I was just told that Adult ADHD didn't Exist….

[Anonymous]

I’m REALLY afraid my family doctor will not believe me.

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[billd]

Family doctors can’t give a true diagnosis anyway – have your family doc REFER you to someone who knows how to test for it and rule out other things – or look for things that can go along with ADD.

Family doctors are more for “internal medicine”. I’d not trust them to go it alone, but would agree they need to be “in the loop” as they will know the impact any drugs or medicines would have on your body.

IMO, you need a psychologist at the very least. I was pushed up the chain to a neuro-psychologist and wow, what a battery of tests – and I learned more in those several hours with him than from any other sources, plus, he built upon things I’d learned online.

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[beebster]

@MonkeyBarb

ya me too. he strikes me as the type that believes ADHD is either a kid thing or doesn’t exist. plus he’s one of those doctors that gets irrate when you actually are aware of what could be wrong with you – i tried replacing my doctor but the replacement had some huge ego issues and ended back with my doc.

so here I am trying to figure out what my next step is – what I DO KNOW is that I want to be assessed 100%. Now I’m just trying to figure out who I should go see.

ps another reason i’m afraid to tell me doctor is because I told my family and they offered no support. it was as if it was any other day. so that really took a toll on me so now i’m trying to work up some courage to talk to the doc, just find it hard.

Are you also in the GTA?

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[billd]

When I went to the “family doctor” and told him why I was there and what I wanted, he gave me that simple DSM-IV test, talked about 3 or 4 minutes, and said “why are you bothering with this now, you’re in your 5th decade, you’ve lived with it this long, why now”.

Good thing I’m not a violent person or he would have needed a doctor. That was insulting, just plain nasty.

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[Wgreen]

I have a theory. Clinicians have a hierarchy of mental disorders. ADD is at the bottom.

1) Many family doctors don’t understand ADD. Not really. And because they don’t know much about it, they’re skeptical of its potential to debilitate. Moreover, GPs who have read the literature tend to take the “glass is half full” position—”Yes, ADD presents problems. BUT… you can deal with the downside if you just try. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get on with it. Take this pill and call me next month. Have a nice day.”

2) Neurologists and psychiatrists believe they have “bigger fish to fry.” They take a look at somebody with ADD and say to themselves, “Why is this guy/woman here? I’ve got patients who have SERIOUS issues (e.g., brain injuries or schizophrenia). ADD is the neurological equivalent of a bad cold—a waste of my time.”

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[billd]

My neuro-psychologist (lucky to get in to one as they are rare around here) takes it differently. He believes it’s a problem, he treats it seriously, however, all he does is diagnose, test, and report back to the referring person – THEY handle treatment based on his recommendations. He’s of the though that “drugs” are often a very good place to start, THEN once you gain a little control back (IF the drugs work at all) you can move on to help yourself.

I believe it’s hard to repair the walls and roof of your house if the foundation is collapsing. Seems he feels the same…..

There WERE some things about me I had trouble explaining to him, and he seemed like “oh, really?” but he didn’t dis-believe me. We went over my whole profile, and he’s smart enough to see that although ADHD can cause a lot of things, just because you have ADHD AND those things doesn’t mean those things are all a result of the ADHD – they can exist on their own. So he takes a more “whole” approach. He wanted to know all about the sleep study, the heart study, all of it.

Otherwise, unfortunately, “in general terms” Wgreen is too correct.

There are a few who believe differently, lucky thing – they believe ADHD is serious, and underestimated. For me, it can be life-threatening. I’m literally dangerous in certain circumstances and have the scars to prove it, and the accident record to prove it.

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[Anonymous]

Well, I see my GP in a week and a half. Then I will see how he reacts when I ask him to refer me to a specialist. I have been losing sleep worrying about it, so will be glad to have it over. I have over SIX decades of “living with it” and I worry, too, that he’ll say what billd’s doc said. And what is GTA? A place?

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[Anonymous]

@MonkeyBarb – I think your GP could well give you the referral regardless. My GP didn’t think my son had ADHD (even though it had already been diagnosed!!), but gave me a referral anyway. I figure that they will either give you a referral because they really believe you need help, or they give you one because, by referring you, they are handballing a difficult/unwanted case to a specialist (and so don’t have to deal with it themselves). It would then be only a small percentage who will refuse to refer you, for whatever reason.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone. I think my doc WILL refer me because I can be assertive if I need to be, and will just insist on it. I doubt though, that a diagnosis will make any difference to my grown children, who have already decided I’m not deserving of their understanding. One even told me I “should be over” losing our son 7 years ago–like anyone ever “gets over” that. Not that I go around moping, but when I defended myself somewhat, and said I thought Kevin’s death had a bearing on my inability to be organized, he accused me of “using that as an excuse.” So I’m not expecting any understanding or compassion from him. He’s a dentist–I hope he is more understanding and compassionate to his patients!

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[Outoftune]

Dr. J

Can you please help me find a Doctor in my area that can diagnose? The only one my Doc could find is not taking on patients! Please please any names would be super helpful! I live on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Thank you!

Sherri

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[Anonymous]

Would a doctor who lists these as his Specialties be able to diagnose ADHD?: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neuropsychology, Neuro Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Psychology, Pain Psychology

His specialties don’t list anything about ADHD.

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[Anonymous]

Hey MonkeyBarb, to answer a small question you had earlier- GTA stands for the Greater Toronto Area (the city proper and all the suburbs). A few of us throw that out every once in a while along with some other southern Ontario ‘talk’ or locations. Every time I see it I think some of the rest of our group from far flung locations are probably thinking, “Huh? Where’s that? Who is that?”

As to your question about the doctor with that list of specialties be someone who could diagnose ADHD? I don’t think so BUT I’m not an expert. Most of those ones sound like the specialties I would see listed for the docs who deal with issues stemming from major accidents/traumas to the brain due to physical accidents or maybe even something like a stroke.

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[Anonymous]

Well, I went to my appt with my GP today and all my worrying about him refusing to refer me was for nothing (like it often is); he was glad to refer me to a local psychologist and said once I’m diagnosed, he can prescribe meds. I am pleased enough with that. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. So now the “ball is rolling” and I am hopeful that I will be on meds soon. My doc said patients he’s prescribed them for say they make a huge difference. One hurdle cleared.

azazsa, I am in NW, USA, sorta out in the boonies–I live in a small town of about 14,000, 50 miles from nearest city and it’s not very a very big one.

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[Anonymous]

I told a Dr once when he said I thought you out grow it… He was anathesies and I just said I quess you havn’t met my family..

Every one has it. My cousins and it comes down on my mother side of the family.. I have learned to accept my self and try to stay away from people don’t make close friends…

I’m an embassent to myself and to my son’s.. If I get hyper things fly out of my mouth that are down wright embarrising for them.. I went back to school and just talk to much.. I’m 54 and have a crapy life because of it.. This is who I am if I hate myself for my behavoir then I would just join the long list of people who can’t handle me.. You have to learn to love your self you didn’t ask for this.. I have become a loner because I just cause to much havic what ever I join..

Getting a diagnose is just telling you what you already know.. It is hard for a Dr to shift gears with patients. They listen to stuff all day long so go and get a congitive test done.. That one is for free at the hospital.. Get diagnose by systomps sleep and excess worry all the stuff that addhd gives you.. And get those dr to sen the report to the Dr your md and bring in all the systems of ADHD.. That is what I did.. I hope it helps…. Clamdigger

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[nellie]

Sherri 127

Have you seen this site of a Vancouver Add Coach? In one article he says he emails out lists of names in the Vancouver area. Hope it helps.

http://www.addcoach4u.com/vancouver/vancouverbcareaaddresource.html

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[Author]

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