Im sure

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cari on March 10, 2010 at 12:57am

Usually it's a fairly straitforward assessment-I took an evalution, and my husband and mom took one about me so that they could see that this was observed behavior. If not, there are so many things that mimic ADD, and the doc would be able to tell you what, and how to go about getting treatment. It's not something you "come down with," so you would need to know if you have always had the symptoms. And if you are unhappy with the answer, then yeah, get a second opinion. Good luck! I hpe you are able to find someone who can help you soon!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cecilia on March 10, 2010 at 2:51am

On my own initiative I have made my doctor and psychologist to start an investigation on my ADHD. I ´ve been in treatment for severe depression sin June last year and the coin dropped a couple of months ago. Since my hospital is under pressure I will not get the final diagnosis and medication perhaps in Juli!
It´s doing my head in, just the thought that I have to wait such a long time.
What I don´t understand is how 2 professionals with so much studies missed the whole thing, since the outcome of the tests made on me points at a not so moderate ADHD.
The fact that I´m a single mother of 2 children age 2 and 3,5, doesn´t seem to come into the picture. I´m slightly over aged with my 44yrs and this is putting everything to it´s limits.
However, I´m looking forward to the next visit in 3 - 4 months.
I´m as patient as any ADHD could be,... NOT!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Karen L on March 10, 2010 at 9:29am

Cecilia - First of all, you aren't "slightly overaged". Where did that term come from??? I'm 47 and I don't consider myself over aged at all!

I have been to therapists, counselors, psychologists (all one in the same basically) most of my life. Dr. McCloskey was the first professional I ever saw when I was in third grade. He put me on Dexedrine for three years. After that, I was left to my own. I was in and out of psychiatric hospitals as a teen and saw therapists more often than not since then. And you'd think that one of them would put two and two together and realize that my problems stemmed from untreated ADHD. It wasn't until a year and a half ago when my current therapist helped me determine what the problem was. We went through the diagnostic manual with the questions.

It's not a test they use to figure out ADHD but an evaluation. They may test a person to rule out other things. I admit I cringe when people say "testing for ADHD". Because that's not accurate. Maybe it's just easier for people to say that. I don't understand why or how it could possibly take so long. The questions take all of 5 minutes. Maybe because someone else doesn't have the history like I have and they have to dig up stuff in their own mind. I don't know. Maybe all of you could help me understand by telling me what "tests" these doctors are performing? But all the major ADHD websites will tell you that there is no test for ADHD. They may conduct tests to see if there's something additional going on (like maybe a hearing problem or a sensory problem)? I just don't get it.

Cecilia said:

On my own initiative I have made my doctor and psychologist to start an investigation on my ADHD. I ´ve been in treatment for severe depression sin June last year and the coin dropped a couple of months ago. Since my hospital is under pressure I will not get the final diagnosis and medication perhaps in Juli!
It´s doing my head in, just the thought that I have to wait such a long time.
What I don´t understand is how 2 professionals with so much studies missed the whole thing, since the outcome of the tests made on me points at a not so moderate ADHD.
The fact that I´m a single mother of 2 children age 2 and 3,5, doesn´t seem to come into the picture. I´m slightly over aged with my 44yrs and this is putting everything to it´s limits.
However, I´m looking forward to the next visit in 3 - 4 months.
I´m as patient as any ADHD could be,... NOT!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Susan Abrams on March 10, 2010 at 11:03am

I just got diagnosed a year ago at age 63 - I was misdiagnosed by 5-6 therapists since my 20's - with depression - not one even suggested ADHD - Then I was having problems at work Sept 2008 - and my boss said - what are you taking for your ADHD - ? I said I dont have it - what are you talking about. Then I went home - looked it up on the internet and found I had most of the symptoms - A psychiatrist agreed and diagnosed me officially - I know no-one heard of this disorder when I was a child - but as an adult everyone heard of it - not always in women though. If just one therapist had noticed my symptoms or asked the right questions - it would have saved me a lot of grief. Susan A

Karen L said:

Cecilia - First of all, you aren't "slightly overaged". Where did that term come from??? I'm 47 and I don't consider myself over aged at all!

I have been to therapists, counselors, psychologists (all one in the same basically) most of my life. Dr. McCloskey was the first professional I ever saw when I was in third grade. He put me on Dexedrine for three years. After that, I was left to my own. I was in and out of psychiatric hospitals as a teen and saw therapists more often than not since then. And you'd think that one of them would put two and two together and realize that my problems stemmed from untreated ADHD. It wasn't until a year and a half ago when my current therapist helped me determine what the problem was. We went through the diagnostic manual with the questions.

It's not a test they use to figure out ADHD but an evaluation. They may test a person to rule out other things. I admit I cringe when people say "testing for ADHD". Because that's not accurate. Maybe it's just easier for people to say that. I don't understand why or how it could possibly take so long. The questions take all of 5 minutes. Maybe because someone else doesn't have the history like I have and they have to dig up stuff in their own mind. I don't know. Maybe all of you could help me understand by telling me what "tests" these doctors are performing? But all the major ADHD websites will tell you that there is no test for ADHD. They may conduct tests to see if there's something additional going on (like maybe a hearing problem or a sensory problem)? I just don't get it.

Cecilia said:

On my own initiative I have made my doctor and psychologist to start an investigation on my ADHD. I ´ve been in treatment for severe depression sin June last year and the coin dropped a couple of months ago. Since my hospital is under pressure I will not get the final diagnosis and medication perhaps in Juli!
It´s doing my head in, just the thought that I have to wait such a long time.
What I don´t understand is how 2 professionals with so much studies missed the whole thing, since the outcome of the tests made on me points at a not so moderate ADHD.
The fact that I´m a single mother of 2 children age 2 and 3,5, doesn´t seem to come into the picture. I´m slightly over aged with my 44yrs and this is putting everything to it´s limits.
However, I´m looking forward to the next visit in 3 - 4 months.
I´m as patient as any ADHD could be,... NOT!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cecilia on March 11, 2010 at 6:42am

Thank you all you ladies!
I can't help but feel inspired by your comments and all the fantastic support this site is giving me.
I talk with my aunt, my only relative, about this every day. She is gathering facts about my childhood and today she told me that even though I didn't say a word until I was 1,5 I used to hum songs. I would hum myself to sleep.
This only proves I've had music in my head since I was very little. Not until a couple of months ago I realized this was very common amongst ADD:s and that not everybody would have a built in HiFi in their heads!
She even remembers the exact date I spoke my first words. It was summer, end of June the 25th to be exact, and it was raining heavy. I sat in the kitchen window looking out and she was doing the washing up when she heard me saying: It's raining a lot today.
The reason I didn't speak was probably because my parents payed more attention to the bottle than me. There simply wasn't anyone around to speak to.

Now, the only thing keeping me up is the warmth from my little but very solid family. My children their father and my aunt, we're very close and we love each other dearly. And I thank LIFE for everyday we have left together.
God bless you all, and please keep posting to me. It's so comforting.
Again, THANK YOU
Love, Cecilia

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Liz on March 11, 2010 at 11:23pm

What kind of doctor are you seeing? Is it a psychiatrist? That's who you should see - someone who can diagnose the problem and prescribe meds. It shouldn't take so long to get evaluated. I filled out a short questionnaire - maybe 25-50 questions and the psychiatrist asked me a few questions. I had read about the symptoms beforehand and had thought of examples from my own life, so I was prepared.
Years before I had been seeing a psychologist for depression and asked her on several occasions if I could have ADD, but she didn't think I did because I had done well in school. Except I didn't always do well in school. In middle school/high school I got As & Bs in the classes I liked and Ds & Fs in the classes I didn't.
If the doctor you're seeing isn't a psychiatrist, you should get a second opinion. I read somewhere that ADHD is often under-diagnosed in women because we don't have the hyperactivity - we're more likely to have the inattentive form.
Oh, and the way I figured out I had ADD was I gave up caffeine. I figured I'd be sleepy while my body adjusted to the change, but when 3 months had passed and I still couldn't keep a thought in my head, I knew I needed help. (I totally forgot about a planning meeting with the Big Boss that I'd been invited to join at work. I also forgot to reply to the invitation in the first place, so I hope they weren't expecting me! LOL)

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Cecilia on April 30, 2010 at 12:57pm

Hi everyone,
Has anyone been offered councelling/magic cures at no/very little cost? I have checked out a few and fell for one. It's Garreth Loporto's, suppousingly working, Brainwaves. I used to recieve emails on a daily basis until I bought the instant Mp3 download. Since then, well they got my money, I havn't heard a word.
At first it seemed proffesional, hey I'm desperate, but listening through the whole session I'm not so sure any longer. I had (old ADHD-feeling) that it was a bit too amateure. Like bad sound quality, a lot of hms and ahms from the author himself, Mr Loporto.
Should anyone be intrested to listen to it I could send it through email for, let's say, evaluation.
Should anyone have similar experiances, share, people trying to benefit from other fellow beings misfortune should be stopped.
A nother thing I was wondering about was the way they, organization/person, flirt with you saying things like DaVinci and Lincoln were ADHD, or more contemporary, the founder of Virgin records.
I doubt very much I'll become a millionaire/president of The Us of A, or even famous. I would be happy just to bring up my kids to healthy, strong human beings.
It's time wasting and you feel even worse after.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by yvette on May 5, 2010 at 12:53am

hi Cecilia
i just wanted to sat you're totally Not alone on the continual searching, and wanting to find and see the positives. which leads to the whole gareth le porto thing you talk of. i actually tend to believe, however (&possibly naively..), that there is truth to the da vinci and the millionaire myths. basically our personality 'type' seems doomed to continual failure, making just the everyday aspects of life daunting, if not impossible. hearing of the brilliant success of others does nothing for our own personal battles, or feelings of self-worth, and quite the opposite, can instead have a totally demoralising effect on us. i really do believe that there is some validity to millionaire davinci claims, and i also believe there are good intentions. they're a way for us to ackowledge and see, in real-world examples, that we Can succed, and that we are, or at least should be, Valued in society, for our differences.. -yeah, i know, all well and good for the millionaire!! so i would say - take hope, take inspiration, from these fine examples of what our life could be (if only we were able to find our keys, and get the kids to school on time?!). use these as examples of a life where your differences might be rewarded and cherished. and then cherish, in your own daily struggles, those moments where the fact of your adhd brightens up your world, and that of your kids. cherish those times you Know Other parent do So differently. those times when your Spontaneous Honest Self makes family memories that any Normal parent would die for, but that any Normal parent couldn't even begin to comprehend *!!
(on reading this back, i realize that i speak to Me here, as much as i speak to you *!)
the very best of every kinda wonderful to you and yours, Cecilia *!!
Yvette

Cecilia said:

Hi everyone,
Has anyone been offered councelling/magic cures at no/very little cost? I have checked out a few and fell for one. It's Garreth Loporto's, suppousingly working, Brainwaves. I used to recieve emails on a daily basis until I bought the instant Mp3 download. Since then, well they got my money, I havn't heard a word.
At first it seemed proffesional, hey I'm desperate, but listening through the whole session I'm not so sure any longer. I had (old ADHD-feeling) that it was a bit too amateure. Like bad sound quality, a lot of hms and ahms from the author himself, Mr Loporto.
Should anyone be intrested to listen to it I could send it through email for, let's say, evaluation.
Should anyone have similar experiances, share, people trying to benefit from other fellow beings misfortune should be stopped.
A nother thing I was wondering about was the way they, organization/person, flirt with you saying things like DaVinci and Lincoln were ADHD, or more contemporary, the founder of Virgin records.
I doubt very much I'll become a millionaire/president of The Us of A, or even famous. I would be happy just to bring up my kids to healthy, strong human beings.
It's time wasting and you feel even worse after.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by yvette on May 5, 2010 at 1:16am

adhd IS limbo -gee, not a very positive start hey?!
actually, just wanted to say that self-diagnosis by adhd adults is fairly common (some 80% thing comes to mind -either 80% of self-assessed Are correct, and an adhd diagnosis follows.. or 80% of adult adhd diagnoses come from self-assessment.. sorry, am bogging you down with stats that i obviously dont even Know?!). so believe in yourself; follow what feels right to you, on the inside; and jump through whatever hoops you need to on the way. its easy to say you shouldnt have to wait (i didnt), but you Are in a small town, and you have to deal with another whole set of factors because of just that. no, you definitely shouldnt have to wait that long - but havent you spent your whole life waiting ?? -i know thats what i felt like?! i asked my GP for a referral to a psychiatrist with an adhd specialty, and took my mother to my first appointment (for a background check, as i had absolutely no memories of life as a child). i did no test as such. no wrtitten evaluation, or brain diagnostic (?). i simply spent an hour with the psychiatrist and my mother. he listened to the significant events of my life (of which there have been Many!), without prejudice and, more encouragingly, he didnt stop and say 'oh, Thats why you're like this'. he simply listened, and readily came to the conclusion that my underlying adhd was in fact at the heart of many of my troubles. he was willing to see past, through, and beyond everything Else. and he saw my adhd. the adhd that i Knew was there. i have been on dexamphetamines since (mostly successfully, although i dont believe Any medication, can 'fix' me or my symptoms..), after an initial dosage trials.
so thats my example, and my advice.
i am in australia though, which adds possibly a world of miles and other differences..
find your own spot in the world, kimberly, and learn to Cherish your difference (i'm Still a work in progress, at that last bit ?!!..)
Yvette

▶ Reply to This

▶ Reply to This