Re: Almost certain I have adult ADHD

[billd]

I just had my 3rd legit diagnosis – and this one was as complete as it gets, IMO. The family doc gave me that DSM IV test quickly, chatted 5 or 10 minutes and declared me ADHD. OK, well, I already did that myself, though LOL.

So then I get sent to a person who is like a nurse to the max, almost a doctor, just 25 cents shy of a full medical degree. A local “behavioral center”. I go through a 90 minute interview that’s pretty deep, then later this person reviews it, we chat and she says “Bill I”m sure you have ADHD” then says we need to know more, asks if I want further diagnosis, including sub-types, etc..

@#$% yes, I say. Now normally getting into a PDH neural-psychologist around here takes several months at best. I get a call last Friday “we have a cancellation, can you be here a week from FRiday at 8:30 and spend the morning”. I’ll be there!

So that was today – I got there and got in at 8:30,. didn’t get out until 12:45. About an hour interview with detailed notes, then a battery of psych tests to be really sure it’s not something else like some learning disorder, injury, poison, etc. THEN I take a long test that’s about 375 questions. After that, 3 other tests and finally the DSM IV that’s slightly modified. Then more discussion. At the end he says his initial diagnosis is ADHD combined subtype (just what the test here told me). He was sure it wasn’t some learning disorder, it wasn’t that I had some other mental illness – he’d ruled out a whole slew of things that CAN cause nearly the exact same symptoms. He was very very complete and thorough. He said my visual tasks were “superior” (higher than is typical) my math abilities were good, listed several other things that remined me of the old school “basic skills” tests. He agreed after it all that I was a visual learner (I’d told him that – show me a picture and I’ll figure out almost anything) and I was better in that area than most people.

He wants me back in a couple weeks for another hour to go over more definitive conclusions – AND to work on the reasonable accommodations forms for work, to, as he put it, “get me everything I need”.

I guess that’s my long round-about way of saying – take the trek, spend the time, get diagnosed. After today, I see there’s a whole lot, many many things that mirror ADHD very much. I learned a lot from him – including that many who believe they are ADHD actually are not. Many he sees come in very sure they are, and leave finding out they have something else. In my case it was confirmed –

Today was a good day for me.

Now if I could just get Yawnie our cat properly fixed up, poor fellow has a broken foot and the vets can’t seem to keep a splint on him and kee the bones in place.

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