![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 114 to 138 of 1242. Go back in thread:
Posted by BekkaH on January 20, 2003, at 20:24:57
In reply to Re: Strattera Fourth Day, posted by tia on January 20, 2003, at 18:48:53
> Well I dont feel any different accept that my bladder has not stopped hurting. Not sure if its the medicine aggervating it or if it is IC. I go on 60mg tomorrow. Oh just so you all know nothing really dry, no rashes, actually really nothing but my bladder problem. Will keep updating.
*************************************************
Hi Tia,
I was interested to see that you were at such a high dose already. Do you feel that your bladder hurts more than it did before you began the medicine? I think you should definitely mention this to your doctor. I must mention that I know two women who have interstitial cystitis and, oddly enough, they were prescribed highly anticholinergic medicines for the purpose of causing urinary retention!! They were given Elavil, which is an old-fashioned antidepressant that is notorious for causing urinary retention. This was done intentionally, to counteract the sense of urgency they had from the IC. I was always stunned by this, but apparently this is/was common practice for treating IC.I hope you feel better soon.
Bekka
Posted by zenclear on January 20, 2003, at 20:37:08
In reply to Re: Strattera Fourth Day, posted by tia on January 20, 2003, at 18:48:53
>
> Well I dont feel any different accept that my bladder has not stopped hurting. Not sure if its the medicine aggervating it or if it is IC. I go on 60mg tomorrow. Oh just so you all know nothing really dry, no rashes, actually really nothing but my bladder problem. Will keep updating.
>
> Anyone else have any different problems with the strattera?
>
> TiaTry calcium citrate (not carbonate!) for the IC. It's a well-known Sx reliever, and also good for your bones!
Posted by jodie on January 20, 2003, at 22:02:43
In reply to Re: Strattera Allergic Reaction - jodie, posted by BekkaH on January 20, 2003, at 20:16:57
Well my rash is much better. Still have little red dots, but not inflamed like they were. I haven't been itching much either. I'm usually not sensitive to medications. Never have been to antibiotics. Benzo's have never affected me very much. I usually do decent on high or maximum doses of any meds. For my rash I am taking 50 mg's of Benadryl every 4 hours, Medrol (methylprednisolone) Pack, its a steroid. I'll be on that for a total of 6 days.
Yes, its nice that my doc is considering other options. Many pdoc's aren't willing to put adults on stimulants.
Thanks again for caring!!!
Posted by jodie on January 20, 2003, at 22:22:23
In reply to Re: Strattera Fourth Day - tia, posted by BekkaH on January 20, 2003, at 20:24:57
> > Well I dont feel any different accept that my bladder has not stopped hurting. Not sure if its the medicine aggervating it or if it is IC. I go on 60mg tomorrow. Oh just so you all know nothing really dry, no rashes, actually really nothing but my bladder problem. Will keep updating.
> *************************************************
> Hi Tia,
> I was interested to see that you were at such a high dose already. Do you feel that your bladder hurts more than it did before you began the medicine? I think you should definitely mention this to your doctor. I must mention that I know two women who have interstitial cystitis and, oddly enough, they were prescribed highly anticholinergic medicines for the purpose of causing urinary retention!! They were given Elavil, which is an old-fashioned antidepressant that is notorious for causing urinary retention. This was done intentionally, to counteract the sense of urgency they had from the IC. I was always stunned by this, but apparently this is/was common practice for treating IC.
>
> I hope you feel better soon.
> Bekka
>
>Hi Tia
Sorry to hear about your bladder. I have had problems with urinary retention in the past. It can make anyone miserable, just like being constipated!!
If you read the package insert or go to Strattera.com it says for children and adolescents over 70 kg body weight and adults: Strattera should be initiated at a total daily dose of 40 mg and increased after a minimum of 3 days to a target total daily dose of approximately 80 mg, and after 2 to 4 additional weeks the dose may be increased to a max of 100 mg. I asked my pdoc about this on the phone this morning. I questioned if maybe I was taking too much for my body weight. She said no, that for adults its pretty much standard, for children they go by weight. I was up to 80 after only 3 days. Everyone was questioning why I was on such a high dose. Of course after my rash, I agree it seams smarter to start out on a low dose and gradually increase it to 80.
Hope you feel better soon!!!
Jodie
Posted by tia on January 21, 2003, at 7:34:03
In reply to Re: Strattera Fourth Day - tia, posted by jodie on January 20, 2003, at 22:22:23
I am now taking 60mg starting today. I stopped doing the slimfast drink today to see if it that was bothering my bladder. I dont think it is because i was doing slim fast two weeks prior of my bladder hurting.
I will se how the 60mg of strattera works today and tomorrow until i see the doctor on thursday. I know one thing i HATE IC! Its a pain (LOL). I have to make a joke some how. Anyways i will write at the end of day if i have any different changes with taking the higher dose.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day.
Tia
Posted by jodie on January 21, 2003, at 12:56:07
In reply to Re: Strattera Fifth Day - tia, posted by tia on January 21, 2003, at 7:34:03
I have been on the slimfast diet a couple of times, it never bothered my bladder. I'm sure it's the Strattera. You never know, maybe it will get better when you increase your dose, some meds are strange like that. Hope you get to feeling better!!!
Jodie
Posted by mom2mbcb on January 21, 2003, at 13:46:34
In reply to Re: Strattera Fourth Day - tia, posted by jodie on January 20, 2003, at 22:22:23
> > > Well I dont feel any different accept that my bladder has not stopped hurting. Not sure if its the medicine aggervating it or if it is IC. I go on 60mg tomorrow. Oh just so you all know nothing really dry, no rashes, actually really nothing but my bladder problem. Will keep updating.
> > *************************************************
> > Hi Tia,
> > I was interested to see that you were at such a high dose already. Do you feel that your bladder hurts more than it did before you began the medicine? I think you should definitely mention this to your doctor. I must mention that I know two women who have interstitial cystitis and, oddly enough, they were prescribed highly anticholinergic medicines for the purpose of causing urinary retention!! They were given Elavil, which is an old-fashioned antidepressant that is notorious for causing urinary retention. This was done intentionally, to counteract the sense of urgency they had from the IC. I was always stunned by this, but apparently this is/was common practice for treating IC.
> >
> > I hope you feel better soon.
> > Bekka
> >
> >
>
>
>
> Hi Tia
>
> Sorry to hear about your bladder. I have had problems with urinary retention in the past. It can make anyone miserable, just like being constipated!!
>
> If you read the package insert or go to Strattera.com it says for children and adolescents over 70 kg body weight and adults: Strattera should be initiated at a total daily dose of 40 mg and increased after a minimum of 3 days to a target total daily dose of approximately 80 mg, and after 2 to 4 additional weeks the dose may be increased to a max of 100 mg. I asked my pdoc about this on the phone this morning. I questioned if maybe I was taking too much for my body weight. She said no, that for adults its pretty much standard, for children they go by weight. I was up to 80 after only 3 days. Everyone was questioning why I was on such a high dose. Of course after my rash, I agree it seams smarter to start out on a low dose and gradually increase it to 80.
>
> Hope you feel better soon!!!
>
> Jodie
>
> Hi Just found your post about straterra, i may begin it this monday. My main problems is working memory, executive functioning, depression, anxiety,typical adhd symptoms although really severe working memory impairment recently ..do you find straterra has helped with these and what are your side effects. weight gain, to sleepy or to hyper, or any sexual side effects? I am scared to take a new drug as i ave 2 children ages 1 and 2 and I am afraid to start new side effects.
please also forward this to my other email
mom2mbcb@yahoo.com
I may be changing my aol service soon.
Thanks
Deb
Posted by BekkaH on January 21, 2003, at 22:19:45
In reply to Re: Strattera Fifth Day - tia, posted by jodie on January 21, 2003, at 12:56:07
Hi Jodie,
I was wondering whether the rash is almost gone now? Were you able to resume Lexapro or are you waiting until the rash goes away?
I hope you feel better.
Bekka
Posted by jodie on January 22, 2003, at 1:45:06
In reply to Jodie, how's your rash???, posted by BekkaH on January 21, 2003, at 22:19:45
> Hi Jodie,
>
> I was wondering whether the rash is almost gone now? Were you able to resume Lexapro or are you waiting until the rash goes away?
>
> I hope you feel better.
> Bekka
Hi BekkaMy rash is much better, thanks! No more itching, just little red spots where the rash was. I've stopped taking the benadryl. I am continuing with my lexapro. I have been feeling pretty down lately, so I figure I need it. I have been having some pretty strong anxiety, not sure if that is from the steroid that I am taking. I read that it is a side effect. I called the pharmacist just to make sure I could take klonopin with the steroid, he said it shouldn't be a problem. So I am taking my prescribed amount of 2 mg a day. I also have xanax if needed. I haven't used that yet. I hardly ever do.
So how are you doing???
Take care, talk to you soon!!
Jodie
Posted by a261c on January 22, 2003, at 7:14:54
In reply to Re: Jodie, how's your rash???, posted by jodie on January 22, 2003, at 1:45:06
Several questions, if I may...
Currently on 70 - 80 mg of Adderall per day. At 40 mgs a year ago (up from 20 the prior year), I learned what it was like to NEVER get tired or hungry. Three pretty big problems: (1) I'm tired of keeping the schedule of a junkie, (2) I'm easily 60 pounds overweight at 5' tall, and stimulants seem to make it worse, & (3) on adderall, even the smallest dose of stress (especially late in the residual a.m. hours) causes me to perform sadistic acts on my face and hair folicles with a pair of tweezers - at times it has looked like a bad case of chicken pox and at least 5 days a month I'm embarassed to leave my house (I'm not the type of person that gets embarassed easily either).
I subject myself to this torment because without the meds, I really do not function--it's not that I completely cannot, but my unmedicated inefficiency in everything that I do depresses me to a standstill. I know I must be undiagnosed OCD, for as a child I would color code the placement of my underwear in their drawer & have been known to alphabetize my wardrobe by designers at times - so please pardon me if I'm looking for that magic dose of kryptonite that will solve all my woes!
In May I'll finish my masters & will be expected to contribute to society, but between the apathy & the "chicken pox", I'm not too optimistic.
Other adderall effects I've noticed are increased urination, perpetual thirst (go figure), short temper, and most significantly - a complete disdain for conversations not vital to the task at hand - I really hate to admit, but I am annoyed by most people most of the time (even ones who should not annoy me to such a degree).
Any responses/experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by Ritch on January 22, 2003, at 8:43:40
In reply to Switch to Strattera? Anxiety SE's?, posted by a261c on January 22, 2003, at 7:14:54
> Other adderall effects I've noticed are increased urination, perpetual thirst (go figure), short temper, and most significantly - a complete disdain for conversations not vital to the task at hand - I really hate to admit, but I am annoyed by most people most of the time (even ones who should not annoy me to such a degree).
>
> Any responses/experiences would be greatly appreciated.
>That's the reason I won't take stims for my ADHD. I get cool-aloof-overserious-quiet-overfocused. It is just too "chilly"(yuck). The job I have now requires a lot of rapid multi-tasking and stims made that (essential) element of my work very difficult. They improved my ability to stay on ONE task, and worked *remarkably* well to eliminate distractability. So, in essence, I evolved into a job that fits someone with ADHD (except for the distractabiity issues with adjacent conversations in the office area). If I could work alone in a quiet area I could function rather well. I would suggest finding a way to get off the stims given all of the overfocus problems they are causing you. You can *add* an SSRI or Effexor to it to help reduce the obsessiveness issues. But perhaps tapering down the dosage and adding something else in like Provigil or Straterra could prove helpful. good luck..
Posted by golfergman on January 23, 2003, at 10:26:10
In reply to Re: Strattera Allergic Reaction, posted by jodie on January 19, 2003, at 19:51:40
Yesterday I took my first dose of straterra 18mgs. Im 47 year old male and I know this is a very small dose. My first day I would have to say Im rather down about the whole ADD thing. I definetly felt an affect. I felt high as a kite and didnt like it at all. My Dr. wants to start out with small doses for 4 days. My feeling is I dont know if I can handle this. Im not taking it today because it made me edgy, uptight, couldnt sleep at night. In other words I didnt feel good about it. The same thing happened when I tried Ritalin. Does anyone have some insight or similar experiences. I feel rather down about the whole thing. I guess I'll just have to live with this the rest of my life.
Posted by SLynn on January 23, 2003, at 12:40:19
In reply to Re: Strattera Allergic Reaction, posted by golfergman on January 23, 2003, at 10:26:10
> Yesterday I took my first dose of straterra 18mgs. Im 47 year old male and I know this is a very small dose. My first day I would have to say Im rather down about the whole ADD thing. I definetly felt an affect. I felt high as a kite and didnt like it at all. My Dr. wants to start out with small doses for 4 days. My feeling is I dont know if I can handle this. Im not taking it today because it made me edgy, uptight, couldnt sleep at night. In other words I didnt feel good about it. The same thing happened when I tried Ritalin. Does anyone have some insight or similar experiences. I feel rather down about the whole thing. I guess I'll just have to live with this the rest of my life.
Hello...I wanted to reply to your post because I do understand how you feel. I do not have ADD, but my son does and he feels the same way when he switches medications or starts a new one. Were you on medication before trying Strattera? If you were, you may be having withdrawal symptoms as well as symptoms from starting a new medication. I know when my son starts a new med, he looks "drugged" and is really "spacy" for the first couple of days. All that I can say is it sounds pretty normal what you are going through and to give it some time. From what I have read, it takes Strattera a few days to begin working (some people have waited at least 7 days). Also, you need to play with the dosage. If it is to high, you will feel bad, if it is to low, you will feel bad. It just takes time to get to the correct dosage for you. My doctor told me that Strattera is dosed by weight. Is this how your doctor is doing it? I know this is very frustrating for you....we have been going through ups and downs for 3 years. It is hard when you are treating a child because their bodies change so much. Hang in there and do not give up! I have read many posts about Strattera working great after some time.
Take care,
SLynn
Posted by BekkaH on January 23, 2003, at 19:39:15
In reply to Re: Strattera Allergic Reaction, posted by golfergman on January 23, 2003, at 10:26:10
Hi. Did you know that Strattera is also available in 10mg capsules? Perhaps your doctor could prescribe those instead and increase the dose very, very slowly over many days. Also, don't take it too close to bedtime. This medication is not technically a stimulant. It is more like the antidepressants, and you probably won't feel better for quite a while. That's the way most psychotropic medicines are. Except for the stimulants (amphetamines and ritalin) and a few other meds, most take at least a few weeks at a sufficient dosage to have a positive effect.
Posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 6:57:13
In reply to Re: Strattera Allergic Reaction, posted by golfergman on January 23, 2003, at 10:26:10
> Yesterday I took my first dose of straterra 18mgs. Im 47 year old male and I know this is a very small dose. My first day I would have to say Im rather down about the whole ADD thing. I definetly felt an affect. I felt high as a kite and didnt like it at all. My Dr. wants to start out with small doses for 4 days. My feeling is I dont know if I can handle this. Im not taking it today because it made me edgy, uptight, couldnt sleep at night. In other words I didnt feel good about it. The same thing happened when I tried Ritalin. Does anyone have some insight or similar experiences. I feel rather down about the whole thing. I guess I'll just have to live with this the rest of my life.
I can sympathize with your reaction. You might be hypersensitive to certain kinds of drugs. I know I am - if I start taking almost any psychoactive drug at a "normal" dosage level, it will send me up the wall. I haven't tried Strattera (not yet, anyway, but I may soon - that's why I'm reading the Strattera posts), but I'm definitely hypersensitive to Ritalin. If I took 10 mg of Ritalin 3 times day (a typical adult dosage), I'd be "wired", irritable, unable to sleep, and convinced it was a "bad" drug. But if I take only 1.25 to 2.5 mg (1/4 to 1/2 of the lowest dose "kiddie" pill) twice a day, I have found it to be very beneficial.
One possibility is that you are a "poor metabolizer" of Strattera. According to the prescribing info:
"A fraction of the population (about 7% of Caucasians and 2% of African Americans) are poor metabolizers (PMs) of CYP2D6 metabolized drugs. These individuals have reduced activity in this pathway resulting in 10-fold higher AUCs, 5-fold higher peak plasma concentrations, and slower elimination (plasma half-life of about 24 hours) of atomoxetine compared with people with normal activity [extensive metabolizers (EMs)]."
The 10-times greater AUC ("Area Under Curve" of the graph of level vs. time, a measure of total drug exposure) is an extreme case of "Your Mileage May Vary"! Oddly enough, they don't give any dosing guidelines if this condition is present (or suspected). I would think that you'd need to take 1/5 of the usual amount half as often in order to get the same level of drug activity that "normal" (EM) folks experience. This translates to 8 mg (10 is the smallest cap they make, probably close enough) once a day as the TARGET dosage; a conservative approach would be to start with half that amount and slowly ramp up! So even though your 18 mg is "a very small dose" it could still be way too much FOR YOU.
Given your reaction, skipping the next day's dose was the right move. Have the negative effects worn off yet? If you're feeling OK in a day or 2, here's what I would do:
Open an 18 mg cap and take only 1/4 of the contents (4.5 mg). If the side effects are tolerable (e.g. sleep is possible), continue taking this amount once a day for a few days. Then slowly increase the dose, a tiny bit more every few days, until either you notice a benefit or the side effects are too much.
[Disclaimer: I'm a chemist, not a doctor. I can't guarantee this will help, or even be completely safe. Don't follow this advice if you're not comfortable with it. Talk to your doctor first.]
Remember that the full beneficial effect might take a week or 2 to kick in, while the side effects (especially those resulting from taking too much too soon) will be evident almost immediately and should diminish over time as your body adjusts. But there's always the possibility that this is simply the wrong drug for you - too many side effects for too little benefit, even with a very cautious dosing schedule. Significant side effects that don't improve with time and worsen dramatically with every small dosage increment indicate an allergic reaction or other incompatibility, and the drug should be discontinued.
BTW, I'm concerned by your closing comments: "I feel rather down about the whole thing. I guess I'll just have to live with this the rest of my life." Of course, this sort of pessimism can result from repeated treatment failures. Have you tried numerous ADD medications with no benefit?
But you might also be suffering from depression along with your ADD. I know what this is like - I have both of these problems (plus others). Sometimes depression can diminish concentration & motivation, and hence be mis-diagnosed as ADD. Have you tried any antidepressants? You might find one of the mildly-stimulating antidepressants, such as Wellbutrin or desipramine, to be helpful. Given your reactions to Ritalin & Strattera, I'd recommend that you start with no more than 1/2 the usual dosage.
Good luck, and let us know how you're doing.
- Bob
Posted by golfergman on January 24, 2003, at 13:18:02
In reply to hypersensitivity, depression » golfergman, posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 6:57:13
Thanks for all the responses to my post. I'm very touched by the support and info you all give. Let me let you in on the latest. Ok, first of all let me start by saying , up until now I never say myself as depressed. I have always keep busy with positive things to do , like workingout, and golf, and meditating . After taking the Straterra Ive felt kind of down and have had negitive feelings . Nothing extreme, but not my normal self. But on retrospect , I see that maybe I might have a depression problem. You see I have been living with a depressed person for about 10 years(wife) , and I have always felt responsible to bring her up out of her depression. Maybe this is wearing on me , and what I feel is normal is really not. I have noticed I have started drinking somewhat more than I think is good for me , not extreme , but more than I feel is healthy for me and I have quit meditating. Its funny but thats when I started back considering medications for ADD . I talked to my Dr. and she wants me to try Wellbutrin, 100mgs twice a day. That was yesterday I recieved the Wellbutrin , but Im so apprehensive about it I just look at the pills and am afraid to take them. I just now read some post on Wellbutrin , and I will try it. I just havent been able to get the nerve up to take the plunge , after the straterra experience. You see I've never taken anything before now except the one time I took ritalin that affects the mind. I sorry if all this sounds selfabsorbed, I just thought my history sheds light on my medication experience and results. God Bless.
Posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 14:30:34
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression, posted by golfergman on January 24, 2003, at 13:18:02
I will comment more on some of what you've said later when I have time. For now, a bit of warning re the Wellbutrin. It's a good med, helped me a lot, and could well be right for you. But it can be very stimulating for the first few days. This will wear off, and the real AD effect takes a week or so. Be patient, but also be cautious. I recommend you don't take more than 100 mg total the first day until you see how it affects you. Increase the dose only when you feel comfortable that you can handle the "speedy" effect. It _will_ get better over time. Good luck.
Posted by disney4 on January 24, 2003, at 14:54:28
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression » golfergman, posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 14:30:34
I tried Wellbutrin Sr twice before, and couldn't tolerate the shakiness and anxiety. I took it for about a week, and I was still shaky. Do you know if this effect always wear off? I might try it again.
Posted by mom2mbcb on January 25, 2003, at 6:35:44
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression » not exactly, posted by disney4 on January 24, 2003, at 14:54:28
Hi, Has anyone found straterra works with memory problems, depression , anxiety,? I was recently diagnosied with adult adhd and am having some improvement on depression with Wellbutrin, Adderral worked eal well for my memory and focus as i bounce all o9ver the place when i get going...did straterra help SLOW you down, and help depression?
Deb
Posted by BekkaH on January 25, 2003, at 16:24:28
In reply to hypersensitivity, depression » golfergman, posted by not exactly on January 24, 2003, at 6:57:13
Hello "not exactly":
In your post, you suggested that the previous poster open a capsule of Strattera and take a fraction of the capsule's contents. According to the Strattera website, the capsule should not be broken or sprinkled on food. You said you are a chemist, so perhaps you know more about this than I do, but I thought it was significant that Lilly specifically advised against opening the capsule. There are some drugs in capsule form that can be broken, but apparently this is not one of them.
Bekka
Posted by BekkaH on January 25, 2003, at 17:12:13
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression - not exactly, posted by BekkaH on January 25, 2003, at 16:24:28
This is the continuation of that long Strattera thread, just in case some newcomers can't find information on the medication. The older posts are archived each week.
Posted by not exactly on January 25, 2003, at 22:32:08
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression - not exactly, posted by BekkaH on January 25, 2003, at 16:24:28
> Hello "not exactly":
>
> In your post, you suggested that the previous poster open a capsule of Strattera and take a fraction of the capsule's contents. According to the Strattera website, the capsule should not be broken or sprinkled on food. You said you are a chemist, so perhaps you know more about this than I do, but I thought it was significant that Lilly specifically advised against opening the capsule. There are some drugs in capsule form that can be broken, but apparently this is not one of them.
>
> Bekka
Bekka,Thank you for pointing this out. I hadn't seen this warning.
Yes, I'm a chemist, and the study of neurochemistry/psychopharmacology is my hobby (some might call it an obsession). But I'm not omniscient. :-)
I had looked over the Strattera website fairly thoroughly, and carefully read the entire "prescribing info" .pdf document at least twice (as I mentioned, I hope to try Strattera soon, so I've been researching it extensively). But somehow I missed the warning about opening a capsule. A quick Google search with the query "sprinkled site:strattera.com" indeed turned up the following statement: "Strattera capsules should never be broken and sprinkled on food. They must be taken whole." This appears on the "How to Take Strattera" page [http://www.strattera.com/cnt_taking/howtotake.html] and is repeated verbatim on the FAQ page [http://www.strattera.com/cnt_common/faqs.html#5].
Frankly, I am surprised and puzzled by this statement. Such warnings are typical for medications that are time-release, enteric, or incompatible with food. However, none of these apply to the Strattera capsules in particular or their contents (atomoxetine) in general. The two other prescription medications that are in the same chemical family, namely reboxetine [http://biopsychiatry.com/reboxetine/index.html] and fluoxetine (Prozac) [http://biopsychiatry.com/fluoxetine/index.html], do not have this warning.
But most significantly, there is no mention of this anywhere in Lilly's official "prescribing information". This is the thorough and definitive source of information on the product for doctors, pharmacists, and patients, most of whom will never see the website. Such prescribing information documents (also called "product inserts" or "monographs") are carefully prepared by pharmaceutical manufacturers, and rigorously scrutinized by their medical, chemical, and legal experts before publishing to minimize the possibility of any negative effects (including scandals and lawsuits) of using their products. If opening a capsule were truly inadvisable, then surely the warning would appear here. Unless specifically counterindicated, many people would try this, not to subdivide a dose, but because they have difficulty with swallowing capsules.
My theory, and I stress that it is _only_ a theory, is that whoever prepared the text for that portion of the website copied the boilerplate information from some other medication, edited it to say "Strattera", and neglected to delete the part that didn't apply. Such "cut-and-paste" errors are not uncommon on the internet.
In another Strattera thread [http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030119/msgs/136572.html], "britwit" refers to taking doses of "12.5 mg" and "37.5 mg", which are certainly not standard sizes. I'm assuming this was done by splitting the 25 mg caps. So we know at least one person on this board is opening capsules, perhaps (hopefully) according to a doctor's recommendation.
In summary:
1) I still believe it is safe and reasonable to open a Strattera capsule and take a portion of the contents - I personally would not hesitate to do so
2) the warning which appears on the website (but _not_ in the prescribing information) is most likely an error
3) again, I AM NOT A DOCTOR - consult the medical professional who prescribed Strattera for you before you attempt any dosing regimen which differs from what they indicated- Bob
Posted by not exactly on January 26, 2003, at 0:15:32
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression » not exactly, posted by disney4 on January 24, 2003, at 14:54:28
> I tried Wellbutrin Sr twice before, and couldn't tolerate the shakiness and anxiety. I took it for about a week, and I was still shaky. Do you know if this effect always wear off? I might try it again.
The official "prescribing information" document [http://us.gsk.com/products/assets/us_wellbutrinSR.pdf] mentions that temporary stimulant side effects are common. Of particular note is the following statement under "Dosage and Administration":
"Gradual escalation in dosage is also important if agitation, motor restlessness, and insomnia, often seen during the initial days of treatment, are to be minimized. If necessary, these effects may be managed by temporary reduction of dose or the short-term administration of an intermediate to long-acting sedative hypnotic. A sedative hypnotic usually is not required beyond the first week of treatment. Insomnia may also be minimized by avoiding bedtime doses. If distressing, untoward effects supervene, dose escalation should be stopped."
Your symptoms of "shakiness and anxiety" sound like extreme cases of this. Did you notice _any_ reduction of these side effects after a week of dosing? It's possible that you didn't wait long enough, but having such severe and unpleasant symptoms persist for this long a period may mean it's not the right drug for you.
If you decide to give it one more try, I'd recommend starting at a lower dose. Use the 100 mg size (I assume you tried the standard 150's) and don't take more than 1 per day until the side effects subside. Something like Klonopin might help you through the adjustment period (I think using a "sedative hypnotic" is overkill unless you have serious insomnia). You should discuss your concerns with your doctor first.
- Bob
Posted by jodie on January 26, 2003, at 0:29:27
In reply to STRATTERA - continued, posted by BekkaH on January 25, 2003, at 17:12:13
> This is the continuation of that long Strattera thread, just in case some newcomers can't find information on the medication. The older posts are archived each week.
Hi, BekkaH
I've been without my cable for a few days, thats why I haven't posted. I use cable instead of phone line for my internet service. I have a new post down there somewhere. Just updating you & everyone else on my supposed allergic reaction to strattera.
Posted by not exactly on January 26, 2003, at 0:46:16
In reply to Re: hypersensitivity, depression, posted by golfergman on January 24, 2003, at 13:18:02
> sorry if all this sounds selfabsorbed
I was recently concerned about the same sort of thing. Why am I spending so much time obsessing about my psychological state when I could be doing something positive? The answer, I decided, was that right now I _need_ to concentrate on these issues so I can improve my ability to cope and my capacity to enjoy life. Until I do, I really _can't_ effectively "do something positive".
If you had the flu, nobody would think you were being "self-absorbed" if you chose to take time off from work and stay in bed for a few days. If you don't take care of yourself, who will?
And don't worry that you're imposing on us by sharing your problems. Your golf buddies might not appreciate it, but we love to wallow in this sort of thing. That's why we're spending our time on Psycho-Babble rather than going out in the "real world" (whatever that is) and having "fun" (ditto).
But seriously, by sharing information and support with each other, we're all better off.
Don't be too hard on yourself...
- Bob
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