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I had a coworker who 'didn't believe in pills' decide that I just needed to give up gluten to treat my ADHD. Because gluten is evil. Yeah. No. You will pry that baguette from my cold, dead, distracted hands.
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Sep 30, 2010 22:49
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extraneousXTs posted:Had a professor who said that ADHD didn't exist when he was young when the issue came up. I told him they just called it 'minimal brain dysfunction' and lumped us in with the Downs kids and 'Bad Girls' in his youth. He was surprisingly receptive to that explanation and to references of cross-cultural studies of ADHD which were published in credible journals; I was really kinda shocked to see someone who babysat neanderthals come around so fast. drat, the people in my course are the same way with even general information I tell them about or when I help them with homework. Sometimes if you just display or explain the information in a different way people will understand or be able to relate to it better. I'm getting some wicked stress from school, but I'm pretty insane about the quality of my work (especially trades work). So I was really upset that I'm put in groups where I have to work and experience on the job stuff where people are standing around, staring at each other OR they're doing work without explaining what they're doing. It's a class, I want to know what I'm doing.
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Sep 30, 2010 23:52
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Effexxor posted:Oooh, an update about how you're doing. That's great that they called you and apologized, that's an awesome sign. But hey. You know you haven't called a psychiatrist. You know that it's your ADHD making you get distracted and/or anxious about doing it. Schedule a time to call, and make yourself do it. You won't feel better till you do this, so take that first step. Well I think I figured out my health insurance doesn't cover a psychiatrist, so not sure if I would go that route if I could get some money. I just now realized that I missed that loving CHADD meeting on tuesday =/ .... And ever since I got my new job I never found a new doctor, so I need to research local doctors and snap to it... gently caress my life
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Oct 1, 2010 15:39
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Well, I started a new job a few days ago. I'm working there as a contractor, so they won't be supplying me with health insurance. However, I'm now getting to the point where I can actually start thinking about getting my own. And yes, this means I'm going to start looking at possible options for seeing someone who will evaluate me for ADD and treat me properly if I do have it. Any advice about what medical coverage plans I need to look at if I'm going to be seeking health care for this particular purpose?
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Oct 4, 2010 05:38
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I was told it was going to be 3 months for my psychiatrist referral but luckily it's actually on Tuesday which makes it 3 weeks instead. First one is free and I will be seeing if I can get the government to pay for it afterwards since I am a poor student. I also won't have to wait so long to see a psychiatrist/psychologist after I've gone the first time which is good news. I've made a list that covers an entire sheet of paper with my symptoms that I've gathered from googling "symptoms of adult ADHD" and I have nearly every single one I've found. However, the one thing I was quite interested in is hearing loss as a symptom. Do many of you have hearing problems? I was born with a hearing loss but it's compounded by the fact that I have to focus as much as I can in order to hear a person. Is this just an attention thing or is there something else involved here as well?
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Oct 4, 2010 07:27
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Have a list to refer to when you go into the doctor, but don't go LOOK I FOUND ALL OF THESE ON THE INTERNET. Speak from your experiences and be sincere and use whatever notes you bring to remind yourself of things you may forget otherwise, but ADHD isn't something you can always just go over a checklist and if you score high enough you definitely have it. Granted, if you experience a lot of ADHD-like symptoms, you probably have ADHD, but bipolar disorder and OCD tend to have similar symptoms at times, the major difference being the severity of specific behaviors/symptoms. If you have report cards from when you were younger that helps, because in order to have ADHD you absolutely must have had it as a child. There is no such thing as adult onset ADHD, only ADHD that persists into adulthood. I have a high frequency hearing loss I was born with. I have trouble listening to people at times, but in terms of focusing on what they're saying it's gotten better with medication.
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Oct 4, 2010 07:46
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Yes I'm very wary of self-diagnosing but I made the list because when I go in to see a doctor I always forget what I need to be saying, no matter what I'm there for. A couple years ago I was given a battery of memory tests because it was suspected I had some sort of damage from a car accident but the test showed I have a good short-term memory while sitting and doing it, but I know I don't have a good memory for a lot of things and people that know me know this. Once I actually looked up what ADHD was I connected the pieces to my childhood and suddenly everything made a lot more sense. I predominantly suffer from things other than being hyperactive, but in that department I have racing thoughts, can't sit still (leg is bouncing, fingers are tapping), talking excessively and if I can leave a place I will. Even when I am with my friends I will leave the room/house just to come back a few minutes/hours later. My main problems are disorganization and being impulsive. One thing that stood out for me was "inaccurate self-observation". Can you explain that one a bit better for me? I understand it as being sort of a poor self-image thing, similar to being disappointed in myself even if I do a good job, but I want to be clear. I don't really want to get into the specifics of what I have written down as far as symptoms go but suffice to say I didn't really notice any that aren't relevant at this moment or in the past. Xenoid fucked around with this message at 08:12 on Oct 4, 2010 |
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Oct 4, 2010 08:10
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Eh, I think everybody has some kind of inaccurate self-observation to an extent. That is to say, it's more of a confidence issue than entirely an ADHD thing. That being said, I have a hard time in my places of work being comfortable with how others perceive me. I tend to feel like I'm unwanted and I am a nuisance, but I think that's more of years of childhood trauma from teasing and being conditioned to feel like an outcast. I wouldn't focus on specific symptoms too much. When I first started seeing my psychatrist I had a whole list of issues, like how you are describing, but he did the best thing that any shrink has ever done for me, he didn't give a poo poo. Too often when I went and saw a doctor did they put way too much value into what I said and were willing to listen to any outrageous poo poo I'd say and try to work with me through what I was describing. What my doctor said was, "Welp, try these meds because what you're describing is just classic ADHD, focus on your work issues, and we'll deal with the other stuff down the line," and bid me ado after 10 minutes because he already had another patient in the waiting room. A few months later, all of the poo poo on the list I wrote up isn't even relevant anymore, though at the time there were feelings I thought I would never be able to let go of. There are a few things I still struggle with on a daily basis, like complete and total existentialism, and I'm sure you'll still struggle with stuff should you respond positively to medication like I have, but for now, focus on getting your day-to-day life in order (that is, make it less of a fight/struggle every waking moment) before you try to tackle the other stuff.
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Oct 4, 2010 09:07
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I'm 29 and just got diagnosed/prescribed after about 10 years of thinking about it. The catalyst was the fact that I am going back to school part-time. Out of the 6 major areas in which ADD manifests itself, my psychologist diagnosed me with only 2 of them, which seems about right. My main issue is that I can't read well because I can't concentrate on what I'm reading. For pleasure or for work/school. It's a pain in the rear end. The best I can do is isolate myself in an area where there is literally nothing for me to look at besides my reading material, put in some noise isolating IEMs, and turn on some ambient or classical music so that if someone walks past, or a bird lands on a branch 4 miles away, I won't hear it and get distracted. Even with these "perfect" conditions I'm lucky if I can retain what I read after reading it 3-4 times instead of the usual 5-8. I've been on Concerta XR 27mg for a couple of weeks now and aside from feeling like a zombie for the first 2 afternoons, it seems to have had no effect. Well, actually, it seems to suppress my appetite as well.  Oh well, I guess that when I go see the doc in 3 weeks he'll adjust accordingly. I'm pretty tempted to take 2 pills in a day to see if it makes a difference ahead of time. I wasted 10 years, I don't want to waste another month on a slightly higher yet useless dosage.
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Oct 4, 2010 14:08
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drumwolf posted:Well, I started a new job a few days ago. I'm working there as a contractor, so they won't be supplying me with health insurance. However, I'm now getting to the point where I can actually start thinking about getting my own.
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Oct 4, 2010 15:54
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I don't know if anybody in here would be able to tell you about what kind of health insurance you should be looking for, but also keep in mind this thread moves very slowly at times. You only posted that last night so just hang out and see if anybody responds while you look elsewhere for answers.
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Oct 4, 2010 16:49
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drumwolf posted:Anyone? I haven't had to buy insurance on the private market in a long time, but the only two things I could think of are: 1. See if they consider ADHD a 'mental' disorder or a 'physical' disorder'. Some insurances treat the two differently. e.g. the crappy insurance I had eons ago would pay for doctors visits for asthma, but not for anxiety. 2. See how the prescription medication coverage is, since one of the main methods of treating ADHD involves medication. Do they have high copays, a restrictive registry of what they'll pay for, you have to get your pills from certain pharmacies or a mail order service, etc. 3. Also, how do they treat pre-existing conditions? Will your ADHD, etc. be considered one? That's also a big one. I saw your health insurance post, you might get better answers from the Goon Doctor subforum. Good luck! Qu Appelle fucked around with this message at 16:55 on Oct 4, 2010 |
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Oct 4, 2010 16:51
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Xenoid posted:A couple years ago I was given a battery of memory tests because it was suspected I had some sort of damage from a car accident but the test showed I have a good short-term memory while sitting and doing it, but I know I don't have a good memory for a lot of things and people that know me know this. I remember a study that I read of brain scans on people who were treated with ADHD in childhood versus those who don't. They found that kids with early ADHD treatment had more gray matter and better circulation and function in the frontal cortex than those who weren't. We literally don't have as much grey matter, which has to do with long term memory development. I found a cool study. "Joseph Beiberman"/ posted:Pharmacotherapy of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Reduces Risk for Substance Use Disorder
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Oct 4, 2010 19:06
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Well, my "coming out" went spectacularly well, to my surprise. One of the relatives I thought would be contrary actually came to me after I spoke at length about ADD and said she thought she had it too. The other person who I was sure would be stubborn about it, my mother, actually started crying and apologizing. Even though she's really not at fault for anything, it was nice to hear.
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Oct 5, 2010 18:59
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I was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago and put on Dexedrine. For the first four months or so the medication worked wonderfully. I could sit through lectures without doodling on my paper or fidgeting at my desk. I stopped making dumb mistakes at work and losing my belongings constantly. I basically stopped doing all of the silly little things I had done before that made me feel like a gently caress up all the time. I've come to really hate the medication though. It gives me horrible headaches, makes me irritable and restless and I have a terrible time trying to eat when I take it. Plus I smoke like a chimney when I'm on it. At this point it seems counterproductive to take it because I feel like it's only making my symptoms worse. However, when I go off it my symptoms come right back and it's incredibly frustrating. I told my psyc about all of this, and I told him I thought maybe my symptoms were due to depression rather than ADHD. I've been on Lexapro for a few months now and while it's eased my irritability and anxiety, it hasn't done much for my poor memory or attention the way I hoped it would. I was wondering if anyone of you guys has had a positive experience with non-stimulant ADHD meds? Maybe it's the dexedrine in particular, but I feel like stimulants just might not be for me.
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Oct 5, 2010 23:09
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The best advice I've ever gotten for ADHD came from an anonymous dude on the internet; he said he'd started taking his medication AFTER lunch. He just toughed it out in the mornings, then took his pills with/after lunch. Since I've started doing that it's a whole new ballgame! This is with instant release medication
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Oct 6, 2010 00:12
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I haven't had time to read the whole thread so forgive me if this has been covered, but does anyone else have trouble sleeping when taking medication? I've tried adderall, concerta, and vyvanse, and it's all the same story. Just the other day, I took 30mg vyvanse at 6am, and I couldn't sleep until 2am. I have taken the drugs regularly before, but not for a while. I quit simply because I felt life getting more and more miserable as I became more sleep-deprived. And I hate that "zombie" feeling that I get in the afternoon. I can be productive for about 3 hours, and then stay awake and do nothing for another 14 hours. However, life also sucks when I'm off meds. Does anyone have any advice on what to do to help curb those side-effects? I remember someone a few pages back mentioning bananas. Are there any other helpful tips?
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Oct 6, 2010 02:23
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A) Take a multivitamin and make sure you eat healthy and adequately B) Make sure you exercise daily (doesn't have to be a lot but at least 30 min or so of cardio) C) Stay away from extended release medications D) Try dexedrine, or if your doctor is down, desoxyn E) more =/= better with prescription stims. I've found that I don't need more than 15mg per day. Explain to your doctor that you are having trouble sleeping and you would like to try instant release dexedrine.
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Oct 6, 2010 03:29
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Welp I went to the psychiatrist and it turned out kind of unexpectedly. He says I'm manic (bi polar) and while I don't disagree that I may be manic I am surprised because he basically ignored all the ADD symptoms I had brought up and only focused on the hyperactive which I felt was more of an afterthought. He wants to put me on lithium and while I know the name I don't know what it is and I'm very wary of drugs I don't know about. I have another appointment in 3 weeks and I think I'm just going to try and talk to him again because my life is being hosed up more from the inattentive/impulsive than me being hyperactive. Literature also indicates that using recreational drugs would trigger a manic episode which is absolutely not the case with me as I was using them to self-medicate and now that I'm not doing that my ADHD symptoms are becoming stronger.
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Oct 6, 2010 03:33
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It's very important to be able to trust your doctor. ADD and Bipolar do share some symptoms, and can also exist together. Can you get a second opinion? If you can't get a second opinion, can you get your psychiatrist to explain why he doesn't think it's ADD? If he won't, or dismisses your concern, then you really do need to see someone else. Check out this informational article on ADD and Bipolar over at additudemag and see if it helps you out any.
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Oct 6, 2010 03:59
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Jiminy Krimpet posted:I'm 29 and just got diagnosed/prescribed after about 10 years of thinking about it. The catalyst was the fact that I am going back to school part-time. Same here. Just diagnosed 2 days ago, after a rough 29 years on this planet. All through school (elementary, high school, college) I couldnt bring myself to do homework, and couldnt pay attention in class. All my test scores were through the roof, but that didnt stop me from flunking out of pretty much everything. I now want to go back to school, and finally swallowed my pride and saw my doc about it. Doc started me on 40mg of Vyvanse. Ive been super tweeky, but I assume its going to die down within the next week. Ive noticed that Im more alert, not making snap judgements, and can complete small tasks. But, Ive also become somewhat depressed. I keep thinking about how many missed opportunities I had because my parents didnt do anything about it growing up. And, wondering if I have just signed up to a lifetime of always being under the influence of something. Im assuming Im not the only one that has had these thoughts. How did you get through it?
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Oct 6, 2010 09:49
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Xenoid posted:A couple years ago I was given a battery of memory tests because it was suspected I had some sort of damage from a car accident but the test showed I have a good short-term memory while sitting and doing it, but I know I don't have a good memory for a lot of things and people that know me know this. Tests like that can be weird. I'm not sure if it's because people with ADHD are fascinated with unfamiliar evaluations and tasks and thus do better than they would in everyday life, or if tests like that measure abilities in isolation which don't work too well in unison. I'm still pretty amused/perplexed by an IQ test I took when I was 16. Not only was the overall score pretty high (the context was that I was being counceled for being in danger of failing a grade twice in a row and getting kicked out of school), but I got the highest scores in the tasks that test mathematical ability. So according to standardized testing, I should be close to being a maths genius - but my final school grade in the subject was just a little short of an F. quote:My main problems are disorganization and being impulsive. One thing that stood out for me was "inaccurate self-observation". Can you explain that one a bit better for me? I understand it as being sort of a poor self-image thing, similar to being disappointed in myself even if I do a good job, but I want to be clear. I don't really want to get into the specifics of what I have written down as far as symptoms go but suffice to say I didn't really notice any that aren't relevant at this moment or in the past. This can mean many things, but an example would be misjudging how well you can do at certain tasks - one of the reasons I procrastinate so much is that I'm convinced I can do all that stuff in a really short amount of time, even though experience has shown again and again that I can't. I'd talk more about it, but I have an appointment with my neurologist. Maybe I'll write some more stuff in the thread soon, if only to distract myself from some current anxiety.
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Oct 6, 2010 10:18
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RandomJapaneseGirl posted:Well, my "coming out" went spectacularly well, to my surprise. One of the relatives I thought would be contrary actually came to me after I spoke at length about ADD and said she thought she had it too. The other person who I was sure would be stubborn about it, my mother, actually started crying and apologizing. Even though she's really not at fault for anything, it was nice to hear. Yeah! I'm really glad to hear this! You are pretty lucky to have a family/relatives like this! Did you tell them you were taking medications for it? How are the medications working out? Did you show them the brochures you talked about earlier? I am so happy for you!
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Oct 6, 2010 13:10
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How long does it usually take for non-stimulant meds to work? I'm on Tenex and have been on it for 12 days. What changes should I be looking for?
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Oct 6, 2010 13:32
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The Pell posted:Same here. Just diagnosed 2 days ago, after a rough 29 years on this planet. All through school (elementary, high school, college) I couldnt bring myself to do homework, and couldnt pay attention in class. All my test scores were through the roof, but that didnt stop me from flunking out of pretty much everything. I now want to go back to school, and finally swallowed my pride and saw my doc about it. Heh, yeah, it's like you're giving my biography. Spent my life attaining everything could get through standardized tests and competitions, and nothing one could get through work. Turns out that opportunities for the former run out when you're 18. So I got a full ride to college and dropped out within 6 months. I'm a little depressed too, but I think it's more to do with my lack of progress on medication so far. It's only been a couple of weeks, but part of me was really excited that after 10 years I jumped through all the necessary hoops and spoke to doctors, and their first attempt at a solution seems a failure. Part of me knows that's dumb, and even if these PILLZ are not the answer to dreams, there are other ones out there, and different dosages. Also, I know that I'm doing what I can to help myself. I've developed mechanisms over my life to deal with the symptoms, and most of them have worked; I'm just trying to get the missing pieces filled in now. Even though I'm depressed about the current situation, I think overall I feel better than I did before. I'd spent 10 years knowing that I was loving up good situations and letting opportunities go to waste, and knowing that there were doctors all around who deal with this all the time and could help, and I just wasn't talking to them. I am a little worried about the idea of being on pills forever, but not as worried as I was about screwing things up forever without exhausting all options to change things.
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Oct 6, 2010 14:37
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What's the best way to approach a Dr. about ADD/ADHD? I'm 27 and I've been aware of my symptoms for as long as I can remember. I was all but diagnosed in 1st/2nd grade, but my parents didn't want me on medication. They just forced the school(s) to deal with it (this was actually a good thing in my opinion - long story). I did well enough, great even, by not doing hw and cramming before tests. I pulled the same crap all the way through college, again with decent results. Now I'm employed full time, getting married, and going to grad school. Disorganization is killing me. Not being able to study is killing me, and dealing with everything with 'brute force power of will' is absolutely exhausting. I really want to know if medication would make things easier. Also, a couple of comments earlier in the thread rang true to me: particularly those about speaking quickly, interrupting, volume control, and stream of consciousness. Edit: I forgot to add that I'm a bit apprehensive because I fear that any Dr. is just going to tell me, "You've done fine this far..." AsphaltBelyflop fucked around with this message at 16:01 on Oct 6, 2010 |
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Oct 6, 2010 15:57
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AsphaltBelyflop posted:What's the best way to approach a Dr. about ADD/ADHD? I was given a list of local psychologists by my university's counseling center, but I could have just as easily picked ones out of the phone book. Just ask if they take your insurance (if you have it) since even at a given office there may be dozens of doctors, who each deal with insurance individually. I didn't need a referral or anything; for all intents and purposes I cold-called her. My psychologist doesn't prescribe medicine, so she sent notes to my regular doctor, who then chatted with me and gave me an Rx. As far as the worry about being shot down, I know what you mean but 1) I don't think that will happen, and 2) even if it does, it would be more meaningful to be shot down by a PhD than to be shot down by a fake doctor you imagined up. Jiminy Krimpet fucked around with this message at 16:09 on Oct 6, 2010 |
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Oct 6, 2010 16:07
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Jiminy Krimpet posted:I was given a list of local psychologists by my university's counseling center, but I could have just as easily picked ones out of the phone book. Just ask if they take your insurance (if you have it) since even at a given office there may be dozens of doctors, who each deal with insurance individually. I didn't need a referral or anything; for all intents and purposes I cold-called her. My psychologist doesn't prescribe medicine, so she sent notes to my regular doctor, who then chatted with me and gave me an Rx. 1) My imaginary doctors are really smart. 2) ...I don't have a 2, you're right. If general practitioners can write the Rx, is going to a psychologist necessary? Is a general practitioner just likely to refer you to a psychologist if you go to them first?
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Oct 6, 2010 16:47
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Rushputin posted:I'm still pretty amused/perplexed by an IQ test I took when I was 16. Not only was the overall score pretty high (the context was that I was being counceled for being in danger of failing a grade twice in a row and getting kicked out of school), but I got the highest scores in the tasks that test mathematical ability. So according to standardized testing, I should be close to being a maths genius - but my final school grade in the subject was just a little short of an F. I'm a maths genius and I nearly failed a math class or two in high school. It was easy, I just never got my homework done. Tests? As or Bs unless the teacher complained about my handwriting or "show your work" and counted extra things wrong. Homework? maybe half of it got turned in for 100s (assuming again they didn't complaing about my handwriting or "show your work") which was half or more of the grade. Also, "show your work" was a pain because my mental math doesn't particularly feature processes easily transferable to paper in a way meaningful to most anyone else, despite being much faster than almost everyone else and usually solid. With Focalin XR, I'm doing much better with paperworky type things, but college didn't require much in the way of homework for math classes so I at least got Cs or better from not attending classes because I "forgot" to go and still doing well on tests. Is there a verb for when you never properly forget to do something, but just never remember at the right times, or think about it at the right time but then get distracted before you get to executing it? I could really use one. ADHD is a noun, and ADHDed is kinda clunky, "distracted" isn't specific enough, and "forgot" doesn't have the correct implications of intent... I've been well aware of this huge performance vs ability disconnect since I was little, and now with Focalin I want to kick my parents for refusing an ADHD diagnosis when I was little since it helps me live up to what I know I can do without wanting to shoot myself from the..."boredom" I guess? Not quite boredom, but just general mental restlessness that makes it almost painful to do non-interesting or non-novel things. If grade school were based on pure ability I probably should have gotten all As and over half perfect scores through my entire grade school career. The classes that were low to no repetitive homework, high non-repetitive test content I excelled at whether or not they were particuarly interesting topics to me just because I am such an excellent learner despite my horrible (relative to what I should have gotten for my ability) grades. Grades are NOT an indicator of what you know or what you can do, only what you did at one particular time. Don't get discouraged or sell yourself short because you got bad grades therefore you are dumb. Einstein would fail basic arithmetic if he never did his homework or never showed his work on tests so his teacher counted everything he actually did as wrong anyway because he was obviously cheating since he didn't do that. He could still solve 2*4=? though. AsphaltBelyflop posted:If general practitioners can write the Rx, is going to a psychologist necessary? Is a general practitioner just likely to refer you to a psychologist if you go to them first? This has been my experience, even if you go to a psychologist first and get a diagnosis to bring to the GP. Thats just my personal experience though and I have generally terrible luck with GPs aside from issues like colds. Anything that looks long term or mental health related I pretty much just skip GPs now. Edit: If you're depressed, I guess a GP trip might help. Any depression I ever had was a secondary effect of other things though. Kylra fucked around with this message at 18:07 on Oct 6, 2010 |
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Oct 6, 2010 18:02
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Xenoid posted:Welp I went to the psychiatrist and it turned out kind of unexpectedly. He says I'm manic (bi polar) and while I don't disagree that I may be manic I am surprised because he basically ignored all the ADD symptoms I had brought up and only focused on the hyperactive which I felt was more of an afterthought. He wants to put me on lithium and while I know the name I don't know what it is and I'm very wary of drugs I don't know about. I have another appointment in 3 weeks and I think I'm just going to try and talk to him again because my life is being hosed up more from the inattentive/impulsive than me being hyperactive. Literature also indicates that using recreational drugs would trigger a manic episode which is absolutely not the case with me as I was using them to self-medicate and now that I'm not doing that my ADHD symptoms are becoming stronger. Whooooa, lithium? After one visit? Lithium is hell on your liver, that's something you wait for till you've exhausted the other options. Go to another psych. Also, how long do your hyperactive stages last? Bipolar swings can last for days, where as ADHD swings rarely last for more than a few hours. Man, a doctor throwing out lithium after one session. That's horrific.
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Oct 6, 2010 18:45
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AsphaltBelyflop posted:1) My imaginary doctors are really smart. 2) ...I don't have a 2, you're right. One thing that the Psychologist might be able to do is refer you to a Psychiatrist who treats Adult ADHD, since they may have more experience and connections than the regular GP. I wouldn't trust my GP to treat my ADHD, and my GP is one of better ones out there, who gets that it exists in people over the age of 10. Qu Appelle fucked around with this message at 22:07 on Oct 6, 2010 |
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Oct 6, 2010 19:48
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Effexxor posted:Whooooa, lithium? After one visit? Lithium is hell on your liver, that's something you wait for till you've exhausted the other options. Go to another psych. Also, how long do your hyperactive stages last? Bipolar swings can last for days, where as ADHD swings rarely last for more than a few hours. Man, a doctor throwing out lithium after one session. That's horrific. Yeah I always thought lithium was a pretty big deal even though I don't know exactly what it is/does. My mania lasts for a few hours, usually in the evening/late night. I'm not a morning person to say the least. I will try to see if I can get another referral or something but it's tricky because I need a referral to see a psychiatrist and I don't have a family doctor here. I might be able to see my old GP in 2 weeks so maybe she can refer me to someone in Vancouver that is better. I guess I am manic as I never thought of it properly before, but I was more concerned with him ignoring my impulsive/inattentive bits because those are detrimental to my being and mania is something I can work with as it's better than depression in any case.
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Oct 6, 2010 20:13
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Xenoid posted:Yeah I always thought lithium was a pretty big deal even though I don't know exactly what it is/does. My mania lasts for a few hours, usually in the evening/late night. I'm not a morning person to say the least. I will try to see if I can get another referral or something but it's tricky because I need a referral to see a psychiatrist and I don't have a family doctor here. I might be able to see my old GP in 2 weeks so maybe she can refer me to someone in Vancouver that is better. I guess I am manic as I never thought of it properly before, but I was more concerned with him ignoring my impulsive/inattentive bits because those are detrimental to my being and mania is something I can work with as it's better than depression in any case. A lot of people with ADHD seem to get a sense of 'mania' in the evening because all the poo poo you didn't get done during the day just creeps up in your brain on some level and anxiety/jittery unspent or misused energy just starts freaking you out. Stim meds were revolutionary sleep aids to me because I was no longer spending my nights shuffling around stressed out about all the poo poo that should have been done or picking my brain about what the gently caress was forgotten oh-god-I-know-I-forgot-something - No more laying in bed or being unable to get to bed because of that low-grade frenzy nightly cycle, just being able to sleep because all the little and big poo poo managed to get done for once. Huge, huge relief. Are you female by chance? Women are sometimes pigeonholed by doctors with "hysterical, hyperemotional, manic", descriptors for things which might be seen as "hyperactive, immature, impulsive" in male patients. I was initially misdiagnosed as 'rapid cycling bi-polar' because of the mood issues (especially depression from being a gently caress-up) that come from a lifetime of untreated ADHD, and the stresses/anxious unnameable motivations being interpreted as short bursts of dysphoric mania by a doctor. It was really easy to rationalize because, well, life sucks and if you manipulate the idea behind the term mania you can thinly stretch its application in psychology beyond the actual diagnostic criteria for bi-polar disorder just to have a name for the problem and an established, immediately available course of treatment (mood stabilizers, etc). Bi-polar mania and hypomania is persistent and not just a few lovely hours every day which can be explained by other disorders or environmental problems. It seems like the urge to slap ~*~bi-polar~*~ on anything with mood swings is loving horrific these days compared to the time before the jump in drugs being directly advertised to physicians (not just psychiatrists) for bi-polar disorder (the shift to using atypical antipsychotics to treat it especially, holy poo poo).  "Criteria for a manic episode: A manic episode is a distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood that lasts at least one week (or less than a week if hospitalization is necessary). During the period of disturbed mood, three or more of the following symptoms must be present (four if the mood is only irritable): " Think Britney Spears head-shaving breakdown manic behavior versus Jim Carrey and his, at times inappropriate, energy/attention levels and compromised ability to have a filter for the words that come out of his mouth. Seek a second opinion for sure, like for serious sure. That doctor sounds too quick to draw on the prescription pad and seems to misunderstand or manipulate your description of symptoms for a fast diagnosis of a disabling condition... in a new patient that he wants to medicate without further testing/review to confirm. But I am once bitten, twice shy. To compare doctor visits to dating: This sounds like the creepy date who says I Love You too fast; dump him and find someone willing to get to know you better before committing to serious long-term treatments. It is a time consuming pain in the rear end to move on but it can save you years of mistreatment and lost time from settling. Doctors may not boil your bunny in spite, but they can wreck your life with medication side-effects for something they believe you have versus something that is confirmable by other clinicians using established diagnostic criteria.
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Oct 6, 2010 22:01
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Right guys, got two issues for you. First off, I just started a dream job: a combination of educational assistance and research at the university I studied at. So far, it's pretty intense but pretty cool. The only thing that really bothers me is the reading. I need to read lots of academic texts in English (which is a foreign language for me), and even with meds that's always been a weak point of mine. It's not that I'm dyslexic or anything, I just lose focus REALLY fast sometimes. So, first question: do any of you guys have issues with reading too, and what tips can you give me for resolving them? Then, I've been sweating pretty horribly again under my armpits whenever I take methylphenidate (both Ritalin and Concerta). My psychiatrist isn't sure if it's a related issue, since he's had hundreds of ADD/ADHD patients and I'm the first who reports excessive sweating. Furthermore, it's not in his text books in the list of possible side effects. I'm using pretty heavy anti-transpirants (well, now a lite-version, since the 'normal' type irritated my skin something fierce), but they're not really putting much of a dent in it. And it's getting pretty tireing to have to wash even my sweaters every few days. Does anyone else recognise this issue with sweating? If so, what did you do against it?
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Oct 6, 2010 22:32
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extraneousXTs posted:words I'm male btw. The other thing bugging me is he said I'm bi polar type 3 and I'm only seeing 1 and 2 everywhere and no mention of a 3.
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Oct 6, 2010 22:56
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Xenoid posted:Ok I'm getting the feeling that I'm not bi polar at all then because I don't meet the requirements for a manic episode as it only lasts for hours and it's usually every day, in the evening/night. That and the fact that I used recreational drugs to feel normal and now I am bouncing around and I kind of want to rip out of my skin. Quick google search tells me Bipolar type 3 is a result of taking antidepressants. Yeah, not really seeing how lithium is a good idea. If somebody is that set on diagnosing you with bipolar disorder after only the first session, you should probably go see somebody else. If you think it's ADHD still, go see a child psychiatrist, they see adults too. Ask how familiar they are with Adult ADHD and take it from there.
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Oct 7, 2010 01:23
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Unfortunately the ADHD clinic in Vancouver was backlogged so the government did the only sensible thing and shut it down to avoid embarrassment so it can be hard to find anyone here. It will take some time but I should be able to find a good psychiatrist eventually. I didn't find type 3 on any website but it's funny that that's the cause because I didn't mention anything like that to him so I question his ability to perform well in medicine.
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Oct 7, 2010 01:41
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Xenoid posted:Unfortunately the ADHD clinic in Vancouver was backlogged so the government did the only sensible thing and shut it down to avoid embarrassment so it can be hard to find anyone here. It will take some time but I should be able to find a good psychiatrist eventually. I didn't find type 3 on any website but it's funny that that's the cause because I didn't mention anything like that to him so I question his ability to perform well in medicine. God that sucks. Good luck dude! Get some of the books recommended in this thread to work on building coping skills for time management and emotional stuff in the mean time?  Find tons of physical activities to help with focusing and mood. Weight lifting or swimming or running or whatever will kick your rear end and empty your mind, it's a really good and cheap way to self-medicate.
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Oct 7, 2010 01:58
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This thread has been a big help but my biggest issue is procrastination. There are things I need to do that have been sitting around for ages and that is just the norm for me. How do I do something when I know I need to but it still doesn't get done? I'll try and get myself to the library to see if I can get ahold of some of the books I've seen mentioned in here but mainly I'm dealing with some opiate withdrawals and the whole 'being sober' thing is a bit of a trip right now. I'm hoping it'll get better with time but I find myself doing things like smoking, which I don't even enjoy because anything helps the 'want to jump out of my skin' feeling.
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Oct 7, 2010 02:16
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Xenoid posted:Yeah I always thought lithium was a pretty big deal even though I don't know exactly what it is/does. My mania lasts for a few hours, usually in the evening/late night. I'm not a morning person to say the least. I will try to see if I can get another referral or something but it's tricky because I need a referral to see a psychiatrist and I don't have a family doctor here. I might be able to see my old GP in 2 weeks so maybe she can refer me to someone in Vancouver that is better. I guess I am manic as I never thought of it properly before, but I was more concerned with him ignoring my impulsive/inattentive bits because those are detrimental to my being and mania is something I can work with as it's better than depression in any case. But is it really mania? I've had GPs who've thought that I might have bipolar from hearing the bare bones of my hyper mood swings and they do sound very similar, but I crash way too quick and too soon for it to be bipolar. Timing doesn't mattter, stimulus is the biggest thing for people with ADHD. Get another opinion, no one should put you on lithium that quickly. Xenoid posted:This thread has been a big help but my biggest issue is procrastination. There are things I need to do that have been sitting around for ages and that is just the norm for me. How do I do something when I know I need to but it still doesn't get done? I'll try and get myself to the library to see if I can get ahold of some of the books I've seen mentioned in here but mainly I'm dealing with some opiate withdrawals and the whole 'being sober' thing is a bit of a trip right now. I'm hoping it'll get better with time but I find myself doing things like smoking, which I don't even enjoy because anything helps the 'want to jump out of my skin' feeling. Weed is the only thing that calms me down fully. Most unmedicated ADHD people I know smoke. Definitely get to the library and get Driven to Distraction and read about cognitive behavioral therapy. CB therapy is all about teaching yourself to acknowledge the moments of your life where your mental disease has effected you, addressing that you're not just a lazy piece of poo poo, and then making yourself get up and do it. Read D to D and remember, your brain is still adjusting back from the opiates, you aren't going to be able to create serotonin normally for a while till your brain chemistry adjusts. Effexxor fucked around with this message at 06:02 on Oct 7, 2010 |
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Oct 7, 2010 05:56
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