Persistent head/eye pressure, “brain buzz” and light sensitivity after stopping Strattera — anyone else?
I’m trying to find out whether anyone else has had a similar experience with atomoxetine/Strattera.
I started very low-dose atomoxetine (5-7 mg) and soon afterward developed a very specific sensation I had never experienced before: pressure behind my eyes and in my head, a kind of “veil” or thickness in my thinking, light and screen sensitivity. It didn’t primarily feel like a headache or anxiety.
I stayed on atomoxetine for about 9 months and stopped more than a year ago. The symptoms improved after I went off but never fully disappeared. Every morning, about an hour after waking up, the sensation starts. I feel pressure or a weighted sensation behind my eyes and light sensitivity. Screens and attemps to focus seem to make it worse. Occasionally I also experience eye spasms. The symptoms can improve with deep breathing or relaxation techniques, but they can come back.
A psychiatrist recently suggested that this might be an atypical migraine disorder and that the timing with Strattera could be coincidental. I’m pursuing neurology/headache evaluation, but I’m curious whether anyone here has experienced anything similar.
In particular: Did you develop head or eye pressure, light sensitivity, brain fog on Strattera? Did it continue after you stopped? Did anything help?