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Post by Brenda on Oct 28, 2003 12:46:15 GMT -5
My daughter has been on Strattera for a month.She has had a headache for the last two days.She has never had a headache before.Is this a side effect?Should I try giving it to her at night?She weighs 49 pounds and is taking 25 mg.
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Post by Mayleng on Oct 28, 2003 13:04:19 GMT -5
brendamccraw2,
Your daughter's dose of 25mgs is slightly below her minimum Target Dose. To calculate her target dose:
Weight (49 lbs) divided 2.2 multiply by 1.2 = 27mgs (minimum target dose) and
Weight (49lbs) divided by 2.2 multiply by 1.8 = 40mgs (maximum target dose).
Her optimal dose is between minimum and maximum target dose ie. 27mgs to 40mgs. I would try raising it to 30mgs to bring her up to target.
I don't know if being on too low a dose is causing the headaches, but I do know being on too low a dose could cause mood issues. However, headaches is listed as a side effect during the clinical trials. You could try giving it to her at night. Generally the side effects will subside once the body gets used to it.
Good Luck
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Post by Brenda on Oct 28, 2003 13:18:02 GMT -5
Thanks Mayleng.She has been doing good on the Strattera in some areas but not in others.She is still hyper but her behavior is better.Her handwriting is terrible.I quit getting daily notes from her teacher though.We tried 18/18 but it gave her tummyaches.She was taking Clonidine too but the combo made her too tired at school.I have thought about giving her clonidine in the am and Strattera in the pm.I really don't want to give her 2 meds unless I have to.We can't add a stimulant because they cause tics.Adderall made her pull her hair out.Concerta 18 mg made her shrug her shoulders and blink.The tics have stopped now.Maybe I should give the Strattera more time to work.
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Post by Mayleng on Oct 28, 2003 13:37:35 GMT -5
Why is your daughter on clonodine too, if you don't mind me asking? If you read the rest of Millermom's post on Strattera, you will note that it takes 4 to 6 weeks to see consistent results. I say, since your daughter cannot take stimulants because of tics, you might want to give Strattera a bit more time. The "H" part is always the last to be helped.
The 18/18 split might have been too much for her at the initial ramp up. But I think you might still want to consider moving her to 30mgs (3 x 10mgs pills), you could also do a 20mgs morning/10mgs afterschool split to see if that might work better.
The thing with Stratt is that you have to try the different dosage and splits till you find one that works well for your daughter. If you continue at 25mgs you may not see the optimal results because she is below her target dose.
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Post by Brenda on Oct 28, 2003 13:45:14 GMT -5
She started clonidine after the adderall caused her to pull her hair out(she had a bald spot).It stopped her tic and calmed her down but did nothing for her attention.Thats when I suggested to her ped doctor that we add Strattera.He said that she could take both but it makes her sleepy when taken together.She has an appointment with a specialist but not til Jan.19.
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Post by Mayleng on Oct 28, 2003 14:12:54 GMT -5
Well, if the clonodine was to help her while she was on Adderall, I suppose she wouldn't need it now that she is on Strattera. Maybe you should check with the doctor to see if it is necessary to keep her on Clonodine.
I wouldn't wait till January. You should be able to call the doctor and discuss the medications and whether or not clonodine is still necessary. Also adjusting the strattera to her minimum target dose. Does it help her "H" now that she is on Strattera?
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