Posted by Mid-Life Crisis on December 29, 2003, at 17:10:09
In reply to Strattera for Inattentive ADD ?, posted by Dreaman on December 23, 2003, at 23:31:50
> Hello,
>
> I was wondering how all the Inattentive
> ADDers (meaning main symptoms are tiredness, brain fog, really bad concentration, maybe social shyness and inhibition) have done on Strattera. So far on this thread I have not read anything specifically about how well the strattera works for Inattentives. Sometimes I get really frustrated at how much attention the people with the hyperactive component get in the literature and books while inattentives are barely mentioned. My intuition is that Inattentives as apose to Hyperactives would have a big differences in their reactions to the strattera compared to the differences that are seen with traditional stimulants. I say this because strattera works almost exclusivly on Nuero-epinephrine (spelling ?) as apposed ritalin working on both dopamine and neuroepinephrine. So I am guessing that one ADD type or the other needs neuroepinephrine more than dopamine. Am I right or am I just dreaming this all up?
>
> Anyway I was on ritalin for about 2 years before I started getting tolerant of it. Now it barely works no matter what dosage I am on. Did this happen to anyone else? In the beginning it was really a miracle drug for me, not anymore so I am looking into strattera. What I really want to know is what are the cognitive effects of the strat ie focus, concentration how do they compare with stims? Also did strattera help anyone overcome shyness or social inhibitions.
>
> Any shared experiences would be great especially
> from inattentives!
>
Dear Dreaman,
Most people who have ADD/ADHD have the combined type, that is BOTH inattentive and hyperactive, but at different times. I have both, and Strattera helps me with concentration and alertness, and mostly, allows me to make it through the day without being tired and spaced out. I'm 52 years old, and until Strattera, there was no remedy for me for this, though coffee helped.
My son is combined type, also, but, at 15, is much more physically hyperactive than I am. Strattera didn't seem to help him, though the highest he got was on 60 mg. His current ARNP does not believe Strattera helps with grades, so she has him on Lexapro, 10 mg. and Adderall XR, despite his angry mood when on it previously. (She believes the Lexapro will prevent him from becoming angry on the Adderall.) We'll see...
I remain a fan of Strattera, however. Hopefully it will help your inattentive symptoms as it does mine. I don't believe it is enough for those who are truly just hyperactive without any inattention (a very tiny minority, if there are any really like that!)
poster:Mid-Life Crisis
thread:133458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031225/msgs/294425.html