New here and I have questions | ADHD Information

No you aren't strange. My hubby gets a kick out of it now and then, before I realize it he is waving his hand in front of my face.. Sometimes it seems that staring off into space is better than trying to focus. And when I'm tired, forget about it.

I;m so glad I'm not alone. My dh laughs at me as well.

One other reason I'm trying to figure out what is going on in my head is that I was diagnosed with a mild form of epilepsy when I was 10 years old. My "seizures" would make me stare off into space, not be able to talk, twitch, and feel miserable. I've been seizure free and off medicine (Tegretol) since March 1998. I've also had 3 more babies since then. I was starting to feel "off" again and after my original dr told me I was having anxiety, I was beginning to wonder whether something else was going on, like seizures coming back or possibly ADHD.

I'm making a list to talk to the neurologist on Tuesday. Is there anything specific I should ask about?

Well, my goodness yes! I'm like the world champion space cadet!!

My head is in a fog so much, that at times, people have asked me if I felt ok.. ( I guess it's all that blank staring!) I feel fine, I'm just in a fog.. hey, does anyone feel the fog in their eyes too? Or am i just really strange?

Sherry

You mean that with ADD, your head feels foggy? It seems like the more I look into this, the more (ADHD) is a possibility.

I'm also wondering any of you do as far as non-medicine treatments? Anyone try acupuncure?

It's good that you're seeing a neurologist for yourself. You're not alone on the "shaking hands". Mine do it too, every day. It I'm not doing something productive with my hands, they're doing that instead. I was in special education classes from kindergarten all the way through at least middle school maybe some of high school. I am an adult with both ADD/ADHD. I just wanted to say something about the medicine, it can only be addictive if you let it. And also this medicine (which ever the doctor prescribes to you) only helps reduce the symptoms of ADHD only by a little bit. Nothing is 100% curable. That's the tough part. I hope you hang in there. Maybe you could talk to your son about each other's ADHD, kind of be there for each other. If one's feeling down, the other can lift up the other's spirit? :3 Kind of like a mother-son ADHD teamwork thing. ^_^ Take Care

why not try something like meditation first before drugs if you have the
time to fit it in (a couple of hours a week)... it might be a whole load of
old hokey but then again it could really help.

because it just sounds more like you need some calming time... rather
than anything else. not to say you don't have adhd but as you have coped
so well up to this point.... and you are not that keen on going down the
drug route for yourself, why not try other options first.

           F.M. > >   >

                                   Don't be afraid of drugs, they can

           be our friend. Seriously now, It sounds like

           you have some of the classic symtoms of

           ADD. Panic attacks are no fun that's for sure.

           I thought I didn't need my meds for this, so I

           stopped taking them, and several months later

             had a hum-dinger of a panic attack !

           If your not satisfied with the outcome of you DX

             keep looking for a Dr. who can help you.

           Many times our gut feeling is very correct.




           [QUOTE=Forensicmom]

For the last few months 4-5 months I've noticed that I feel extremeley stressed out and I've had what my dr said were panic attacks. However, my hands seems to shake almost constantly and I always have the feeling of not being able to stop and sit down. My head feels like it's in a fog a lot of the times and I really feel overwhelmed with every tasks sometimes. I am a stay at home mom with 4 kids, so my life is busy and stressful anyway, but I've usually been able to handle everything with no problem. That's when I'm thankful I have all this energy.

[/QUOTE]

Hi!

I have been on medication now ( for ADD combined type) for a bout 2 1/2 - 3 weeks and I just wanted to let you know that I identified with your feelings of anxiousness. I am 40 years old, delt with ADD all of my life, have several accomodations for my self to help me get things done. (I graduated College in top 10% of class - no medication.)

BUT, this year, for some reason, I have become more self criticle and more stressed out to the point of not being able to sleep at night. I felt like my life was quickly becoming a mess and I sought help from a Behavioral Psychologist.

I thought this was a great idea because I thought that maybe there were some new habits that I could learn that maybe I havent thought of... Well, come to find out, after the testing for ADD, the Psychologist informs me that my "inattentiveness" is very severe, but that I had already figured out and implemented all of the adaptations that he would have suggested... Well, now, that just stinks! here I am all stressed out and cant do anything on my own to change it!

Like I said, I started the medication for the first time a few weeks ago. When I took it, All the anxiety pretty much went away... I couldn't believe it! I felt very calm, very focused, and relaxed.. It was a definate wow moment.

When the medication wore off, I would get some of the same anxiety back, BUT, the funny thing was that each subsequent day, the anxiety would be less.. until it was something much more manageable or not even there at all.

I'm not saying that it would be that way for you. But I also wanted to let you know that there is hope with medication or without --- just keep your options open.. For me, I chose medication after trying everything else to accomodate the disorder. Im glad I waited because I do have some very good coping skills. but I'm also glad that I am now on the meds because it makes the struggle easier and less stressful. Hope you find the answer that is best for you!

SHerry

kibbles00238609.6116319444

The anxiety - yes I know it well. I think it's that when you are on meds you're normal coping mechanism that deals with anxiety is overruled. We tend to avoid the anxiety any way possible and the meds tell us to take it easy and work through it.

I never realized before meds how much social anxiety I truly had. Once I was aware I could see that in new and unusual situations where I couldn't or wouldn't run I tend to shake, knead my hands and feel very stressed.

I've run it past my psychiatrist and now have new coping mechanisms for it. Deep breathing, self assuring words and slowly entering situations where it's uncomfortable helps a lot. Not gone but controlled.

Anxiety will probably always be with us - but we can prevail!

- Glen

Thanks. I actually started taking a yoga class once a week but it only started last week, so I don't notice a difference yet. I have really tried to "calm" myself down but I still notice the shaking hans almost all the time and I almost always feel like I can't sit still.

I'm hoping that I don't have ADHD but I guess I was just wondering if there was a possiblity. My dr seems to think I was having general anxiety and prescribed valiums. I didn't take the meds b/c I was too afraid of them. That's why I started the yoga class.

I have a few questions about anxiety, since that's what my dr told me I had. From a lot of things I hear, I don't feel like that's me. I never have any problems being around people or doing certain things. My head just feels like it's in a fog a lot of the times. Fortunately it did kind of go away about 2 weeks ago but I still feel like occasionally. At least it's not every day now. However, the hands still shake and I still feel like I'm so hyper.

I'm not depressed at all, at least I don't feel that way. i'm so happy with my life and family that I tell my hubby that all the time. I wouldn't change anything, except having my head in a fog sometimes.

I just want to say that I'm not against medicine but I think doctors today are too quick to give you meds before trying anything else.

well you are just an opposite add-er! i have my head in a fog almost ALL
the time and just occasionally the sun breaks through (miracle!).

whereas you are in the sunshine almost ALL the time and occasionally a
cloud of fog comes to settle on your head. [QUOTE=kibbles002]

Well, my goodness yes! I'm like the world champion space cadet!!

Sherry

[/QUOTE]

I don't know what the connection may be, but before I started on the heavy meds, I thought that my AD lessened when I wore reading glasses. However, ever since shortly after that I've been heavy mxRxd on ,200/mo of pilledicines, and worn readers ever since. Even on meds I get spaced out, but I think that's the design of the RitLA, which was originally designed for children and a dip to coincide with their lunch breads. My daughter's call it daydreaming, but I'm nowhere, just coasting. Feels good though, and irritates me when they bug me out of it.
Oh, duh. I could focus better. That was the connection.

CC78

I reject your quote and substitute my own

-pilgrim

My son (11) was diagnosed with ADHD last year after years of suspecting. he's doing great on Adderall. Now I think it might be my turn. My hubby really believes that I have it as well. I'm going to see the neurologist in two weeks.

I'm wondering if ADHD can get worse as you get older? Or maybe it changes with age? I've been hyper all my life and always had trouble paying attention to boring things. I did good in school (B average) but that's b/c I only took average classes.

I'm just not sure if this (ADHD) is something to even consider. I'm terrified that the dr will try to put me on a strong addictive medicine like prozac. I've seen a lot of bad things happen to people on some of those types of drugs.