Stimulant plus atomoxetine vs a higher stimulant dose. Which route did your clinic take?

There is no single Canadian clinic rule that stimulant plus atomoxetine is always next, or that raising the stimulant dose is always next. Atomoxetine is on the CADDRA May 2026 chart as a second-line non-stimulant with a Health Canada ADHD indication including adults; brand Strattera may no longer be manufactured, and generics exist. Long-acting stimulants remain first-line for many adults when they are appropriate. If the change is persistent, distressing, or affecting daily functioning, bring a brief timeline to the prescribing clinician rather than changing the dose independently. Related reading: https://www.fastreat.com/en/blogs/adhd-medication References: https://www.camh.ca/en/professionals/treating-conditions-and-disorders/adult-adhd/adult-adhd---treatment/adult-adhd---pharmacotherapy https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/CADDRA_ADHD-Medication-Chart_May2026.pdf https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/Canadian-ADHD-Practice-Guidelines-4.1-January-6-2021.pdf

They added atomoxetine on top of my stimulant rather than going higher. I was already uneasy about pushing the stimulant because appetite and sleep were messy. Combo was slower to judge. Some days I cannot tell which drug is doing what. I keep a boring symptom list for appointments. They never said combo is always the adult next step in Canada. Only my route. Not medical advice to add a Strattera-type med yourself.

Opposite clinic path. They increased the stimulant within what they said was still appropriate and did not add atomoxetine. I had asked about a non-stimulant add-on because afternoons were thin. They wanted more time on one medicine first, start-low style, not stacking. I was frustrated and also relieved not to manage two side-effect lists. Personal only. I would not tell anyone their doctor is wrong for picking combo or not.