Atomoxetine and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• M R...
• April 27, 2016

Atomoxetine for ADHD "My doctor put me on basically the fastest titration. 40 mg for 4 days, then 80 mg after that. The first 4 days on 40 mg were awful. The worst of the side effects being insomnia. I had to call out of work for a few days to catch up on sleep. I could not fall asleep at all. The doc prescribed Trazodone to sleep. That helped after being sleep deprived for a few days. I've heard of people upping their dose and having the side effects lessen and positive side effects increase. Wrong. First day on 80 mg I had crippling nausea, body aches, massive headache, off-the-chart irritability, burning urination (with white discharge), and thoughts of suicide. No joke. I've read of people having this happen to them, but it's a rare side effect."

• sal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "Within the first week, I started getting moderate then severe headaches that nothing helped (Tylenol, Advil, Aleve, aspirin, natural remedies, etc.). Nothing touched them, and my ADHD symptoms persisted, so they made my dose higher, and the bigger the dose, the bigger the headache, until I couldn't stand it. I just stopped taking it after 2 months of severe headaches, and they were so bad I couldn't tell if it worked for attention since I was too distracted by my headaches! So I was getting distracted either way! Then finally, after coming off for a month and being put on Intuniv later, no more headaches! I can actually focus. Although I don't speak for everyone, there should really be a warning of severe headaches on the label!"

• Eli...
• February 20, 2018

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I have been taking this medication for about a week now for ADD at 40 mg. I had nausea the first couple of days and slight headaches. I decided to take one day off from it, and I have had a migraine all day. Medicine can sort of help with focus, especially for me since I'm severely scatterbrained and forgetful, and it definitely suppresses appetite."

• Ton...
• August 12, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I was prescribed Strattera for ADD, 40 mg, and I was only on it for 6 days. I was warned about the side effect of having nausea and to eat before taking meds in the morning. I started Strattera on a Saturday morning, and by that night I had diarrhea so bad that I thought I would have to sleep sitting on the toilet. I also had the feelings of being constantly angry, I had really bad headaches, depression, tiredness, it worsened my anxiety, and any time I would eat, I ended up on the toilet for quite a while. I was put on Strattera to help me with my ADD lack of concentration, etc., needless to say, it didn't work whatsoever. My poor butt thanked me when I quit taking it, hahaha."

• big...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2022

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I'm a woman in my mid-20s, a petite thing with a fast metabolism, under 120 lbs. So I was started on 10 mg, 1 pill a day, the lowest dosage from what I've seen, and I took this for two days. Strattera gave me the WORST side effects I've ever dealt with in a medication, constant nausea and hunger (it suppresses the appetite, NOT a good feeling) for a week so far, inconsistent tiredness, mood swings, headaches, restless leg syndrome symptoms. I keep feeling a tingling/pins and needles or tickle feeling in my left leg and foot AND my upper middle chest. It kept me up at night, and I jolted around for hours struggling to get a wink of sleep because the feeling just made me need to move! The last thing I need is less food to eat. When I started getting my appetite back and felt hungry and ate WITHOUT NAUSEA, I almost cried (in joy, of course). Yeah, this stuff was not worth it, I would never take this for weeks on end."

• Ste...
• April 6, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I had a bad reaction from Ritalin, so I was given Strattera. Strattera gave me, and still gives me, a nauseous feeling. I always take it with food and after driving to avoid this side effect as much as possible. At times, it gives me headaches and irritability due to me feeling off. It is very effective in controlling my hyperactivity. I am much more attentive. Its benefits outweigh its current side effects. I recommend talking to your doctor and to keep trying new medicines to find out what works best for you. I gave it a 6/10. It's expensive, around $140."

• Gra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I have been looking for a medication that will keep me at a stable pace all day, not with the several ups and downs I experience on Motiron and Ritalin. I have tried Adderall, Ritalin, Strattera, and more than 3 other medications. But of all the medications I have tried, Strattera gave me the worst side effects by far. I felt sick to my stomach, irritable, toxic, I had a headache for 3-4 hours a day, and the come down was terrible. I went through extreme periods of depression and anxiety while on this medication for only 2 weeks! I know some people can feel the effects after a few weeks, but for me, it just wasn't worth it to continue. Hope it works for others, but this non-stimulant was all side effects and no help for my ADHD."

• Bec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2021

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I was okay at first. Then, 4 weeks into taking this, I'm tired, sluggish, itchy, irritable, constipated, nauseous, headaches, and having horrible, crazy dreams. This drug needs to be taken off the market with all the side effects. I can't believe doctors actually prescribe this drug, and I'm in the process of looking for a new one after he put me on this. Don't take this medication unless you don't want to poop or you want to call off sick because you think you have COVID or the flu due to the horrible side effects. I would give a zero for the rating. But that's not an option."

• pan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 19, 2016

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I've been taking Strattera since I was finally diagnosed in February with predominately inattentive type ADHD, and I think I might stop taking it altogether. It's helped with my attention span a little, but the side effects largely overshadow this. I have never experienced such agonizing headaches since I started taking this medication, to the point where I've had to call off work several times because I'm so nauseous from the pain. It might just be the combination of medications (I also take Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and Trazodone), but I'd rather live without the headaches than continue taking Strattera, hoping it will one day work."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2021

Atomoxetine for ADHD "A total nightmare. I felt sick almost immediately. I missed half a week of work. I could fall asleep, but not sleep through the night. Sexual side effects. Strange urination. Dry mouth. Upset stomach. Headaches. I took it with food. My doctor said I needed to try taking it with more food. I told him, 'No way.' You could not pay me to take this drug again. Even if the side effects were a tenth of what I experienced, you could not pay me to take this drug. I lost a week of my life to this."

• Dec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2017

Atomoxetine for ADHD "My daughter is 11 years old, and she has been on 10 mg of Strattera for 28 days and has just jumped to 18 mg. My concerns are the side effects: skin rash, headaches, and severe stomach cramps since going onto the higher dosage. Do I persist or take her off? The doctor wants me to persist, but I am worried I am doing more harm. She battles to fall asleep, taking the pill at 6 pm and in bed at 8:15 pm. She cried every morning because she is tired. Should I be taking it in the morning?"

• Mma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 25, 2019

Atomoxetine for ADHD "Took 60 mg Strattera as prescribed for 4 months. Stomach pains and headaches were endless. There was zero improvement for ADHD. This RX did cause frequent dreaming during sleep, to which I can say was its only benefit to me."

• Sin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 7, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "My 8-year-old daughter was prescribed this medication yesterday by our PCP. For the past 6 months, she was on Adderall 10 mg, and I decreased her to 5 mg two months ago. She weighs 64 lbs and 10 mg of Adderall had her like a zombie, the 5 most recently caused her to become anxious, overly sensitive, and literally trichotillomania - literally developing the habit of pulling her hair out. I stopped the Adderall this week, and her doctor suggested Strattera. I got an email from my daughter's teacher after sending her to school on the 1st day of her new meds. My daughter was experiencing super fatigue, headache, and nausea. She was definitely calm, but she could not eat dinner, and my baby was so hot to the touch. I will NOT give her any more meds."

• Anonymous
• November 13, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "I'm an 18-year-old female, and I started taking 80 mg Strattera for ADD, and honestly didn't see much to any improvement. I couldn't focus any better than I could before. I became so unmotivated I didn't even want to get out of bed anymore. It calmed me down definitely and relieved my anxiety 100%, but it made me so, for lack of a better word, depressed. And when I would forget to take it or couldn't get to the pharmacy to refill the prescription for a couple of days, I would get these massive headaches that hurt so bad I could've cried. Overall, I think it just didn't work for me."

• Ano...
• August 11, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "It's maybe my 5th week on the drug, noticed an increase in my productivity and feel like I can get a lot done. Although I'm suffering from nausea and slight headaches, I'm taking other medications, so it's hard to say. Tried Ritalin, Ritalin XR, and Dexamphetamine also. This isn't as aggressive as Dex, but Dex is my preference in comparison to this. Though it's still early days!"

• Ann...
• September 8, 2016

Atomoxetine for ADHD "Was only on this for 4 days. I took 25 mg in the mornings. The side effects were bad and got progressively worse. My head felt weird and also headaches that lasted hours on end. Took extra long to fall asleep the third day. I barely ate the third and fourth day because the nausea was so bad. I would eat something small then feel like vomiting. The last day I tried to take it before bedtime as directed to try to sleep through the bad parts, but ended up calling off work because of severe insomnia. I would not recommend this stuff for anyone. Stay away from this stuff!"

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 17, 2015

Atomoxetine for ADHD "Since I've been on Strattera, I've felt tired and listless -- I can't even work up enough energy for essentials like laundry and dishes. I've been on it for 5 months. My worst side effects are nausea, fatigue, irritability, and strange dreams. It feels like I start dreaming before I even fall asleep, and it's driving me crazy. In typical ADHD fashion, I forgot my meds at work over the weekend and had to go without -- I woke up at 4 am to the worst headache I've ever had. I have an appointment on Wednesday and will be doing my damnedest to get my doc to switch me to a different med. I think it did a little for my ADHD, but I also upped my coffee intake while I was on this med."

• HEN...
• November 17, 2011

Atomoxetine for ADHD "My doctor tried to put me on this. It gave me heartburn and a bad headache. I was not able to control bowel movements either. Sometimes I would actually stain the back of my pants. One good thing is I had an erection for hours. It did make me lose 40 pounds the first month I was on it, though."

• Ald...
• July 27, 2021

For ADHD "I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 22 and sometimes take meds to treat it. Tried this medication for three months to help with a period of busy life events instead of a stimulant, which has modest benefits in the past. This medication was very unpleasant and didn’t help with concentration. Unlike some of the stimulant medications, this one sometimes kept me up at night and I spent most days with a mild headache."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2022

For ADHD "31 years old, and I was just diagnosed with having ADHD. I never had a clue that ADHD was a cause for all the “issues” I’ve been dealing with for well over a decade. Doc prescribed me atomoxetine. I started off with 40 mg for the first 7 days, and then on the 8th day, it was increased to 60 mg. Literally, the first day I could feel it. I was incredibly focused, my mind was able to process things easier, I had barely any anxiety, all around, the first day felt like a breeze. No stress at all. Felt like an entirely different person. I felt like this for the majority of the 23 days I was on this medication. The negatives to this drug were it made my insomnia even worse, and I eventually broke out in hives! I was barely sleeping, but somehow I was still feeling okay for most of the day, even with the lack of sleep. That’s the weird part. I stopped it cold turkey and experienced a horrible headache and cloudy brain for 5 days."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2016

For ADHD "I've been on Strattera for 5 days now, 40 mg in the morning and 200 mg of Wellbutrin SR 2x a day for depression. So far, I think for me it's been good. Only side effects are tiredness during the day, headaches, and loss of appetite. I believe the worst of the side effects happen in the first month of use, so I'd like to try 80 mg in a month to see how I do on that amount. More irritable at times throughout the day, but since I know that can be a side effect, I try to control my mood when I notice it becoming bad. I've not taken it on its own, so I don't know if that's why I am doing good on it, Wellbutrin and Strattera together, but so far so good."

• Ave...
• December 8, 2017

For ADHD "Over the past couple of years, I have been exhibiting increasing symptoms of ADHD and anxiety, and after attempting to treat myself with some relief holistically (meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga), the symptoms were not going away, and I decided to go to my doctor. I started taking atomoxetine 18 mg five weeks ago and noticed it was helping, but three weeks in, it seemed to wear off. With direction from my doctor, I doubled the dose (36 mg), and it seems to be working again. I am able to focus better on tasks, have more mental clarity, and can carry a conversation without distraction or interrupting. I had some headaches at first and had to limit my coffee intake. Not saying it will work for everyone, but it is working for me."

• Rec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 1, 2015

For ADHD "This is the first ADD medication I have tried. In May, I started at 25 mg 1x before bed and worked my way up to 80 mg over a month. Initially, I had horrible headaches in the PM, so my Dr. told me to take it in the AM; this made them disappear. I started a new research job in June, and Strattera worked WONDERS, helping me multitask as I moved from floor to floor. That being said, I felt like I lost my creativity, and it became difficult to hold a conversation with new coworkers/friends; I didn't feel myself. I stopped the meds in Aug to form better relationships as I adjusted to a new place. I just started at 80 mg today, and that was a mistake. Dizziness, chills, racing heart. It feels like taking Sudafed. Do not start this medication suddenly!"

• cir...
• February 14, 2011

Atomoxetine for ADHD "Worked for half a year, then I got paranoid, depression and ADHD started to show, and had really bad headaches."

• knn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2017

For Depression "Suffering headache, fever, and long sleep."