Adult adhd

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Hi, I'll get down to the meat and potatoes:I'm 22 and I think I have adhd.I've done tons on research on the net and everything is pointing more or less to adhd. I don't think I have a severe case, but I think it's still prevalent...I've had adhd characteristics since I was a kid it seems.Over the years, as school became harder I noticed that it was becoming more difficult to learn and stay focused in class etc. I tried many different things to increase my attention span (all the way from changing my sleeping habits and diet to taking various vitamins and supplements). In second year college, one of my classmates (who has adhd) suggested that I might have it. I was taken aback and thought he was joking. As a result of that conversation my denial period started. Anyway, to cut a long story shorter: I later transferred into an engineering program at a university. One of the aspects of engineering at my school is that we have work terms (where we work at engineering firms for the summer). Well, I got a job at one of these firms and everything seemed to be fine. I consider myself to be a pretty hard worker; however, my review at the end of the work term wasn't good (actually I found out a few weeks ago from one of the work term coordinators at school that my employer was really not happy with me at all!!). This was a wake-up call! I thought I was doing ok, then all of a sudden I get bad reviews??!Now, my concern is the future. This problem will/might haunt me until I do something about it. I’ll be working for the rest of my life.So finally I talked to my family doctor (in my home town) about adhd. We talked about my problems and my "symptoms" and he said it sounds like I have adhd and gave me a smaller-dose prescription of Ritalin; however, I really need to talk to a neurologist or a psychiatrist before he can give me regular prescriptions. Which is fine with me...Then I started school again, and got a new doctor (in my school city), he wasn't happy that I had a prescription without actually being diagnosed with adhd and wants to refer me to a specialist. So now I'm waiting to get an appointment with one.As I said before, I've done research into adhd. However, it is quite hard to find info on adult adhd (I only found one "checklist" out there). Is there anyone here with adult adhd? I would like to compare notes with you if there are. Also, the only other possible explanation to the "symptoms" I have is that I'm a night person (someone who works better at night than in the day). So far in my life, all of my schooling and work have been "wake-up early and go to school/work”. I'm thinking that if my schedule was more flexible I could sleep-in longer and work later, which would theoretically increase productivity. However, I have no information to back this theory up, and I can't test it out because of my inflexible schedule!I'm really looking at all possible explanations though and don't really want to resort to medication-- but if I must, I must.Sorry for the excessively long post, but I really need to talk to someone that doesn't think I want Ritalin just so I can excel in school (as I suspect my new doctor is thinking).Anyway, thanks for your help in advance.sp

I was diagnosed at 20. I understand the denial stage, and I am sorry to say that it will continue for awhile. Talk to a Psych. and make sure that he/she believes that adults can have ADD --unfortunately many don't. Your new dr may not believe that adults can have ADD but we can. I also understand that you don't want to be on medication so you can think. I hate that I need a medication to concentrate. We are out here and there are websites to support us. A good book on the topic is "You mean I'm not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy". If your case is not too bad you may be able to cope with the use of caffeine. I did that for some time and I know of a person who is getting a Masters using this strategy. However for somepeople caffeine is not enough to allow them to live up to their full potential.Personally I don't think your "night-person teory" holds water. If you have taken ritalin then your answer is probably there. If you bounced around the room like mad, stayed up for many hours, then crashed -- you are probably not ADD. If you became focused, calm, read a book, or were able to sleep then you probably are ADD. Remember Ritalin is a stimulent.Good luckBTW-- After being diagnosed I was able to finish my Bachlors, got married, and a good job in my field. If you want to compare notes let me know

Well, the good news is that I just got an appointment with a psychiatrist whom specializes in adult ADHD. I tried a Ritalin for about a month, then I ran out. The results are inconclusive, and I can't get another prescription until I get formally diagnosed (I found out later that I wasn't supposed to have a perscription in the first place). Here's what I've noticed from the med:Pros:-It seems that I have a better handle on the material we're learning at school.-I actually have had better sleeps when taking Ritalin than without.Cons:-I find that it is hard to maintain by body temperature while on Ritalin. I get cold, put on a sweater, then get hot and have to take it off. -I get jittery sometimes (especially when I'm cold-- it might be just because I'm cold).-My schedule is very hectic, as I have classes early in the morning (8:30) and labs in the afternoon, then I go home and study 'til 10:30-11:30 (sometimes 12:30). So I can't be taking Ritalin too late in the day (to help my study time) because I need to be able to get to sleep for the next school day.It seems as of now I don't have enough information to conclude much. I heard from my original doctor that people on Ritalin that don't have ADD generally do better in school anyway. And the better sleep thing could be because it was still the beginning of the semester and the workload was less resulting in more sleep. Another thing that I wasn't able to test was the fact that midterms started after I ran out of medication-- and I've always spent longer than most of my fellow students on exams because I can't focus and have to read the questions over and over before I understand them (sometimes I still don't). Also, when I get the exams back, they are riddled with stupid mistakes and calculation errors. But really school is not my main worry. I know I can fumble through school with decent enough grades to get a job somewhere. It's the rest of my life I'm worried about, because I'll be working for most of my life. I don't want to be like my dad and go through six or seven career changes in a span of 20 years (I'm talking 'career' and not 'job' too)-- he has his degree as well. My last job was a fiasco! I made the same "stupid mistakes and calculation errors" in my job as I do at school. And my future career involves being highly productive with few mistakes.As far as the coffee thing goes, I really don't want it for a few reasons: I don't like the taste, it costs alot, I don't like its diarrhetic effects and I don't want to be addicted to it. Now hopefully the psychiatrist will be able to sort some things out. But I have concerns about that too. I've done alot of research into ADHD and I know the symptoms and behaviors pretty well. I don't want to just spout out all these symptoms that I "supposedly" have (from his point of view). I want to show that I'm sincere and not just wanting some medication to help me excell in school and get straight A's.I've never been to a psychiatric doctor of any kind before so I don't know what to expect.Any tips on how to have an effective appointment? Should I bring samples of my dayplanner, schoolwork or copies of these messages to the appointment? Thanks for your help.sp

Well at least you have an appointment. I do understand your feelings and confilct. You want to do your best all on your own, no coffee or ritalin to change things. However if you have ADD you may not be able to reach your potential without something to even out your brain chemistry. This may be the hardest part to deal with. Another hard part is that you will be a bit different with the medication than you were before. One person I knew stoped taking the ritalin beccause his girlfriend perfered the "old him". The medication worked for him but because he was more focused he was not as "spur of the moment" as she liked. As for suggestions for your appointment, just relax and tell the truth. I had the same worries. If this person specializes in adult ADD then I am sure he can spot a fake from a distance. You however are not a "fake" you just want answers, if you are or if your not. You may want to bring in a notebook, the Dr. may want to see how you take notes. Mostly the Dr. will just want to talk to you and get to know who you are and how you act.Good Luck

thanks for your advice-- I'll keep you posted. My appt. is on Wednesday.Got another short question though:Do you think Ritalin is more addictive than coffee? I've seen people who just need coffee or they can't do anything (because they're addicted). They get coffee headaches etc. Can/does that happen with Ritalin?thankssp

You asked
"Do you think Ritalin is more addictive than coffee? I've seen people who just_need_ coffee or they can't do _anything_ (because they're addicted). They get coffee headaches etc. Can/does that happen with Ritalin?"

My answer is yes Ritalin can be addictive, that is why there are such tight controls on it. However a large part of any addiction is in the mind. If you THINK you must have it then the physical cravings are worse. However most ADDers I know don't want to be on medication, and therefore are less likely to be addicted to it. Also Ritalin won't give an ADDer a buzz the way it would to a non-ADDer, so we don't get pleasure out of it and the body knows that.
Caffiene is quite addictive, I have a friend that says quitting caffiene was 5 times harder than quitting smoking. As for headaches -- I have not had any problem like that when I don't take my medication for a few days, however when I miss my afternoon Mt.Dew by a few hours I will. It all has to do with the person how it will affect you, but none of the ADDers i know ever complained about headaches due to not taking medication.

I hope this helps (aka: I hope I didn't scare you with the truth, but the truth is what you need.)
You may also want to talk to the Dr. on Wed. about these concerns, he will have better answers than I do.

Good Luck, and let us know how it works out.

I'm 40 something, I was looking at a website to see what the latest info is on learning disabilities (I have that too)..On the website they said... and people with learning disabilities are more likely to have ADD, click here for more info...So I did, and I started reading... It was the first time that I had really learned anything about it. Oh sure, I had seen the sterotype stuff on tv of kids going bonkers in a grocery market, and I did not identify with that at all...But then I went to this website and started reading and it was almost like dejavu ... I just kept saying, oh my god, thats me...And so I did more and more reading and eveything I was finding just kept confirming it. So then I decided to see a doctor.And that was the really hard part... there are not many doctors out there for adults with ADD (just for children), until fairly recently it was believed that everyone outgrew it... Well it just is not so, I am proof of that.So finally after more than a month of search I found a clinic (a referal from a Psyc). I made an appointment and when I arrieved discovered that I was there on the first day of the clinic being open... that's how new it was...Anyway, I have been getting treatment for about 4 months now and it has helped. I am doing a lot better. I am making a lot of progress in putting the pices of my life together and actually starting to have a life. I will tell you, that for me it has been and endless nightmare and without ever knowing why I was so incapable of doing what was expected of me, or even what I wanted to do... This was especially puzzeling because I have a very high IQ and am pretty energetic. but somehow have a real problem staying focused on what needs to be done.my doctor is always pointing out that the meds are not a mgic bullet, they won't turn you into superman overnight. but it will assist you, just like glasses help you to see better.As far as meds go... well, ritilian has been around for a long time and so out of habit that it what doctors who do not know much about the field are going to feel comfortable with. But there is newer and better stuff available. If you are feeling shaky at times then you are on the wrong meds... everybodies metabolism is different. you need to find what will work for you. there are no magic formulas for this, that also goes for finding the right doseage level. Choice of meds is also a fairly controversial subject, there is potential for side effects ect. From my standpoint I decided that it was a calculated risk worth taking. the benifit outwheighed the risk. but you might decide otherwise. Anyway there have been a lot of negative things said about ADD and about meds, but these things are all being said by people who have never had to deal with it in a real way. On the other hand, I can tell you the huge negative impact it has had on my life and how things could have been so much different if only somebody had diagnosed it instead of blaming it on dicipline or emotional problems...As far as meds, from the reading I had done, it seemed like dexadrine was a better choice than ritilian, but my doctor suggested I try adderal which I did, and it seems to be working pretty well for me. for one thing, it is a combination of a fast acting and a slow acting drug so you get a faster start and smoother sustained effect.As far as addicition, goes. well some people have addictive personalities, it is possible to become additiecd to just about anything. But, speaking for myself, I do not have any craving etc for the meds. in fact I would prefer not to be taking them, but I do it because it does help and taking them is better than not taking them. One thing though, when the meds wear off there is often a kick back, and effect in which you feel worse than if you were not taking the drug. but this is considerd normal and they try to pace the dose so that it wears off while you are asleep. so you don't notice the kickback.the other thing I find is that sometimes I think, "I feel fine, there is nothing wrong with me, why should I be taking these meds". So then I "forget" to take them for a couple of days and reality sets in. gee, I forgot how bad it was, how difficult it was before I started taking the meds....Sometimes I need that contrast, jsut to remind myself of how much the meds are helping. because when you are on the meds you really dont notice so much, how much better you are actually functioning. But when the meds wear off thats when you really can notice the difference in how hard it is to function without it. So, no, it is not an addiction in the usual sense of feeling compelled to take the meds. but it is a high motivation to not have to revert to the state where everything is such a hard struggle.actually, the worst thing about the meds is that when I sweat i really small bad... can't stand the smell so i take lots of showers and use extra deoderant.As for what to do next... the very best thing that you can do is to read some books. There was still a question mark in me even after reading tons of stuff on the web, about how real it was. perhaps it was just denial... but I really wanted to be certain.. the ADD clinic gave me a list of books to read prior to the appointment. After reading daredevils and daydreamers there was no longer any doubt in my mind, I knew whith absolute certainty that I was ADD. But I still had some concersn about some of the things that I had experienced, things that I was somewhat afraid to ask about... so then I read another bookYou mean Im not lazy stuipd or crazy?And that book was astonishing, it described and explained everything that I'd experienced, it was such a huge relief.Driven to Distraction is also an excellent bookone of the hardest parts of course is the cost... the doctors are very expensive and so are the meds. (FredMyer seems cheapest). I'm having a real hard time paying for all of this stuff... I dont have any answers for that one yet...You need to find a really good doctor, it makes a huge difference...Well, anyway, good luck,Erik (Seattle)Here are some links that I found to be helpful.http://www.1-800-therapist.com/index.htmlhttp://add.about.com/cs/addinadults/index.htm?once=true&http://www.addult.org/http://www.gatorbytes.com/gatorbytes/articles/adhd_symptoms.htmhttp://www.gatorbytes.com/gatorbytes/articles/adhd_links.htmhttp://www.painterskeys.com/clickbacks/AADD.htmhttp://www.mythical.net/hunters_and_farmers_five_years.htmhttp://borntoexplore.orghttp://www.add.org/content/work/nadeau1.htmhttp://www.add.org/content/coach/coachingguidlines2.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/2287/drpaul5.htmhttp://www.drhallowell.com/http://www.samgoldstein.com/index.htmlhttp://www.add.org/images2/medupdate.htmhttp://add.about.com/library/weekly/aa031898.htm?once=true&http://www.netacc.net/~gradda/newscont.htmlhttp://www.fdisk.com/cgi-bin/add/youknow.plhttp://www.chadd.com/Other linkshttp://www.ldpride.net/http://www.interdys.org/http://www.mentalhealth.com/http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/http://depression.about.com/cs/diagnosis/index.htm?once=true&http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/cod/cod.htmlhttp://borntoexplore.org/omega.htm

Here's the scoop:I went to the psychiatrist last week, we talked and stuff, and he gave me some tests to take home and fill out. I filled out the tests and we had another appointment yesterday and he concluded that I have a mild case of ADHD (as I had suspected)-- enough to warrant treatment. He gave me a prescription for Ritalin and we made an appointment in three weeks to talk about the results. He said if the Ritalin doesn't work out we'll try Dexedrine. Everything seems fine now.However, one of the discouraging things is that he said my problems at work weren't a result of my condition, but "something else you'll have to work out". That kinda depresses me.I think the problems may have been a result of ADHD and "something else". Actually, I think that if I had only one of the problems (ADD or "other") things would have been fine-- but the combination of the two was lethal (pardon the cliché).I still kinda have this sinking feeling that I'm a phony though. Just because everything's borderline (all the tests and my symptoms etc). Maybe it's denial, but don't think so. Maybe it's the fact that I have "other problems" (whatever they are...) and I thought the nailing down of the ADHD would solve all of them.Now that I've been diagnosed with ADHD things will be a little easier with doctors etc. But things aren't over yet. I'm still seeing what will work best for me-- dosages, times to take meds, etc. thank you all for your help.sp

Thanks Erik for your words too. It is nice to have more than just my point of view being given. I do have to agree with Erik that one of the hardest parts of diagnosis is dealing with a life changing event.
Many of us think "If I had known earlier..." but that is not a good thing to do, you will only get upset and depressed about what might have been. DON'T DO THAT. It is hard, but you have to get passed it. I realized that I like who I am, the things I have done, the people I have met, and the lessons I've learned; I also know that If I had been medicated earlier my life would have been VERRRY different. I may not have taken some risks that payed off, I may not have tried so many hobbies, I may not have met people that became intigral to my life. When you realize that you would loose who you are now and good things as well as the bad if you had been diagnosed earlier, it can be easier to get passed it. This thought process not only goes through your mind but the minds of your parents too. A couple of years after my diagnosis my mother and I were talking about ADD and she started with the "If only I had realized that you were ADD when you were young ..." I had to stop her and explain that i am happy with who I am, not to mention that we can't go back and change the past so there is nothing that we can do about it now anyway.
Good Luck to you both.

sp, I think you would benefit from reading my posting..(subject:questions about adhd & some comments also...). Althoug I speak of my 5 year old child, it will give you a better idea of what ADHD is. Yoy may only have ADD. Just the inattentive type not inattentive-hyperactive. Also, I deffinately think your sleeping habits could have something to do with it. It is stated in many studies that lack of sleep or inadequate sleep can cause ADHD similar symptoms. Also, you may want to try allergy testing.

I'm also 22 and when I had my official assessment I was told that if I had been "younger" when it was done I'd have been diagnosed as ADHD, but because I was 18 or 19 (dont' remember) I was too old to be diagnosed. As you've probably guessed, I consider that enough of a diagnosis. Since learning that I'm ADHD, the pieces have begun to fit together. The "I though I was doing fine" sounds a lot like my life though. Feel free to email me (in my profile) if you would like to discuss things.

You do realize this post is almost 4 years old and the original poster is long gone?

How the hell do they find these things?! Hours and hours of going back?

Well in this forum, there aren't many threads in the first place. Only about 60 threads total.

Duh! I didn't even think about that