DOSE:

oral

Pharms - Atomoxetine

(daily)

BODY WEIGHT:

150 lb

I want to start by saying that Strattera has, so far, been a lifesaver for me.

I was hospitalized and sent to an inpatient program for severe anxiety, which led up to a series of horrible panic attacks. I went to the hospital 6 times in 2 months, and had developed a case of agoraphobia for fear of a panic attack happening in public.

I had always had severe anxiety, but I believe that the episodes of panic were triggered by Adderall, which I had been taking for adult ADHD. The drug ended up taking a hold of me, and controlling me, as opposed to being a tool in order to help better myself. Adderall also creates a dependency, which can become very difficult to escape even by those with the strongest of willpower.

During my stay at the mental hospital, the psychiatrist prescribed automoxetine, which I had never heard of.

I've been on it for a week now, and though at first the side effects where a bit annoying (nausea the first few days, fatigue, a sort of head dizziness, strange and vivid dreams) I feel like I have my life back. Not only did it completely eliminate my panics (which I still had, even when not taking adderall) my anxiety has been reduced to a background hum that crescendos only during times where a situation is actually stressful, and to a manageable level. I feel this is how the average person experiences anxiety. On top of these benefits lies the fact that it also helps with my ADHD. Though it's not like the strong euphoria I experienced with Adderall, it's similar in that I feel less bogged down by the thoughts in my head, and the energy I experience with the drug is a strange sort of energy. It's a very calm and manageably soft type of energy that doesn't drive me off a cliff at the end of the day. The mood swings that I experience on Strattera (a common side effect) are NOTHING compared to the ones I experienced on Adderall.

Also, I noticed that switching to Strattera from Adderall eliminated some of the nasty feelings associated with Adderall withdrawal.

This is definitely not a drug that should be used for recreation. I can't imagine that taking large one time dosages would yield any sort of 'good' or euphoric feeling....It's mostly safe (especially when compared to amphetamines and other stimulants) and it won't keep me up or ruin my body and mind, as being on adderall has for me.

Exp Year: 2015	ExpID: 105762
Gender: Female
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jan 16, 2020	Views: 2,952
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Pharms - Atomoxetine (316) : Retrospective / Summary (11), Medical Use (47), Not Applicable (38)