adult just diagnosed ADD - take adderall or straterra?

brinks · Newbie Joined: 26 Jun 2005 Posts: 15

Since being diagnosed with adult ADD, I have been on Adderall. But I'm wondering if I should stay on the Adderall forever, or take Strattera instead? I would like to hear someone’s experience with Strattera.

lyles · Newbie Joined: 03 Jul 2005 Posts: 24

I have adult ADD. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant. I was on Strattera and loved it but there isn't enough info to know if it would be bad. Strattera is very similar to trycyclic antidepressants. So, there is considerable evidence about their relative safety during pregnancy. Now I am considering Adderall as an option. I guess I am not the best person to give you an advice whether to take Startera or Adderall.

hjbroker · Newbie Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Posts: 1

I have taken both.

Straterra does not have the effects that adderall does. I took Straterra as soon as it was on the market. It helped slightly with organization but not so much with attention. It also made me very tired. My doctor actually had me taking Straterra with Adderall for a while.
After stopping the Straterra I did not notice any more or less improvement with just taking Adderall. The adderall helps with attention, alertness, and even motivation. I pay more attention to detail, am able to read for long periods of time, do school work, and even have started a good routine including exercise. It was like day and night. If i dont take adderall for a day (I try not taking it when I don't have to because I dont want to have the dose increased) I can tell the difference in my ADHD symptoms.

The negatives about the adderall- you cant really sleep well and it addictive. As I said before, if i dont need it for any activites for the day, I try not to take it.

Overall, although its addictive and affects sleep, I had better improvements in symptoms while taking adderall and not so much while taking Straterra.

Hope this helps you out a little!
Hopes and Wishes-
Heather

Guest · Guest

First I took Adderall for 3 years with extreme behavior highs and lows. I was tired all the time (on my days off from taking Adderall) and my periods were very erratic. I had no choice but to take my medicine because my job depends on me being able to concentrate.
Three years later my doctor introduced me to Starters which I love. I take 60mg of Strattera every day, and then Adderall 5mg at 8am, 12pm, and 4pm. Strattera has helped me to normalize and I don't have the extreme highs and lows. Nor am I sleepy and tired all the time. With Strattera I require smaller doses of Adderall, so together they work well for me.
I would like to meet somebody w/a similar situation as me.
I was diagnosed late in my life (27 years old) with ADD. I had previously lost many jobs and failed a lot in school but did not know why. I blamed myself. Then I had a nervous breakdown from job stress at 27 years old. It was very embarrassing because everyone at my work found out. I met with a doctor who prescribed Adderall. Immediately my life has never the same. The day I took Adderall is the day my life truly began. I had suffered for so many years with failing and suddenly I was no longer a failure but just like everybody else.
My main problem now is that I'm 35, female and would like to have children someday. Ever since I've taken Adderall and Strattera I've had very irregular periods. I have not met one doctor who can answer my questions. I just live with it because I'm so happy to be normal with my meds. These meds have affected my menses and I hope my body can normalize once off these meds enough for me to carry a pregnancy. If anyone out there know anything about this please reply to this post. I'll check often for a response. Thanks!

adult just diagnosed ADD - take adderall or straterra?

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