Adult ADHD support thread

[Completmentfille]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with combined type ADHD last year at the grand old age of 30 and am medicated. Medication very much helps but I still struggle with lots of things day to day, and lockdown has not helped.

I just wondered if there were any more of us about and if a support thread would be helpful?

I got a first in my degree. By the skin of my teeth. If you look at the breakdown my grades were all over the shop. I got a 95 on some modules and a 41 on others.

It was the same all through my school career. If I was interested in it I did well. If I wasn't I did horrendously.

Same here. There was never really any consistency. I did ok in exams, but when it came to combined coursework and my dissertation, I didn’t do very well. I think it’s probably because if I’m forced to sit down and actually do something I can focus on it pretty well, but if it’s long and enduring (like dissertations for example) I burn out quickly, become easily bored and do something else. Unless of course it’s something I’m very interested in, which isn’t very often haha

Hi, I don't have a diagnosis of anything, but I often think I may have ADHD, my children have dyspraxia, so maybe I have that?

I can really identify with the hyper focus, time management, having to do everything last minute so I panic a bit and then seem to focus if there's some adrenalin going.

Definatly getting really into a new TV show, band, getting slightly obsessed then never thinking about it again.
Reading a book in one day, but can't focus on something boring like a 5 minute video of how to do something.
I interrupt people all the time!

Does anybody do this when driving? Say if I want to drive to the dentist but Asda is on the same route and I go there more often, I'll end up in Asda carpark thinking why gave I driven here, I wanted to go to the dentist?

Also, I can write an appointment in my diary correctly, check my diary and still turn up on the wrong day!

Can I also ask what kind of difference the meds make. Is it like being in hyper focus all the time?

Does anybody do this when driving?

I don't drive. Failed five tests now because I can't concentrate and make stupid mistakes.

Can I also ask what kind of difference the meds make. Is it like being in hyper focus all the time?

I find they just make it easier for me to focus on things I don't find interesting, and they massively tone down the impatience and irritability.

I have also failed my driving test four times and decided at that point to give it a break. I would like to try again but it's so expensive.

There is a good step by step guide on AADDUK for diagnosis on their FAQ page.

I was diagnosed in Germany which is a bit of a different process.

Medication feels different to everyone so it isn't especially helpful to hear what it feels like to other people - best thing is to speak to a doctor and see if they agree it is an idea to give it a go.

I hyperfocus on car seats - as some of you may know. So I decided about a year ago to stop feeling weird about this and just take advantage of it. I gave myself permission to hyperfocus on it and declared an interest in the industry. I now work in a car seat shop. It's brilliant and I'm hoping it will be useful experience to take me into a different part of the industry (I live not far from the Britax and Joie headquarters in Germany). I'd love to eventually work in development/design but not sure exactly how to get there yet!

Evening. England now has Right to Choose so in theory the NHS should pay Psychiatry UK. There is a good facebook group Adult ADHD UK.

For me the most debilitating factors are brain fog, when I can't string two thoughts together, and stress when I can't think straight because of too many demands.

Hi hope you dont mind me asking a few things. My husband is recently diagnosed on the NHS and they are going to trial medication soon. It's this one Methylphenidate. He will start on a low dose and increase as needed. Do any of you have experience of this medication? He has lots of the more typical symptoms I believe and it's been really helpful for him to understand what is going on and for me to be able to understand some of the problems he has. Do you have any other form of treatment/ therapy alongside the medication ?

Methylphenidate is ritalin, so a standard stimulant med. Side effects are pretty normal for the type of med I believe - reduced appetite and weight loss, faster heartbeat, stomach pains, dry mouth.

I personally find the meds more helpful than any therapy but I know plenty of ADHDers who work with coaches and other therapists.

The choice with methylphenidate is whether its short acting or long acting.

Quick release/short acting wears off in around 4 hours. Long acting lasts about 12 hours. I tried both and its impossible to say what would suit someone better. The downside of short acting is when it wears off their can be a 'bounce back' of symptoms. Long acting is a fairly steady release, but it can suppress appetite over a day, which has to be addressed either with larger before and after meals or perhaps a smaller meal in the day. Its fairly common to start on a long acting one tbh.

I thought I'd posted here yesterday, ut it seems to have been eaten. Probably a good thing as I was having a bit of a 'woe is me' day. I was just wondering if anybody struggled with keeping a job? Due to a variety of (non-ADHD) factors I have never had a permenent, FT employed role. Now I'm late 30s, a lone parent, trying to find employed work for stability and terrified I won't be able to stick it despite being bright, experienced, creative and determined.

Joining. Just to warn you though these threads never last very long because we all get distracted and forget to post after a while

She speaks the truth !

Just to warn you though these threads never last very long because we all get distracted and forget to post after a while

😂 so true

I was diagnosed a year ago. Was on methylphenidate and it definitely made a difference to my focus, but I realised recently that my anxiety has been so much worse since being on it. It built up slowly so I didn’t notice the connection at first but sadly I feel better off them :( I’m waiting for a call from my psychiatrist as I want to try Elvanse.

Nosnogginginthekitchen

I've done quite well at work because I'm good at masking I think. But I know on the ADHD facebook group there are loads of people who have really struggled keeping a job.

Trying out my shiny new name so I can post freely... If you think you know who I am (I'm active in a few Facebook groups) that is fine, I just don't want to link anything else I've posted on here to ADHD at the moment.

I am diagnosed but unmedicated because I needed further health checks before my psychiatrist was happy to prescribe anything.

I had an ECG and it showed an irregularity, so my GP has made a cardiology referral for me and I'm waiting for them to get in touch to see what happens next. It may mean I can't have stimulants.

I know that stimulant medication isn't the only option but because it's the most effective, I have to wait for the outcome of all these checks before anything else can be discussed.

My mental health is getting worse by the day because my executive functioning is so poor at the moment. There is nothing I can do to speed any of this up and I feel so powerless.

I was diagnosed with ADHD and cyclothymic disorder when I was 48. I'll be 53 early next year. I wasn't all that convinced about the CT diagnosis, I'm still not sure it just isn't the mood swings of ADHD. But maybe I have both and am moodier than your average ADHD person.

Unmedicated cos at the time there were no approved meds for Adults with ADHD in the country where I live. Never really perused it. I hate taking medicine and been known to lug a headache around for days rather than take a paracetamol.

Did really well (in comparison to before diagnosis) by finding, personalising strategies and building habits. Just knowing I had ADHD helped, cos I could evaluate responses and go to battle when I felt the ADHD trying to have its own way when I needed to get a grip on something.

Just started anti depressants and could kick myself all up the road and back for refusing them when I got diagnosed. Christ on a bike. I can't believe this is how people are supposed to live. All those years wading through head treacle not realising I could have a nice, paved path instead.

Not having to fight through my inner Pootle With Massive Black Cloud Blotting Out The Sky narrative just to do basic things is a massive help. I can feel the ADHD start up, but it's much much easier to push back in its box long enough to get a boring thing done cos it's a battle on one front, not two. Still have to use extraordinary effort to keep the hyperfocus under control. Interesting things I suddenly get obsessed with are my kryptonite. But even that feels less of an issue. Maybe cos I have less of a pressing need to escape into something just to keep me away from my head state.

Fingers crossed the antiDs keep working. Cos I do not want to go back to being Pootle. I'm not sure I'll find it doable now I've felt the contrast.

Can anyone suggest why my GP warned me off looking for a diagnosis? She was really supportive and said it sounded like I fitted many boxes, but also asked did I definitely want a diagnosis if it might "stay on record". What could she be referring to? Why would it ever be a negative thing to have a medical diagnosis of ADHD or ADD?

Denny that's a good question. I'd like to know the answer too before I go wading into that particular swamp...

Can anyone suggest why my GP warned me off looking for a diagnosis? She was really supportive and said it sounded like I fitted many boxes, but also asked did I definitely want a diagnosis if it might "stay on record". What could she be referring to? Why would it ever be a negative thing to have a medical diagnosis of ADHD or ADD?

Some GPs are just very anti label I'm afraid.

Lurking with interest. I filled in the online self-assessment from psychiatry UK and passed with flying colours, for ADHD- inattentive. It explains so much about myself, and I wish I'd known 20 years ago. But at least I can stop beating myself up now.

I've never lost a job due to ADHD related reasons (I have been given warnings, though) however I've always struggled to reconcile the idea of myself I had all through school when everyone was telling me I was brilliant and would have a shining career with the actual me who has only ever worked part time and/or for minimum wage. (Because of lack of qualifications, young pregnancy, lack of self confidence, etc). It's a silly thing but I've never even seen four figures on a payslip and I think it affects my sense of self worth a lot. Anyway, hopefully that will change by the end of this year and if not this then next :)

I have no idea why people say that about "labels". It's bizarre. It's not as though once you're diagnosed you have to print out a flashing purple badge and wear it on your head. You can just not ever mention it to people and unless they know enough about ADHD themselves to spot it, they will never know.

I suppose if the UK ends up going into a private health insurance system like the US it could count against you as a pre-existing condition. I'm not entirely sure that would have been what they meant, though!

Recently diagnosed privately with inattentive ADHD here. I am now on Xaggitin XL and increasing the dosage weekly. It’s a slow release medication and disappointingly I haven’t noticed any improvement in the two weeks I’ve been taking it and I thought it would happen quite quickly (perhaps I’m unrealistic). Will continue to take until I’m at the largest dose and see if it helps then. So far I feel more fuzzy headed and less energy than before I started the meds.

Would love to hear from people also on Xaggitin XL about their experiences. I think it is the generic version of concerta.

I've finally got a diagnosis, and am on elvanse.
For years, my gp tried sending me away with antidepressants and anxiety meds. It took for me to really put my foot down and say I am not depressed, it's something else. I had about 7 months of assessments and a got a diagnosis this year, I'm 31.
The difference between the antidepressents and the elvanse has been huge.
I'm still trying to come to terms with all the years I've struggled and feel sad thinking about how different my life could have been. Looks like there's a lot of late diagnoses, though, so at least I'm not alone! 😊

@Gingernaut

Executive function - the 'adulting' part is wrong.

Prioritising tasks, getting everything together to perform a task, putting everything back once I've performed a task and remembering everything needed to perform the task again.

I have multiple 'kits' now, where certain tools (paper, scissors, pens etc) are gathered together in places around the house where certain tasks are performed....

Yes I have this too. So many pens and pairs of scissors. I keep things I'm likely to forget in the car eg face mask.