[texascann]

Sanda,

You won’t believe this but I came online to see if I could read anything about the difference between ADHD and Bipolar because my md didn’t think I had ADHD. I know he became angry when I went to an ADHD doctor in a city aobut 1-1/2 hours away. We live in a small town and coming from a large city (Houston), I found that doctors here don’t even treat adult ADHD. I went 3-1/2 years before out of desperation I found an ADHD doctor. Since I had medication in Houston that controlled my ADHD, and had no medication here except the Effexor XR, I decided on my own to get off the Effexor XR. Bad plan! I almost had to check myself into the emergency room twice for feelings of suicide and anxiety. DON’T STOP THE EFFEXOR COLD TURKEY! You will end up with bigger problems. My MD explained to me that getting off Effexor or any other drug of its type is dangerous! I got back on the Effexor and the anxiety attacks and feelings of suicide went away. I missed my meds accidently for a day, and I was crying and upset again that fast. First, I will tell you not to give up and instead of feeling like you are the problem, see the problem for what it is. It is medical. To quote my ADHD doctor. It’s like wearing glasses. I might need glasses to see better but the glasses are not who I am. ADHD or Bipolar either one are not who you are; they are what you are dealing with. I’m sure you’ve heard the usual pep talk that we all give because it’s true, it does get better. Breathe deep; get help from a very reputable source, ask for testing. If you don’t feel comfortable with a doctor, see another. It’s your life and only you can take control of it. Suicide is not an option, though many people take that way out. From reading your story, I’d say that your a pretty intelligent person with a lot to give. Don’t let this get you down for long. Start working on getting what you need immediately. It may take a short time but I’m on that same journey again and though I get frustrated, I trust God and I know that He is working in my life and working this out for and me. Just remember though, God feeds even the smallest birds but He doesn’t pop the worm on top of the ground every time. Sometimes the bird must dig for his food. Consider this time a time of exploration for you to get to the bottom of this. Sandra, I know not everyone believes in God but I do and I know Christ as my personal saviour. I am not trying to preach to you, I’m just telling you what I feel. Bad things happen and it’s not what happens to us in life, it’s what we do or how we react to it that matters. I sincerely hope to talk with you again on ADHD vs. Bipolar from one woman to another. In the mean time, take care of yourself and know that God and a lot of other ADDer’s care for you too. You can email me at my texascann name at aol if you’d like and I will be glad to answer you. Charlotte

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[texascann]

I just read a lot of the posts about things we do as ADDers, and I can identify also with most all of them. I scored 9 out of 9 on the inattentative part of the ADD test on TottalyADD. I was diagnosed at 53. I am now 63. Retired about 3 years ago and moved to an area which had no one to treat my Adult ADD that could also administer meds. It took me three years and going to Shreveport, LA (from Tx.) to find a good Adult ADD doctor. I am in the process of trying other meds right now but I’ve had some of the funniest things happen. Like the time I was with a friend and thought I lost my house keys when she brought me back home. I even went as far as to call my son (10 miles away to come open my door.) After about 10 minutes, I felt something in my pocket and sure enough, it was my keys! I was so embarrased! I lose track of time constantly. On Sundays, I get up around 5-5:30 a.m. to get to church for a 9:15 a.m. Sunday School Class and I’m late every time. I am so working on this because I’ve realized that other people are interrrupted by my walking in late. I have a timer so loud, it would wake the dead while I cook because if I forget something, it could be bad. I have left my keys in the door overnight, left just the storm door locked and did not close my front door. The other day, I stepped away from the kitchen sink just a minute while it was filling up with water and I got sidetracked in the bedroom only to come back and find bubbles covering both sinks and water going eveywhere. I hurried to clean it up because my oldest son was coming over, and you know how your kids start to treat you after you start the 60’s. I thought I had cleaned the whole mess up only to find when I opened the garage door for him to come in, the whole garage floor had water running out to the driveway. I couldn’t help but laugh! Oh well, so much for hiding my ADD. Thank God, He also gave me the ability to laugh at some of my craziness, that helps! Being here on this site has helped me tremenously. Thanks!

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[texascann]

Hi – I just started on this website several weeks ago because I saw “ADD and Loving It” on the Public Network channel and wrote down the website.

Finally, I have found people just like me. I have been reading some of your replies and help and now I know where I can go to share my frustrations, and my hopes. Finding this website was similar to my feelings when I went to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston in 1998 because I was diagnosed with breast cancer. There I could wear funny hats, have a port emplanted in my chest, bandages, and everything else without feeling like I was the odd woman out. It was there that first day that I saw a man with half of his head gone and would you believe it, he was smiling and putting on his jacket to leave – smiling! That told me that he was thankful for the life he had, be it an adjusted one. At a regular hospital, I would have been stared at, with folks wondering what’s wrong with her? It’s good to be with your own kind; people who identify with what your are going through.

I also had a hard time at work once I was diagnosed with ADD and told my fellow employees. After the fact, a friend from work called me and told me that sharing that information at work was not good. When I retired three years ago, and moved to an area that didn’t offer anyone who treated adult ADHD, I suffered and was told it was only depression. I finally found a doctor in Shreveport (a very good one) who started treating me again. Once I started treatment again, I overused a friend talking about ADHD and just about wore a sister out talking about it. I think people naturally don’t know that much about ADD and so they tune it out. Yes, it happens to all of us, forgetting the keys, etc., but only an ADD person knows the frustration of dealing with ADD/ADHD. One day, I got so mad at having to explain myself about ADHD, that while trying to use one of those floor mops that manuvers in all directions (and naturally, I must have missed some of the instructions), I just literally threw it on the floor and started crying and saying “I am not ADHD. I am Charlote and I am so tired of figting this.” Once I was having problems communicating about a problem I was having technically, and I told this person I had ADD. Immediately she started talking louder and condesendingly to me! Now, that made me angry! I just calmy told her “I have ADD, I’m not hard of hearing nor stupid.” From that point on, she talked normally to me. I also thank folks with they have the patience to hear me explain something the long way around.

Anyway, before the short story unfolds into a full fledge novel, I want to once again thank you for sharing your feelings and thank you for letting me share mine. Just a sweet lady in Texas.

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