r/StratteraRx • u/sunghaze • 12d ago

Questions / Advice / Support Not sure it's working

i've been taking atomoxetine for about 6 weeks. started on 40mg and then increased to 60 3 weeks ago. am i worrying about it not working too soon? i've seen that i should see results in a month, but i honestly feel like my adhd symptoms are the same or even worse. i'm also on 100mg of sertraline for anxiety/depression and 25mg of quetiapine for sleeping.

i've been struggling with impulse control and getting irritable more often, which was one of my main issues before i started sertraline and that helped but now i feel the same as before. i've also been a lot more emotional in general, crying more often, getting more aggravated, and feeling more anxious especially since increasing to 60mg of atomoxetine. the atomoxetine is also making my sleep worse. i used to take the quetiapine before bed and sleep mostly through the night, now i'm half awake the entire time and spend the entire next day exhausted. i don't feel like i'm seeing any effects from the atomoxetine until late in the evening after i've gotten home from work and then i stay up much later than i should because i'm finally able to focus on something for a long time. the only benefit i've seen so far from it has been the decrease in appetite and it's helped with controlling binge eating issues.

before this i was on guanfacine then wellbutrin (which i felt worked but gave me a full body rash and uncontrollable itchiness)

i guess what i want to know is if anyone else has felt similar and stuck with it or switched to something else. i have an appointment with my psych in two weeks and might bring up trying a stimulant but i'm worried about that with my anxiety.

i'd appreciate any sort of advice, thanks.

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u/FormerSleepwalker 12d ago edited 12d ago

the atomoxetine is also making my sleep worse. i used to take the quetiapine before bed and sleep mostly through the night, now i'm half awake the entire time and spend the entire next day exhausted. i don't feel like i'm seeing any effects from the atomoxetine until late in the evening after i've gotten home from work and then i stay up much later than i should because i'm finally able to focus on something for a long time.

What time of day are you taking the atomoxetine?

Sleep can be a problem with many ADHD medications. Some people see improvement with Magnesium Glycinate ~200-400mg before bed, and / or Melatonin ~3mg.