Dizziness or sleepiness is one of the most common side effects of prescription and over-the-counter medicines. When medicines make you tired, it is often because they affect chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters. Your nerves use them to carry messages to each other. Some of them control how awake or sleepy you feel.
Some medications work more effectively when taken at specific times. When getting a new prescription, the pharmacist is tasked with reviewing important information with you regarding medication management. Among the things he or she may cover is when to take medication. Just like certain prescriptions should be taken with food or with a full glass of water for best results, timing also matters when it comes to taking your daily medications.
Research has shown that in some cases, it may be important to take a drug at a particular time of day. This approach, known as chronotherapy, is gaining attention as research suggests a relationship between when we take medications and how well they work.
The best time to take medication may vary depending on the drug, but if your pharmacist says to take your dose at the same time each day, it’s best that you do so.
What is Strattera?
Strattera is a brand of atomoxetine, a prescription medication used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, teenagers, and adults. It belongs to the group of medicines called selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Drug treatment is the most effective treatment for ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder.
Strattera works in the brain to increase attention and decrease restlessness in people who are hyperactive, have problems with concentration, or are easily distracted. This medicine may be used as part of a treatment program that includes social, educational, and psychological treatment.
Strattera is available in 10 mg, 18 mg, 25 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg, and 100 mg capsules.
How should I take Strattera?
Strattera comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken either once a day in the morning, or twice a day in the morning and late afternoon or early evening. Strattera may be taken with or without food. Take Strattera at around the same time(s) every day.
The typical dosing of Strattera is as follows:
Adults and children over 70 kg (154 lbs) in body weight: The typical starting dose is 40 mg by mouth per day. It can be given once in the morning or as divided doses in the morning and late afternoon/early evening. After 3 days, your provider will raise your dose to 80 mg per day. The dose can be adjusted up to a maximum daily dose of 100 mg.
Children 70 kg (154 lbs) or less in body weight: The total daily dose will depend on the child’s weight and can be given once in the morning or as divided doses in the morning and late afternoon/early evening. The typical starting dose is 0.5 mg/kg by mouth per day and then raised to 1.2 mg/kg per day after 3 days. The dose can be adjusted up to a maximum of 1.4 mg/kg per day (or 100 mg per day, whichever is less).
Children less than 6 years old: Atomoxetine (Strattera) is not recommended for this age group. Ask your child’s provider for an alternative medication for your child.
Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Strattera exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Swallow Strattera capsules whole; do not open, chew, or crush them. If a capsule is accidentally broken or opened, wash away the loose powder with water right away. Try not to touch the powder and be especially careful not to get the powder in your eyes. If you do get powder in your eyes, rinse them with water right away and call your doctor.
Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of Strattera and increase your dose after at least 3 days. Your doctor may increase your dose again after 2–4 weeks. You may notice an improvement in your symptoms during the first week of your treatment, but it may take up to one month for you to feel the full benefit of Strattera.
Strattera may help to control the symptoms of ADHD but will not cure the condition. Continue to take atomoxetine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking atomoxetine without talking to your doctor.
Health Benefits Of Taking Strattera At Night
The most common reason why patients don’t experience optimal benefits from taking Strattera is the high level of side effects, which prevents them from taking a dose that is enough to be therapeutic. There are several health benefits of taking Strattera at night they include:
Better Sleep Onset: Taking Strattera is associated with problems sleeping in some people. If you suffer from insomnia (a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep). Taking Strattera at night is the best time to take it because it will help you sleep better and avoid excessive dizziness or sleepiness the medication can cause during the daytime.
Avoid Urinary problems: A common side effect of Strattera is urinary hesitancy or retention (Difficulty starting or maintaining a urine stream). After a single oral dose, Strattera reaches maximum plasma concentration within about 1-2 hours of administration. In extensive metabolizers, atomoxetine has a plasma half-life of 5.2 hours, while in poor metabolizers; atomoxetine has a plasma half-life of 21.6 hours. Taking the medication at night can benefit people with nocturnal enuresis also known as nighttime incontinence or bedwetting.
Better Appetite: A common side effect of Strattera is lack of appetite. Decreased appetite can lead to the development of malnutrition or vitamin and electrolyte deficiencies, which can have life-threatening complications. An important health benefit of taking Strattera at night is the reduced impact on daytime eating. Good nutrition especially foods rich in protein such as lean beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, soy, and low-fat dairy products can have beneficial effects on ADHD symptoms. Protein-rich foods are used by the body to make neurotransmitters, the chemicals released by brain cells to communicate with each other.
Sexual life: Strattera appears to impair sexual function in some patients by triggering changes in sexual desire, sexual performance, and sexual satisfaction. Taking Strattera at night after sex will ensure that you are asleep when the full sexual side effect of the medication manifests.
What are the other side effects of Strattera?
Common side effects of Strattera include:
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Cough
• Decreased appetite
• Depression
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Erectile dysfunction
• Headache
• Hot flashes
• Increases in blood pressure (BP; 15-20 mm Hg or greater) and heart rate (HR; 20 beats/minute or greater)
• Indigestion/heartburn
• Irritability
• Itching
• Menstrual disorder/increased menstrual cramps
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• Sexual side effects (impotence, loss of interest in sex, or trouble having an orgasm)
• Sinus headache
• Skin rash (dermatitis)
• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Upset stomach
• Urinary hesitation or retention
• Vomiting
• Weight loss
Serious side effects of Strattera include:
• Depression and depressed mood, anxiety
• Difficulty urinating
• Excess sweating
• Fainting
• Lethargy
• Male pelvic pain, urinary hesitation, or retention in children and adolescents
• Muscle wasting (rhabdomyolysis)
• Numbness or tingling
• QT prolongation, fainting
• Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Reduced sense of touch, numbness, and tingling in children and adolescents, sensory disturbances, tics
• Unusually fast or irregular heartbeat
Strattera may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).
