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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
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10:40 pm - It works! It works!
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misthawk
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My husband & I both have ADHD, but are two different types. We've really struggled so far with communication and trying to get things done around the house. By mutual agreement, we created morning and evening routines. I printed them out with some eye-catching clip art (my husband is very visual), and posted them up in the house. Not only have we kept the kitchen tidy for 3 days straight, but I have done the laundry that was taking up space on my floor! Plus, it gave him a guideline to focus on when he wakes up in the morning, which is not his best time of day. Hurrah!
I also introduced my husband to the concept and method of mind maps. He had heard of them, but never used them before. Suddenly, he's found out he can use his visual focus to his advantage - and manage to capture all the details of a project as he thinks of them. THEN he can organise it into some kind of linear format.
Just wanted to share that there are methods and habits that work!! Hurrah! }:D
current mood:  optimistic
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, November 23rd, 2009
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7:52 pm - Relief! Sweet, relief!!
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leirda
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I have'nt yet be diagnosed with AD/HD but I am sure I have it, and this theory get's even more concrete every time someone posts to this wonderful community (I read the post and go, "THAT'S SO ME!!").
Here's the thing, I have no health insurance so it's going to be difficult for me to get the help I need. My school offers disabled services that include learning disabilities and learning disability testing. I felt like this was my only option (because I heard from a disabled student employee that the school psychologist doesn't test for AD/HD), so I opted to do the LD testing.
Today was my appointment, I filled in some forms, and then the psychologist for the Students with Disabilities reviewed it and called me in. He asked me some questions about my form and some questions about my transcript and such. He kept asking me, "have you ever been tested for a learning disability? Have you even been tested for AD/HD? Has a teacher ever mentioned it?" A little after that he said, "Well, I don't think you have an actual learning disability, in that you don't have problems with learning. You have demonstrated that you can learn. I think you have a problem with attention and hyperactivity." Hearing the first part of his sentence made my heart drop, what else was I to do. But then hearing the second part of his sentence was amazing. I didn't even mention once that I suspected I have AD/HD, and I didn't say that anywhere in my forms. Apparently the reason why he kept asking me if I had been tested for AD/HD was because it was so obvious to him that I have it and he was astounded that no one ever tested me for it (this is because everyone around me probably has it so I'm normal to them, and anyways, my mom is super skeptical about everything medical). He told me, "As soon as you sat down I noticed you fidgeting. And you haven't stopped fidgeting since then...that's not common." We talked about other symptoms I have and have had and he seems convinced I have it. He can't diagnose me (he's qualified to, but it's not part of his job with disabled student services), but he made me an appointment with the actual school psychologist who CAN diagnosis me (and after I get that diagnosis I actually qualify for the disabled student services, which includes priority registration over EVERYONE (and if anyone here is in college you know how awesome that is!!).
It's not a confirmed diagnosis, but it's something. It's a start! And soon, I'll probably have a confirmed diagnosis and then I'll be able finally get help. This is such a relief.
I do have a question though. I have no health insurance, so if I do get diagnosed with AD/HD what am I supposed to do about getting medication? (if I decide it comes to that). The psychologist I talked to said I should talk to the school psychologist about finding an MD (for medication) that will do it for free or on a sliding scale. Any experiences with this?
Also, if I do get diagnosed, and I do opt for medication, what is the average cost? How do you afford it? How would I afford it?
Sorry for rambling :[
current mood: relieved
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(9 comments | comment on this)
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4:20 pm - Dandelions and Orchids
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reginaterrae
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I am an orchid!
"The Swedes, Ellis and Boyce noted in an essay titled “Biological Sensitivity to Context,” have long spoken of “dandelion” children. These dandelion children—equivalent to our “normal” or “healthy” children, with “resilient” genes—do pretty well almost anywhere, whether raised in the equivalent of a sidewalk crack or a well-tended garden. Ellis and Boyce offer that there are also “orchid” children, who will wilt if ignored or maltreated but bloom spectacularly with greenhouse care."
current mood: grateful
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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10:15 am - Ritalin, Cymbalta, ??
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splott
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So I should've ask advice sooner, but it all seems so complicated, and it involves my antidepressant and my ADD med, but I guess I want to know about how they all interact, or at least, how other people have experienced them.
For a long time I've been taking Wellbutrin IR, 2x/day, and Ritalin IR every 3 hours, plus Trazodone at bedtime for sleep. I kinda only take the Ritalin as needed on weekends, if i'm doing something specifically needing me to be still.
Last week I went off Trazodone, in hopes of being able to wake up in the morning without falling back asleep multiple times, it seems to have worked, I wake up in the morning before my alarm, at a reasonable hour.
This weekend I started Cymbalta, and started tapering off my Wellbutrin. The Cymbalta seems to be making me sleeeepy. I slept a lot this weekend (but still woke up naturally!) and I still feel slightly dazed (last took it noon yesterday!).
I am supposed to be taking my Ritalin every 3 hours during the day, just started, hoping it'll wake me up.
I'm thinking I should be switching the Cymbalta to bedtime, in hopes of not being sleepy all day, but it's hard to decide cuz i'm sleepy now, and if I'm sleepy now from the meds or from sleeping so much this wkend or...y'know??
And tonight is a night I usually have a drink or two with friends...! I might have to skip that for tonight...cuz I don't know wtf it will do. :/
Anyway, i don't know if I'm venting or asking advice, probably both, I'm not sure what the Cymbalta might do to the ADD symptoms, or what'll do where...I should be asking a pharmacist, I know, but i'm not sure what questions to ask. :/ I WAS able to sleep this weekend without heavy drugs, and also able to sit down and watch movies and read books without Ritalin...
current mood:  muddled
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
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12:55 am - Hahaha we're such an easy target
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aprilstarchild
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Something I am getting really tired of: jokes about ADHD medications and/or people with ADHD. Oooh, I'm so fucking edgy and/or hilarious because I referenced ADHD medications! HA HA HA.
My current example, and the reason I'm posting:
I love Bitch magazine. It's smart, it always makes me think. The writing is usually terrific. There's a column in each issue called "the bitch list," which is a list of eclectic things their authors are currently into/obsessed with, and the list is, for the most part, not very serious. One author admits she really likes the Maru videos (cute Japanese videos of a cat obsessed with boxes), another really likes a guy who writes for The Nation, another can't stop eating a particular kind of cereal...you get the idea.
Another writer just reread Anne of Green Gables. I loved the book, reread it an insane amount of times, read a few of the sequels even. Excellent books, yes? This is part of what she wrote about rereading it (emphasis all mine):
...But one classic that made me sit up and take notice was Lucy Maud Montgomery's tale of a feisty red-haired orphan on Prince Edward Island. From her essential optimism and dogged love of her own imagination to her mile-a-minute speech patterns, this is a girl who, were she in school today, would be shot with blow darts full of Adderall. Thankfully, her friends, neighbors, and especially her adoptive parents, come to love Anne, and she repays that love in kind.
What. the FLYING FUCK.
Let's take a look at some of these assumptions (and my responses to them), shall we?
1. All girls who talk too much are, nowadays, given Adderall to shut them up.
First of all: Adderall doesn't shut me up. It means I'm less likely to interrupt people, that I am more likely to stay on topic when I talk, and that I am less likely to blurt out things impulsively. But yes: I'm talkative and I always will be.
Second of all: ADHD is still often underdiagnosed in girls.
2. Medicating "feisty" kids is bad.
There's a difference between being imaginative or active or talkative, and having ADHD.
3. People who love you don't medicate you. Or conversely, if people love you, they won't medicate you.
Okay, there is so much wrong with this, I don't know where to start. How about mentioning that I wish to GOD someone had diagnosed me as a kid and tried medication? How awful it was not to be able to pay attention in class, how torturous it was to be rejected as a kid because you haven't learned the same social skills? My parents loved me plenty, but they were just as frustrated as I was about my apparent inability to finish my schoolwork despite my high intelligence. I grew up thinking I was a horrible person, instead of knowing I was someone whose brain just works differently.
I'm sure the writer wasn't trying to be insulting. But reading things like this hurts. It dismisses my experiences as a person with ADHD, and dismisses the incredible degree to which ADHD medications have improved my life.
I'm probably going to send a letter to the magazine...but one worded a little more calmly. This is a safer place to vent.
Cross-posted to my own journal.
EDIT: Y'know what? She'd never make jokes about anti-psychotics, or lithium. She probably wouldn't even make them about anti-depressants. Why is it okay to make fun of medications for ADHD?
current mood:  frustrated
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(24 comments | comment on this)
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| Saturday, November 21st, 2009
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6:20 pm - essay writing skills
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missingiris
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I'm not sure how related this is to the AD(H)D group, but I need some tips on writing an essay!
For the first time ever, I think I'm going to write a good essay...granted I can wrap my head around it. We were asked to do a research paper on a topic of our choice. I picked a broad yet specific topic about something I find interesting. For the first time ever, I'm so interested in what i want to write i'm really able to focus on it. I've been animatedly explaining the topics i want to cover to my boyfriend. But as with every essay, I'm having a lot of difficulty structuring my thoughts to build an outline.
I started out by listing off all the questions I want to address. Then I tried cutting and pasting them 'in order'. Now it feels like I'm just going in circles, everything seems to relate to everything, I can't determine a sequential structure to what i'm trying to say. This essay is starting to look like the way I verbally explain things...all over the place...not good.
Do any of you struggle with this kind of thinking when trying to compose the outline for a research paper or an essay? In your experience, what helps you when you're in this position? I'm sure i'm not the only student in here struggling with an essay right now as it is that time of year. Does anyone have any tips or resources they could share to help tackle this?
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(10 comments | comment on this)
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6:31 pm - ADD and Bipolar
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halo0073
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My dr the other day mentioned I might be bipolar as well as the ADD. Because I am so irritable most of the time that I hate myself. Somehow I ended up talking him out of it because most of these extreme irritability/aggressive times have been after some change in medications. Lamictal, Topamax and Pristiq all made me like this. I was taking other antidepressants at the time. And the withdrawl from Cymbalta also has made me like this. I am going to call and see if I can go back on Monday, since the more I think about it, research it, the more it rings true. Are there any other ADD/ADHRers that have found out they are bipolar only through medication issues?
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(7 comments | comment on this)
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8:23 am - Intelligence testing
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taiba
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How would I get this done? I want to know how smart I am. Judging by our conversations, I'm roughly on par with my partner who was tested as a kid and had an IQ if about 140 (gifted). I'd really like to know, because I've always been told the thing about not meeting my "full potential". So, I want to find out what that potential actually is.
I talked to the psychologist at work, but she doesn't have access to any of the adult IQ tests, which means that this particular avenue is out.
Any ideas?
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(23 comments | comment on this)
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7:23 am - My brain
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taiba
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Before I went to see a psychiatrist, I made this:
I can't do lists, because things fit into more than one category. So I gave him that and he had a look and thought it was fantastic :-p It not only listed a stack of my symptoms, but gave him a snap-shot of my thinking style (scattered lol)
Hope it's helpful!
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(17 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
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8:56 am - Intersections
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nightlove
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So my (first day of) assessment for ADHD is tomorrow, and I am both nervous and... well okay I'm just nervous at this point. I'm sure you know what I mean.
I am mostly concerned about intersections of ADHD and, say, being gifted and being female. I realize the research out there is a lot better about gifted and ADHD, and women and ADHD, but these things still make me rather nervous; I am still not sure if I am barking up the wrong tree (but at least I'll know, right?)
Are any of you also "gifted" and ADHD? Did that hinder your diagnosis in any way? Was there anything special about your assessment? I am definitely going to tell the doctor(s) about being labelled gifted in fifth grade, and especially how the school thought I was ADHD both before and after and how my parents had me independently assessed.
What about women and ADHD? I know there's plenty of us. I know the "typical" profile of female ADHD is without the H, and I guess that is likely with myself as well although I do hit every branch on the impulsive tree. Do any of you with the H in ADHD express it differently than the typical, say, male with ADHD? Is there anything specific I should know or remember or speak of when I go in for my assessment?
And finally, I just want to hear of other ADHDers who read. I don't care how much, what type of stuff you read, or whatever. I know we all read on the Internet, and I have my own problems with paying attention long enough but overall it seems I can focus on reading a lot easier than some with ADHD. I just love to hear from those who buck the trend as well, my ability to (hyper)focus on reading was apparently a huge reason I was previously assessed as not ADHD. My heart goes out to those who struggle with this and I am not trying to brag, it can just be rather frustrating and I don't want to go through all of this again only to find out that my reading supposedly negates me from having the disorder (I do know some ADHD individuals in the non-virtual world who are also avid readers, and this is a comfort.)
Thank you.
Edit: You are all so amazing, and quick! :) Thank you so very much for the replies/connections I have received so far. I am still nervous but this is definitely helping. Now I guess I should get back to my more boring tasks for today. ;)
current mood:  nervous
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(60 comments | comment on this)
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| Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
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10:27 pm - Hey all... quick intro :)
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lunamothmama
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Hey y'all... just posting a quick intro!
I have been diagnosed with Bipolar I (currently mixed severe w/psychosis), ADHD combined type, and Panic Disorder.
I am on a host of meds for the BPI (Abilify, Lamictal, Lithium, Celexa), nothing for the ADHD, and Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopins for anxiety and panic, as well as insomnia.
I am unable to go on any meds for the ADHD because they are stimulants, and stimulants will cancel out my BP meds and make me severely manic. so i have to suffer through. And what sucks is that i get more and more distracted and spacey the more manic i get. I cant focus on any one thing for more than 30 minutes, i start millions of projects and never finish, i sew lots but i sew standing up because the only way i can focus and finish is to be constantly moving around... my house is a total wreck because i cant focus on cleaning it.................
my therapist and psychiatrist are working with me to find ways of dealing with the ADHD without drugs and while it gets worse and better with my mood fluctuations.
Anyway, i am curious what are the standard meds out there for treating add/adhd? we are leaning more towards ADD, since i dont have too much hyperactivity outside of mania or projects. So really curious about it......
thanks for any info! :D
current mood:  blah
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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3:54 pm - Adderall XR
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imfabulousbaby
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Hi!
I used to be on adderall IR 10 mg a day. My doc switched me over to adderall ER 10mg once a day. It hasn't been nearly as effective and after doing some internet searches, I've learned that 10 mg of ER is equal to 5 mg immediately and 5mg released later (correct me if I'm wrong?). I really like the idea of the ER but my body was used to getting 10mg IR so to go from that to getting 5mg then 5mg a few hrs later later, I can barely tell I take it. How do you ask your doctor to up your medication amount? I don't want to come off like a smart-ass or w/e if I explain to him what I googled. Plus I'm always afraid I'm going to sound like a drug-seeker! I've taken 2 of my ER 10 mg pills at once and the difference was extremely helpful for my day! Any help? Thanksss
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(3 comments | comment on this)
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| Monday, November 16th, 2009
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5:51 pm - Looking for Work is Depressing
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nads08
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I just graduated and I have a Bachelor in Business Administration majored in finance and every job I want to apply you need experience. I Have only been looking for work 3 months now but I just feel lost and frustrated with myself. It is just so hard for me to sit in front of a computer and fill out application after application and not get called back, and I am afraid if I run out of medication before I find work I will be a failure. I have tried to fill out just one application online without being on medication and I could feel myself getting frustrated and just wanting to give up. I was so upset with myself because I know something that would probably be easy for someone else is really difficult for me to do and it just makes me feel dumb. I know its hard to find work right now and everyone is struggling but my fear is that once my medication runs out and I can not afford to go to the doctor anymore I will fail because I know how difficult it is for me to try to look without it. I feel like I just needed to vent. Am I the only one in this situation?
current mood: frustrated
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(14 comments | comment on this)
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| Sunday, November 15th, 2009
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2:05 am - Waking up and getting out of bed
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synapsomatic
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I meant to post something about this a little while back, and seeing a recent post about the difficulty of getting up in the morning, I'm finally getting around to it. Lots of people here have mentioned experiencing difficulty waking up in the morning and getting out of bed, and I'm definitely one of those people, since starting meds. I put some descriptions of my experiences behind the cut if you're interested.
( Going from an insomniac and light sleeper to a zombified heavy sleeper overnight! )
I accidentally happened across what seems to be a solution for me. I don't know if this will work for anyone else, but it might be worth a shot.
Because of my insomnia and severe difficulty falling asleep (before meds, obviously), I often took melatonin to help me sleep, and sometimes coupled it with valerian root. I don't now recall my reasoning, since the meds were making me sleepy anyway, and making me sleep far longer than I'd want to, but one evening I decided to take some melatonin. I always take 2 3mg tablets, because one isn't enough.
And I tell you, I couldn't believe it, but I woke up about 6.5 or 7 hours later with no problem whatsoever. I was awake, I felt good, I could easily get out of bed and get going. Now of course, I didn't let one single experience decide for me that this was a solution. So I tried it several times, going back and forth between taking the melatonin and not. (It was summer, so I could afford occasionally sleeping into the afternoon.) And every single time, when I had taken the melatonin, I could sleep anywhere between 6 to 7 hours, sometimes 8, and then easily get up.
I have no idea why on earth this works, but it sure seems to. So, I share it with you all, in case any of you might like to try it and see if it works for you, too.
Edited to Add: If you do try melatonin and you have never tried it before, READ THIS:
Melatonin has this weird window for which it is effective, but if you miss it, then it won't do anything. That window seems to be 20 minutes to an hour max. after taking it. I've missed the window plenty of times, getting caught up doing something, and I'll be incredibly sleepy for a little while, because it's kicking in. But I'll keep going, because I'm not done with whatever I got caught up doing, and then before I know it, it's gone, and I've passed the sleepy point, and then I can't sleep. I've had lots of people tell me about experiencing the same thing. So if you take it, make sure you really do go to bed right afterward!
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(18 comments | comment on this)
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| Friday, November 13th, 2009
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10:05 pm - Starting meds
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ioldanach
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I recently decided to try meds again to treat my ADD inattentive type after having increasing difficulty focusing on the tasks I need to get done at work and at home. (Mostly at work, my family is very understanding of my distractable mind.) I'm a computer programmer, and I think that as time goes on and the tasks become less interesting and challenging (since I've seen this, and that, and that before) I lose what little ability I have to bring any focus to bear on a task.
I was diagnosed as a child, but my parents avoided meds and tried various activities to try and manage my issues, to varying degrees of success.
About 3 years ago I started having this problem at my last job and saw a Psychologist that first tried me on Strattera, and then some sort of amphetamine salt (I don't recall which one.) The former didn't do anything, the latter was effective but made me feel like my heart was racing. I discontinued each of them after only about two weeks of treatment. At about that time, though, I also found a job very local to home and stopped trying to medicate. With an interesting, new job I didn't need it at that moment.
After a few visits to the local Psychiatrist/Psychologist group office they've started by prescribing me two weeks of 36mg Concerta, so we'll see where this goes. I should be able to pick it up tomorrow and start it on Sunday. Around the end of that period I go in again to discuss how well it is working and see if there are any issues.
current mood: nervous
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1:23 am - How much does it cost?
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crh_0026
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Hi everyone, I've recently discussed with a therapist about an ADHD evaluation. However, I am questioning if getting the diagnosis would be worth it when it comes to the financial costs. I can handle paying for the sessions with the therapist initially... but how much is it going to cost me to see a doctor every month just to get my prescription refilled since you can't just call or get a refill at the pharmacy?! Paying for the prescription every month alone will cost enough.
I don't have insurance so I mainly wanting to know how much you guys get charged for each visit to the doctor that is specifically for getting a refill on your adhd prescription?
Thank You!
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(13 comments | comment on this)
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| Thursday, November 12th, 2009
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10:48 pm - Prescription cost?
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jakejynx
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Does anyone here get their prescription for meds from Wal-Mart?
I'm on Ritalin (generic), and my insurance does not cover prescriptions. When I went to get it filled last week, this is what I got:
Methylin ER 20mg; 60 tabs. Cost: $39.92
Methylin 10mg; 60 tabs. Cost: $4.00
Both of these are to be taken twice a day, so they are obviously both 30-day prescriptions. I know wal-mart typically has $4.00 prescriptions for 30 day supplies, so why was the ER not $4.00? The price actually went up from the last time I got it, from $30 to $40. If I'm going to take these regularly, I need to be able to afford it, and $40 is too much for me. For those who get their stuff from wal-mart, how much do you pay, and how can I change my prescription so that I can get both of them for $4? Would getting only 30 tabs of the ER take it down to the $4 cost?
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(4 comments | comment on this)
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11:03 am - Need to talk about this
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trias_cube
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I have been feeling really terrible about myself in terms of my work. My work is deadline based and I always have trouble with the deadlines. My current deadline was over the weekend. I got an extention until yesterday but still wasn't able to finish my work and still have so much work left. I feel terrible, so guilty. I want to talk about it on my own journal or with people in my life, but I am afraid that they will have the attitude "oh, well, you always do that...it's your own fault." I know it's my fault but I'm just feeling so guilty and scared that it's preventing me from actually doing the work. And it has been like that for many days now.
EDIT: You all are wonderful! I didn't expect so many replies. Thanks everyone!
current mood:  sad
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(17 comments | comment on this)
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| Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
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8:20 pm - Community
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one_ex
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Hi, so I don't know where this is allowed and where this isn't, and I will be posting it to several communities, so if it isn't alright then feel free to let me know and I'll delete the post.
I created a community called co_morbidity , where people dealing with more than just one specific issue can go to discuss them all in one place, as well as how these issues may be connected and dealt with instead of focusing on them separately. There is more detailed information at the community about what I hope this place can be, and of course that will change and grow as people join and make it what they need it to be.
Anyways, if people join then they join, and if they don't then they don't. But I really think it could be something great to have in addition to our more specific lj communities.
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(comment on this)
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1:30 pm - question...
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![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
adults_add