To ask about people's experience of getting assessed for adhd as an adult? Need advice.

[overgrownwelshwoman]

I was reading a thread on here yesterday, that led me to looking at the NHS info on ADHD in adults and it is me! I'm now trying to get a GP appointment (a challenge in itself), to ask them to refer me for an assessment.
I always suspected I was dyspraxic, but now I think I'm more likely to have adhd but with some dyspraxic tendencies. I am at the point of throwing in my career as I can't cope. If I can find a way to make some sense of how I am, and some support, it will make a huge difference to my life.
I'm worried my GP will either not take me seriously, or try to pin my difficulties on other reasons, such as anxiety. But I know what there is something fundamentally different about how I am and try to get through life.
What is the best way to approach this?

I went through the various symptom lists on the Internet and took them in to the doctor, complete with examples. He agreed with me but there's only one NHS board in Scotland which does adult assessments so getting the formal diagnosis is difficult. I got an appointment with work occupational health after he sent a letter in to request it though. I don't know how much help they will be as my appointment isn't until next week.

I know what you mean about finding it difficult to cope. ❤️

Thanks Paws. Is the expectation that your work will refer you from an assessment? I'm so unsure about saying anything at work because although I know I am drowning, I can't explain why. When I think back over the last 20yrs, I can list so many examples of me struggling

I had a very smooth experience, but perhaps I live in the correct NHS area in Scotland!

I came across the adult symptoms while researching my DS's behaviour. I was torn between thinking he had ADHD, and thinking he'd had the bad luck to inherit all my bad habits.

I sat on the revelation that I might have ADHD myself for a couple of years, as it felt like I was looking to justify being useless and/or lazy.

Eventually, after attempting a college course and really struggling, I plucked up the courage to speak to my GP, who was very kind and referred me straight away. I was told it could take some time for an appointment to come through, but it only took a month or so, and I was asked to bring along any evidence that I thought backed up my case, e.g. school reports. I took along what I had, and the appointment with the specialist took about an hour and half. He read and discussed all the evidence I'd taken, he asked a lot of other questions, and at the end of the sesson, he said, yes, he felt I definitely had ADHD. Less than 6 weeks after the GP appointment I had a diagnsis. Took a while to come to terms with it, but it also explained such a lot of the issues in my life.

I'd speak to your GP, but an important thing to remember is that the GP is not qualified to assess ADHD - it requires a specialist - so even if s/he didn't take you seriously, they still need to refer you as they cannot make that call themselves.

Watching with interest - I have often wondered if I have either dyspraxia or adhd, but have no idea how I'd go about finding out!

I've attached a link here that I have honestly found the most helpful in summarising what it's like to be and adult woman with ADHD. There are only about two statements here that don't apply to me. In the top right of the page there is a link about girls being undiagnosed, that may also be helpful to both of you in recalling any struggles you had in your youth.

www.estronaut.com/a/women_attention_deficit.htm

Thanks Jakey. I know the GP has to refer me, I suppose I'm
Worried that they might think I'm trying to fit my experience into the adhd label, if that makes sense, but my Lordy those symptoms describe me to a tee! Only thing I don't have is the risk taking behaviour. But everything else is there.
My evidence will be describing experiences from university to now. So many times when I've had issues with my mood and anxiety, and now I realise it was my difficulty with life
Skills that led to the low mood and then just becomes a viscous cycle. I am forever apologising for being for being forgetful / disorganised. I can't help it though!

Jakey I have just read that link and IT IS ME!!!! I cannot express how much that describes me, it's so accurate it's unreal. Wow.

I don't recall any issues in school
Re learning. I was shy and socially awkward, but I think I'm academically quite bright so at a secondary school level, everything was within my capabilities. Exactly as it says, it's as the demands got higher, I started to crumble.

Only thing I don't have is the risk taking behaviour.

Ha! That's also one of the two that don't apply to me. Onr thing about ADHD diagnosis is that symptoms should be present before the age of 7, so parental anecdotes or primary school reports were essential (for me, at least) in order to make the diagnosis.

There are quite a few forums out there with good advice. The best I got was to get examples togther and build your case to take to the GP, so he can't realistically refuse to refer you. If he does, the forums usually recommend that you respectfully remind him he can't diagnose you as non-ADHD himself and he must refer you, or you will report him.

Worried that they might think I'm trying to fit my experience into the adhd label

I think that's why I sat on it for so long - it just seemed so convenient, but I now know that's because it was true!

I am forever apologising for being for being forgetful / disorganised. I can't help it though!

That was what took the longest to get used to for me, post-diagnosis - trying to remember that I shouldn't be apologising or beating myself up about these things, and reminding myself there's a reason why I am the way I am.

I hope you make the appointment and get the ball rolling. If you're right, you'll be so relieved.

Been lurking for a while...but thought I could add here.

I'm 46 & live in Wales. I started to think I had ADD, then did some of the online tests & got advised to have an assessment.

Took a while to go to the GP, expecting it to go badly (after reading lots of horror stories), took a filled in DIVA test with me & she was really nice.

Had the choice of NHS or private, main difference being time. Decided to go private as know how hard pressed MH services are due to a sibling having bipolar.

Went along (appt close to home, was expecting to travel) expecting to be told I'm wasting his time. He took a history, talked to my OH & looked at the info I took with me & diagnosed me.

Just had the report. Not going to be medicated but knowing it's neurobiology, not MH illness is a relief. Lots of things make sense now. (-:

Read lots of books, including Delivered from Distraction, Sari Solden's book for women & All dogs have ADHD, which I loved. There's a good adult ADHD Facebook group.

The Diva assessment can be found online, it's a diagnostic rating scale but doing it helped my husband understand & then support me.

I also went to a group session in the nearest big city prior to diagnosis, to see how it affected other people. Lots of the people there had other issues, which is very common but I just have ADHD. Happy to discuss. Not found a suitable local group yet. Still in shock I got the diagnosis with little fuss.

Jakey there is going to be an issue with info on before I was 7. Without that, can it not be done?

Pipilou thanks for letting me know your experience, so helpful. Can I ask how much a private diagnosis cost?

That's a good link. I was fine to GCSE, went wrong at Uni & jobs don't really agree with me.

Defo do the tests, read up & go see about it. People do find medication works & it's much more effective for most people (80%+) than antidepressants (30%+) are & no one bats an eyelid at them being prescribed. I did the research before going on the meds' efficacy as I have a science background. (-:

I didn't have much childhood info & the thought of my mum going with me was never going to work. ADHD is highly genetic & childhood was interesting.

I was wondering about this too.

I have quite obvious difficulties with concentration, attention and semantic and working memory (my episodic memory is good). My parents managed to scaffold for me at school by helping me to organise my time/homework etc but there were still times that despite being in 'Gifted and Talented' I was provided with additional teaching support. I was then unable to complete my degree (I made it to third year) despite getting A grades for all the work I completed because of ADHD and another condition.

I still don't have a diagnosis for the ADHD but my grandmother had ADHD and I'm sure that my problems result from it.

My symptoms are:

• Emotional lability/ inability to regulate my emotions and responses to emotions (due to Executive Function deficits)

• Problems with keeping things in mind long enough to process them (Working Memory deficits).

• Difficulty remembering facts and figures

• Starting multiple projects but being unable to finish any. -

• Experiencing great difficulty staying on track with complex tasks that are within my capabilities.

• Being chronically late/procrastinating

• Experiencing hyperfocus on some projects/topics, which I find highly interesting but being unable to complete them!

I hope the GP does offer a referral and that you get the help you need.

I just skimmed through the DIVA test. I think I can give enough info from my childhood to answer those questions. Again, it's just thinking of experiences and reframing them so they make sense if this context.
I now feel quite excited. It's ridiculous, but the thought that I might finally be able to say why I struggle rather than just saying sorry I can't do that, is really amazing.

Jakey there is going to be an issue with info on before I was 7. Without that, can it not be done?

It probably depends on the specialist you see. Many of the forums mention it, and I was specifically asked for it, however most of my family are dead so there was no anecdotal evidence available, and although I have some primary school reports, they were fairly glowing so not much help there (like you, and Pippylou, I was bright throughout primary school so problems were not really noticed till much later at high school level).

But the specialist did ask a lot of questions about primary school and I answered them truthfully.

Pippylou makes a good point about ADHD being highly genetic - after all my research I strongly suspect my mum had it too. It would cetainly explain so much...

Aylarose my episodic memory is fantastic. All other types of memory are awful. I hope you get the support you need too

Also look into ASD as a diagnosis, as often ASD in girls is misdiagnosed as ADHD because they can have similarities in females.

I’m sure this is me too - watching with interest!

I'm concerned that my eldest DC has it. They are coping ok at the moment, but like me I think they are a bright kid so can get away with it for now. If I do get s positive diagnosis, then I'll be keeping a very close eye on my children.

Thank you for starting this thread. I now no longer feel alone in my strange behaviours. After seeing how DS3 has been for the past 5 years, as he is suspected as having ADHD, I am recognising so many traits of my own from school days all the way up to adulthood are quite obvious.

I have wondered about this for years but then at other times think it's just a self-discipline issue, or where school/uni is concerned, an anxious ego thing e.g. not putting the work in in case I don't get results.

I get a bit teary when I think about going to the GP as I could fill a page of A4 with personal examples that I think reflect the diagnostic criteria, and do constantly feel incompetent & unintelligent...maybe it is wonky brain wiring or maybe it's just me not having the gumption/talent to deal with things that everyone else just gets on with. I'm not bright really so don't mask things that well in situations where blagging doesn't cut it!

May I ask if anyone could share their experience of being medicated for ADHD?

I was diagnosed with ASD as an adult last year so not the same but I think the diagnostic process would be similar. I googled to find out what tests were standard, took the test and took the results to the GP, who referred me.
When I went to the appointment I took a lot of notes and examples of why I thought I had ASD.

I was diagnosed as an adult. I was very lucky and was seen quickly - identified the symptoms, went to my GP who referred me, seen by adult ADHD specialist within a month, went to first appointment terrified of being told I was just a scatty, bad human being came away with a diagnosis and a prescription for Concerta. A lot of people have to wait much longer for their appointment so my experience isn't standard but I got lucky, this was in North Wales.

Taking medication has changed my life. I never stuck out a job beyond 6 months before medication; I'll have been at my current job for a year next week which is beyond anything I could imagine. I'm also doing a distance learning MA which I could never have considered; I did very well at uni but only because it was a practical, vocational degree rather than writing all the time.

I'm a better person to be around now; the rejection-sensitive dysphoria (a tiny non-rejection to other people becoming a huge massive thing - e.g parents/friends saying "not now I'm busy" translating as "you're bothering me, I hate you, you're so demanding and needy, I don't want to be around you any more" in my head since childhood) doesn't affect me half as much, I'm not as sensitive to overstimulation, I can focus on things, I'm not as hyperactive, I don't take stupid risks or make impulsive decisions or spend all my money. It's amazing.

Best of luck everyone on your diagnosis journeys (naff word but it's accurate!) :)