my experience with add meds | ADHD Information

My doctor actually asked me if I had ever tried any of the ADD meds when I was getting diagnosed.

I was shocked and said no I guess she could tell by my response that I thought the question was strange. LOL

Anyway yeah your absolutely right. My doctor told me I'd be surprised how many of her patients had tried their children's or friend's meds before coming in and that seeing how the med helped convinced them to make an appointment. She said it also helps her pick which med to start them on since they have already got a positive reaction with one.
[QUOTE=ANNIESIMS]I am an at home mom that it luckily doesnt probaby have an impact on my life like it would if I had a job. [/QUOTE]

Well Annie,

First of all - no one should give you any heat for this because the purpose of this board is to help people - not criticise them. To be honest, it sounds like you and I have very similar stories.  Its sounds now like you probably need to find a Dr. and start treatment for your own ADD.  And being at home still makes it important to focus and make sense out of your day - it certainly did for me.

I found out (as a middle-aged adult) that I had ADD, by trying my wife's ADD medication one day to help me finish the housework during a very long day.  It was an epiphany  that is hard to describe.  I did not get terribly engergized, but rather focused, and thought in a linear fashion in ways that I had never seen in my whole life.  I continued "borrowing" her meds for a while to investigate this phenomenon. I concurrently read "Driven to Distration" which opened up my eyes to a long history of ADD not just in myself - but all my siblings as well.

I then went to psycologists and eventually a psychiatrist where I was evaluated with severe ADD by all!  Now I am prescribed meds for myself and do much much better.  Now I had been to these kind of Dr.'s my whole life - and no one recognised the ADD.  Hmm ... welcome to 21st century medicine!  Sometimes Dr's need to focus a little bit themselves.  ADD diagnoses require time and effort - something that many Dr.'s are willing or able to give these days.

So congrats - you are on the road to finding new things about yourself - and how you might work with them - meds are only one component.

Since I am a strong believer of the genetic basis of many traits  I ask, where do you think your child inherited ADD in the first place?

I for one think you made a brilliant first step - and its nothing to be ashamed of.  The next step is important as well.  Please don't sell yourself short and say that it need not be addressed since you are a stay at home mom!  Good luck.

Ok, I may get a lot of heat for this one but. I took my son a little while ago about his add. Doctor diagnosed him with add and gave him a script. ANyway, he had asked about dh or and and if we had add.

I told him that my son was just like me. I have trouble finishing tasks, focusing, daydreaming, etc. etc. the feeling like i am in a "fog".

Anyway, he said it sounds like I have add too HOWEVER since I am an at home mom that it luckily doesnt probaby have an impact on my life like it would if I had a job. hahahahaha! An add parent trying to work with an add child ??

So anyway, I hate to admit that I DID try my sons meds... and it made a HUGE difference. In short... I got stuff done. I didnt sit and ponder it and dread it. I didnt think about a MILLION other things while doing it... I just did it and got it done. Things just fell into place. A cluttered corner didnt just look like a jumble of things and and endless job. Everything seemed to make sense and I found places for everything and they were not just shoved into a drawer they were organized.

I didnt feel overwhelmed by the work, it was much easier to do. I also found myself being able to give answers with out jumbling my words.

For instance... my son asked where something was and I could explain where it was...no problem. Usually if what they are looking for is in the kitchen, in a brown basket by the stove. Id say "um... its in the kitchen, in the thing... by the uh... over by the oven..." Id have to look for the words I needed and how to explain where something is.  I couldnt find words I needed but on the meds it was so simple. I also dont forget what I was going to do right after I go to do it. More often than not, I will think, OK, I have to call so and so... and I pick up the phone and have to think about who it was I was going to call. If I am going to look up something on the computer I usually will forget as soon as I sit down and have to really think to remember. With the meds I dont have htat problem so much.

I also seemed to be able to have conversation and not think I sound like an idiot. If I want to say something in response to someone I could come up with it no problem, I didnt have to struggle to find what to say or how to say it. Anyway, I am not going to continue to take his meds of course but I will go to a different doc (one who maybe is a mother and understands what its like..lol) and see if I can try to go on something... anyway. Please dont think I am horrible for doing it but anyway, have others had this same experience on meds?

P.S. Normally I wouldnt do it but I remember reading something about a doctor who said that when diagnosing patients that often they would admit to trying their kids meds and the meds really helped. SO I guess I am not alone.

Anyway, I am looking forward to my doctors appointment coming up to discuss something with my doc.

ANNIESIMS38823.3567592593.IMac38947.422337963