Strattera = ...goooood

[MaleDorito]

Ok well, I'm on the Straterra 2-week trial, and I have to say, the results are amazing.

Today was my first day. I start out with 25 mg for the first 3 days, and then I up the dosage to 65 mg.

So what happened?

I was:

More social (yet still an introvert)

More athletic (probably due to feeling more outgoing)

Extremely Tired(around 10 AM I was so tired I just put my head down in Math...)

The awesome part is that I had this Math worksheet with 25 really hard problems on it, and I completed it in a small amount of time, I just was glued to those problems and I wasn't distracted by anything...

I had two tests today, and instead of drifting off halfway into the test like I always do, my eyes were glued to the questions, and not once did I daydream during the tests.

Prior to taking Straterra I was trying to learn C++ and I just couldn't concentrate on it. I whipped out the books today and man...this stuff is amazing, I can read through a chapter without drifting off, and I understand the material more efficiently...its just awesome.

By the way, I'm 15.

[Gregster]

Great to hear!
I bet all this is good for your self-esteem too - which might help with the introvertedness too.
Regards,
Greg

[laura amy]

Wow, that's amazing! And encouraging. I'll be starting Strattera soon, I think... so it's good to hear how it's helping!
How soon did other people start to feel effects? (Positive or negative)
I've never been on any medication for ADD and just found out I had it, so I am very curious.
Very cool, MaleDorito.

[Stranger]

I just started the two-week trial today myself. I hope it works.

[ADDthis]

Thats awesome MDorito!
For those who interact well with Straterra you should / could feel a "lights on" reaction.

Other positives: (FOR ME)
Decreased appetite (between meals.. )
The ability to work late & then go straight to bed (unlike Ritalin)
75% decrease in alcohol consumption
NO "ED"

I just had an doctors appointment & was told that Straterra has only worked for HALF of the patients she had prescribed it to.

I've always said I was part of the 1/2 of the class that made the top half possible!

[Andrew]

MaleDorito:

How are you doing on the Strattera? Inquiring minds want to know

[MaleDorito]

Hmm...it feels like its not working anymore, I don't know...

[Andrew]

Ok. Are you still at the 65 Mgs? Have you talked to the doctor about it? If you have, what has he said?

[MaleDorito]

Yes, I'm on the 65 mg now...It seemed to work better with the 40 mg.

[Gregster]

You may need to slowly ramp up to find the dosage that reaches "equilibrium" in your brain. 100mg is the recommended Maximum but Drs do increase it past that if you aren't having side effects, especially if you're a big guy. I hope the positive effects continue for you. I figure I will try this drug when it finally starts to sell in Canada, it would be nice if it did! Keep us informed as to how you are doing, it's useful info for a lot of people, if you don't mind sharing it.
Regards,
Greg

[Vero]

Hey Laura Amy,
I have been on Strattera for 1.5 months now. I had some negative side effects, but the POSITIVE ones were so great I didn't mind them so much. Everyone reacts differently but here's the one's I mostly had:

1. headache - take a tylenol
2. hot flashes in the morning - take the blankets off the bed
3. constipation - eat your fiber!!!
4. indigestion - no spicy foods/ take some pepto

And that's about it for me. The side effects usually came in the morning after I took my pill, so I would set one alarm for 5am, take my Strattera, and then set another alarm for 6:30am to get up. This gave me enough time to get ready for work at 8am and enough time to deal with whatever side effect was coming my way that morning.

I haven't had any side effects in about 3 weeks, so the first 2 or 3 weeks as long as you do the damage control beforehand you will be fine. Make sure you eat right - everyday! Eat lots of protein and FIBER!!! Don't forget that!

TRUST ME - if Strattera is the right med for you, you will feel so good the rest of the day that you won't care about the side effects.

GOOD LUCK!

[turbo]

Gregster,

Where did you get the 100 mg max from? I think we've been over this, but again, I'm about 190 lbs and my Dr has me on 120, which I thought was too high, but I was trying to hold out until the next visit (May 7)

You think I should I cut back to 60? I've got to call this guy.

[BadHire]

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/strattera_ids.htm

And as a bit of a side note:

It never hurts to check out the PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) for very to-the-point information on meds.

You can get the same info by asking for the Physician's insert at the pharmacy.

[turbo]

Thanks BadHire,
I went back to my doctor last week, and told him that I'd heard on this board that 1.2 mg per kg was where I should be, max. I told him that I wasn't getting much out of it and felt kind of off kilter with it.

I expected him to cut the dosage. But he said its actually 1.4...and proceeded to UP my dosage from 120 a day to 140 a day. If your link is accurate, my Dr. has me well over the recommended daily dosage - ouch! I'll call him tomorrow, but it sounds like its time for a new doctor.

Thanks!

[Gregster]

Turbo,
This is from the Strattera PI sheet:
"Dosing of children and adolescents over 70 kg body weight and adults - STRATTERA should be initiated at a total daily dose of 40 mg and increased after a minimum of 3 days to a target total daily dose of approximately 80 mg administered either as a single daily dose in the morning or as evenly divided doses in the morning and late afternoon/early evening. After 2 to 4 additional weeks, the dose may be increased to a maximum of 100 mg in patients who have not achieved an optimal response. There are no data that support increased effectiveness at higher doses (see CLINICAL STUDIES).
The maximum recommended total daily dose in children and adolescents over 70 kg and adults is 100 mg."

There is no danger from taking the amount of Strattera your Dr is prescribing - you might see increased side effects - but clinical evidence indicates that for most people there is little benefit in taking more than 100mg (1.2mg/kg/day in children). Effectiveness always depends on the individual, of course.
I'd be more concerned about taking a drug that wasn't working (especially a drug as expensive as Strattera) than I would be about the dose your Dr is trying. The anicdotal evidence I've read indicates that Strattera either works very well for a person, or it doesn't work at all - there does not seem to be any middle ground - you love it or you hate it. This is just an observation of course, there is nothing scientific to back up my opinion.
Regards,
Greg