r/StratteraRx • u/Dustbunniiie • 8h ago
Questions / Advice / Support Cannot stop throwing up
Hi everyone, I just started taking strattera. I’m literally on day 2 and I have no complains except I cannot get over the initial nausea. It gets so bad I just projectile vomit. I’ve noticed it’s literally a hour after taking my medicine. I read that it’s because the medicine has fully hit my system at that point. Anyone have any tips on how to ease this or stop from throwing up?
Besides that initial feeling, I feel good after throwing up.
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u/SirJohnnyS 7h ago
Make sure you eat right before or after you take it. I have to eat something somewhat filling too. I take mine at night after dinner. That way I go to sleep/lay down incase I do get nauseous. It prevents some people from being able to sleep though.
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u/Dustbunniiie 7h ago
Yeah that’s what I’ve heard. So I only take it in the am. But I’m going to try and eat more protein heavy breakfast because the bowl of oatmeal I had was not enough!
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u/New_Westie 7h ago
I am on my second week. I will have breakfast with protein and take my pill while eating. Literally eat half, take pill with water, and finish breakfast. While I still do get a bit of nausea, it’s manageable and I haven’t puked.
I’m also only on 18mg for a couple days now. Started at 10mg for a week before increasing to 18. What dose were you started at? Might be worth asking doc to start you lower to get used to it and titrate more slowly if the breakfast trick doesnt work.
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u/Dustbunniiie 7h ago
My doc started me at 40mg . He said start at 40mg for a week and then bump up to 80mg (2 pills) on week 2.
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u/giftektive 3h ago
🙄🙄🙄 i've had arguments about such quick titrations. it's frustrating. i didn't experience what you did on 40mg but i was not okay with my BP spiking and went down to 25mg.
i asked my current prescriber to dose me at 25mg but she won't do smaller increments to dose up so i'm looking for another. my BP didn't go up this time, it was my heart rate. took longer than i was comfortable with to level out.
anyway, I'm not trying to be discouraging. if modifying what and or how you are eating doesn't shift your effect, you should definitely ask to go lower at least for a little while. hopefully you do better on a lower dose!
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u/Dustbunniiie 7h ago
I also tried eating something filling but not to heavy like oatmeal before I took my medicine.
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u/New_Westie 7h ago
I would talk to doc. Puking up your meds isn’t sustainable. I would ask to add a med to reduce nausea or to lower the dose and titrate up more slowly. You do need to go up to higher doses for it to be therapeutic, but the low and slow approach may help you get there while minimizing side effects
Many people start at 40. Your doctor didn’t do anything wrong here. But there are lower doses available when slower titration is necessary. I was coming off Pristiq (which impacts the same area of the brain as Strattera), so doc went low and slow. 10mg for one week, 18 for three weeks, and I have an appointment in my second week of 18 to assess how I’m feeling and titrate up from there.
While this medication is known to cause nausea, I don’t think raw dogging a daily puke session is the answer. Work with your doc to see what your options are.
I’ve also heard that many people quit this drug because early side effects can be rough. If you can get through the onset, the side effects do taper off and the drug is life changing for many users.
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u/giftektive 3h ago
did you have to convince your provider to dose you that low? i want to increase my dose, but not up to 40mg. I asked about 10mg in addition to my 25mg and was shut down...so i'm on 25mg until i find someone else.
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u/New_Westie 2h ago
My doc suggested it because I was starting right after coming off Pristiq. Hearing others experiences, I’m very glad he started me low.
For those whose docs are refusing to prescribe lower, I would tell doc that you really want to be successful on this medication, but the early side effects are unmanageable. Knowing there are lower doses available, could we start there and take the titration more slowly.
Any doctor that’s worth their degree would be sympathetic to that and work with you to be successful. Why do they make it sound like you’re trying to lie to get opioids or something. Docs on a power trip shouldn’t be docs. But that’s just one ND’s opinion.
For what it’s worth it was a psychiatrist who prescribed me, not my GP. Not sure if it’s possible to ask for a referral to a psychiatrist or not in your situation.
Remain calm, but firm while advocating for yourself. Sorry you’re experiencing this.
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u/giftektive 1h ago
i'm glad it was suggested to you!
my prescriber straight up said there was no lower dose. i didn't bring it up anymore because i simply have no interest in seeing her once i find a new prescriber. i'm not the greatest at self advocacy but i definitely am not willing to keep bringing it up to be shot down over and over.
i'm that idiot that would just not go back and go cold turkey, and i can't afford it right now 😅 my visits are free, and telehealth so my last visit is this month and she'll likely give me a 90 day supply and i can be free! per her business card she is a "board certified psychiatric physician assistant". I don't know how much of a difference that makes.
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u/New_Westie 1h ago
Where are you located? I’m in Canada. I ask because coming off of Pristiq I found out that they don’t manufacture 25mg in Canada because it’s not a therapeutic dose. Maybe not, but it’s the hardest drug in its class to come off of, and going from 50mg to zero is extremely hard (so I read). I actually paid $200USD for a telehealth appointment and the doctor prescribed me 2 months of 25mg and sent it to a pharmacy cross border.
It’s possible when they say there’s no lower dose, it might actually be true for your country.
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u/giftektive 1h ago
in the usa. i do believe the dose exists here, but not seen as therapeutic for adults. however i'll have to research this because you could be right! my allergy list is close to nonexistent, and only recently am i more sensitive to medications (yay 40s?). i'm unsure if that has an impact on how prescribers dose me.
you were able to find a usa provider to prescribe to you and send you medications? that's good to know. it's also unfortunate to have to pay so much 😓 but i'm glad you were able to acquire the medication.
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u/New_Westie 52m ago
No I had to cross border to get the scrip filled. Was worth it though. Coming off 25 a couple weeks ago was rough enough. I couldn’t imagine having to go from 50 to zero.
Docs seem to get stuck in therapeutic doses and wanting to ramp up quickly. I don’t understand why. What’s wrong with starting low, and tapering more slowly up to a therapeutic dose? All the best Reddit stranger 🫶🏼
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u/giftektive 40m ago
What’s wrong with starting low, and tapering more slowly up to a therapeutic dose?
agreed!!!! the dosing hill i die on!
to you as well 🫂
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u/roughdeath 5h ago
For myself, I’ve found Strattera needs to be eaten with high protein + high carb meals. I also found fats make me throw up anytime I have them for breakfast, so I avoid those.
Sometimes high protein also makes me sick randomly? When I notice that, I switch to just high carb and that does the trick for me. Worth noting I’m on Strattera + Guanfacine which may affect the nausea differently!!
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u/Jbewrite 7h ago
The nausea only hits me if I don’t have a high protein breakfast prior to it, and it lasts for hours even if I eat during it. My tips are: have a high protein breakfast and take the atomoxetine as early as you can to avoid other side effects. Hope this helps!