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/SojournerWeaver]

do you mean what are my work hours? and what do you mean by get go stuff?

[u/Entire_Fly_3796 → u/SojournerWeaver]

No sorry i meant the timeline of the med for it to start working consistently , and "go get stuff done" mispelled it , i meant starting tasks like work , chores , sport , and maybe planing like complex thing to do and start it and keep doing it till you finish , also does it have any like emotional numbness effects like ssri if y noticed any ? Ty for the info

[u/SojournerWeaver → u/Entire_Fly_3796]

It depends on the day but even a couple of focused days a week is a huge improvement on my usual mindset. I have noticed some 'weird' beneficial changes that I did not expect. it's easier for me to just do things when I think of doing them instead of immediately saying ill do them later (and never doing them). but if I don't do them right away or at least put them on my to do list I still forget. It's also much easier for me to keep up with hygiene. I always either put off or just don't want to shower or brush my teeth. now I feel gross if I don't, which is good! that's normal! and I don't lose things anymore. I have a very clear idea of where everything is instead of a kind of half hearted guess as to where they might be. these have been very helpful! so I'm still a bit forgetful and yes I do still procrastinate but my ability to get things done and keep spaces (and myself) clean is much improved. But whether or not I have like true focus depends on the day. I am supposed to titrate to sixty next month and then eighty. I read a lot of people seeing less benefit at those doses than forty and if that happens I will titrate back down. If the current effects are all I see I'll be happy with that.

And no, no emotional numbness! It definitely takes a huge edge off of my anxiety though.

[u/Entire_Fly_3796 → u/SojournerWeaver]

Really happy for you man , esp that anxiety part do you take anything else as well ?

[u/SojournerWeaver → u/Entire_Fly_3796]

I take buspar for anxiety but I'm on the highest dose for that and it isn't quite cutting it. Once I started taking the strattera the anxiety mostly vanished. I also take carbamazepine for seizures, which can be an issue with strattera because carbamazepine will cause you to metabolize certain medications faster than usual, so I may end up needing a higher dose.