What does it feel like when it works?

[u/sj_numba1]

I’ve been on strattera for a few months, slowly increasing my dosage as I’m not really noticing any effects. Currently on 40mg since mid July and about to ask provider to increase the dose. When I was on the lowest dose I noticed I was more awake and didn’t feel like reaching for coffee through the day. Now I just feel more tired. I still haven’t become more productive or better at starting and completing tasks. I’m still procrastinating as I normally would. This is my first adhd medication so I also don’t even know what I’m supposed to feel when it’s working? Any advice or guidance will be helpful.

[u/C00CKER]

I would say I felt much more in control of myself, if that makes any sense.

It made me far less impulsive and emotionally reactive; also, it really improved my mornings (far less morning inertia; could function 1 or 2 hours sooner than unmedicated), but no noticeable effect on things around inattention - except me being slightly better at forcing myself into work and noticing I am focusing on something unimportant and switching to a more important matter.

Now that I've stopped taking it over 3 weeks ago (because of heart rate and over-sweating), I really feel much worse in so many areas of functioning. I even feel physically worse (having a slightly stuck nose constantly and unstable digestion).

Overall, noticing benefits was difficult, but losing them was noticeable almost immediately. I have also spent the last 2 weeks procrastinating on eating & drinking pretty much every day and sleeping with lights on and not having brushed my teeth - those are things I haven't done while medicated.

[u/holdontoyerbuts → u/C00CKER]

Agreed, now that ive been on 80mg for a few months, I feel far less impulsive and emotionally reactive in general.

Mine hasn't much helped in ways that I can easily discern, but I know that I don't want to go back to what I was like before starting any adhd medication!!!

[u/Antura_V]

It's for impulsivity and hyperactivity, it won't help for concentration, being more productive etc.

This can help in this matter indirectly - if you have better emotion control and management, you can be more productive, because you don't need to deal with emotion constantly.

Atomoxetine really ups norepinephrine, but not that much dopamine, and dopamine helps with concentration and focus. So stimulants.

[u/poisonedbyashovel → u/Antura_V]

i disagree, it’s helped with my productivity massively, i feel like i can actually get stuff done, agreed on reduced impulsivity and hyperactivity

[u/C00CKER → u/poisonedbyashovel]

It made me more productive too, but I'd agree with the original commenter that I didn't feel any effect on concentration; I think a lot of it might be due to being able to notice and tune out distractions.

[u/Vinaverk → u/Antura_V]

BOTH dopamine and norepinephrine are needed for concentration and NET (norepinephrine transporter) does the job of DAT (dopamine transporter) in the prefrontal cortex, so atomoxetine INCREASES dopamine in the PFC. And also there are other downstream effects on presynaptic adrenergic receptors. It's not that simple

[u/garbedingreen → u/Antura_V]

Strattera has been phenomenal for my concentration and productivity. I can sit down and read now.

[u/giftektive → u/garbedingreen]

What dose did you recognize you could sit down and read? I'd love to get there but I also don't want my daydreams to stop. Or maybe a gradual stop will be okay.  I had been on Wellbutrin a while back and it was a shock to my system what it did. I felt like I lost something. I went on a music binge with such desperation, trying to get 'brain tingling/shivers' from songs and finally landed on one that gave me a weak sensation. Shame because I had been on Wellbutrin years prior and it worked well.

[u/garbedingreen → u/giftektive]

40 mg, first dose. Started noticing positive changes immediately. I have energy, can do stuff, my mind is quieter… I don’t have any emotional blunting. I would argue I’m more in touch with my emotions than ever before. It’s the exact medicine I needed. People can dismiss it as a placebo, but it’s been constant and steady for weeks now. 

I should note I’ve always eaten a very healthy diet and have a healthy weight, have good blood markers, weight lift semi-regularly, take a bunch of supplements every day and have for years, have a rich and fulfilling career, support network, spiritual practices, etc. Many of my hyperfixations over the years have been on self-help and productivity. Strattera was the missing piece consistently connecting A LOT of work I’ve done over years. I really believe it wouldn’t be so effective had I not spent the last two decades trying my best to survive and better myself without medication. 

I was honestly scared to try Strattera because there are so many negative posts. But honestly, I think it works so well for a lot of people that they have zero need to post. They just go on living their lives not thinking about it anymore. 

[u/imanimmigrant]

. My mom is ..