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Strattera for ADHD User Reviews (Page 5)

Strattera has an average rating of 5.2 out of 10 from a total of 481 reviews for the treatment of ADHD. 37% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 41% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Strattera

  • Jaye...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 3, 2014

"I am 15 years old girl and this was the first medication I ever took for my ADD and I don't even know if it worked for my ADD symptoms. But I do know the side effects of Strattera were all I had. I was depressed, numb, sleepy, could not eat and had anxiety. It felt like I wasn't on earth I was out in space numb to the world."

1 / 10
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  • Jenna
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 21, 2017

"I only took this for 4 weeks & most say it takes 4-6 weeks to work. Initial side effects-- extreme sedation & emotional flattening. I slept the first week anytime I wasn't actively engaged in something & even then I was groggy. That subsided a bit, but I remained very lethargic all day every day for the duration of the 4 weeks & as time went on, I felt more & more emotionally flat & lost all interest & motivation. It certainly completely cured my hyper-activity, but it never helped my focus one bit. It did, however, really help my fibro pain better than anything has, took away my panic attacks, & cut my general anxiety down greatly. Unfortunately, I can't continue to feel so flat, lethergic, anti-social & disinterested any longer."

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  • abc
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • January 13, 2021

"I tried strattera for roughly 14 months moving between 20-40-60-80mg. At 20mg I felt a bit better but that it wasn't helping enough. At 40-80mg the side effects of bad nausea, feeling very hot all over and then cold soon after, dizziness, loss of appetite, heavy doses of fatigue, problems with my sex life etc all hit hard on 8/10 or 9/10 days I took it. I will give a disclaimer I didn't take it some weekends but the lack of going to work and the deterrent of the side effects put it off. I didn't experience any increase in insomnia. Also people would be able to tell if I'd taken my tablet by how pale I'd turn within 10 minutes and how subdued I was. Recently switched to concerta to try and escape the side effects."

2 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • mirac
  • May 3, 2018

"Strattera works well for me. Lets be straight with the facts folk. Strattera should be dosed at least to 1.2 mg /per kilo body weight Or 80 mg a day (optimal dose for most people) - if you take less then 1.2 mg/kg the risk is high that the effect that you feel is too low or placebo - (this is proven in lots of real life medical trials). After about 6-8 weeks (during which your blood pressure is taken regularly) - its effect should be evaluated by your doctor - please have patience with the medicine to work. If the response is to low - it should be dosed up to 100 mg or higher. A doctor should know this things - its mandatory in Sweden to have this knowledge among doctors below 80mg a day is SUBOPTIMAL dosing. 100-120 mg should not be exceeded. This fact in the "medical sheet/package" with your medicine. Please inform your doc about this simple facts."

8 / 10
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  • Tinabe
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 20, 2017

"I was a happy but chaotic woman with ADHD. I am looking for a substitute for Ritalin because although it worked miracles for my lack of attention an organizing skills it eventually wore me out. My new neurologist suggested Strattera (80 mg/day ). At first it made me very tired. After a few weeks Strattera changed me into an emotional wreck. Crying every minute for no reason. I'm still in hospital. I'm so tired of trying something new and hoping it will make the fog in my head disappear. But we're back to square one. No more Strattera fore me..."

1 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Brian
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 11, 2019

"Was prescribed 40mg Strattera off the bat. Had every side effects within 30 minutes of taking the pill. I vomited, got hot flashes then goosebumps, drowsy and sleepy. I felt like I didn’t want to go anywhere. Tried again the next day with food and couldn’t hold it down after 2 hours. Again same side effects. People are like “give the medication a chance to work”. Screw that - I've never experienced more terrible side effects in my life even though I just started. Only positive is my anxiety went away but I didn’t feel like going anywhere. Never again"

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  • AAano
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • April 11, 2018

"Strattera is the most efficient medication for me. It helps with my concentration in class and at home. It started working for me the first day I took it and I’ve been taking it for more than a year now. It used to give me dizziness when I took it in the morning after breakfast... so something helpful I found is to take it after dinner on a full stomach so that the side affects don’t occur while I am awake because they ware off as you are sleeping."

10 / 10
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  • JoobJ...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 23, 2013

"My husband has ADD, and it really took a toll on our relationship. He was originally on Vyvanse, but it suppressed his appetite horribly. It didn't do enough in ratio to the side effects, so he decided to try Strattera. So far, it's been working decently. His main problem, however, is being able to urinate freely. I bought him Urinozinc Prostate Formula, and literally the first pill he took, he was able to urinate much more easily. Conversely, when he forgot a pill the other day, he noticed an immediate difference, and struggled to urinate. The supplement has allowed him to stay on Strattera. I note this stuff, as I have read that this is a common issue for men taking Strattera. Hope this helps others."

7 / 10
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  • nickn...
  • September 7, 2019

"I was put on 40mg of Strattera right after being diagnosed with ADHD. The first couple days, I had a lot of nausea, dry mouth, and fatigue, but I knew to expect this, and tried to power through. After a week, however, I started feeling super irritable, which is not normal for me. I'm typically an even-keeled, patient person most of the time. Then, last night, I started uncontrollably crying and thinking terrible, awful things about myself that I have never thought before. . My partner said, "That's the worst I've ever seen you." I didn't take it today (I refuse to take that ever again) and after a week on it, I feel lifeless. Like a zombie. Like my personality, my thought life, my ability to function is just not there. I assume this will get better after a bit more time, but it's scary to think that all that can change in one week."

2 / 10
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  • Ahhhh...
  • October 27, 2014

"This is the start of my 3rd day in this medications. I am in 25mg once a day. So far I notice it makes me a little sleepy, dry mouth and gives tingle sensation on my head. Although benefits so far have been that I passed my quiz for college 100% and was able to FINISH multiple tasks yesterday! Only third day so we'll see how it progresses with my body. AGE: 21, 110lbs, F"

6 / 10
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  • kelly...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • September 26, 2019

"(female, 25 yrs old) It's hard for me to say if Strattera is the reason I feel calm and focused, because I am on a lot of other medications for other diagnoses (depression/bipolar, OCD, anxiety). However, since starting Strattera I HAVE noticed a difference, a subtle difference. I was previously on Vyvanse, which also made a subtle difference, but it caused too much anxiety. I noticed I've been interrupting others less and feeling more focused in conversations and at work. So I say give it a try, especially if stimulants give you anxiety."

9 / 10
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  • Sylveon
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 29, 2018

"18 yr old haven't been treated for my ADHD till now. Took a month before I adjusted to them afterwards I was alright. It helps me maintain focus while balancing out my emotions that seemed to go up in the day and down at night. It makes me feel like I can truly be myself and become self sufficient and independent when I need to be. Had issues with starting/completing chores and now I remember what I'm doing just fine! A great alternative for those who don't want stimulants or have inattentive ADHD."

10 / 10
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  • DDBMD
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 30, 2019

"I started taking Strattera three weeks ago and it has been awful. I started taking this because I had too many negative side effects wit the stimulants. Strattera made gave me mood swings usually leaving me feeling depressed, anxious, annoyed, angry, etc. It also suppressed my appetite which kept me from eating. It made me feel lethargic during the day which kept me in bed and awake at night which caused severe depression. I noticed no improvement in my ADHD symptoms. I have stopped taking Strattera."

3 / 10
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  • anony...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • June 1, 2023

"I started taking this god-awful drug when I was around 11 years old, just starting middle school. An 11-year-old child should never have to hear voices telling them to harm others or themselves, experience horrifying nightmares, and suffer from the terrible lack of sleep caused by insomnia. It felt like everything was blank, and I felt completely numb. I was like a zombie, devoid of any real emotions. Growing up, I thought I had anger issues as a kid, and to some extent, I did. However, this drug amplified my anger towards everything. I also struggled greatly with depression and had suicidal thoughts at such a young age. I came dangerously close to attempting it on multiple occasions, but fortunately, all my attempts failed. I am grateful for that, but no child or adult should ever be subjected to this medication. It made me feel absolutely awful, and I am still dealing with the trauma caused by the thoughts, voices, and memories I had as a child, even to this day. It took around 4 years to overcome some of the severe side effects from this drug as well. I apologize if my thoughts seem scattered, but I cannot stress enough: never take this medication. And please, ensure no child is subjected to it either."

1 / 10
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  • LucyT
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 14, 2019

"I want to start out by saying that I have nothing against this medication. Some people thrive on it, and I wish I was one of them. However, it does not seem to be for me. I have been on this medication for 3 months, and I have not really experienced what I wanted to on it. I take 40 mg a day, early morning, for ADHD, and thought it would help me focus, and be more productive. Instead, it seems to have just made me lethargic and exhausted most of the day. sometimes just wanting to sleep, instead of anything else. I do feel a little more focused in general, but not in the areas I need to be, like during work. I also started sweating... a LOT! I sweat buckets while on this medication, and I constantly feel hot, even when nobody else does. It can be rather debilitating. I already take a diuretic, so I am sure that this is not beneficial for me at all. My mind does seem calmer, but I don't know if it is worth it for me if these are the side effects."

5 / 10
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  • Alec
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • February 4, 2024

"Strattera is a game changer for me. I had to stop taking Adderall after high school because the side effects (particularly the loss of appetite) were outweighing the benefits. I went back to my doctor when I was 20 to discuss non-stimulant alternatives, and Strattera was what we settled on. I started on 10 mg and felt significant improvement after a week or two. Over time, it started feeling less effective, so we recently increased the dose to 25 mg. Boy howdy, it made a difference. Instead of the short-term 'in-the-zone' feeling I got from Adderall, my brain just feels a bit quieter. I can retain information longer, I'm not zoning out as often, and I have better executive functioning than I've had in years. On top of that, I've hardly noticed *any* side effects, and it's not a big deal if I miss a dose. It's not as strong as Adderall was, but I'll happily take that trade."

8 / 10
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  • Cem
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 28, 2019

"This drug probably damaged my liver just in 4 days. I am 75kg I was using 40mg. I can feel tenderness-pain right upper abdominal that I never had before. I feel drowsy, depressed, confused. I would never recommend this drug. Especially to kids."

1 / 10
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  • Nik
  • February 11, 2019

"This drug ruined my life. I took it for five months total. I was only on 25mg and it was giving me heart palps and panic attacks. If I had anything with caffeine I thought I would die. When I stopped taking this med everything spiralled down. I had terrible anxiety, couldn't sleep, couldn't think straight and had dry mouth for months. This slowly improved over two and a half years until I felt normal again. But now after being on other meds like Cipro my symptoms came back and I have to start over. I'm sensitive to any mood altering substance land probably will be for the rest of my life! I used to have goals but now I struggle to survive. I have a friend who came off it fine but in my opinion it's not worth it. Other people I've talked to have had similar reactions. I hope I can do good by offering this advice: don't take strattera to manage ADHD even though it seems safe. I live with pain and regret every day and would give anything to go back and change my mind about taking strattera."

1 / 10
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  • ahaney
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 9, 2017

"I started taking this medication about 2 months ago. My doc had me start out at 40 milligrams for one week and then upped the dose to two 40 mg capsules twice a day. At the second month, I started taking just one 80 mg capsule around mid-afternoon early evening every day. So far the drug has seemed to greatly help my ability to focus and really experience the world around me. I'm able to finally slow my mind to a cruising speed instead of an outright race. Strattera has made me calmer and more composed when it comes to social interactions with others and encountering stressful situations. Also, I seem to be getting really positive and more optimistic in everyday life making me feel as if the drug as some mild antidepressant properties"

7 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • October 13, 2009

"My 6 year old son was prescribed Strattera because he has Tourettes and it was felt the stimulants would make it worse. He has been on 10 mg daily for the last 4 days and so far I am pleased. The first day I gave it he slept all afternoon and was awake off and on all night. I changed the time I gave it to late afternoon and have not noticed this problem anymore. He is not overly drowsy at school. His teacher sent a note noticing he appeared to pay attention in class more and today was the FIRST day since the school year started that he didn't get in trouble for disrupting class. I have noticed his appetite and thirst have increased somewhat but he wasn't a big eater to begin with, so this is actually positive to me."

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  • JayH
  • September 27, 2019

"I’m a veteran and just got out of the military the past year, so I’ve been having troubles focusing on school. So my civilian doctor Put me on Straterra 40mg right off the bat, and have been on it for at least 3 weeks now. The common side effects were nausea, cottonmouth, increased Resting/active heart rate, loss of weight, decreased appetite. However I do have less impulses and can focus more in school. But I sweat a shit ton after walking a couple flights of stairs or walking fast, and my heart rate goes from 70 to 122 every time. Recently had my first panic attack, so far I’ve had 3 panic attacks since I’ve been on this. Coming from the military I was able to do anything, and My first panic attack was me sitting in class just listening to the professor. For no reason it happened. It’s not pleasant. I also feel my body temperature is a lot hotter now, and my kidney feels like it’s there is a ball there. I’m also on 300mg of bupropion."

8 / 10
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  • richie...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • April 13, 2015

"In my 30's, energy levels dropped and found life more challenging. I would wonder how I could get through the day. I took adderall but could feel that it wasn't right. I guess it felt too much of a party drug. After a few doses, I actually just felt, I suppose buzzed, not able to complete tasks. Perhaps the dose wasn't high enough? I went to my doctor with a list of meds. and notes. He picked up on straterra, which wasn't top. The instructions said it may take a month to work! It was instant! I am less irritable, have more mental energy. My brain must have been tired and my thoughts are more positive than negative. I have all the side effects, inconsistently. They are far outweighed by ++. Also try matcha green tea!!"

9 / 10
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  • Ann
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • June 20, 2022

"I was diagnosed with ADHD at 52 years old. Took 40mg of Strattera 2x a day for 18 months. It was somewhat effective-not amazing. I did lose some weight. Out of nowhere the morning dose starts making me nauseous & tired! The afternoon dose never any problems. I couldn’t stand it anymore so I discontinued taking it. Tried Adderall but it’s such a pain to acquire with supply chain issues & frequent urinalysis screens plus I didn’t care for its side effects either. So at about 7 months without treating my ADHD I’m 20lbs heavier. I still have almost 100 Strattera pills. What the heck? I give it a shot. Had the nausea for the morning dose for maybe the first week. It’s been almost a month now-I’ve dropped 6lbs. My thoughts are clear, able to communicate better, not as forgetful. Not sure why it’s working so much better this time around? I had Covid a month before I started having the bad symptoms, maybe that was long haul symptoms I was experiencing. I’ll probably never know."

7 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • March 1, 2012

"37 female with fresh diagnosed ADHD. Doc let me tried this 1 month sttratter. See clear improvement from 2 wks at 40mg/d. I almost want to cry when I finish reading one scientific article in 1 hour... Mental work is no longer painful. I think, I write, my brain is used to it's potential at last. Cons: constipation, dry mouth, nausea, low appetite, stranger sensation on scalp, easy to get angry, expensive, distance. But now MY life is priceless---knowing you could try your best."

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  • beefs...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 6, 2022

"I’ve (20F) been on Strattera for about 3-4 months. I started on 40mg, had mild side effects but nothing awful, but I wasn’t seeing any improvement of my inattentive ADHD, so doc and I decided to go up to 80mg. Been on 80mg for about 2 months now and it’s taking everything not to quit cold turkey before my next appt with my doctor. My heart is constantly pounding and I’m overheating all the time. I am depressed and angry all the time. I need at least 12 hours of sleep to function, but I still feel tired and fatigued all the time. I also have been having awful & scary suicidal thoughts out of absolutely nowhere. I can eat, but I feel like I’m going to throw up all the time. I can do chores and work now, but at what cost??? Would not recommend."

1 / 10
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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.