Not diagnosed yet, but have some questions

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Permalink Reply by Susan on February 5, 2010 at 8:55pm

Hi, I was diagnosed (initially by myself) just shy of turning 48 years old. For me, I don't think I don't feel like a girl, but I understand where that comes from. I do feel like a girl but like you, the diagnosis hit me like a brick the day it did when I realized I couldn't sit at the table to eat and I kept jumping up. I had probably been doing this before, but just I guess was "too busy" to notice it. I always had so many things to do or I wanted to do.

I learned to somewhat overcompensate for things my whole life. I always did well in school just didn't realize I was having to work harder than other people. I hated writing - despised it, but I didn't realize it was the ADHD. Many people with ADHD have difficulty writing because of the organization required. I took excellent notes writing down practically everything the teachers said which kept me awake and gave me what I needed to study. I went to a small private school and small college. Oh, too, reading and comprehension. Like you I read the words, but no clue. Thank God for Cliff notes. Honestly, Moby Dick has to be the most boring book I've ever "read". In college, I had to read that and write a paper. I can say I honestly did "read" it page by page. I had not a clue what it said. If it weren't for the Cliff notes, I would still be writing that paper. Somehow I managed to get the professors that didn't require as much writing. I made myself do things really early because I knew it took me longer to do them or I would have so many ideas and I have always had periods of time where I get really, really tired and can't get much done at home and I had to do things early in case I couldn't do them during a tired spell.

I had wondered about "what was wrong with me" off and on throughout my life. Probably more the emotional things. I knew I always felt things quite deeply but was always told (in a nice way) that I shouldn't feel like that or something to that affect. So, I just didn't share much

I did find out when I told my parents that my dad had it. I was shocked and wouldn't have ever guessed it, yet since I have learned so much about ADHD, I totally see it in every aspect of his life but it is all disguised.

For me, yes, the medicine has helped. I didn't know that I was so irritable and anxious, but in retrospect, I really was. Day 1 of Adderall and that calm I felt - good stuff. The first couple of days when it wore off I felt bad - tired - really tired, but after that not really. The affect is most noticeable at the beginning as the difference is such a contrast. I take mine 7 days a week and would recommend that. I take the XR.

I have no doubt that you have it based on what you wrote and the fact that your mom has it. Be prepared to state your case. In fact, write it down so you will remember what you want to say. Some doctors are o.k. with it, but some aren't from reading on here. Many people are just diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Don't stand for that. Ask to be sent to a psychologist for testing if you can't get them to buy in. The psychologist is a good idea anyhow as the medicine doesn't "fix" you or "cure" you, but it helps clear your head. It is a good start. If one medicine doesn't help, another might. Meds can help about 85% of people. Once I realized I had it, I was like. . .where do I sign up for meds. I didn't really tell anyone I had it except family and don't plan to. People have strong opinion of the realness of ADHD and the meds.

I guess my last piece of advice would be to watch for signs and symptoms in your children as there is a strong genetic component, so good possibility one or more of your children could have it. If kids can't pay attention enough in school without medication then they may need medication. Try to focus on what you do well and celebrate that. It is not that easy to do. It is easier for me to tell you to do that than for me to do it. But it is a process to work through and I have worked hard on it and still am. It is a grief process. Hope all goes well. Susan

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Permalink Reply by jen on February 6, 2010 at 7:50am

Thanks for sharing your story. I am just so short with my kids... for instance I yelled at my daughter while I was reading that post because she was making a chair squeek and kept doing it when I asked her to stop. I just can't deal with stuff like that when I am trying to do other stuff, like read.

I just wonder though because like I have no problem sitting through a movie or a tv show, I do read a lot, but like I said sometimes I get lost in thought, I can get things done at work if I set a timer and only make myself do boring things for 10-15 minutes. But I have a long history of starting things and not finishing and if meds would help me with that I feel like I could be superwoman, lol!

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Permalink Reply by Susan on February 6, 2010 at 8:57am

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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Permalink Reply by Pat Murray on February 6, 2010 at 4:23pm

Susan - I was reading your post here and am interested in why and how the cholesterol med, Lovaza, was helpful to you with your ADD. I've never heard of that med before but would like to learn more about it as I, too, have the inattentive type of ADD and have strong issues with distraction, focus, time management and organizational thinking. Would you mind enlightening me?

Susan said:

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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Permalink Reply by Susan on February 6, 2010 at 4:52pm

Lovaza is nothing but prescription fish oil. But because it is a prescription that means the amount of Fish oil is regulated. Other over-the-counter fish oil is a supplement and you really don't know what you are getting. I have forgotten the exact number but it was high as to what you would need of the other fish oil to equal what you get in the Lovaza. People take the Lovaza especially to lower triglyceride levels. Fish oil is supposed to help brain function. I decided to ask my doctor for it as I could get it for cheap with my insurance, otherwise it is like $150/month.

I am including a couple of links for you to read more about the fish oil, lovaza (it doesn't say anything about ADHD) and one from Dr. Hallowell's site. I guess it was in his book Delivered from Distraction that I first read about it and other supplements/vitamins that I happened to be already taking all of them. I couldn't find much more except the fish oil on that site but it is a good site anyway if you haven't looked there.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/02/03/how-fis...

http://www.lovaza.com/

http://www.drhallowell.com/add-adhd/add-adhd-treatment/

I hope some of these are helpful for you. Fish oil is good for your heart and since it is heart month that makes it even more relevant.

Susan
Pat Murray said:

Susan - I was reading your post here and am interested in why and how the cholesterol med, Lovaza, was helpful to you with your ADD. I've never heard of that med before but would like to learn more about it as I, too, have the inattentive type of ADD and have strong issues with distraction, focus, time management and organizational thinking. Would you mind enlightening me?

Susan said:

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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Permalink Reply by jen on February 6, 2010 at 6:09pm

Susan, does Delivered from Distraction have the strategies they talked about in the video (on the Adult ADD link of the Hollowell page?) I printed the list off of that page and I am going to take it with me to the doctor's office. I don't have all of those going on, but OMG I have SO many of them. I can't even believe this! I have been beating myself up for so long for being such a loser (which I am not I know I have a 4 yr degree and a job) I just feel like I should be doing so much more with my life and can't figure out what that is. Oh, and my mom hid the fact that she had ADD. I only found out when I had to take her to the ER and she told them the meds she was taking.

Susan said:

Lovaza is nothing but prescription fish oil. But because it is a prescription that means the amount of Fish oil is regulated. Other over-the-counter fish oil is a supplement and you really don't know what you are getting. I have forgotten the exact number but it was high as to what you would need of the other fish oil to equal what you get in the Lovaza. People take the Lovaza especially to lower triglyceride levels. Fish oil is supposed to help brain function. I decided to ask my doctor for it as I could get it for cheap with my insurance, otherwise it is like $150/month.

I am including a couple of links for you to read more about the fish oil, lovaza (it doesn't say anything about ADHD) and one from Dr. Hallowell's site. I guess it was in his book Delivered from Distraction that I first read about it and other supplements/vitamins that I happened to be already taking all of them. I couldn't find much more except the fish oil on that site but it is a good site anyway if you haven't looked there.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/02/03/how-fis...

http://www.lovaza.com/

http://www.drhallowell.com/add-adhd/add-adhd-treatment/

I hope some of these are helpful for you. Fish oil is good for your heart and since it is heart month that makes it even more relevant.

Susan
Pat Murray said:

Susan - I was reading your post here and am interested in why and how the cholesterol med, Lovaza, was helpful to you with your ADD. I've never heard of that med before but would like to learn more about it as I, too, have the inattentive type of ADD and have strong issues with distraction, focus, time management and organizational thinking. Would you mind enlightening me?

Susan said:

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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Permalink Reply by Pat Murray on February 6, 2010 at 10:28pm

I've been taking 110mg fish oil from Trader Joe's (which I have trusted for years because they don't put additives in their foods/vitamin supplements) for several years. They have stringent quality standards and will say on the label exactly what you're getting, what it is derived from, and how it is processed, if at all. How many mg's do you get with a dosage of Lovaza?

Susan said:

Lovaza is nothing but prescription fish oil. But because it is a prescription that means the amount of Fish oil is regulated. Other over-the-counter fish oil is a supplement and you really don't know what you are getting. I have forgotten the exact number but it was high as to what you would need of the other fish oil to equal what you get in the Lovaza. People take the Lovaza especially to lower triglyceride levels. Fish oil is supposed to help brain function. I decided to ask my doctor for it as I could get it for cheap with my insurance, otherwise it is like $150/month.

I am including a couple of links for you to read more about the fish oil, lovaza (it doesn't say anything about ADHD) and one from Dr. Hallowell's site. I guess it was in his book Delivered from Distraction that I first read about it and other supplements/vitamins that I happened to be already taking all of them. I couldn't find much more except the fish oil on that site but it is a good site anyway if you haven't looked there.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/02/03/how-fis...

http://www.lovaza.com/

http://www.drhallowell.com/add-adhd/add-adhd-treatment/

I hope some of these are helpful for you. Fish oil is good for your heart and since it is heart month that makes it even more relevant.

Susan
Pat Murray said:

Susan - I was reading your post here and am interested in why and how the cholesterol med, Lovaza, was helpful to you with your ADD. I've never heard of that med before but would like to learn more about it as I, too, have the inattentive type of ADD and have strong issues with distraction, focus, time management and organizational thinking. Would you mind enlightening me?

Susan said:

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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Permalink Reply by Pat Murray on February 7, 2010 at 6:19pm

Cecilia - Can you tell me in mgs how much you were taking of the fish oil and the B's? I take 1,000mcgs of B12 (16,000% of daily requirement) and 2mgs of B6 (100%d.r.) and 1100mgs of fish oil every day. I'd like to see how much more you were or are taking than I am to see if, maybe, I shd go higher.
Thanks,
Pat

Cecilia said:

About fishoil and vitamins. I heard it can help but has to be taken on a daily basis and it takes maybe a month or so before it really helps. Our brain is a lump of fat and has to be fed with fat to function. A lo carb high fat diet i supposed to be good and also all the B-vitamins plus zink and magnesium. I've been trying the latter and I noticed I'm a lot happier. It's about taking it every day and a higher doze than recommended. Lack of the B's makes you miserable and it's often given to alcoholics on treatment, to avoid depression. Minerals are also very important for the brains function since it needs minerals to be able to conduct the electric impulses between the cells, like zink and magnesium. And women very often have a deficit.
I have over a period of time over dozed all the above and felt the difference but I ran out of it and didn't buy anymore. Stupid I confess, since it really worked! No kidding! The before and after was quite two different things. I feel worse now than during the vit's. It's worth trying.
I've been reading about vitamins and it's very interesting reading. I also read the more thinking the more of this stuff we need, and boy, do we think!
So girls, feed your brains!
Anyway,

jen said:

Susan, does Delivered from Distraction have the strategies they talked about in the video (on the Adult ADD link of the Hollowell page?) I printed the list off of that page and I am going to take it with me to the doctor's office. I don't have all of those going on, but OMG I have SO many of them. I can't even believe this! I have been beating myself up for so long for being such a loser (which I am not I know I have a 4 yr degree and a job) I just feel like I should be doing so much more with my life and can't figure out what that is. Oh, and my mom hid the fact that she had ADD. I only found out when I had to take her to the ER and she told them the meds she was taking.

Susan said:

Lovaza is nothing but prescription fish oil. But because it is a prescription that means the amount of Fish oil is regulated. Other over-the-counter fish oil is a supplement and you really don't know what you are getting. I have forgotten the exact number but it was high as to what you would need of the other fish oil to equal what you get in the Lovaza. People take the Lovaza especially to lower triglyceride levels. Fish oil is supposed to help brain function. I decided to ask my doctor for it as I could get it for cheap with my insurance, otherwise it is like $150/month.

I am including a couple of links for you to read more about the fish oil, lovaza (it doesn't say anything about ADHD) and one from Dr. Hallowell's site. I guess it was in his book Delivered from Distraction that I first read about it and other supplements/vitamins that I happened to be already taking all of them. I couldn't find much more except the fish oil on that site but it is a good site anyway if you haven't looked there.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/editors-choice/2010/02/03/how-fis...

http://www.lovaza.com/

http://www.drhallowell.com/add-adhd/add-adhd-treatment/

I hope some of these are helpful for you. Fish oil is good for your heart and since it is heart month that makes it even more relevant.

Susan
Pat Murray said:

Susan - I was reading your post here and am interested in why and how the cholesterol med, Lovaza, was helpful to you with your ADD. I've never heard of that med before but would like to learn more about it as I, too, have the inattentive type of ADD and have strong issues with distraction, focus, time management and organizational thinking. Would you mind enlightening me?

Susan said:

You have just found ways to compensate and work with what you knew/know are problems or issues for yourself. I too do things like timers ,etc and need to do it more, but I realize my behaviors especially getting lost in time but it is a lot of work to do. For me, more than anything it "took the edge off" of me. I felt the calm inside. It also helps with focus. Again, some days the medicine seems to work better than others. It may have to do with what is going on and the environment. I would not be without medicine personally. I also take a lot of vitamins but I took them prior to diagnosis - Fish oil and I have insurance that pays well for meds so I asked for the prescription Lovaza, which is really for cholesterol and my doctor gave it to me. I wouldn't have been able to sit and write anything. I'm not really "hyper" I am more inattentive type, but I have what is called "mixed, combined ADHD".

I say you have nothing to lose, but get evaluated, try the med and see. It does make you feel like you can do more. My mind just can think up so many things I would like to do and ways to do thinks. My mind is really hyper. This slows it down, but still influenced by my environment. Same for your ADHD students. The other thing is inconsistency. It is hard to be consistent with things. I guess our "interest" waxes and wanes.

Let me know what happens. Susan

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