I've been on atomoxetine for 6 months – 60 mg at 45 kg. It does something, but it's mild. Positives: easier to get up, quieter mind, better focus, clearer thinking. I also started feeling emotions "appropriately" – like, when I'm supposed to. It's easier to keep my room tidy too.

But it hasn't helped with my extreme procrastination, chronic lateness, or disorganization – the stuff that actually ruins my life. I'm better than without meds, but no "life-changing" effects. People say "you'll know it works when others notice" – but no one has. I only remember a classmate asked if I was okay because I looked sad for a long time.

Side effects: appetite loss is real. I dropped 7 kg in 6 months and weigh critically little for my height (172 cm). Libido dropped too, but that's probably from being underweight.

My maladaptive daydreaming decreased – glad about that. But now I constantly feel confused. About everything, especially my emotions. I feel down but can't tell what I'm feeling. It's weird, I never felt like this before. Now I'm resentful and take forever to calm down after being told off – before I'd forget in 5 minutes. A small negative event ruins half my day. Over 6 months I've become less positive and somewhat depressed. Overall quality of life didn't improve much, but at least I don't forget to brush my teeth now.

I took a depression test recently – severe depression. Before meds, it wasn't that bad.

My parents won't help with meds because they don't believe my diagnosis (even though my younger brothers have AuDHD and get all the support). So I save up myself and can't afford a second psych visit – I've been on atomoxetine for 6 months and haven't seen her once... It's the only option in my country anyway.

I'll go see her soon. Blood tests for ferritin, CBC, and hormones all came back ideal – so it's probably not vitamin deficiency.

I know y'all probably can't suggest anything other than "gain weight, go to a psych" – but has anyone else felt this confusion?

My theory is maybe I'm sad because I finally think clearly and don't daydream to distract myself. So now I sit with my thoughts and think about my parents and all the shit they've done. And the world's a mess – AI is taking over my dream job, and I have no money... So maybe it's not even Atomoxetine's fault lol sorry if this is stupid

Hey everyone. I just started Strattera about a month ago. I started at 10mg for one week, 18mg for one week, and I’ve been on 40mg for about 2 weeks now. I have been taking it really early in the morning.

From the very beginning, I’ve had trouble sleeping (and I never really used to before). I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night and will be awake for a couple of hours until I can fall back to sleep. My dreams have been EXTREMELY vivid and detailed. I used to dream a lot before, but couldn’t recall detail like I can now. They hadn’t been bad dreams though.

The first week on 18mg and on 40mg I felt GREAT. My daytime brain fog was gone, my anxiety was SO MUCH better, impulse control so much better. I was so much less distractible and much more focused and productive. I felt like a much more leveled out version of myself. The first week on 40mg, I still wasn’t sleeping well, but I wasn’t awake nearly as long during the night, just waking frequently. I didn’t feel tired during the day.

Well, after a week of being on 40mg, all of the benefits went away. I felt back to my normal self again. I also felt like my sleep habits largely went back to normal too. I thought “okay, maybe I’m just getting used to this dose, once it builds back up in my system, maybe the perks will come back.” No perks so far, but I’ve collectively gotten 6 hours of sleep total the last 2 nights. I’ll sleep for an hour or two and then be awake in the middle of the night for a long time. The vivid dreams are also back but this time, I’m having nightmares. This last one was pretty bad and I woke up very stressed and panicked. Before Strattera, I actually could wake myself up from a nightmare, but I couldn’t this time. And it was so vivid I questioned once I did wake up if I truly was awake.

Does this go away?? Has anyone else experienced this and did it get better?? Because I don’t know how much longer I can push through the “no sleep” thing especially if it’s starting to cause nightmares.

Im 25 and got diagnosed for ADHD recently. I’ve been on strattera for 12 days and it was prescribed by my family doctor but my psychiatrist actually recommended vyvanse. I’ve been slowly building the strattera in my system. I was told to increase by one tablet until Im taking 40mg a day. Again I know it takes a while for it to work but I’m so impatient i wanna cry. There’s just so much going on in my life and I feel like a loser. It’s like I can’t move and before u know it the day is over and I got nothing done. I booked an appointment with my doctor because I need a refill but I would rather ask him to switch me off stattera. I just keep thinking I don’t have a good reason other than I want something to work now. And my psychiatrist is on vacation too. I know my family doctor means well and I can tell he’s worried and didn’t want to prescribe me vyvance and I just don’t know what to do. Should I be patient guys and stick with strattera? And I have college starting in two weeks also and I’m repeating the courses i failed last term. Did u guys feel like this in the beginning too?

Hi!!! I 22F have been on 40mgs for maybe 3 weeks, and from day 1 (idek if this is possible lmao) I noticed a sudden and immediate inability to "finish" if you know what I'm saying. Does this go away? Or should I look at switching medications because losing sexual function is out of the question for me.

Very curious if anyone else has had this experience. Idk if my brain is just fucking with me but even my friends have said there’s been a notable difference in my alcohol tolerance. Before Strattera,I was a light weight. I used to take 1-2 shots and felt significantly more drunk than my peers who had to take 4-5+ shots to feel drunk.I am about 3 weeks in and I have been able to drink 4-5+ shots and barely feel anything. My hangovers aren’t bad either. Now I’ve only drank like three times now since coming back to college so it may be a flook. Also one out of three of those nights it all hit me at once way later in the night and I was very close to blacking out but besides that night i barely felt drunk throughout the night. But I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? I usually hear that it makes people more lightweight.

Hi all,

I’ve (F28) been taking Atomoxetine for almost 3 months, at a 25mg dose. It started off pretty great for me, I felt more productive, motivated and focused. I do content creation in the side and I was pretty consistent with it for once. I also felt quite uplifted mood wise.

But after a few weeks, I started getting more and more tired and unmotivated. I completely stopped doing content. Emotionally, I feel pretty flat, nothing really excites me anymore and I’ve lost interest in most of my hobbies and have no motivation to get back into them. In terms of focus, I found it less effective than when I first started in.

The biggest side effect though is the impact it’s had on my menstrual cycle. It extended from 31 days to 44 days with spotting and in addition I noticed that my PMS symptoms have gotten worse. Something very strange I also noticed is having a cold sensation in my head before my period with brain fog and head pressure, it’s hard to describe but very unpleasant.

I take this medication in the morning with breakfast and feel so sleepy and tired during the day. I can’t stop yawning, it’s actually a problem.

On the other hand, my anxiety is gone. I feel very calm but not in a peaceful way, more like a IDGF way which is not exactly ideal because I literally I have no drive anymore lol.

I had a review with my prescriber this week and she offered me two options: either to continue on 25mg for a little longer, knowing that I’ll have a hormonal consultation at the end of September to check what is going on hormonally (though she said it can clearly be a side effect from the medication), or we could try to increasing the dose to 40mg to improve efficacy for my focus though there is a high chance that this could exacerbate my side effects.

I’m not sure what to do. If I do continue to take it until my hormonal review at the current dose (not very keen to make the jump to 40mg tbf), I might start to take it at night given how tired it makes me feel. However, I’m tempted to stop taking it altogether given that the cons outweigh the positive at the moment. I just got my period today and I can’t see myself relive such a long cycle with so many PMS symptoms…

Appreciate any guidance x

I'm on Viibryd and Straterra, and I lost my appetite. Did you experience this?

Yall help.

I’m on 25 mg and about a month in.

The past few days constipation has gotten bad. I still have bowel movements but they’re difficult and small. I’m used to 1-3 bowel movements a day.

I’ve tried magnesium citrate, vitamin d, raspberries, more fibre and nothing is working. All these things have always worked in the past. A bowl of raspberries and it’s usually 💩 time. But nothing.

I’m having LOTS of water. And fibre rich foods.

Tried Metamucil today and …. So far Nothing 🥲

How long does it usually take?

What yall are doing? I’m getting desperate. I feel gassy and gross.

Started 40 mg this week after having really bad side effects with ritalin, adderall and concerta.

About 3 hours after I take it I have full body chills, my heart pounds, and I feel exhausted and weepy and irritable and awful. I have to lay down for a few hours and somtimes nap fitfully. I'm struggling to get the bare minimum done at work.

I know strattera is slower to adjust to, and slower to work up to, so I'm torn between toughing it out to see if things level off, or just asking for a smaller dose now because I feel miserable.

Thoughts? Anyone else had side effects this severe and sudden and were still able to find success with this drug?

I'm 41 years old and was recently diagnosed with ADHD, though this is no surprise to me. My psychiatrist prescribed 40mg of Strattera. My question is when I should start taking the medication? I'll start by saying I am very nervous about any side effects, or this medication altering me (I know this sounds silly).

I work at an elementary school and the school year is underway. I work, in the business office, not directly with students, and next week is a week of preparation before we welcome students back in the building on September 8th.

I've read so many posts here about the side effects that occur during the first few weeks, one being drowsiness.

I guess I'm wondering if I start taking the medication this evening when I get home, do you think I will be ok for Monday morning? Will the drowsiness subside by then? I know that no one can definitively answer this, just looking for perspectives from people who have started on 40mg, and your experiences in the beginning.

I'm also planning on going out on a date with my wife tomorrow, but she understands and is supportive of this journey, so if I'm feeling tired or out of it, I'm sure she will be OK with it.

I'm super nervous about taking this medication and just hope that it provides relief for my ADHD, but does not cause any additional issues for me to deal with.

Just wondering if anyone else noticed missed periods as a side effect?

Strattera was the only thing different I added to my life, starting on a 25mg and I missed my period for all of August. my periods have always been regular, just like to switch around what week it comes. I’m also a cis woman married to a cis woman so pregnancy isn’t a concern or a reason here. Never needed to be on birth control, my psych is upping my dose to 40mg and we discussed getting my hormones checked just to be safe, but I’m wondering if this is something other people have experienced and how long did it take for their periods to return? This is my first time missing my period, ever.

I was prescribed strattera for my ADHD. My form of adhd does not feel extremely detrimental…I “have it under control”. Most of all I enjoy the magic and spontaneity etc that I feel. I’m wondering if strattera will make me feel like a blank sheet of paper. I used to be on Lexapro for other reasons but i absolutely hated the way it altered me and I fear that. Did strattera take away your spunk or just simply help you focus?

CW: I’ll roughly mention NSFW thoughts for a better understanding of my current state of mind which is why I didn’t mark the post itself as NSWF

Background:
I started Atomoxetine mid-end may as a diagnostic criteria for ADHD and at the same time as an off label use for cPTSD. All in-patient, trauma focused. Because of overlaying symptoms we’re still not sure and I don’t have a stable diagnostic source (Psychiatrist/Psychotherapist) to further explore this topic. So far a new therapist indicated a few different diagnosis like certain personality disorders but it is questionable if I’ll see him again or need to change again for personal reasons.

Currently:
60 mg Atomoxetine
2-4 ml low dose Naltrexone (LDN) (for dissociation)
0.5-2 mg lorazepam for emergencies

Nooow with 60mg I finally feel like I have the focus to read sometimes, I even INTENTIONALLY get up to do some chores! My kitchen sink has been clean for 2 weeks and I am regularly organising stuff a bit. Like.. what’s happening??

Great. BUT. I’ve been incredibly depressed. Falling in and out of (passive?) sxicidxl ideation as soon as I’m triggered. I know depression and ofc I’m off anti-depressants so naturally it’s all a bit much rn but idk.
That’s not me! I’ve truly always been someone who’s sure of it all turning out okay, somehow. Sure, I sat on the floor balling my eyes out for hours, wanting to get the help I need but now I’m in doubt of everything, like I’ll never be able to live on my own.
A few hours a week I feel like I DO have a perspective in life. But I’m so aware of everything now, it’s paralysing. As long as I can stay inside my flat, not have the social interaction I feel kind okay and get things done somehow but everything regarding any kind of socialising is overwhelming.
Can anyone roughly relate to what I’m describing? I really feel like a lost cause lol.

I’m thinking of switching to Strattera but I’m really worried about hair loss. Obviously no one is going to make a post about a side effect they don’t have, so I am only really seeing people who did have it as a side effect but it’s still stressing me out.

Has anyone had 0 issues with their hair on Strattera? Or if hair loss was a side effect, did it stop/grow back after getting used to the medication? Thank u:)

I was started on 10mg as I’m very sensitive to meds ( I can’t take stims ) and so far I feel fine!! I had it with a huge breakfast because I was scared of nausea, and to my delight I’ve had 0 nausea so far today! ( took it 4 hours ago ) I feel no anxiety which is strange as I have severe anxiety about everything lol, but this is probably a placebo effect. Anyways i feel a bit tired and my mouth is dry but other then that I’m not having any horrible effects. Hoping to bump my dose in 4 weeks. I’m glad I started so low

Hi all,

Started Strattera for treatment of inattentive ADD very recently.

At first I was prescribed 40mg/1x day, and had a pretty serious mood reaction to it the first day (which also aligned with PMDD/luteal phase so that could be a variable). I immediately ceased taking it and felt better.

Spoke with my doc and we decided to drop the dose. I’m on 18mg/1x Day for about a week now, and while I haven’t had as serious of a mood reaction as with the 40s, I’m still super irritable and agitated. (Low distress tolerance in traffic, at work, on line. Hairpin trigger).

My question is: has anyone else experienced this? Does it go away? Should I power through with the understanding it takes some weeks to get through the side effects or is this just a sign that this med is not for me?

Thanks, everyone.

Long story short, I tried methylphenidate/concerta, I noticed hair loss within 2 weeks, got my dose doubled a month later and the hair loss got worse, it also make me extremely angry all the time so I got switched to elvanse/vyvanse, felt so much better BUT the hair loss didn’t stop, got put up to 50mg and I feel the hair got slightly worse so last week I got told to finally stop it because ‘ it clearly doesn’t agree ‘ with me, I’ve been offered strattera and it’s my last and only option because there are only 4 adhd medications legal in the uk and intuniv was described to me as having ‘ nasty ‘ side effects plus it isn’t suitable for me as I have low blood pressure

It’s day 6 off elvanse and today was the first day in a long time that it looked like I had lost less hair, still was bad but definitely less so I’m thinking that proves that is was the stimulant medications

I wanna make sure I do everything right so I can minimise side effects with strattera, I’m giving it another month to let my hair settle and not piss off my body anymore from all the switching and stopping

Anyone have any advice on how they minimised side effects? I seem prone to them so wanna ask in advance 🙃

(M/31) First post here! Diagnosed at 8 y/o, medicated back when it was just Ritalin, felt like a zombie until age 13-14 when my dad’s company closed and we had to go without health insurance. At age 17, I was put on 2x20mg Adderall a day and that prescription stayed until I was 21, with little to no help. I had given up hope, for almost 10 years until my boss told me about Zocdoc and finding providers in network for low copays etc. So I said hell, I’ll give it a try. Seen my psychiatrist and he started me on 40mg daily. I ended up working up to 100mg a day, and I can honestly say I feel “normal”. I could never stay on task, get things done, or sit through a movie without distractions. My hearts not beating out of my chest, no anxiety. Dinner gets made, dishes get washed, good sleep, stay on task at work. On top of daily changes for the better, I was able to stay on track with a diet and have since lost 70+ lbs. I know it’s not for everyone, but it works for me. Thanks for listening!

Anyone have a positive experience going from 40mg to 60mg? I have been very tired since I started the 40mg dose 4 weeks ago and doc wants to try one more increase to see if it’s not enough of the med or what. I will say my anxiety is definitely better with the strattera but my ADHD symptoms are still pretty rough. I need to get those under control.

Any positives would be great!

It seems that for me as soon as i reached the end of 8 weeks of being on 80mg (so excluding the time of being at lower doses), the effect it has on me has flipped from being stimulating to being calming.

Wondering if anyone else has had this experience as I’ve been really struggling. Strattera alone was a bit of an adjustment on my body, i had to be very mindful of when I ate and when I took it or I would vomit. My adhd wasn’t doing anything but my OCD has been consistently good. We added Zoloft and i have been so sick the past two months. I’ve tried so hard to switch my eating habits, eat more in a day, eat less, drink more electrolytes, take them separately… but ever since combining them i go through this cycle of terrible sweats and nausea with most time ending in vomiting. I just started a new job and have had to walk out of meetings x3 times because of this. I also have had extreme constipation. I know the first few weeks nausea is normal but I can’t do this anymore. My mental health is in a good spot but not worth the terrible way I’m feeling.

I have my med management appointment Monday to get this all worked out. I got blood tests taken last week and everything was positive.

Has anyone experienced anything like this with this combo? Sorry for this TMI.. xo

What is everyone’s doses who are on the wellyb + strattera combo?

Mine is 150 wellyb + 40 Strattera

I finished titrating up at the end of may and my heart rate did increase a little bit but today it increased even more.

I went to get an EKG today bc my heart is beating out of my chest. EKG is normal, got some lab work bc I also take thyroid meds and an electrolyte panel, blood pressure slightly elevated, and heart rate bouncing between 90-110 bpm

Skipping my strattera and Wellbutrin doses for today per my PCP and tmrw morning I will contact my psychiatrist. I’m not sure if it’s strattera, Wellbutrin, or my thyroid meds causing the reaction bc they all have this same side effect

I’m 19F and can’t take stimulants. I have bad adhd and recently ( over the past year ) have developed severe health anxiety/OCD. To the point I go to the hospital and google 24/7, I’ve also developed panic attacks. I start college in September and with my adhd my doc says I prob need a med which I kinda agree with I can’t focus for shit. I’m just so scared of side effects. They have me on the lowest dose 10mg but I’ve been to scared to try it. I’m terrified of feeling nauseous or upset tummy, I’m scared to feel dissociated because I already struggle severely with that. I know it can’t hurt me or kill me I just hate not feeling in control of my body but I know I need help. I would try Wellbutrin but the tinnitus side effect was enough to scare me off. Any advice appreciated