Living with ADD/ADHD :(

[Amethyste]

I have been ADD all my life - but I have been pretty good at controlling my concentration problems in the past because when I had my business, all was concentrated one ONE thing. Now that I am working in an ultra busy office, with the phones, the computer, the faxes, emails, people stopping at my cube for questions, files and papers all over my desk, I am going crazy and I cannot CANNOT concentrate!

I have talked to my doctor and we have tried different medecines to see what works....

So far I have tried Strattera ( wow $50 a month for my copay ) and it didnt work that great. I tried Ritalin and that was ok, other than the desire to throw up every time I took it and now I am trying Adderall. I hope something works soon...

I know it is a sensitive subject for some, but if you have been in the same boat than I, please share with me your path...

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Hi, Amethyste!

I was diagnosed with ADD about a year ago. I always knew something wasn''t quite right, ever since I was little. ADD is often overlooked in young girls, because it often doesn''t display the hyperactivity component that is so visible in most young boys with ADD/ADHD. A little boy with ADD/ADHD will be running all over the place and bouncing off the walls instead of listening to his teacher, and a little girl with ADD/ADHD will just be spacing out or reading or doodling or something instead of listening to the teacher. So girls/women are often not diagnosed until an older age because of this. I thought that was very interesting, and it helped to explain why I was diagnosed at the age of 30, while most people are diagnosed as young children.

I have been on a low dose of Adderall since I was diagnosed. I started with 10mg daily and then my doctor bumped it up to 15mg daily, since the 10mg didn''t seem to be quite enough. I''m on the extended release variety (I think it''s called Adderall XR), so I only have to take it once a day. I take it first thing in the morning when I wake up. Also, there is a generic equivalent for Adderall, which is what my pharmacy always gives me since it saves me some money on my copay. Hopefully it will work for you, and will cost less than the Strattera! Good luck!

 

[Amethyste]

Date: 2/17/2010 9:57:12 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
Hi, Amethyste!

I was diagnosed with ADD about a year ago. I always knew something wasn't quite right, ever since I was little. ADD is often overlooked in young girls, because it often doesn't display the hyperactivity component that is so visible in most young boys with ADD/ADHD. A little boy with ADD/ADHD will be running all over the place and bouncing off the walls instead of listening to his teacher, and a little girl with ADD/ADHD will just be spacing out or reading or doodling or something instead of listening to the teacher. So girls/women are often not diagnosed until an older age because of this. I thought that was very interesting, and it helped to explain why I was diagnosed at the age of 30, while most people are diagnosed as young children.

I have been on a low dose of Adderall since I was diagnosed. I started with 10mg daily and then my doctor bumped it up to 15mg daily, since the 10mg didn't seem to be quite enough. I'm on the extended release variety (I think it's called Adderall XR), so I only have to take it once a day. I take it first thing in the morning when I wake up. Also, there is a generic equivalent for Adderall, which is what my pharmacy always gives me since it saves me some money on my copay. Hopefully it will work for you, and will cost less than the Strattera! Good luck!

I am on 20mg of adderall in the morning and 20mg in the afternoon... My doctor thinks it might be too much, but then suggested me that if i am jittery
to cut the pill in 1/2 (1/2 of a 1/2) and take 15 mg and see how it goes... Right now, I took my first dose and feel a little "speedy metally" but my focus is good.
Might take a little bit to adjust to, but so far this is MUCH better than Strattera and Ritalin combined. I am on the generic, which are the Amphetamine salts.
Was only $10 at Rite-Aid, but I am sure if I get it at Walmart it will only be $4 a month since it is on their generic list.

She suggested to not do the extended release at least at first cause she had many people reporting difficulty to fall asleep at night... you have no problem on that side?

Yeah I think you are right about girls not experiencing the symptoms like boys... I am spacy a lot...
have you ever gotten into your car to go home from work, to then pull into your parking space/garage and wonder how in the H&LL you got there?!
That is my... My cobweb of thoughts....... Thank you for sharing...

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 2/17/2010 10:33:11 AM
Author: Amethyste

I am on 20mg of adderall in the morning and 20mg in the afternoon... My doctor thinks it might be too much, but then suggested me that if i am jittery
to cut the pill in 1/2 (1/2 of a 1/2) and take 15 mg and see how it goes... Right now, I took my first dose and feel a little ''speedy metally'' but my focus is good.
Might take a little bit to adjust to, but so far this is MUCH better than Strattera and Ritalin combined. I am on the generic, which are the Amphetamine salts.
Was only $10 at Rite-Aid, but I am sure if I get it at Walmart it will only be $4 a month since it is on their generic list.

She suggested to not do the extended release at least at first cause she had many people reporting difficulty to fall asleep at night... you have no problem on that side?


Yeah I think you are right about girls not experiencing the symptoms like boys... I am spacy a lot...
have you ever gotten into your car to go home from work, to then pull into your parking space/garage and wonder how in the H&LL you got there?!
That is my... My cobweb of thoughts....... Thank you for sharing...

Yeah, you will definitely feel a little speedy at first. That takes a bit of getting used to, but it definitely does get better. And you''re right . . . the label on my bottle says "amphetamine salts" so that must be what the generic is called. You said your doctor mentioned cutting the pill in half . . . are yours pills or capsules? Mine are capsules, so I guess there wouldn''t be any way to cut them in half. Maybe mine are capsules because they''re the XR variety, and the regular variety comes in pill/tablet form?

I have not had any trouble falling asleep even though I''m taking the XR, but I think that''s because I always make sure to take it first thing in the morning so it will be worn off by bedtime. If I took it any later in the day, I might have a problem getting to sleep that night.

And I know exactly what you mean about driving home from work in a daze! Happens to me all the time! LOL!

 

[meresal]

I was daignosed with ADD in 6th grade, and have been medicated since.

Thru high school - Ritalin 10mg twice a day
In college - Adderall 20mg XR in the morning (classes began at 7am), and then a 20mg regular around noon for golf practice in the afternoon.
Post college- Adderall (same as college, but stopped taking my afternoon one since I didn't take the XR until around 8 or 9 im the am)

Now that I am pregnant, I am all over the place and it cracks DH up.

When I stopped taking the afternoon pill, I did start to lag later in the afternoon. However, the afternoon pill was causing me to stay up late at night, and slacking off a bit in the late afternoon, was better than only getting 6 good hours of sleep a night.

During the end of college(2005-2006) I went thru a period of depression/anxiety and was on Lexapro as well. What amazed me, was that I hated being on Lexapro and learned how to control my anxiety, but no matter what I have done, my ADD is just not controlable. My mind jumps from subject to subject in an instant and I don't even realize it. I can catch myself sometimes, if the jump is far out there, but most of the time, my DH and family just move right along with my current thought.

I have gotten better about not interrupting people though.

ETA: Regarding your RX...
Have you thought about switching from regular 20mg to the 20mg XR (Extended Release capsuls) in the AM? They last about 6-8 hours and don't have the fidgity feeling when it starts to kick in, not quite as much anyway. Anytime your mind starts to wander, it releases a bit more. If you need more after that, you could try a 10mg in the afternoon, but I would be careful with how late in the afternoon you take Adderall, becuase they can effect your sleep pattern.

 

[Regular Guy]

Amethyste,

We have a little experience with this because my older son has the same diagnosis. He is on the extended form of ritalin that is concerta, designed to act longer...about 12 hours, with pretty good success, relatively.

My only actual suggestion, though...you mentioned you''ve been consulting with your doctor. My son has his regular pediatrician, and then a developmental pediatrician who works with these medication constantly...that is her specialty. Psychiatrists do this, too. Is your doctor a specialist? If so, you might best rely on them, and if not, you might find one is is a specialist.

Just some thoughts.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Diet alterations are really important with ADD/ADHD. Have you looked into taking out certain foods/ingredients? For sure, aspartame and other neurotoxins, msg and other stuff. Also, vitamin supplements can help.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

This is a legitimate question, please don''t think I''m trying to be a jerk. I was under the impression that the term "ADD" was no longer accepted and that everything was being classified as ADHD which could include Hyperactivity OR Attention Deficit OR both and ADD is no longer recognized in the DSM IV.

 

[lyra]

I hope the adderall helps you. My daughter was diagnosed ADHD at 17. This was after she was put on an anti-depressant because she wasn''t coping. Well, that sent her flying like crazy!

She felt that the meds just blunted her out too much, which was not good as she is studying to be a graphic designer so she needs to let her creativity out.

Are there any accomodations that you can have made at work? What can you think of that might make coping easier and still let you do your job? If it''s noise, can you wear noise cancelling headphones/use your own ipod if that doesn''t interfere? I''m not sure what would help you the most right now. My daughter seems fixated on music as her coping mechanism that helps her focus more and actually has specific playlists for certain tasks. Just throwing out ideas.

 

[Amethyste]

THank you all for your sincere responses. Yes you are right HH, it is ADHD. I am sorry for the wrong terminalogy... When I was diagnosed many years ago, it was ADD and somewhat the old term stuck with me...

All options mentionned here are worth looking into to help me with my "problem". I am on the chubby side, so looking at my diet is certainly something I need to look into, not just for my weight, but as you pointed it out, MC, it could also help inmprove my condition.

Lyra, I am unable to listen to music with headphones, it is against office policy as we have many clients walking through here and it just doesn''t look professional. I am in a little closed off cubicle so the noise and distractions are kept to a minimum. I guess, i''ll have to see how it goes...

THank you all again, i really appreciate it.

 

[Clairitek]

My father was diagnosed with the same issues after managing on his own, unmedicated, for almost 50 years. Since going on Adderall he has gotten a lot better. I believe he takes the XR tablet once a day.

Prior to becoming medicated he often relied on a few cups of coffee or tea in the morning to center himself. From what I understand, a stimulant like caffeine will have the opposite effect on someone with ADHD than someone without it. So he would calm down the more caffeine he had and would be able to work. But if my mother or I had that much caffeine in one go we would be bouncing off the walls, like he would be beforehand.

I''ll have to ask him what changes in his diet he has made on top of the Adderall that may have helped him manage better.

Good luck sorting things out. I hope you figure out the best combination of drugs/diet to manage your situation.

 

[swingirl]

My son has ADD. I don''t use the term ADHD because he is not hyperactive. He''s been on several different drugs and has a wonderful unconventional doctor that allows my so to trying new things until he hits it right. My son could not stomach Adderall. He is now on Vyvanse which is almost working perfectly. It does affect his appetite but he only takes it during the week and is able to catch up on food over the weekend. He also takes 2 different doses depending on what he has to do that day.

Another option is Concerta. Everyone is different and you need to keep trying things until you find the right combination for you.

 

[Arkteia]

Ha-ha...I think we have a long like of ADHD-ers in my family.
I excelled at school. I think it was for two reasons: a) We did not change classrooms that often and the school was relatively small, and, b) many people with ADHD compensate by "hyperfocusing". THis is what you may be doing, too.

College was easy till we started travelling to different clinics, all over the town. That was very difficult but I tried my best.

My son was very hyperactive since the day he was born. His case was so obvious that he was diagnosed at 6, I think. I did not want to start medicating him so we tried everything, diets, these special gummy bears, therapy, what not. We did full panel of neurocognitive testing twice, his IQ was 131 in one of them and 137 in the other one. With this, he failed miserably at school. When he was 13 a psychologist in my program, god bless her, said, "why don''t you just try Ritalin? Just for a couple of days? And see what happens?"

It completely changed his life. On the negative side, high doses of Concerta he was on caused "zombie-like" effect, lack of appetite and lack of sleep.
He is now on Vyvanse (a new form of Adderall) and it seems to work better for him.
He always reminds himself that Vyvanse does no cure ADHD; it merely helps the symptoms for 8 hours. Long-term projects may still be a problem but since you appear a high-achiever no doubt you developed coping skills as well.

Getting off higher dose of medication in the evening may cause "crashing" with tiredness and mood changes.

Sleep may become a huge issues especially if you need a "booster" in the evening. You may need a medication for sleep.

If it is Adderall or Dexedrine, I''d advise to take it with food because it may cause stomach pain. Concerta can not be taken with meals.

Straterra works but not for everyone. In general, I believe stimulants work better, unless it is a young super-hyperactive child. In many cases, you do not need stimulants to treat hyperactivity. Clonidine or Tenex do the job and it is much easier on the developing brain.

Noise and outside distractors are horrible for ADHD''ers because many of them may also suffer from sensory integration issues. You mentioned working in a cubicle; see if wearing noise-cancelling earphones (from Bose or something similar) help you focus better. In general, having own office helps but not everyone can afford such a luxury.

It is better not to travel several times a day if you have ADHD. Technically I have 2 jobs and managing time is very different. I am now cutting my hours at one of them and plan eventually to quit one of my jobs with high level of noise alltogether. ADHD-ers are rypically bad time managers and changing schedule is difficult. Rapid changing of tasks is a horrible thing. I understand you very well when you mention multitasking as part of your job requirement.

Unfortunately I am not a candidate for stimulants because they raise my heart rate. I wish I could use one though. Maybe one day I take a medical leave to try a small dose of Ritalin (it is slighty milder).

Both of my kids have ADHD. I am trying to delay the time when I start medicating my youngest one because stimulants do have an effect on the developing brain. They are perfectly OK for adults.

My father is a super-high achiever who wrote 16 books and was lecturing until 2 years ago (he is now 80). He thinks I got my ADHD from HIM and he got it from his father, also a high-achiever. Truth is, you may be very bright and still have ADHD and need medications. I have noticed that modern-day stressors seem to bring the symptoms out, though.

If you have ADHD it is better not to shop during sales season. You tend to spend more than intended due to impulsivity.

Oh, and if your husband or life partner doesn''t have ADHD - try to delegate mundane tasks such as paying bills, etc. to him!

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/17/2010 2:39:23 PM
Author: swingirl
My son has ADD. I don't use the term ADHD because he is not hyperactive.

ADD is still not the correct term, regardless of whether or not you decide to use it. ADHD covers Attention Deficit OR Hyperactivity OR BOTH. So technically the correct usage would be "ADHD of the Attention Deficit variety." Or, "ADHD of the Hyperactivity variety."

Sorry, I don't mean to be b!tchy about it, but as a psych major and someone who has ADHD, and knowing as much about it as I do, it's a huge pet peeve of mine.

Yes, I have ADHD, I have a prescription for Ritalin somewhere in my parent's stuff. It's never been used, I have never been medicated, and I have always had to come up with my own coping strategies. Those include a lot of behaviors that annoy my husband, but he knew I did this stuff when he married me!

ADHD is very much over diagnosed, and more often than not it's a child not being challenged enough, or some other issue and is an easy way out. This is again, coming from someone who knows ADHD from the inside and is not looking from the outside in.

Not saying that the people who have spoken up here are full of shiz, because as an adult with ADHD, I know that there are people out there with it who suffer greatly, but there are also a lot of little kids who get diagnosed with it, and grow out of what is being looked at as being ADHD.

BTW, my biggest coping mechanism is multi-tasking. At any given time I can and will be participating in at least two activities with my brain. While I am posting this I am simultaneously planning an email response, a blog entry and wondering when my friend will write me back on FB. This often exhibits itself in conversations, and after being together for 4 years, my husband can actually almost follow me, even if it has been 6 hours between two halves of a conversation. It certainly keeps things more interesting...

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/17/2010 7:57:37 AM
Author:Amethyste
I have been ADD all my life - but I have been pretty good at controlling my concentration problems in the past because when I had my business, all was concentrated one ONE thing. Now that I am working in an ultra busy office, with the phones, the computer, the faxes, emails, people stopping at my cube for questions, files and papers all over my desk, I am going crazy and I cannot CANNOT concentrate!

I have talked to my doctor and we have tried different medecines to see what works....

So far I have tried Strattera ( wow $50 a month for my copay ) and it didnt work that great. I tried Ritalin and that was ok, other than the desire to throw up every time I took it and now I am trying Adderall. I hope something works soon...

I know it is a sensitive subject for some, but if you have been in the same boat than I, please share with me your path...

Keep in mind that different forms of Ritalin have different side effects. If you did not tolerate Ritalin it does not necessarily mean that you may not tolerate Focalin or Concerta.

Adderall and Adderall meds work fine. I find Vyvanse is somewhat milder.

And everyone seems to forget Dexedrine, a great medication.

And sorry, I have not read your answer about headphones. I think your office policy is a little bit discriminatory against people with ADHD but it is your job. Try moving your chair so that you are sitting with your back to the wall and see if it helps.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 2/17/2010 12:48:06 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
This is a legitimate question, please don't think I'm trying to be a jerk. I was under the impression that the term 'ADD' was no longer accepted and that everything was being classified as ADHD which could include Hyperactivity OR Attention Deficit OR both and ADD is no longer recognized in the DSM IV.

I didn't see that anyone else answered this, sorry if I'm repeating. You're right, technically it is only ADHD in the newest edition of DSM and that covers the spectrum. However, many people feel that it's misleading to have the H in there all the time, since a lot of people don't have the hyperactivity component, and just use ADD in that case. I wonder if they'll differentiate a bit better when DSM V comes out.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:43:01 PM
Author: crasru

Date: 2/17/2010 7:57:37 AM
Author:Amethyste
I have been ADD all my life - but I have been pretty good at controlling my concentration problems in the past because when I had my business, all was concentrated one ONE thing. Now that I am working in an ultra busy office, with the phones, the computer, the faxes, emails, people stopping at my cube for questions, files and papers all over my desk, I am going crazy and I cannot CANNOT concentrate!

I have talked to my doctor and we have tried different medecines to see what works....

So far I have tried Strattera ( wow $50 a month for my copay ) and it didnt work that great. I tried Ritalin and that was ok, other than the desire to throw up every time I took it and now I am trying Adderall. I hope something works soon...

I know it is a sensitive subject for some, but if you have been in the same boat than I, please share with me your path...

Keep in mind that different forms of Ritalin have different side effects. If you did not tolerate Ritalin it does not necessarily mean that you may not tolerate Focalin or Concerta.

Adderall and Adderall meds work fine. I find Vyvanse is somewhat milder.

And everyone seems to forget Dexedrine, a great medication.

And sorry, I have not read your answer about headphones. I think your office policy is a little bit discriminatory against people with ADHD but it is your job. Try moving your chair so that you are sitting with your back to the wall and see if it helps.

Also, googling "sensory integration" and seeing if they have any specific advices for people with sensitivity to noise could be helpful, too.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:43:20 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 12:48:06 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
This is a legitimate question, please don''t think I''m trying to be a jerk. I was under the impression that the term ''ADD'' was no longer accepted and that everything was being classified as ADHD which could include Hyperactivity OR Attention Deficit OR both and ADD is no longer recognized in the DSM IV.

I didn''t see that anyone else answered this, sorry if I''m repeating. You''re right, technically it is only ADHD in the newest edition of DSM and that covers the spectrum. However, many people feel that it''s misleading to have the H in there all the time, since a lot of people don''t have the hyperactivity component, and just use ADD in that case. I wonder if they''ll differentiate a bit better when DSM V comes out.

Ditto. When is the DSM V coming out anyway elrohwen? Do you know?

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:46:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 3:43:20 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 12:48:06 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
This is a legitimate question, please don't think I'm trying to be a jerk. I was under the impression that the term 'ADD' was no longer accepted and that everything was being classified as ADHD which could include Hyperactivity OR Attention Deficit OR both and ADD is no longer recognized in the DSM IV.

I didn't see that anyone else answered this, sorry if I'm repeating. You're right, technically it is only ADHD in the newest edition of DSM and that covers the spectrum. However, many people feel that it's misleading to have the H in there all the time, since a lot of people don't have the hyperactivity component, and just use ADD in that case. I wonder if they'll differentiate a bit better when DSM V comes out.

Ditto. When is the DSM V coming out anyway elrohwen? Do you know?

Not a clue! I'll shoot my mom an email and see if she knows.

eta: Apparently there's an official DSM-V website which claims it's coming out in May of 2013. http://www.psych.org/dsmv.aspx

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:57:34 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 3:46:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 3:43:20 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 12:48:06 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
This is a legitimate question, please don''t think I''m trying to be a jerk. I was under the impression that the term ''ADD'' was no longer accepted and that everything was being classified as ADHD which could include Hyperactivity OR Attention Deficit OR both and ADD is no longer recognized in the DSM IV.

I didn''t see that anyone else answered this, sorry if I''m repeating. You''re right, technically it is only ADHD in the newest edition of DSM and that covers the spectrum. However, many people feel that it''s misleading to have the H in there all the time, since a lot of people don''t have the hyperactivity component, and just use ADD in that case. I wonder if they''ll differentiate a bit better when DSM V comes out.

Ditto. When is the DSM V coming out anyway elrohwen? Do you know?

Not a clue! I''ll shoot my mom an email and see if she knows.
eta: Apparently there''s an official DSM-V website which claims it''s coming out in May of 2013. http://www.psych.org/dsmv.aspx

Dang dude! That long? I feel like people have been talking about it''s release forever...I can''t believe it''s going to be over three more years!

 

[swingirl]

Date: 2/17/2010 3:34:13 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 2:39:23 PM
Author: swingirl
My son has ADD. I don''t use the term ADHD because he is not hyperactive.

ADD is still not the correct term, regardless of whether or not you decide to use it. ADHD covers Attention Deficit OR Hyperactivity OR BOTH. So technically the correct usage would be ''ADHD of the Attention Deficit variety.'' Or, ''ADHD of the Hyperactivity variety.''

Sorry, I don''t mean to be b!tchy about it, but as a psych major and someone who has ADHD, and knowing as much about it as I do, it''s a huge pet peeve of mine.

Of course I know that ADHD is the official name. But most people still believe an ADHD kid is bouncing off the walls. My son''s original diagnosis was ADD because that was what they called it. I just choose to keep his old diagnosis because it reflects what he has. I realize it''s not officially correct but that was why I explained myself.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 2/17/2010 4:01:44 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 3:57:34 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 3:46:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Ditto. When is the DSM V coming out anyway elrohwen? Do you know?

Not a clue! I''ll shoot my mom an email and see if she knows.
eta: Apparently there''s an official DSM-V website which claims it''s coming out in May of 2013. http://www.psych.org/dsmv.aspx

Dang dude! That long? I feel like people have been talking about it''s release forever...I can''t believe it''s going to be over three more years!

Didn''t DSM-IV come out in 1994 or something? It''s been forever. You''d think they would come out with a new edition at least once a decade.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/17/2010 4:07:07 PM
Author: swingirl

Date: 2/17/2010 3:34:13 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 2:39:23 PM
Author: swingirl
My son has ADD. I don't use the term ADHD because he is not hyperactive.

ADD is still not the correct term, regardless of whether or not you decide to use it. ADHD covers Attention Deficit OR Hyperactivity OR BOTH. So technically the correct usage would be 'ADHD of the Attention Deficit variety.' Or, 'ADHD of the Hyperactivity variety.'
Sorry, I don't mean to be b!tchy about it, but as a psych major and someone who has ADHD, and knowing as much about it as I do, it's a huge pet peeve of mine.

Of course I know that ADHD is the official name. But most people still believe an ADHD kid is bouncing off the walls. My son's original diagnosis was ADD because that was what they called it. I just choose to keep his old diagnosis because it reflects what he has. I realize it's not officially correct but that was why I explained myself.

I didn't say that you didn't. Your original statement clearly identified that you do know. What most people think is the case is wrong, and should I be the one with a kid with Attention Deficit Disorder, I'd be trying to educate people that three disorders are encompassed by one name instead of perpetuating their belief that hasn't officially existed for quite some time. I get that it would get old to explain it to people all of the time, but I'd rather appear to be a know-it-all than ignorant if they find out that ADD doesn't exist from someone else. But that's me. I have issues more numerous than just my ADHD.

ETA: the above is decent evidence of my OCD, of the Obsessive variety. Which is another one of those triple disorders...Obsessive, Compulsive and both.

See? I have issues!

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/17/2010 4:09:30 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 4:01:44 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 3:57:34 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 3:46:35 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Ditto. When is the DSM V coming out anyway elrohwen? Do you know?

Not a clue! I''ll shoot my mom an email and see if she knows.
eta: Apparently there''s an official DSM-V website which claims it''s coming out in May of 2013. http://www.psych.org/dsmv.aspx

Dang dude! That long? I feel like people have been talking about it''s release forever...I can''t believe it''s going to be over three more years!

Didn''t DSM-IV come out in 1994 or something? It''s been forever. You''d think they would come out with a new edition at least once a decade.

Yeah, you''d think! I mean I know a lot goes into it, and a lot changes for version to version, but almost 20 years is entirely too long. I think at least one version per decade is probably ideal. Darn psychologists/psychiatrists/academics/medical doctors and their decade long discussions of whether or not something fits certain criteria, etc. Blaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 2/17/2010 4:31:28 PM
Author: FrekeChild

Date: 2/17/2010 4:09:30 PM
Author: elrohwen

Date: 2/17/2010 4:01:44 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Dang dude! That long? I feel like people have been talking about it''s release forever...I can''t believe it''s going to be over three more years!

Didn''t DSM-IV come out in 1994 or something? It''s been forever. You''d think they would come out with a new edition at least once a decade.

Yeah, you''d think! I mean I know a lot goes into it, and a lot changes for version to version, but almost 20 years is entirely too long. I think at least one version per decade is probably ideal. Darn psychologists/psychiatrists/academics/medical doctors and their decade long discussions of whether or not something fits certain criteria, etc. Blaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

Especially because I think psychological health issues have become such a big deal. Maybe 40 years nobody talked about depression, they barely knew what autism was, etc. But now things are changing all the time and new things are being added and the literature should keep up. Especially since DSM is kind of the final word on what is and what isn''t considered a diagnosis.

 

[Gailey]

Not many votes for Dexedrine, but I have taken it for years and have found to be very helpful. I take the sustained release variety - Dexedrine Spansule.

I don''t have the "H" in ADHD, but sure as hell wish I did. Might get off my butt a bit more!

 

[elrohwen]

I was thinking over Freke's comments, about how over-diagnosised ADHD is, and I think it does a huge disservice to adults with the condition. We're so used to hearing about it in kids (and realizing that half of those kids may not even have it) that nobody talks about what it's like as an adult. As if it just goes away when someone turns 18?

I've grown up with psychologists and even I have very little idea what it's like to have ADHD as an adult (though I could probably give you most of the symptoms of a kid with ADHD). I'm really enjoying reading about everyone's experiences on this thread! I imagine many adults don't realize they even have something treatable and just think they're too scatterbrained.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Just to clarify a few statements made

1) A general pediatrician can manage most ADHD for the children. It is one of the few mental health conditions I myself am truely conformable with. Of course, there are cases I do refer out (kids with another mental health disorder, kids who can't be managed on one med, kids 6 years old ect)

2) when a kid meets criteria for ADHD but is not hyperactive they are technically called ADHD - inattentive type. This is the type that is more common in girls, and regardless of gender either gets missed, or picked up much later. The inattentive symptoms are the symptoms that will most likely persist into adulthood.

3) There have been no studies showing diet modification will help this problem

4) For meds, the stimulants are the most effective treatment. Different meds work for different people.

5) I usually try to do a combo of medication therapy with environmental modification. That is only successful if you have a motivated patient (for the adults) or parent (for the kids). I explain to the parents that the children need to learn how to cope with their ADHD when they are not on meds. This is especially important for social situations where impulsive statements can cause problems. I have one child I am managing with environmental modification alone and we are using evidence based practices.

6) From the pediatrician's point of view, it is important not to diagnose every kid with a behavioral issue with "ADHD." Every child I have seen with a behavioral problem or a mental health disorder came in to rule out ADHD because someone else told them they might have it. I have had 2 year olds with speech delay come in on the advise of a speech pathologist for a r/o ADHD eval. I have to explain to the parents that a 2 year old does not have an attention span that is long enough to be disordered!!! I had another kid with depression who came to me for a "r/o ADHD" from the social worker, and I didn't even bother to do the workup, I sent him to psych to manage his depression. I would like to find away to go about educating these professionals about what is/is not ADHD, but easier said than done.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I have no advice other than ritalin makes me hyperfocus way too much. I took some of my daughter''s once and sat down to make an incentive chart for my kids and got "stuck" obsessed with editing the colors so much that the 7 hours they were in school were done in a flash and all I had done is played with colors. I don''t see how that helped in any way!!!! I got sucked in big time.

My daughter hasn''t been on it for years now and is doing pretty well - my son is having issues and of course I am. I cannot live without a pda phone anymore. It works as the logical part of my brain. I am seriously disabled when something happens to interrupt our partnership.

Do you like all of those papers and stuff? Because I like that stuff and would get obsessed with organizing it and probably flake off on some other aspect of my job.

What was the question again? lol

 

[Amethyste]

Date: 2/17/2010 8:26:59 PM
Author: Cehrabehra
I have no advice other than ritalin makes me hyperfocus way too much. I took some of my daughter''s once and sat down to make an incentive chart for my kids and got ''stuck'' obsessed with editing the colors so much that the 7 hours they were in school were done in a flash and all I had done is played with colors. I don''t see how that helped in any way!!!! I got sucked in big time.


My daughter hasn''t been on it for years now and is doing pretty well - my son is having issues and of course I am. I cannot live without a pda phone anymore. It works as the logical part of my brain. I am seriously disabled when something happens to interrupt our partnership.


Do you like all of those papers and stuff? Because I like that stuff and would get obsessed with organizing it and probably flake off on some other aspect of my job.


What was the question again? lol

Ritalin did nothing really for me... I cannot live without my PDA too... You are too funny...