[Amy]

When I was younger, unfortunately it was alcohol. Once I started taking medication, I didn’t feel the need for it anymore, although sometimes I still overdo it when I don’t take my meds. These days, it’s just caffeine, but not too much of it. Just a cup of coffee in the morning and afternoon.

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

Usually my train of thought goes faster than I can speak, but I find myself stuck when I can’t find the right word to describe what I’m thinking about or the word I’m looking for (I did it two times just now). I seem to do it more often than the “average” person. I don’t do it as often when I take my meds, but when I do, I don’t deal with it very well except to say, “uhhh… what’s the word I’m looking for??”

Amy

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

If you’ve got an iphone/ipod touch, I’d recommend the HomeRoutines app. It follows the FlyLady guide. Thumbs up!

Amy

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

I had a horrible reaction to Wellbutrin FWIW. I had mood swings including anything from deep depression to full blown rages.

Good luck!

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

Heh, love this post. Sometimes my internal monologue will run like kc5jck’s, and it’ll drive my husband crazy when I blurt out something that seems to have no relation with what we were talking about. He’ll say, “How’d you come up with that??” or “Where’d that come from?” and I’ll run through how I got there.

Like Monk (the old USA show) says about his OCD, “It’s a gift …and a curse.” It’s helpful when I’m drawing or coming up with comic ideas, but it’s a curse when I have so many thoughts running in my head that I can’t concentrate or get stuff done.

http://acatwithadhd.com <— speaking of comics, here’s my new website… hope you all don’t mind me posting/spamming

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[Amy]

That is a GREAT book that I highly recommend as well. In fact, I think it’s my favorite book about Adult ADD/ADHD that’s out there.

Amy

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

I LOVE working outdoors, so the outside stays straight. For the most part. Just ignore the pots stacked up in the corner. And the half painted/stained garden. That’s halfway planted. Inside is a different story.

Amy

http://acatwithadhd.com

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[Amy]

Absolutely… I’ve done it all my life, and it drove my mom crazy (especially in church). I bite my fingernails too. I have to be conscious of it in meetings though if there’s not a table to hide it because it looks like I’m bored to other people. Too bad I don’t burn more calories and lose weight because of it though.

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[Amy]

Yes – I graduated high school with a 4.0 average (straight As) and graduated from a major university with Cum Laude honors. If you looked closer though, I purposely avoided classes and majors that had lengthy papers as a part of the course, because I struggle with writing. I’m OK with grammar and spelling, but trying to put the paper together and just putting thoughts down is extremely hard for me. I also dropped out of the honors program eventually because I had a hard time putting the extra effort into what was needed to succeed in those courses. I’ve been told many times after graduating from various people that they were surprised I didn’t go further in my education or career because I was “so smart.” Of course when I hit college, I felt really stupid and began thinking that I wasn’t as smart as people thought I was. I wonder how I would have done if I had known then about ADD (back then only kids and boys were diagnosed).

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[Amy]

Yes, I am in that boat right now. I took Focalin XR for a few years, but it is no longer effective for me. Even doubling the dose didn’t help. Taking over a month off didn’t help either.

Right now I am in the middle of trying to find another medication (which isn’t working) and I’m a little disheartened about it because I really hope that I can get back to where I was a few years ago after starting medication. My fear is that nothing will work at this point.

Good luck!

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[Amy]

I’ve thought about it. There is one counselor from college that I would like to let know about it – not out of vindication, but perhaps someone else could be helped that has similar problems. In college, I went to a school counselor about a drinking problem, and after completely frustrating both me and the counselor, I left.

It’s been over 15 years though since that happened, so I would hope that she would be more knowledgeable about ADHD & drinking. She is still at the school. FWIW, after starting medication, I was able to control my drinking.

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[Amy]

Yes, but at least in my case I think it has to do with needing time by myself to wind down. I get really irritable if I don’t get my away time (as in there is no one else in the house – at all!).

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