My first post so bear with me.

At 43 I've discovered that I've had ADD/Inattentive my whole life. I found out completely by accident. I recently had to take a class and found myself truly losing my mind. Not able to follow along the computer exercises (and I'm a computer professional.) I became increasingly frustrated.

Question: How did I get through 2 years of college; I almost didn't until I got the help of illegal stimulants, then I did very well. After college I quit doing illegal stimuli, but my work did suffer and I attributed it to the drugs making me "overachieve". Fast forward 17 years.

The teacher of this class, who was an ADD'er, took me to the side and asked me if I'd ever been tested for ADD. My response, "but I'm not hyper....to the contrary I'm rather lazy, my problem is I can't pay attention very well and if it's instructions on a page I get lost." She responds, "I think you should do some research and then talk to your Dr." Fast forward a couple weeks later. I read an article in the newspaper about Ritalin, that leads me to a website and to my surprise I'm shocked to find hundreds of stories that are my story.

I'll bottle up the ends:

So I present my MD with my findings and he is not enthusiastic about prescribing me anything. He asks that I come back in a week to discuss treatment. So the next week he and the Lily Rep, (who I can hear him talking to in the office deciding Strattera is the drug for me because it's NOT a stimulant.) But I don't care; I just want relief from this condition before I lose my job because quite frankly it's getting WORSE over time.

Strattera and me:

So I start out at 25 mg for the first 7 days and then the plan is to step up to 40 mg, then 80 mg after 2 weeks.

Day one I am miserable. It feels like I am actually high and not a good high by any means. I'm sweating, dry mouth, horrible taste, cramps, crazy dreams and then crazy thoughts. (I actually thought if I flew to Afghanistan I could stop the war? Why there I don't know. Seriously, this became almost an obsession; I looked up flights, hotels, maps...etc.) But I stay on the meds until day 5.

One other bad side effect was I was ANGERY. I stayed in my room so I wouldn't be mean to my kids. I almost hit my 3 year old for him spilling juice on the table. Believe me, I'm not that kind of parent, not even close. My normal reaction would have been I was actually scared for them.

On day 5 I started to break out in hives on my neck and face. This was the final sign that my body didn't like the Strattera.

I know every drug is not for everyone but this was probably the most horrible 5 day experiment of my life. I cringe at the thought of actually stepping up to 40 mg and then 80 mg. I would have been writing this message from jail or Afghanistan.

Obviously my brain doesn't like Strattera.

Anyone have a similar experience?

That kind of reports makes me very suspicious about Strattera. And there are so many like this for this drug. I'm currently on Dexedrine and wondering if it would be a good or bad choice to try Strattera (wich my doctor, like every doctors, would ENJOY prescribing, she actually puts pressure for this drug...).

Strattera gave you a bit of a manic reaction as far as what to call that it sounds like you experienced. I had this fixation with the "presidential campaign" I became that way on Prozac like drugs too. It happens to some people. Do you have "Agitated Depression"? I guess it's like The elderly women in the rocking chairs that complain constantly and assault you if you go near them depressed or DSM mixed state definition may seem different, do you have racing thoughts as your depressed etc... It's common with that type of depression or bipolar disorders of sorts (it's considered a type of bipolar disorder to some) The irony is that I take Short Acting Dexedrine and it is the most "therapeutic" as far as any med that I have taken and I have a history of being a Ritalin fiend and Dexedrine is the safest and unlike ritalin I never think of abusing it.

Strattera gave you a bit of a manic reaction as far as what to call that it sounds like you experienced. I had this fixation with the "presidential campaign" I became that way on Prozac like drugs too. It happens to some people. Do you have "Agitated Depression"? I guess it's like The elderly women in the rocking chairs that complain constantly and assault you if you go near them depressed or DSM mixed state definition may seem different, do you have racing thoughts as your depressed etc... It's common with that type of depression or bipolar disorders of sorts (it's considered a type of bipolar disorder to some) The irony is that I take Short Acting Dexedrine and it is the most "therapeutic" as far as any med that I have taken and I have a history of being a Ritalin fiend and Dexedrine is the safest and unlike ritalin I never think of abusing it.
No I'm lucky enough to just have the ADD (If you call that luck.) The only depression I've had has been the situational type...i.e. someone passes away, a few serious injuries sidelined me for a while. But nothing long lasting.

But I did have some depression during a two year ordeal until I found I was producing very low quantities of testosterone. Doctors actually wanted to treat me for depression but I really didn't think it was that. (How I knew I have no idea.) But finally and endocrinologist figure that out and I've been fine since then.

What was pretty terrible was the ADD combined with the low testosterone...now that was no fun.

RonC I had a very similiar experience that you had on Strattera.
I really didn't like strattera at all.

This is very interesting stuff folks. I have never tried this drug myself.

My Dr certainlly has suggested it several times, but I have been hesitant to try it because it had not been on the market long enough for me to feel safe about taking it yet.

I've also read some reports of people liking it very much too. I look forward to reading more about it from folks like yourself with personal experience. Thanks for your post.

I'm a bit of an odd one because I really don't have "manic-depressive cycles" at all, I just get that reaction from those drugs.

Welcome to the forums RonC. I had problems with strattera too, that's why I had to stop that one as well. I was taking 18mg and after a week I had to stop it because it made me agitated/irritabile/irriated...

I don't know anyone personally with ADHD that has liked Strattera. Most adults I know with ADHD take "Once daily non-addictive Adderall XR". People seem to like those. I am a good long term responder to dexedrine anyhow so it doesn't help me to take long acting medications. Immediate release Dexedrine is my med of 'therapeutic value' because I can not be zombied all day like the spansule overload I was previously joyed with.

Strattera can work well for some. I have a friend who's son takes it and it does wonders for him. My son took it and it was a nightmare. You just have to experiment with what will work for you.