Qelbree: the newer non-stimulant
Qelbree (viloxazine) is a US non-stimulant ADHD capsule for children and adults. How it works, doses, side effects, how it compares with Strattera, and what people on it say.
Qelbree is the newest non-stimulant ADHD medicine in the US. Its ingredient, viloxazine, works a little like Strattera: it keeps more norepinephrine active in the brain, and it also acts on a serotonin receptor. It is a once-a-day capsule that isn’t a stimulant, and it is licensed for both children and adults.
Key points
- Licensed in the US for ADHD in adults and children aged 6 and over. There is no UK product information for it.
- One capsule a day. Adults usually start at 200 mg and can go up to 600 mg; the capsule can be opened onto applesauce.
- Common side effects in adults: trouble sleeping, headache, nausea, tiredness, dry mouth and less appetite.
- It clashes with a few medicines, including duloxetine, tizanidine and theophylline, so tell your prescriber everything you take.
How it works
The label says the exact way it helps ADHD is unclear. Viloxazine blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine, a brain chemical linked to attention, and also partly activates a serotonin receptor called 5-HT2C. Levels peak about 5 hours after a dose, and its half-life is about 7 hours.
How much people take
Your prescriber sets the dose. US label numbers:
| Who | Start | Raise by | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | 200 mg once a day | 200 mg each week | 600 mg a day |
| Teens 12 to 17 | 200 mg once a day | 200 mg after 1 week | 400 mg a day |
| Children 6 to 11 | 100 mg once a day | 100 mg each week | 400 mg a day |
- With or without food. Swallow the capsule whole, or open it and stir all of it into a spoonful of applesauce or pudding. Don’t chew, cut or crush it.
- Capsules: 100, 150 and 200 mg.
- Kidney problems: with severe kidney disease the start is 100 mg and the top dose 200 mg.
- Heart rate and blood pressure are checked before you start and after dose increases.
Side effects
In the adult trial (189 people on Qelbree, 183 on placebo):
| Side effect | Qelbree | Placebo |
|---|---|---|
| Trouble sleeping | 23% | 7% |
| Headache | 17% | 7% |
| Nausea | 12% | 3% |
| Tiredness | 12% | 3% |
| Dry mouth | 10% | 2% |
| Less appetite | 10% | 3% |
| Sleepiness | 6% | 2% |
| Constipation | 6% | 1% |
| Fast heartbeat | 4% | 1% |
About 9 in 100 adults stopped because of side effects. In children, the most common were sleepiness (16% against 4%), less appetite, tiredness, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping and irritability, and about 3 in 100 stopped.
Good to know
- Heart rate: 29% of adults on Qelbree had a jump of 20 beats a minute or more at some point, against 13% on placebo.
- Sleepiness: don’t drive until you know how it affects you.
- Bipolar disorder: it can trigger mania in people at risk, so prescribers ask about family history first.
- Pregnancy: animal studies suggest harm, so the label says to stop when pregnancy is recognized unless the benefits outweigh the risk. In breastfeeding, very little passes into milk (about 1% of the mother’s dose).
Medicines that don’t mix
- Never with MAOI antidepressants, or within 2 weeks of one: the combination can cause a dangerous blood pressure spike.
- Not with alosetron, duloxetine, ramelteon, tasimelteon, tizanidine or theophylline. Viloxazine blocks the liver enzyme CYP1A2, which clears these medicines.
- Some medicines cleared by CYP2D6 may need a lower dose.
Does it work?
Yes, in the trials behind its approval. Three trials in children and teens (6 to 8 weeks each) and one in adults showed bigger drops in ADHD symptoms than placebo. In the adult trial, 374 people took part and the average final dose was 504 mg. A later analysis found that about 40% of adults on Qelbree who reached week 6 had their symptoms cut by half or more, and that how they were doing at week 2 was a good guide to whether they would respond.
Qelbree vs Strattera
| Qelbree (viloxazine) | Strattera (atomoxetine) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | non-stimulant | non-stimulant |
| Where licensed | US | US, UK and many other countries |
| Usual adult dose | 200 to 600 mg once a day | 80 mg a day |
| Half-life | about 7 hours | about 5 hours (longer in slow metabolizers) |
| Can open the capsule | yes, onto applesauce | no |
| Main interaction worry | drugs cleared by CYP1A2 | strong CYP2D6 blockers such as paroxetine |
| Sexual side effects in adult trials | none listed at 2% or more | erection problems 8%, delayed ejaculation 4% |
| Indian generic | none we know of | Axepta |
Neither is a controlled substance, and both carry a suicidal-thoughts warning. If Strattera’s sexual side effects are a problem for you, that difference may be worth raising with your prescriber. More on Strattera.
What people say
From about a dozen Reddit threads about Qelbree, mostly in r/qelbree. A small sample, so read these as individual stories.
- Calmer, less anxious. “It helped my anxiety 80-90%.” (r/qelbree) Another user: “After a few weeks on qelbree, I now feel happy every day, and I have absolutely zero anxiety.” (r/qelbree)
- Fast for some. “Overall, 2.5 weeks in this medication is changing my life.” (r/qelbree)
- A rough start. “Qelbree’s side effects were also pretty potent, at least for me. The headaches, the daytime sleepiness, the nausea” (r/qelbree).
- Sleepiness. “From Qelbree my side effects were mainly heavily sleepiness.” (r/qelbree)
- Watch children’s mood. A parent: “after a couple weeks, she started having quite a bit of meltdowns which were out of her normal and it brought her tics back” (r/qelbree). Report changes like these to the prescriber.
- Not for everyone. In the same group, someone else calls it “god awful” (r/qelbree).
Where to get it
Qelbree is prescribed in the US, and the online pharmacies we list don’t sell it. If it isn’t available where you live, atomoxetine is the closest alternative and is sold widely, including as the Indian brand Axepta.
Questions people ask
Is Qelbree a stimulant?
No. Viloxazine works mainly on norepinephrine, like Strattera, and it isn’t a controlled substance in the US.
Is Qelbree approved for adults?
Yes. The US label covers ADHD in adults and in children aged 6 and over.
Which is better, Qelbree or Strattera?
There is no head-to-head trial, so nobody can say for you. They work in a similar way; Qelbree’s adult trial listed no sexual side effects, while Strattera has more years of use and is available in more countries. Your prescriber can help you weigh them.
How long does Qelbree take to work?
In the trials, how people were doing by week 2 predicted their week 6 result. Some on Reddit feel better within 2 to 3 weeks; others take longer, and early side effects can ease over time.
Sources
Checked 17 October 2026.
- Qelbree (viloxazine extended-release capsules) prescribing information and medication guide, revised January 2025 — Supernus Pharmaceuticals, via DailyMed
- Predicting efficacy of viloxazine extended-release in adults with ADHD, post hoc analysis of a phase 3 trial (Faraone et al., 2022) — Psychiatry Research
- Strattera (atomoxetine) prescribing information, section 6.1 — Eli Lilly and Company, via DailyMed