Always tell your healthcare provider about any prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, vitamins/minerals, herbal products, and other supplements you are using. If you measure your blood pressure and the top number (systolic) is 180 mm Hg or higher or the bottom number (diastolic) is 120 mm Hg or higher, get medical attention right away. Increases in blood pressure may not be noticeable but look out for any of the following symptoms of severely high blood pressure.

Comparative Effectiveness

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before taking Strattera. Some young people have thoughts about suicide when they first start taking this medicine, or whenever the dose is changed. Stay alert to changes in your mood or symptoms, especially if you have ever had suicidal thoughts.

ADHD Medications: Comparison Chart of Stimulants & Non-Stimulants

These are the most common kinds of drugs used to manage ADHD. Strattera (atomoxetine) is a non-stimulant medication that controls ADHD symptoms in a different way. While Strattera takes a while to kick in compared to Ritalin, the effects last longer once the drug builds up in your body. A daily dose of Strattera should work 24 hours as long as you take the drug around the same time every day.

Conditions

This will likely include having you stop Strattera treatment. Strattera is thought to work by increasing the level of a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) in the brain called norepinephrine. Having more norepinephrine available in the brain may help improve attention and focus in people with ADHD. If recommended by your doctor, you may be able to receive a 90-day supply of Strattera, so there’s less concern about running out of the medication. If you’re interested in this option, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or insurance company. Some Medicare plans may help cover the cost of mail-order medications.

• The time-release formulation is designed to maintain a steady level of medication in your body throughout the day.
• Your heart rate, blood pressure, height, and weight may also need to be checked often.
• Ziv Cohen, M.D., is a board-certified psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine, and is based in New York City.
• Atomoxetine may cause allergic reactions, which can be serious.
• MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

FDA warning: Risk of suicidal thoughts in children and adolescents

He also helps people with tobacco cessation and pain management. Reviewer specialties include internal medicine, gastroenterology, oncology, orthopedic surgery and psychiatry.

Growth followed a similar pattern in both extensive and poor metabolizers (EMs, PMs). PMs treated for at least two years gained an average of 2.4 kg and 1.1 cm less than predicted, while EMs gained an average of 0.2 kg and 0.4 cm less than predicted. Psychotic or manic symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusional thinking, or mania) in patients without a prior history of psychotic illness or mania can be caused by STRATTERA at usual doses.

What is the best ADHD medication with the least side effects?

For updated information about dosages, interactions, and precautions, see the Strattera drug monograph on WebMD. Review our editorial policy to learn more about our process for producing accurate, current and balanced content. Kenneth S. Fill is a clinical pharmacist specialist who helps people manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia.

So, it’s important to talk to your doctor about all the medication you take, including supplements. They’ll let you know what’s safe to take with your ADHD treatment. In rare cases, children and teens who take Strattera may have suicidal thoughts or behaviors. The doctor should monitor your child closely while they take this drug. It’s rare, but Ritalin is also linked to serious heart problems, mental health issues, circulation problems in your fingers and toes, and erections that last longer than usual and may be painful.

Rare but severe side effects revealed in clinical trials included a greater risk of suicidal ideation in children, adolescents and teens taking Strattera. The manufacturer carrying out the clinical trials found that the average risk of suicidal ideation in people taking Strattera was 0.4% (five out of 1,357 people). Strattera is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor medicine. It is used for the treatment of attention deficit is stratera a stimulant and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Strattera may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD.

• Strattera is now available as a generic under the active ingredient name atomoxetine.
• Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you.
• People experiencing heart health problems or who have a family history of heart problems might also be at risk for long-term heart complications, says Dr. Zand.
• Like other antidepressant drugs, this non-stimulant ADHD medication has been linked to an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behaviors in children and adolescents.
• Your child will take the drug either as a single dose in the morning or as two divided doses.
• To learn about other mild side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist, or view Strattera’s prescribing information.

Stimulants increase the levels of the chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine in your brain. Up to 80% of people with ADHD who take stimulant drugs say their symptoms get better. Many doctors determine the correct dose of Strattera using titration, which measures benefits against side effects. Patients start the medication at a low dose and then the dose is raised after several days until they get the maximum benefits with the least side effects.

However, these drugs can cause unpleasant and sometimes intolerable side effects, such as weight gain, blurred vision, upset stomach, drowsiness, dizziness, and low blood pressure. Therefore, children and teens taking this medicine need to be monitored for suicidal thinking and ideations. This non-stimulant medication also has some anti-depressive effects. Therefore, it may be a better choice for people with symptoms of ADHD as well as depression. If an individual needs ADHD medication only occasionally, for example, to improve focus and attention for a short period, taking Strattera may not be the best option.