Posted by nightlight on December 24, 2001, at 21:12:15
In reply to Re: What has to be done- and motivating self to do it? » IsoM, posted by fi on December 18, 2001, at 12:06:15
>
> I think I'm lucky enough not to have ADHD, so not sure if this med would be relevant. It doesnt look like its available on prescription in my country anyway, but if I go back to my doctor sometime I'll bear it in mind.
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> Thanks again.
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> Fi
>
Dear Fi,
I, too, must jump on the 'please test yourself for ADD' bandwagon.My story? I was the 'brainiac' in elem. school, high IQ, skipped a grade, kids stood in line to see my boring report cards-all A's. Oddly enuf, I didn't have to work to too hard to get those A's, I was very bright, and my parents stayed involved with my daily responsibilities. They were great 'coaches', so to speak.
Then came financial upheaval, relocation to new city and school, parents were stressed out and so was I. Things began to fall apart. I cd. not organize, or make myself learn the subjects that did not come easily to my 'right-sided' brain.
I knew I had ability, but, I cd. not harness it consistently, and never knew where my 'head' wd. be from one day to the next. I got bored SO easily.
Well, from 7th to 12th, my grades spiraled slowly, but surely, and I flunked out of college, tho my IQ tested over 160. Obviously, I must've been just plain lazy and didn't really care about anything-right? No, so wrong.When I finally read Driven to Distraction (20 yrs. later) and checked off all the symptoms I had, I couldn't really believe it. I loved to read classic books and sat thru dozens of long foreign or Merchant-Ivory type films. I wasn't hyper, I was a slug, who considered myself lucky to keep a job at all-I made SURE it was not too demanding or stressful.I suffered from low energy, and demanded sufficient sleep to cope at all. I married, but remained childless, because I knew I couldn't take good care of myself, much less a hubby and kid.
When I took "Driven" to my doc (obviously, in retrospect, not adult-ADD savvy) and showed him the results and my concerns and mentioned the fact that no A-D's had helped me over the yrs., only phentermine, which I took for a yr. for obesity, he asked me one ? 'Can you read a book from beginning to end?' I repled, 'yes', and he said, "Then you don't have ADD", period. Granted, he was only a gp, but I was searching for p-docs along the way and tried sev'l.And, my gp kept me up to date with trying a variey of A-D's til I either got better or found a good shrink.
I finally got lucky-2 months ago.
Just think it over. I simply cannot function properly or avoid devastating depressions and impulsive, self-defeating behavior without them.
I'm still far from cured, however!!! My Xmas tree is up, but not yet decorated, and I HATE that task. Plus, hubby skipped out on me to spend the evening w/his out of town brother. I still have stuff to wrap a couple presents to make. Guess, I better move my ass off this 'puter, huh.
Best wishes for a quick and pain-free holiday.
nightlight
poster:nightlight
thread:15640
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20011216/msgs/15897.html