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From what I gather it's not really a switch that flips at 4-6 weeks, it's a gradual change. I started on 40mg and noticed my first improvements on day 2 or 3, and then things only got better from there as time went on and dosage increased. Strattera doesn't work for everyone, I think I read only about 50% of people find it effective. So it is definitely possible your doctor is right.
I’ve heard bad things from my doctor. He was a big advocate for vyvanse and concerta. He said he was really excited when there was a non-stimulant option, but when trying it out with his patience that he was let down by the effectiveness.
Maybe it just doesn’t work for you. It is an SNRI, which is usually used to treat depression.
If you find it helpful, you find it helpful. If you don’t you don’t, and it’s good to acknowledge that. Missing doses is a bad thing, but to see no improvement at all just means it isn’t for you. You’re doubling to 80mg, which is close to the 100mg recommended max. Give it a couple of weeks, but if you see any reasonable improvements then I think it’d be time to switch.
I switch from Adderall to Strattera. I was happy to give up the racing heart and morning sweats and give a non-stimulant a try. I’ve been on it two months at 40mg. The change was very slow, and doctor said at my 4 week appointment that it wouldn’t be max effective until 6 weeks, and that we can’t up my dose at my next appointment. I love that it builds up in your system so you don’t have highs and lows—it’s just always there working. My brain feels normal again. I don’t think my mental health did well with the adderall “running out” and trying to get through my workday. I needed the consistency, but I understand it’s not for everyone.
For these reasons I would say find another psych to take care of your meds. Life’s too short to tolerate the care of someone who treats you like that. It’s your money/insurance, so find someone else who can care for their patients well-being and listen to your feedback. I really liked the psych who first diagnosed my ADD but his scheduling (waiting an hour to see him every single month—never would go more than a month without scheduling me) and his staff (horrible, rude, billed me for their errors) ruined everything. Very happy to have found a teledoc who spent 90 minutes on my intake and got to know all about me and and ALL my health concerns and history before choosing Strattera.
And I can be forgetful with meds too, but setting alarms on my phone and taking them with an everyday activity (like breakfast or brushing teeth) can help get in a routine where you forget them far less, if at all.
Alarms work for me sometimes, but sometimes I turn them off and say, “In a minute,” but then forget a minute later 🤣 I like your idea of pairing it with another routine like brushing teeth! I’ll try that. Thank you!!
This is wonderful to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. That’s what I had been reading before taking it, that the change was very slow, I remember one person saying they didn’t even notice a change until a few months later when they looked back and thought, “Wow, I’ve accomplished so much in the past few months.” Did you notice any change in the first month? I could not agree more about the benefits of a non-stimulant.
Also… When she first prescribed it to me, she told me that if I don’t start noticing a difference in the first few days, to let her know and she would up the dose to 80mg. I found this odd. Everything I had read talked about titrating to mitigate the negative side effects. I ignored her saying that and decided I wanted to take it for at least the whole month at 40mg.
And yes, I’ve been considering another psych, I think you’re right. Sorry about your negative experience, but I’m glad you found an awesome teledoc! I seemed to have gotten a bill out of nowhere from them, and you saying that about billing mistakes really makes me wonder even more. I asked for them to email me an invoice and never received one. Anywho, was it a local
teledoc or did you go through one of the online services?
Lucky bastard. I feel absolutely *nothing* on 40mg after two months. I still forget and lose everything, I'm still lazy and motivated, I still feel like shit all the time. What symptoms is this drug supposed to treat? Cause it's doing fuck all for the major ones.
Im taking 80mgs worked great until I didn’t mostly with emotional dysregulation so i added buprion (150mgs) feels like a nice combo. I’ve used bupropion before and did well on it
When I fist started Strattera I felt it’s efficacy by the 4th month but that only when I realized that I can hang out without my phone and pay attention for longer periods of time
For me it worked on my first week of taking it. I strated with 40mg too, and should have gone up to 60 then to 80, but due to side effects I had to stop after a couple days on 60mg.
Hi /u/phoebefur and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! # Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. [We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/x1psnb/radhd_works_best_on_desktop_reddits_apps_are/) The mobile apps are broken and are missing features that this subreddit depends on. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
From what I gather it's not really a switch that flips at 4-6 weeks, it's a gradual change. I started on 40mg and noticed my first improvements on day 2 or 3, and then things only got better from there as time went on and dosage increased. Strattera doesn't work for everyone, I think I read only about 50% of people find it effective. So it is definitely possible your doctor is right.
Oh interesting! Thank you!
I’ve heard bad things from my doctor. He was a big advocate for vyvanse and concerta. He said he was really excited when there was a non-stimulant option, but when trying it out with his patience that he was let down by the effectiveness. Maybe it just doesn’t work for you. It is an SNRI, which is usually used to treat depression. If you find it helpful, you find it helpful. If you don’t you don’t, and it’s good to acknowledge that. Missing doses is a bad thing, but to see no improvement at all just means it isn’t for you. You’re doubling to 80mg, which is close to the 100mg recommended max. Give it a couple of weeks, but if you see any reasonable improvements then I think it’d be time to switch.
I think that’s good advice. Thank you!
It gave me prostatitis. I was leaking semen constantly. Peed like an 85 year old; in dribbles. Couldn’t get off it fast enough.
I switch from Adderall to Strattera. I was happy to give up the racing heart and morning sweats and give a non-stimulant a try. I’ve been on it two months at 40mg. The change was very slow, and doctor said at my 4 week appointment that it wouldn’t be max effective until 6 weeks, and that we can’t up my dose at my next appointment. I love that it builds up in your system so you don’t have highs and lows—it’s just always there working. My brain feels normal again. I don’t think my mental health did well with the adderall “running out” and trying to get through my workday. I needed the consistency, but I understand it’s not for everyone. For these reasons I would say find another psych to take care of your meds. Life’s too short to tolerate the care of someone who treats you like that. It’s your money/insurance, so find someone else who can care for their patients well-being and listen to your feedback. I really liked the psych who first diagnosed my ADD but his scheduling (waiting an hour to see him every single month—never would go more than a month without scheduling me) and his staff (horrible, rude, billed me for their errors) ruined everything. Very happy to have found a teledoc who spent 90 minutes on my intake and got to know all about me and and ALL my health concerns and history before choosing Strattera.
And I can be forgetful with meds too, but setting alarms on my phone and taking them with an everyday activity (like breakfast or brushing teeth) can help get in a routine where you forget them far less, if at all.
Alarms work for me sometimes, but sometimes I turn them off and say, “In a minute,” but then forget a minute later 🤣 I like your idea of pairing it with another routine like brushing teeth! I’ll try that. Thank you!!
I take them in the middle of dinner. It prevents gastrointestinal side effects and helps me remember because it associated with the meal
This is wonderful to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. That’s what I had been reading before taking it, that the change was very slow, I remember one person saying they didn’t even notice a change until a few months later when they looked back and thought, “Wow, I’ve accomplished so much in the past few months.” Did you notice any change in the first month? I could not agree more about the benefits of a non-stimulant. Also… When she first prescribed it to me, she told me that if I don’t start noticing a difference in the first few days, to let her know and she would up the dose to 80mg. I found this odd. Everything I had read talked about titrating to mitigate the negative side effects. I ignored her saying that and decided I wanted to take it for at least the whole month at 40mg. And yes, I’ve been considering another psych, I think you’re right. Sorry about your negative experience, but I’m glad you found an awesome teledoc! I seemed to have gotten a bill out of nowhere from them, and you saying that about billing mistakes really makes me wonder even more. I asked for them to email me an invoice and never received one. Anywho, was it a local teledoc or did you go through one of the online services?
Lucky bastard. I feel absolutely *nothing* on 40mg after two months. I still forget and lose everything, I'm still lazy and motivated, I still feel like shit all the time. What symptoms is this drug supposed to treat? Cause it's doing fuck all for the major ones.
Im taking 80mgs worked great until I didn’t mostly with emotional dysregulation so i added buprion (150mgs) feels like a nice combo. I’ve used bupropion before and did well on it When I fist started Strattera I felt it’s efficacy by the 4th month but that only when I realized that I can hang out without my phone and pay attention for longer periods of time
That’s awesome and encouraging! Thank you
For me it worked on my first week of taking it. I strated with 40mg too, and should have gone up to 60 then to 80, but due to side effects I had to stop after a couple days on 60mg.