Strattera for Anxiety?

[nvts]

Hi! Has anyone heard of using Staterra for anxiety? difficult child 1's in a day treatment program, we had some problems last week, had a meeting with just about the entire team (that went very well), but the new Director of the Psyciatric side of the school suggested that we medicate for anxiety (he's already taking 54 mg of Concerta in the am).

Have any of you had experience with this combo? Dam*! There goes the phone again - Dam*! It's difficult child 3's school! :grrr:

Later!

Beth

 

[mrscatinthehat]

I can't say about anxiety. However I found that difficult child 2 became more aggressive with Strattera. I can't speak for all but I am very wary of this medication.

Good luck.

Beth

 

[totoro]

NVTS-
I you have time you can look back through some of my posts about Strattera... our psychiatrist was trying it mostly for anxiety... I didn't feel it worked for K. It brought out more agression, anger, ODD etc. We tried it 2 or 3 times????
I have read that it does work really well for some? And does help with anxiety...

I wish it was so much more clear for our kids... hugs

 

[Indianamomof4]

I don't see it helping at all with anxiety and my difficult child has been on it for over 6 months. He's still defiant, oppositional, and aggressive-- even more so than before medications. :frown:

 

[busywend]

Never heard of it for anxiety - seems like there are many others to try first.

Indianamomof4 - your difficult child needs a medication check. I would get him in ASAP. SOrry if you already posted that.

 

[totoro]

I know it is used Off Label for depression and Anxiety, whether it is actually helpful??? hmm. That is what my psychiatrist was hoping for...

here is crazy medications link to it...


http://www.crazymeds.org/strattera.html

take it with a grain of salt... I like crazy medications. But I research the other info also...

I wish I could find something to touch K's anxiety... at 6 yo, talking only works so much... this a.m. she was afraid of people... we just got her off to he therapuetic riding... I love the horses!!! They do help with anxiety!!!

 

[nvts]

Totoro: this is what I hate about rushing through the posts on the forum! I have a soon to be 6 year old that WAS my easy child, but was just diagnosed with anxiety (that's just the start of it!). She's a raving lunatic in school and scared about everything. She starts yelling and tantruming and when she calms down she finally tells me that she got really scared. She sometimes knows (a test they might take, me not being there, the hayride they're going on - that she's only allowed to go on this trip if I agreed to chaparone - another lonnnnng story!).

The riding is really helping? Bean just started therapy a week ago, but these tantrums are ending up with me picking her up before noon everyday. Yeah right, and I'm supposed to be looking for a job!

Sometimes it feels great to find another "pea in the same pod!"!

Hugs right back at ya!
Beth

 

[busywend]

nvts, you could update your profile with your 6 year olds info.
I suggest putting each kid on a separate row though. It takes me too long to get through a paragraph-like profile. Not being mean, I hope no offense taken.

 

[Indianamomof4]

busywend... yes. I've read more and he's not taking another straterra pill. I refuse. He'll be going in for a medication check next week and I'll be asking about Lamictal then.

I love this forum... my gosh, I've learned more on a few weeks here than I have in two years. :laugh:

 

[smallworld]

Strattera should be weaned, not stopped abruptly. Otherwise, the child might suffer from withdrawal symptoms. It should be done under the supervision of a doctor.

Lamictal is a mood stabilizer used for the treatment of bipolar disorder and other mood disorders. If your child does not have a mood disorder, Lamictal will not likely help him.

 

[smallworld]

Beth, sorry to highjack the thread. In terms of Strattera, it is generally prescribed for ADHD and not anxiety, even though it is an antidepressant. (Even for ADHD, our docs are underwhelmed with its efficacy, saying that it works in only abut 40 percent of cases.) There are a lot of other medications I'd consider over Strattera for anxiety. Did you ask why the psychiatrist is specifically recommending Strattera?

 

[Sara PA]

CONCERTA® should not be taken if you or your
child: are very anxious, tense, or agitated

The maximum recommended dose of Concerta for children is 54 mg.

 

[branbran]

Im not sure about anxiety but my nephew was on it for ADHD and it made him very irritable and nasty. He was always in a bad mood. I can't imagine Strattera with Concerta. My daughter takes Concerta and that makes her very irritable as well. I would imagine the both of them together would be a horror. Truth be told every child is different, and every medication affects each child differently. Good luck :smile:

 

[nvts]

nvts, you could update your profile with your 6 year olds info.
I suggest putting each kid on a separate row though. It takes me too long to get through a paragraph-like profile. Not being mean, I hope no offense taken.

Busywend: Trust me! No offense taken. My signature was bugging me too and it was one of those "chores" (you know, the ones that you keeps saying "oh yeah, I have to fix that!") that you always mean to do, but they get pushed off for the "emergency of the minute!"

I've called the psychiatrist and left a message about the anxiety vs. concerta. You don't know how mad I am at myself for not re-reading the pharmacy inserts more frequently! So much for the free time that I scraped out!



Thanks for ALL the insight! You guys are the best!


Beth

 

[smallworld]

Beth, for what it's worth, my son has anxiety, and we use stimulants (first Concerta, now Focalin XR) with success. But we also treat the mood issues with Lamictal and Lexapro. We tried to go without stimulants at the beginning of this school year, and he just couldn't focus in school or do his homework. So we went back to Focalin XR on school days. It is all very much a balancing act of what works for your child.

 

[Star*]

difficult child was on Stratera for 2 years. It made him aggressive. But it did control his impulsive side.

For anxiety our psychiatrist told us to give him a Benadryl. (no kidding) If he takes 2 he's out cold. If he takes a 1/2 of a 1/2 his anxiety is diminished.

There are other "only" anxiety pills he could take for that.

Makes me wonder who's stroking whom in the pharmaceutical industry.

If I see a lot of "freebies" around the office? ie: notepads, pens, pencils, little advertising gifts I'm less inclined to take a doctor at his "word" rather than his suppliers commission.

 

[totoro]

So basically NVTS I think the general consesus here is that even though some are prescribing Stattera for Anxiety... none of us that have posted have found that it touched our difficult child's anxiety at all... which is not good... I agree I would look for other options! I am.... also.