Posted by Sulpicia on February 7, 2001, at 18:08:52
In reply to Email me! » Katz, posted by MarkinBoston on February 7, 2001, at 16:14:12
Hi Everyone --
I've been following this thread with great interest and perhaps some of you may find my own experience useful.
I've suffered from chronic depression since the age of 13; I've been successfully treated with tofranil 3x, or so I thought.
About a year ago my son was tested for ADD/HD and for everything that we said "no" to for him, I said "yes" to for myself. A month later I was evaluated and diagnosed with ADD inattentive type [no hyperactivity].
I was prescribed adderall and I cannot even begin to explain how my life, to say nothing of my mood, has changed for the better.
After my evaluation with the pdoc he told me that adult ADD/HD is widely underdiagnosed and very, very often co-morbid with depression. Females especially tend not to be evaluated because they have the inattentive type and so get written off as "daydreamers."
I was sceptical at first because although I had a spotty academic career at one point, I was smart enough to compensate for my ADD. In fact if it had not been for my slow reading speed making me crazy in grad school, I might never have pursued diagnosis and treatment.I'm NOT suggesting that people rush out and *look* for a diagnosis of ADD/HD. I merely wish to point out that many adults are diagnosed in their 30s and 40s.
If you search for the ADD site at About.com there are some online tests and descriptions of symptoms etc. Some of it may click with you. This doesn't mean that it will be easy to find a clinician to evaluate you and prescribe appropriate meds and therapy.
The CHADD web site is also very good for adult ADD/HD.Just thought I would share this because I've been dramatically helped by accurate dx and tx.
S.
ps -- if you search Dr. Bob's psychopharmacology tips [stimulants] you'll find some interesting discussion of pdocs who use stims as an add-on for tx of depression.
poster:Sulpicia
thread:53287
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010131/msgs/53467.html