Will Strattera increase a user's tics?

Answer 1

My son's tics were for the most part in remission when he started Strattera three months ago. But he just recently started a new tic, eye blinking, and it's terrible.

According to our neurologist, he preferred Straterra over the stimulents for ADD because it is NOT supposed to cause tics! Interesting!

I am a physician and in my research I have come across a possibility of SLIGHT worsening of tics. the one case I saw, was only transient, and everything evened out without problems

My 11 yo son has been dx ADHD since infancy-he was a preemie with sleep apnea and given caffeine to stimulate his system. Although preemie's have higher rates of ADD/ADHD in general, nobody has ever validated my theory that the caffeine had anything to do with his condition. We've been on Adderal combined w/ Strattera since the 4th grade. His focus improved, his self esteem improved and he became an A-B student. However,towards the end of the school year he was making these weird jerking movements with his arms or his neck. I mentioned it to the Dr. and he said that either of the meds may contribute slightly to the tics. We never medicate during the summer but still noticed the tics, but they were different ones. He would repeat a word every so often and make this weird laughing sound in the back of his throat. 5th grade was pretty uneventful. But I again noticed that once one tic stopped another one began. We had one of his friends over for dinner and he was joking about my son's "spasms". DJ laughed along with him it didn't seem to bother him but it broke my heart. I don't know if this was the right thing or not, but I began pointing them out occasionally and saying "let's see if we can work on these". Sometimes it appeared he could tone them down, but most times he was unaware of it. I began explaining that he would be starting junior high, at a new school where nobody knew him, and that middle schoolers were notoriously mean. My son the diplomat said,"oh well, this is me". Again we had another unmedicated summer but I believe the frequency of the tics increased. It is discouraging that the med holiday over summer break did not clear up the situation. He's now begun the 6th grade and they are more noticeable than ever. I was starting to think he might have Tourette's until I found this website and other similar ones. I agonized and struggled with the decision to medicate and now it appears that this wonderful intervention has created another problem! The meds were more for other people than for us-uneducated lazy teachers who don't have time nor desire to work with differently abled learners. Every year I look into receiving some additional services for him but he has never qualified for an IEP or 504 plan because his test scores are so high and he makes good grades. AAaargggh. And so far we're a month into the new school year and my A-B student who only got one C last year is failing 3 classes because there's so much work, different classrooms, multiple assignments and zillions of new distractions. He is very disorganized, in spite of the 2 drug combination. I refuse to increase/change his meds. Ritalin was horrible, he never ate, and Concerta turned him into a zombie. I approached the clinical team 3 weeks into the year and was told once again, "disorganization does not qualify a student for special services". The school's suggestion was that I work with him at home. Ha! We're failing now, maybe he can get some help. Excuse me, but dang it I'm mad.

If your son has a diag. of ADHD and regardless of his grades HE DOES qualify for services under the state's program (not federal special services) but something very similiar under section 504.