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Post by Douglas on Jun 30, 2004 11:27:22 GMT -5
Well, it's been two months now, but I've been thru the first phase of what has to be the rough ride of all time.
I did a long run of Strattera last year into this year, hoping it would give me more productive hours during the day --- but while I felt incredibly peaceful and thought very clearly with Strattera, it also knocked me out like a quart of wine.
I went over to Concerta, which made me awake, but didn't stop the channel-switching in my brain --- it only altered the nature of it. I had odd dreams and didn't sleep well.
Now it's been a month of Concerta + Strattera ... and I think I'm home at last. While I experienced some VERY odd sexual side effects and still do not sleep completely peacefully, I can do 10-12 hours of productive work at a stretch, as long as I put in a couple of 30 minute breaks to do something completely mindless!
It's too early to say that this is a permanent fix, but I see it as very promising.
Has anyone else tried this combination?
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Post by finnmom on Jun 30, 2004 11:35:00 GMT -5
Douglas sound´s good, glad to hear you´re happy with it at least for now. I think some of us use this very combination for their kid´s, but I let them tell you about it. It´s an trial and error with med´s, isint it. Here´s hoping this will carry on  |
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Post by Dad2Brooke on Jun 30, 2004 11:48:20 GMT -5
Brooke is on this combo as well, and she is doing better on it that any other single med/combo in the past.
I really hope that it continues to work for you.
Welcome back.
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Post by AnneM on Jun 30, 2004 11:51:04 GMT -5
Douglas ... this is so interesting and thankyou for sharing it! ... I am really hopeful that you have now found a combination that works for you! ... & 10-12 hours of productive work at a stretch! .. I call that nothing short of amazing! ... I couldn't hope to do that and I don't have adhd! ...
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Post by shardstar on Jun 30, 2004 12:52:26 GMT -5
I, too, recently started taking a strat/stim combo. I had been taking Strattera since February and felt like it just wasn't completely doing it for me, so my Neuro added 5 mg. of Focalin to take twice a day on an "as needed" basis. I can take it while at work, and it wears off by the evening, so that I can sleep without any problem.
I like the way that I can be focused enough for "regular life", but if I have a meeting or a lot of work to do, I can take the Focalin and it gives me that extra concentration and ability to stay with something longer than 10 minutes. I've found that I usually end up taking it almost every work day.
I'm glad that you've found the right combo and I hope things continue to go well for you!!!
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Post by savvymom1 on Jul 1, 2004 17:45:26 GMT -5
Douglas, can you tell me a little bit more about how Straterra helps you?
My 13 yr old dd asked me if she could try Straterra. This is her third year on meds--the first 2 on concerta and this past year on Focalin. She says it's not working as well as it did a year ago.
Let me say we've had a little experience with straterra--my 9 year old tried it for a month and we saw no resullts at all for her (what a nightmare) and went back to Concerta. She seemed happy on straterra, but very unfocused.
You mention that you are able to concentrate better with Straterra. I guess I thought it mostly helped with hyperactivity (which my girls don't have) but that it doesn't help as much for concentration problems. If it does help with concentration, I might be willing to let my oldest try it for a while. I'd appreciate an light you can shed on the subject.
Judy
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Post by Douglas on Jul 2, 2004 10:30:25 GMT -5
Strattera crushes anxiety. Just obliterates it. With Strattera, the tension and anxiousness that result from feeling overwhelmed, or behind schedule, or any one of the many emotions we feel as a consequence of ADD, just trickle away. There's a sense of calm, and that leads to a sense of control.
It also, however, makes one sleepy - or it makes me feel that way, anyway. With Concerta + Strattera, I have the calm, the focus, and at the same time the mental stimulation to really achieve.
I'm a middle-aged adult, so I don't know how well this translates to adolescence ...
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Post by AnneM on Jul 2, 2004 11:11:22 GMT -5
Douglas - Do you think that this sense of calm and lack of anxiety is from the antidepressant qualities found in strattera?
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Post by jdmom on Jul 2, 2004 12:31:54 GMT -5
savvymom1-
Stattera is not a stim like other meds. It doesn't work immediately, you have to go through a period of 6-8 weeks before you will see results.
Also, my son is extremely hyperactive and Strattera did nothing for the hyperactivity. I kept my son on it for about 16 weeks, and while it did help his focus and attention span, it did nothing for his hyperness. I have talked to people on anther board that has a lot of Strat users and we have come to the conclusion that Strat is definitely more beneficial for ADD than it is for ADHD. So if your daughter doesn't have the dreaded "H", it may be worth trying. Just remember to give it the benefit of the entire ramping up period. The idea of a non-stim ADD/ADHD med is definitly appealing!
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Post by Douglas on Jul 2, 2004 15:10:00 GMT -5
Anne - yes, that's true, but the important factor to me is that Strattera is unlike other anti-depressants in that it does not affect seratonin levels but instead affects norephinephrine.
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Post by savvymom1 on Jul 2, 2004 18:06:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the info everyone.
My dd is taking Zoloft and Focalin right now. I guess I'll ask the dr. if the anti-anxiety qualities of the straterra will work ok with the Zoloft. Perhaps she doesn't really need the straterra. She mainly needs help with concentration for school--her behavior is OK (considering she is a 13 yr old).
Thanks!
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