[Fearwidg]

One specific answer I can give you re a “historic character” is Wilbur Wright.

Both Wilbur & Orville were dyslexic, both had a terrible time with numbers, both were “high school drop-outs.”

Many agree that their most important invention wasn’t the airplane. (Otto Lilienthal & Octave Chanute had already figured out the importance of curving the upper surface of a wing, and the Wrights borrowed heavily from their observations,)

What the Wrights did that no one else had was to create the “Wind Tunnel.”

This invention allowed them to experiment with all kinds of wing shapes BEFORE they flew. In effect, they “invented” the modern science of aerodynamics.

BUT …

Once they had all their data, they had a hard time reducing it.

It was their sister Katherine (who HAD gone to College & was a teacher) who assisted them during this crucial period.

It is also said that Katherine funded the First Flight experiments (though there is some dispute over that fact).

But I digress… <vbg>

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[Fearwidg]

Almost forgot (Gee, I wonder why? <g>)

As promised, here’s today’s list of Scientists and Athletes with ADD (or other Brain Chemisty Imbalances).

See above re historic Figures.

SCIENTISTS:

Alexander Graham Bell Inventor

Werner von Braun (1912-1977) Rocket Scientist

Harvey Cushing M.D.(1869-1939) Neurosurgeon

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) Physicist

Michael Faraday (1791-1867) British physicist and chemist

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) Politician, Writer, Inventor

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) Mathematician/Astronomer

Primo Levi (d. 1987) Chemist, Writer

Karl Paul Link Chemist, Scientist

Salvador Luria (1912-1991) Geneticist, Nobel Laureate

James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) British Physicist

Sir Issac Newton (1642-1727) Scientist, Mathematician

Nostradamus (1503-1566) Physician, Prophet

Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) Scientist

ATHLETES:

Chris Antley (1967-2001) Jockey

Terry Bradshaw (1948 – Present) Football Quarterback

Tyrus Cobb (1886-1961) Baseball

Ron Ellis Hockey Player

Dwight Gooden Baseball Athlete

Peter Gregg (1940-1980) Race Car Driver

Doug Harvey Hockey Player

Bruce Jenner Track & Field

“Magic” Johnson Basketball Player

Michael Jordan Basketball Player

Jason Kidd (1973-Present) Basketball Player

Carl Lewis (1961-Present) Olympic Gold Medalist

Greg Louganis Olympic Diver

Michael Phelps Olympic Gold Medalist (14 times)

Pete Rose Baseball Player

Babe Ruth (1895-1948) Baseball Legend

Nolan Ryan Baseball Player

Monica Seles Tennis Pro

Jackie Stewart Grand Prix Hall of Famer

Alberto Tomba (1966-Present) Italian Alpine Ski Champion

Bert Yancey (1938-1994) Pro Golfer

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[Fearwidg]

Absolutely right ADDled.

Before ADHD, it was ADD (though in fact, those terms really should apply to ADD – the quiet, non-obvious variety, and ADHD – “wall-bouncers” like myself <g>).

Before that it was (my personal favourite) – “minimal brain dysfunction.” (Really? Gee. Thanks a lot.)

Before that – “Bad Kids.”

(Even the curren term doesn’t really describe what we have. When hyper-focus kicks in, we can pay more attention, for longer periods of time, than most “normal people” {whatever the heck “normal” means. <g>}

I think Attention Variability Disorder is closer to the mark, though personally … I’m sticking with “Swans.” <vbg>)

You’re also right when it comes to historical figures. We can’t know they were ADD with any absolute certainty, but experts (not me) have come up with a “diagnosis” by reading their autobiographies, or looking at their recorded behaviour.

A perfect example is Thomas Edison. His brain was so “all over the place,” that his formal education ended at Grade 3. After that, his mother taught him at home. But when you look at what the man achieved – and the way he achieved it – it’s fairly obvious that Edison was “a Swan.” <g>

Anyone I’ve included on the list who is currently, or was recently, alive “came out of the ADD closet” and publically admitted they had ADD. Many have done that on late night TV shows! I’ve personally watched Anthony Hopkins, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Mandel & Gary Busey admit “they’re one of us.” <g>

And Aaron – I agree that your renaissance remark is probably true.

“Our” ability to achieve greatness is in the historical record time and time again.

But at what personal cost?

In WW2, my Island home of England was saved by an aging man who suffered terrible bouts of depression ( or “My Black Dog” as he called it).

(Sidebar: I met Winston Churchill when I was a little kid!)

Albert Einstein was obviously a genius … but he couldn’t maintain any sort of relationship and eventually lost the woman he loved.

THAT’S my personal reason for advocating so heavily for ADDers. I just don’t think it’s necessary for the people who contribute so much to this world to endure lives of personal hell.

Like I’ve said before … if you get a proper diagnosis (from someone who knows what they’re talking about), and get the right meds, you can “leash your demons,” BUT you DON’T lose the ADD gift of hyper-focus. You get to keep and CONTROL it. You’re more “you” than you’ve ever been AND, you get to have a happy home life as well.

Why would ANY of us settle for anything less?

… But I digress. <vbg>

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[Fearwidg]

Just realized I didn’t answer River’s question.

Re where do ADDers fit?

It’s no surprise so many of us are in “Show Biz.”

I’ve heard it said that L.A. should be re-named “ADD-Town” (though I personally prefer, “Swan Lake” <g>)

We suck in mundane occupations.

We blossom in any arena that demands high concentration (because of the ADD “gift” of hyper-focus).

BUT … there’s a catch.

We “gotta wanna.”

If the arena doesn’t catch our imagination, fugetaboudit.

If it does – especially once we have the right meds – we excel.

To put it another way…

I can’t work 9 to 5 to save my life (if there’s no reason, other than money, to be there).

But, I will happily work 5 to 9 (that’s 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.), 7 days a week, if the arena catches my fancy.

(Been doing that since 1972!)

Hope that partially answers your question.

MUST get back to work.

Cheers till next time,

GN

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[Fearwidg]

Oh, what the heck – let’s do ADD Entertainers as well.

(Note “Musicians” are in a separate list I’ll put here later.)

ENTERTAINERS:

Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) Dancer, Choreographer

Harry Anderson Actor

Louie Anderson Comedian, Actor

Tom Arnold Actor

Norma Jean Baker (Marilyn Monroe) Actor, Singer

Ann Bancroft Actor

Rona Barrett Entertainment Reporter, Author

Kim Bassinger Actor

Ned Beatty Actor

Harry Belafonte Actor, Singer

John Belushi Actor, Comedian, Singer

Maurice Benard Actor

Danny Bonaduce Radio Personality, Actor, Writer

Clara Bow (1905 – 1965) Actor

Cheyenne Brando (1970 – 1995) Actor

Marlon Brando Actor

Jeremy Brett 1933 – 1995, Actor

Art Buchwald Writer, Humorist

Delta Burke Actor

George Burns (1896-1996) Actor

Tim Burton Artist, Movie Director

Gary Busey Actor

Cher Actor, Singer

Nicholas Cage Actor

Donald Cammell (1934-1996) Movie Director, Screenwriter

Naomi Campbell Model

Truman Capote (1924-1984) Writer, TV Personality.

Drew Carey Actor

Jim Carrey Actor

Lisa Nicole Carson Actor

Dick Cavett Writer, Media Personality

Paddy Chayefsky (1923 – 1981) Writer, Movie Director

Margaret Cho Actor, Comedian

Dick Clark Television Personality, Producer

John Cleese Comedian, Actor, Writer

Paula Cole Actor

Jeff Conaway Actor

Francis Ford Coppola Director

Bill Cosby Actor, Comedian

Dennis Crosby (1935-1991) Actor

Carey Crosby, (1938-1989) Actor

Bill Dana Comedian

Rodney Dangerfield Comedian, Actor

Sandra Dee Actor

Ellen DeGeneres Comedian, Actor

Johnny Depp Actor

Walt Disney Animator

Eric Douglas Actor

Kirk Douglas Actor

Michael Douglas Actor

Tony Dow Actor, Producer, Director

Robert Downey Jr. Actor

Patty Duke (Anna Duke Pearce) Actor, Writer

Robert Evans Producer

Craig Ferguson TV Host, Comedian, Actor, Writer

Sally Field Actor

Eddie Fisher Singer, Actor

Carrie Fisher Writer, Actor

Michael J. Fox Actor

Judy Garland (1922-1969) Singer, Actor

James Garner Actor

Danny Glover Actor

Tracey Gold (1969-Present) Actor

Whoopi Goldberg Comedian, Actor

Cary Grant Actor

Rick Green Actor, Writer, Director, Producer

Shecky Greene Comedian, Actor

Linda Hamilton Actor

Tony Hancock Comedian, Actor

Moss Hart (1904-1961) Actor, Director, Playwright

Mariette Hartley Actor

Margaux Hemingway (1955-1996) Actor, Model

Mariel Hemingway (1961-Present) Actor

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) Actor

Dustin Hoffman Actor

Anthony Hopkins Actor

Ashley Judd Actor

Naomi Judd Actor Singer

Margot Kidder Actor

Gelsey Kirkland Dancer

Ashton Kutcher Actor

Jessica Lange Actor

Hugh Laurie Actor, Comedian

Vivien Leigh 1913-1967, Actor

Jay Leno Comedian & TV Host

Dave Letterman Comedian & TV Host

Bill Liechtenstein Producer

Allie Light Director

Joshua Logan 1909-1988 Broadway Director, Producer

Courtney Love Musician, Actor

Howie Mandel Comedian, Actor

Camryn Manheim Actor

Ann Margret Actor, Dancer

Jay Marvin Radio Personality, Writer

Gary McDonald Actor

Kevin McDonald Comedian, Actor

Patrick McKenna Actor, Writer, Producer

Rod McKuen Poet

Kristy McNichol Actor

Steve McQueen (1930-1980) Actor

Burgess Meredith 1908-1997, Actor, Director

Spike Milligan (1918-2002) Comic Actor, Writer

Carmen Miranda (1909-1955) Dancer, Actor

Demi Moore Actor

Vaslov Nijinksy (1889-1959) Dancer, Choreographer

Deborah Norville Television Journalist

Rosie O’Donnell Actor, Talk Show Host

Sir Laurence Olivier (1907-1989) Actor

Nicola Pagett Actor

Susan Powter Motivational Speaker

Freddie Prinze (1954-1977) Actor , Comedian.

Joan Rivers Comedian, Talk Show Host

Robbie Rist Actor

Roseanne Actor, Writer, Comedian

Winona Ryder, Actor

Yves Saint Laurent, Fashion Designer

Charles Schulz, 1922-2000 Artist, Cartoonist

George C. Scott (1927-) Actor

Willard Scott Weather Forecaster

David O. Selznick (1902-1965) Film Producer, Director

Neil Simon Writer, Playwright

Paul Simon Composer, Musician

Don Simpson (1944-1996) Movie Producer

Will Smith Actor,Rapper,Entertainer

Tom Smothers Actor,Singer,Entertainer

Jose Solano actor

Suzanne Sommers Actor

Steven Spielberg Producer

Sylvester Stallone Actor, Writer, Producer, Director

Rod Steiger (1925-2002) Actor

Barbara Streisand Singer, Actor, Director, Producer

David Strickland (1970-1999) Actor

Elizabeth Taylor Actor

Lili Taylor Actor

Gene Tierney (1920-1991) Actor

Spencer Tracy (1900-1967) actor

Ted Turner Entrepreneur, Media Giant

Liv Tyler Actor. Daughter of Steve Tyler

Jean Claude Van Damme Athlete, Actor

Vivian Vance (1909-1979) Actor

Joseph Vasquez (1963-1996) Writer, Director

Carey Wagner Actor

Lindsay Wagner (1949-Present) Actor

Mike Wallace Journalist

Damon Wayans Comedian, Actor, Writer, Director, Producer

Norman Wexler (1926-1999) Screenwriter, Playwright

Robin Williams Comedian, Actor

Henry Winkler Actor, Producer

Oprah Winfrey Talk Show Host, Actor

Jonathan Winters Comedian, Actor, Writer, Artist

Ed Wood (1925-1978) Director

Natalie Wood (1938-1981) Actor

Robert Young (1907-1998) Actor

Up next:

Scientists & Athletes.

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[Fearwidg]

Veronica …

Yeah, I think Bush is a pretty obvious case recognized by just about everyone. <g>

(Sidebar: I shouldn’t laugh. The poor man’s dyslexia is painfully obvious and made him an object of ridicule.)

Interesting point – when I was compiling a list of recent U.S, Presidents with ADD, I had a hard time finding one who wasn’t!

Only one I could find was Jimmy Carter (who, interestingly lobbied for assistance for those with Mental Disorders).

Haven’t seen any blatant signs of ADD in Obama.

Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. <vbg>

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[Fearwidg]

Continuing with my list of famous ADDErs (or people with Brain Chemistry Imbalances)…

River asked if I had a list of ADD Artists.

Of COURSE I do. <vbg>

I’ll do that next. Here we go:

WRITERS, POETS, ARTISTS & ENTREPRENEURS:

Ansel Adams Photographer

Louis Althusser (1918-1990) Philosopher, Writer

Diane Arbus (1923-1971) Photographer

Samuel Becket (1906-1989) Writer

Clifford Beers (1876-1943) Humanitarian

John Berryman (1914-1972) Poet

L. Brent Bozell (d. 1997) Attorney, Writer

Richard Brautigan (d. 1984) Writer

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821 – 1890)Explorer, Writer

Truman Capote (1924-1984) Writer

Thomas Carlyle Scottish historian, critic, writer

Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) Industialist

Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) Author of Alice in Wonderland

Neal Cassady (1926-1968) Writer

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) Author

Hart Crane(1899 1932) Poet

Salvador Dali (1904-1989) Artist

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Inventor/Artist

Emily Dickinson Poet

Terence Donovan (1936-1996) Photographer

Michael Dorris (1945-1997) Writer

James Farmer (1920-1999) Civil Rights Activist

Philo T. Farnsworth (1906-1971) Inventor of Television

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 1940) Author

Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990) Magazine Publisher

Andre Franquin (1924-1997) Cartoonist

Arshille Gorky (1904-1948) Artist

Phil Graham Owner, Washington Post

Graham Greene (1904-1991) Writer

Philip Guston (1913-1980) Artist

Valerie Hardin Gothic poet, Artist, Children’s Author

William Randolph Hearst (1863-1951) Newspaper Magnate

Lillian Hellman (1905-1984) Writer

Ernest Hemingway (1898-1961) Writer

Milton Hershey (1857-1945) “The Chocolate King”

Herman Hesse (1877-1962) Writer

Edward Hopper 1882-1967 Artist

Eugene Izzi (1954-1996) Writer

William James (1842-1910) Philosopher, Writer

Randall Jarrell (1914-1965) Poet

Samuel Johnson Author

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) Writer

Jane Kenyon (1940-1995) Poet

William Kurelek (1927-1977) Artist

Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) Explorer(Lewis & Clark Expedition)

Ross Lockridge, Jr. (1914-1948) Writer

Jack London (1876-1916) Writer

Malcolm Lowry (1909-1957) Writer

J. Anthony Lukas (1933-1997) Writer

Peter McWilliams (1949-2000) Writer, Activist

Claude Monet (1840-1926) Artist

Eugene O’Neill (1888-1953) Writer

Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) Poet, Soldier

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) Writer, Poet

Walker Percy (1916-1990) Writer

Pierre Peladeau (1925-1997) Entrepreneur

Murray Pezim (1920-1998) Financier

Pablo Picasso (1882-1973) Artist

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963) Writer

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) Author/Poet

Jackson Pollock (1912-1956) Artist

John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) Founder, Standard Oil

Norman Rockwell (1894-1978) Artist

August Rodin (1840-1917) Artist/Sculptor

Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) Writer

Amelia Rosselli (1930-1996) Poet

Mark Rothko (1903-1970) Artist

Gabrielle Roy (1909-1983) Writer

May Sarton (1913-1995) Poet, Diarist, Novelist

Charles Schulz (1922-2000) Artist, Cartoonist

Delmore Schwartz (1913-1966) Poet

Anne Sexton (1928-1974) Poet

George Bernard Shaw Author

Socrates (469-399 B.C.) Philosopher

George Stephanopoulos Political Advisor, Educator

August Strindberg (1849-1912) Writer

Dylan Thomas Irish Author

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) Author

Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy Russian Author

Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) Artist

Mark Twain Writer

Joseph Vasquez (1963-1996) Writer, Director

Vincent Van Gogh Artist

Russell Varian (1899-1959) Inventor

Jules Verne (1828-1905) Author

Kurt Vonnegut Writer

Mary Jane Ward (1905-1981) Writer

Norman Wexler (1926-1999) Screenwriter, Playwright

Tennessee Williams (1911-1983) Writer

William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) Physician, Writer, Poet

Bill Wilson (1895-1971) Co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous

F. W. Woolworth (1852-1919) Department Store Innovator

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) Architect

William Wrigley, Jr. Chewing Gum Maker

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) Writer

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) Irish Author

How’s that?

Cheers,

GN

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[Fearwidg]

Hi Rick.

Thanks for the kind words.

Hi Redward 1965.

Yes I know the documentary well.

As a matter of fact I am also a private pilot and have flown over 140 small planes, mostly antiques & homebuilts.

Been flying since I was a teen. Didn’t know I had ADD till I was 46.

But my ADD & my Tourettes NEVER affected my flying.

When I was diagnosed, I asked my Doctor why that was.

He explained that all us undiagnosed ADDers don’t realize it, but we search for ways to self-medicate so we get what we’re really after – a quiet mind!

Mentioned I used Alcohol as a younger teen, but sensed I was on a “road to hell,” so quit drinking booze and became a pilot instead . <g>

(Sidebar: Also put myself in hospital twice with some strange malady they couldn’t figure out till my 2nd “visit.” The Doctor asked a bunch of questions. “Don’t drink. Never smoked,” I said. “Looks like you have caffeine poisoning,” he said. “Never drink the stuff,” I responded. “Chocolate?” he asked. “One candy bar a month – maybe,” I replied.

“How about TEA?” he said. “Oh, I LIVE on tea,” I replied. “How many cups a day? he asked. “Just normal,” I replied. What’s “normal” he asked {with a look in his eye that told me he’d figured out the problem}. I thought carefully then told the good Doctor, “Oh 35 – 40 cups a day…”

I SWEAR I thought a) there was no caffeine in tea, and b) 35-40 cups a day was normal. Turns out I did have caffeine poisoning and – without realizing it – had been self-medicating my ADD with tea!!! Switched to decaf tea. Without the caffeine, drank less tea. After I got my meds, lost all interest in the beverage. Now drink only water, milk and the occasional cup of hot chocolate (and yes, I KNOW that has caffeine <g>).

Wow! Some sidebar … where was I?

Oh, right – Flying.

My ADD Doc told me many of his ADD patients were Pilots (You’ll hear Doctor Hallowell mention that same fact in “Totally Add & Loving It.”)

“Let me ask you a question,” the Doc said. “When, or where, do you feel ‘at peace’?”

It only took me a second to reply, “When I fly.”

The Doctor grinned and nodded his head (which was unnerving).

“Why ?” I asked.

“Because ADDers make great pilots,” he responded. “The combination of flying the plane and watching the instruments and the weather and the traffic and the maps, together with the “white noise” of the engine & the wind is exactly the environment you guys thrive on.”

“Okay. But WHY?” I wanted to know.

“Because all that activity occupies the part of your brain that usually drives you crazy; that internal conversation that won’t shut up. As a result, the other part of your brain – the “real you” – gets to experience rare moments of peace & quiet. And you’re hooked on that.”

It was a staggering revelation … because it’s true.

Turns out I’d been self-medicating with flying.

Also turns out all us Swans who climb mountains, scuba dive, race cars or run ER departments are doing the same thing!

We’re NOT “Adrenaline Junkies,” as so many think. We actually do what we do because – without realizing it – we get the one thing we REALLY crave…

Peace of mind.

(Sidebar: Attended an ADD conference once where I spoke with a specialist who’d been a Military Doctor in Vietnam. He noticed the “loss ratio” of his pilots went up if they had to fly more than 15 minutes to combat. The Doc had an idea he was dealing with ADDers {who were getting bored} and started his pilots on Dexedrine before their flights. As a result, the loss ratio plummeted and the success ratio soared! It’s a little known fact that the US Air Force has been offering their pilots Dexedrine {so-called “Go Pills”}since 1960 {That’s not a rumor. I have a copy of the U.S. Navy Pilot’s manual on the subject.}. They do it NOT “to get them high,” but to help the ADD Fighter Pilots the Air Force naturally attracts get their symoptoms under control. Dexedrine was on EVERY Apollo Mission (you can read about it in the flight transcripts) and was used on the so-called “Vomit Comet” during weightlessness training! The Air Force is VERY aware that most of their top pilots are “Swans” <vbg).

Oh, man.

That was long.

Apologies.

Cheers till next time,

GN

PS: One last point (big surprise) – that Flight Surgeon told me, “If anything ever goes wrong when I’m flying in an airliner, I pray one of you ADDers are in the pilot’s seat.” “WHY?” I asked. “Because with you guys, it’s always about, ‘The Next Thing, The Next Thing, The Next thing…,’ and I know you ADD pilots will go through every possible scenario to save the flight – and you’ll do it in nanoseconds.”

Know what? He’s right.

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[Fearwidg]

Redward1965

LOVE your opening line. It is SO ADD. (Thought/Sidebar/Honesty).

{Mind you, I’m more Thought/Sidebar/Sidebar/Sidebar/ What was I talking about? <g>}

But I digress. <vbg>

I’ll say again – I AM NOT AS DOCTOR…

But when you say, you’ve been medicated for unipolar depression, but also TENTATIVELY diagnosed with ADD AND Aspergers, I get worried.

ADD presents very differently from Aspergers, and SO many Adders are incorrectly diagnosed with Depression (which is not to say you DON’T have Depression, you very well may. Again – I AM NOT A DOCTOR).

But for many of us, especially those with a few years under our belts (and if I read your username correctly, I suspect you’re 44 -45), why wouldn’t we be depressed after a lifetime of underachievement & “missing the mark”?

That’s where a good Doctor – one who really understands Brain Chemisty Imbalance (BCI) problems – comes in. They can tell the difference between Depression as the prime BCI, or as a “Shadow Syndrome” of some other BCI, such as ADD or Aspergers.

So, what really worries me is your comment about being TENTATIVELY diagnosed with ADD or Aspergers.

Why “tentaively”? Are you part way through a process of narrowing that down, or were you left hanging with three possibilities?

If that’s the case, you and your Doctor (or an ADD/Aspergers Specialist) really need to nail down that diagnosis.

Because ADD or Aspergers frequently come with depression as a shadow syndrome … but it’s rarely the other way around.

From the bit of information above, my totally non-professional take would be: it SOUNDS like you have ADD with Motor Tics/Mild Tourettes like me, or possibly Aspergers. And I would PRESS for a complete, professional diagnosis.

Why? Because the right diagnosis, followed my med trials to discover the meds that work for YOU, will end your tics, change your life … SAVE your life.

Having said that – I AM NOT A DOCTOR – so, please keep taking the meds you’ve been prescribed until a qualified Specialist tells you otherwise.

Wish you all the best.

Be sure to let your fellow Swans know how you get on.

Cheers till next time,

GN

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[Fearwidg]

Veronica –

Best of luck with your Doctor, and if s/he can’t give you a satisfactory answer, don’t be afraid to find an ADD Specialist who will. (Wish I’d done THAT decades ago).

Also … excellent point that your motor tics not only increase under stress, but also when one is excited. I forgot to mention that. (Sorry. I have ADD <vbg>).

Another point I missed is that – even when my tics are at their worst – they disappear completely when I’m hyper-focussed.

I remember an excellent episode of Chicago Hope that dealt with a brilliant Doctor who just happened to have severe Tourettes. In the end, he was the only Doctor who could save a small infant, but it didn’t help that while trying to explain the risks of the operation to the parents, his Tourettes would occasionally blurt out the words “Dead baby.”

The other doctors didn’t want him near the child, but finally realized the man was the infant’s only hope.

In the event, it took about 30 seconds for the Doctor’s Tourettes to evaporate as his hyper-focus kicked in, he became the consumate professional, and saved the baby. But the second he was done – back came the tics with a vengeance.

I know it was a fictional TV drama, but I remember being impressed that the Screenwriter had obviously done his/her homework. They nailed what it’s like to have Motor tics/Tourettes.

But I digress. <g>

As I said – Good luck with your Doctor … and, if you don’t mind, let the rest of us totallyadd Swans know how it went (either way).

Cheers till next time,

GN

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[Fearwidg]

Hey Veronica.

Definitely bring it up (wish I had a LONG time ago.)

I’ll stress here – I AM NOT A DOCTOR … just a guy with ADD who has done a lot of research (because I didn’t think it was real and needed PROOF) and advocates for a lot of kids – and adults – with ADD.

The way it’s been explained to me … all of us with “Brain Chemistry problems” are on a bell curve. (I’ve also heard it described as a spectrum. but the image of a bell curve helps my ADD brain grasp the concept a little easier. <g>)

You’ve got Learning Disorders, then Dyslexia, then ADD, then ADD with Motor Tics, then Tourettes, then Aspergers, then Autism.

I’m over-simplifying, but the point is – all these disorders have a common origin – Imbalanced Brain Chemistry (which we’re born with. It’s genetic. It is NOT “our fault”).

The reason you need an ADD Specialist to diagnose you and take you through med trials is because the good ones know – you don’t just give someone Ritalin, then watch to see if it helps (in which case the Doc says they have ADD), or doesn’t (in which case the Doc says they haven’t).

It’s much more complex than that. And meds have to be tailored to every patient’s personal Brain Chemistry problems.

You may need a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of another. <g>

In my case, I was originally diagnosed as “Add with severe Motor Tics.” About 10 years later, another Doctor said I had mild Tourettes.

What’s the difference? One tiny question: Is there a vocal component to your Tics?

I told the first Doctor, “No,” because I honestly didn’t think I had a vocal tic (and I thought Tourettes was “that swearing in public” thing {which in itself is an ignorant thing to say}).

But my partner was with me at the 2nd Doctor’s, and when I said “No Vocal Tic,” she said, “…Um, Hon – Yeah you do.”

I thought I was clearing my throat, but my partner correctly identified that as a vocal tic that worsened with increased stress.

So, if you want to go by the strict guidelines – it sounds (SOUNDS – I am NOT a Doctor) like you may have Mild Tourettes.

I am very familiar with the sensation you described. I lived with that, on and off for 60 years.

Then – last year – my latest doctor said he could help me put a stop to that. It took 3 tries, but the 3rd med (Clonazepam in MY case), stopped my tics in their tracks inside of ONE HOUR.

I can’t tell you how liberating it fells to no longer worry if my tics are going to start up in the wrong place.

Then, as I said above, just TODAY, I realized those meds are also controlling anxiety problems I didn’t know I had.

Apologies – must get back to work…

But the bottom line is – if it’s bothering you (and I don’t imagine you’d have mentioned it if it wasn’t) why not have your doctor look into it?

Besides … while “our” vocal tics may “give us away,” I now understand they are just the tip of the iceberg, revealing deeper problems below.

If I were you … I’d look into it.

Best of luck.

Cheers till next time,

GN (Not on meds, OFF ADD <g>)

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[Fearwidg]

Everything you describe sounds “normal” to me. <g>

Read my full story in the “Emotional Journey” forum under “Oops – classic ADD…”

For me, my inability to “hear” conversations was the “smoking gun” I needed to convince myself I have ADD.

As the Doctor said, “Your mind goes where curiousity takes it.”

So I’m a freelance writer – which is a great job for ADDers as every new story (or Screenplay) requires researching a whole new area of life.

I never get bored and – with my meds – I can NOW finish off every project AND hit deadlines.

Remember – ADD comes with a gift – hyper-focus. And while the meds “reign in” the bad stuff, you get to keep “the gift.”

Couldn’t do what I do if I didn’t have ADD – or, to be more accurate – CONTROLLED ADD.

And at the age of 61, I still can’t wait to see what I’m gonna be when I grow up. <vbg>

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[Fearwidg]

SO good to see Dr. J say – IN PRINT – that your weight and dosage are not necessarily related.

You have no idea how many Doctors I’ve fought over that point- especially in rural Canada. (I do a fair bit of advocacy work for kids {and Adults} with ADD.)

Also…

GREAT ADD Doc I used to have (she moved out west. Grrr <g>), told me: “As it’s all about correcting Brain Chemistry, it frequently takes more than one med.” (Note: She had a phd in Chemistry.)

In my case, I’m right on the cusp of Tourettes – Severe ADHD with Motor Tics (Twitches {Hate that word}.)

The ADD meds “fixed” my brain, but at the cost of increased Motor Tics (some so bad, I didn’t want to leave the house).

My latest ADD Doc worked with me through several med trials. Some made things worse, others made me EXPLOSIVE! (I stopped IMMEDIATELY.)

Then – my Doctor added Clonazepam (a very inexpensive med) to my Adderall and – just 30 minutes later – the tics STOPPED (as did the accompanying anxiety) for the first time in SIXTY YEARS!!!

So, it may take a while to find YOUR “magic combination,” but work with your Doctor and it CAN happen.

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[Fearwidg]

20 Minutes, Folks.

That’s how long it took – after I took my first meds at the age of 46 – for my life to change.

Thought it was all bull – or at the very best, highly suspect … then I took that first pill.

20 MINUTES later, my mind cleared and I had sharp focus – ON DEMAND – for the first time in my life.

Went through the classic stages you’re talking about … What if I’d found out sooner? … All those wasted years … etc.

But you DO get past that and finally realize – “Oh well. At least I know NOW. So what do I do with the REST of my life?”

Get a good Doctor. Get a THOROUGH diagnosis. Work with your Doctor to find the RIGHT meds (it may take more than one), and the RIGHT dosage. Take the meds you’re prescribed WHEN you’re supposed to take them. Then – with your brain FINALLY working at peak efficiency – go to work fixing the problems you couldn’t (COULDN’T) before, and prepare for the best years of your life.

And remember: You’re not “on meds,” you’re “OFF ADD.”

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[Fearwidg]

Hey ADDled.

Sorry for the delay in responding. Things awfully hectic right now.

However … nice to “meet” you and glad I could relieve you of that “Senior Statesman” status.

I’m starting to get used to it. <vbg>

Re ADD – don’t forget – it comes with a gift: Hyper-Focus.

And once you have the right meds (and “leash your demons”), you can access that “gift” whenever you need it.

Totally changed my life (though I had to go through that whole denial/anger/regret/acceptance thing before change really started to take hold).

Almost 15 years later – I now know I couldn’t do the things I’ve done if I DIDN’T have ADD. So I’ve learned/am-constantly-learning how to leash the bad stuff and free up the good.

Look forward to “talking” more with you.

Cheers till next time.

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