Hello all, what a wonderful forum you have here. It's so nice such a constructive and supportive group of people.
I was hoping for some advice, here's some background:
I've had all of the symptoms of ADD or ADHD, the inattentive type, for as far back as I can remember. I just recently (within the past month) started reading about ADD and all of the puzzle pieces kind of came together.
I made an appointment with a GP expecting to get a referral, but instead she "diagnosed" me with a checklist, similar to the on on WebMD. She then told me that she has a "gut feeling" that I'm suffering from a low-grade depression combined with anxiety rather than a form of ADD. Yet she prescibed 5mg of Adderall for a two-week trial period. I don't know much about drugs, but 5mg...? Does anyone know if that would even help if I do have ADD? Most people on here, it seems, take 20 - 30mg once or twice daily. Should I be feeling effects from 5mg? I took one the first day and didn't feel different, two the second day and felt focused, and today I took three (15mg total) and I feel energetic, calm, and motivated. I guess what I'm asking is, if I didn't have ADD, wouldn't Adderall have the opposite effect and make me feel jittery and my mind race? I'm not exactly sure what this drug is supposed to be doing if I do have ADD, either.
I'm sorry for the long post and stupid questions, it's just that I felt like I was being patronized. And I "have a gut feeling" that it's ADD, because I don't feel depressed and the symptoms have been there since childhood. Does anyone have any insight and wouldn't mind sharing? I'd really appreciate it.
In my humble opinion, if the stimulant had a calming, focusing affect on you, you have ADHD.....the depression could be a co-morbid disorder stemming from the frustration of day to say life with the ADHD. It may subside once you get your symptoms under control.
Why don't you look for a psychiatrist and go to them for a more thorough workup? Unless money is a factor...a psychiatrist can better manage meds as well.
Thanks for the advice, chasesmom. The reasons I was confused are that I do not feel depressed; the dosage of 5mg seemed laughable to me; and that I flat-out asked for a referral and she ignored me. The visit left me very confused and feeling like she thought I was trying to get drugs to use illegally or something. I know a doctor is obviously more qualified than me to know what's wrong with me, but I honestly feel that the diagnoses was wrong.
I guess the next step is the phone book? I'm not really sure how to find a psychiatrist but I will try.
That seems like a good plan, but will your insurance pay if you don't have a referral? I have no good medical insurance, so I am not sure how that stuff works....
Call the ones in the phone book, sometimes I have read that child psychiatrists have more background in ADHD, but will sometimes treat adults as well. Try them all! You are bound to strike gold somewhere!
good luck!