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 ADHD?
Strattera is clinically proven to effectively treat the symptoms of ADHD.
However, it's important to keep in mind that every child is different. 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 my child take Strattera?
Strattera can be taken once each day in the morning. But the healthcare provider may decide that the best dose for your child is one that is taken twice a day—once in the morning and once in the late afternoon or evening. See
FDA Medication Guide
Should my child take Strattera with food?
Your child can take Strattera with or without food. However, your healthcare provider may suggest that your child take Strattera with a meal. See
FDA Medication Guide
Can I open a Strattera capsule?
Do not open Strattera capsules. Do not crush them. Your child must swallow each capsule whole. Avoid touching a broken Strattera capsule. If any of the powder gets in your eyes or your child's eyes, rinse them with water right away and call the healthcare provider. See
FDA Medication Guide
What should I do if my child misses a dose of Strattera?
If your child misses a dose of Strattera, he or she should take it as soon as it is remembered that day. If your child does not take Strattera for a whole day, do not double his or her dose the next day. Just skip the day he or she missed. See
FDA Medication Guide
What if my child needs to stop taking Strattera?
Do not stop your child from taking Strattera without first talking with his or her healthcare provider. See
FDA Medication Guide
How might Strattera help my child?
If Strattera works for your child, it can help him or her:
- Pay closer attention to details and make fewer careless mistakes
- Sustain attention in tasks or play activities
- Listen better when spoken to directly
- Follow through on instructions and finish work
- Have less trouble organizing tasks and activities
- Be more willing to do tasks that require continual mental effort
Individual results vary. See
Benefits of Strattera
What are the most common side effects of Strattera in children?
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 your child to take Strattera with food.
- Tiredness—Another common side effect can be problems with tiredness. Your healthcare provider may advise you to adjust the time of day your child takes 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 Lilly 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.
Parents should monitor their child carefully to see if they appear more subdued, withdrawn, or have persistent feelings of being hopeless, helpless, or worthless, or show expressions of self-harm. Children may also act out, so watch for signs of irritability, agitation, anger, or aggression. While none of these signals alone means your child is feeling suicidal, they may be signs to talk with and listen to your child about his or her thoughts and feelings. Pay close attention to changes in his or her moods or actions, especially if the changes occur suddenly. If your child has thoughts of suicide or sudden changes in mood or behavior, contact your child's healthcare provider right away.
- Liver damage—Strattera can cause liver damage in rare cases. Call the healthcare provider right away if your child has itching, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, upper right-side abdominal tenderness, or unexplained "flu-like" symptoms.
Please see
Important Safety Information.
How long will a dose of Strattera last to help my child's ADHD symptoms?
Strattera can provide continuous relief for your child's ADHD symptoms for a full 24 hours. Your child's ADHD symptoms don't wear off as the day goes on.
Should my child's dose of Strattera change over time?
Your child will likely start Strattera at a low dose. Starting Strattera at a low dose
gives his or her body a chance to get used to the medicine. After a few days on the low dose, your healthcare provider may increase your child's dose. During the first few weeks on Strattera, you and your child will work with the healthcare provider to reach your child's
target dose—the amount of Strattera that will benefit your child the most. See
Get a Good Start
How quickly might Strattera start to work?
Strattera is made to ease your child's ADHD symptoms
gradually, not right away. See
Benefits of Strattera
What does gradual improvement mean?
Symptom improvement with Strattera is not immediate. Strattera works
gradually. You may begin to notice small changes after a few weeks.
If Strattera works for your child, you should see improvement in his or her ADHD symptoms by 4 to 6 weeks after your child has reached his or her target dose. Individual results may vary. See
Get a Good Start
I have not noticed ADHD symptom improvement in my child. What should I do?
It's important to stay in close contact with the healthcare provider and to report your child's
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 your child has reached his or her target dose. Your child's dose of Strattera may need to be adjusted. Or Strattera may not be the right medicine for your child. In that case, you and the healthcare provider can discuss a different treatment option for your child. See
Get a Good Start and
Tracking Progress
My child has ADHD and an anxiety disorder. Can he or she take Strattera?
Strattera effectively treats ADHD in children with ADHD who also have anxiety disorders. In a clinical trial of patients aged 8 to 17 years, Strattera was proven to reduce ADHD symptoms without worsening anxiety symptoms.
Can my child become addicted to Strattera?
Strattera has not shown potential for abuse. Strattera is not a controlled prescription medicine.
Can I get phone-in refills of Strattera for my child?
Strattera is not a controlled substance, so you can get phone-in refills between healthcare provider visits.
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.
