samnavy

iTrader: (7)

Been a long time coming. I didn't really know how much it was affecting my marriage until the wife had a sit-down. Both my kids were diagnosed years ago, and I've needed help since elementary school but never got it. Parents always said I needed to "try harder". Couldn't get any in the Navy until now because it would ground me... kinda shitty. But I'm done flying, gonna see a shrink and hopefully start on some meds. Been reading plenty of books this past week... opened my eyes a bunch.

Anybody else got the "hyper"?

psyber_0ptix

iTrader: (4)

Awesome for taking steps forward and finding a way to adapt life around it. How is one diagnosed, did you just ask a doctor?

Some significant other's have speculated I might be, but never knew how to approach my PCP about it.

2slow

No hyper here, but been seeing psychiatrist after marriage almost exploded (we have a kid too). Helped a bit with depression, but didn't get out of it what I really wanted (unrealistic expectations on my part). Do it, try to get a handle on whatever you need help with. Worst part - is not trying, everything else can work through.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Ask.

Say it's come up in relationships and such.

Often times, they give you some stuff that you ask someone that knows you well to fill out, but I'm wondering if that's just done for collateral in kids.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

I've known I've had it forever, just never really had a "reason" to get it taken care of. Sounds weird, but it never bothered me at all... sure, it's impacted my life in predictable ways, but it was never a problem for me... until it became a problem for the wife. I've read a couple books this past week that focus on ADHD vs. Marriage... every page parallels exactly what's going on with the wife and I.

I'm not ready yet to recommend any specific books or support groups, but you can Amazon or Google to get started. CHADD.org and ADD.org are national-level resourses to get you started. I will recommend you read a couple books before seeing your primary-care physician so you go in armed with the basic knowledge. Lots of propaganda out there on ADD and physicians are not immune to it.

From the ADD.org website:
Seek out a psychiatrist, psychologist, or psychotherapist specializing in ADHD and related challenges if you would like to be evaluated for ADHD. While a primary care physician can typically identify signs of ADHD and give a preliminary diagnosis, they may not have the extensive ADHD-specific experience necessary to accurately diagnose and treat ADHD. Often, a primary care physician will refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist specializing in mental health in these instances, just as they would refer you to a cardiologist for a more in-depth exploration of a heart problem. Teachers and coaches cannot diagnose ADHD.

psyber_0ptix

iTrader: (4)

Yea this happened to me most recently with being diagnosed with severe depression. My gf is LCSW and she recognized a host of patterns but created an ultimatum when things got bad between us. She's good about separating work from relationship, so I had to proactively seek help. Among pride issues and fear, I had put it off for too long.

ADD had always been in the back of my mind, but for much of my extended academic career, I never had health insurance to even address this among other chronic health problems.

Either way, I'm curious, interested, and will be following discussion in this thread. Anything to understand, if not myself, but at least some of my close friends better.

codrus

Not in myself, but my wife and daughter are both ADHD.



--Ian

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

My adopted daughter has ADD. It manifests itself in a lack of impulse control. If she thinks of food she has to eat. If someone else presents food she must have some. If she thinks something it becomes words. If she gets a notion to be upset it goes from zero to sixty in a second. She will say later that she knew she shouldn't act a certain way but had a compulsion to do it. It ruined relationships, her health, her schooling, added to her daddy issues by making her more likely to be promiscuous, etc.

I always avoided drugs for her because I thought of ADD/ADHD as a discipline and bad parenting problem. I thought drugs would make kids compliant zombies.

Her doctor explained how the disorder works in layman's terms. There is a part of the brain that "goes to sleep" in ADD/ADHD people. That part filters and moderates impulses and responses. Without that portion of the brain being active people act on impulses as they arrive with little reservation. The Methylphenidate (Ritalin) awakens that portion of the brain and keeps it functional. She is on Methylphenidate ER (extended release) and it DOESN'T make her a zombie. It makes her thoughtful and focused in a way she should have been naturally. She is able to complete tasks, is better at moderating emotional responses, and can pay attention and learn in a way she never could before. She has lost weight because she eats thoughtfully and at the appropriate times. She's making much better decisions and has an improved self-image.

If I could eliminate social media from her life she would be better off still. Sigh...

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

Officially long over due diagnosed in my late 20s. Just the ADD side of things, lacking the hyper side. Meds were a game changer, but I'm not much for them and it hasn't hurt me to much... having figured out my own sort of coping skills over the years.. so yeah I don't really take them on a regular basis.

Definitely worth doing the full talk through that covers the personal history and then the clinical testing, covers all the bases to ensure you are on the right path.

Focalin XR was the only one offered to me and did the job, supposedly low on the side affects compared to others. When I know the disorder is winning and I have to get things done... the medicine is the simple path.

samnavy

iTrader: (7)

Lucky for me, I'll get the best treatment the US government has to offer. Waiting for a call back now from medical on a referral. I haven't looked yet, but there are some specialists on Kauai, although references here will be tough. I'm definitely going for the full-monty evaluation... gotta get that shiz documented thoroughly for retirement benefits.

The Driver

I've been on meds for 2 years know. Unfortunately, I'm also on meds for anxiety and panic attacks. I can only get a small dosage of the ADHD stuff, as it interferes with the medication for anxiety/panic. Sucks, but everyone that has known me since forever has stated how dramatic the changes have been. Funny thing is, I still feel the same way.

BTW, my mom and my sisters can tell when I'm on the meds, or not!

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

I might be in the minority here, but I rarely ever fill my prescription for meds. I bet there would be a ton of benefits to taking it continuously, but they make me feel weird so I tend to only take them if I'm spending the whole day studying. I could try non-stimulant meds (atomoxetine etc), but just haven't bothered.

I have a feeling that I'm going to be taking them wayyy more regularly as an intern next year though.

I'm not sure what a psychologist can do for ish other than recs for behavior modification, which can be super helpful. I'm sure a psychiatrist would love to see patients with ADD/ADHD because it's probably the least complicated thing we'd see in clinic. My point is that most pediatricians and PCP's are more than qualified to work up and treat this. The good ones know when to ask for help when things get challenging or don't work as they're supposed to. Pediatricians do a ton of psych. I saw so many kids with anxiety/depression/ADD/ADHD yada yada yada when I was on peds.

sixshooter

iTrader: (12)

Rish,

Try talking to the doctor about lower doses, extended release, or just a different formulation. They shouldn't make you feel so weird.

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

Agreed, dosage changes and med changes can be good options. I think Focalin was the latest/greatest when I was diagnosed, supposed to be a variant that reduces the side effect side of the medication. XR being its extended release and it does the job in a small dosage.

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Oh I've been on all the baby doses and and the XR stuff. They give me really bad dry mouth and can make me feel off at times. Also, with how variable my schedule is at times, I've ended up putting myself in the hole and taking things too late in the day and screwing up my sleep schedule.

I've seen it work super well for a lot of people, I just prefer to use it when I'm doing drudge work instead of when I'm interacting with people.

I'm sure it'd get easier once my body got used to it, but the stimulants just weren't it for me. I think the non-stimulants or modafinil would end up playing better, but I just haven't bothered yet.

Splitime

iTrader: (24)

Yup, I always follow a no later than noon for mine when I do take it. Bummer on not finding an ideal option..

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

Diagnosed in 3rd grade. Back then it was actually kind of hard to get meds. Over a year of child therapy, diagnosis in multiple situations, and a few different doctors.

Been on extended release medication since then, and I can pretty easily say it changed my life. Probably would be in jail by now without it, or dead.

TBH (might be unpopular opinion), but if you need meds just to do certain things (work, housework, chores, etc) then you don't actually need meds. If I don't take my medicine I become useless, constant babble, can't stay on topic, basically can't function in society.

Anybody who knows me in person (or has seen my build thread) knows how ADHD, and that is while taking medicine.

x_25

I have ADD, I was useless in shcool without medication. Always off somewhere in lala land and imposible to focus. As I got older the symptoms lessened and I eventually came off the medication durring college. It is not unusual to see changes with age. For better or worse.

For me now, a good dose of caffeine (ADD/ADHD people actually process stimulents differently) is enough to keep me focused enough for work now. And is way cheaper than the monthly doctor visit for a controlled substance...

ridethecliche

iTrader: (2)

Not everyone has to have the same degree of a pathology and/or disability for it to be real! Some things exist on a spectrum and some are binary. I.e. ya can't really be a little bit pregnant. lol.

Yeah, I function on **** tons of caffeine. In college I got through because I used to do endurance sports and being physically tired decreased restlessness/distraction pretty significantly. I also got by on studying the stuff I found naturally interesting and just chased the rabbit holes there and ended up with decent grades. I couldn't be bothered to do anything that didn't really hold my interest. Surprisingly nerds can have ADD/ADHD too and it presents differently for everyone. Shocking, I know.

I'm also on anti-depressants now because I have an auto immune thyroid thang that presented with depression, I decided to stay on meds after starting thyroid hormone supplementation. One of the things my anti-depressant is sometimes used off label for is..... ADD/ADHD. Not really even close to first line, but that may have helped a bit.

aidandj

iTrader: (5)

I'm not saying it's not real. I get it. But the number of people I know who got medicine so they could study better is really high. And I get lumped in quite often with people who just take it to pass classes. Where for me it's more so I can function day to day.