ADHD in adults

jeep · 13-02-2006 10:10am #1

Hi New here
Can anyone answer a question. Is is possible to be tested for ADHD as an adult?
Would be gratefull for any info.
jeep:)

odarallo · 13-02-2006 4:57pm

Hey,

Im 20 and have ADHD if you want to get tested, yuo should talk to your doctor, it is normaly done when you are younger..

Dont take anything for it if you are diagnosed with it! makes u brain dead!

snorlax · 13-02-2006 6:48pm

that's not necessarily true (and please don't advise people to stop taking their meds, thank you). i certainly wouldn't recommend stopping any medication withour prior consultantion with your GP. some meds take a while to work and some have side effects so don't change the recommended dosage as stated by your doctor.

actually occupational therapists do a lot of work with (primarily) kids with ADHD and using mainly SI (sensory integration techniques).

we :
* Evaluate the home and working environment to determine how ADHD is affecting the adult/ child's ability to perform assignments and participate in their daily lives.

* we would Recommend a intervention program that addresses the physical, behavioral, and emotional effects of ADHD and identifies goals to help the child/ adult succeed.
* Use the intervention of sensory integration to modify the environment to decrease noise and distractions caused by visual, auditory, and tactile stimulation.

jeep · 13-02-2006 7:56pm

Hi Guys
Thanks for the info.
Briefly my reason for asking is the more I research the condition the more I seem to be reading about myself, my older son is AD/HD and Im worried that I may be unwittingly increasing behaviors instead of reducing. If that makes any sense I would welcome opinions and I hope iv posted in correct place.
jeep.:)

odarallo · 13-02-2006 9:49pm

My doc says that i need to take stuff, but i dont want to cause it changes me to much as in i go very quiet

So i decided not to take anything and im fine!!!!! :P

jeep · 14-02-2006 10:04am

Hi again
odarallo, did your doc suggest anything other than meds?
Glad your feeling good.
jeep:)

odarallo · 14-02-2006 10:22am

As far as i can remember she was saying that i needed to take stuff...She then suggested i take some concentration tablets like the omega 3 oils, these are natural stuff,

But im not a fond user of medication and all that stuff. Any questions mate dont hesitate to ask me, i can only give personal view and personal opinion, which some people find wrong or something.

Regards

snorlax · 14-02-2006 10:38am

do discuss it with your doctor though before altering/ coming off your meds,if you have side effects she may be able to change the type of medication given.

odarallo · 14-02-2006 10:56am

i havnt been on meds since i was like 12, which has been 8 years ago, and i was on ritalin.

Harsh stuff!

jeep · 14-02-2006 1:27pm

Harsh stuff indeed and I do appreciate your views and comments personal or otherwise, well except mean ones;)
will keep ye posted
jeep:)

solas · 14-02-2006 1:34pm

I highly recomend omega 3 fish oils, you'll notice the difference almst immediately.

p.pete · 14-02-2006 1:38pm

I'm reading Anthony Keidis's biography at the moment (which should by no means be used as either a medical or psychological reference book!) and there's a part in there where they're talking about taking ritalin. Apparently it has the opposite effects on adults so would never be prescribed in cases of adult ADHD.

odarallo · 14-02-2006 1:43pm

hahaha brilliant, im gonna try and get some ritalin will it make me more hyper hehhehe!

solas · 14-02-2006 2:00pm

really, try the fish oils first, I can' t believe how calm and peaceful everything is, my brain takes everything so easily, I'm focused and my body is so relaxed it's like being stoned..only without the paranoia and all the other crap. Life is running at a smooth normal pace and everything is much better for it. Happy days

odarallo · 14-02-2006 2:13pm

But i love the constant buzz of brain going 100mph!!
no calming me down!!

(As he runs from 2 men in white coats)

snorlax · 14-02-2006 2:16pm

im going to move this down to the biology forum as it's probably more relevant to this thread seen as it's more about the discussion of meds etc

solas · 14-02-2006 2:21pm

But i love the constant buzz of brain going 100mph!!
no calming me down!!

when your trying to hold down a full time job, study in shcool or raise a family, focus and ability to cope under pressure without crashing is esential, also makes for an easier less stressful and more content way of life.
I haven't lost anything, I've just gained a new more useful way of directing that energy, one which is less depletitve and more productive. Everything and everyone around me benefits as a result, consequently we're all much happier. Life has changed gear and we're no longer running around in circles going nowhere. The diifference is like going 100mph in first with the engine scremaing for a gear change or going 70 in fifth on an open motorway with no other cars in sight.

jeep · 14-02-2006 2:31pm

Solas im on my way to the fishoil shop;) I tried IQ on the chislers but the little feckers could sniff it out in every thing, must try it again. Omega 3 for me then.
Odarallo im going on the fishoils you do it too and see which one of us calms down first;)
jeep:)

solas · 14-02-2006 2:34pm

Best of luck

jeep · 14-02-2006 2:49pm

sorry Snorlax
was not sure if I had posted in right spot . My search is more for interventions other than meds, behavioral approaches etc, teqniques anyones used to overcome hyperactivity in themselves as adults.
I am slowly learning the basics of ABA , youngest son is asd and is taught through ABA, which is beginning to make sense and I find it very helpfull.
Forgive my wanderings.

St_Crispin · 14-02-2006 3:20pm

jeep wrote:

Hi Guys
Thanks for the info.
Briefly my reason for asking is the more I research the condition the more I seem to be reading about myself, my older son is AD/HD and Im worried that I may be unwittingly increasing behaviors instead of reducing. If that makes any sense I would welcome opinions and I hope iv posted in correct place.
jeep.:)

I was tested a while back and came up negative. It rather pissed me off. I'm not going to second guess a psychologist but she was an uppetty bitch.
The report she generated was filled with both factual and spelling errors. She got my work history wrong (which she took down job by job on the first day) and what pissed me off most is that she says I "said I had had many major illnesses as a child, and was told so by my mother. However the only evidence that I have is what my mother told me". I had many major illnesses as a child. She never asked for medical records or even mentioned it after she took my initial history. I could have provided her with documentation from my gp, temple st and the mater. There were loads of other things wrong with the report as well (and I'm not talking about the diagnoses. Like I said I'm not going to say she was wrong with that.).

And worst of all is that it cost me €400 for what was basicly an iq test.

It can be very costly to be tested for add. Make sure that you find someone you are comfortable with and see if you can get a couple of ppl to provide references. This place is a good place to start. Because otherwise you could be like me and end up pissed off, broke and no better for it.

As a side note, I started looking by going to my college counciling service. They directed me to the access office in the college (who deal with disability). They directed me to the guy they have who deals with educational disabilities. He directed me to the dyslexia assoc of ireland website where there's a link to the adhd assoc of ireland. The adhd assoc is useless. I mailed them loads and never got a reply. I don't think they actually do anything.

I then started over and went to my gp. Who directed me to the local hospital. The psychologist then directed me to the psychological assoc of ireland. They directed me to their website where you can do a search of psychologists. I did a search and found 5 ppl. I mailed/called them all. One mailed me back. Two called. Of those only one of the ppl who called would see me and that's how I ended up with her (I won't say her name, but she's based in applewood. By all means see her. But seriously, look for others and see if you can get someone you know with add to recommend someone).
It took me 6 months from the time I started looking till I was finally tested.

snorlax · 14-02-2006 9:18pm

Jeep if you want me to source some more stuff on SI techniques please post up (normally they are used with children but sometimes they can go a long way in helping a person, through therapeutic means).

jeep · 14-02-2006 10:21pm

Thanks StCrispin
Its helpful to hear others experiences.
Cheers Snorlax I would appreciate any basic teqhniques, I have a 6yr old with sensory issues. Feet, particularly .

You people are great. Ive had more input here in one day than Ive had on any other site.
jeep:)

odarallo · 15-02-2006 3:23pm

haha, i find it funny that u got no response from the association of adhd, think about it! they all probably have it!

I hope some of my comments were helpfull no doubt they were complety off topic but hey thats what i do best.

If got any questions jeep drop me a pm and ill answer,

I work in a bloody office and it drives me insane!

snorlax · 15-02-2006 8:08pm

well he's an informative article about SI in general, you should probably talk to and get guidance from a fully qualified professional OT Jeep

http://www.newhorizons.org/spneeds/adhd/nicholls.htm

jeep · 16-02-2006 9:31pm

Ta Snorlax
Great link, should keep me busy for a while much appreciated.
Ds has had some OT but not for a while so will organise.
jeep:)

jeep · 17-02-2006 12:20am

meant to say earlier Ta for comments and Im quite adept at going off topic myself:D

odarallo · 17-02-2006 10:28am

hehe

small world ehh! :P

Siogfinsceal · 02-03-2006 6:26pm

fish oil is great esp eskimo oil or eyeq - i took them and it made me concentrate so much better

ADHD in adults

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