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Adult ADHD Advice
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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
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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
I applied to join the page. Is it still active ?0 -
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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.Save0 -
While I have made some progress and maaged to get a part time job, this is what happenend today: Too burnt out and exhausted to respond to folk tbh at the moment
Decided I need more therapy.
People with ADHD need SO MUCH MORE SUPPORT!
Had a day from hell. I forgot to take my meds. By 2pm today in work I was fit to cry my eyes out, By the time I got home I bawled for 2 hours straight. Had a massive heart to heart with my bf and he is finally getting how debilitatiing it really is, how people laugh at it. At least he gets it now, it helps a lot. We watched a bit of Russell barkley, progress. Now I have to make the decision whether to tell my manager I have adhd. I'm driving colleagues mad because I keep asking what to do next - it takes me much longer to remember steps and get used to a routine in a new job, they dont understand and are starting to hate me. Not being on meds today was unbearable and traumatic.
Thats the reality of treated v's untreated adhd. Debilitating!!
Pay for help, save up, make it a priority, forget about the new fancy phone, the holiday, focus on getting yourself the best treatment you can find. It is your health and this disorder has a massive impact on your life and the people close to you.
The sucess rate for properly treated adhd is very high and can be life changing.
I hope some people reading this thread understand to not take this issue lightly.
Private tests, diagnosis and private therapy - forget abou the HSE. Make your mental health your number one priority.0 -
Yes it is still active and all threads are private unless you are a member.masculinist wrote: »I applied to join the page. Is it still active ?
You cant read anything unless your a member. Privacy is important.
Nobody has posted anything yet except me!!!
Like to change that?
http://adhdadultireland.boards.net/0 -
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
I was worried too. If you think you something may be up and it is effecting your life in a bad way - get tested.
I was afraid of meds too and i had no access to support, this is why this thread exists, so no one else will have to do this in the dark.
Follow through and see, if you had a lump in your neck you'd follow through?
join the forum, link above, there are dedicated threads to all different aspects related to dealing with adhd in Ireland and in general, where to get help and to hash things out in an understanding environment.
I am on a medical card so I have no idea how really expensive it is. I'm not sure adhd is even considered a long term ilness in ireland, therefore no medication allowance. Especially for adults.
FIrst step is see if you are entitled to a gp visit card at aleast, there is a 150euro cap on medications person per month.
You will need a minimum 2 hour appointment, sorry but wrote about it already in detail, have a look through the threadsSaveSave0 -
@Feu, Thanks so much for the informative post, I have read this thread several times since you posted and only now managing to reply. Kept saying I would do it later and later and so on.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
Read the CADDRA guidelines you mentioned, I found them really interesting, very well laid out and to the point and might be good supporting material if I decide to see a specialist, or even my own GP as not sure how familiar mine is with this area (or even believes in it). I'm leaning towards the idea that I may have this and I've been reading as much as I possibly can. This weekend I managed to lose my purse, bank card and passport, only for them to be found right beside where I was looking the whole time. Well, actually it was my mother that found them lol0 -
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
Hi liz, sorry didn't really reply to any of your questions specifically! I will try to answer based on discussion with people who have gone through this process, hopefully i will not cross forum rules. As Cannex mentioned, there is a lot laid out in adhdadultireland.boards.net but perhaps i can add a little more here
A psychiatrist may diagnose you in the one visit, depending who it is. This is a relatively painless process (:pac:) just asking questions about your history and behaviour. Again it is worth having a think about this before you go along (although attending unprepared could be seen as symptomatic in itself
]), like what are the functional difficulties you are having, what impacts your day to day life. While many adults will not have "documentation" from when they were at school, it is actually worth bringing along a school report or something if you have one, they are often illuminating! Frequent comments along the lines of "X won't stay in their seat" or "X daydreams through class" can speak to history of these difficulties. If a clinical psychologist does the diagnosing, you will still need to see a psychiatrist or GP before medication is prescribed. Liz i think you said you were going to a psychiatrist, but if being diagnosed by a clinical psychologist, this can take up to 3-4 visits depending on the psychologist. You shouldn't have too many appointments if being diagnosed by a psychiatrist, but there will be follow up if medication is commenced.
If you have not already had your appointment, it is worth thinking ahead of time about whether you want to try medication or not, and discussing any concerns re: medication with the psychiatrist when you meet them. There's lots of research out there on the efficacy, side effects, long term outcomes of medication, mostly on children (i.e. started when kids, followed through to their late 20s/30's). Laurence Greenhill is one of the experts on this, he actually spoke here a couple of years ago, and he really knows his stuff: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18573923.
This is also a nice article on the European situation for adult treatment, although 6 years old: https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-244X-10-67 That article states that stimulant medication is effective for about 70% of people with ADHD.
Most people say that stimulant medication is very effective in increasing focus, and decreasing distractability. Therefore doing what they want it to do. Some people express side effects such as reduced appetite (and when prescribed to children and adults they will monitor their weight), weight loss, nausea, sleep difficulties, and one of the reasons some people dislike it is a feeling of "not myself", which could be described as being less emotional, feeling "robotic", or even devoid of emotion. There is lots about this online, obviously. Cost really varies, I've seen from €65 a month to over €100, so definitely shop around.
There are lots of behavioural and environmental modifications that you can make apart from or in conjunction with medication. I have a lot to say about this, depending on the difficulties you are having, so maybe I'll hold off unless people are interested
In a nutshell, routine routine routine! Routine will help prevent/improve some of the functional difficulties associated with add/adhd e.g. losing things as mentioned by numerous posters above. I think it was also Cannex that mentioned having a little chest of drawers for like bills and things like that, that can so easily be lost or misplaced, and leaves people with ADHD tearing their hair out. Having a set place for things, and then developing the habit of always putting things there, can really work over time. Some people i work with have a literal checklist for when they come in the door, and for when they are leaving the house, to reduce stress and anxiety.
I think as well for people with a recent diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, considering seeing a counsellor, with experience/knowledge of the difficulties associated with ADHD would be beneficial. There is a high incidence of other difficulties correlated with ADD/ADHD particularly depression, anxiety, substance abuse and sleep disturbances. Some people are interested in ADHD coaches which is more of a thing in america
You could also consider seeing a life coach or OT on a regular basis, who may focus on the more practical side of things then therapy, like helping you set and achieve goals to reach a particular milestone in your life
On another note, it is of interest to me that several of the posters here (cannex included I think!) are ladies, and I think it is good to see you investigating your situation. Like Autism, ADHD in women is underdiagnosed, and I think the high incidence of associated anxiety contributes to this i.e. both women and men (without diagnosis) can become highly anxious as a result of struggling to the things they want and need to do, and as a result may mention anxiety to GP – but women are more likely to mention this to GP, and so may be simply identified as having anxiety, when the reason for it is overlooked. There is a brief article on the HADD website that highlights women with ADHD here: http://www.hadd.ie/article/adhd-women-often-misdiagnosed The HADD website is worth keeping an eye on, as there is sometimes talks aimed at adults advertised, which may be of interest to some of you. There are some good resources on the site too, although it is primarily aimed at supporting children. Under the adults tab, there is a link to a presentation by the amazing David Carey on adult ADHD, it is worth checking out.
Cannex, I am so sorry you're having such a rough time. I'm sure you are already doing this, but depending on where you work, could you get instructions emailed to you, rather than verbally, this helps enormously, and prevents people needing to ask repeatedly what they are supposed to be doing. Also a lot of people with ADHD can be very good aurally, so repeating instructions back to the person who has provided them could help you integrate them better.
Disclosing to your workplace can be a really good idea depending on the setting. Sometimes employers can be really supportive, and really open to modifying your role etc, and sometimes it is hard for them to understand the condition. Their attitude can depend on how much "this will affect the business", i.e. if it is quite easy to move you to a slightly different role, that's handy. Having a good idea of how things could be improved for you is helpful when thinking about having this discussion i.e. if i could change x and y, I will be able to work mostly independently, that kind of thing.0 -
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I forgot to take my meds one day in work, I was literally distraught when I got home, thought I destroyed everything and I would be hated by all my -workers........ and....... the next day was uneventful lol, totally normal, I wont forget again. Understanding how my brain works, where I have issues and where I need to watch behaviours, all of this is why is I am able to now hold down a part time job - big achievement for me. Getting ready for college (again) in Sept. This is what a "label" is.
Poolshapedmoon
Well you sound exactly like me when I was coming to the realisation that I migt have adhd.
I had all the same worries.
Yes you can do all of the above: bypass the Gp nd make a private appointment for a private assessment and not go through the public health system but as far as I know the GP needs to write the prescription for the pharmacy to dispense. I could be wrong here but I cant think of any other way, unless, I think, you would have to pay privately or full price for the meds.
You mentioned you were a student, is ti possible to speak the the GP in your area who deals with student patients?
You could just turn up at your GP with the diagnosis letter and a prescription and say nothing more. This is my experience, my GP practice/GP is fine with writing the prescription but I dont discuss the meds with them really. If your GP is not, change GP.
In regards to follow - up: there is none really, it is up to you to follow-up, oh the irony, I get it
I learned that the hse is too bogged down in "real" mental health issues and adult adhd isnt top of the priority list.
I followed up by emailing to discuss some medication issues with the Prof and he responded promptly.
Other than that I strongly suggest you look for adhd focused therapy and/or CBT for adhd.
Its a long journey but reaching goals and staying on track feels really good 0 -
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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?
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/0 -
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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.0 -
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Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to contribute to this thread, whether it be looking for answers or writing excellent information.
A good few new posts lately and I am struggling a little bit to respond to everyone but sometimes the thread has already covered a lot of the questions asked. When I see a question that hasnt been discussed before I will try to answer.
So, to the people who are helping others here with their knowledge and experience of what it means to have adhd as an adult in Ireland. I really appreciate it so much.
And for the folks who come here trying to see how they can help themselves, looking for answers, some help on where to go next, you are on a positive path so please do read the whole thread - not all at once unless you are hyperfocusing.
It is Ireland specific. 0 -
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Greengearz 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.Save0
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