Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of medicine is Strattera?
Strattera is a non-stimulant prescription medicine approved to treat the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Strattera is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Strattera may help increase attention and decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD. Strattera should be used as a part of a total treatment program for ADHD that may include counseling or other therapies. Strattera has not been studied in children less than 6 years old.
Is Strattera an effective treatment for adult ADHD?
Strattera is clinically proven to effectively treat the symptoms of adult ADHD. However, it's important to keep in mind that Strattera does not work for everyone, even when it is taken exactly as directed by the healthcare provider. See
Benefits of Strattera
How often should I take Strattera?
Strattera should be taken exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Most people take Strattera once or twice every day. Take Strattera at the same time each day. See
FDA Medication Guide
Should I take Strattera with food?
Strattera can be taken with or without food. If you experience nausea (an upset stomach), your healthcare provider may suggest that you take Strattera with a meal. See
FDA Medication Guide
Can I open a Strattera capsule?
Do not open Strattera capsules. Do not chew or crush them. Each capsule must be swallowed whole. Avoid touching a broken Strattera capsule. If any of the powder gets in your eyes, rinse them with water right away and call your healthcare provider. See
FDA Medication Guide
What should I do if I miss a dose of Strattera?
If you miss a dose of Strattera, take it as soon as you remember that day. If you do not take Strattera for a whole day, do not double your dose the next day. Just skip the dose you missed. See
FDA Medication Guide
What if I need to stop taking Strattera?
Strattera can be stopped without slowly reducing your dose. However, it is best to talk with your healthcare provider before you stop taking Strattera.
In what ways can Strattera help?
If Strattera works for you, it may help you:
- Become more focused and pay attention
- Lose things less often
- Be less distracted when trying to concentrate
- Forget fewer things
- Listen more easily to what others are saying
- Be better able to organize tasks and activities
- Start tasks or projects and complete them
Individual results vary. See
Benefits of Strattera
What are the most common side effects of Strattera in adults?
It is important to share your concerns about the benefits and risks of treating ADHD vs not treating it with your healthcare provider. All therapies for ADHD, including Strattera, have potential benefits and risks that should be understood.
Common side effects with Strattera may include:
- Nausea—A common side effect may be nausea. Your healthcare provider may advise you to take Strattera with food.
- Problems sleeping—Another common side effect can be having trouble going to sleep and staying asleep. Your healthcare provider may advise you to adjust the time of day you take the medication.
Every medicine offers benefits for many patients, along with the possibility of undesired effects. For additional risk information, see the
Important Safety Information for Strattera and the
FDA Medication Guide.
Some important risks to consider with Strattera are:
- Suicidal thoughts—An analysis of clinical trial data conducted by Eli Lilly and Company has indicated that suicidal thoughts were more frequently observed among children and teens treated with Strattera (4 out of every 1,000 patients, or about ½ of 1%). There were no suicides in patients taking Strattera during clinical trials. There was no indication of an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors among adult Strattera patients.
- Liver damage—Strattera can cause liver damage in rare cases. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have itching, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, upper right-side abdominal tenderness, or unexplained "flu-like" symptoms.
Please see
Important Safety Information.
Should my dose of Strattera change over time?
You will likely start Strattera at a low dose. Starting Strattera at a low dose gives your body a chance to get used to the medicine. After a few days on the low dose, your healthcare provider may increase your dose. During the first few weeks on Strattera, you will work with your healthcare provider to reach your
target dose—the amount of Strattera that is right for you and will benefit you the most. See
Get a Good Start
How soon might Strattera start to work?
Strattera is made to ease ADHD symptoms
gradually, not right away. See
Get a Good Start
What does gradual improvement mean?
Symptom improvement with Strattera is not immediate. Strattera works gradually over time. You may begin to notice small changes after a few weeks.
If Strattera works for you, you should see improvement in your ADHD symptoms by about 4 to 6 weeks after you reach the right dose for you. Individual results may vary. See
Get a Good Start
I have not noticed any ADHD symptom improvement. What should I do?
It's important to stay in close contact with your healthcare provider and to report your progress on Strattera.
Be sure to let the healthcare provider know if you have not seen any ADHD symptom improvement by 4 to 6 weeks after you have reached your target dose. Your dose of Strattera may need to be adjusted. Or Strattera may not be the right medicine for you. If it isn't, you and the healthcare provider can discuss a different treatment option. See
Get a Good Start and
Track Your Progress
Can I become addicted to Strattera?
Strattera has not shown potential for abuse. Strattera is not a controlled prescription medicine.
Can I get phone-in refills for Strattera?
Strattera is not a controlled substance, so you can get phone-in refills between healthcare provider visits.
Please see
Important Safety Information and
FDA Medication Guide.
Important Safety Information
Strattera is indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 and older, teens, and adults.
What should I talk about with the healthcare provider?
Child/Teen: In some children and teens, Strattera increases the risk of suicidal thoughts. A combined analysis of 12 studies of Strattera showed that in children and teens, 4 out of every 1000 patients developed suicidal thoughts, although no suicides occurred. A similar analysis in adults treated with Strattera did not reveal an increased risk of suicidal thoughts. Call your doctor right away if your child has thoughts of suicide or sudden changes in mood or behavior, especially at the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose.
Child/Teen and Adult: In rare cases, Strattera can cause liver injury. Call your doctor right away if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms.
Tell your doctor if you have any heart problems, heart defects, high blood pressure, or a family history of these problems. Your doctor should check you carefully for heart problems before starting Strattera. Call your doctor right away if you have any signs of heart problems such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting while taking Strattera. Rarely, sudden death has been reported in patients who have heart problems or heart defects. There have also been rare reports of stroke and heart attack.
What other important information should I discuss with the healthcare provider?
Child/Teen: Tell your doctor about any family history of bipolar illness (manic-depressive illness) or suicidal thoughts or actions before starting Strattera. Call the doctor right away if your child develops new psychological symptoms such as abnormal thoughts/behaviors and/or extreme elevated or irritable moods while taking Strattera.
Child/Teen and Adult: Erections that won't go away (priapism) have occurred rarely during treatment with Strattera. If you or your child has an erection that lasts more than 4 hours, seek medical help right away.
Who should not take Strattera?
Child/Teen and Adult: Strattera should not be taken if you:
- Are taking or have taken within the past 14 days an anti-depression medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or MAOI
- Have an eye problem called glaucoma
- Are allergic to anything in Strattera
Can Strattera be taken with other medicines?
Child/Teen and Adult: Tell your doctor about all the medicines that you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Strattera and some medicines may interact with each other and cause serious side effects. Your doctor will decide whether Strattera can be taken with other medicines.
What are the possible side effects of Strattera?
Child/Teen: The most common side effects in children and teenagers were upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, mood swings and slowing of growth in children.
Talk to your healthcare provider if your child experiences slowing of growth (height and weight). Children should have height and weight checked often while taking Strattera and your healthcare provider may stop Strattera treatment if a problem is found during these checkups.
Adult: The most common side effects in adults include constipation, dry mouth, nausea, decreased appetite, dizziness, trouble sleeping, sexual side effects, menstrual cramps, and problems passing urine.
Child/Teen and Adult: Other serious side effects include allergic reactions such as swelling or hives.
For more information, see the FDA Medication Guide.
