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Hey miran64 – you just described me. The only difference is I can’t speak more than one language.
If you’re female then there may be other reasons for how you feel too, so you could get checked out by your GP. My symptoms got worse at your age. But whatever your gender, it sounds like you’re a classic ADDer. Welcome to the club!
Whether you get a formal diagnosis or not will depend on whether you want to get help or not and what sort of help. It might be worth joining a local group to meet like minded people, at least initially? But if you read through some of the forum posts (the old ones) you’ll find you have a lot in common with us here.
REPORT ABUSEHi again too. I’ve also been AWOL.
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I’ve just been looking at some of the old forum posts from when I first joined and it made me feel quite nostalgic for the guys who helped me back in the early days after my diagnosis. Hope you’re all rockin on happily.Sorry – I have never used any computer-based programme to improve my memory. I use organisers and play games but that’s it.
I think I remember things better if they are written on paper rather than on a screen, although I appreciate you’re talking about something more sophisticated. I’m of the age where we wrote things out multiple times at school in order to remember them. I think there is some evidence that writing triggers the memory better than typing on a keyboard and that the more physical nature of type on a page (all to do with topography) helps better than flat letters on a screen. Anyway, I really only answered this to keep it up the screen in case it’s spotted by someone who knows the answer.
There are several Facebook pages devoted to ADHD and you may get an answer on one of those – e.g. The CHADD site.
REPORT ABUSEHi @silver – good to see a fellow UK member. I’m also in the UK.
I love your description of yourself – you definitely have plenty in common with the rest of us. Good luck with trying to get a diagnosis here if you want to be tested. My GP doesn’t acknowledge ADHD – so much for the NICE guidelines! Mind you, they don’t seem to acknowledge peritonitis either! 🙂
tanpix is right, people don’t use the forum as much as they used to…….lots of changes on the site made a few of us give up to some extent – unless I just joined in its hay-day. Anyway, a few people still use it. There are lots of good videos on the site and other resources. You can find additional resources by just googling Facebook ADHD and following the links. Also, Russell Barkley has some useful videos on YouTube and I love the ‘How to ADHD’ videos on YouTube too.
It’s also useful just trawling through the old forum posts here – you’ll at least feel like you’re not alone when you read some of them.
REPORT ABUSESorry to read about your losses hstew. Life can deal some sad knocks. I think you are right about ADHD appearing worse if we have to deal with life events that are overwhelming. For women, I also think symptoms can be worse during peri-menopause. So there are peaks of coping just fine and troughs when a helping hand is needed.
REPORT ABUSESeptember 22, 2016 at 1:48 pm in reply to: Not yet diagnosed, perhaps I just have a lazy brain? Thoughts? #128092Thanks for posting this hstew. I was wondering what to get with my Audible vouchers and now I know. 🙂 I keep forgetting I subscribe to two a month and they build up. I discovered they take them away after 12 have accrued, which is naughty since I pay for them so surely they shouldn’t do that? Maybe it’s just as well though because I have a zillion unlistened to books and I finally remembered yesterday to drop my subscription down to one a month until I get back into it.
Anyway, aside from that, it’s a nice clear video. It’s interesting that people often cite evidence that prescriptions for Ritalin etc. have increased over the last few years. I wonder how much of that is due to more people medicating their children (which is inferred) and how much is a result of a growing acceptance of adult ADHD? Just a random thought.
I guess the advantage of ADHD is only if one is at the less severe end of the spectrum. Thinking outside the box, having spirit and being able to multitask are great attributes. But if the ADHD is so severe that daily functioning is just too exhausting then maybe it’s not such an advantage. I guess it’s all relative and we’re all different.
REPORT ABUSESeptember 21, 2016 at 1:12 pm in reply to: Not yet diagnosed, perhaps I just have a lazy brain? Thoughts? #128088Hi tanpix – I hope I didn’t mislead you WRT the insurance thing. I haven’t had to pay extra for insurance, I just had to declare it. The driving licence thing worried me when I realised but that was OK in the end. Also, it might be different where you are. It was just something that worried me at the time because it wasn’t something I had anticipated. It all turned out OK. I do not regret getting my diagnosis.
I admire you being self employed and running your own company. I have an employer, but am pretty free so it’s not too bad. I tried to work at home today but just hyperfocused on computer games. Oops.
Your comment about going to bed at night is so true. I can be so tired and the minute my head hits the pillow my brain wakes up and buzzes. I listen to audiobooks and try to focus on the story. Lack of sleep makes it worse of course. Ironic!
I’d better do some work now that I’ve finally realised the day is gone!
REPORT ABUSESeptember 20, 2016 at 1:16 pm in reply to: Not yet diagnosed, perhaps I just have a lazy brain? Thoughts? #128086Hi tanpix – you’re right, it is slow on the forum these days. It didn’t used to be, but the layout of the site/forum changed and to be honest it’s not as user friendly now so we’re all pretty much giving up with it. Well I can’t speak for others, but before the changes the forum was buzzing. Anyway….. I won’t get started on THAT one or I’ll go into rant mode.
Your description of yourself could be of me. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was in my late 40s and I think I became more aware of all the fog and losing things and everything you describe as that decade went on. With hindsight I was always like that, but somehow it was more obvious after 40. I don’t know if that was related to my age or if I just had more things to bother about then, or both.
You asked about tests. There are several on-line tests and they are similar to the ones your doctor will ask you to do. When you get assessed you will need to fill in the tests and probably a member of your family or a friend will do so too (at least that’s what happened to me).
You will also have an interview and the doctor/psychiatrist will decide based on those tests and your history whether you have ADHD or not. At least that’s what happened to me. I would say to be a little careful though. I didn’t realise that once I had a diagnosis it meant I had to tell my car insurers and the driving licence authority. It didn’t matter because they decided I could keep my licence, but now I have to declare this at work to drive work vehicles, although they are satisfied with my letter from the DVLA saying they are allowing me to drive! So I got away with declaring my ADHD. So there are possible consequences to having the diagnosis. BUT, none of them were of any consequence really, just a bit of additional stress I wasn’t prepared for, and overall I am glad I got assessed.
Like you I wasn’t sure about medication. I will say that meds have helped enormously. I don’t take them all the time, just when I am particularly in need of being pointed in the right direction. I think the meds helped me get into some good habits which have stuck, although some days are just ridiculous! I still manage to sometimes walk out the front door half dressed on a morning, but fortunately I realise that’s not a good look for work before I get to the car.
hstew gave some good advice and insights. When I feel overwhelmed with how much I have to do in a day I try to stick to just one or two key tasks. I can’t prioritise from a standard ‘to do’ list, but I forget things if I don’t have one. So I select a couple of things from that main list and write them elsewhere in big letters so they are always visible. That helps me focus…..to some extent.
Your doctor might be right and it’s worth getting an assessment. It’s a spectrum disorder and not always linked with hyperactivity. You need to check that nothing organic is wrong – e.g. thyroid function going wrong can give similar symptoms. But if all is well physically, it sounds like ADHD.
Welcome to the tribe! 🙂
REPORT ABUSEThat is an interesting article – thanks for posting the link.
REPORT ABUSEHi shutterbug55 – nice post. Coincidentally I just discovered Trello which might be similar. I’m currently trying it out – but I have tried out many ideas which generally fall by the wayside…..not because the system doesn’t work, but just because it’s me using it……
What I like about Trello is one can create cards (a bit like virtual index cards) and break down a project into its component parts. That means instead of seeing “write paper X” on my to do list, I can create a card and break it down into its component parts as I see fit. I can then estimate the time it will take for each part and set deadlines if I wish. A component can be moved from the ‘do’ section to the ‘doing’ section or the ‘done’ section. Apparently it has sharing capabilities too. So you can use a card for your tax returns, import in material and share with your accountant (not that I use it for that). My problem is still turning that system into something that means I get a task finished. So I still have to ring fence time in my diary and get motivated enough to do it.
I think even the linears amongst us have time management issues. One of my work colleagues says she doesn’t use a to do list – instead everything is given a slot in her diary. I tried that for three days and by day 4 everything from days 1-3 that hadn’t been done ended up being accumulated into day 4. Aaaahhha – brain freeze time.
I came across the terms below which have been given to ways of working – I wasn’t sure what SCRUM meant and coincidentally an essay on the Trello site defined the terms. I’m going to use the Trello plus diary method combined and the Kaban and Scrum methods (defined below) and see how it goes. But I’ll also check out the Agile SCRUM too…… I’m guessing each system will be similar but have bits that might suit different people.
Taken from the Trello newsletter:
1. Kanban
The kanban method encourages focus on just the work that’s actively in progress. Once a task is complete, you pull the next task from the top of a backlog.2. Scrum
The scrum method breaks down a project into fixed-length iterations that allow the team to ship something on a regular basis.3. Sprints
A subset of scrum, a sprint is a short period (ideally less than four weeks) during which you work on and ship part of a project.
REPORT ABUSEPS to my last post…….
It looks like even Straterra has adverse effects on BP. I guess they way forward is always control BP and then think about a stimulant.
Ref. UK gov. Drug safety update.
REPORT ABUSEHello grapjas – I guess by now you will have seen your GP.
My ADHD psychiatrist will only prescribe my meds if my BP is less than 140/80. Sometimes it’s higher when I see her but she waits and re-does it and it usually drifts down as I relax.
There is ‘white coat syndrome’ where BP increases due to the stress of going to the doctors to have it done, but they are aware of that. I have a personal BP monitor at home because older members of my family have high BP and have generally keeled over due to heart attacks or strokes. Therefore I like to keep a watch, especially as I get older and find my BP is sneaking up.
I have noticed at times my meds make my BP shoot up far too high and other times it’s fine. If my BP is going through a ‘higher than normal phase’ naturally I don’t take my meds. I’d rather be unhinged, stressed and forgetful than suffer the consequences of a stroke.
Home BP monitors aren’t too expensive and they can give peace of mind. Also if you know your BP is within safe limits you can give your readings to your doctor if they get higher readings in clinic.
If your BP is high, you should get that under control and then there shouldn’t be a problem with you taking Ritalin.
I’m guessing you know all this though. But there are non-stimulant meds you can try which I understand are safe if BP is high – although you’d need to ask medical advice on that. The main one is Strattera. It got a licence in the UK about 2 years ago. The problem is it takes about 8 weeks to kick in – so it’s not as flexible as the stimulants. So it can take weeks before you know if it’s working or not, but might be worth asking about.
REPORT ABUSESeptember 20, 2015 at 4:10 pm in reply to: Asking for Accommodations–it's not what you think #127439Hi playermom – good question. I have no idea but that’s never stopped me offering an opinion in the past! 🙂
My understanding of your question is that school is ‘children’s school’ and not ‘your’ school (as in USA University). If I’m wrong then sorry and don’t read on! 🙂
I think it would depend on the school and the teacher. I think where I am from I’d be scared that the school would misunderstand and tell social services the child wasn’t being looked after properly – but that’s probably my complete paranoia and mistrust of ‘the system’. It’s probably better to ask for clarification and some extensions than for them to think anything else.
It also depends on whether your child has ADHD or not. If s/he does, it might be best to tell the school that you need some reinforcement of deadlines etc. to ensure there are no misunderstandings. If s/he doesn’t have ADHD then I think I’d first of all try to put some strategy in place such as a box that all letters from the school go into as soon as child walks through the door, or as soon as they are delivered. Then develop a habit of having a ‘school admin.’ hour with your child every night. It might not be needed, but if it’s a habit then it will stick. Of course it depends on your other commitments too – easier said than done and all that.
Your idea of one sheet of paper with all their deadlines and requirements is good. I don’t see why teachers can’t organise that – it’s a good idea. Maybe you could suggest that to the school. I suspect most parents would value it. I’ve just put in a similar request where I work and it’s been taken up because even the ‘linears’ think one document with key deadlines on will makes things easier. My problem is remembering to look at it!
I guess ultimately it depends on how often deadlines are missed. With regard to your question about whether it would be a bad example – I think anyone that asks for help when it’s needed is showing a good example and a realistic approach.
As I said, this is just opinion. There might be some parents out there that have discussed similar issues with their children’s school.
REPORT ABUSEHi kirky – I noticed your other post but am replying to this one. Elsewhere I have commented about Concerta. You’re not alone – I REALLY did not get on with it.
I used to take quick release Ritalin and did OK, so I was put onto Concerta because it was a pain remembering to take Ritalin and not always convenient to do so.
Anyway, I HATED Concerta. It made me very moody and very depressed and extremely miserable. I would rather be a bit whacky than miserable so I stopped taking it. I never had those problems with Ritalin.
I now take quick release dexamphetamine. It’s much stronger than Ritalin and is good – I’ve halved my prescription and need very little to keep on a level. I like the quick release meds. I like being in complete control – if I want to take it I do, if I don’t then I don’t, if I just need a small dose to kick-start my day then I do that and I am not forced to take more if I don’t want to. Once you pop a Concerta you’re stuck with it all day.
I don’t understand why Concerta made me feel so awful when Ritalin didn’t and yet it’s the same drug. I know some generics of Concerta don’t work properly because the dispensing mechanism is not as good as the one in ‘real’ Concerta. I took the ‘proper’ brand Concerta and have absolutely nothing good to say about it.
I know others have had better experiences with it, but we’re all different and it’s important to find a medication that suits your body, mind and lifestyle. So don’t worry about being stuck, try the quick release meds and don’t be scared of modifying the dose (but not over the maximum allowed of course) and type until you get it right. It will take a while but it’s worth it in the end. It’s really important to know that what suits one person may not suit another….. and you’re not alone.
REPORT ABUSEHi – I used to take Ritalin. The generic form was rougher than the actual Ritalin but that could have been my imagination and I may have just coincidentally been more used to it by the time I swapped from generic methylphenidate to Ritalin.
Anyway, you need to play as you are doing, but it worked best for me if I took 10 mg every 3 hours up to the maximum I was allowed. On a bad day, I’d take 15 mg to start with followed by 10 mg after 3 hours. If I took 20 mg in one go I slowed down to a slow motion zombie state – not good. Developing a regular pattern was best.
After a while, I moved to Concerta and I hated it. It really didn’t agree with me at all. I liked the short-acting form better. Whilst Concerta worked, it was rough and made me feel awful (both physically and mentally). But other people get on fine with it – we are all different. If you do try Concerta, then always use the ‘proper’ brand Concerta and never the generics. Whilst the active ingredient might be the same, the slow release mechanism is different and it’s accepted pretty much now that slow release generics are not as good as Concerta. I much prefer the short acting meds as I can control when I take them. Sometimes I might just take one on an afternoon if I am struggling. I don’t necessarily want to be forced into a specific dose each day.
With regard to the ‘come down’ on an evening, I usually have a coffee and that works a treat. If that’s no good, you can use the 5 mg left from the 15 mg start if you do that.
I don’t drink coffee at the same time as taking these meds – it doesn’t mix, but it’s great when they wear off.
After trying and hating Concerta, I went back to Ritalin but it didn’t do anything for me after that. I now take dexamphetamine sometimes and am resisting Vyvanse (the slow release version) in case the same thing happens again. I now work on the assumption that if something works, don’t fiddle around with it.
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