Posted by Viridis on March 15, 2004, at 2:21:22
In reply to Re: Can Straterra really work within a week??, posted by utopizen on March 14, 2004, at 15:23:35
Strattera really didn't seem to affect my energy levels much, or interfere with sleep. But then, I don't seem to respond this way to some stimulants (Provigil, on the other hand, definitely increased my energy and promoted wakefulness).
I was surprised to notice a mood-lifting effect from Strattera right away, because I started at a low dose and really didn't expect to feel much for at least a couple of weeks. Given that placebo effect (which I agree can be very real) is based primarily on expectation, it seems that the effect was genuine. Yet it faded out over time, even with increased dosing, as did the initial improvement in concentration.
Most of these meds (SSRIs included) affect levels of neurotransmitters dramatically within a few hours of use. There's an interesting link here (it's in one of the messages this week; I'll have to check which) that shows the pharmokinetics of various ADs, demonstrating major changes in availability of serotonin, norepinephrine, etc. (depending on the drug) almost immediately. So, there is some reason to suspect that one could have a rapid response.
Of course, changes in receptor sensitivity etc. do take time, and some of these meds may even work by stimulating brain cell growth (which takes weeks). But it isn't out of the question that the rapid shifts in brain chemistry these drugs induce could cause various effects quickly, although not always the desired ones.
In any case, good luck with Strattera!
poster:Viridis
thread:323760
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040313/msgs/324488.html