Strattera for ADHD User Reviews (Page 3)

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 16, 2023

"37 y/o female. Diagnosed at 25 with depression and anxiety; went through many meds including Wellbutrin (still on). At 36 sought and got diagnosis of ADHD, and was put on Strattera. It helped very little with focus regulation, but it blew me away with how effective it was for depression. Clearly, I am an outlier in this (or it would have been approved for depression), but I was able to go off Prozac, thereby reducing daytime sleepiness. This, plus the way Strattera helped me fall asleep, has improved my focus somewhat. Strattera recalibrated how my memory encodes events. Within the first couple of weeks, I noticed that I no longer obsessed over newly-made mistakes. My fear of rejection is greatly reduced because I now have a proportionate sense of how much any given 'mistake' matters. This has reduced anxiety, too! We did increase early dosage too quickly, and as a result, I had some hypomanic weeks, during which I made some unalterable life decisions. Oops!"

• wor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2014

"I have an 8-year-old son who has ADHD. He has tried several medications including Adderall and Vyvanse. Nothing has worked as well as Strattera for him. He's a new kid. So much happier. He used to have severe mood swings with the Vyvanse, although it did control his ADHD fairly well for about 5-6 hours after he took it. Strattera has been a big help regaining some normalcy in his life. He is only on 10 mg daily for the last 3-4 weeks but it has made a very noticeable difference. I have not seen any negative side effects from it, and he is actually eating on it. Thank you, Strattera."

• Anonymous
• May 8, 2009

"I have had ADD all my life. Starting in 5th grade, my psychiatrist put me on Concerta. I didn't eat well, and I didn't grow for almost three years. When my doctor expressed concern, I was switched to Strattera. I am now a senior in high school, and have been on Strattera for five years. I haven't noticed any side effects, and it has truly been a blessing in my life."

• Anonymous
• December 8, 2009

"I've been on Strattera since 3rd grade. And I don't understand why so many people are against it. I have only experienced good results with this drug. My grades have increased, I am able to focus in class, and I can excel and prosper. My doctor has told me that eventually I will be weaned off of Strattera because my brain should be able to adapt. All I can say is, I never experienced any horrible side effects, if any. I can't say I remember any side effects. And I know that it is not addictive since I am able to stop taking the drug during the summer time. I've had a moderately positive experience on Strattera. I hope everyone else does too."

• Cla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 25, 2013

"As an adult living with ADHD, I had no idea how it affected me. I was prescribed this by a psychiatrist, and almost immediately I was able to think more clearly, my memory felt better, I felt like I could concentrate on things. When someone spoke to me, I could actually listen and absorb what they were saying. Unfortunately, I'm not on it anymore. It's hard to concentrate some days."

• Cha...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 15, 2019

"I remember my very first day on Strattera, I vomited. It made me nauseous for weeks. If you are having side effects then I'd recommend taking this before going to sleep, you'll basically sleep through all the side effects. On Strattera, my memory has gotten better. I can focus more, I feel calmer when doing complicated tasks. I'm not so impulsive and my appetite has reduced. It's not like the stimulants, it's more subtle and steady. I still have side effects, I get very tired, I'll get heart palpitations, and sometimes I get hot flashes. I now take this in the morning ALWAYS with food, otherwise, I get nauseous. Strattera has helped, but the stimulants made me focus 100 times more. Unfortunately, Adderall gives me severe side effects (paranoia, depression), and Ritalin didn't do anything. I also take Pristiq for depression and anxiety. Please give Strattera a chance. Like all medications, they work differently on different people, so please don't dismiss this because others might not have liked it."

• 80 ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 30, 2024

"I’m a 29-year-old female diagnosed with hyperactive ADHD. I have some trauma that I go to therapy for. I started this drug and increased up to 40 mg as I started to notice it working amazingly - I was focused and really starting to develop the ability to read books for the first time in forever without getting distracted. I learned many new hobbies and felt my life change. I increased to 60 mg for about 2 months and noticed a change in my menstrual cycle - I would be spotting for the entire 2 months. The psychiatrist claimed it was unrelated. I bumped to 80 mg, and I think this was my pitfall. I started to develop really bad depression, I engaged in self-harm, but all while still being able to focus and do well (clean house, etc.). My sex drive is completely gone, it’s been 3 months since the last time. Maybe my issue is that I have ADHD comorbid with depression, and that’s why all this happened, but this is my experience."

• Wol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2019

"Strattera is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I had struggled so much with binge eating disorder and (I think mild to moderate) ADHD, and with Strattera, it was like a miracle. I can read things and feel/act on hunger. I chose Strattera over a stimulant because I have anxiety and depression, so it didn’t help much with my skin-picking impulses, but everything else has been great. I take 40mg daily, and after the first week of hot flashes and nausea, there’s been no side effects :)"

• KBa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2020

"I've been on Strattera for two months now for ADHD. It took about 6 weeks for it to kick in and start working. I don't feel that it helps with all my ADHD problems, but it does help with a few. I've had terrible side effects, including loss of appetite (I've lost 10 pounds since starting the drug due to loss of appetite). I also get really bad hot flashes, and anytime I go into a moving vehicle, I feel nauseous. I can't sleep at night, and I can't stay awake in the day. The side effects are not worth the small benefit I get from this drug."

• Dut...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2015

"• Comprehension: Before: If you wanted me to pay attention, understand something, or even acknowledge it, you would often have to repeat it several times. I would misread or misunderstand things more than the average person. After: I understand most communication right away, including the emotions and attitude of the other person, which were often not even on my radar before. • Interpersonal Communication: Before: I was very likely to interrupt others. I wouldn't wait for others to speak before continuing my conversation. I came across as very harsh & critical. After: I'm better at engaging in appropriate give-and-take in conversation. I communicate in a much more friendly tone. Dealing with adversity: Before: Even trivial matters would provoke a negative reaction, ruin my mood or trigger impulsive/disruptive behavior. I’d get down on myself for minor mistakes. After: Even when things don’t go the way I'd like them to go, I handle things in a much more mature, measured way. When something goes wrong, I’m more likely to laugh it off than I used to. I’m more even keeled, less likely to fly off the handle."

• Ani...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2024

"'It works for ADHD, and my overall cognitive state is better too. I feel a ton of improvement in that department with this medicine, and it's good because it's not a stimulant or controlled substance. I feel 'sharper,' and ADHD and focus aren't as bad too. I can focus on things now thanks to this medicine. I'm on the smallest dose, 10 mg, five weeks in. Give it a try. It just might be a game changer. It takes 2-4 weeks to be effective, like an antidepressant, though."

• Tee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 23, 2013

"I was given Strattera to treat my ADD. I began taking it with a free packet that ranged from 20mg to 80mg. At about 40 mg, I began to notice that I was able to concentrate better in school. When I got to 80mg, I began to not daydream anymore, and people found it easier to talk to me because I wouldn't be constantly jumping from subject to subject. My anxiety and sleep problems were also solved. However, after forgetting to take it one day, I got a massive headache, equal to a migraine. Besides that, I have had no other issues, and it has made life much calmer and has made my grades improve a lot."

• min...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 25, 2013

"My son, 13, has been taking Strattera for almost a year. Starting from 10mg for a month, 20mg for a month, 30mg for 3 months, 40mg for 6 months, and now 50mg. The only side effect is dry mouth. Everything else is good, he can make friends and focus in class. However, I still think Strattera is not a magic pill. Combining both medication and behavior modification works best for our ADHD children. Lots of love and acceptance are the best remedy."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 22, 2022

"I've been on Strattera for about 10 months now. At first, it helped a bit with my attention problem and calmed my impulses. But I realized I'm not able to feel anything anymore, whether that I'm sad or happy. It feels like there's a wall around my brain where my emotions are felt, and I can't get past that. This medication has made me generally a boring person, all I feel is anxiety and depression, but I'm unable to cry. That's the whole point. Anyway, I want to get off it, but I'm afraid to tell my mom (a psychologist) because I absolutely don't like the person I was before taking this medication. It's not like I don't dislike myself anymore, I still do, very much. But I don't want to put myself and my family through that again. I also feel extremely nauseous if I don't take it for a day. I don't know what to do..."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 23, 2012

"My son is 15 now and we have struggled for years with his ADHD. He has now been on Strattera for 2 years and has gone from straight D's in maths to A in achievement. He can concentrate more, retain information, and does not lose it as he used to. I have seen no side effects at all. At one point, he went off it, lasted 5 days, then chose to go back on it as he could tell that it helped his behavior and way of dealing with things. I have only good things to say about Strattera."

• Ell...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2019

"Not a good experience. My doctor wanted to try a non-stimulant option for my ADHD first because she was nervous about my anxiety getting worse. This drug was NOT the answer. I stopped eating and sleeping after about 2 weeks, until I had a meltdown and sobbed in my boyfriend's arms for hours. She switched me to a low-dose stimulant option, and I tolerated it much better. It might be a lifesaver for some, but it was horrible for me."

• Anonymous
• June 27, 2008

"My 8-year-old son has ADHD and was put on this medication. Well, the entire family thinks it's the best thing for him. We notice right away if he hasn't taken his medicine as soon as he wakes up. It didn't really help calm him down, but more helps him focus clearly. We have seen a drastic change in school as well. I would tell anyone who has ADHD about it."

• Tob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2024

"I've been on Strattera for only 1 week and already I'm reaping benefits for my inattentive ADHD. I’m currently keeping it a 9/10 because it's still relatively early, but truth be told I’m very excited to see where the next month or so takes me. So far I’m not having any major side effects apart from a decrease in appetite (but I’m not much of a big eater as it is, so I'm not that bothered). My mood has been much improved, I can muscle through the day without having naps throughout the day, which were severely detrimental to my well-being. I actually feel like doing stuff, I'm no longer chasing dopamine through caffeine and alcohol, and I feel more lively. I struggled with anhedonia and ADHD paralysis, but it's slowly but surely starting to subside. Everything is just nowhere near as hazy as it was a week ago, I can think with more clarity, and my concentration has improved a lot. I'm intrigued to see how I go at work because that's yet to be put to the test. Overall, I'm satisfied."

• Ril...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2022

"I am in my 40s and newly diagnosed with ADHD. I tried stimulants and loved the calm and clarity, but felt they dulled my emotions almost to the point of extreme detachment. I started Strattera about 2 months ago and am amazed at the impact. On stimulants, I could hear lyrics so easily to songs that I missed in the past. I never expected that to happen with Strattera, but after about 6 weeks, I noticed the lyrics were just 'there' for me. My mind is more calm, and I feel so much less frazzled, and even more at home here in my body/mind. I had nausea for the first month or so and even still get it every now and again, but it is worth it. I am still myself, but so much calmer and more centered. I am only on 25, and I seriously considered not trying this due to the bad reviews. I am so glad I did. It has also worked well for my teenage son."

• Pet...
• March 8, 2014

"Strattera is changing my life. I held out for 4 months with the side effects, and now the improvements are extremely significant. My memory is better, and I can get myself into a concentration mode easier. Although it does not fight all symptoms, it enables you to start taking action against them, if that makes sense."

• Tiz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 30, 2013

"I am 32 and have walked around with ADHD for my entire life until a nurse suggested I get screened. My 'Doc' told me I was Cyclothymic (Bipolar III) and that I was having panic attacks. I agreed but the symptoms never got better with the prescription I was on. I went to have my Echocardiogram and was told I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. Long story short, the benefits of this medicine have shown up in the 7 days that I have taken it. My pulse is lower, I haven't had any 'panic attacks,' and I'm starting to be able to focus a little better. I can't urinate as well unless I consume more water, but I needed more anyway. This medicine has made me feel normal for the first time in many, many years."

• Ket...
• April 24, 2010

"At first, I had to take it with a high-protein meal, and even then, I had some nausea. Now I've figured out a way for it to not cause nausea, yet get into my system: Take RIGHT BEFORE you go to bed! This way, it gets into my system, helps me to sleep 7-8 hours a night, and I feel in control of my feelings/moods instead of a slight 'fog' all the time. THIS medicine works; the others I've tried (Ritalin, Dexedrine) produced unwanted side effects. I'm staying with what works!"

• ItW...
• August 24, 2015

"I'm a 30-year-old male and switched from Dexedrine to Strattera about two years ago. For the first two months, I thought it was a terrible decision because of the horrible side effects and talked to my doctor a couple of times about switching back to a stimulant. He told me that even though it says it can take up to a month to start working, in his experience, it took most patients 2-3 months to see the benefits. I'm glad I stuck with it. After four months, all side effects were completely gone, and it works better than any stimulant type I've been prescribed. The problem is you do have to get through a horrible period of 1-3 months (10 weeks for me) before the nausea, fatigue, ED, and insane sweating are gone. This drug takes time to work!!!"

• Tes...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 1, 2023

"Throughout my diagnosis journey, I have experimented with numerous medications, and Strattera (Atomoxetine) has proven to be the most effective for me. Unlike stimulants or SSRIs, which caused mood swings, anxiety, and emotional blunting, Strattera doesn't make me feel 'medicated.' Initially, I started with a 40 mg dose, which led to irritability, depression, and anxiety. After discussing these side effects with my doctor, I realized I had exceeded my optimal dosage. I am particularly sensitive to medications, so taking a month-long break from Strattera was necessary. Upon resuming Strattera at a reduced 18 mg dose, I no longer experienced the negative side effects and began enjoying the full benefits of the medication. If you are considering Strattera, give it a chance and collaborate with your doctor to find the appropriate dosage for your needs. Too much of a good thing can be harmful, and the same chemical can either positively transform your life or wreak havoc on it."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2013

"Well, it only took 33 years for me (and a good doctor) to figure out what was wrong with me. I have had unexplained tachycardia (did EKGs and no problems, although never during an episode) since about age 8-9. I've had episodes of fainting, syncope, almost fainting, fatigue, being hyper and crashing. ADD symptoms, depression, mania. I have been treated for depression and mania 3 years ago and came oh so close to a solution, but the wrong meds made it even worse. It took 2 years to recover. Until I got a new doctor who treated my ADD and after two failed attempts to tolerate Adderall and Ritalin, prescribed Strattera. In the first 40 minutes I took 25mg, my ADD symptoms subsided, and all other symptoms have resolved."