After so many many years of thinking I was just different from everyone else, I accidently came across an artical on ADD in adults and could not believe what I was reading. Many times I actually thought I was possesed with demons or something. I am now 57 years old and have wasted my whole life because no doctor ever even mentioned ADD or ADHD and I have repeately talked to drs on my feelings. I have always just been told it was depression or menopause or PMS or whatever. After reading this artical I went to my family dr and told him I think I am ADD even wrote all my symtoms down so I would not forget things. He just said I probably need to see a phycriatrist and that those medications were too over prescribed and gave me an appt. for a manogram. I started crying so bad and told him I just quit no one understands or wants to help. After a week I said to myself I can't take it anymore and found a phycriatrist and made an appt. Took the test and they said I definately showed ADD signs and also some bipolar systoms. He said he needed to calm my symtoms down before trying any medication for ADD. He put me on Lamictal for two weeks and said to come back then. This next Tuesday is my next appt. This medicine has calmed some of my crying spells but I feel no better. I am so worried that they will still not start me on the right medication and if they don't I am sure I will give totally up this time. Why can't I find the right dr., what am I doing so wrong. After reading everyones post and all the studies on ADD I have all my life had these problems ten times worse then most of the ones I have read. My daughter who is 36 has screamed at me saying I cause all my problems because I am so disorganized and never finish anything and always put things off until the last minute. My husband puts me down so bad saying I have no friends and that I never finish anything and can't hold a job, never have even watched a full movie on tv, just can't seem to focus that long on anything. I have always thought and told everyone that I have a black cloud over me and feel bad things will happen to anyone that even comes close to me.

My advice I need is how can I convince my doctor Tuesday that I am desperate to be treated and I don't think I can go another two weeks or longer to try other antidepressents, I have tried them all over the years and none have ever made me feel better. I really need help now. It has been almost five weeks now and why do so many other people get help right away and (the story of my life) yet any dr I see just keeps putting me off.
Please has anyone had this problem trying to get treated and how did you finally convince your dr. to at least try something other than antidressents.

Cheryl,

Please believe I know and feel what you are going through. I'm 56. As my boyhood hero, John Glenn, who is first and foremost an aviator, recently said, "there is a lot more runway behind me than ahead of me."

If only I were diagnosed and treated at a much younger age, how much pain to myself and others would have / could have - been avoided. What could have been, if only?

Three years ago I said "I can't take it anymore." Since then I have been able, with the aid of ADHD meds and psychological counseling, to make significant progress. But the battles continue to this day with no end in sight. Do not expect immediate or miraculous results from ADHD specific meds. It does not work that way.

I think you got yourself a good shrink. RELAX. Tuesday -- tell him that the Lamictal has had some calming effects but you still find it impossible to manage the inattentiveness symptoms you experience such as organizing and completing tasks you know are important.

Simply and calmly tell shrink, you have experience no improvement in the ADHD impairments you have experienced all your life.

Then, let him do his job. Whatever adjustments in meds he makes, go with it, even if he makes none at all for the time being.

Please, please, please ... keep in mind ... this Tuesday is an event in a med management process your shrink initiated two weeks ago. Processes take time to produce results. You are two weeks into it, two weeks closer to resolution as long as you stick with it. It will be back to square one if you should decide to try another doctor. Your guy gives me every reason to believe he knows his job well. Trust him.

Bob

Cheryl ~ I agree with Bob, your psychiatrist seems to be handling things wonderfully. I have two daughters one who is 16 and diagnosed with Bipolar/ADD a year ago. She was started on antidepressants which only made her symptoms worse and induced a hypo(mania).....a common thing that happens to somebody who is Bipolar and is started on a stimulant or SSRI without a mood stabilizer in place. After she was placed on the right meds (Lamictal & Seroquel) her life improved considerably. I also have a 19 year old daughter who was just diagnosed at an Amen Clinic with Type 6 ADD/Mood disorder. Since she didn't have any clear depressive or manic episodes but did present with symptoms of a mixed episode (irritability, agitation, impulsiveness) and her SPECT Imaging showed marked hyperactivity in her mood centers they started her on Lamictal which acts not only as a mood stabilizer but is considered to be the most effective treatment with this type of ADD. AT the same time, it provides security IF they find it necessary for her to be started on an ADD med that may trigger mania since she does have characteristics of Bipolar as well.

So....the Lamictal is a GREAT start....as you know it takes some time to get up to the right dose....my daughter just started 150mgs and is starting to show signs of improvement (less irritability, impulsivity, rapid speech, and high energy of bouncing from one thing to another) It took her 6 weeks to get to this point and the psychiatrist wants to give the Lamictal a try before starting her on any other meds especially stimulants.

I would highly recommend that you look into Dr. Amen's book "Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to Seand Heal the 6 Types of ADD" It is a wonderful approach to understanding that ADD isn't a one med fits all and that there are different types of ADD with specific treatments.

It is good that you are finally receiving the help that you need. It will take some time but once you find the right meds your life will definitely show many signs of improvement. Be honest with your psychiatrist when you go in to see him on Tuesday....the best way of getting help is to be proactively involved in your getting to the bottom of this. Gaining as much understanding and insight is a great start to being able to do that.

Good luck and if you have any other questions or concerns please feel free to ask. There are many wonderful people here willing to help.

~ Goody:angel: :wave: