UGH! Strattera!?
Question by Danielle G: UGH! Strattera!?
I started Strattera 8 days ago. I am now on the 50mg dose. This medicine makes me soooooo very sleepy. I work throught the night ad this cannot happen. The doctor I saw put me on this med because I have had a previous history of drug abuse. After seeing my therapist for close to 6 months it has been determined that the drug abuse in the past was due to untreated severe ADHD. I guess some adults tend to self medicate. The brain needs a chemical and you start to do some very weird things out of poor impulse control. I am not a drug addict. I am VERY lucky though. Drug addiction runs in my biological family. My sister and biological mother both ere addicted to drugs. I have always just been able to discontinue any drug be it prescribed or otherwise ith no withdrawal symptoms. My therapist had reccomended ritalin, but the doc I saw wouldnt give that to me. I dont know if I can take this strattera anymore. How do I get a doc to understand that I dont want the meds to get high
I want the meds to treat my ADHD. My therapist says that given the correct med in the correct dosage the need to self medicate will disappear. That is just one of the ways my ADHD was manifesting itself. I believe her. Ever since I started Wellbutrin and even the Strattera I have had no urge whatsoever to self medicate AT ALL! I never took drugs to get high in the first place. I took them because I was searching for something but I didnt know what exactly it was that I was looking for. So again. To anyone out there who has been in a similar situation, some advice ould be appreciated. I am even willing to have the doc rite out the script so that I would have to pick up my meds from the pharmacy daily to prove that I am using them for their intended purpose!
Best answer:
Answer by michele
Strattera simply is NOT the right ADHD med for everyone (in fact, recent studies suggest that it is not nearly as effective as we once thought it to be).
Sometimes, the “old school” medicines are the way to go. If your current psychiatrist is reluctant to prescribe stimulants, you may be wedged into an awkward position. It may actually be to your benefit (if your current provider still refuses to consider treatment with stimulants) to consider another provider.
I really encourage you to discuss the matter with your psychiatrist directly. If the doc continues to refuse, move on to another provider.
Hang in there,
~M~
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