Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 774606

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Is this ADHD?

Posted by bournemouth on August 7, 2007, at 15:15:10

Hi, Basically I am having some Depersonalisation, Anxiety, etc. problems that I have had for 6-7 years now. I have tried SSRIs, MAOIs with no success and am wondering if part of my symptoms could be due to ADHD - possible inattentive type?

After trying to do some work yesterday I realised how much concentration and organisation was such a major problem to me - I couldn't actually concentrate enough to complete anything, I tried moving on to something else but again I struggled to maintain motivation and concentration. I tried to plan it and work in a different manner but the harder I tried the more impossible it felt. I try and try but I just end up frustrated and don't have much energy or motivation to start with.

I have had to repeat a year at uni twice because I just can't manage to concentrate on the work. I never get there on time - I don't know why I'm late I just always manage to handle time management so badly. I don't really take anything in at lectures I'm just so dreamy and tired and even if I try and concentrate it just doesn't sink in. The same with reading.. I can force myself to read for a bit and I understand the information but none of it actually goes in. I try everything to learn things but nothing sticks :(

could my feeling of "derealisation" really just be a feature of ADD?

I have a feeling of constant tiredness and dreamy, drowsy state like I'm in a bubble kind of one step removed from the real world. I also feel very fatigued and tired constantly - doing housework, going to the gym seem impossible most of the time. A psychiatrist diagnosed this as CFS although I have no pain or other related symptoms that I believe CFS commonly presents.

This really scares me and I don't know if I can handle existing like this - the fear of spending my life feeling like this scares me!

As for childhood symptoms... well my mum hasn't been too helpful about this and I feel in a daze like just here and now - my memory doesn't really exist - so remembering childhood for myself isn't helpful. However I was always really quiet, shy, wouldn't even answer the register at school when I first started. Was apparently happier playing alone with toys rather than in a group with other kids.

Sorry about my rambling post but hopefully it makes sense any input or help ruling this out would help!

Thanks :)

 

Re: Is this ADHD? » bournemouth

Posted by Phillipa on August 7, 2007, at 22:30:05

In reply to Is this ADHD?, posted by bournemouth on August 7, 2007, at 15:15:10

Have you seen a doctor? I don't feel qualified to answer your questions Maybe someone else will. Good luck Love Phillipa and welcome to babble

 

Re: Is this ADHD? » bournemouth

Posted by Quintal on August 8, 2007, at 9:48:37

In reply to Is this ADHD?, posted by bournemouth on August 7, 2007, at 15:15:10

Obviously you need to be seen in person by a professional to diagnose things like this. Some of the things you describe are in the diagnostic criteria for ADHD though, but it sounds to me as if the poor attention and poor organization might be related to your anxiety. Complacency is a well known counterpart to anxiety, so that after a while of being overwhelmed with fear anxious people will lose motivation and become quite careless. Also, one thing I noticed was that your posts are well organized and your spelling is good. Poor spelling might not be in the diagnostic criteria but I've noticed that people who have bona fida ADHD (especially unmedicated) have very poor spelling and they seldom ever use proper paragraphs and take care to organize their thoughts like you did in the post above.

You might find relief from ADHD med though. I think you'd have to go to a private psychiatrist to get treatment for adult ADHD in the UK - it's very unlikely an NHS psychiatrist would be wiling to prescribe Dexedrine or Ritalin. Realistically Strattera, Edronax or bupropion (Zyban/Wellbutrin) would be the nearest thing you'd be able to get on the NHS, and they would almost certainly send your anxiety through the roof. Parnate might do the job as well - have you tried it?

Q

 

Re: Is this ADHD?

Posted by bournemouth on August 8, 2007, at 10:52:30

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD? » bournemouth, posted by Quintal on August 8, 2007, at 9:48:37

Well that may be pretty hard - I saw my GP earlier today. Without even listening to my symptoms she said that it was quite possible that I had ADHD but that the it isn't seen as an adult problem and that the drugs like Ritalin (I didn't actually ask for or suggest any drugs) are seen as a way to get children through education and that adults should of developed coping skills or whatever and therefore aren't given medication as it only treats the symptoms. She did seem sympathetic but thats how she saw it and wouldn't refer me to anyone.

They could quite possibly be related to the anxiety and be a result of that but looking back on retrospect I do wonder how long I have had these problems; I have never been amazing in school, always procrastinating with work - possibly back as far as primary school, never able to concentrate and taking far too long to do homework and making stupid mistakes. This is really too far back to remember (although I don't have much of a memory of what happened earlier today or yesterday to be fair).

I don't wish to be treated for the symptoms and in an ideal world I would like to have scans and stuff to diagnose if it is ADHD - unfortunately I'm not sure the technology is up to that and if it is I'm sure the NHS wont be. However as you kind of say. whether the problem is ADHD or anxiety related some kinda of stimulating medication may provide some improvement.

I haven't even heard of Parnate. I have only really had several SSRIs over the past 5 or so years and more recently an MAOI. None of these did the slightest bit of good unfortunately.

I guess the way forward may be going back to my GP and pointing out that they can prescribe Ritalin or whatever at there discretion (I believe thats correct?) and the current state that treatment really is needed for adults. Possibly seeing a different doctor would help but I'm not sure if I will get the same answer :(

Thanks! :)

 

Re: Is this ADHD? » bournemouth

Posted by Quintal on August 8, 2007, at 12:42:27

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD?, posted by bournemouth on August 8, 2007, at 10:52:30

Yeah, that's pretty much the standard view of ADHD in the UK and it's not likely to vary much between doctors. Ritalin and Dexedrine are on the controlled drugs register so they're closely 'watched' by the powers that be. GPs have to be very careful about who they prescribe them to for that reason, so that's why your GP won't prescribe it and she knows that even a specialist will be unlikely to prescribe it either. It sounds to me as if your doctor might have had a few patients coming in with internet printouts, some with genuine concern, others with more sinister motives, and she already had a standard firm but polite answer prepared for such people. For that reason I'd be wary of going back and asking for Ritalin no matter how you present it.

I'm assuming the MAOI you tried was Nardil? Parnate is an MAOI too, but it tends to be much more stimulating and amphetamine-like (in fact there's evidence that Parnate is metabolized into very small amounts of methamphetamine - 'crystal meth'). The brand of Parnate we have in the UK seems to be more stimulating for some reason than the one available in the US, so you're lucky there. That seems like the most likely way for you to get anything truly amphetamine-like. If your GP is sympathetic to you maybe you could explain it to her honestly in those terms? Unfortunately most people need a benzodiazepine sleep aid while taking Parnate, and depending on the doctor, that could prove just as problematic for a young person as amphetamines. Some people manage to make do with antihistamine sleep-aids though and doctors might be more comfortable with prescribing those. I hope you find something that gives you relief.

Q

 

Re: Is this ADHD?

Posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 9, 2007, at 11:55:34

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD?, posted by bournemouth on August 8, 2007, at 10:52:30

Hello

I'm positive that only a couple of months ago on the BBC news website that there was something calling for more action to be done for adult ADD/ADHD in the UK on the NHS, but I can't find it now...well I found this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6225615.stm

But there was something more I think.

Anyway. Do you live in the UK?

Meri

 

Re: Is this ADHD?

Posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 9, 2007, at 11:58:20

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD?, posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 9, 2007, at 11:55:34

Hello again,

Yes there was I found it now...

It should be here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6896333.stm

And more stuff at:

http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?scope=all&edition=i&q=ADHD+adults&go.x=0&go.y=0&go=go

But is audio/visual so I can't post a direct link.

Meri

 

Re: Is this ADHD? » Meri-Tuuli

Posted by Quintal on August 9, 2007, at 13:31:47

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD?, posted by Meri-Tuuli on August 9, 2007, at 11:55:34

I saw an article in the paper a few weeks ago that said a study funded by the conservatives showed that there were more prescriptions for Ritalin in recent years than there are children diagnosed with ADHD. The government was proposing a clampdown on Ritalin prescriptions to stop this, and promised an investigation into the treatment and validity of the ADHD diagnosis. So things aren't looking too good for adult ADHD patients in the UK.

Q

 

Re: Is this ADHD? » bournemouth

Posted by Quintal on August 9, 2007, at 14:05:32

In reply to Re: Is this ADHD?, posted by bournemouth on August 8, 2007, at 10:52:30

Another thought. Have you tried the stimulant herb Rhodiola? I think there are actually some studies showing efficacy in ADHD. Ginkgo might be another option.

Q


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