Reply To: Adult Diagnostic Advice Please

[suzq]

@wiredonjava I don’t remember. I have a followup appointment with that NP towards the end of the month and I can check my record then. I also intend to talk to her more in depth about the situation and my other diagnoses and get her recommendation and/or a referral for further exploration.

@shutterbug55 I don’t think you’re dense. I think I don’t know enough to really know what to ask at this point. Your earlier post helped me clarify that some.

I note that I was the only person involved in the evaluation with the psychologist. He didn’t talk to anyone else, nor did he ask for any records. I also noted that there were some mistakes in his report, including what urged me to seek him out in the first place, my maiden name vs married (now divorced name), etc. However, his report was also very enlightening in terms of understanding how I process information, make decisions, etc. I was surprised and yet unsurprised that my processing speed when the color blue is involved is significantly slower; when I commented to my mom about this, she shared that I also cried as a baby whenever swaddled in blue blankets or put into blue clothing. The psychologist also said I didn’t have memory problems because I could remember the five words (or however many it was) during the testing, ignoring all personal experience I brought up with how significantly memory and concentration problems have impacted my life since my early 30s.

I do have diagnoses that also contribute to memory problems (fibromyalgia, depression, PTSD, anxiety), but the mental function parts have been completely unresponsive to treatment. The more I read about ADHD and executive function, the more it sounds right. Talking to people I know that have been diagnosed since childhood but are now adults sounds like they are telling my story on many levels.

I appreciate your thoughts about how as an adult I am more adept at hiding. Honestly, until I tried that medicine I thought that this was the only way one can be. Despite being smart, I have always struggled. I’ve never been able to hold down a steady job for more than a year. I couldn’t ever finish one of my life goals of getting a college degree. I’m back trying school again now in my mid-40s–this is my 5th time–and it is both exciting and overwhelming. Maybe I’m grasping at wil o’ wisps. I want so much to just feel competent. Thanks for the encouragement.

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