Well, I'm on to Concerta...going to start my new meds tomorrow.

Strattera sent me into a wired, but tired (or should I say exhausted) mixed state for the last 3 weeks. I was zombie like with no interest in just about everything. I'd get this wired feeling in my eyes. It could have been that Straterra effects me differently because I am bipolar also and on meds for that too. But I never totally got rid of the nausea and I have been in some funk especially the last week. Its like Staterra did the opposite in motivation and focus catagories.

Well, I know what the success of meds has done with my bipolar illness , so I still have hope for this ADD stuff.

Adios!

I have finnaly got my Dr to get me started on meds after 4 months of 1 hour therapy (just talking). He put me on Paxil 40 mg and Strattera 25 mg for 3 weeks then I go to 50mg. The Strattera after the 2nd day taking it, made me sick to my stomach , and I'd get server shakes (trembling) for the first 4-5 hours.. I have been on it since the 27 of July and I haven't felt good ever since. So I called his nurse today and told her and she about flipped out. Told me to stop the Strattera and she'd notify my Dr about it, and get back with me. Here it is 9 hours later and no call back/ So I guess I'll find out tomarrow, where he'll go from there. I had been on Cylert back in 1986 and it did wonders for me. Then I went 18 years on nothing until now. He won't give me Cylert. But the side effects for Strattera was not listed for bad shakes and tremors. But I know I can not take it.

addithink,

For how long were you on Straterra before giving up? Did you ever titrate down in dose?

I was on it about 8 weeks. I worked thru most of the hard core side effects, but my doctor said when I first started it that I have a chance of it not working because the bipolar situation...she wasn't sure whether it would effect my mood swings. And it did. One thing I learned about being treated for bipolar illness is to recognise my moods before they get out of control. I gave the Straterra 3 weeks to stabilize, but I can't risk depression. On Straterra, I was very unsocial (and I am a social butterfly), I lost interest in just about everything, had a hard time making it to the gym, and I was even worse of getting things done and focusing than ever before. My husband was concerned with my lack of zest and related it all to being lazy. On the side effects side , I had slight nausea still, but was experiencing hot flashes. I had been exhausted sleeping 12 hours a day...I had even tried it at night in the beginning but couldn't sleep well even when I uped my dose of an antipschotic I was already taking for sleep.

She was a little hesitent about putting me on the stimulants since it has a chance of throwing me into mania. Its something I'll have to observe over the next few weeks...she started me on a lose dose 18mg twice a day. I took the first pill an hour ago, and I am feeling pretty energetic...as if I drank 3 cups of coffee and a little high, but the benefit is that I won't crash. I think the description "kiddie cocaine" from an article that a moderator posted is a good one. I'll check in later this evening and let y'all know how it worked out.

I didn't like Strattera so I got off of it.

I felt depressed with Strattera....more and more as each day wore on, and I was only on it for 3 weeks. I felt like I was looking at life in one of those mirrors that say "Objects are closer than they appear". Wierd.

I got the shakes really bad and also it caused sexual side affects that were not something I wanted to live with, so I was switched to Adderral without any noticable problems. and the adderall helps me focus at work.

I echo your Words addithink!

Adios Strattera!

Strattera made me Very Ill :(

I have an appointment on wednesday to get prescribed another ADHD Med'..
I'm hoping it will be Concerta, as it's the Medication, my 3 sons take for their ADHD and it works brill for them!

Karen:)

I was just diagnosed with ADD yesterday, and am 47. My psych put me on Strattera and I took my first dose last night. Within minutes it seemed, I felt like a zombie. He gave me a script for 25mgs. Also like Addithink, I felt like my eyes were wired. My mouth was dry to the point where I could barely talk, felt naseous, couldn't sleep or eat. Just the thought of food made me want to barf. I felt like this most of today, til about 4pm. I couldn't barely even do my schoolwork. I just felt too much like a zombie. Also, I felt like I had the flu and I kept getting goosebumps all over, although it was quite warm outside....weird stuff and I really don't want to take it anymore.

I gave it a good six months on clinical trial, so I had true believers giving me pep talks all the way. I muscled through the initial side effects- sleepiness, fogginess, inertia, nausea, sweats, goosebumps- the first month. I stayed at 40 mgs for another month, and it actually worked pretty well. Then I did one month at 80 and two weeks at 100mgs. By 100 mgs, my skin was very dry, developed a rash, I had no motivation, was a couch potato, would forget to eat, and to go to the bathroom, even. My blood pressure went very low (86/58!) so I started graying out when I stood up, and couldn't exercise because my heart rate would go way too high.

They brought me back down to 40 until 5.5 months, a dose which really didn't do much after awhile. For the last two weeks they did a "wash out"., where I got taken back to nothing without anyone telling me.

I gave up on it after trying to push the dose back up again. This time I noticed the personality change- how "ho-hum" I felt about almost everything- including the boyfriend I had been very bonded and devoted to before starting back on it.

So, even though I get free visits, and free meds, I've given up on it. Last month, even the clinical director admitted that the Strattera wasn't right for me. My ADHD checklist scores hadn't really improved much. She thinks a cocktail would work best- which of course, I can' t officially do without leaving the study and paying for it all out of pocket.

I guess the moral of the story is TRUST YOURSELF. Strattera works great for some, and not for others. I toughed it out through the side effects and it still didn't work. Some people never get past the side effects and yet others have a great life changing experience. Listen to your body and do what you need to do for yourself...