In Edmonton and burdened…

[Anonymous]

Hi folks,

First of all, thank you for reading this. Just being able to share with people that may have an idea how I feel is some comfort, to start off with. Secondly, I’d like to introduce myself – My name is Jeremy, I am just 28 years old, the father of one amazing boy (with another on the way), and have a happy marriage.

Recently I stumbled across “ADD and loving it” on TV and came to a huge realization that most, if not all, of what they talked about directly applied to me. It was such an eye opener that I spent virtually the entire following day reading and researching what I could on the topic. As the questions and information built up it was so much of an overwhelming “a ha!” that I could trace back to my adolescent years some of the things that I still “battle” today. It was such a relief to know that these traits were explainable by my condition.

On a darker note I feel this explains my constant dissatisfaction, my regular battle with depression, and my seeming inability to follow through with the final details of large projects at work. Over the last 10 years or so I’ve developed various outlets to try to cope with the depression (and sometimes suicidal thoughts) and have even gone so far as to seek some short term counselling that my employer’s benefits provide. But I’m finding the outlets no longer help though the counselling did help a bit but was more work focused – I’m fairly self-aware I don’t think the counselor understood what I needed.

This brings me to the next step in my realization. I need help. I know I need help. I’ve taken the “self test” on this site and scoring 9/9 on both parts has me anxious to seek help and a proper assessment. Where I need help is this – I do not have a “family doctor”. I’ve always used medi-centers for all my needs as otherwise I’m a physically healthy adult. I need a pointer on where to start seeking help – a recommendation to someone taking patients perhaps?

-Jeremy

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[Buz]

I just read you post and it sounds just like me (right down to the ‘one on the way’!) I’M in BC on Vancouver Island. To shorten the story, I did the leg work phoning around different psychiatrists offices, but no real joy finding someone who sees adults with ADD. Then I visited a forum like this and asked around until one name came up several times. I phoned him up and caught him in his office! I had already done some assessments with a counselor and had read ‘delivered from distraction’ (written like it was my biography). So when I went into my doctors and asked for a referral I made sure I was well informed and heard. I did all his assessments and sure enough came out ADHD ‘combined type’ with co-existing depression and anxiety. I am now at the stage of trialing meds … which help.

That does not help you find the right person in Edmonton, but I guess my message is don’t give up the search for good help…its not necessarily immediately obvious where to turn, but it exists.

Buz

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[Anonymous]

Ya know, these forums are the best way to network. No one needs to reinvent the wheel. Follow the path of many before you. You know, we should have a section about rating docs in different locals! Aerin, can we do this? Maybe we could make a separate section to the site.

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[Anonymous]

I think there are some legal issues with doing that, although sites like RateMD’s are thriving. Here’s the link: http://www.ratemds.com/social/

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[Anonymous]

Hi! I’m new…to this site and to AD(H)D. I am 55 years old, female, and have battled depression and anxiety most of my adult life. Medication I have been taking for quite a few years seems to have stopped working. In my quest to feel better, I searched and came upon a quick AD(H)D test – I scored 85% (meaning there was an 85% chance I have AD(H)D). BTW, I keep putting the “H” in parenthesis because hyperactivity doesn’t seem to be an appropriate label for me. I started seeing a psychologist about a month ago. My biggest question right now is, can AD(H)D make you extremely tired? I can’t drag myself out of bed; I struggle to get through the day. I exercise 5x a week, eat a pretty healthy diet, don’t smoke or drink; occasional caffeine from soda, not coffee. If my boss wasn’t so caring and patient, I wouldn’t have a job! I can’t get out of my own way, can’t get anything done. I am drained…worn out…just plain tired. My gp who knows me well and is the only one who prescribes medication for me just prescribed ritalin 20mg and advised me to stop taking Wellbutrin which I have taken for years (it seems to have stopped working). I have backed down from (Wellbutrin) 450 XL (yes, 450 for a short period of time), to 300XL to 150XL and now none. HELP! Does ritalin work? Do I need more? Have only been taking it for a couple of weeks. Sorry if this is in the wrong forum…I have never participated in any forum or blog, etc.

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[Curlymoe115]

Dear Jeremyk

Although using walk in clinics are convenient it will not help you with diagnosis. But to get a psychiatrist fast I would suggest that you go to the University Hospital and go into the walk in Psychiatric Clinic. There you can tell them what you have told us and use this as a shortcut to getting help. They will then assign you to one of the 2 or 3 on that day. Otherwise you can try going through a walk through or I know of 2 physicians in Fort Saskatchewan who are currently accepting patients but then you still have to get them, explain the situation, get them to send a letter, then wait for the next available appointment. I also know of a clinic that is just getting started that is taking patients. So far no one knows about them and you can walk in and be seen in 10 minutes.

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[Anonymous]

I lived in Edmonton for 2 years but moved to Honduras. That’s when I realized that I was add and everything made sense.

If you still didn’t go to the doc do it, I hesitated for 2 years until I finally took the decision.

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