*new* I think I have ADD! Have had it all my life :o) - ADD / ADHD Message Board

shell~mommy~3X · 10-11-2004, 11:34 PM

Sorry this is going to be long but I have a lot to say and there will be questions sprinkled though out this. I have known I had ADD for a couple of years. My Father has ADD (severe) it was so bad growing up that if we ever needed to tell him something it had to be submitted in writting. He cannot go to a movie...and he is always in motion. He is also a very sucessful corporation owner. My Dad's ADD kind of has been the family joke. My Dad had a Short Fuse temper and we learned to hide when he blew his fuse. I guess I am now understanding that was part of the ADD. Ok being it was the family joke I never really thought I had ADD. I have always thought I had Depression, Anxiety and OCD. A couple years ago I found a Dr. Note dated back when I was in Kindergartin (1982) They had tested me because they thought I was maybe having some learning problems or other types of issues. Well all my test came back outstanding, they couldn't figure out why I was having so many problems in class, they decided because I knew the core material I was "bored". Anyhow 2 years ago I took an online test that was super long for ADD and it suggested I had severe ADD. I took that as a insult and forgot about it and tried treating my depression and anxiety. Meanwhile I started Fastin (phentenermine) for weight Loss and it HELPED my symptoms ( I don't know why?) Anyways a couple weeks ago there was a straterra (sp?) leaflet at the doctors office so I browsed through it. It was describing me to a "t". I then took another long ADD test online, and it ranked from 0-70 (70 being severe ADD) and I got 105! I have decided its time for me to get it "official" my insurance doesn't cover "mental" until next March. So I am kind of playing a waiting game. I really want to fix as much as I can. It hurts me so bad, when my son/or daughter comes up to tell me something and my mind wanders and they can tell I haven't been listening. I need to do this for me and for my family. Also does anyone else have an internal dialog going on? Am I crazy? Mine never shuts up!

index.html · 10-12-2004, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shell~mommy~3X

Also does anyone else have an internal dialog going on? Am I crazy? Mine never shuts up!

First: Hi and Welcome to the Board!

As far as the internal dialogue, I think everyone has that, including people without ADD. I find, though, that I frequently have more than 1 conversation going in my head, along with a song (the words, not just the tune), plus trying to follow what is being said to me. My head is quieter when I take a stimulant.

cindycoach · 10-12-2004, 03:24 PM

Hi there'

A few things to consider and perhaps try.*

Add is very hereditary.

According to Dr. Pat Quinn ("National Association for Add and Gender Disorders" in Wash. DC.) when symptoms of Add and depression appear together you treat the add first unless the symptoms of depression are major. The reason for this being that one of the symptoms of Add is moodswings and the ongoing stuggle to function inspite of attentional disorders is depressing in and of itself. Often treating the add causes the anxiety an depression to subside. If not it is addressed at a later time once you "see what your working with" so to speak.

You may get alot of relief from reading or LISTENING to some good books such as "Driven to Distraction" by Ned Hollowell or "So you mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?" by Kate Kelly & Peggy Ramundo. You can go to the reading for the blind national library to get almost any book in audio formt if reading isn't your stong suit.

Medications for dieting are usually stimulant based, explaning why your symptoms got better. Also a great way to get a good doctor on the road to the right diagnosis. You may be able to get help from you family doctor instesd of waiting for the ins. to cover mental health. What's the most imp. is that he/she is open minded to Add and willing to listen to you and try medications. There really is no magic. Once they determine a few things, mainly that your not bi-polar, they will try you on one of two types of med. and see how it works and go from there. Most Adders respond to one or the other as they are very different. Ritlin (methylphenedate) tends to increse dopamine production whereas dexedrine and adderall tend to increase noradrenalin or norepinephrine (same thing). Some of us need one, some the other, some both. And Sratterra effects the reuptake of noradrenalin as most anti-depressants, the SSRI's, block the reuptake of serotonin. (also has not been proven to be safer than stimulant medication for long term use, only marketed as such. Statistically stimulants are safer than aspirin for long term use)
I am not a doctor nor am I qualified to give advise in this area, but I do have quite alot of experience with it. Reading alot and learning about YOUR Add, teamed with a good open minded doctor can take you far. There are alot of doctors with a great knowledge of add and alot who really need it. My experience has been that the most important person to be educated in the room will be you, otherwise you can't get a feel for if your doctor knows anything about adult add or not. If you do not feel warmly recieved regarding the subject or get asked alot of questions that put you on the defensive find another doctor. When I went to my Psyciatrist in the beggining I knew I was add and had been diagnosed by a psycologist.I even knew which med I thought I should try first. He didn't believe in adult add and for six months he tried to diagnose and treat me for Bi-polar disorder. I stood my ground and he finally gave me adderrall. Now two years later he believes in adult add and tells me thank you and that I am very knowledgable. Go fiqure. He was the only doc on my bad insurance so I had to work with what I had, thank god I had done MY homework.

All my best to you,
Cindy

Litlsis · 11-29-2004, 05:48 PM

Hi. Your initial message, though long, sounds just like me growing up. I found out, as an adult in my middle 20's, that my father has ADD. That would explain his inability to keep a job, rather his refusal to work for any one employer. He wanted to be his own boss. To this day, that has never happened. He's declared bankruptcy twice. When I found out, I read the book, "Driven to Distraction." It was me throughout the whole book. As a mother, wife, and registered nurse juggling life with ADD is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Spacing out on my husband or daughter. Having trouble remember stuff at work, except that I had a Diet Coke at the staff meeting. LOL. As a weird twist in the story, my daughter was diagnosed at age 9 after receiving a call from her teacher. She's now on meds and is doing a little better. I'm sick of having trouble and am going to get back on meds. My husband, watching my daughter and I, realized he may be ADD too. He will be going with me to the doctor tomorrow. ADD tends to run in families. At least from my memories as a child and now an adult, I can best help my daughter and husband.