Just got off of Strattera - Now Adderall

[jmcrookski]

Background: I've been on 10mg 3 time per day of IR for the past 3 days. Quit Strattera at the same time I started taking Adderall. Diagnosed with Inattentive ADD about a month ago. Strattera was first Rx perscribed and I used a sample thing from the doc's office. 28 - male - grad student - father of 3 - work full time. Beware - Long post below.
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Work was overwhelming today. There is so much to do. I came to work so excited because of the awesome weekend I had. I had so much energy over the weekend and was able to accomplish so much. I really attribute this to the Adderall that I just started taking on Friday. I thought this motivation and ability to accomplish things would carry over to work today. It did not.
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But now that I’m on Adderall, I’ve felt that I care more about life therefore I love my children and wife more than ever. One interesting effect of my non-indifference is that was less willing to put up with any irrational actions by my wife and children. Note: I was very restrained with my children and resorted entirely to verbal corrections versus a swift spanking. These verbal corrections were entirely out of love instead of annoyance and I tried hard to be constructive and offer explanations for why some actions were unacceptable. Read between the lines here and you may think I was just irratable as a side effect, before however I was just a pushover and let my wife and kids walk all over me.
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Like I said I just love more than ever - versus being indifferent. Even now I am very excited to get home and give my five year old daughter a hug and tell her I love her – She is the one that is the most difficult for us. She is very emotional, dramatic and persistent. I think this newfound 'love' is an effect of the Adderall, I just care about life more. But it could still be the strattera lingering and Adderall combined with it.
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Back to the work subject. It really was overwhelming today. I started the day off just fine and was able to focus on the task at hand but looking back, but I really didn’t come up with any definitive results of my work. I took an early lunch because I wanted to get away – grabbed a couple soft tacos and then thought I was feeling tired so also got a Diet Mtn Dew. After lunch I spent too much time reading the newspaper, but I did send out a spreadsheet for a technical team that indicated the specs I need for a product. The spreadsheet looked good and was thorough. I also completed a few other small tasks without too much trouble.
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What bugged me about today is that I’ve had a hard time formulating my sentences, recalling previous conversations, recalling action items, etc. I started to worry this being from the Strattera wearing off – now that it has been a few days since I’ve been off of it. I’ve also worried about it being the Adderall, maybe it gives me energy, but not necessarily a strong mental focus. I also wonder about whether or not I am on a correct dosage and if that would make any difference.
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When I spoke to my Dr. on Friday I mentioned that I liked Strattera because I felt sharper and like I could concentrate better, but what I disliked about it was that it didn’t provide me the motivation to start tasks that I knew I needed to start (at home or at work). Additionally, I cannot afford Strattera, it is a class III drug for my insurance making it the most expensive ($200 per month-ish)
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So we went with Adderall 10mg (I think Barr) 3 times a day. He mentioned the trick being to get the dosage right. Hopefully we can. Here’s what I really want out of my med.

• Motivation to act on items that need to be completed
  • By nature I am a huge procrastinator
• Mental Sharpness
  • By nature I am inattentive/distracted
• Ability to continue to stay focused/concentrate on items at hand and multiple items at once.
  • By nature I am unable to do either of these.
• Ability to recall things I’ve learned or need to remember for work purposed (names, appointments, assignments I’ve committed to, etc)
• Generally feel better about myself and that I can learn and improve and become the person I want to be, which is organized on top of my game

I think with Strattera I was really able to focus and recall. I remember reading long legal documents without getting distracted or drifting off in space. That was a first for me. And then with Adderall I had so much motivation over the weekend to get things done in my life and I acted on them. Man the weekend was great, so much was accomplished – I can look back and finally say that I was not lazy over the weekend. - A first in a long, long, time.
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Part of me wonders if the great weekend was a combination of lingering Strattera and new Adderall. One other cool thing about Strattera is that I genuinely felt better about myself and that I could learn and improve so that I can become the person that I want to be.
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I should have been working but I just spent the last few hours at work just trying to understand Adderall, and its effects. Looking back I can’t tell if I’ve retained all the research I just did. There are other things I definitely should have been doing at work – things that I need to accomplish soon here at work, but I was hyperfocused on the internet trying to understand this new diagnosis of ADHD and how to treat it. - I really can't remember much about what I just read though.
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So in a nutshell the weekend on Adderall was amazing. The first day at work, not so much. Overall I liked some aspects about Strattera but it is too expensive for me to continue using it. I am wondering if there's a way to take both, but again - I cannot afford Strattera.
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Feel free to let me know your thoughts about my situation. I really would like to get some opinions - whether or not you can relate to my situation.

[meridian]

Welcome to the ADDF, jmcrookski!

Strattera for a month would not have had a huge effect -- it generally takes 6-10 weeks to really come to full effect.

Meds can help, but they will probably not do all those things you'd like them to.

In my experience (Strattera 100 mg/day for 6 months) the med helps quiet the excessive mental chatter, alleviates anxiety and depression.

But then again, I might want to add a little Adderall on top of the Strattera.

[Naussicaa]

Congratulations on getting off Strattera!

Generics are made overseas if you insist on taking it, however.

[meridian]

Originally Posted by Naussicaa

Congratulations on getting off Strattera!

Originally Posted by Naussicaa

Strattera is horrible (IMO).

What was the problem with Strattera for you?

It's the first thing to really work for me in 16 years.

[Naussicaa]

I don't really have a problem with it personally (never had it), but a few of my friends did, and it never worked very well. I'm glad it worked for you though!

It gave one anger issues and its extremely depressing to lose a friend due to anger issues, all from a drug. He gets seroquel and antidepressants too, I'm convinced that the Strattera made him depressed and angry when I tried to explain it to him (since he got those symptoms after the Strattera) he just got angry and I have almost no contact with him anymore.

Other people who have tried it don't like it since it didn't work, or taking it everyday was a hassle. I like Adderall/Dexedrine because I like taking days off when I'm not doing anything, since I'm happier with less meds inside my body.

[Jeremy89]

Just quit Strattera myself. I had been on it since 7th grade- started at 25mg and was most recently on 80mg. Same thing as the OP- it just didn't seem to be working anymore. I was diagnosed in 6th grade and couldn't swallow pills, so I was on Adderall. Once I learned how to swallow pills, my MD insisted on switching me to Strattera- at the time, it was the newest med available, and he recommended it for its non-stimulant properties. It worked great for the past 9 years, but I think my body has become so used to it, it just doesn't work anymore.

Anyway, day 3 on Adderall- my current MD recommended starting 30mg XR and we can adjust the dosage from there. I feel like hell!!! The first day I went back to work having started the Adderall, I got fired! Now I can't blame the medication completely, BUT had I been more focused, I probably would have gone through the proper channels to complete a task, and might still have a job today (granted I couldn't stand it there- this is really a blessing in disguise).

And that is just the beginning of my symptoms. I haven't eaten much since beginning the Adderall (with Strattera at least I ate a lot-it just metabolized fast). The night I got fired, I was up until 2am, unable to sleep (took the med around 7a that morning)- I couldn't tell myself to stop worrying about getting a job. Now most likely the insomnia was partially due to the stress of losing my job, but I had to remind myself I AM taking a stimulant after all. Finally I got out of bed and got online to apply for jobs. I did this for 3 hours until 5am- at that point, I was finally hungry enough to have a couple cookies before my body forced me to get some sleep. I had been up for 23 hours at that point. What a horrible night!!

The following days haven't been any easier- I've been going through crazy mood swings with severe depression at times. I didn't want to be at home, I didn't want to go to my parent's house, I was considering quitting school, but couldn't think of any job that would make me happy. I even apologized to my dog for being such a sh*tty "father" because I was keeping him up late and confusing him!! Also I haven't been able to eat much no matter how hungry I am. I feel like a prisoner in my own body. I know I need the calories, and my stomach physically feels empty (because it is) but as soon as I see or smell food, I literally have to force myself to consume it.

On top of all these symptoms is the fact that I don't think this is helping my ADHD at all!! I feel scattered, can't form sentences, have muscle "tics", and generally just don't feel like my normal self. I'm hoping that its a combination of:
A- stress from my situation, which will eventually pass, or
B- my body adjusting to this type of medication again

How long should I give it to work? My doc said 2 months, but I can't live like this for that long.

Also, I'm wondering if anyone has used Strattera and Adderall together? I'm thinking maybe a 60 or 80mg Strattera with a 5 or 10mg Adderall in the AM might work well. The Strattera worked well as a Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, and I understand that's how Adderall works, in addition to being a dopamine reuptake inhibitor. Perhaps the small dosage of Adderall would cover the symptoms the Strattera wasn't helping?

Thanks for listening, as well as any replies!!

Jeremy