Straterra

Straterra - Atomoxetine

Atomoxetine, sold as Straterra, affects chemicals in the brain. It is primarily used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Straterra is a member of a family of drugs known as "selective norepinephrine reuptake" inhibitors. Although doctors really aren’t sure exactly how it works, Straterra is still a fairly popular choice when prescribing ADHD medicine to children and teenagers.

Straterra is a popular ADHD medication for children, teenagers, and adults alike. For the most part, Straterra has been a safe, effective drug. The medicine capsules are taken orally with water and work fairly quickly to help increase the attentiveness and focus of the recipient as well as helping to keep the normally erratic behavior caused by ADHD under control.

Straterra contains many side effects that need to be given the proper consideration prior to taking this medication. Common, less serious side effects can include dizziness, upset stomach, sleepiness, loss of appetite, nausea, mood swings, constipation, insomnia, slowed weight growth, and decreased motor skills.

However, those side effects are mild compared to the two that need to be monitored very closely. For one, Straterra has shown, in rare cases, to cause liver damage. You should call your doctor right away if you have itching, dark urine, yellow skin or eyes, upper right-sided stomach area pain, or unexplained “flu-like” symptoms. Even more serious is related to the FDA alert released in September of 2005 regarding taking Straterra. Straterra has been shown to increase suicidal thinking in teens. If you notice new thoughts of suicide or strange behavior you should immediately report it to your doctor.

Straterra does have a main distinct advantage when compared to other ADHD medication, however. Straterra, unlike medication such as Ritalin, Adderall, and others, does not offer any sort of “high” and basically has no abuse potential. This makes it so that the potential of the drug to get into the wrong hands and then abused is basically wiped out. This reason alone has made Straterra a very intriguing prospect in the field of ADHD treatment.