How long does Strattera stay in your body? (3 tips)

In this article, we will explore how long Strattera stays in your system, what is the stay time of Strattera in different parts of your body, what factors affect the stay time of Strattera in your system and what happens if Strattera stays longer in your system.

How long does Strattera stay in your body?

Strattera (atomoxetine) stays in your body for about 1-3 days. The time periods may differ according to various factors influencing it in the body. The elimination half-life of Strattera is about 5 hours and it takes about five half-lives to be eliminated from the body (1).

Strattera is a selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drug. It is a non-stimulant medication used for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also known as ADHD. It regulates the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain to treat such conditions (2).

The time of stay of any medication including Strattera in the body depends upon various factors. It may vary within the range due to individual mechanisms and physiologies. If you have any queries regarding the use of Strattera then it is better to consult your healthcare provider.

How long does Strattera stay in different body parts?

The time of stay of Strattera may differ even within the different body parts. Here is a general idea of how long Strattera can stay within particular body parts (3).

This time of detection does not mean that Strattera will still be affecting you but it just shows that Strattera can be detected in these areas after the specified time mentioned in the table. However, it does not show up on drug tests often.

What factors affect the stay time of Strattera in your system?

The stay time of Strattera in your system depends upon various factors relating to the body. These may include:

• Higher doses of Strattera will take a longer time to get eliminated from your body as compared to the lower doses.

• The rate of metabolism plays a significant role in eliminating Strattera from your body. Some individuals may have a faster metabolism. In such individuals, Strattera may get eliminated faster than others.

• Older patients have compromised functions of certain organs that can delay the metabolism and eliminate Strattera from your body.

• Healthy kidneys remove Strattera faster from your body as compared to the others with some kidney disease.

• Liver functioning is important as the liver contains the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of Strattera.

•  Individual genetic variations influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the medications including Strattera.

• Some other medications that modulate the action of CYP450 enzymes can also affect the breakdown of Strattera and hence its stay time.

What happens if Strattera stays longer in the system?

If Strattera stays longer in your system due to any underlying medical condition, then it can be harmful to the patient. It may cause an increased risk of side effects such as nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and decreased appetite. These effects might be more pronounced and persistent in patients if Strattera strays longer.

The risk of interaction of Strattera with other substances may be increased if the stay time of Strattera increases due to any medical condition. Strattera may interact with certain drugs, diseases or food causing some unnecessary effects.

In my experience

In my experience, Strattera does not take longer to get eliminated from the body. It takes about 1-3 days to be completely removed from the body depending upon the factors mentioned above. All these factors act combined to determine the exact time of elimination of Strattera from the body.

You need to consult your doctor if you have any concerns or queries regarding the therapeutic effects or side effects of Strattera or if you are worried about the stay time.

References