I was diagnosed with ADHD in late October / early November, 2013. I worked closely with my psychiatrist on dosage after being prescribed Strattera (Atomoxetine). I started on a low dose (10 mg per day) and moved up to an 'average' dose (60 mg per day) but settled down at 40 mg per day.
Atomoxetine
Encyclopedic
Encyclopedic
Typical encyclopedia coverage. Cross-reference for important decisions.
- 2 corroborating sources
- 1 ROA with full dose ladder
- duration data present
- PubChem toxicity data
- classified Tentative
- 2 corroborating sources
- 1 ROA with full dose ladder
- duration data present
- PubChem toxicity data
- classified Tentative
Aliases: Strattera
Summary
Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) approved as a less stimulating treatment for ADHD in 2002 (U.S.). The precise mechanism by which it produces its therapeutic effects is unknown, but is thought to be related to its SNRI action.
Dose Information
| ROA | Light | Common | Strong | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 10-18mg | 18-40mg | 40-80mg | 80mg+ |
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Peak | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 15-45 min | 8-12 hrs | 8-12 hrs |
Effect Profile
21 reportsScores (0–10) curated from multiple sources:
- Effect keyword matching from PsychonautWiki catalog
- Validated against 21 Erowid trip reports
- Weighted by importance: core (×3), major (×2), minor (×1)
Strong stimulation and euphoria with strong anxiety/jitters, mild focus
Tolerance
Tolerance Decay
Effects
Aggregated from 21 single-substance Erowid experience reports; 14 Erowid reports where another drug was taken too are left out
Each bar shows the share of analyzed reports whose text mentions that effect — a mention is not always a first-hand experience (fear of an effect or something witnessed can count). Mentions saying the effect did not happen are left out; that check reads keywords, so it can miss some. The shaded band on a bar, and the small range after its number, is the 95% interval: where the share could plausibly be with other reports of the same kind. Fewer reports, wider band. Tap or hover any number for details. The second value is the Bluelight extractor's per-effect confidence; a dash means the row is Erowid-derived, which has no confidence measurement.
Effect glossary — · full glossary
Positive Effects 4
Adverse Effects 3
Also reported in combinations. In the 14 Atomoxetine reports where another drug was taken too, 2 mention hospital, emergency services or an overdose, 0 a seizure and 0 psychosis (too few reports for percentages). In the 21 single-substance reports: 4.8%, 4.8% and 9.5%. These are not in the figures above: they cannot be put down to Atomoxetine alone, and a mention is not always something that happened to the writer.
Community Trip Reports
Anecdotal first-person accounts from Reddit, Erowid, Bluelight, and Dose.wiki. Click a source to expand. Reports are harm-reduction context, not medical guidance. Tags summarise each author's own verdict — how reports are classified.
Erowid 8 reports 2 positive 2 neutral 4 cautionary visit
Well it all started 2 days ago when I found a unused bottle of Strattera that was prescribed to me around a year ago. I was feeling like crap so I decided to take one and goto bed (around 10PM?).
Description of mindset & setting: Prescribed 40 mg/day Atomoxetine 12 days ago for adult ADD. Took it as prescribed. Felt focused but not energized or in a better mood (actually felt quite irritable, constipated and lethargic [I had been sleeping till 12pm most days]).
I am a 16 year old 130 pound male in reasonably good shape. To give a little background on my experiences, Ive done copious amounts of marijuana, salvia, methylphenidate, DXM, oxycodone, LSA (morning glory), and diphenhydramine. I went into the night with a positive mindset and environment at my friends house.
I felt the need to post this report after finding so few reports already listed. As well as none of them really showing how beneficial this drug can be, assuming it's prescribed and used correctly. About 4 months ago upon self diagnoses, I decided to see a psychiatrist regarding the treatment of ADD.
I managed to get 30 of these pills about a month ago. These pills are supposedly for ADHD or depression, but can be used for certain types of dementia as well. This is the only SNRI that the FDA has approved as of yet.
First day of taking 40mgs Atomexetine in the morning Initially, as the effects started to kick in, I experienced uncomfortable hot flashes, compulsive yawning and an unpleasant anxiety. This went on for the rest of the day. I felt very off, slightly nauseas, and uncomfortable with my mental state.
I went to my doctor hinting that I wanted Adderall, since I am in college. I've tried Adderall from my friend multiple times and its a hell of a drug. My doctor decided that Strattera would be better for me. He put me on a dose of 40mg (one pill) for the first three days and then two pills a day from then on.
Pill Identifiers
Helpful Links
Add to PsychonautWiki Journal
The PsychonautWiki Journal logging app doesn't include every substance. To track Atomoxetine there, start adding an ingestion, search for the name, and choose to add it as a custom substance. Paste these values:
Atomoxetine Source: SubstanceSearch (substancesearch.com) Oral dose (mg): light 10-18 · common 18-40 · strong 40-80 · heavy 80+ Oral duration: onset 15-45m · peak 8-12h · total 8-12h · after-effects 2-24h Note: ranges are harm-reduction guidance, not a prescription. Start low, go slow, and test your substances.
Tip: for quicker logging you can also add a Custom Unit in the app, e.g. common dose ~ 29 mg (Oral).
The app keeps custom substances simple, so the full dose ranges live in the description text above. Ranges are harm-reduction guidance, not a prescription.
Report an issue or suggest an edit
Spotted incorrect or dangerous information, have a correction, a new study, or a useful addition for Atomoxetine? Let us know. Reports are reviewed by moderators — this is not posted publicly.