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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Ritch on January 27, 2003, at 22:54:26
In reply to Re: Straterra Updates? » Peter S., posted by not exactly on January 27, 2003, at 14:35:04
> > The warnings to not split up capsules sound silly to me.
>
> I agree, and you certainly stated it more succinctly than I did in my long-winded treatise on the subject [http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030125/msgs/137561.html]. :-)
>
> Considering the number of bad reactions, plus the fact that many seem to be doing OK on significantly reduced dosages, Lilly's official recommendation that _all_ adults should start at 40mg/day seems unrealistic and almost irresponsible.
>
> - Bob
>I wonder if the idea of making a variety of doses that are all only available in capsule form (rather than tablet) could be a strategy to maximize profits. Many pharmacy coverage plans may only cover the higher dosage tablets (because they can be split). Higher doses are usually always much cheaper/mg than the lower doses. If you can't divide the capsule-you have to buy the more "expensive" smaller dosages instead of large tablet split in half (i.e.).
Posted by not exactly on January 28, 2003, at 0:58:01
In reply to Re: Straterra Updates? » not exactly, posted by Ritch on January 27, 2003, at 22:54:26
> could be a strategy to maximize profits
How could you say such a thing? The drug companies are our friends! They don't care about profits. They just want to improve our health.
yeah, right...
Notice that there's no 80 mg size, even though that's the recommended adult dosage.
- Bob
Posted by tia on January 28, 2003, at 6:35:20
In reply to Re: Straterra Updates? » Ritch, posted by not exactly on January 28, 2003, at 0:58:01
Hello to all,
I just want everyone to know that i have been taking 60mg of straterra for about 5 days and everything has been wonderful. The only thing i have is energy and maybe a little dry mouth. I will be moving to 80mg in a few days. Will let you all know how that is. I am also on anafranil but will be slowly going off that. I really dont have any unusual side effects.
Tia
Posted by nmk on January 28, 2003, at 9:08:53
In reply to Strattera, Jim Boardman, nmk, jrbecker, posted by BekkaH on January 27, 2003, at 22:17:26
> I'm wondering how Jim Boardman, nmk, jrbecker and some of the other "early" Strattera PB members are doing. If you have time to post updates, we'd like to hear from you!! Thanks.
Hi,
It is my 4th week on 18 mg of Strattera and I am still doing well. No depression, a little-hyped up at times and lately, I am finding that it is difficult to fall asleep. My usual 15 mg of remeron and 25 mg of seroquel is not doing the trick so I have added 1 mg of ativan at night. This works but I do not want to be 3 meds to put me to sleep. I meet with my pdoc this thurs. and I will see what he says.
My initial s/e's were early morning awakening but that subsided after a few weeks. I haven't experienced the dryness and urination problems that some have but do have constipation. The positves by far outweigh these minor drawbacks.
I will keep you posted.
Nicole
Posted by Jack Smith on January 28, 2003, at 12:17:57
In reply to Re: Strattera, Jim Boardman, nmk, jrbecker, posted by nmk on January 28, 2003, at 9:08:53
Anyone on this stuff for just plain old unipolar depression? If so, how is it working?
Posted by nmk on January 28, 2003, at 15:32:06
In reply to Strattera--just for depression????, posted by Jack Smith on January 28, 2003, at 12:17:57
> Anyone on this stuff for just plain old unipolar depression? If so, how is it working?
That would be me. I have been on 18 mg for 4 weeks now and it has done more for my depression than any other med I have tried (zoloft, effexor, lexapro). I noticed a significant improvement in my mood after only 2 days of treatment. The only s/e I am dealing with now is difficulty falling asleep. I will address this with my pdoc on thurs and see about possibly lowering to 10mg. When I dove into postpartum depression 9 months ago and all of the antidepressants failed, my doctor tried 10 mg of adderall. This lifted the depression but it had a tendency to aggravate my anxiety. Please keep me posted if you are taking it for depression (and the dose)....I will be curious to see how it works for others who are not diagnosed as ADD or ADHD.
Posted by disney4 on January 28, 2003, at 15:45:11
In reply to Re: Strattera--just for depression????-Jack Smith, posted by nmk on January 28, 2003, at 15:32:06
How does the feeling of taking Straterra differ from taking Wellbutrin? Also is any one experiencing sexual side effects or an increased appetite, and/or weight gain? Does it increase, lower, or have no effect on anxiety?
Posted by disney4 on January 28, 2003, at 16:18:54
In reply to hypersensitivity, depression » golfergman, posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 6:57:13
I am back to square one, because I couldn't tolerate the Provigil. Rather than try the Wellbutrin again, I am thinking the Straterra might be less agitating for me. What is your opinion? My other two choices are Buspar, or the natural substance Inositol. I need something for depression more than anxiety at this point, and have tried almost all of the current AD meds.
Posted by bennett on January 28, 2003, at 16:24:16
In reply to Re: Strattera, Jim Boardman, nmk, jrbecker, posted by nmk on January 28, 2003, at 9:08:53
Hi all,
Ive been watching this list for a week or so, and started 18mgs/day yesterday. Assuming no horrible side effects, how do you know when to increase the dosage. Is there a noticeable clinical effect before a few weeks? With the stims in the past, of course, the effect was immediate.
I was dx ADD about 10 yrs ago and have been on stimulants pretty much since then, but had to stop about a year ago. Very happy to find a non-stimulant Rx.
Not sure how to proceed with it though - neither is my doc. He is all ears on this and open to my suggestions (within the bounds of good medical prctice of course...)
Actually I gave him this address last week, so maybe he's reading this...
Thanks for being here
bennett
Posted by tia on January 28, 2003, at 18:31:02
In reply to Re: Strattera, Jim Boardman, nmk, jrbecker, posted by bennett on January 28, 2003, at 16:24:16
My sexual functions seem to be just fine. My appetite has been ok. I actually am not hungry. I am on 60mg right now and am taking it for anxiety/depression. I am also on 50mg of anafranil going slowly off from 100mg. I notice that my depression is ok even though this is pms week. I do notice some anxiety attacks during the evening but soon i will be on 80mg. Hopefully i will notice some difference. Not sure though. Not sure if anyone needs any more info. Just write here and i will be sure to answer.
Tia
Posted by zenclear on January 28, 2003, at 19:15:43
In reply to Re: Straterra Updates?-I am on 60mg, posted by tia on January 28, 2003, at 6:35:20
> Hello to all,
>
> I just want everyone to know that i have been taking 60mg of straterra for about 5 days and everything has been wonderful. The only thing i have is energy and maybe a little dry mouth. I will be moving to 80mg in a few days. Will let you all know how that is. I am also on anafranil but will be slowly going off that. I really dont have any unusual side effects.
>
> TiaAnd no dry skin like some of the other posters reported? Any joint pain? Many thanks.
Zen.
Posted by not exactly on January 28, 2003, at 20:13:16
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression » not exactly, posted by disney4 on January 28, 2003, at 16:18:54
> I am back to square one, because I couldn't tolerate the Provigil.
Anxiety, I presume? What dosage did you try? I'm finding that 75-100 mg / day (divided into 2 or 3 doses) is plenty for me.
> Straterra might be less agitating for me. What is your opinion?
Hard to say. It has caused or increased anxiety for some folks. I haven't tried it yet.
> choices are Buspar
Could be a good option. It's supposed to help with GAD, and can act as a very subtle AD. There have been some interesting posts about it on PsychoBabble. I'm thinking of trying it myself.
> or the natural substance Inositol
That's a nutrient present in many foods. While a dietary deficiency of inositol could conceivably cause depression, I doubt that inositol supplements would have a significant AD effect for people with adequate nutrition. I tried it long ago and didn't notice a thing.
> I need something for depression more than anxiety at this point, and have tried almost all of the current AD meds.
I assume you've tried SSRIs & TCAs. Have you tried Effexor or MAOIs? Have the problems with ADs been ineffectiveness, or intolerable side effects?
- Bob
Posted by mshyper on January 28, 2003, at 22:41:27
In reply to Re: Strattera, posted by mshyper on January 27, 2003, at 22:33:05
Hubby and I both went to doc today. He put us BOTH on Strattera beginning tomorrow morning, 18mg each to start. Reading your posts, I have great hopes for the medication and our ADHD. I haven't been treated in years for mine. Hubby has been on Effexor for his. Will try to post our progress on Strattera.
Posted by tia on January 29, 2003, at 7:33:21
In reply to Starting Strattera tomorrow, posted by mshyper on January 28, 2003, at 22:41:27
The only dry skin that i have expierenced is this horrible dry weather we are having. I havent had any different dry skin. I have been doing good on the strattera except for the the anxiety attacks. I have been getting them on and off here and there. I am not sure if it is the strattera or not. Will give it some more time until i go on the 80mg and see if the higher dose will be better.
Tia
Posted by nmk on January 29, 2003, at 9:24:22
In reply to Re: Strattera--in comparison to Wellbutrin? » nmk, posted by disney4 on January 28, 2003, at 15:45:11
> How does the feeling of taking Straterra differ from taking Wellbutrin? Also is any one experiencing sexual side effects or an increased appetite, and/or weight gain? Does it increase, lower, or have no effect on anxiety?
I have never tried Wellbutrin so I can't respond to that one. As far as sexual side effects, I have not experienced any but this could be due to the low dose I am on. Initially, I noticed a decrease in my appetite but after about three weeks, my appetite has returned to normal....no weight gain though. The anxiety question is difficult to answer. The Strattera seems to energize and hype me up so I don't know if it is masking the anxiety or what. There are times where I have felt a tad on edge and needed to take 1 mg of ativan to calm me down, but the anxiety pales in comparison to when I was not on Strattera. Lately, I have been having difficulty falling asleep and will talk to my pdoc tomorrow about tweeking my meds.
Posted by nmk on January 29, 2003, at 9:34:19
In reply to Re:Strattera on sex ,weight,anxiety and depression, posted by tia on January 28, 2003, at 18:31:02
Tia,
I am also taking Strattera for anxiety/depression and although it has done wonders for the depression, it has not calmed me down by any means. I have much more energy and focus now, but at times, feel a little edgey. How did you do on 18mg? Do you know what the therapeutic dose is for depression/anxiety without ADD? I do not have ADD and from reading your posts, it looks like you do not either. Are you taking anything with it? Has it affected your sleep? Sorry for all of the questions but I want to pick someone's brain who is on it solely for depression.
Thanks,
Nicole
Posted by Dog Breath on January 29, 2003, at 10:08:50
In reply to Re:Strattera for anxiety/depression-TIA, posted by nmk on January 29, 2003, at 9:34:19
I would have to say I am taking this for depression. I have been crashing lately on Lexapro and felt I needed to do something different. I had an ADHD eval last summer and the psycologist said I didn't have classical ADHD(but had a lot of the symptoms). I think what I thought was ADHD was really just variations of the overall problem: Depression. Anyway, I'm on day 7 of Straterra and haven't felt anything except maybe a slight reduction in appetite. I'm on 50mg. Maybe I just need more time or a higher dose? I tried Wellbutrin a few years back and it put me into major anxiety after taking it about 2 weeks. It took a full week of hell to clear it out of my body.
D
Posted by bennett on January 29, 2003, at 10:33:10
In reply to Re: Strattera--in comparison to Wellbutrin? » nmk, posted by disney4 on January 28, 2003, at 15:45:11
I just started low dose of Strattera and discontinued Welbutrin 3 days ago. As soon as the strattera kicks in, I'll let you know what difference I feel. I hate to give up the Welbutrin though.
I was taking Welbutrin for a year for ADD. While it didn't do much for ADD sx. it was a great little happy pill ( a little purple happy-face). In addition, two months after start, one day I just forgot to smoke (I used to smoke maybe 1/2 pack/day). I wasn't trying to stop at all - I just forgot! Other cravings (obsessions, perhaps)also just disappeared. I could continue them if I wanted, but the obsessive quality did not seem to be driving it.
But ADD sx were not affected at all: tangents and disatractions, inability to focus... etc. all continued.
BTW-I don't know how I was able to complete the registration process for this board...
Posted by nmk on January 29, 2003, at 14:04:48
In reply to Re:Strattera for anxiety/depression-TIA » nmk, posted by Dog Breath on January 29, 2003, at 10:08:50
> I would have to say I am taking this for depression. I have been crashing lately on Lexapro and felt I needed to do something different. I had an ADHD eval last summer and the psycologist said I didn't have classical ADHD(but had a lot of the symptoms). I think what I thought was ADHD was really just variations of the overall problem: Depression. Anyway, I'm on day 7 of Straterra and haven't felt anything except maybe a slight reduction in appetite. I'm on 50mg. Maybe I just need more time or a higher dose? I tried Wellbutrin a few years back and it put me into major anxiety after taking it about 2 weeks. It took a full week of hell to clear it out of my body.
>
> DThanks DB. I hope a higher dose will work for you... I know some folks on the board have had success with 80 mg. Has the Strattera made your anxiety worse? I love the antidepressant properties of it but would like to feel more calm throughout the day. It almost gives me too much energy and I find it difficult to relax and turn my mind off, especially at night. I will see what my doctor says tomorrow.
Posted by wowy on January 29, 2003, at 14:19:01
In reply to Re: Strattera--in comparison to Wellbutrin?, posted by bennett on January 29, 2003, at 10:33:10
Hi-
I have been lurking about but never posted before. I have been on 80 mg of strattera plus
40 mg of paxil for over a month now. The strattera has brightened my mood considerably.
Initially, I felt a sort of tingle and an exhileration that was just lovely. Now I just feel grounded and well. I was diagnosed with ADD a few months ago. Depression/anxiety has been a long term problem - which is why I was taking the paxil. I tried stimulants but really didn't like the rebound...The strattera is much more subtle in my opinion and I have experienced dry mouth and skin, but it is very tolerable. I hope this helps anyone interested in trying strattera. Best wishes to all
Posted by disney4 on January 29, 2003, at 14:30:58
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression » disney4, posted by not exactly on January 28, 2003, at 20:13:16
The reason I couldn't tolerate almost all current AD's was because of intolerable side effects. I am trying to decide between Straterra and Buspar. I need a good AD effect though, but not added anxiety. I may have to turn to uplifting foods, until something comes out that really fits the bill. Have you heard of any one getting TD from Buspar? Also would you know if Wellbutrin and Straterra work on the same neurotransmitters?
Posted by disney4 on January 29, 2003, at 14:39:38
In reply to Re: Strattera--in comparison to Wellbutrin?, posted by bennett on January 29, 2003, at 10:33:10
Thanks for the input! I know many people who did wonderfully on Wellbutrin, but I was not one of them. I read one post of someone who had anxiety on Wellbutrin, but can tolerate Straterra, so I hope that will be the case for me. I still would like to hear your observations on how they differ, and in particular, if you notice any sexual difficulties. I always get those, even when I took Serzone, which is supposed to have a low incidence of sexual side effects!
Posted by Dog Breath on January 29, 2003, at 14:49:36
In reply to Re: Strattera, posted by wowy on January 29, 2003, at 14:19:01
How long did it take to "brighten" your mood? 7 days I still feel like I could crawl into a hole and sleep for 24hrs. But then I have zero anxiety as well.
D
Posted by wowy on January 29, 2003, at 15:09:06
In reply to Re: Strattera » wowy, posted by Dog Breath on January 29, 2003, at 14:49:36
Hey D-
The "brightening" effect was pretty immediate...However I did start with 80 mg...from
reading the posts here I see that's a fairly high dose...Also, that feeling was more pronounced the first few days...Now, I've gotten used to it. But still my office mate has noticed
the difference so...I am hopeful that it will continue to work. I have some room for additional dosage at some point down the line.
Posted by zenclear on January 29, 2003, at 16:09:17
In reply to Re: Strattera, posted by wowy on January 29, 2003, at 15:09:06
Do any of you notice any rebound effects, when the Strattera wears off? Say, any fatigue or mood dip?
I know most of you say you like it because there's rebound like stims; but do you notice any effects when the med wears off?
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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