What's Wrong with Strattera?

I am in recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism (including stimulants). Is Straterra a good option in my case? Is there anything else out there that is not or less addictive to treat my ADD?

I tried strattera and the side effects outweighs the benefits for me.

Love this - thank you! I love to research “stuff” and work with my medical provider to resolve issues. I’ve taken Zoloft and Bupropion XR in the past with seemingly no issues. Last year, we tried bupropion and escitalopram to deal with anxiety and issues I was having with slow recovery from a severe burnout situation. Bupropion - EKG and echo. Escitalopram - ER visit. Both blamed on low electrolytes due to alcohol use. Opted for a therapist. Boom! ADHD. My FCP shook her head as it’s one thing she knows well - houseful of ADHD. Started me on Strattera. Weird side effects that got better, up to 80 - another b adjustment. I was so tired and felt so bad that it was visible. My therapist had wanted me to do a gene test early on, but I had googled it and thought my FCP would “poo-poo” the idea. When my endo recommended it (I was now starting Mounjaro), I asked. Of course, my FCP does them daily. Came back with Strattera in the red, along with most anti-depressants. I wish I could have stayed on Strattera, because I’d just gone off my BP meds earlier this year, but now with Focalin, we’re trying to figure it out. I think Mounjaro complicates it. Still need higher dose of Docslin but also considering clonadine as an add on.
Appreciate you sharing all your knowledge! I’ve learned a lot, but this brain stuff isn’t simple! (55 yr old post-menopausal woman diagnosed when life was taking over everything. Digging out with the help of my therapist, who provides a safe space, therapy dog, and completely validated input as an ADHDer herself ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Your videos are very interesting. Thanks. I had to stop taking it as it caused me to grind my teeth in my sleep. Badly damaged rear molars. Very expensive Dental costs. I was not sure of its effectiveness. I dont like the anxiety of stimulants. The best counter to my ADD was modafinil. Used rarely for those impossible to do tasks.

I've been on Straterra for 25 years for ADD and I have zero side effects and it's amazing and it changed my life. I take it at night before I go to sleep to avoid nausea. It takes a few weeks to get used to taking it at night.

Gave me insomnia

1) testicle pain (especially after dose adjust but later too)
2) stomach pains (especially after dose adjust)
3) blood pressure and sweating issues (chronic)
4) urination pressure so bad it literally dribbled out of me. This did not ‘resolve’ itself, (chronic)
4) takes weeks to ‘work and assess’ , before ‘adjusting the dose for optimal effectiveness’
5) dreadful constipation that required a hospital visit
6) Doctor dealing with my constipation emergency ordered me to stop - thank goodness

Other than that…I thought it helped mentally.

A tip for controlling starters side effects that I always pass on: take it with protein. I’m not versed in pharmacology so I’m grossly oversimplifying, but essentially Straterra binds to protein, so taking it with some protein in your belly is ideal.

Once I started taking it this way I had immediate reduction in side effects. It took some tinkering to find the best amount of protein (10 grams minimum), and once I found that, side effects are completely gone. No more extreme sleepiness, cotton mouth, stomach issues. This med works very well for me

So on high level overview .. Wellbutrin and Cymbalta work better for the short term direct and long term treatment of ADHD in you professional option? Sorry English is my seconded language

Thank you so much for your videos. My pharmacist education didn’t provide much insight on the medications you address in your presentations. It’s always frustrated me how they gloss over the nuances. I love the details you gave regarding drug approval processes for some of the drugs too. I’m going to have to watch this one several times

I survived this science experiment as a teen, I survived the suicidal side effects. Evil drug

It did absolutely nothing for my ADHD. For me Adderall and Concerta worked okay. Cannabis worked even better than Adderall and Concerta but after about a year I started getting tired of being high all the time and addiction was starting to take hold so I quit it and decided to try psilocybin. That's been a game changer. I eat 3-5g of mushrooms once or twice a week and I don't understand the science behind it but even when I'm not under the effect of it, it still works. I can be completely sober and still sit still and actually concentrate on stuff. More research definitely needs to be done on it.

Love your channel and style!!!! Please continue what you do. PMHNP here.

I'm so grateful it works for me with basically no side effects. Teeny weeny bit of nausea that doesn't last long

It's not as good as vyvanse for symptoms, but it is great, and it doesn't wear off and leave me disregulated in the evening, it doesn't affect my sleep, and if I forget to take it or wake up late I can just take it late rather than having to go a day without it.

I do find it was good for ADHD my depression symptoms too. Helps emotional regulation generally but also just takes away those intermittent and short lived but very severe depression symptoms.

It made me depressed and I would cry excessively, and it caused panic attacks. I became so lazy. Only benefits were better sleep and not overeating.

On 25mg atomox it helps but it doesn’t seem to help with executive function. I’m still very scattered, but comorbidity may also be the reason for that namely C.D.S.

Sirach 38:1-15 (KJVA)
1 Honour a physician with the honour due unto him for the uses which ye may have of him: for the Lord hath created him. 2 For of the most High cometh healing, and he shall receive honour of the king. 3 The skill of the physician shall lift up his head: and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration. 4 The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them. 5 Was not the water made sweet with wood, that the virtue thereof might be known? 6 And he hath given men skill, that he might be honoured in his marvellous works. 7 With such doth he heal men, and taketh away their pains. 8 Of such doth the apothecary make a confection; and of his works there is no end; and from him is peace over all the earth, 9 My son, in thy sickness be not negligent: but pray unto the Lord, and he will make thee whole. 10 Leave off from sin, and order thine hands aright, and cleanse thy heart from all wickedness. 11 Give a sweet savour, and a memorial of fine flour; and make a fat offering, as not being. 12 Then give place to the physician, for the Lord hath created him: let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him. 13 There is a time when in their hands there is good success. 14 For they shall also pray unto the Lord, that he would prosper that, which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life. 15 He that sinneth before his Maker, let him fall into the hand of the physician.

I tried handle it but the nausea was too much.

Strattera can induce painful orgasm in men and cause swollen prostate and urinary issues. I think this is more common side effect than is reported & may not be an issue in women.

I wonder if data shows lower approval rating with men.

I had Strattera for about a year. I thought it was absolutely awful. Got terrible groin pain, dizziness and made food taste repulsive. It did help with school in the morning but the negatives of it definitely outweighed the positives for me.

I’m on mirtazipine and Dex .. lately it only work ( stimulants ) for 2 days then I lose time and hyper focus on one thing too long .. only thing is I’ve had antidepressants SSRI ‘s in the past with negative symptoms for depression( only got diagnosed in 2020 for ADHD treated last year ..
I’ve been on mirtazipine for hmm since 2003 ..
I’m wondering if I should change back to day time antidepressants now that I’m older and more innatemtive? And now that I am on Dex?

My 9 yr old daughter was put on it and had suicidal thoughts

I’m 28 years, my doctor diagnosed me with ADHD , anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and my psychologist said I have a trauma and I am not happy in my marriage. I started taking Atomoxetine since the last June , I am taking 80mg , with Ecitalopram 20 mg , and recently I started taking diazepam 2mg
The medications don’t work , I felt some days for few hours that I am good but no it is not because the medications because used to feel the same things before starting the medications , I am 20 weeks pregnant, students, wife and mother
I can’t trust those medications anymore
What’s your advice for me

Recently diagnosed with ADHD. Tried Wellbutrin. Broke out in hives and had a "blank brain". Could not conjur up a thought. Will be trying Strattera next. Because of the side effects, Im nervous to start it. I previously tried Cymbalta for depression. I experienced visual and auditory hallucinations. I seem to have negative reactions to anti-depressants.

My 6 year old has ADHD. He is prescribed with Strattera 10 mg.. we want to start this medicine from this Saturday.. can I know at what time of the day is good to give him this medicine?? Is this medicine good for 6 year old?? Any side effects on usage of this?? Please help me with your suggestions..

Took 300xl bupropion years ago and liked it. Was kinda scared about having a seizure though, and now my new doctor has me on this.

I've been on atomoxetine for a year and a half and it made an immediate difference in that both distractability and impulsivity were dramatically reduced, though I'm as inattentive as ever. I had to stop Adderall because it was making my heart race.

Thanks for such an amazingly detailed video, Dr. Kruse. I started 5 weeks ago on 40mg of atomoxetine. The first three weeks a felt noticeably better despite having constipation: more awake, more attentive and less grumpy when hungry (per my wife). After the third week, the constipation went away but all its benefits as well. This last week I have been doing 60mg and I feel almost no benefits (maybe I experienced some placebo effect initially). I do want want to try up progress to 80mg and 100mg if needed (I'm on my thirties ana weight 150lb), but I'm also considering Vyvanse due to the great feedback I have read. My question: if stratterra eventually providea some minor benefits, is it worth it to keep in a combo with a Vyvanse OR just do the stimulant alone? I've heard from Dr. Russell that it may be beneficial since one targets norepinephrine and the other dopamine. I would love to read your thoughts about this or even better: a whole video on this topic.

Thank you again

It decreases testosterone levels and causes insomnia