this post was submitted on 27 Jul 2023
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ADHD

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  • Did it work for you?
  • If so, how long did it take to work?
  • What did it feel like?
  • Did you have any side effects?
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[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

YMMV but this is what it was like for me.

I started at 40mg but my follow up appointment I went up to 60mg.

It started working immediately after the first dosage.

I'd recommend starting in on a day off.

It was intense at first but amped down over time as I got used to it. Basically before it was like my thoughts were a 4-way stop with no lights and everyone was going at the same time. At first it was like a metered on ramp, but then it became like a 4-way intersection with normal stop lights.

Basically for the first few days it was like I had developed a super power. The power to start a task and finish it.

In terms of side effects I had a few at first that really sucked.

I had gnarly dry mouth for the first 2 weeks. I felt quick to anger for the first 2 days both when I started and when I went up in dose. My ability to fall asleep went down for the first month, so a very small amount of melatonin was pretty necessary.

NSFW side effects: Erections were a bit different, basically random ones while I was feeling the effects of the drug were mostly gone but after it wore off were more common. Also waking up in the night with one was basically a twice a night thing. Everything is mostly back to normal on this front after a few months though.

Edit: Also be sure to eat with it, the first time I didn't I got so nauseous I was shaking and sweating. Literally ruined my entire day.

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS 2 points 1 year ago

Thanks for sharing! I think Im having a similar experience. I feel like a super human that can focus and intentionally complete all these tasks without the need for anxiety. And I can spend time with people without trailing off into some wild thought train while they're talking! ๐Ÿ˜ฎ It's almost like I'm looking forward to these things. However, my sleep has been poor. I'm going to ride it out a few more days and see how my sleep goes before I reach out to the psychiatrist. I'm also relieved to hear that the sexual side effects eventually went away as I'm noticing them also, and that's a big deal for me. Thanks for the melatonin tip ๐Ÿ‘

[โ€“] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Strattera was the first medication I was prescribed after being diagnosed. At first, it worked great. My mind was clear for the first time ever and able to focus! As time went on, it became less effective. Didnโ€™t have many side effects that I can remember. Main one was dry mouth.

I tried it again a few years ago after Adderall started making me sick, but it didnโ€™t work at all sadly. Hopefully it will for you though!

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS 1 points 1 year ago

I'm on day 2 and feeling like a super human ๐Ÿง Not only can I focus, but I want to engage. It's sooooo weird. Sorry to hear that it eventually stopped being effective for you ๐Ÿ™

[โ€“] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've tried it at two separate occasions and both times I had nothing but side effects sadly.

More unrattled anxiety, harder time to calm down, less ability to focus and depressiveness ontop.

I've heard it work for some but sadly not for me, I do wish it did tho which is why I've tried it at two separate occasions. Both were in the period of about 3 months. Went to concerta after that and after a long while of not having anything am now on Elvanse which is working great for me.

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS 2 points 1 year ago

It sucks Strattera didn't work for you, but I'm happy you found something that did ๐Ÿ™‚

[โ€“] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I found it didn't help much with my focus, memory or concentration (my main issues) but it did a great job helping me chill out a bit. It was pretty subtle, but I felt calmer with much less of the constant anxiety and panicking about not meeting expectations, so I think it did good things for my mental health overall.

It took a few days to kick in but I did stop eventually due to side effects. First one I noticed was that it gave me an upset stomach, nausea, and reduced my appetite, especially if I took it on an empty stomach. My heart rate increased a bit, not so much at rest but any time I moved around it would speed up a lot more than it ought to. The real dealbreaker for me was erectile dysfunction, though... I was having a lot of trouble keeping it up, orgasm wasn't as pleasurable, and my sex drive dropped like a rock.

I have heard these kinds of hardware issues can go away after a while for most people so I tried to stick with it, but I didn't see any improvement after a couple months so I stopped taking it in the end. Had a pretty gnarly headache and felt like a horny teenager again for a couple days after stopping, but that all cleared up pretty quick and everything's back to normal now.

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS 1 points 1 year ago

Yep, I'm feeling super chill without the need to meet anyone else's expectations. It's like I'm solidly grounded on what I want to do, then can just do it. It's very odd. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you because of the side effects, but I'm happy everything returned back to normal. Hopefully, you found another way to manage the difficulties.

[โ€“] KombatWombat 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm on it now but will probably try something else when I run out. It helped me concentrate a bit, but the side effects were strong for me. The biggest was drowsiness. It was very hard to keep my eyes open. In some ways it was nice being able to go to sleep easily and having it feel restful. It hurt productivity though. I also made my head feel a bit dizzy and reduced my appetite noticeably. Its effects were basically immediate. I have heard it work really well for others though, so don't let that discourage you.

[โ€“] BackOnMyBS 2 points 1 year ago

Same with the immediate effects. I didn't not expect that at all. It sucks that the drowsiness is that strong for you tho. I hope you find a good fit.

[โ€“] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I just started 40mg about a week ago, so I don't really know if it works yet, but so far I have just experienced some light nausea, which goes away if I eat.

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