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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 12, 2016 10:02:46 GMT
As many of you know, I have been recently diagnosed.
Straterra was the med that was suggested for me as I did not want to take a stimulant.
So, after getting the pills just before Xmas I sat there wondering whether to take them or not due to side effects. My starting dose is 40mg.
Finally I took my first one yesterday. Initial feeling were of cold shivers, then felt sweaty and have felt kind of jittery.
I woke up this morning and felt like I was well rested but feel a little jittery/anxious today. I have suffered quite badly with anxiety in the past which was helped by time and Paxil that I am still on only 10mg.
As I approach taking my second tablet I am thinking of giving up already. I honestly cannot deal with anxiety again in any way, shape or form. Also, all I seem to read online are horror stories about, tiredness, sexual dysfunction and depression with this med.
Any advice or pointers would be really helpful right now.
Cheers
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Post by tessaract on Jan 12, 2016 11:55:04 GMT
I am like the anti strattera brigade here so I am a bit biased for starters. First off, starting on 40mg made me gasp and my BF asked me what was wrong. Very high dose to start, it doesnt exactly give you the best experience.
I too couldnt handle the cold shivers all over my body, especially all over my head, felt so strange and annoying. Then the constant sweating and constant jitteryness. Every night all I wanted to do was get drunk and i'm not even a big drinker but it felt like the only way to get rid of that feeling of like I was coming down of a nasty drug like BZP - which i took in Holland when they were legally bought in a head shop. It felt the same.
I too was very afraid to take stimulants but after giving up on the strattera due to having really disturbing nightmares and the inability to cry I just felt like the strattera was effecting my brain chemistry in way more ways and areas than a simple stimulant might.
I am now on Ritalin LA which means I take 40mg in the morning at about 9/10am and it wears off at around 7pm. I feel motivated and able to easily switch between tasks, I'm more talkative and involved in conversations and with the world in general.
SO I would say to you, try to remove the pre-concieved notion that stimulants are worse, (the same idea I had) probably because society is ignorant of how it really works for us ADDers. Even the other week I met my cousin who a holistic therapist and when I told her I was taking ritalin her response was - why are you taking that nasty drug!
Now when I wake up I happily go to the cupboard, pour myself a class of water, take the ritalin long acting dose and I can feel hungry (strattera ruined my love of food) and there are no jitters, no weird physical jitters, shivers etc etc. The only thing that happpens is when the dose wears off I feel irratible and everything bugs me. This is something I need to work on while on the strattera I felt like this all the time.
Finally, dont be afraid of stimulants, they have been researched for over 50 years while the strattera whas originally designed as an anti-depressant and when that failed the pharma company (after spending a fortune no doubt, had a failed drug) so they tried to figure out a way to re-market it as a safe alternative to stimulant meds.
Dont get me wrong, there are plenty of people here who take strattera and get on fine with it. If you are not one of them and dread taking your tablet in the morning, like I did, then go back to your doc and see what you can do.
Or you need to go a lot slower than 40mg - phew makes me shudder.
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 12, 2016 13:03:37 GMT
I am like the anti strattera brigade here so I am a bit biased for starters. First off, starting on 40mg made me gasp and my BF asked me what was wrong. Very high dose to start, it doesnt exactly give you the best experience. I too couldnt handle the cold shivers all over my body, especially all over my head, felt so strange and annoying. Then the constant sweating and constant jitteryness. Every night all I wanted to do was get drunk and i'm not even a big drinker but it felt like the only way to get rid of that feeling of like I was coming down of a nasty drug like BZP - which i took in Holland when they were legally bought in a head shop. It felt the same. I too was very afraid to take stimulants but after giving up on the strattera due to having really disturbing nightmares and the inability to cry I just felt like the strattera was effecting my brain chemistry in way more ways and areas than a simple stimulant might. I am now on Ritalin LA which means I take 40mg in the morning at about 9/10am and it wears off at around 7pm. I feel motivated and able to easily switch between tasks, I'm more talkative and involved in conversations and with the world in general. SO I would say to you, try to remove the pre-concieved notion that stimulants are worse, (the same idea I had) probably because society is ignorant of how it really works for us ADDers. Even the other week I met my cousin who a holistic therapist and when I told her I was taking ritalin her response was - why are you taking that nasty drug! Now when I wake up I happily go to the cupboard, pour myself a class of water, take the ritalin long acting dose and I can feel hungry (strattera ruined my love of food) and there are no jitters, no weird physical jitters, shivers etc etc. The only thing that happpens is when the dose wears off I feel irratible and everything bugs me. This is something I need to work on while on the strattera I felt like this all the time. Finally, dont be afraid of stimulants, they have been researched for over 50 years while the strattera whas originally designed as an anti-depressant and when that failed the pharma company (after spending a fortune no doubt, had a failed drug) so they tried to figure out a way to re-market it as a safe alternative to stimulant meds. Dont get me wrong, there are plenty of people here who take strattera and get on fine with it. If you are not one of them and dread taking your tablet in the morning, like I did, then go back to your doc and see what you can do. Or you need to go a lot slower than 40mg - phew makes me shudder. Thanks so much for your reply. I have taken the second tablet, about half an hour ago actually. I will see how I go and I think if anything gets any worse etc I will stop as I will not take something that is going to make me feel worse, I would rather have the ADHD symptoms than anxiety, sexual problems and a jittery feeling. Stimulants scare me due to the fact that they can cause anxiety and are habit forming. I also tried Speed once, many years ago and it sent me into a spiral of anxiety and depression, so I am very wary of something similar. Damn, this condition is so confusing at times and so are teh meds that go with it. All part of the learning process I suppose.
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Post by JJ on Jan 12, 2016 13:55:55 GMT
Hi newdawnfadesI take strattera and I think it's amazing. I started on a 25mg dose and the side effects were horrible. Then they went after a couple of weeks. When I moved up to 40mg they again were horrible, but again subsided after a couple of weeks. Even on this slower titration up, I did skip a day here and there when I felt it was too much, and like this I eased my way onto them. Now I'm fine and there are so side effects - unless I have coffee, which makes me feel horribly jittery and anxious now. I would persevere, you can't tell anything in the first couple of weeks and in fact, with strattera, the full benefits don't come until a good few weeks of taking them. I also take methylphenidate. It's not the same as speed and it doesn't feel like speed, it's also not habit forming. It's a slightly different drug than speed and, more importantly, you take a lower dose and the method of taking it means it's delivered into your system much more slowly, which reduces any addiction potential. This is the same with any drug that could have a potential to cause addition - the speed at which it enters your brain is vitally important to it's addictive potential. This is why smoking is very addictive (7 seconds to reach and hit your brain) and patches aren't.
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 12, 2016 14:10:30 GMT
Hi newdawnfades I take strattera and I think it's amazing. I started on a 25mg dose and the side effects were horrible. Then they went after a couple of weeks. When I moved up to 40mg they again were horrible, but again subsided after a couple of weeks. Even on this slower titration up, I did skip a day here and there when I felt it was too much, and like this I eased my way onto them. Now I'm fine and there are so side effects - unless I have coffee, which makes me feel horribly jittery and anxious now. I would persevere, you can't tell anything in the first couple of weeks and in fact, with strattera, the full benefits don't come until a good few weeks of taking them. I also take methylphenidate. It's not the same as speed and it doesn't feel like speed, it's also not habit forming. It's a slightly different drug than speed and, more importantly, you take a lower dose and the method of taking it means it's delivered into your system much more slowly, which reduces any addiction potential. This is the same with any drug that could have a potential to cause addition - the speed at which it enters your brain is vitally important to it's addictive potential. This is why smoking is very addictive (7 seconds to reach and hit your brain) and patches aren't. Thanks so much JJ. Can I ask what side effects you experienced? And also what do you think` the benefits of Straterra are? I did ask the doctor if I could start 20 mg due to what I had read online and he said that 40mg was suggested by the pysch and they come in 40mg doses.
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Post by JJ on Jan 12, 2016 16:44:59 GMT
I've written about the biggest effects on this threadI've not noticed any effect on concentrating or any other ADHD symptom because I'm not on a therapeutic dose of it - although I am increasing to 50mg next week and I'd like to keep going up to see whether I can just take strattera and not need to take mph too. Although I've linked this thread, it's ok to ask about anything I've not covered or any question you might have though X Side effects - anxious, heart racing, cold extremities, nausea, sleepiness (more at the lower dose of 25), I can't think of anymore off the top of my head, but it wasn't pleasant and like I said, I had to skip days because I felt like it was too high a dose in me at times. They come in 10mg, 18mg, 25mg, 40mg - maybe a higher one, these are the ones I know about. Had I not already been taking a different med (buproprion), I think he would have started me on 40mg initially - this is because buproprion lowers the seizure threshold, so they wanted to be careful. 2 friends of mine started on 40mg. I can't remember the initial side effects of one of them because it was a while ago, but the other person I know had side effects of nausea, sleepiness and anxiety but, like the other one and me, they subsided.
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Post by manson88 on Jan 12, 2016 17:26:14 GMT
I was on straterra also I started at 40mg. I actually liked the feeling of it. It did make me irritable though in the beginning. I lost some weight on it though I had it to loose.
Though it stopped working for me at about 8 weeks I was disappointed with that. I went up to 60mg. There was a trigger for depression at the time something external.
I simply could not get back the way it made me feel @ 40 mg.. I felt it made me depressed on the 60mg.
I'm on 27mg of concerta now.. I don't like the feel of it. It's marginal I think. The sleep is probably the best part. The attention I don't know.
I have asked if I could be possible put on to ritalin-instant the psychiatrist said that it wouldn't make any difference.
Though some folks would tell you here it's not the drug it could well be the delivery we don't like. But I still prefer the straterra.
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 13, 2016 8:41:58 GMT
Thanks JJ and Manson.
Day three and I am thinking of giving up the med. I noticed the sexual side effects started last night, also urinating is not as easy - Sorry to be blunt. I have a dull headache which is getting on my nerves and all of this combined makes me think this isn't a good idea to take the med any longer. I have read so much about Straterra being a failed anti depressant and I am also of the opinion that my ADHD will not be made any better without bad side effects on meds.
Maybe I am just in a seriously negative mood today. We'll see.
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Post by JJ on Jan 13, 2016 10:48:11 GMT
You've just reminded me - yes, I definitely had headaches at the beginning, it was horrible. But they go. Make sure you drink enough water (part of the headaches could be dehydration) and take some paracetamol.
It's too early to give up - really too early to not give it a proper go for a med that could change yr life for the better.
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 13, 2016 11:24:19 GMT
You've just reminded me - yes, I definitely had headaches at the beginning, it was horrible. But they go. Make sure you drink enough water (part of the headaches could be dehydration) and take some paracetamol. It's too early to give up - really too early to not give it a proper go for a med that could change yr life for the better. Thanks JJ. I may give it a few more days.
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Post by manson88 on Jan 13, 2016 23:34:03 GMT
Make sure you are taking it in the morning! I was was taken it at night to avoid the side effects and I was up all night peeing.. Egg cup full at a time.
A light breakfast as well to stop the nausea.
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 14, 2016 9:33:28 GMT
That's it. I am afraid I am throwing the towel in.
Logically I know deep down that something that gives me heart palpitations, sexual dysfunction, cold shivers and more just isn't worth it. Sorry to sound negative but I am not going to put the strain on my body.
I have called the Doctors, just waiting for a call back. I am going to ask for methylphenidate as that was also suggested as a line of treatment initially.
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Post by bethmusician on Jan 14, 2016 10:53:00 GMT
im like you re meds. I havent had my formal diagnosis yet but when if they suggest anything, my posts will mirror yours I think. anyway I reckon you are really brave for trying them, and you know your body better than anyone else. I totlly understand. we go through horrible feelings and manage to create a fragile balance. we are scared of anything that might upset it. the important thing here is that you are in control. well done for trying it xx
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 14, 2016 12:10:35 GMT
im like you re meds. I havent had my formal diagnosis yet but when if they suggest anything, my posts will mirror yours I think. anyway I reckon you are really brave for trying them, and you know your body better than anyone else. I totlly understand. we go through horrible feelings and manage to create a fragile balance. we are scared of anything that might upset it. the important thing here is that you are in control. well done for trying it xx Thanks Beth. I am so new to all this I thought I am not just going to accept the first thing they offer me if I know it is having negative physical effects on my body. When is your appointment and good luck?
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Post by bethmusician on Jan 14, 2016 12:31:07 GMT
thanks, its 14th March. x
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 14, 2016 12:32:38 GMT
thanks, its 14th March. x Great stuff. Not too far away then.
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Post by manson88 on Jan 14, 2016 23:50:56 GMT
newdawnfades I'd tell you to hold tight the first week of strattera is the hardest just be careful on irritability. The other thing my libido actually got better on strattera and my heart did quicken a bit I think maybe 10 beats. Though give me a choice of the two drugs I'd go for strattera for the overall feeling. The concerta for lack of side effects.. I know that some on here are on both..
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Post by newdawnfades on Jan 15, 2016 10:35:13 GMT
newdawnfades I'd tell you to hold tight the first week of strattera is the hardest just be careful on irritability. The other thing my libido actually got better on strattera and my heart did quicken a bit I think maybe 10 beats. Though give me a choice of the two drugs I'd go for strattera for the overall feeling. The concerta for lack of side effects.. I know that some on here are on both.. Cheers. I just couldn't stick it out as it made me feel like crap but hopefully teh next choice will work.
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