Qelbree and Insomnia: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2023

For ADHD "I have been taking Qelbree for a week and a half, and I have experienced bipolar symptoms, constant anxiety attacks, random episodes of crying, constant and persistent suicidal thoughts, constant feelings of nausea, and extreme irritability. I also have insomnia. None of these symptoms occurred before I started on Qelbree. Please don’t take this. It turned my life into a living hell."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2023

For ADHD "I'm a 54-year-old female who has battled ADD most of my life. Given the fact that I was always very bright in school, I didn't come across as distracted. I could attend to a dozen things at once and still get my work done, although projects were always done at the last minute. If I didn't have a list/calendar, I was totally lost. When I had children, I realized that I needed help but never sought out meds: I just muddled through. I finally decided to talk to the doctor about it. The 2nd day on 200 mg Qelbree, I got up that morning and did housework for 6 hours straight, without losing focus and starting/stopping like I usually do. The 3rd day, I realized I was a lot less squirmy in church and felt very calm inside. So far, the only real side effect I've noticed is difficulty sleeping. I wake every hour or two, wide awake for 30 minutes to an hour. I have been taking the medicine in the morning but plan to start taking it in the evenings to see if that helps."

• Lin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 27, 2023

For ADHD "If you can get through the first few weeks of side effects, they do wear off, and the medication does work well. Expect to have about 3 weeks of sleep issues, weird anxious feelings, feeling like there is a lump in your throat, and heartburn. They all go away one by one, so don't give up in the first month. Constipation stuck around, but it does with every medication for me. It really helps with motivation, the ability to start and stay on task, and my brain is quiet enough to not be totally overwhelmed all the time. I am me again. One negative is it does not help with concentration that much. I mean, I do not hyper-focus like on stims. I do miss that part."

• Act...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 13, 2023

For ADHD "I'm a 49-year-old male and have been on ADHD meds like Adderall for years. Wanted to try a non-stimulant, so tried Qelbree. 200 mg for one week, then upped to 400 mg for the following three weeks, then had to quit. The side effects are terrible and never went away. I couldn't get more than 4-5 hours of sleep a night, no matter what I tried, even with various sleep aids. I would randomly get nauseous and have to throw up. I quit a week ago, and the side effects are still not completely gone. Insomnia, headaches, muscle stiffness, nausea, and the occasional restlessness/jitters. This medication may work for some, but I hated it."

• 9 y...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 13, 2022

For ADHD "We were enticed with the option of '1 pill a day' and dropping Jornay and booster doses of methylphenidate throughout the day. Our son started at 100 mg, and we could tell a dose increase was needed as it did not help with inattentiveness or impulsivity. However, he was happier than usual, slept better, and gained weight (which was a +). He increased to 200 mg just before the start of school, and within days, high anxiety, fear of school, failure, and schoolwork, cried nightly and each morning. He is academically gifted, and school is exciting and fun, never scary. This was very concerning. After 2 weeks, we are certain it is manic episodes brought on by Qelbree. Do not take if your child is sensitive in nature and prone to lows. We are reverting back to original meds that worked well, with only negative side effects being: difficulty falling asleep and gaining weight. We will retry next summer for new meds."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2023

For ADHD "Qelbree has caused me to suffer from nasty side effects. I am usually asleep within two hours of taking it, so it is best taken at night, however, it made my insomnia worse. I have had horrible mood swings, feel like I black out at night, and my sensitivity to sound, smell, and touch has soared. It's actually one of the worst things I've ever been given for this condition. It's virtually impossible to do my work and has taken a toll on all my relationships."

• Rec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2022

For ADHD "I wished to try this med having adult ADHD after my clinician provided a sample kit when I requested a trial for non-narcotic meds; as I am participating in addiction recovery and have had detox symptoms/withdrawal issues on Adderall in the past due to my not being able to consistently obtain my medication on a regular basis. I suffer also from chronic migraines, OCD, panic/anxiety, and psychotic episodes. I’m managing them without any narcotics or controlled subs. I wanted something I could stop as needed without physically debilitating symptoms. Nausea, nightmares, insomnia, anger, dilated pupils. My pharmacy didn’t have this med on time. Once I missed a dose and felt icky all day. After that I got ill and projectile vomited for a whole night. Took med next day and was okay. The second time I missed two because it wasn’t filled. Order never came in. Three days now of vomiting, not keeping Pedialyte down, sweats, insomnia, and the worst migraine in 2+ years. Nope. Ban it."

• Poo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2022

For ADHD "I feel like this is a good fit for me, and I am on day 17. I had to restart a bipolar depression medicine called Lamictal soon after starting this to help me feel less depressed. There are a lot of side effects and weird feelings in the first two weeks, but now I feel a lot better more often. Unlike Adderall and Strattera, this feels like something I can take every day for the rest of my life, God willing. I am lucky and grateful that my state insurance covers this medicine 100%. I find it easier to talk to people on the phone, at least. My anxiety is still really bad in person. I don't feel too far from the good qualities of my unmedicated self when I take this. Insomnia is worse, and this has decreased the effectiveness of sleep aids of all kinds. I have more of a problem waking up in the morning so far. I am male and experienced erectile dysfunction when I first started 100 mg, but it feels like it's returning, plus more interest in sex. I am taking the lowest dose right now."

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2024

For ADHD "Originally tried Adderall for my inattentive-type ADHD but felt even more distracted on it. Then went to Strattera. I don’t remember my exact response to it; certainly was better than the stimulant, but I felt things could be better. I think I started on 200 mg of Qelbree. I noticed less resistance to doing things. Tried upping to 400 mg, but I quickly realized that it was the first time any medication’s black box warning was kicking in, so I jumped back down to 200 mg immediately. I’ve been on a variety of meds for depression and anxiety over the years, so it really stood out. More recently, a move caused a change of insurance, and of course, they decided they needed a pre-authorization during the gap between my previous psych person and my new PCP. Currently on my third night without them. I’ve not had any nausea so far, knock on wood. I’ve had significant tiredness and insomnia for the past months; don’t know if it’s the Qelbree."

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2023

For ADHD "For me, this is a terrible medication! I took one pill, and it kept me awake for 47 out of 51 hours! It may be different for other people, but I wanted to warn you in case."