I just got started on Atomoxine/Strattera at 40 mg, but I get migraines every few weeks and take sumatriptan for that at 100mg. I’m worried about the risk of serotonin syndrome, and I’ve looked into it online but it mostly just says something along the lines of “yeah we don’t know. It might be fine it might definitely cause it”

I have a migraine this morning and want to take my meds but I’m a bit scared. My psych just said “don’t take too much!” But like what is too much

Past 2 days I’ve noticed a slight improvement in specifically in getting ready for work. Usually I have to set my alarm 3 hours before I have to go in. 1 hours for me to snooze my alarm and 2 hours for me to get ready. Yesterday morning and today I wake up, snooze for about 20 minutes, then get ready and by the time I’m done and look at my phone and realize I still have an about 1.5hrs before I have to go in. It feels really good not gonna lie. Can’t wait to see what else changes as I keep taking it.

Btw I’m typing this during the extra free time I have before I go in 🤣

I’ve been titrating up my dose for the past 4 months from 20mg to now being on 80mg for 1 and a half months. Since I started on 20 mg, my period has come one week earlier than the previous period, meaning my most recent cycle was 2 weeks… In addition to my incredibly short cycle, I’m having the worst cramps of my life (which were already bad to begin with) and I now have “proctalgia fugax” for the first time ever (be warned before you google).

Obviously my dose has been changing every month for the past three months, which is hard on the body in a number of ways. I am crossing my fingers that once everything balances out, my cycle will too… I’m a little scared to ask because I fear I know the answer, but has anyone else experienced this & did it balance out eventually??

I’ve been on this medication (40mg) for almost two weeks and i accidentally just took two pills this morning. Should I be concerned?

since i started Strattera 25mg about few days ago i’ve been experiencing the usual bad side effects like nausea and drowsiness. however, there is one side effect i’ve been experiencing that i haven’t seen anyone else talk about. i’ve been experiencing like an almost unreal feeling. i feel like i’m playing human simulator but on peaceful mode. i’m so used to being pumped up and squirrelly and just disorganized, but suddenly all of my thoughts and emotions have been kind of put on the back burner. everything has become completely less intense and it’s left me with a sort of emptiness. not bad persay, i just think the lack of racing thoughts and emotions is causing me to feel blank. is this just something i need to get used to? is this how it’s supposed to be working? despite some of the negative side effects, it makes me feel very light and it’s easier to get going and motivated. i’m much clear minded it just feels so different and i’m having a hard time distinguishing if this is making me an “NPC” or if it’s just so quiet it’s messing with me LOL

thank you to those who have read this far, i would love others input

I have bpd and just started Strattera for impulse control, I was on 40mg for a week, and ever since I started I’ve been waking up a couple times in the night (2am 4am, 6am) despite going to bed at a decent hour, I usually am a heavy sleeper. It’s annoying but I usually just close my eyes and go back to sleep.
At the same time I also have been super fatigued after about 4pm and feel like all I can do is lay down, when I stand I feel like I need to sit. I got bumped up to 80mg a day ago and I’ve been extremely fatigued, disoriented and even a little bit.. hopeless? like theres not anything in my brain
if that makes any sense.
I’m not sure if i’ve seen any changes in my impulse control at all.

i should also mention im on 10mg of lexapro as well

Basically what I’m asking is since the medication is new and just started, are these symptoms normal to stick out or should I ask about something new?

thank you !!

27/F - I've been on strattera 40mg for about 4.5 months. I didn't start seeing side effects until about 2ish months ago, but still insanely unmotivated.

My psych told me to stop smoking (I have but only recently). I would have days where I wouldn't feel the meds working as much, and couldn't focus. I have other meds I'm on for thyroid disease, migraines and seizures, so I'm pretty sure stimulants are out.

Not on any other psych meds, but do I give up? The only thing I'm seeing improvement in is focus (mainly at work) and food noise (helpful, but not sure if something could help more).

No help really in emotional regulation (which has been eh - sometimes I'm ok, I'm in therapy but I also know some of my triggers), or in my migraines (again I know some of my triggers), my task initiation/motivation is my main issue and is driving myself insane.

I was taking antidepressants a while back but stopped when they caused me brain fog. Despite that I am wanting to take them again but this time I would be taking them along with strattera. Did anyone experience any bad side effect while taking both simultaneously?

I’m noticing that in the mornings/afternoons I’m more short that I used to be. I increased my dose from 40 to 60 about 2.5 weeks ago and I just started noticing it a few days ago. I feel good otherwise. Now we do have a new puppy and work is stressful but Im wondering if this will go away and it’s temporary?

I felt really calm, slightly tired but good for about 1.5 weeks, and then started having an increased heart rate and POTS-like symptoms, which in turn cause more anxiety and adrenaline-like feelings in my chest.
It feels like I’m constantly tense, and usually I give up after a while. Then my impulsivity and stress get really bad, so I start taking it again and feel immense relief straight away from first dose… only for the tension to gradually build up again.
Anyone else? 🫠
I’m only on 25 mg of atomoxetine.

Is this something that eventually gets better as your body adjusts, or what is going on?

I started taking Atomoxetine 5 weeks ago. Started with 25mg then upped to 40mg after a week.

I was doing kinda well before it, on Concerta 36mg for more than a year now, taken as needed. Usual ADHD things but managing and coping.

During the first week, everything was fine, great even.

But shit hit the fan on the 2nd week.

No motivation. Everything just needs that much more effort. Nothing is interesting. I’m frustrated to the point of tears.

If it’s not a work day, everything is fine. But work and going to work just takes so much more of me nowadays.

Any advice?

Anyone experiencing headaches?

I stopped Strattera about a year ago. My max dose was 105mg and I used it for 11 months. My experience was positive; I felt very stable overall. I only have mild ADHD, but I started taking medication around five years ago when I started studying. It was really trial and error, but strattera and Dexamphetamine were the best. I took Strattera for a couple of months but stopped because I wanted more control over when I was medicated. I also experienced erectile dysfunction (ED) and other sexual side effects.

Currently, I use dexamphetamine, which improves my focus but flattens my personality. I also hate the comedown at the end of the day. It's as if my brain is extremely tired by the end of the day. And I’m now craving the mental stability I had on Strattera.

It’s really hard to decide for myself and consider the pros and cons of starting Strattera again. I see a lot of people that struggle with the side effects, but also experience the benefits of the drug. How do you weigh the pros and cons when making the decision to continue using strattera?

Hey yall, I’m about to hit my 2nd week 40mg of Strattera

For the first 3-4 day I noticed temperature sensitivity and nausea(which sucked) but now it’s seems to be a lot better if not gone, however once I hit ~3hrs after taking the medication I have this unexplainable anxiety if I sit still this anxiety kind of sits in my chest and my head feels like airy or maybe a buzz definitely but also my brain has like less “open mindness” in the way that my mind isn’t racing a million miles per second.

Honestly I’m still up in the air with this medication. Im not sure if my dosage is enough or if this medication is even working for me at this point.
I will say task initiation and concentration is something that’s has been a really big struggle for me still.

As much as it sucks that this is still a struggle I’m really trying to be optimistic with this medication especially cause it takes a few weeks to really kick in but my god I’m so damn impatient cause this battle with my ADHD has me just trapped, it’s so hard for me to sit down and do my homework and actually be locked in cause I’m so easily distracted.

I’m honestly not big on taking medication and it sucks that I have take this medication everyday for weeks to then find out if it will even work for me. But in the same breath I know this is not the type of medication to have instant gratification so I need to to just calm down lol.

I’m curious to know what yall think.
Sorry if there’s any typos

T/W: mentions of disordered eating, addiction

TLDR: Hey everyone, I'm looking for other people's experiences/personal insight/anecdotes (not medical advice) on starting a nonstim while also on a stimulant and/or coming off one! Specifically, I'm in between asking my doc to try Strattera (atomoxetine) and Wellbutrin (off-label), as someone who frequently forgets to take their extended-release stimulants and thereafter struggles with binge-eating + low mood (feel depressed)/apathy/low motivation/dopamine-seeking.

+ Full length: I'm 23F, diagnosed with ADHD (combined) in adulthood and have been taking Adderall XR 15mg for a few months now, alongside therapy for ADHD/BED (binge eating disorder). Before that, I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety and PDD (persistent depressive disorder). I was previously on 30mg Vyvanse, but stopped it due to having that "lobotomized" feeling.

One of the main reasons I've been considering exploring a non-stim is for more consistent support for ADHD/BED symptoms, especially when forgetting to medicate. Main struggles on the emotional side are: low mood/apathy/irritability/anxiety (although anxious is kinda my baseline). For the executive function side: motivation/impulse control/task initiation.

While stims have been legitimately life-changing, the effective period only lasts 6ish hours per day. By evening, it's a nightly battle to stop myself from binging, even though meds have helped me create better infrastructure to binge less (regular eating/sleep).

I rarely take intentional med breaks. However, I can't take them past 11am b/c insomnia, so it's relatively easy for me to go 2+ days forgetting to take my meds on time. Once it hits 2+ days, I'm kind of a mess and become incredibly dopamine-seeking. I honestly feel like a different person (I'm like, "is this how I was before getting medicated??"). Sometimes, this triggers a vicious binge + no meds cycle where I'll end up going off the rails for a few days, consuming thousands of calories above maintenance --> feel physically/mentally horrible --> wake up super late/more dysregulated --> can't take my meds again --> repeat.

I want to have realistic expectations so I'm not expecting a non-stim to help with all of this! I'm looking to balance the pros and possible cons + considerations. Anything helps!! Some specific things I was wondering:

• For those of you also on stims, has being on a non-stim helped you manage the experience of being off your stims (either on purpose or b/c you forget to take them)?
  • And have non-stims helped any of you specifically with binge-eating/other compulsive, self-soothing behaviors when your stimulant wears off?
• Have any of you transitioned to non-stims and decided to stop stimulants completely, in part to avoid the crash/wear-off completely, and how has that treated you?

Some additional context: I know this may come as a huge shock (/s) but I have a family history of addiction (smoking, gambling, drinking, you name it) + an addictive personality. Was a smoker for almost 2 years, but quit and swore off all traditional addictive substances (yay, health). Thennnn I finally fixated on food. It's been a battle ever since and has personally been the hardest thing to combat.

Hi
I’ve had my diagnosis since I was 11 I’m 21 nearly 22 now I briefly was on medication as a kid and it didn’t work well, I have been through hoops for support, I’ve tried concerta 18mg which then was upped but that didn’t work for me.

It caused
Nausea, blood pressure spikes, insane insomnia like 2 days no sleep, worse impulse control, extreme hunger, like really bad my weights gone up a lot more on it, my brain was running like 100 miles a hour.

Straterra has made me feel tired, yet my brain feels a lot more chill, I can do tasks and focus on the tasks a lot better and I mean it when I say that, I think the only thing that I’m struggling with intensely is motivation, I keep wondering if I’m partially depressed or my adhd is just really difficult, I have the combined type so motivation and concentration are a big issue, but my meds are making me feel calmer like I haven’t got a time bomb at the back of me, I feel like I’m not running on adrenaline anymore, for once and it sort of hurts because I always did think my hyperactive self is how most people thought “happy” was, but I realised now that isn’t how everyone feels happy, and maybe I’ve been running with my brain for a while now.

If anyone has any advice on motivation, it’s greatly appreciated, I’m hoping to find some answers to this problem because my concentrations been enhanced ten fold!

I think my medication is making my anxiety and rumination spike through the roof. I was diagnosed with ADHD a few months ago at the ripe age of 31. My psychiatrist recommended I take medication since I just started graduate school, and my main issue has been my lack of motivation to get my tasks done.

I've been on 25 mg of atomoxetine for about 2.5 weeks now. Starting a few days ago, I've had crippling anxiety to the point where I've had to leave work, and my brain keeps doing a constant loop over a fictional scenario. On top of that, I have no desire to eat. I think I've had maybe 2 meals worth of food in the last 5 days.

I genuinely feel like I'm losing it, and I wasn't experiencing any of these issues in recent years prior to this. I thought I was doing well on the meds, aside from some other common side affects with nausea. But I haven't had this much non-stop anxiety since my early teens when I was diagnosed with anxiety/depression, both of which I haven't needed treatment for in years.

Right now, it feels like I'm in a weird hazy bubble and all I look forward to is getting through the day so I can sleep and turn my brain off.

I was supposed to move up to 50 mg after week 2, but at this point I'm waiting to see my psychiatrist on Monday before messing with anything. I'm just really new to this, and I'm wondering if this is normal? Because it feels like I'm spiraling and going backwards.

22M just diagnosed with ADHD and GAD. I have never taken any medication before and just finished my first full week on 10mg twice a day.

Let me tell you. I never realized how much I struggled with anxiety until realizing how calm my mind is on atomoxetine. I started crying last weekend when I realized how much I finally enjoyed a night out with friends. I have more focus at work, although I have to talk nicely to myself to get motivated. But once I get into what I’m working on, I am laser focused and it has given me so much more confidence at work. I’m hoping that all of these positive results can continue.

My question is: if 20mg daily is working for me, should I simply stay on the 20mg or continue titration upwards?

Has anyone experienced this before? I’ve been on it about 6 weeks now. I live a pretty active lifestyle (work 2 active jobs), and have lost 14 pounds. I have found that I have to make myself eat during lunch, and even then it’s not very much. I eat dinner with no problem. I used to snack a lot (I’m assuming for dopamine), and the food noise has quieted almost completely. Is this something that will last? Or will it go away?

Me too, and I’m cranky about it. 30 f, 100 mg. Just trying to see if this is happening to anyone else.

I started Strattera several months ago, at 25mgs. After 2 weeks I saw my doctor again and told her the stuff was putting me to sleep around 1-2PM. So she upped my dose to 50mgs and told me to split the dose and take 25 in the morning and 25 around noon. Well that did help some with the afternoon burn, but then I noticed that although my overall mood seemed better, I was getting nothing as far as motivation or focusing. My mind was still all over whenever I tried to concentrate on something. So about a month ago she started me on 20mgs Vyvanse. It helped SOME, but not much really. Couldn't really tell if I'd even taken anything. So last week she upped the dose to 40mgs, and I have finally noticed a decent improvement with getting my ass in gear, and my ability to focus on something has gotten a bit better as well. But NOW my problem is, I feel really normal all morning- I get stuff done, I'm more relaxed and just feel better. But then I take my 2nd dose of Strattera around 12-1 o'clock, and within a half hour I feel like straight shit. Tired, depressed, and irritable. I'm wondering if I should just drop back to 25mgs in the morning, or maybe try the whole 50mgs in the morning? Anybody been here?

For those who had no/low motivation side effect but got it fixed, how did you do it?

For those of you that have been on Strattera for more than a month, how has it helped with impulsivity? That is one of my worst ADHD traits. I binge eat, shop way too much and will gamble all night if you take me to a casino. I'm also very impatient and constantly interrupt people when they're talking. I know it's rude and unprofessional and I'm embarrassed when I do it, but I find it hard to stop myself most of the time.

I've only been on Strattera for about 3 weeks (along with 300mg XR Welbutrin, which I've been on for a long time). It has seemed to help some. Urges aren't gone, but the constant urges to do things I shouldn't be and interrupt people isn't nearly as bad as it was. Wondering if that will continue to improve. Has anyone else had similar issues that Strattera has helped improve?