Strattera, Day One:
So yesterday, after a few months, three visits to a psychologist, I visited my primary care doc (actually a younger fill-in in the same office, my doc was out) I finally got my meds for "adult ADD." My mom and to a lesser extent my wife had been bugging me for years to have that checked out because my memory can be quite flaky and my listening skills tend to be, let's say, somewhat less than optimum. (I had a terrible time paying attention in class back in school; if I wasn't so smart I wouldn't have gotten the good-but-not-stellar grades that I'd gotten). I finally had gotten it checked out to a) Get them off my back and b) See how it helps my job performance because I truly have an awesome job now, not like that dead-end job I'd had until 2005 in a cruddy old warehouse. So I want to do my best and always have wanted to.
Before I got into my actual report, I'd like to insert in that Microsoft Outlook is my friend. My psychologist had said that I was managing my ADD, like most people with it try to do, by using it like I do to remind me of all appointments and tasks. I think I'd be lost without it or some equivalent.
Anyhoo, read the linked writeup on Strattera, but basically it's a non-stimulant drug for ADD and ADHD (I am not hyperactive, by the way, unless you count always being fidgety with difficulty sitting still for long periods of time hyperactive).
So even though I took the first pill yesterday, I'm considering this "Day One" i.e. my first full day taking it. The major side effects of this medication are suicidal thoughts in teenagers, nausea, diminished appetite, and heartburn. I'm happy to report that I'm not thinking of killing myself but I did almost right away experience the heartburn in spades (and it feels like it's coming back again now as I write this) and a feeling of slight nausea, and those did conspire to diminish my appetite. I barely ate anything for dinner. Hey if this helps me lose weight, hello? Bonus! Of course, the fact that I had gorged myself on a pizza bar for lunch might have had something to do with the diminished appetite, too.
Hey, I had taken the day off yesterday because it was my eight-year wedding anniversary and so I could have a four-day weekend and this place only has its bar on weekdays so I took advantage, OK?
As far as effects on my mind, nothing really yet. I was told it might not be for several days before I feel anything significant there - it can take up to a week to build up in the body. However, I did notice some moments where my thoughts, for lack of a better word, calmer. Things kind of... slowed down a tad. It was so subtle that it's barely worth mentioning and could have been my imagination.
That's it for now. I'm going to try to keep a daily log of this for at least a week so look for one tomorrow.
Unless I forget.:)
Day 2 >>