Strattera and Headaches: What Users Say

• Mag...
• November 4, 2020

For ADHD "I've been on Strattera for about 2-2.5 months. Started at 40mg dose and am now on 100mg. Whenever I start or increase the dose I get side effect symptoms of bad headaches & heartburn. Dry mouth is pretty bad but I was on Wellbutrin for years and had dry mouth then too so I'm sort of used to it. I've been on my 100mg dose for 5 days and I'm feeling really shaky on it. I have also been quite tired throughout. It's almost like being jet-lagged for 2 months straight. I'm very much looking forward to something different. I have felt zero psych effects. No increased focus, memory, nothing. I think my doc simply wants to ensure we've given it our best shot before moving on to something else since I'm tolerating it ok. I'm 38 yr old female recently diagnosed ADHD inattentive."

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

For ADHD "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."

• bit...
• March 30, 2019

For ADHD "I took Strattera for 3 months for ADHD. I started on 30 mg and had severe side effects such as headache, fatigue, nausea, muscle aches, and a high heart rate. These side effects were not able to be relieved with painkillers, eating, or drinking. Then my dosage was increased to 40 mg. I was now experiencing insomnia, an extreme heart rate, and would often nearly faint when I stood up for too long or too quickly. I also started to experience depression and suicidal thoughts. I had my dosage decreased to 10 mg, but the side effects persisted, only to a lesser extent. Whenever I came off the drug, I immediately felt better. To anyone reading; I spent 3 months well aware of the side effects and common negative reactions because I desperately wanted it to work and to be one of the few that seemed to get positive effects, but this did not work out, and it caused a lot of unnecessary grief in my life in the past few months. Take care and caution."

• spa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 25, 2014

For ADHD "I had been on Strattera for 8 years. It did great, but within the last year things seemed to change. I thought it wasn't working due to my memory and concentration, but now, being off for about a month, I realize it was doing a lot. I am now having headaches, lack of motivation, losing temper easily, etc. My family and friends see a significant change in my behavior (Negative change). Concentration and focus have always been an issue on and off medicine, so I just have to work harder with it. I also realize it takes more than this medicine to really have success."

• Dan...
• March 24, 2021

For ADHD "I’ve been on Strattera for 5 1/2 weeks and Lexapro for 8 1/2 weeks. I have ADHD and some anxiety. I started with 10 mg of Lexapro and 40 mg of Strattera, and after four weeks, I got bumped up to 15 mg of Lexapro and 80 mg of Strattera. I didn’t want to use stimulants, so I went with Strattera. The symptoms I suffer from are inability to focus, multitasking, putting off deadlines and responsibilities, and extreme fidgeting. I’ve definitely noticed a decrease in the amount of fidgeting, and when I start projects, I am a lot more committed and follow through more often than not. I cleaned my bathroom the other day for three hours because I wanted it to be perfect. I’ve read from a lot of people it can take two or three months to really start working, so I’m hopeful that I will continue to feel improvements. I feel like I am more relaxed, and I feel like I don’t have to sprint anytime I walk. My side effects included a little bit of a headache, feeling high, and difficulty sleeping."

• Hj8...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 13, 2023

For ADHD "On the first day of taking 40 mg, I was very nauseous, had headaches, and had chills throughout my body. The first day was so bad, I almost packed it in there and then. I decided to carry on to give it a go. On the second day, the nausea went, leaving only the chills. On the third day, I had no side effects. Then from the 4th to the 7th day, I began to experience the chills again, including tingling sensations in my fingers. I was never hungry, my jaw was tight/clenched, I went to a ‘bad place’ mentally, and my skin broke out. I lived with unmedicated ADHD until 30 years old, and I wasn’t about to trade that in for worse mental/physical health. Completely off the tablets now, really bad experience."

• Jac...
• May 23, 2014

For ADHD "I was 20 when I started taking Strattera. As far as focusing, yes, I was completely focused and motivated all day! If I was sitting still, I would have to pull out my phone and play a game to keep my mind moving. However, the side effects were absolutely terrible! I was constantly sweating, and if I wasn't sweating, I had chills! I began suffering from insomnia. I have constant dry mouth and headaches. The worst side effect by far was what it did to my menstrual cycle. It gave me an EXTREMELY heavy and very crampy cycle. It also made my very regular cycle completely irregular. The side effects made it not worth it at all."

• Anonymous
• September 12, 2009

For ADHD "I currently take Topamax (for migraines), fluoxetine (Prozac), and Klonopin. I had tried Concerta, but that 'pooped' out on me fairly quickly, so I was suggested to try Strattera. I was hesitant at first, knowing that there was a very low percentage rate of those for which the drug has actually worked successfully for, but knowing my own body and mind, maybe it would be a great idea to give it a shot. At first, the side effects did start - the headaches and the occasional upset stomach, but they went away with time as my body got used to the medication and the higher dosage. No matter what, you should give this drug a chance."

• Fay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2023

For ADHD "I started taking Strattera a month ago yesterday, and I really like it. I was put off by the negative reviews, but it works really well for me. My only noticeable side effects are some very mild and transient headaches and a distinct loss of appetite. The loss of appetite is the hardest to cope with because I end up hungry a lot of the time and have to work harder to feed myself. I would caution those with eating disorder histories. Other than that, it's sort of perfect. No stomach issues. No drowsiness. I have a lot more focus, and my anxiety has also lessened a great deal. I'm making a lot fewer mistakes at work and find it easier to read things now. The effects happened within a few days, and I've been told I can stop it whenever without weaning off of it, and that's very reassuring. I'd say it's a good drug for folks who can't or don't want to take stimulants. All around, I would recommend."

• KB8...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2015

For ADHD "My 9-year-old son has verbal dyspraxia, sensory processing disorder, and ADHD. We tried Ritalin, which was okay for a year. We didn't give it to him on weekends and school holidays. Then this last term, the Ritalin started causing depression, aggression, mood swings, more headaches, and stomach aches. We stopped the Ritalin and saw an improvement, though he was still easily distracted and disrupting the class. The doctor then said we should try Strattera. From what I had read about it, I was not hopeful and expected bad side effects. To my surprise, it worked from day one. No side effects. He feels better and happier and is able to listen better, so less fights at home, and the teacher is happy with the improvement."

• Que...
• April 17, 2021

For ADHD "I've been taking 50 mg of Strattera for 6 months, but recently bumped up to 75 mg as it has become less effective, most likely due to the lower than general dosage. This drug has worked really well for me so far, with minimal side effects. I have to take it in the middle of breakfast, otherwise, I'll be either nauseous or get a headache. The only issue is it's super expensive and hard to get insurance to pay for it. I'm only giving this a 9 instead of 10 because of how expensive it is."

• Swa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2018

For ADHD "Worst experience of my life. I couldn't handle the side effects for a second day. About 1 hour after taking it, I was exhausted, slept for about 2 hours, woke up disoriented, with a killer headache, cotton mouth, and goosebumps. I didn't want to get up or do anything. I had to pee every 20-30 minutes. Felt sad, couldn't sleep well the next day. I had forgotten most of what happened the day before. I told my doctor, and they didn't believe me, but told me they could prescribe me an anti-anxiety medication. I went in for my ADHD, I don't understand her reasoning."

• ADD...
• November 4, 2008

For ADHD "For me, this drug caused headaches every day, nausea and gagging, and dry mouth all the time. I noticed a change in personality - easily agitated, I was 'distant' and lost my 'affectionate side.' My doctor made me come off it slowly before I started Concerta. Coming off it is just as bad."

• Pum...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 17, 2019

For ADHD "I have felt horrible for weeks, feeling like I'm in the early stages of a disease or disorder. Headaches, joint pain, nausea, constipation, stomach cramps, insomnia, dry mouth, feeling irritated, tired. I've even had eye twitching problems, which I've never had in my life. I get flushed or sweaty. I've woken up with horrible leg cramps, and my toes even feel weird. Never want to take this again."

• Luv...
• April 30, 2014

For ADHD "The side effects were terrible. The first day my heart was racing so fast, I had a dry mouth, headache, chills, sweating, and woke up every hour after falling asleep at 10 PM. I usually sleep through the night. The second day of taking Strattera, my eyes were dilated and my husband said my eyes looked weird. I thought I would sleep better since I took the medicine in the morning, but I was wrong. Fell asleep at 10 PM, woke up sweating with a fast pulse... really fast. Woke up every 2 hours. Just terrible. The two days I took it, I had energy to do tasks around the house, but the side effects of not sleeping and my eyes dilating were too much. Plus, my heart rate was all over the place."

• fav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2017

For ADHD "I took this med for ADHD with hopes of helping with anxiety and depression. I had headaches right away and began lying in bed all day long. I wanted this to work, so I stuck with it despite constipation, dry mouth/eyes, and headaches. My mood was worsened, and I had a flat affect. I didn't laugh for two weeks. It wasn't until I stopped taking it that I realized how depressed it had made me. Once out of my system, my libido also returned. Drugs change the brain chemistry, and for some, it works, for others, it doesn't. Strattera is not for me."

• Anonymous
• March 13, 2012

For ADHD "I am a 37-yr woman diagnosed with ADHD. 1st try with Ritalin made me feel overwhelmed, sad, uncontrollable spurts of crying for no reason, tired. Dr. switched me to Strattera. It's only my first week, but had to share. Ok, 1st the 'bad': mild headache, SUPER DRY mouth, hot and sweaty, weird tingly sensation that comes in waves. Feels like my hair on my arms and head is crawling and tingly and cool for a few seconds and goes away. Clenching my jaw. No noticeable improvement with racing thoughts or concentration as of yet. Now the 'good': This pill should be called 'Lady Viagra', lol! That cool, tingly, hair crawling sensation is AMAZING when being intimate. Everything is more intense and indescribably WONDERFUL...and I have been married 10 yrs!"

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2012

For Depression "I suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and depression. I was given this medicine to help with focus. It reacted in my system as an 'old school' prescription diet pill and exacerbated my symptoms. Reaction included the following symptoms over a period of 4 days: dry mouth, feeling dehydrated, crawling skin and scalp, moderate sinus and eye tension headaches, intense neck and shoulder tension, sleeping issues, very focused and specific brooding thoughts of death and dying, increased racing thoughts, blood pressure shifts, heart palpitations, easily confused, and major short-term memory disruption. Extreme panic/anxiety attacks with 'shock' effects."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2018

For ADHD "I took Strattera 10 mg for a few days but had to stop. Even at 10 mg, constant headaches, tiredness, hot flashes, heart palpitations, and my skin felt tight and a bit itchy. There was more, but I'll stop there. No thanks. I know some people say to wait it out for 4-6 weeks because it's worth it, but I have a feeling, given how terrible I feel on it, that it won't work out. Everyone is different, and while it will probably work for other people, it's not working for me. It's also very expensive."

• gal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2017

For ADHD "So I've been using Strattera 40-50-60 mg for 8 months. The 50 and 60 mg doses got me very confused, and I made a lot of mistakes at my job, so I stopped and restarted with 40 mg. At the beginning, the most common side effects were nausea, dry mouth, constipation, and 'sinus headache'... but it stopped after a couple of weeks. However, I started to get migraines (got 5 since I started taking Strattera)... and I haven't had one for the last 6 years before (I'm 22 years old, and I had a lot of migraines when I was 10-16 years old)... so I will stop taking the medicine. I also hurt my esophagus sphincter while vomiting because of a migraine... and now I have GERD. So even if it makes me feel very calm and I can eat and sleep, I think I'll be better without it."

• Wom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2017

For ADHD "I started taking it when I had no motivation, was super depressed and suicidal. It helped me. I stopped having obsessive thoughts and gained the will to get up and do stuff. However, that was just the first year, after that, I lost perception of what life is like with or without the drug. The first 2 weeks, I had headaches and horrible nausea."

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 19, 2015

For ADHD "15-year-old female with ADHD and mild depression. This sent me into a downward spiral of suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior. It also caused me to throw up and miss meals due to the 'stuck in my throat' feeling it gave in addition to the burning acid in my throat feeling. Also, it gave me headaches so severe I wouldn't even get out of bed. I give this a 2/10 because although it did help a little, the negative side effects are too much for me."

• Anonymous
• January 26, 2011

For ADHD "Strattera is incredible. I began taking it in 5th grade, after Adderall and Ritalin both failed me. I heard from my doctor that Strattera works for a lesser percentage of people than stimulants (like Adderall and Ritalin), but if you have had trouble with stimulants, Strattera is worth a try. I have generalized anxiety disorder, and both Adderall and Ritalin caused me to have spontaneous anxiety attacks. While Strattera does not treat my anxiety, it does not increase it. Strattera will NOT work automatically, like stimulants. It took about a month for my Strattera to work, and in that month, I experienced a lot of nausea, drowsiness, and headaches. I encourage you to ask your doctor about Strattera if nothing else has worked."

• Bri...
• January 5, 2016

For ADHD "I've taken Strattera at first and didn't like it, so went on Adderall XR 15 mg once a day. Increased energy and increased focus. After a while, the increased energy was TOO MUCH, so I decided to try Strattera. I dropped the Adderall dose and took them both together for a few weeks before discontinuing the Adderall. They feel virtually identical. I take Strattera twice a day to avoid daytime sleepiness and no longer feel overstimulated and zombified, and I have energy and increased focus. I did have a headache for the first couple of days. Took an Adderall yesterday, and yup, felt identical. Could barely tell a difference, except got a bad headache at the end of the day on the come down, and I also felt like a zombie again. Oh yeah, no come down on Strattera!"

• Anonymous
• March 23, 2012

For ADHD "Bad experience. Week one - headaches. Week two - agitation. Week three - severe agitation, nausea, and light-headedness, feeling slightly suicidal. My doctor prescribed this to help me focus, and I thought symptoms would subside."