pphillips001
08-22-2007, 05:46 AM
Hi Guys,
I'm a newbie to this forum and am amazed at the wealth of knowledge that appears here.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 6 months ago and am on 100mg of levothyroxine daily. I originally went to the docs as I had started falling asleep at work and not realising it. I work as as a computer programmer and when things are mental I am right in the thick of it and am fine, it's when I have to type out lengthy dull reports or in meetings and such. My mind has always bounced from idea to idea, topic to topic - I had just put that down to being a Gemini!
The other main annoyance (and more dangerous one) I find is when I am driving; short distances and B roads are fine, however when I get on a motorway and/or travel long distance I get this bizarre urge to just close my eyes and go to sleep. It has never been powerful enough to take hold, having been able to shake it off or by pulling over and have a short power-nap. I am aware this is not normal behaviour.
I average between 7 and 8 hours sleep, but I do wake between once and up to several times a night. Ironically I do have a bit of trouble getting to sleep - have to concentrate on blank to quiet my brain.
Does this sound like ADD?
I have looked at some websites and have gotten confused with the symptoms - some are sketchy and some conflict others.
I would appreciate any help on this.
Many thanks
pphillips001
I'm a newbie to this forum and am amazed at the wealth of knowledge that appears here.
I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about 6 months ago and am on 100mg of levothyroxine daily. I originally went to the docs as I had started falling asleep at work and not realising it. I work as as a computer programmer and when things are mental I am right in the thick of it and am fine, it's when I have to type out lengthy dull reports or in meetings and such. My mind has always bounced from idea to idea, topic to topic - I had just put that down to being a Gemini!
The other main annoyance (and more dangerous one) I find is when I am driving; short distances and B roads are fine, however when I get on a motorway and/or travel long distance I get this bizarre urge to just close my eyes and go to sleep. It has never been powerful enough to take hold, having been able to shake it off or by pulling over and have a short power-nap. I am aware this is not normal behaviour.
I average between 7 and 8 hours sleep, but I do wake between once and up to several times a night. Ironically I do have a bit of trouble getting to sleep - have to concentrate on blank to quiet my brain.
Does this sound like ADD?
I have looked at some websites and have gotten confused with the symptoms - some are sketchy and some conflict others.
I would appreciate any help on this.
Many thanks
pphillips001
Sponsor
teresa1991
08-22-2007, 05:57 AM
Hi Phillip I have two daughters with ADHD . If you ask me i think it is something more that needs to be looked into.
it takes years to diagnose ADD or ADHD. And it is a known fact that if you had it as a child it normally works it way out as you grow up. But i have never heard of a adult never having it as a child , and than geting it as a adult.
It would be a good idea to go talk with your doc as it does sound like something else might be going on for you.
But again regading the ADD i would have to say to you do not read up on it on the web as so many people differ in there way of regarding add and its symptoms. "very bad at spelling i am for give me lol"..
I hope in some way this will help you. but i would go to your doc again and have a good ole natter as we say here with him.
Take care
Teresa x x
it takes years to diagnose ADD or ADHD. And it is a known fact that if you had it as a child it normally works it way out as you grow up. But i have never heard of a adult never having it as a child , and than geting it as a adult.
It would be a good idea to go talk with your doc as it does sound like something else might be going on for you.
But again regading the ADD i would have to say to you do not read up on it on the web as so many people differ in there way of regarding add and its symptoms. "very bad at spelling i am for give me lol"..
I hope in some way this will help you. but i would go to your doc again and have a good ole natter as we say here with him.
Take care
Teresa x x
pphillips001
08-22-2007, 06:03 AM
Thanks Teresa,
I have an appointment next week - so shall natter her socks off! I totally agree with the not investigating on the web - started and got confused so I thought I'd ask informed people - you guys :)
Best of luck to you and your family.
Paul
I have an appointment next week - so shall natter her socks off! I totally agree with the not investigating on the web - started and got confused so I thought I'd ask informed people - you guys :)
Best of luck to you and your family.
Paul
TM1
08-22-2007, 07:44 AM
The neurological basis of inattention seems to be certain parts of the brain are in a less active state. This can even be observed on an EEG in many cases.
beta: alert focused alpha: relaxed theta daydreaming, dreaming delta: dreamless sleep
The state associated with ADD is theta wave. I would expect a person with ADD to excessively daydream. The brain is in an under-stimulated state and alot of the creative thinking in persons with ADD is the brains trying to
stimulate itself. Chronic boredom would be a common problem to. Things the brain did not find stimulating would
make the brain want to look for other ideas (random thoughts) or perhaps slow down to delta (fall asleep).
Some researchers think short term memory manipulation
deficits is another way to characterise ADD. Such as remembering a list of data and then preforming some operation on them in your mind. Would really become very taxing quickly for a person with ADD. Though like myself a person who was an above average student anyway may still
function enough to never be notice by teachers or themselves as having a major problem.
Treatment is not trivial either. Stimulants can force the mind into a beta state but a person will lose alot/most of their creative spark since their brains will be rarely in a theta state. A person may not feel like themselves as a result to. In extreme cases its often a matter of getting no
creative work done with out treatment and alot mediocre work done on meds.
If your already fairly productive as I have read in your other post in the thyroid section you might already be at an optimal state. Are you using large amounts of caffeine, nicotine or ephedrine?
beta: alert focused alpha: relaxed theta daydreaming, dreaming delta: dreamless sleep
The state associated with ADD is theta wave. I would expect a person with ADD to excessively daydream. The brain is in an under-stimulated state and alot of the creative thinking in persons with ADD is the brains trying to
stimulate itself. Chronic boredom would be a common problem to. Things the brain did not find stimulating would
make the brain want to look for other ideas (random thoughts) or perhaps slow down to delta (fall asleep).
Some researchers think short term memory manipulation
deficits is another way to characterise ADD. Such as remembering a list of data and then preforming some operation on them in your mind. Would really become very taxing quickly for a person with ADD. Though like myself a person who was an above average student anyway may still
function enough to never be notice by teachers or themselves as having a major problem.
Treatment is not trivial either. Stimulants can force the mind into a beta state but a person will lose alot/most of their creative spark since their brains will be rarely in a theta state. A person may not feel like themselves as a result to. In extreme cases its often a matter of getting no
creative work done with out treatment and alot mediocre work done on meds.
If your already fairly productive as I have read in your other post in the thyroid section you might already be at an optimal state. Are you using large amounts of caffeine, nicotine or ephedrine?
pphillips001
08-22-2007, 08:30 AM
Hi TM1,
I don't smoke, drink alcohol (maybe 1 unit a month) or take any other meds than levothyroxine for the HypoT. I tend to stay away from caffine since I was put on thyroxine - no use flogging a dead horse as they say.
I am not sure what you mean by 'optimal' - did you mean with the HypoT?
I do have a tendancy for daydreaming, which again doesn't fit well in the workplace. I was an above average student, but never had the impetus/incentive to push into the higher brackets.
It is the alert/focused that seems to ellude me.
Cheers
I don't smoke, drink alcohol (maybe 1 unit a month) or take any other meds than levothyroxine for the HypoT. I tend to stay away from caffine since I was put on thyroxine - no use flogging a dead horse as they say.
I am not sure what you mean by 'optimal' - did you mean with the HypoT?
I do have a tendancy for daydreaming, which again doesn't fit well in the workplace. I was an above average student, but never had the impetus/incentive to push into the higher brackets.
It is the alert/focused that seems to ellude me.
Cheers
TM1
08-22-2007, 09:40 AM
I am not sure what you mean by 'optimal' - did you mean with the HypoT?
I meant you might be able to write alot more lines of code with a stimulant but it might be some buggy unimaginative mess. :) Your current ability to focus might be the best trade off between productivity and creativity.
I meant you might be able to write alot more lines of code with a stimulant but it might be some buggy unimaginative mess. :) Your current ability to focus might be the best trade off between productivity and creativity.
pphillips001
09-04-2007, 11:52 AM
Well - went to the docs. I told her of my symptoms and how hard it was making work and asked if there was a possibility of me having some attention disorder and she said that it was probably connected to my HypoT and upped my daily levothyroxine to 150mcg from 100mcg as well as yet another blood test!
Does anyone agree with what the doc is saying - or do you think she isn't taking me seriously?
Regards
Does anyone agree with what the doc is saying - or do you think she isn't taking me seriously?
Regards
rheanna
09-04-2007, 01:03 PM
pphillips001,
My feeling (for what it's worth) is that what you are describing does not sound like ADD. Yes, a person with ADD can concentrate when there are new and interesting things going on. But we don't have problems staying awake when we are bored. Our minds wander or we get physically figity, but sleepiness is not a symptom that I am familiar with in connection with ADD.
The other thing about ADD is that it is a brain wiring that is there from birth or at least noticeable in early childhood. It doesn't appear in adulthood. If these symptoms that are concerning you (starting to fall asleep at the wheel would certainly bother me!) have appeared recently, then they are not symptoms of ADD.
I would give your doctor a chance to try out various tests and medications to see if it indeed is a problem with regulating your thyroid hormones. Thyroid imbalances can cause all sorts of problems that can mimic other conditions.
I may be wrong (I frequently am! :) ) but I would get the thyroid situation straightened out first. Then start looking into getting tested for ADD.
--Rheanna
My feeling (for what it's worth) is that what you are describing does not sound like ADD. Yes, a person with ADD can concentrate when there are new and interesting things going on. But we don't have problems staying awake when we are bored. Our minds wander or we get physically figity, but sleepiness is not a symptom that I am familiar with in connection with ADD.
The other thing about ADD is that it is a brain wiring that is there from birth or at least noticeable in early childhood. It doesn't appear in adulthood. If these symptoms that are concerning you (starting to fall asleep at the wheel would certainly bother me!) have appeared recently, then they are not symptoms of ADD.
I would give your doctor a chance to try out various tests and medications to see if it indeed is a problem with regulating your thyroid hormones. Thyroid imbalances can cause all sorts of problems that can mimic other conditions.
I may be wrong (I frequently am! :) ) but I would get the thyroid situation straightened out first. Then start looking into getting tested for ADD.
--Rheanna
mcr285
09-04-2007, 01:23 PM
i am very curious about the falling asleep thing.... i too get to where i get so sleepy that i just have this overwhelming urge to close my eyes and sleep. i never fell asleep without meaning to (except in school, but who hasn't???), but i have to really pinch myself HARD in order to stay awake. AND if i do let myself close my eyes, i can literally "sleep" for 2 minutes and then be just fine. i put sleep in quotes, because i don't know if you can call it that..... and it doesn't matter where i am or what i am doing either (driving, eating, shopping, playing with my kids, watching tv....etc). the urge to go to sleep does go away eventually, but then i'm left just feeling tired for the rest of the day.... unless i get a 2 minute power nap and then i'm fine.
anyway, so if anyone else knows anything about it, i'd love to know! by the way, i also have ADD and take 20 mgs of adderall twice a day.
anyway, so if anyone else knows anything about it, i'd love to know! by the way, i also have ADD and take 20 mgs of adderall twice a day.
pphillips001
09-06-2007, 10:45 AM
mcr285,
It was this falling asleep 'symptom' that prompted me to go to the docs in the first place. Diagnosing my TSH/T4 etc found I had Hypothyroidism and I had written on the HypoT forum about the sleep issue and someone had mentioned that I might have ADD.
It seems to come on most in situations where there is stress and yet boring at the same time. There is an irrational compulsion to close my eyes. To date I have never let it take grip and have shook it off (with some effort) unless in a safe and sensible place to have a nap. However, when I'm in a warm, quiet office and have to type up reams of repetative reports I am not always aware that I have drifted off (it doesn't help that I snore!). And same as you - after a short power nap I'm wide awake and ready to go.
It is an extremely frustrating condition, I'm glad my colleagues can see the funny side.
It was this falling asleep 'symptom' that prompted me to go to the docs in the first place. Diagnosing my TSH/T4 etc found I had Hypothyroidism and I had written on the HypoT forum about the sleep issue and someone had mentioned that I might have ADD.
It seems to come on most in situations where there is stress and yet boring at the same time. There is an irrational compulsion to close my eyes. To date I have never let it take grip and have shook it off (with some effort) unless in a safe and sensible place to have a nap. However, when I'm in a warm, quiet office and have to type up reams of repetative reports I am not always aware that I have drifted off (it doesn't help that I snore!). And same as you - after a short power nap I'm wide awake and ready to go.
It is an extremely frustrating condition, I'm glad my colleagues can see the funny side.