Reliability of ADD Testing | ADHD Information

Heh Mark, I here you loud and clear.  It's so frustrating to know we know there is something wrong and people are in disbelief and offer up many other possibilities.  At times I feel it is an insult to my own personal insight by an intelligent woman who is 47 and has been searching for the answer for 35 years.  But worse than that, when I get insistent that it's got to be ADD, they look at me like I'm crazy!  How could I possibly know, when I'm not even close to being a doctor.

Right now, with my evaluator, I feel I am preparing for the Trial of my life - trying to put enough evidence before him, on my own, without a lawyer or law degree.  Well I have a couple ideas up my sleeve in star witenesses from my family who should impact the result - unless they consider family impartial witnesses.

Did you manage to get someone to prescribe ADD medicine for you?  If so, is it helping?  Let me know.  How long have you suspected ADD?

Don't give up - this battle is worth fighing!!!

Buzz

I dunno.  I really don't - the guy who diagnosed me placed a lot of importance on me reading a list of words, and when I read them without difficulty he seemed to think that indicated against a diagnosis of ADD.  Yeah, right... would anyone here struggle to read a list of words?  Not read and understand a meaningful paragraph of text mind, just a bunch of unconnected words.  I'd guess only those of us who have Dyslexia too.

I had other symptoms that convinced the guy, but even if he had said no I would not have believed him.  Nearly everyone on this forum who has told their story has told a story that could have been written about me. 

Psychiatrists can ask their stupid questions, and throw back their half-baked diagnosis - but I was there!  I was the kid who was humiliated in front of the class for failing to turn in his homework again.  I was the guy who was regularly summoned before the boss and told "I'm very disappointed with your performance, you're fired".  I've had a wife I loved tell me "You're useless.  I can't take anymore, goodbye".  I'm the guy who has watched the world almost as an alien observer - wondering what I needed to do to 'fit in', and I'm the guy who finally stopped trying - let the world go hang.  I know what my problem is, it's ADD, because it's the only thing that explains it all.

Sorry - got a bit carried away there...

Mark -

Mark Goode38430.648599537

Brava, Mark! 

God - I know "exactly" how you feel because I went through the same thing man.

I went for my psych interview yesterday for my SSD.  This guy who interviewed me kept asking me the same questions over and over again, I guess because he thought he'd stump me.  Mom said to let him think I was crazy.  Yeah, right!  Since I don't look like I am in chronic pain I have no idea what this guy will tell social security.  Then he said why do you think you have adhd?  Alot of what I said was what you said in your post.  I then looked at him and told him I had been asking myself for years 'what is wrong with you' and explained that adhd was the only thing that made sense of my personality traits, actions, and constant disasters that have happened in my life.  It was the only diagnosis that fit me into one particular type of person. 

Hello fellow ADDers,

I have been suffering consciously of something for 35 years of my life.  I am 47 year-old woman now.  I like many of you always knew that I was different and in my adult years felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round world.

As we all do, I tried to self-correct over and over again and as more years went by I saw patterns developing.  I left jobs often, couldn't make close attachments, always felt anxious, felt like I wasn't fully participating in life, couldn't get ahead work-wise, indulged in risky behavior in my younger years (18-25) just to fit in, people had what I perceived as unusual reactions to me which made me feel odder and isolate myself.  I spent an awful lot of time alone because I felt so uncomfortable around people.  There were hundreds of times in my young and adolescent years where I would not speak, unless I was spoken to and kids and peers often commented that I was so quiet and asked if I was  allright.

These experiences just made me more and more anxious.  I withdrew from everyone who had an odd reaction to me, including my family and left school when I was 17 because I was panic stricken if a teacher called on me and I could not make attachment to peers at school.  I felt like a zombie and knew I had to get away from these social situations that were so painful to me.

The family members i talked to about this tried to reassure me but it din't help and I knew that I couldn't even really accurately explain where they would understand how I felt.

I drank alot to make myself more outgoing.

Jumping ahead my whole life was one of living crisis to crisis going in and out of depressions.   Insomnia was incessant so Doctor gave me the anti-depressant Elavil which helped me sleep. 

Through all of this I had moments of smooth sailing but eventually it always lead to disaster.

After reading all sorts of books on psychology and talking to family I have become convinced I've had ADD my entire life which was never diagnosed. 

My most recent shrink is not convinced I have it and refuses to prescribe any Dexedrine type med.

Now, back to the topic, I went through an extensive and expensive evaluation for ADD and it showed no real signs of ADD although I think the test was faulty.  What are your opinions on the reliability of ADD testing and did any of you have to convince your doctors of your diagnosis.

And lastly, how did you find a therapist that thoroughly knows ADD?

Sorry how long it took to get to my topic question but am genuinely curious if any of you have had similar symptoms and feelings that I have had.

Ever greatfull for your generosity in sharing.

 

[QUOTE=Buzz]

Did you manage to get someone to prescribe ADD medicine for you?  If so, is it helping?  Let me know.  How long have you suspected ADD?

[/QUOTE]

Hi Buzz,

I've so far been unable to get meds - but that's not unusual in the UK - the law requires that these drugs can only be prescribed under the supervision of an 'expert' in the field of adult ADD, and they are extremely rare over here.  My family doctor is on my side, and I'll get help eventually.

As for how long have I suspected, I guess it was about 18 months ago.  I was driving home and there was a program on the radio about kids with ADD.  I was just about to switch channels when something that was said stayed my hand... and then someone said it could last into adulthood.  I knew I had it right there and then.  I did a bit more research on the internet before going to see my doc who, despite initial scepticism, has been a great help.

Mark -

I am trying to find out what tests are most valuable and which ones are junk.  I would also like to know which tests are better for adults or adolescents than young kids.  Since the diagnosis has always been for school aged boys (usually) the questions are about running around and sitting in your seat when you are supposed to.  I don't know of any written tests specifically for  people over age 18.  Any firsthand knowledge on the subject? 

My mom took me to a psychologist when I was a kid but I don't remember what it was all about.  Could it have been that impulsive behavior?  As a girl, I didn't run around the room like the boys, but I did get in trouble for talking a lot.  I also felt insecure and made up for it with my big mouth.  That is typical of girls with ADD from what I have read.  Also, if mom lined up all three of us and asked us to confess who did the wrong deed, I would feel like she was pointing to me and get mouthy.  Then when I got in trouble, it felt like I was wrongly punished and I was resentful.  I waqs an adult with kids o9f my own before I fugured out that I wasn't accused of the wrong deed, I was punished for the disrespectful attitude!  UGH!  My mom still makes me feel defensive and I'm 50 years old!  Those, to the best of my knowledge, are classic ADD.  Right?

I just thought I'd jump in here an post my test.

I spent one and a half hours just answering questions and yes, I did ask a few. Then he gave me a test to take home and I filled one out, my husband, did and my daughter did. I took those back and received a phone call.

He said he was sure I had it by talking to me but then when he got the test back my dh&dd answered so much different than I that if I didn't have a history of it in my family he might think I didn't have it.

I have an app't tomorrow with the doctor about meds and we will talk about this more. I'm not sure I'm going on the drugs at this point but am willing to keep the app't.

I've read till I'm blue in the face about the drugs and don't know if that's the road for me as am very sensitive to meds.

grannypat

 

i think the written tests i took may have been primarily to rule out other things.  There was an IQ test, and some other school type tests.  There was also a hearing test and vision test, etc, etc.  There were also some tests with pictures.  it was so long ago, it's hard to remember all of them.  it went on for several hours.

my testing was done after the history and symptoms list evaluation. 

Elavil, is a drug that is also used in bipolar patients to stabilize moods.

ADHD appears along with bipolar in many cases so you may have both. I have bipolar synthoms, but can't stand the therapy and find it much easier to be on ADD meds, which makes the doctors think I just have ADD. However, it sounds to me like you had a good reaction to meds used in the treatment of bipolarism. Last time I was put on Elavil, I had a an anxiety attack.  

Hi, everyone!  This is the first time I've posted to an ADD board. 

I am 50 years old and was diagnosed the summer of 2004 with ADD.  Before I was diagnosed, I thought I was totally going insane. 

The test the psychiatrist/psychologist used when testing me for ADD was the T.O.V.A.  ("Test of Variables of Attention").  I also had about 6 hours of IQ tests but my understanding of all tests taken is that the primary diagnosis for me of ADD was diagnosed via the T.O.V.A. test. 

I'm by no means an expert to explain how the psychiatrist scored the T.O.V.A. test, but I can explain it is a test where you sit in front of a PC screen and push a button based on whether the box shows on the PC screen at the top of the screen or bottom of a white box located on the PC screen. 

At first the psychiatrist put me on rittalin.  I took ritallin for about 2 weeks.  While on rittalin I took the TOVA test and scored that I was more attentive while on rittalin.  I couldn't stay on rittalin though because the rittalin caused me to pay too much attention toward one thing (almost crashed the car because I was watching brake lights in front of me and not watching the car to my right).

Then I took Strattera for about 2 months.  I did not notice that the Stratera helped me at all with my concentration so my psychiatrist switched me to Adderall X which I have been on for about 4 months now.  The psychiatrist started me at 15 mgs of Adderall X and I am currently at 30 mgs. 

I took the TOVA test again a couple of weeks ago and the psychiatrist shared with me that I scored in 2 quarters of the TOVA test the first time I took it and  on the last TOVA test I scored in 3 of the 4 quarters.  (My attention while taking the TOVA test the first time was unscorable in 2 quarters but was scorable in 3 quarters while on Adderall X).

I'm not sure at this point why I'm not scoring in the 4th quarter.  I didn't think to ask at my last appointment.

I'm also PTSD and am not sure how that impacts the ADD at this time in my life.

Good luck to all of you.  Hang in there!