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Post by Brenda on Mar 18, 2004 19:24:19 GMT -5
Stephanie is on 25 mg strattera and focalin 2.5 mg in the mornings.She is doing great in school but it's wearing off around 5:00.She is bouncing off the walls right now.I don't want to give her another dose of focalin after school because I'm afraid her tics will come back.How would you split 25 mg strattera(18/10,10/10)?Or could we go up to 25/10?She weighs 49 pounds.Thanks
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Post by camismom on Mar 19, 2004 9:04:30 GMT -5
The highest amount she can take at 49 lbs is 40. You could do a split dose of 25/10. 25 mgs is actually too little for her at the lowest dosage, so she may just need a slight increase period. Give it a "tweak" and see how it goes.
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Mar 19, 2004 14:41:46 GMT -5
Brenda actually 25 mg for 49 pounds is about right according to the formula of 1.2mg per 2.2lbs body weight. But that is a base line, her doctor can advise you on going higher. Strattera is wieght based, so there may be no added benefit of increasing.
How long has your daughter been on Strattera?
She takes it in the morning, right? At what time? Can you move the time forward a bit and still give it before school.
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Post by Brenda on Mar 19, 2004 15:27:57 GMT -5
Dad2Brooke,She has only been on it for 3 weeks.I give it at 7:00am.Maybe I should just give it more time to work before raising it.Thanks
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Mar 19, 2004 16:30:46 GMT -5
Yeah, it typically takes about six weeks to work at full benefit.
What dosages did you use for the ramp up period?
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Post by Brenda on Mar 19, 2004 16:40:56 GMT -5
She started at 18 mg for 7 days and then went up to 25.She has been on 25 for 2 weeks.Should I wait longer at that dose or go up now?Thanks
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Mar 20, 2004 8:32:22 GMT -5
I would let her pediatrician know now. But I think you need to give it more time.
The thing about too little or too much Strattera, is that it can cause moody and irritable behavior.
If the doctor prescribed 25mg, then you need for him to increase it.
We saw some benefits right away with Brooke, but it really took about 6 weeks at target dose for all of the benefits to be present.
It sems like a long time, but usually, it is worth the wait. But let your doctor know what is happening.
And camismom, I just read your post. I am sorry if it looked like I was disputing it. I was actually responding to Brenda's original post. But you are correct she could go to 40. The formula I used is the one most used, but you can increase it. Sorry!
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Post by Brenda on Mar 20, 2004 11:23:46 GMT -5
Thanks Ralph & camismom!Her dr said we could increase the strattera or add focalin.I wanted to add focalin but it is making her worse.She had a huge temper tantrum yesterday and she's still not paying attention in school.I think I will ask him about increasing the strattera since we tried focalin for a week and it's not helping.Thanks
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Post by shardstar on Mar 20, 2004 13:38:08 GMT -5
I totaly agree with DAD! Strattera is something that you need to tweak to just the right dose, because if it's not just right, it seems to cause moody bahavior. When my daughter started on it, we ramped up to a perfect dose right between the minimum and maximum doses and everything was going well until a couple of months later. All of a sudden she started having meltdowns and became very argumentative about EVERYTHING and we were ready to give up on the Strat. Then we realised that she had lost 6 pounds. The wheels started turning in my head and I thought "hey maybe we need to lower her dose a little". I ended up loweing it only 5 mg. and within a few days, she became my sweet little girl again. It's amazing what just a 5 mg change can do!
I does take about 6 weeks to reach it's full benefits, and usually the hyperness isn't the first thing it effects. Both my daughter and I take Strattera. It works great for both of us and we really like it, but I can tell you that both of us have days where we're a little "bouncing off the walls" still. (not too many, Thank God)
I think two weeks is long enough to be at 25 mg. That's about how long we did it for, before increasing to the target dose. Check with the Dr., maybe he/she will tell you the same.
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Post by Brenda on Apr 2, 2004 10:53:52 GMT -5
Wanted to give an update.Steph has been on 40 mg for 6 days.This is her max dose because she weighs 49 pounds.We stopped the focalin and now are only on strattera.The last couple of days have been very good.Her handwriting is as good as it was on Concerta.That is usually an indication that the meds are working with her.She has terrible handwriting when she is not being treated.The work she's bringing home from school has been mostly good.Her behavior is good,she's calmer,she's eating and sleeping good.I am real pleased.I think she needed the higher dose.She's still a little tired but it's getting better.She takes a nap everyday when she gets home and still falls asleep around 9:00.I'm scared to get too happy because we've been here before and then everything falls apart.I'm praying we have finally found the "right" med.
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Apr 2, 2004 16:59:45 GMT -5
Great news. The nap thing I had forgotten, but Brooke takes naps on her own sometimes on the weekends, and I think it is the Strattera.
I hope that things remain good for her. Good luck!
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Post by Brenda on Apr 8, 2004 8:24:19 GMT -5
You really have to give Strattera in the mornings after they have been on it for awhile.Stephanie has been tired during the day so her dr told me to give it in the evenings.I gave it to her at 5:00 pm yesterday and she couldn't go to sleep last night.She was up past 12:00.  When I give it in the mornings she goes to sleep around 8:00 or 9:00 and falls right to sleep.I'm going back to mornings and hoping the tiredness gets better.We did just increase her dose last week so that's why she's tired.I'm thinking it'll get better. |
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