Girls with ADD - Page 5

valkyrie · #61 07-08-2005, 05:24 PM

Hi. I'm bumping this because I was just diagnosed today. I'm going to be taking Adderall.

Honestly, I feel relieved. It's like I finally understand why I am the way I am, if that makes sense. I'm also supposed to be studying right now but am procrastinating again...

RedRoseSAI · #62 07-08-2005, 06:01 PM

I don't know too many women who have been diagnosed with---ooh, look! Something shiny on the ground!

Sorry, where was I? I don't know many women who have been actually diagnosed, but I do know plenty who have problems with concentration, procrastination, and follow-through, including me. I always have the best of intensions, but tend to put off tasks for doing something more pleasurable NOW. And I AM easily distracted. Maybe I have ADD, maybe I'm just lazy and unmotivated.

Dionysus · #63 07-08-2005, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedRoseSAI
I don't know too many women who have been diagnosed with---ooh, look! Something shiny on the ground!

Sorry, where was I? I don't know many women who have been actually diagnosed, but I do know plenty who have problems with concentration, procrastination, and follow-through, including me. I always have the best of intensions, but tend to put off tasks for doing something more pleasurable NOW. And I AM easily distracted. Maybe I have ADD, maybe I'm just lazy and unmotivated.

ADD isn't so much about having problems with procrastination and concentration. Everyone has trouble with these things to a degree. It's more about how much your lack of concentration impacts your work and school or whatever.

DeltaEtaKP · #64 07-08-2005, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXO_MOM_3
we can be talking directly to her, she's nodding her head like she is listening, and five minutes later cannot remember a thing about the conversation. I don't think she is hyperactive. She is forgetful, messy and disorganized. We really started noticing it this year when somewhere between the time we do homework in the afternoon (when she remembers the necessary books) and time to turn it in the next morning, her homework gets lost. She also makes lots of little careless mistakes when doing her work, as though she is only halfway paying attention to what she is doing.

Hey look, it's me in a nutshell.
Both my brother and my dad are also diagnosed ADD. I have pretty much channeled the energy I have into being productive. I have to do things in short spurts--such as no Tuesday Thursday classes, because no matter what, after 25-30 minutes, everything is blocked out, and on T/R classes, that leaves me missing over half the information.
My friends get REALLY aggrevated because I am always playing with something, and I have to touch EVERYTHING!!!
I also just sit there and nod at them, but I rarely have any clue what they are talking about.
I have never taken meds, though b/c I do pretty well without them (as far as school goes).

Rudey · #65 07-08-2005, 07:05 PM

If you genuinely have ADD and take adderall or ritalin do you still feel the upper effects? I'm talking about that shivery, jaw grinding thing. If you truly have ADD I was wondering if you have that more or less.

-Rudey

ZTABullwinkle · #66 07-08-2005, 07:21 PM

I was diagnosed a couple of years ago. I don't currently take any medicine, but when I return to school....well, we will see. I suffer from an extreme lack of attention. (I can't stand commercials, so God Forbid someone who doesn't know me tries to watch with me. Constantly looking for something to watch. YIKES!)

Adderall helped me a lot. At first it made me kind of jittery, but I found myself being able to focus much better. I hope it helps you too!

Dionysus · #67 07-08-2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
If you genuinely have ADD and take adderall or ritalin do you still feel the upper effects? I'm talking about that shivery, jaw grinding thing. If you truly have ADD I was wondering if you have that more or less.

-Rudey

YES

It's one of the reasons why I hate to take them. The effect feels fun at first, but it eventually gets annoying.

ADPiAkron · #68 07-10-2005, 12:33 AM

Valkyrie-- I totally know what you are saying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was recently diagnosed (two months ago) with ADHD. My psychologist did a full background/history of my life and came to the conclusion...along with taking three tests- one on a computer and two written....that I have ADHD and have had it my whole life. It is so funny because I went in to discuss other topics and in the meantime after learning all about me he came to the ADHD conclusion.

Some of my symptoms are irritability/moody, easily distracted, short term memory loss, impulsivity (that is part of the hyperactivity), overly talkative, etc.

I am currently reading a book called "Delivered from Distraction" by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey-- two child psychiatrists with ADHD (they also wrote "Driven to Distraction"....but this is the newest one and is more up to date). I highly recommend this book for people who are uncertain about the symptoms, etc of ADHD...in girls, boys, women, and men.

I agree with what I have seen on here...never self-diagnose...go to a psychologist/psychiatrist and have it done. Do not go to a family doctor and have it done because that is where much of the misdiagnosis happens....some doctors listen to a brief background and then prescribe medicine to easily. You need to have a full background/history of your life done and maybe some testing if necessary.

I am going to start adderal on Monday...I am nervous because of the side effects...but at the same time I am so interested to find out what it feels like to be focused-- because the way I look at it is that I have always been this way and I am me-- and now with this I will feel different and possibly even better than I have before. The main reason I am taking adderal (a stimulant) is because it will stimulate the part of my brain ADHD effects and speed up things like my short term memory, etc-- and will not stimulate me as a whole. I am hyper enough!

The book I am reading says to look at it this way-- ADHD is not a disorder-- it is a trait! I totally agree-- and it helps to look at it that way and it makes it more positive to the "non-believers"-- and helps lessen the stigma!!

How is the adderal working for you Valkyrie??

ADqtPiMel · #69 07-10-2005, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltaEtaKP

I also just sit there and nod at them, but I rarely have any clue what they are talking about.

This is SO me.

My parents never believed that I had ADD when I was younger, because I'm a high achiever (extremely successful in school, standout athlete, etc.) and I'm extremely organized (but I have to be, otherwise I'd fall apart).

I finally sucked it up when I went away to school and went to the health center, where I was diagnosed with ADD. I take Adderall and it has made me so much happier and way more productive.

carnation · #70 07-10-2005, 12:32 PM

We had 3 of our children evaluated for ADD and 2 have it: an 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl. Reading this as well as researching it online for months, I'm pretty sure that our 17-year-old daughter has it. It's apparently rather common in adopted children because many of them are firstborn and suffered from oxygen deprivation at birth.

It was easy to get the first 3 evaluated, as their elementary schools cooperated fully. We've tried and tried to get the high school to evaluate the teenager but they're like, "Heehee! Don't worry, she's not ADD--she's just an Asian blonde!"

My husband and I have taught forever and we believe with all our hearts that she's ADD; her symptoms are classic and the teachers can't see beyond her "airhead act" (which she drops at home) to see the symptoms. Somehow we're going to get her evaluated.

docetboy · #71 07-10-2005, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by carnation
We had 3 of our children evaluated for ADD and 2 have it: an 8-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl. Reading this as well as researching it online for months, I'm pretty sure that our 17-year-old daughter has it. It's apparently rather common in adopted children because many of them are firstborn and suffered from oxygen deprivation at birth.

It was easy to get the first 3 evaluated, as their elementary schools cooperated fully. We've tried and tried to get the high school to evaluate the teenager but they're like, "Heehee! Don't worry, she's not ADD--she's just an Asian blonde!"

My husband and I have taught forever and we believe with all our hearts that she's ADD; her symptoms are classic and the teachers can't see beyond her "airhead act" (which she drops at home) to see the symptoms. Somehow we're going to get her evaluated.

Does it matter either way, whether it's official or not?

carnation · #72 07-10-2005, 12:51 PM

Yes, because you can't get Strattera without the official diagnosis and its effect on our other 2 has been magical.

valkyrie · #73 07-10-2005, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ADPiAkron
How is the adderal working for you Valkyrie??

Well, he started me out on 10mg of Adderall XR, which I'm taking for two weeks -- at that point, he's probably going to bump me up to 20.

I do think I'll need a higher dose, but I'm already able to focus much more than I ever have in my life. It's really going to help me with doing homework and writing papers -- I'm looking forward to the day when I can work on the computer without clicking back and forth between 1200 windows because I can't stick with one thing for more than a minute.

FAB*SpiceySpice · #74 07-10-2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rudey
If you genuinely have ADD and take adderall or ritalin do you still feel the upper effects? I'm talking about that shivery, jaw grinding thing. If you truly have ADD I was wondering if you have that more or less.

-Rudey

No, I've never felt those effects, which is sort of why I don't really understand the obsession that some people have with taking it recreationally. I like my Adderall b/c it honestly makes my head stop hurting b/c I don't have 89247329854848574398 things going through my head at the exact same time all the time. With Adderall I can slow down and take things one step at a time and actually get stuff done.

Rudey · #75 07-10-2005, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dionysus
YES

It's one of the reasons why I hate to take them. The effect feels fun at first, but it eventually gets annoying.

I understand what you're saying. That class of drugs also provides an unpleasant feeling in the coming down stage. I didn't realize if it was different for adults actually diagnosed with it. I know for kids, a lot of them are able to biologically compensate and won't feel it.

I know there is also that new drug that's different from Adderall and Ritalin that's not supposed to have that effect.

Also, Adderall is banned in Canada. http://www.newstarget.com/004756.html

-Rudey