doubled my Enalpril blood pressure medication and after cutting back to 54mg/day concerta and getting my blood pressure under control, I am now up to 72 mg.day of Concerta.All this time I have continued to take the celexa.I am game to try the Strattera though my doctor is hesitant.
Reading this blog has made me consider switching to Strattera and getting off the celexa and concerta.
What is the best way to make this switch?
See my previous post
Reading this blog has made me consider switching to Strattera and getting off celexa and concerta.
What is the best way to make this switch?
Chris,
Obviously, talk to your doctor…
When it comes to switching from a stimulant to strattera – many people will leave the stimulant in place and then add the strattera and gradually increase the dose and give it time to work. Then the concerta would be tapered and you’d see if it works. That’s what some doctors will do. Ask yours.
My 9 year old has recently begun seeing a counselor/psychologist for his ADD issues. He has been diagnosed as having ADD/WO (no hyperactivity), plus anxiety, impulsiveness and some depression. After reading your blog, I am confused as to whether or not Strattera would work for him – his psychologist has told me to look into this med and see if this is something we’d consider trying. What do you think?
I am 40 and have been disgnosed with about everything under the sun from PTSD to Borderline Personality. I have also been on numerous meds. I finally balanced out 100MG on Topamax daily and 5mg Ativan as needed. Recently I have noticed my train of thought has no caboose, I am very tense and I am developing social phobia to the point where I am stuttering really bad in person and on the phone. Doctor gave me Strattera today. Doctor feels stuttering and Social Phobia feeling is due to underlying anxiety. He has always thought I have been ADD/ADHD throughout my treatment but I have been able to control it and it has not affected my life and/or job. But that time has ended. I do not like taking medicine because in the past I have been on such a rollercoaster ride with meds that I am just a little gun-shy –
Has anyone had any talking issues while on Strattera?
I was first diagnosed with ADD, 2 years ago at age 31. I worked with my doctor in finding the best medicine(s) to address it, and after trying numerous medicines and strength we found the 5 mg of Adderall at breakfast followed by 54 mg of Concerta at lunch, was the best fit. Recently, I had to change doctors, and the new doctor prescribed me Strattera. When the doctor informed me of this change, I was confused as my Concerta/Adderall combination was working well. They also informed me that it may take up to 30 days for the full affects of Strattera to be felt. This in itself would not be of great concern, but only that I am to beginning a new job in about a week (after 6 months of unemployment) and cannot afford to not be at my best. I voiced this concern to my new doctor, but they said this Strattera would provide me the best long term results. I have now take Strattera 2 days and have experience numerous side affects including loss of appetite and hot flashes, but the most concerning is my overall and severe of being lethargic. In general does the lethargicness last for? Also, my doctor said I can continue to take my Concerta until it runs out; is this advised?
Thanks for your insight.
Hi again, prior to my earlier posts on my sons and there meds my eldest son who is 13 next month is becoming quite troublesome now i think it’s hormones etc but he is quite verbally conflicting and am wondering if the combination of straterra and concerta are still helping him or does he need to also take something to elp him deal ith his hormones going overtime?
I now puberty and hormones happen with teenagers but he really is becoming very difficult and hostile towards us as a family and around school.
Any thoughts?
He is on concerta xl 54mg and strattera 40mg.
are there going to always make nonstimulants for adhd and be still be making nonstimulants for adhd
I take strattera and prolixin with closapene. it makes me more defensive but strangely enough I can’t get angry on it. I have lost most of my fears due to the strattera and it helps me control my behavior!!
can anyone give me any advice with regards to my last post 158?
Kathryn,
Regarding ‘hormones’, you would need to talk to the doctor about assessing for that.
If the ADHD and ODD/behavior problems are no longer responding to the medicine, he may need a higher dose, you may need more family support/therapy, or you could consider adding risperidone.
Hi Dr. Kenny
I’ve found your blog very informative. My son is 6 and diagnosed w/ ADHD Combined (hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive) in Sept. 2009. He is currently on his 3rd med, all of which have been stimulants.
Adderall XR worked great at first, and then he became angry and not himself. Switched to Daytrana patch because at that time he could not swallow a pill. And it gave him bad rash, so we switched back to Adderall, and the anger issues came back. In February 2010, we switched him to Concerta 36 mg, and he did pretty great on that, and now for summer he is on the lowest dose of Concerta at 18 mg.
With all of these meds, he’s been angry, argumentative, depressed (or sad) tons of trouble sleeping, sometimes not going to sleep until 1 AM, or if he goes to bed on time it takes him a long time to fall asleep, or he falls asleep and then wakes up early and has trouble falling back to sleep. He is skinny, only 40 lbs and has not grown much in height since last year.
I’ve been wondering if Strattera (or another non-stimulant) might help him w/out all these nasty side effects, perhaps bring his appetite back, grow some inches, and sleep better.
Thanks for your input.
Mindy,
Yes, Strattera may be an option in this case. It doesn’t cause tics, it often helps anxiety, and has less appetite suppression. If it works well for your son – it may just be the right choice.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, he has a few slight tics w/ the stimulants, and anxiety, he chews his fingernails down to the nubs, and he doesn’t even know he’s doing it.
Hi,
After having done some research on this medication I am still not sure this is the best medicine for me with ADD. It seems that a common side effect is drowsiness and I’m wondering if a stimulant wouldn’t be better for me. I really have no sign of hyperactivity but think that having more energy would really cut down on my procrastination. At this point I can just lay in bet or watch T.V. and avoid doing anything that would cause me to have to concentrate. Is this better for someone with ADHD?
hi,
My son is 6.10 yo.and was diagnosed that he has adhd associated w apraxia.Our doc,started to prescribed as stratera started 1wk for 10mg,18mg,40mg as his maintenance.As of now we are on our 2nd week and 4 days.I have seen a lot of differences from him now.At first week of taking it,i am so hesitant snd thinking to stop medication because of some noticeable behavior on him,like he would cry out of nowhere,and easily fall asleep.But on his 2nd week and 3 days,i am now seeing a good result.I’ve been monitoring his sped teachers,and his sp,ot and aba therapist and asking them how is he on his medication.All of them give me a positive results that he focused and always good in his work.My felt relieved now and all my worries disappear.Thanks to strattera,i hope my prayers are answered.
HI MINDY,
My son sounds similar to your son he is on 5mg of Methylphenidate hydrochloride and has settled down quite alot although at times he does try it n but hes really coming on and scool are happy with him aswell.
My son is 6 years and 10 months to he being 7 October coming.
My son, 15, has been on concerta but since he is gone through puberty, it has an entirely different effect. He’s also very thin and the concerta makes that even more pronounced. He has decided to stop taking the stimulant just when he’s supposed to start learning to drive which makes me nervous. I will not force medication on him. However, we have an appt to see if we can try strattera. Thanks for the post. I had forgotten when I first read about it that it takes 3-4 weeks to work.
So my question is is sort of like other drugs where you have to wean on and off it? In other words, he usually skips it over holidays and the summer. We will be asking the doctor, of course, but I was just curious.