ADD, Lazy or Door#3 - ADD / ADHD Message Board

elmeromero · 07-25-2007, 11:34 AM

Hey guys, I am 31, a dad of three and happily married. I have always known something was goofy in my head, but my parents always always told me it was just laziness. I dealt with it and adapted.

Anyway, my oldest is almost ready to begin Kindergarten. I am concerned that whatever thing I have will be passed to my children. I want to get checked out myself but don't know where to start. Doctor, Psychiatrist, Psychologist? I figure if I know what is going on with me, that will equip my wife and I to better identify and symptoms in my kids.

Although, before I do that, I wanted to get some feedback from you guys to see if I am way off on thinking I have ADD. Let me give you a quick & brief look at my life.

1) Always did poorly in school. Teachers would always tell me I was very smart but not applying myself. I would be placed in an advanced class one year and the next year they would put me a remedial class. It seems like they could never figure out what to do with me. Once I got to JR high, I learned how to not be noticed and stayed that way until I graduated from high school. My high school GPA was a 1.8 or such. I hated school.

2) I have horrible handwriting. My 4th or 5th grade teacher met with my parents and told them that my handwriting was keeping me from getting good grades. So she talked my parents into getting my a typewriter for my desk at school. Can you believe that? So I would click away at my typewriter while taking spelling test or working on other things.

3) I like math but I couldn't understand the teachers when they would explain it me. So I would try to figure out how to solve the problem on my own. I actually enjoyed doing that, but once math started getting harder, it was impossible.

4) I have been trying to go to college for the last 10 years. I start and take classes, but it is too hard to keep up with it.

5) I have to reread a paragraph before I move on to the next one and if I am trying to study, I have to do that and also read it outloud.

6) At the risk of sounding shallow and boastful, I am a pretty smart guy. All my friends and family say I am a really sharp guy (which may speak poorly of my family and friends' intelligence). My wife has a college degree and she is always telling me how much smarter I am then her. I suppose that is why my parents had a hard time thinking I had any sort of problem, they knew I was smart (and a smart-aleck).

I have many more things, but I am realize this post is too long already.

So, any feed back would help tremendously. What should be my next step?

index.html · 07-25-2007, 11:46 AM

While none of us can diagnose you over the internet, I can say that much what you describe about yourself sounds "ADD-ish".

Where you go from here depends on your goals. If you are looking for treatment for yourself, then I think a thorough evaluation is in order. If you are only interested in how your symptoms relate to those of your child, I personally would wait until you are ready to have your child evaluated. At that point, I would mention that you yourself have many ADD symptoms (and describe them to the person doing the evaluation). ADD, as you know, tends to be genetic. So, if you are having your child evaluated, it would be helpful for the evaluator to know your symptoms.

Does that help at all?

elmeromero · 07-25-2007, 11:59 AM

Thanks for the response.

So if I decide to look into treatment for myself, what is the next step? Do I just call my doctor and tell him I am concerned about ADD. Should I see a Psychiatrist?

Also, could it be something else? I know it is incredibly hard to offer genuine advise after just reading an online post, but should I look into something else? I would like to finally finish college, but something has to change.

Thanks again, you guys offer a great service to those of us that don't know where to start.

index.html · 07-26-2007, 04:03 AM

I would ask your doctor for a referral to a psychiatrist for a "thorough evaluation". Or, if your insurance doesn't require a referral, just make an appointment with a psychiatrist yourself. While other docs can prescribe ADD meds, you are better off going with someone who has more experience with them.

You are also more likely to get good results if you say you want an evaluation and then tell him/her all that you have written above. Starting off by saying that you think you have ADD sometimes raises red flags that you are just looking for drugs.

Good luck!