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flowzonegal —

I’m new here, but have been using the site for 4-5 months.

Almost four years ago I began treatment and counseling for anxiety, depression, and stress.  I’d also been having bouts of atrial fibrillation for more than a year.  About six months later I had a major physical and mental meltdown and spent the day in a hospital cardiac ward.  Before I was released I was interviewed by a psychiatrist.  She urged me to find a psychiatrist.  That took some time, but I got hooked up with an incredible psychiatric nurse practitioner.  She had me change counselors and fixed me up with a clinical psychologist who did a fair amount of testing on me.  I was diagnosed with PTSD.

As we’ve worked through the PTSD, which is now well under control, my psychiatrist NP suggested I again change counselors to one who worked in her practice.  That way they both had full access to all my files.  That was a little over a year ago.  As the new counselor picked through my brain she told me that that I showed signs of OCD.  As we went further, she tested me for ADD/ADHD.  So, about 6 months ago, at age 67, I was diagnosed with ADD.

I agree with the comments above – find another psychiatrist.  I know they aren’t easy to find.  I found mine through my general practice nurse practitioner.

I noticed that you didn’t mention anything about going to counseling.  Counseling and the understanding by my psychiatrist NP saved my life.  The counselors have given me many non-drug type tools to cope. I take my wife with me to about one out of every four to six visits to the psychiatrist and the counselor.  That has really helped her understand more about my issues.

All kinds of things began to make sense once I had been diagnosed with ADD.  It explained my life, relatives, friends and co-workers.

Finding this site also really helped.  Finding Rick Green and Patrick McKenna on the site was like being reunited with old friends.  I was a big fan of the Red Green TV show which they were a big part of during its long run.

This site gives me tools and laughter, and insight that I never had before.

I had some difficulty getting put on a stimulant for the ADD because of my atrial fibrillation.  My cardiologist did finally OK it, but with strict rules.  I was first put on Adderall, but I didn’t tolerate it very well, and my heart really didn’t like it.  I was switched to Ritalin, which I do tolerate reasonably well.  Your doctor needs to be keeping track of your side effects from the straterra.

All is not lost. You will get through this.

My ADD gave me a great career and a very fun life with way too many hobbies.  But, it really overextended me.  Most of my jobs, starting with six years in the Navy,  involved a lot of emergencies that had to be solved immediately.  I enjoyed the constant churning and getting new challenges almost daily.  It kept me from getting bored.  As I look back at a 40 year career, my most success came when I was working with teams of people just like me.  The “normal” people couldn’t stand to be in meetings with us because we’d have four white boards going at once trying to solve very difficult problems that they would make fun of — until we were successful because we didn’t think traditionally, and we could go into super concentration until we came up with answers.

Lastly, you might enjoy one of the best books about ADD/ADHD that is available here on the site.  “You mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy?”

Good luck.

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