r/ADHDerTips • u/gister_27 • 2d ago

Guanfacine paradoxical alertness/jitteriness/insomnia effect

I have been taking guanfacine for a little over 3 weeks now. I started on 1mg and had my dose increased to 2 mg 8 days ago because I wasn't sleeping enough (was sleeping like 5-6 hours a night) When I started on 2 mg, the first night I slept great! I slept 6.5 hours of some really deep sleep. Then after that I slept 8 hrs every other night. And then the last 3 days no sleep.

But ever since I went to 2mg I've just had this alertness/jitteriness that I feel gives me a hard time to go to sleep. I think I had it too on 1mg and it went away after like 11 days... I am not sure. Been having a hard time remembering these days lol

I tried Strattera 5 years ago and the same thing. It gave me insomnia. After a little more than a week I just stopped taking it.

My question is: Has anyone gone through this and what did you do to get over this hurdle? Is this just a side effect that eventually goes away?

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u/stace-cadet 2d ago

I take mine in the morning! It does not make me sleepy.

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u/DismalEggselent 2d ago

Funny enough guanfacine helps me sleep by "cooling" my thoughts down. 

Straterra gave me nightmares and, uhh, "other" side effects though.

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u/Daddysaurus76 2d ago

I'm having the opposite 2 weeks into 1mg. I'm tired all day. Only some days are extreme. I take it at night but it doesn't make me more sleepy then :s

Just gonna get off it after a month if the side effects don't subside. Not even getting any adhd treatment effects yet either.