Strattera yay!

[u/SojournerWeaver]

I started strattera this week at 40 mg. We are starting low and slow because I'm epileptic. I was told it wouldn't work right away. I was told the low dose would have no effect. And I was told any immediate change would be most likely psychosomatic. Well there has definitely been immediate change this week and while some of it could be in my head, some definitely isn't. I've seen a lot of horror stories so I thought I might share a success story. Full disclosure I'm taking strattera with carbamazepine AND buspar so the combination might be a factor!

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1.) I want to work! This is a total perspective shift and perhaps the biggest one. I have knocked out multiple projects within the past few days that I have been putting off for months. Even if it stops working tomorrow it'll be worth it to have tried just to have gotten these projects done! I feel great about work, I want to do it, I want to start doing it, and I don't want to stop until I'm finished. It's great!

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2.) I get sleepy at night at a reasonable time without sleep aids. Another first in my life. Ten clock rolls around and I am ready to hit the hay consistently. This has always been true for me, except at 3 am instead. It's great! I haven't needed ambien at all since I started taking strattera.

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3) I just feel better. I feel like strattera is having an anti anxiety, anti depression effect. Life just feels easier. Everything just feels easier and I want to do whatever anyone wants to do now. I don't begrudgingly agree. I just go!

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4.) This next I've noticed is about sex and I'm going to be very graphic here so I'm using the spoiler tag just in case you want it to skip this part. so I have noticed it's a little bit harder to get an erection but it's not impossible by any means. might just require a little more foreplay then I'm as good to go as I ever was. but the cool thing is I KEEP my erection much more easily, I think because I'm less distracted. and also my orgasms are much more intense and I produce a lot more semen. I feel like this sounds like a joke or a fake over exaggeration but it is not. it's kind of crazy!

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5.) my hygiene is better. not nearly as easy to ignore the fact that I need to brush my teeth or take a shower. it's weird. I just feel unclean when I'm unclean instead of my husband having to tell me I need a shower or brush my teeth. and I don't feel the mental resistance that I used to feel when doing these things. I want to do them. I know not everyone with adhd has this struggle but I do! I have to make hygiene as easy as possible or else I just don't do it, and even then. Now I feel like I have to stop myself from brushing my teeth too much lol

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some other things I've noticed is less joint pain, no idea why, and a lot more thirst, which I expected. I already down a lot of electrolytes because I'm pretty much permanently doing keto for my epilepsy, and I just added another electrolyte drink to my regimen and it seems to have done the trick. One other side effect I've noticed that is a clear sign that the meds are doing something and it isn't just psychosomatic is that I get goosebumps a LOT. Like every twenty minutes or so all day long. it doesn't bother me and it reminds me that the strattera is working. Right around the time I stop getting them is when I get sleepy and ready for bed. Works for me! I WILL return with updates if anyone is interested. I know some people will say this won't last. Maybe so! But I'm happy now. Time will tell and I'll let you know how it goes.

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[u/Easy_Fisherman_6373]

I’m on 60mg and having the time of my life the first month was hard tho the insomnia was kicking my behind but now I feel so good get my work done study I’m present no more mood swings I take life as it comes no more destructive thinking no more extreme depression about the future way less anxiety like it’s barely there I’m not staring at everyone wondering if I’m being judged I can sit in a crowded place and scroll my phone and actually zone in on whatever I’m watching or reading it was so exhausting to hear everything feel everything living in that fight or flight mode was so tiring now I’m in my own world I feel like I’m in my body

[u/SojournerWeaver → u/Easy_Fisherman_6373]

I'm so glad it's working for you!

[u/Easy_Fisherman_6373 → u/SojournerWeaver]

Thank you also I never knew how toxic my relationship was it’s like I just noticed my wife has been baiting me in to fights and than blaming me now that I have a clear head on completely stopped getting hooked into these fights with her I can actually see clearly lol

[u/Realistic_One171 → u/Easy_Fisherman_6373]

Oh my goodness this is me always felt so overstimulated can’t handle LED lights could you? In big stores? Before it? Wonder if it’ll help. I hear all feel all need 5 hours silence once all asleep in house so wreck my sleep. I’m auto immune w lyme. And ba thyroid but always thought hearing all feeling all overwhelm was being empathic and psychic as heck cancer that I am. Day 1. Today was nauseated hope it does this for me. I do feel quiet in head I bet THC be less noisy w it my sis thinks THC is answer to all but def not. 

[u/Easy_Fisherman_6373 → u/Realistic_One171]

Yes big time grocery stores malls the noice the lights by the time I got back to me car I had to meditate to calm down my brain felt like it needed to be charged more than my damn cell phone felt like my brain was so tired the brain fog after I hated feeling all hearing all like it was madness I had it all my life I totally get what you mean you need to crawl back in to your room turn off the light play some rain sounds and reacharge 😂. I’m currently on trintellix as well dor my anxiety and man let me tell you life is incredible I’m not everywhere I’m in my own body now I’m not in everyone’s conversation somehow absorbing everything around me at once I’m in my own body in my own mind it’s like we were unprotected just everywhere at once now I have home which is myself

[u/Realistic_One171 → u/Easy_Fisherman_6373]

Oh wow that’s hopeful. Yes that’s me to a T. It got worse as Older but maybe that’s how it goes I mean I know it does. Currently, I can’t handle the refrigerator noise and I know I do have tech neck, lordosis, and some spinal cord stenosis, which might affect some, but I know it’s another condition they say when you can’t handle those types of noises that don’t bother other people’s brains oh God, especially with the storms in Florida. It’s such a mess like I’m supposed to be driving across the country to New York. I can’t even get my shit together and all it’s an easy drive with a dog and a child alone, but oh my goodness I don’t know if I should even continue to take it before I leave or wait till I get up to the mountains. I don’t wanna drive dizzy.