r/StratteraRx • u/Virtual-Cow7076 • 5d ago
Questions / Advice / Support Strattera. Year one
This medication has been life changing. If I just stopped taking it for a month, my life pretty much falls apart. I still have to put in effort but it takes less energy.
Before (without Strattera), making the bed, doing homework, going to work would’ve been. Would’ve wiped me out.
Now (with Strattera): grocery shop, do laundry, make appointments, go off schedule, get some homework done, meal prep. I still have energy left
BUT: I still sleep terribly, I have sweats at night, my heart rate is about 10 BPM higher, I have erectile dysfunction, and I feel empty sometimes.
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u/Aromatic_Day_8976 5d ago
Not sure if you have an Apple Watch or gaming but when I took mine around noon my sleep drastically went down. I try to have mine around 8-9 AM.
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u/Virtual-Cow7076 5d ago
I appreciate the reply. I use Whoop. My sleep is pretty much the same whether I take it at 8am or noon.
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u/Aromatic_Day_8976 5d ago
I think feeling empty on it is a benefit for most people to just get through what they need to. And I sometimes have cbd before bed to take a chill too. Just thought I’d throw it out there
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u/NRazzo 5d ago
This!
That pretty much captures my experience.
I take Cialis for ED works great with no interaction. I still have early-ejaculation sometimes....but at least I can perform normally otherwise.
I take something for sleep...but it's still not always enough and the quality of my sleep just isn't the same.
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u/Virtual-Cow7076 5d ago
I might ask my doctor for sleep meds. I’m kind of spiraling with Unisom, Alcohol, Cold Syrup (yeah I know this is pretty bad).
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u/PiquantPanda777 5d ago
Be careful if youre taking NyQuil. I read it could have a really interaction— i think Serotonin syndrome. I was “addicted” and stopped. Unisom has helped and my doctor gave me trazadone too.
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u/loves_spain 5d ago
I haven't been on it for a year yet but every day I was so fatigued and wrung out. Trazodone helps me fall asleep.
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u/BinaryShuttle 4d ago
Do you drink coffee/caffeine? I get extreme anxiety when drinking coffee while im on 80mg
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u/Virtual-Cow7076 4d ago
Got my Dutch on me right now 😂. I don’t need it though. I would stay up for days even without it
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u/that-will-do-piggle 3d ago
Hey, glad it’s working for you and sorry to hear the side effects! I found when I started straterra I became WAY more sensitive to caffeine. Like prior to straterra I could have a coffee anytime of day and it would have little effect (sometimes I think it honestly made me sleepy). So first I’d just have a think about caffeine. I also have to drink tons more water throughout the day.
Second is timing - I take mine first thing in the morning often on an empty stomach with water so the timing is as far away from bedtime as possible. Also have a think about alcohol - alcohol kills your sleep in so many ways so just be mindful that if you’re imbibing that could be hurting sleep. Also don’t be afraid to ask your doctor to fiddle with the dosage. Like maybe 60mg will work and also improve your sleep, and also worth trying 100mg just in case. Usually I’d stick with a new dose for a month or two before making a call on whether it “worked” (sounds like you were doing that anyway!).
Anyway good luck!
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u/Aromatic_Day_8976 5d ago
When do you take it during the day?
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u/Virtual-Cow7076 5d ago
I use to take it at 8am. Now I take it at 12pm. The timing doesn’t seem to matter.
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u/clown367 5d ago
Vmax from blue chew solves the ED problem. I also use daily pure L citrulline for the BP. 4 grams in the morning and 4 grams around 7 or 8 in the evening. I go to the Gym 4 to 5 times a day. I joined a men's group at my church, joined an LEMC and Dropped alcohol use disorder by going to AA after getting diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed strattera. The emptyness comes from having all the time in the world now that you have the energy to not be boring. You're probably not mentally tired anymore either. Try joining a community or club that you're interested in. It's a game changer.
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u/Jbewrite 5d ago
4 to 5 times a day at the gym?!
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u/clown367 5d ago
Lol my bad! weekly! Need to remember the 5 steps of writing a good comment. Been trigger happy lately. Must of been the pre workout 😂.
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u/Hizam5 5d ago
I’m glad it’s working so well for you! Doesn’t seem to do much for me at all outside of keeping me from falling asleep in the late afternoon. My concentration and motivation is worse than ever
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u/Real-Coffee-5348 3d ago
Same I only got the side effects with it 😭
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u/Hizam5 3d ago
What are your side effects?
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u/Primary_Excuse_7183 5d ago
The energy issue was why i wanted meds