Strattera and Nausea: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Wom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2017

For ADHD "I started taking it when I had no motivation, was super depressed and suicidal. It helped me. I stopped having obsessive thoughts and gained the will to get up and do stuff. However, that was just the first year, after that, I lost perception of what life is like with or without the drug. The first 2 weeks, I had headaches and horrible nausea."

• gal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2017

For ADHD "So I've been using Strattera 40-50-60 mg for 8 months. The 50 and 60 mg doses got me very confused, and I made a lot of mistakes at my job, so I stopped and restarted with 40 mg. At the beginning, the most common side effects were nausea, dry mouth, constipation, and 'sinus headache'... but it stopped after a couple of weeks. However, I started to get migraines (got 5 since I started taking Strattera)... and I haven't had one for the last 6 years before (I'm 22 years old, and I had a lot of migraines when I was 10-16 years old)... so I will stop taking the medicine. I also hurt my esophagus sphincter while vomiting because of a migraine... and now I have GERD. So even if it makes me feel very calm and I can eat and sleep, I think I'll be better without it."

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 19, 2015

For ADHD "15-year-old female with ADHD and mild depression. This sent me into a downward spiral of suicidal thoughts and erratic behavior. It also caused me to throw up and miss meals due to the 'stuck in my throat' feeling it gave in addition to the burning acid in my throat feeling. Also, it gave me headaches so severe I wouldn't even get out of bed. I give this a 2/10 because although it did help a little, the negative side effects are too much for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2015

For ADHD "(18 years old, 104 lbs, 5'0) I was on 25 mg and switched to 40 mg as I hadn't noticed anything after a month. So far, I have dry mouth sometimes, feel more tired, nausea after taking the pill. Also, those around me have noticed that I am blah all the time after I take it and that I completely change from my upbeat personality to very flat. I will be talking to my doctor about taking a stimulant instead so I won't have to take it every day."

• Anonymous
• January 26, 2011

For ADHD "Strattera is incredible. I began taking it in 5th grade, after Adderall and Ritalin both failed me. I heard from my doctor that Strattera works for a lesser percentage of people than stimulants (like Adderall and Ritalin), but if you have had trouble with stimulants, Strattera is worth a try. I have generalized anxiety disorder, and both Adderall and Ritalin caused me to have spontaneous anxiety attacks. While Strattera does not treat my anxiety, it does not increase it. Strattera will NOT work automatically, like stimulants. It took about a month for my Strattera to work, and in that month, I experienced a lot of nausea, drowsiness, and headaches. I encourage you to ask your doctor about Strattera if nothing else has worked."

• 20 ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2015

For ADHD "Works well, does its job, but be warned, for the first few days to week, the side effects are freaking horrible. I was on Wellbutrin for half a year, but got off due to having a rare side effect (muscle and joint pain). Trying Strattera now, and as far as I can tell, it's very nice. Thoughts are organized, and I feel more relaxed (which is good because I might have anxiety - still being determined), nonetheless, I get a lot more things done. Side effects are a bloody nightmare - hang in there! They do go away! I started on only 25 mg and for 4 days I was nauseous and had to lay down from time to time, couldn't stop sleeping, and my eyes were hurting... weird... I went up to 50 mg, and again, the same symptoms."

• Hap...
• January 25, 2011

For ADHD "36-year-old female with ADHD, depression, fibromyalgia, severe menopausal hot flashes, and panic attacks: total hysterectomy at 29. Strattera is #22 or so on my list of antidepressants, nerve pills, sleeping pills, hormones, herbal supplements, etc. The gyno got with the psychiatrist and weeded out tons of things that I'm severely allergic to and came to the Strattera (no red dye, sulfa, codeine, etc.). It eliminated hot flashes entirely, I lost 50 pounds, I focus better. All else I just have to deal with. It makes me severely nauseated and gives me a migraine every day and makes my heart beat irregularly pretty often, and I can't eat after it at all, but I am up living, working, playing with my grandchildren, NOT sleeping and crying."

• Sil...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 1, 2022

For ADHD "I've been on Strattera for a year and a half for ADHD (although I question the dx; focusing takes more energy than it should, but I'd focus better if I had more energy in general). It works great. It's a very subtle drug. Getting on it was terrible (so much nausea, for over a month), but now I can just... do things. Life feels so much simpler. I don't have to eat sugar before I can focus or get irritable if I'm an hour late on dinner, but on the flip side, food doesn't feel quite so satisfying, and I've lost 30 lbs that I wasn't trying to lose. I don't need nearly as much sleep as before. (On that note, I need to take melatonin before bed every night to combat the side effect insomnia). My emotions feel less pressing, which makes life simpler but also after a year and a half makes me miss the intensity. Sexual side effects: too much arousal too fast makes me feel nauseous rather than good, and significantly decreased libido and a feeling of less sexual responsiveness."

• Anonymous
• December 5, 2011

For ADHD "Can't tolerate stimulants, so the only choice was non-stimulant medication. It does work, and I've definitely noticed a difference. The first couple of days, I'd get really sick for a couple of hours, pretty nauseated. But that went away after a while. For the first two months, I rarely felt hungry, I dropped 15 pounds, but my mouth was always dry, and I was drinking liters upon liters of water every day. Still some problems 'downstairs,' if you know what I mean. Makes me pretty sleepy, so I usually take it right before I turn in for the day. But honestly, even with all the side effects, it works well enough that I continue to take it."

• Tan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2019

For ADHD "If you have interest in horrifying co-workers... This is the med for you. I took my first dose with a small meal at breakfast, within 30 minutes, I began to feel queasy, but brushed it off and headed to work. Within the hour - right in the middle of a meeting, I started turning green... Finally, I jumped up, made a mad dash to the bathroom, only to projectile vomit in my hands, on myself, and barely missed a coworker. I headed home, spent the next hour throwing up, slept another two, and woke up tired, but fine."

• jam...
• June 26, 2015

For ADHD "15 and diagnosed this year. I have been on it for 4 months (in conjunction with Cipralex). Made a massive difference to my concentration levels and sustained energy, I had no idea it was possible to be this productive. Nausea was awful the first week (even threw up once), but faded quickly. I still need to eat alongside it to prevent nausea, but since I take it at breakfast time, it's not a problem. The only persistent side effect has been weight loss - about 7 kg in the past 4 months - mostly due to appetite loss. I was on Concerta (Ritalin XR) beforehand, and the side effects, such as heart palpitations and insomnia, were awful, also, it didn't help my ADHD symptoms at all. I'd recommend Strattera to people who've had bad results with stimulant ADHD meds."

• Vic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2022

For ADHD "Background on self: Early mid-20s female, Hispanic. Finally went to see a psychiatrist for my inattentive ADD symptoms. He prescribed me 40 mg Strattera to start with. I'm about a month in at this point, and so far the only negative side effects have been dry mouth and slight nausea that lasts for approximately 15 minutes (the nausea isn't noticeable if I make sure to have a solid breakfast before taking this medication). Also, was sleepy for the first few days. As for the benefits, so far I've found tremendous help in retaining information that I just read, reading has never felt smoother. I'm more checked in during conversations and generally more at ease in social situations. Just a general feeling of being okay with who I am. I'm still prone to bouts of distracting myself and losing track of time if I'm not careful, my house is still a mess, and I still find myself unfocused at times, but I am definitely pleased with my experience so far."

• Nic...
• May 23, 2016

For ADHD "Strattera was like water through my system, dirty water; did nothing except give me terrible distress: stomach aches, terrible constipation, nausea, constant dry heaves, and, at last, vomiting that almost had me fail my last school semester. Oh, did I mention the irritability at all the side effects? Had to quit cold turkey."

• Anonymous
• March 23, 2012

For ADHD "Bad experience. Week one - headaches. Week two - agitation. Week three - severe agitation, nausea, and light-headedness, feeling slightly suicidal. My doctor prescribed this to help me focus, and I thought symptoms would subside."

• Anonymous
• January 11, 2011

For ADHD "I've been on this medicine (80 mg) for about a year now. Every time I go off of it or forget to take it for whatever reason, I have the same side effects when I start up again: severe nausea and dizziness, to the point where I have to lay down for up to an hour at a time. However, those pale in comparison to the benefits: I can focus, complete both small tasks and big projects, read and comprehend material more easily, and am infinitely more relaxed and less anxious. I've also been in recovery for a food addiction for the past three years, and it's helped tremendously with the compulsive thoughts about food. Unfortunately, I'm now noticing that the benefits seem to be wearing off, and I'm considering either upping my dosage or switching medicines."

• M R...
• April 27, 2016

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."

• ema...
• July 4, 2021

For ADHD "I’ve been on Strattera for about a month. The only thing it has helped with is not being able to fall back asleep when I wake up in the morning, so I have a little more time to get ready. Other than that, it’s made my ADHD symptoms worse. If I don’t have caffeine with it, I’m extremely tired, constantly nauseous, it made my executive dysfunction worse, so it has not helped productivity whatsoever. I notice I forget what I was about to do and misplace things a lot more, and I have cried and been sad for a lot more days on it than I have felt good. It has also worsened suicidal thoughts and depression."

• Kay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2022

For ADHD "Not for me, may work for others. Was prescribed a non-stimulant because I go to a government-funded clinic that doesn't give out stimulants due to drug abuse in the area. I personally think this doesn't stop our high addiction rates, people will always get their fixes, but instead just makes it harder for people that need it to get the help they need. First, you have to take it after a meal to avoid the violent nausea. I'm a very spotty eater, and in the morning I don't want to eat at all, but that's the best time to take it to get any benefit with such a short half-life. So I compromised and do it at lunch, still no real benefits. The medicine's short half-life gets absorbed by anything used to mitigate or fight its effects: sleeping to counteract the drowsiness, food to combat the nausea, battling through nausea is near impossible or exhausting, so its benefits are wasted."

• Tar...
• December 30, 2017

For ADHD "I've been on Strattera for 4 months so far. I had no luck in the beginning with this medication, no difference until he upped the dosage to 80 mg. The only bad thing is feeling nauseated, sluggish. Overall, my focus is way better."

• 18...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 29, 2016

For ADHD "I was on Adderall and that worked amazingly! But I was paranoid and depressed, which affected me so much I had to switch. I switched to Strattera, and it helped! Then it started to not make a difference, so I got upped to 100 mgs. I have to eat right after, or else I become very ill (nauseous)."

• Bil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2017

For ADHD "I have been on this med for 4 days now. The first day, I made the mistake of taking it at night before bed, boy, was that a mistake! Up all night, really bad insomnia. Day 2, I took it in the afternoon when home from work at 2 pm. I curled up on the lazy boy and did not want to move, ended up passing out due to pure exhaustion. Needless to say, I did not get up until the next morning, 15 hours later. Day 3, about 1 hour after taking it, developed slight nausea and the feeling of extreme skin sensations, like things crawling on me, but those do subside after about a couple of hours. On 40 mg and going to stick with it and ride it out for a few weeks to see if side effects lessen. Also on 450 mg of Wellbutrin at the same time. I think it is working in a weird kind of way!"

• Eli...
• February 20, 2018

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."

• sni...
• June 5, 2015

For ADHD "I am an adult with ADD. I took Strattera according to my doctor's recommendations, starting with 25 mg and upping the dosage to 80 mg gradually for 6 weeks. I noticed nausea almost immediately after I started taking the medicine, along with unusual bouts of tiredness. I continued with the plan, as I was told some of the initial side effects would ease as my body became accustomed. The side effects began to get worse, with frequent sweats, occasional sore throat, EXTREME tiredness, and the worst constipation I have ever had. I will say that my ability to stay focused was improved dramatically, but the side effects made it impossible to stay on the medicine."

• Ton...
• August 12, 2015

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."

• 15y...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2016

For ADHD "While taking Strattera, it didn't really help with my ADHD, but it did cause unwanted nausea, and once I reached my target 80 mg dose, I began to get extremely hot, then started to sweat a lot, and finally threw up the Strattera."