ADD problems

I'm considering seeing a doctor to check for ADD, which I've kinda suspected for the past 12 years. I feel my problems with study and attention is beyond mere boredom with reading dry text. I also feel it may be affecting my wife too as it sometimes seems like I have the attention span of a goldfish. Then there's the constant mind chatter, day-dreaming, 100 thoughts a minute, etc.

Some people here have mentioned in past threads about being diagnosed. Just wondering if medication has helped ease symptoms or increased productivity at all.

Feel free to PM if you don't want comment here. Thanks.

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

wastedtime

When I was in elementary school I was diagnosed with ADD. From there through about the middle of high school I was taking some kind of meds. Some would help with focusing and some not. All of them effected how you think. I noticed a bit of depression with some of the meds and loss of creativity with others. I felt a bit like a robot/zombie when taking them.

For well over a decade now I haven't used any meds. I have issues now and then but for the most part you need to catch yourself when you feel it affecting you and find ways of coping with it.

I am not saying you shouldn't see a doctor about it or that you shouldn't take meds. I would however recommend you work your way from the meds, should you take them.

dynamik

I got tested last year and placed in the 97% percentile. I literally can't read a paragraph without my mind wandering. I tried one non-stimulant medication that my doctor prefers to start people out on, but it didn't have any noticeable effect. I moved shortly after that and haven't had the time or money (it's not cheap if your insurance doesn't cover the testing or medication) to give it another shot. I would like to at some point though.

I know a few people that have gone through the process and feel like they have a new life. It can be a drawn-out process, sometimes taking over six months to find the medication that works for you, and there can be side-effects, such as headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, etc. eMeS is a Provigil junky. That may be something else worth considering, but I haven't had a chance to try that yet either.

I'm personally not a big fan of medication, so I think I'm subconsciously dragging my feet a little a bit.

Also, keep in mind that there isn't just a magic pill that will make you "normal." You're really going to need to adjust some behaviors and possibly your environment as well. Personally, I've found that I'm much more "at peace" when things are clean, well organized, etc. Getting rid of some furniture and removing some other clutter has helped significantly as well.

I'd suggest these two books before you commit to anything. Work on some basic behavior modification and see if you can develop a few habits that make things easier for you. See how that goes, and then go from there.

Amazon.com: 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD: How to Overcome Chronic Distraction & Accomplish Your Goals

Amazon.com: ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life (9781583913581): Judith Kolberg, Kathleen Nadeau: Books

phantasm

Best of luck, but keep in mind that the medication does have side effects. Case in point, a dear friend of my wifes was on medication as a kid for ADD. As a result her hands shake constantly and she's 30. The effects are long lasting, so be careful and best of luck.

neocybe

whut upper guys, I'm in the same boat.

I was diagnosed with add in 2nd grade, they put me on ridilin for a few days and I think the teach wanted to choke me out after day 3 because they pulled me off it after a week so I'm told and I have not been on any meds for it since but I've learned a few things over the 20yrs that have been helpful to me.

a) develop a routine, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep. Repetition and a certain amount of predictability helps a lot.

b) avoid sugar and caffeine; these seem to agitate an already annoying affliction; for me anyways.

c) It may go without saying here but limiting distractions and learning your what your personal attention span and adapting to it can help tremendously, I know that I start to wander after about 45min so I stay aware of that and only study in 45-60 minute chunks, even just getting up to grab a glass of water can reset the timer so to speak.

Don't force yourself to study if your not into it; this just creates unnecessary stress, frustration.

I'm also a believer that studying and retaining information for us ADD folk or non-ADD folk, is like exercising, if your just starting out after a long brake from serious studying you may not retain anything at all at first but after a few days or even weeks of an hour to two hours will eventually begin to reap rewards.

In addition to the books that are already posted elsewhere in this thread which are very good, here are two more.

Amazon.com: You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults…

Amazon.com: What Does Everybody Else Know That I Don't?: Social…

mikedisd2

Thanks for the responses. I feel that my issues have become entrenched over the decades that drugs may be the best option. I too don't care for pill-popping as a way of life so it's not a light decision. Not sure if good habit forming is the answer. Catching myself would occur every 10x seconds.

I've noticed that I'm getting memory recall of trivial things that may have happened in my teens; things I didn't even know could be remembered. Even typing this my mind is flashing all over the place and it leaves me mentally exhausted all the time. The mind chatter just wears me out.

I'll check out the books you mentioned Dynamik. Although, I've bought 3x cert books recently and haven't finished any of them; wondering if this will add to the clutter. Maybe I just need to stop all else and just do this one thing.

mikedisd2

phantasm wrote: »

Best of luck, but keep in mind that the medication does have side effects. Case in point, a dear friend of my wifes was on medication as a kid for ADD. As a result her hands shake constantly and she's 30. The effects are long lasting, so be careful and best of luck.

Incidentally, I tried zoloft about 7x years ago. That had an interesting side effect in the bedroom.

dynamik

neocybe wrote: »

Amazon.com: You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy?!: The Classic Self-Help Book for Adults…

I have this one too. I just haven't had the chance to read it yet.

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Not sure if good habit forming is the answer.

You're not thinking about it right. It's not habit forming in the sense that you just remedy the condition by trying harder. They're just techniques for being organized. Stuff like this an important part of the equation.

steve13ad

I've just recently started taking mediation again. I was diagnosed in middle school and have been taking something ever since. I noticed that it was harder for me to pay attention, and staying focused on task.

It's been difficult managing the side effects of new medication, sometimes they lead me to be even more frazzled.

Plantwiz

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses. I feel that my issues have become entrenched over the decades that drugs may be the best option. I too don't care for pill-popping as a way of life so it's not a light decision. .....

What 'other' options have you considered before deciding to go the drug route?

I read Dynamik's link and I agree with Turgon's comment that there is quite a change in food these days and If you haven't I would consider trying to simplify my life first before drugs.

Try this test for a week (two is better) and if you can only give it a weekend...well, so it goes.

Go to bed earlier then you currently do.
If you go to bed at 23:00, try 21:00.
If you go to bed after 0:00 or later...it's likely a no-brainer...target 22:00, but 21:00 seems to work best for me (which as you can see...I'm well past that now).

Try to get things done in your day early, so you can get to bed at 21:00. No distractions, just old-fashioned quiet sleep. Dark room. Wake naturally (or set an alarm for work, but set it at a point where you cannot hit snooze, you simply get up).

After 1 week (or 2 if you can...or only the weekend which is barely enough time)...see how you feel.

Keep your wake time consistant, but adjust your bedtime so that you are waking naturally (with an alarm as a backup...if your ODD about starting work on time).

Fix the sleep issue first. (week 1-2 continue if the results are favorable)
****

Second - drop unnecessary activites....learn to say 'No' and only focus on you, your family, and work (school) for a bit. (week 2-4 continue if the results are favorable)

****

Adjust your diet. No need to go 'organic' (because everything living produces carbon and therefore is 'organic').
- Drop unneccessary stimulant beverages (week 3-4) see how you feel
- Drop all or almost all processed foods and seek whole food alternatives (week 4-6)
- Exercise - simply start walking more. Target 30 minutes but whatever you fit in is probably more then current.

There are plenty of books on how to do this, but go back to basics...think of how your family (or further generations of your family lived).

I would bet you find some more clarity by improving your sleep patterns (and yes...I 'only' need 4 hours too, but when I tried this, I can tell you my outlook improved!)

mikedisd2

Done, ordered a book.

Plantwiz - the only thing currently unaddressed is exercise which I'm starting this afternoon; free gym at work. My diet is good (whole foods, lots o' veges/fruit/nuts, no coffee / alcohol) and I spend 9x hours in bed with a wind-down routine.

I've spent enough years researching self improvement and seeking advice. Hence, now looking for anecdotes on medication. These are lifelong issues and not just circumstantial symptoms.

I'm also reorganising a few bedrooms at home. With 2x young kids, clutter and mess are just a part of life and I know it affects me. The hardest part will be explaining all this to my wife and gaining her support.

steve13ad - are the meds helping you to stay focused and improving your attention span?

Plantwiz

mikedisd2 wrote: »

...
I'm also reorganising a few bedrooms at home. With 2x young kids, clutter and mess are just a part of life and I know it affects me. The hardest part will be explaining all this to my wife and gaining her support.

Clutter control is a good point too! Good luck with this.

Not sure how long you have been married, but have you discussed any of this previously with your wife? If you have, she likely already suspects or noticed this and will be supportive.

earweed

I've got ADD also. I went the med route and the bad thing about that is that the body adapts and you need more eventually. The meds definitely help your studying and concentration. Why do you think so many college students use these meds (usually illegally) to help them study?
I adjusted everything prior to ever taking meds and it's more a psychological thing I believe than an actual physical malady. I'm currently weaning myself off the meds (may explain my difficulty getting motivated and staying focused) and trying to increase physical activity (mainly stationary and regular bike). I've already cut out coffee/caffeine and eat a healthy diet plus the clutter thing was taken care of a long while back.
Good luck Mikedisd2 on your quest to overcome this affliction.

Nobylspoon

I'm planning on talking to a doctor about ADD as soon as my insurance kicks in next month. I have been wanting to for a while but it is something you can lose your job for in the military so I've been waiting. I wouldn't mind being put on Adderall for it, supposed to do wonders for study habbits, lol.

earweed

Nobylspoon wrote: »

I'm planning on talking to a doctor about ADD as soon as my insurance kicks in next month. I have been wanting to for a while but it is something you can lose your job for in the military so I've been waiting. I wouldn't mind being put on Adderall for it, supposed to do wonders for study habbits, lol.

That's what I'm on. If you get the generic version of it you'll notice the bottle says "amphetemine with salt" as that's all adderall reallyis.The only problem is that your body builds up a tolerence and you have to increases dosage over time.

Claymoore

I meant to respond last night, but I got distracted.

Although I have not been 'officially' diagnosed, I am sure I have ADD. The key for me has been to manage and leverage distractions. I cannot study with the TV on or with a lot of activity in the room. I also cannot study in a completely quiet room. In college, I found that I focus best when I can listen to music, preferably instrumental. Classical music has too many volume and tempo changes for me, and new-age music like Enya is better. By far, movie scores work the best. Instrumental music is just enough of a distraction to keep my mind from wandering. Anything with lyrics can be too distracting for me.

I also found that I can have a baseball game on in the background and still be able to focus most of the time. I was working on a side writing project a few years ago and I happened to have a fantasy baseball team at the time. A game came on where I had two players who batted back to back. The game went 18 innings and my players went a combined 1-15, but I got a lot done that night. I would take a break to watch them bat and then go back to work.

earweed

I've personally found that it helps me to have a TV on in the next room so that it's not too quiet but just mild noise. Anything in the same room distracts me. If I'm studying and doing well then any direct distractions throw me off.

steve13ad

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Done, ordered a book.

Plantwiz - the only thing currently unaddressed is exercise which I'm starting this afternoon; free gym at work. My diet is good (whole foods, lots o' veges/fruit/nuts, no coffee / alcohol) and I spend 9x hours in bed with a wind-down routine.

I've spent enough years researching self improvement and seeking advice. Hence, now looking for anecdotes on medication. These are lifelong issues and not just circumstantial symptoms.

I'm also reorganising a few bedrooms at home. With 2x young kids, clutter and mess are just a part of life and I know it affects me. The hardest part will be explaining all this to my wife and gaining her support.

steve13ad - are the meds helping you to stay focused and improving your attention span?

Absolutely! But it usually takes me a second to get zoned in on the task.

Before the meds, I could work on something for about 2 to 3 minutes. Now I can stay on task until my legs fall asleep and never flinch.

My Dr has me trying Strattera right now. It works pretty well but the side affects can be pretty harsh. Beacause of them (dry mouth, serve hunger cravings) I've backed down from the reccomened dosage for my size.

tpatt100

I started taking Adderall last year but stopped. I wanted to try other things like change of diet and improving my sleep first. I got those sorted but still was having issues.

My biggest issue was concentrating and working in IT Security concentration is important because auditing is a lot of repetitive work.

I got back on adderall last month because I was having issues staying focused at work. My wife was complaining because she said my mind races a million miles per hour. I make a lot of spontaneous decisions and when she is taking to me if she can't get her point across in under a minute she says she can tell my mind is "another place". Which it is because I wandered off lol.

But yeah right now I am doing a high profile C&A project and I was worried about doing the majority of the planning,organization and implementation unsupervised.

eMeS

dynamik wrote: »

eMeS is a Provigil junky.

True dat!

However, I've never been diagnosed with, nor do I have ADD.

Actually I have lupus, which tends to cause profound fatigue. Provigil is the only drug that I've ever used that addresses the fatigue, which is in fact my most significant symptom. The side effects that I've noticed are that it seems to amplify my cognitive abilities and reaction time. I'd say it's a win/win.

dynamik wrote: »

I'm personally not a big fan of medication.

I'm not really either, and I'd be careful about taking medication for things that are a purely clinical diagnosis, such as ADD. Sometimes the side effects outweigh the benefits. For the record, being diagnosed with lupus is mostly a clinical diagnosis, however, there are blood indicators that show objectively that I have some connective tissue disorder; whether or not that is "lupus" is the clinical part of the diagnosis.

I would take a careful look at the role choice plays in the matter. Do you have the ability to choose to attend or not attend to something? If the answer is yes, then I would say you're not dealing with something that you need medication to control.

MS

msteinhilber

I've been trying to find the best way to deal with my ADD as well as it has contributed to a lot of the problems in my life and continues to be a headache.

I've gone through a number of medications including stimulants and non-stimulants as well, currently taking mixed amphetamine salts (aka generic Adderall). I have taken a couple forms of extended release med's on the persistence of my doctor but I prefer to avoid those as I sometimes find for certain things I perform best in my state of somewhat controlled chaos.

Besides med's though, one thing that helps for me is a vibrating watch. The idea behind this is you obviously consciously purchase the watch and set it to vibrate at certain intervals for a reason. I set mine to vibrate every 15 minutes. Once I feel it vibrate on my wrist I immediately from the start associated that with the reason I purchased it - to serve as a check periodically to be sure I focused and on task and haven't drifted away from what I was intending to be working on. This method works pretty well for me as well for longer term projects, not so much of a help with the drifting mind while trying to read through a text (I go a paragraph or so and start to re-read things as I've wandered often). For that I just try to isolate myself from as many distractions as possible and find a quiet place and leave my other electronic devices in another room.

Another non-technical method that helps for me (and I keep it non-techie even though I could make it electronic) is an ABC list in a small pocket notebook. I use a page each day and write out things that I need to get taken care of. The most pressing issues are A's and usually ones I need to do that day. The B's are tasks that are a week out while C's are within the month. Others have used this with different time frames setup but this works well for myself the way I do it.

Med's are certainly not the end all solution and I also dislike taking them. I don't take mine on a regular basis, mostly only when I really need to focus hard on a project or study or if I'm having a particularly distracting day. I probably end up only refilling once every two months instead of monthly because of this. Reading books as others have mentioned are great resources too as they can help give one strategies on how to best cope.

mikedisd2

Thanks for the replies. It's been helpful.

RobertKaucher

dynamik wrote: »

You're not thinking about it right. It's not habit forming in the sense that you just remedy the condition by trying harder. They're just techniques for being organized. Stuff like this an important part of the equation.

I disagree with calling it habit forming. It needs to border on religion for me. If I allow myself to go off from my routine ("Today's slow, you don't need to follow your list as strictly.") I am totally f'ed. Rather than not getting as much done, I quickly degenerate into getting nothing done at all. My motto is "Your list: follow it or your p3n!s will fall off."

DevilWAH

Drugs are not the eay to go, I am severly dyslexic, been told I have ADD, and score high on the Aspurgus tests. But I would never dream of taking drugs..

my school reports run some thing like this

Aaron is quick to grasp the consepts on new ideas, but often struggles to concentrate on tasks. He also need to work harded on his written work......

Every singel one of my subjects was the same.... I was always told if I concentrated more I would be at the top of the class.. But the harder I tried to do waht they wanted the worse I felt.

In the end I just though F it. yer I can concentrate very will with things going on around me, and I can't spell, I forget things, can't rember names... So they say I have ADD, Dyslexic, Aspurges.....

Then again I can't Paint or Draw but I dont here any one giving me a lable casue of that, nither can I sing and again I don't get a negitive lable for that either.

I do of course have visual and abstractract reasoning skills that put me in the top 2% of the population (same test that said I have mild asperges and dyslexic), but strangle again I don't get a lable for some thing that is positive...

In my view we are all good at some things and poor at others. For us unlucky ones the things we are bad at or struggle with are things other people notice. So we get a lable. But far from wanting to get better I am happy with how I am, my wife knows my issues as do people at work. You often find the people with failings in one area have benifites in others.

So days are hard (espicaly when I am tired) and this post has taken me about 40min to write because I keep losing my train of thought and get destracted by people talking around me!! But I would still never consider meds, to me its just how I am and althoguh it might be hard some times, as long as I keep in mind my issues then I can deal with them.

earweed

I'm bipolar and have ADD. The Bipolar part I was not able to control without some meds. A lot of lifestyle decisions had to be made to help my progress too. I'm now a strict non-drinker as I could not control that and a proper diet and keeping strict routines day to day helps. I'm almost off the ADD meds and that means I have to now keep a daily to-do list and adhere to it. Finding methods to deal with your maladies is the way to go.

vCole

I find a lot of people claim to have ADD/ADHD just because they can't concentrate. They want a magic pill to cure it or a medical diagnostic for an excuse.

Mind you, I'm not saying this is *everyone*. I find the majority of people claiming to have ADD/ADHD have never been diagnosed.

You need to take a good, hard look at your:
a.) sleep
b.)diet
c.)exercise

I guarantee more than half of you, if you slept better, (routine schedule), ate better and exercised would find you no longer have these issues (or can control them better.) Also cutting out LARGE amounts of caffeine helps. I work with a guy who just drinks coffee, ALL day. (Not decaf)
Try getting organized and adhere to a schedule - it helps, I promise.

msteinhilber

FadeToBright wrote: »

I find a lot of people claim to have ADD/ADHD just because they can't concentrate. They want a magic pill to cure it or a medical diagnostic for an excuse.

Mind you, I'm not saying this is *everyone*. I find the majority of people claiming to have ADD/ADHD have never been diagnosed.

You need to take a good, hard look at your:
a.) sleep
b.)diet
c.)exercise

I guarantee more than half of you, if you slept better, (routine schedule), ate better and exercised would find you no longer have these issues (or can control them better.) Also cutting out LARGE amounts of caffeine helps. I work with a guy who just drinks coffee, ALL day. (Not decaf)
Try getting organized and adhere to a schedule - it helps, I promise.

I see that a lot too. I've been going to a therapist to help best manage things and help enable me to find and use the best tactics to be the most successful for about 5 years or so and it wasn't (and shouldn't) be a quick progress to get a diagnosis as the symptoms are so broad that anybody looking at some "Do I have ADD/ADHD?" website would be like "OH YEA I DO! WOW!!".

I go to group meetings now and again to help others and get help from others with tips and techniques they use to best manage it, and it's not uncommon to find people who are new to the group and were referred by a doctor they met once and already have an rx for some med's. Pretty crazy how so many doctors turn to med's immediately without taking the time to make an accurate diagnosis, and a lot of them seem to think the med's alone are the cure-all solution.

Like you mentioned, diet and exercise as well as sleep (basically just taking care of yourself in general) can have a huge impact on just about everybody with regard to motivation, energy, etc. I've got a copy of "The UltraMind Solution" which is geared towards ways to live life better to help overcome issues like lack of focus, anxiety, depression, etc. A pretty good read even if you're not really suffering from what it seems targeted to (depression and anxiety).

Amazon.com: The UltraMind Solution: The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind (9781416549727): Mark M.D. Hyman: Books

vCole

msteinhilber wrote: »

I see that a lot too. I've been going to a therapist to help best manage things and help enable me to find and use the best tactics to be the most successful for about 5 years or so and it wasn't (and shouldn't) be a quick progress to get a diagnosis as the symptoms are so broad that anybody looking at some "Do I have ADD/ADHD?" website would be like "OH YEA I DO! WOW!!".

I go to group meetings now and again to help others and get help from others with tips and techniques they use to best manage it, and it's not uncommon to find people who are new to the group and were referred by a doctor they met once and already have an rx for some med's. Pretty crazy how so many doctors turn to med's immediately without taking the time to make an accurate diagnosis, and a lot of them seem to think the med's alone are the cure-all solution.

Like you mentioned, diet and exercise as well as sleep (basically just taking care of yourself in general) can have a huge impact on just about everybody with regard to motivation, energy, etc. I've got a copy of "The UltraMind Solution" which is geared towards ways to live life better to help overcome issues like lack of focus, anxiety, depression, etc. A pretty good read even if you're not really suffering from what it seems targeted to (depression and anxiety).

Amazon.com: The UltraMind Solution: The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind (9781416549727): Mark M.D. Hyman: Books

Agreed. All the processed crap you eat REALLY has a huge impact on your mind/body.

I'll look into that book. I'm on medication for anxiety, however, mine is caused from issues MUCH deeper than work and food.

shednik

A lot of good things said on here, I'm more for the non drug route myself. I was diagnosed with ADD a long time ago. Maybe when I was 10ish? Anyway I took some meds for it but went off them before high school, and in college I would use some adderall occasionally before big tests. Now however with my recent interest in nutrition and health I have noticed by my diet changes and taking a good dose of fish oil that I think much more clearly and can focus better. It never affected my that much where I felt I needed meds once I got older until I became a parent and was way too busy for my own good. Now though I feel that diet, exercise, and fish oil is my ticket.

tpatt100

I did examine and correct my diet and sleep for about a year because I did not want to use medication. I am more rested and dropped 15 pounds but still meandering off inside my head at work. I ordered the book somebody recommended earlier because I don't want to rely on the meds. I figure some hyper activity can be a good thing.

neuropol

I've been diagnosed with ADHD a couple years now. I wish I had been diagnosed in high school. I squeaked by high school even though I had the highest SAT scores in my class. My finances were a wreck, not because I didn't have the money to pay, but because I'd put off and forget to pay bills. Finally, I went in to my doctor to ask about possibly having ADHD. It was the most embarrassing doctor visit ever. Not because of my doctor, but because of me. I felt stupid somehow, like I had failed. Needless to say I shouldn't have felt that way.

Since I've been on meds my situation has improved. I get a lot more done in a day, and more of the things that actually need to get done. I'm able to finish projects I start, and I am better at remembering things throughout the day. I still go off my meds every now and then. In part to rein in resistance, and in part because my symptoms aren't totally controlled and I forget or put off making new doctor appointments.

When others say the meds aren't a magic bullet, they are right. The way i look at it is the meds allow you to control your brain. You can still spend a whole day doing nothing while on meds, but it would be a conscious choice. The meds gives you a choice.