Product Description:
What it is used against:
- Atomoxetine used to treat ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
It is used in:
- Children 6 years and older
- Youth
- Adults
- The medicine is only used as part of the overall treatment of the disease.
- This also involves treatment without drugs, such as counseling and behavioral therapy.
- The medicine should not be used to treat ADHD in children under 6 years of age, as it is not known whether the medicine works or is safe to use in them.
- Atomoxetine is used to treat ADHD in adults when the symptoms are very troublesome and affect work or social life, and when you have had symptoms of the disease as a child.
How it works:
- Atomoxetine increases the amount of norepinephrine in the brain.
- Noradrenaline is produced naturally and increases attention and reduces impulsivity and hyperactivity in patients with ADHD.
- The drug is prescribed to help control symptoms of ADHD.
- This medicine is not a stimulant and is therefore not addictive.
- It may take a few weeks from the time you start the medicine until you experience maximum improvement in your symptoms.
How To Use:
- Always use this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.
- Contact a doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. This is usually once or twice daily (morning and late afternoon or early evening).
- Children should not take this medicine without the help of an adult.
- If you take Atomoxetine once a day and you experience fatigue or discomfort, your doctor may change your treatment regimen to twice a day.
- Taken by mouth.
- The capsules must be swallowed whole, and can be taken with or without food.
- The capsules must not be opened and the contents of the capsules must not be taken out and consumed in any way.
- Take the medicine at the same time every day. It will help you remember to take it.
How much to take:
Children or adolescents (6 years and older):
- Your doctor will tell you how much Atomoxetine to take.
- This is calculated in relation to body weight. She/he will usually start with a low dose and then increase the dose of Atomoxetine according to your body weight.
- Body weight up to 70 kg: a daily starting dose of a total of 0.5 mg/kg for at least 7 days.
- The doctor can then increase the dose to the usual maintenance dose according to body weight of 1.2 mg/kg per day.
Body weight over 70 kg:
- A daily starting dose of a total of 40 mg for at least 7 days.
- The doctor can then increase the dose to the usual maintenance dose of 80 mg per day.
- the maximum daily dose that will be prescribed by your doctor is 100 mg.
Adults:
- Atomoxetine should be started with a total daily dose of 40 mg for at least 7 days.
- The doctor can then increase the dose to the usual maintenance dose of 80 mg-100 mg daily.
- The maximum daily dose prescribed by the doctor is 100 mg.
- If you have liver problems, your doctor may prescribe a lower dose.
- Your doctor will do the following when you are being treated
- Your doctor will do some tests
- Before you start - make sure that Atomoxetine is safe and useful for you to use
- After you start - the tests will be done at least every 6 months, but possibly more often
- They will also be done when the dose is changed. This will include:
- Measure height and weight in children and young people
- Measurement of blood pressure and pulse (heart rate)
- Check whether you have problems or whether side effects have worsened during treatment with Atomoxetine
Long-term treatment:
- Atomoxetine does not need to be taken for life.
- If you use Atomoxetine for more than a year, your doctor will assess your treatment to see if the medicine is still needed.
If you take too much Atomoxetine:
- Contact a doctor or the nearest emergency room immediately. Tell how many capsules you have taken. The most commonly reported symptoms as a result of overdose are stomach/intestinal symptoms, sleepiness , dizziness, tremors and abnormal behavior.
- If you have forgotten to take Atomoxetine
- If you forget to take a dose, the dose should be taken as soon as possible, but you must not take more than your total daily dose within 24 hours. You should not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
- If you stop treatment with Atomoxetine
- If you stop taking Atomoxetine , there are usually no side effects, but your symptoms of ADHD may return.
- You should talk to your doctor before stopping treatment.
- Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about the use of this medicine.
Caution & Warnings:
- Both adults and children should be aware of the following warnings and precautions.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Atomoxetine if you have:
- Suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide.
- Problems with the heart (including heart failure) or increased heart rate.
- Atomoxetine may increase the pulse (heart rate).
- Sudden death has been reported in patients with heart defects.
- High blood pressure . Atomoxetine may increase blood pressure.
- Low blood pressure . Atomoxetine may cause dizziness or fainting in people with low blood pressure .
- Problems with sudden changes in blood pressure or heart rate.
- Heart/vascular disease or have had a stroke.
- Liver problems, it may be necessary to reduce the dose.
- Symptoms of psychosis including hallucinations (hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there), believing things that aren't true or being suspicious.
- Mania (feeling elated or overexcited, resulting in unusual behavior) and agitation .
- Aggressive feelings.
- Unfriendly and angry (hostile) feelings.
- Have or have had epilepsy or have had convulsions for other reasons.
- Atomoxetine may cause more frequent seizures.
- Mood different than usual (mood swings) or feeling very unhappy.
- Repetitive twitching that is difficult to control and can occur in any part of the body, or you repeat sounds and words.
- Tell your doctor or a pharmacist before starting treatment if any of the points above apply to you.
- This is because Atomoxetine can make these problems worse.
- Your doctor wants to monitor how the medicine affects you.
Ingredients:
- The active substance is atomoxetine.
Its available with different concentrations:
10 mg:
- Each hard capsule contains 10 mg atomoxetine as 11.43 mg atomoxetine hydrochloride.
18 mg:
- Each hard capsule contains 18 mg atomoxetine as 20.57 mg atomoxetine hydrochloride.
25 mg:
- Each hard capsule contains 25 mg atomoxetine as 28.57 mg atomoxetine hydrochloride.
40 mg:
- Each hard capsule contains 40 mg atomoxetine as 45.71 mg atomoxetine hydrochloride.
60 mg:
- Each hard capsule contains 60 mg atomoxetine as 68.57 mg atomoxetine hydrochloride.
