cannex wrote: » Its sucks, I was angry for quite a long time too, still a little bit, pissed off with all those teachers and people who were supposed to know that something was up. But there was nothing wrong with my intelligence so it must be that I was lazy or couldnt be bothered and if they just applied more pressure and more punishements I would whip myself into place. Well that didnt happen, ever. Just applied for college again through the CAO and last week was my final session with CBT for ADHD. I now feel hopeful because I have the medication and tools to replace my deficit of the executive function. Tools: a filofax that I bring everywhere with me and tasks divided in order of importance: A< B< C < D. Getting treatment is life changing and I am feeling it already. I started yoga, before, I was so disorganised I would forget to buy suitable clothes, not have the money for the class, just completely forget about it or impulsively decide not to go. Things are different now. I get up at 7am most mornings with a plan. Fight to get the right treatment!!! Here is a playlist from a talk given by Dr Russell A Barkley describing everything you need to know about adhd and how the word attention is not even close to how it affects every aspect of life.https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzBixSjmbc8eFl6UX5_wWGP8i0mAs-cvY
cannex wrote: » Very descriptive indeed! From waking to the the last minute before sleep usually. Thats where the meds help me. I can get things done in the right sequence and not just jump from one thing to another, well less anyway. Sorry now gonna do some shameless promotion.... This is a thread I made on Russell Barkley, thanks orion for introducing him to me. I had him mixed up with Hallowell who goes on about the gift of adhd, that pisses me off as I am struggling with the crappy bits a lot too. There are good times to be a quick thinker and think in a different way obviously. Anyway here is the link from the new forum, a thread for Russell Barkley videos. http://adhdadultireland.boards.net/thread/6/dr-russell-barkley This video blew me away
Greengearz wrote: » Hi Guys Just to clarify I am not asking for medical advice - just opinions from people who think they have or have add/adhd and live in Ireland (and have dealt with or are dealing with getting diagnosed /treated in Ireland) I could rattle on for a while about why I think I have this but I'm going to try and summarize my main symptoms in a concise a way as possible. 25 & female: To summarize, I'm an intelligent person, I got through secondary school and got well above average grades without ever really lifting a finger, even for the final exams, which in itself annoyed me as I was always saying to myself if I could just put my head down and focus I could have done even better. (for one of my the mock exams I got the highest in the yr (A-) and I didn't even open a book yet for the final exam, although I did well, I didn't get the 'head down' like I wanted to) Forward to today I'm in college and going into my final year. While I have done fine so far and I really enjoy myself, I don't think I have been satisfied ever with any of my grades/reports/assignments I hand in because every single one (bar one- that was a great day and got an A) is done at the last minute, if its due at 12pm, I'll be furiously typing at 11:59. My friends think I cope well and perform under pressure, I guess I do to a point but I hate that fact as it means everything is normally only half done as once I get started I get really into it and then ofc I become more annoyed with myself for leaving it to this point and not being able to get it finished on time. The last exam I most recently sat, I started to study the day before, however I spent 15 hours in front of my notes and laptop (no social media distractions etc) and nothing new went in. I kept focusing on every other thing but the subject I was sposed to be studying. Like I said earlier I can get away without studying and pass and even do quite well but I wanted to actually study for an exam for once and 'do the best I could'. I almost didn't go to the exam because, although I knew I would pass, It wasn't going to reflect my level of interest for the subject. Even in an exams, while everyone is furiously writing, and I know I should be, I've found myself staring/observing all around me and the small noises that ones hears e.g. the clock or people coughing. I am also extremely untidy, I used to think this as one of my quirks but I feel it definitely represent the chaos in my brain. I also lose things frequently esp. my phone and bank cards, never normally permanently though. Also a chronic procrastinator, even in areas I really enjoy & plan in advance in my head. Unless I hyperfocus on something then I do all that straight away to the detriment of other areas. Even just when I have a day off work, I want it to be productive and get gardening done or whatever, I think/plan and yet nothing gets done (Eg I plan what plants to plant where and I get 'stuck' trying to figure what plants to put where etc. Some days I'll manage to get organised by 6pm and walk the dogs then just to feel like I've done something productive, not this bad all the time obviously but often it really feels like my brain is cloudy/foggy. I would consider myself quite a hype type, and I definitely feel very restless if I don't get out most days, thankfully I love hiking and I have three equally energetic dogs who need a lot of exercise.. With regards to sleeping, if I don't tire myself out w/exercise I often cant sleep for ages. I can stay up all night and go to college and function fine. I seem to do well on little sleep, which annoys me in itself as I'm always like 'aim for 8hours or whatever'. I find it very hard to get up sometimes, even though I love mornings in some ways. Just the whole snooze, snooze thing and complete loss of motivation. Other times I am exhausted after work and will sleep for 3/4hours. Re: my childhood, I've read a lot that you might have had symptoms earlier but overlooked or whatever. While I wasn't a particularly bad child, I was quite quite hyper/cheeky at times, I remember my mum telling me that once my nan put me in the boot of the car, (lg. Montego estate type boot- which had a dog guard), while they were visiting a neighbour as I was causing chaos inside. I also spent a lot of my childhood climbing trees and on the roof of the house. I lived in the country so I had wide open spaces to explore and burn energy. Apparently I also day dreamed quite a lot. Like others I can definitely see other family members/cousins who could be other potential ADHD candidates. Another thing which is very hard for me to control is the speed at which I talk, so much to the point that I regularly trip over words and can't seem to get things out fast enough, regardless whether its through excitement or nerves. It's annoying because just having a normal conversation with someone can be annoying as although the sentences are fine and pre-planned in my head, forming proper sentences at a decent pace where people understand me? Forget it! Even my sister often asks what the hell did I just say- and she's used to my racing pace of speech. I am actually seeing a counsellor, one of the reasons I started was to look at how fast I was talking- which I think everyone assumes is due to anxiety. Although I definitely have moments/periods of anxiety, the speech is constantly fast regardless. I know these aren't the places for diagnosing but I would like an opinion as to whether people can identify with these symptoms. I've taken several online tests and they have all indicated a high chance of having it. (I know they're not 'diagnoses' in themselves but in combination with my own 'symptoms' and reading other peoples accounts etc I've done quite alot of reading and research around the area (another example of hyperfocusing) I'm considering mentioning it to my counsellor or doctor, not sure how they will react. Basically I cannot allow my final year in college to go as the rest of my education has done, fine- but I'm not happy with fine and I know I am capable of so much more if I could just focus! Also not sure how my dr would react, I would consider going private if it would speed the process up (I do have a medical card but if poss I would like to make move so to speak by September for my final yr in college) Another bad habit I have is constantly picking my fingers- whether I am anxious or not, often to the point they bleed. Also regularly click/crack my fingers/toes if I am sitting down. I also sing alot, sometimes randomly and loud (at home mostly- just hum if in work or wherever). Not sure if that's anything. Thanks for reading, sorry for the long winded post.
masculinist wrote: » I applied to join the page. Is it still active ?
liz12345 wrote: » hi so I just noticed this thread. Over the past few months, I have noticed a lot of Adhd symptoms present in my life. I went to a counsellor at university to see what could be done. I have an appointment for a diagnosis with a psychiatrist next month and they think if diagnosed i may need a bit of medication and basically what Im looking to see is what are peoples experiences are as i am a small bit worried about it all ! just a few questions: What happened during the diagnosis phase? Was there many appointments to be going to after diagnosis and follow up? (im a bit worried on this one as Im hoping to be doing a summer job as an intern and wouldnt like to be having to ask for lots of time of and stuff even though if it has to be done it will take priority of course!) Was medication helpful and what other things can you do for yourself to reduce symptoms and is medication expensive Any feedback would be great , a lot of questions there but its quite hard to find alot of info on the websites so its quite daunting so far and i really dont know what to expect if i am diagnosed so i just want to be ready ! thank you
Feu wrote: » HI folks, I've been following this thread with interest, thanks Cannex for setting it up. I've been reluctant to post to date, as I am not a person with ADHD/ADD but I do work with lots of people that do have it. This board seems to be working really well with advice from each other about differing experiences with the health services :rolleyes: and you can let me know where to go if ye like. However, with regards to liz12345 and Greengearz particularly, I would encourage you to seek a diagnosis, privately if neccesary. (hope this does not break rules of posting?!) As Cannex and a couple of others have mentioned, getting through college without a diagnosis can be gruelling, and with a diagnosis you can register with your Disability Service for extra supports (with a confirmed diagnosis of any mental health or neurological condition from a consultant). Every college has at least a disability officer, if not a whole office, and you can access supports like Exam accommodations e.g. smaller hall, or even individual room - really reduces distractions (for some - increases for others ), extra time, a reader or using a computer - whatever will be helpful. Some colleges also have further supports like academic support workers (help with actual content, essay writing), and even Occupational Therapy (help with organisation, building routine, sensory needs, executive functioning difficulties). Any questions on any of this, give me a shout Also, just wanted to pick up on something else Cannex mentioned, the Canadian ADHD resource alliance CADDRA guidelines (specifically the ADHD checklist).https://www.caddra.ca/practice-guidelines/download I feel this is some of the best clinical stuff written on ADHD/ADD. While it is a bit dense, and I know could be hard to stick with if your attention is dysregulated, it is well worth reading Chapter 1 on diagnosis, and Chapters 5 and 6 on specific management of ADHD in adults, and psychosocial interventions. I notice a lot of queries and comments about behavioural intervention, cbt, medication, and it can be hard to know what is right for you if you've never tried any of it! This at least lays out possible treatments, and evidence for these. The Checklist is in the toolkit section (chapter 8 basically) and starts on page 22 of that section. May be helpful for people preparing for an assessment or who are just at the stage of wondering if this is something they may have. Something else a couple of you have picked up on is rage and grief. I think that getting a diagnosis is a positive experience for most people, as it can really help to explain why certain things have happened, or why certain things have been difficult - it is not you that is at fault, but rather certain strengths and challenges that prevented you succeeding in the way you wanted to. And I personally think that anger is a perfectly reasonable response to this, especially where there has been missed opportunities e.g. previous meetings with educational psychologists, or engagement with mental health services that has not been in any way satisfactory. Just coming back to my own interest, while I work with a lot of people with formal diagnoses of ADHD/ADD, i also work with many people with mental health diagnoses, where i sometimes wonder if there is an underlying attention difficulty, that has made things really hard for the person, which has resulted in depression and/or anxiety. While I have no wish to lump multiple diagnoses on people, especially where it makes no difference to treatment, I feel that this is a seriously overlooked/under-resourced area of need, which to be fair, Pats Hospital/Dean Clinic and St John of Gods have started to take notice of, stemming from the addiction side of things. But they are somewhat dependent on a clinician having an interest in this area. I can't speak too much re: HSE as I have never really worked for them. The reason this is important (imo) is if you are trying to help someone with chronic depression/anxiety/addiction difficulties, and they have undiagnosed ADHD, it can be extremely difficult for that person to take on the recommendations you are suggesting, from taking medication (forgetfulness) to establishing a routine (disorganisation), therefore meaningful change can be difficult. This is not to say that people with ADHD cannot engage in meaningful treatment, quite the contrary, but rather, professionals could be doing a lot more with their intervention, tailoring to them if that diagnosis was explored. Save
poolshapedmoon wrote: » This post has been deleted.
Greengearz wrote: » I wish I could quote multiple people. I've been meaning to reply back to this thread for the last few days but everytime I come on my laptop, I get distracted by something else on it fir 3/4hours. Sound familiar lol? This last week I've managed to lose an array of things, including my camera lens which I had 60 seconds prior, then left my phone in the woods while walking, got them both back though. I'm in the same boat as you poolshapedmoon, i have an OK doctor but now one I would really feel content talking to her about this kind of stuff, also not sure how serious she would take it. I can't be 100% certain without being diagnosed but I feel like it's a strong chance that I could have this and it would make alot of sense, Going from top of class (and top of the school in some subjects) in secondary (when you had to do your homework) to doing only average as I haven't studied for one single exam and every single assignment is late/incomplete and Im always kicking myself as soon as the deadline is up and every semester I say "I'll gt my crap together, can't repeat last semester" etc However I can spend hours, on areas that I love (hyperfocusing). Really thinking of going private, at least it would be somewhat faster. Not sure if it can be discussed here but I don't know where to start in terms of can anyone recommend any Dr's/physcologists who specialize in ADHD in adults? I'm in the south of the country but would travel if necessary.For those of have gone private, how long did it take from making of appt to diagnosis?
cannex wrote: » Welcome! Yes everything you describe is familiar, reading through other peoples posts and getting those aha moments!! Going private means waiting approx 2 months. Prof Fitzgerald has a clinic in Cork once a month. Go to his website and you will find the instructions on how to make an appointment.http://professormichaelfitzgerald.eu/consulting-room/[/QUOTe I've been doing a little more searching and the name Dr. Sean O'Domhnaill came up through Google and then led me back to here and I read one of your previous posts saying he diagnosed you? I would love to here more if thats OK re costs and other more info, if that's OK. Through private message might be more preferable.
Hi guys looking for whatever advice I can get. Got diagnosed as an adult about two years ago. First my a psychologist, then got refereed to the HSE in Galway. I've being on two different forms of meds, straterra and concerta. Both didnt agree with me even after taking them for a few weeks. The last appointment I had with the HSE the psychiatrist. Said something along the lines of '' That I wasn't that bad of a case, and that meds might even help me" he then gave me a prescription for fish oils and said they might help. The psychologist who originally diagnosed me said I'd never be able to complete college without the help of medication. So at the moment I'm in the middle of exams, can't focus enough to get any meaningful study done. sometimes I'm here for 12hrs and get maybe 2hrs work actually done. During the college year, I'd get 5 minutes into a lecture before I'd switch off. Which kind of left me teaching myself for the year. Particularly for second semester every assignment was either submitted late or not submitted. Am I wasting my time going the HSE route? Should I go private, and what roughly is the cost. I'm thinking if i get past these exams. Next years going to be worse again. If anyone can recommend anyone in Galway to see, or am i best travelling to Dublin?
Greengearz wrote: » cannex wrote: » Welcome! Yes everything you describe is familiar, reading through other peoples posts and getting those aha moments!! Going private means waiting approx 2 months. Prof Fitzgerald has a clinic in Cork once a month. Go to his website and you will find the instructions on how to make an appointment.http://professormichaelfitzgerald.eu/consulting-room/[/QUOTe I've been doing a little more searching and the name Dr. Sean O'Domhnaill came up through Google and then led me back to here and I read one of your previous posts saying he diagnosed you? I would love to here more if thats OK re costs and other more info, if that's OK. Through private message might be more preferable. The NAAS Clinic is no longer open and as far as I know Dr O Domhnaill isnt assessing at this point in time. Save
