Strattera Urination/Ejaculation Problems.

[raz_nj]

Howdy,

Up to to my last 40mg pill on the buildup. I have seen some positive results from taking it but the problems with urinating and ejaculation are not worth it to me. Over time do these problems resolve themselves are do they seem to be a constant side effect of taking the drug?

Please only responses from people who have experience with Strattera.

[ideaman]

I had similar problems (urinating was ok, though) and they didn't go away

[raz_nj]

ideaman, how long are/were you taking Strattera?

[meridian]

Tomorrow will be the last 80mg capsule on the 25-40-60-80 30 day starter kit. I start on an 80mg prescription after that.

The urination problem came and went (oh, the double entendre possibilities of this thread! ;-) thankfully.

Delayed ejaculation is a new issue (in the last week or so) but oddly enough my libido is notably increased. I'm 59 BTW and JUST diagnosed! Sheesh.

[EshkaronsEngine]

I took Strattera for at least a couple years and the problems never went away. Delayed ejaculation and worst of all when finished urinating I couldn't get everything out so that there was very significant leakage after leaving the washroom almost to the point of considering some sort of little diaper.

[Clay888]

I know you said you wanted only those that are using Strattera to reply, but I have had the same side effect with Cymbalta. The delayed/retarded ejaculation problems does go away after awhile, for me it was about 60 days. I also have an increased libido on the drug. The upside is, after the "Black Out" period your orgasms are much more satisfying with much more volume.

[raz_nj]

Thanks for the input. I have a follow up with the psych in about a week. I have decided to get off of Strattera. Though I was seeing positive improvements, the urination and ejaculation problems were not worth it to me. I had even went to a regular doctor to see if I had a urinary tract infection before realizing it was a side effect of the Strattera.

Have people switched medications and seen a difference in side effects?

[meridian]

Originally Posted by raz_nj

Thanks for the input. I have a follow up with the psych in about a week. I have decided to get off of Strattera. Though I was seeing positive improvements, the urination and ejaculation problems were not worth it to me. I had even went to a regular doctor to see if I had a urinary tract infection before realizing it was a side effect of the Strattera.

Have people switched medications and seen a difference in side effects?

It may not be the right drug for you. I find it is working pretty well for me, side effects included as they have all abated with the passing of time (it's only been about 40 days).

Considering the horrific side effects I've had on other meds, I find that tolerating these side effects is a simple and welcome trade off for the benefits so far.

Best of luck finding something that works for you.

[dviper785]

I don't have direct experience with Stattera myself BUT I am a psych student and know how the nervous system works with ADHD meds (plus i take a stimulant myself) so I can tell you why Atomoxetine Hydrochloride (strattera) causes trouble in this area

Strattera is a norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, which means it increases the amount of norepinephrine in your body which acts as a hormone and neurotransmitter, you can look up more info on it on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norepinephrine

"Norepinephrine is synthesized from dopamine by dopamine β-hydroxylase.[3] It is released from the adrenal medulla into the blood as a hormone, and is also a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system and sympathetic nervous system where it is released from noradrenergic neurons. The actions of norepinephrine are carried out via the binding to adrenergic receptors."

what this means is that even though strattera technically isn't classified as a stimulant, it still activates the sympathetic nervous system just as a stimulant medication would, you can think of the sympathetic nervous system as the "fight-or-flight" nervous system

with that in mind, the bladder, along with the smooth muscles that operate the prostate gland, unfortunately are part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which you can think of as the "rest and digest" nervous system, the opposite of the sympathetic system

because both stimulant/non-stimulant meds act on the sympathetic system, and sometimes over-ride the parasympathetic systems ability to activate (trouble urinating, ejaculating, not being able to get it out before it shuts itself off again, delays, etc...), both types of meds tend to produce the same difficulties in this area, non-stimulants like atomoxetine are still less addictive overall, and should not hit sex-drive or appetite as hard as a stimulant would though because there is not as much dopamine present in the brain as a stimulant med would produce

definitely talk to your prescribing doctor about it, as these may just be growing pains with adjusting to the medication, it may be a sign the overall dosage is too high, or it may just not be the right medication for you as others have mentioned, hope this helps

[checkinside]

I strarted taking Strattera when I was first diagnosed with ADD & I had the same problems. It was painful to ejaculate & there was a burning sensation when i was urinating. Further, it took forever to start urinating & there was a very weak stream (no flow)..

In addition, I was very withdrawn socially. After about 2 weeks I couldnt take it anymore & stopped taking it. I decided to see an ADD specialist & he switched my medication to Vyvanse which was a great improvement for me. There are side effects such as impotence & anxiety but much better than Strattera..

[navyblue]

Originally Posted by checkinside

I strarted taking Strattera when I was first diagnosed with ADD & I had the same problems. It was painful to ejaculate & there was a burning sensation when i was urinating. Further, it took forever to start urinating & there was a very weak stream (no flow)..

In addition, I was very withdrawn socially. After about 2 weeks I couldnt take it anymore & stopped taking it. I decided to see an ADD specialist & he switched my medication to Vyvanse which was a great improvement for me. There are side effects such as impotence & anxiety but much better than Strattera..

Yeah I'm currently on Strattera too and have noticed some of the same problems. My doctor will not put me on Vyvanse for anything due to my anxiety. But I'm glad to hear that it has been working for you. I'm currently registered with another doctor to get a second opinion.

[Myke]

better to avoid using that... it may worsten your situation.

[Myke]

try also drinking some natural ginseng.. i have tried it and it helps

[Dragoon91786]

The thread is probably dead, but I thought I'd mention I'm here because I wanted to know anyone else was having the same problem as me. Apparently so.

I wanted to take a non-stimulant version because of the dangers associated with stimulants. Although, in high school, I liked the perks of the stimulants--definitely made erection/ejaculation stronger--more often. But, the downsides were immense--huge sleeping problems, etc.

My therapist recommended I speak to my doctor about Strattera. I tried the drug and started having nausea, urination problems/delayed ejaculation issues, and finally, I felt like my brain was in a vice grip. I don't know if that last one is common, but I liked the ability to read through my texts on ancient Greek mathematics without breaking off to do something else, but the side-effects were too much.

Not being able to urinate, losing my appetite completely (I went nearly 24 hours without eating accidentally), extreme nausea, and the fine thing was feeling like my brain was in a vice grip. It's the only way I can describe it. One pill and my body just became wrapped in mental straight jacket.

Part of this may be I am co-morbid with CPTSD (Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which may make any alternation of my fight or flight symptoms worse, but when I took Strattera it wasn't just "a slight urination problem", I could barely urinate at all. I became nervous especially because of the dark color of my urine, and the inability of my body to urinate irrespective of water consumption--I feared I might accidentally die of water intoxication. So, kinda a downer. ;/

Thanks for the info gents.

[mayza1]

I've had problems in the same area as you gentlemen have had. Uncomfortable and pain even with a lack of sexual ability and urination problems. Although, at the suggestion of another member on this site, I have tried APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (caps to attract haha). Everyday for a couple of weeks or so, I've been drinking this vinegar diluted with water and it has been a huge relief for me. Skrinkage has reduced amazingly, think its back to full potential and sex and urination are no problems at all. Give apple cider vinegar a go, even though it tastes bad, stick with it. Actually like drinking it now.