ADHD Assessment Worries

[PanickedE]

Hi All,
I have my ADHD assessment next week and I am terrified. There is so much riding on it in terms of support with my education and I don't know what to do! I feel like I'm going to mess it all up by forgetting everything.

I have read the pre-assessment pack, finished my forms, uploaded school reports and speech and language reports from when I was younger, my partner and mother have done forms. My partner has printed off proof of address and ID for me so it is ready.
I even uploaded the huge word document I have compiled of my struggles over the last year as hopefully they can read it if I do forget things.

Am I missing anything? I have been throwing up for the last week I am that scared. I am so worried they will tell me I am making it up or that I am just lazy. The more I read on the internet the more I convince myself of this. I was an A* GCSE student, I have a first class degree. I am doing my second degree but I am drowning. I can't keep up with anything. I had to do an extra year as I missed my A level grades. COVID gave me online open book exams with extra time so my grades went from 50s to 90s.. hence my first class degree. I crumbled when I moved out and realised how much my family did for me. My house is a mess, I flit between hobbies spending so much money and then suddenly it doesn't feel good anymore, I obsessively check my bag and still forget things, I get caught in waiting mode before going out. I need help and I'm worried this assessment will ruin my chances of it.

I know I am overreacting but I don't know what to do to make myself feel better. Are pre-assessment nerves normal or is it another sign I don't have ADHD?

@hapagirl
I’m glad your DD got her diagnosis.

I made a big document of things I struggle with over the course of the last year and apparently some of the things I’ve mentioned are more ASD than ADHD traits; tip toe walking, major sensory issues where I had to have special school jumpers, getting lost everywhere!! Even in the town I live every day

I have a feeling they will say they can’t diagnose me. If that happens I suppose all I have lost is £700 and I can wait on the NHS list and see what else they think could be the cause.

I know I’m not mentally unwell, whatever this is, it’s just how I’ve always been. I’ve had bouts of anxiety/depression of course but these ‘issues’ are just me. I don’t want them to palm me off as having just anxiety.

It’s entirely possible you have both

Asd and adhd I mean.

I went to PsychiatryUK thru right to choose with pre-existing NHS autism and bipolar diagnoses, and they bunged the ADHD diagnosis on top. No question of it ruling me out.

@ClumpingBambooIsALie
That’s helpful to know.
There is autism in the family. I was also born to parents in mid 40s and 50s so there’s the predisposition there too.

By that I meant my parents were older. I feel like I always overshare on mumsnet, so I panic and name change. Then I spent time talking in oddly cryptic sounding tones before tying myself in knots trying not to sound weird. This result in me oversharing again and the cycle continues

I knew I was autistic. Adhd was a huge shock.

This is me too! I was diagnosed with autism last year but it wasn't a surprise, I've known for years. In fact, everyone who knows me (apart from my parents, who have taken it very badly) knew I was autistic long before the assessment. Finding out that I have "severe" combined presentation ADHD after being told how lazy I am my whole life, however... I did not see that coming.

I was also terrified that they would think I was hamming it up but Psychiatry-UK diagnosed me on the spot and sent a full report, which confirmed that I scored 9/9 on the inattentive scale and 7/9 on the impulsive. I still felt like a massive imposter, then for reasons I won't go into here, I was reassessed on the NHS a few weeks later. I got the exact same scores in both categories even though the questions were slightly different, I used different examples, etc. That really assuaged my doubts and hopefully, OP, it eases your mind with regard to the imposter syndrome. The psychiatrists know what they are looking for.

Good luck tomorrow!

Good luck tomorrow.

Good Luck for your assessment 😀

Thank you everyone!
I am very nervous (not envy)

I hope all went well. I think you can be diagnosed in 90 minutes potentially - DD was. But DS and I had a longer assessment. Mine took about 3 hours. His took 2 half-days.

Getting that result was emotional, so if you do find out today, be gentle with yourself.

There are some good FB groups you might want to join for support and to share experiences and ask questions. ADHD for Smart Ass Women, Moms Living with ADD/ADHD (if you're a mum), and there may be some specific groups for people with ADHD in your field of work (eg I joined ADHD Female Entrepreneurs Community).

You should get a detailed report showing your areas of difficulty and a debrief where someone goes through it with you - at least that's how it worked for me and DS.

We used his report to get a 504 plan at school, and several accommodations, which made a big difference.

DD has mostly found that it's meds that have made the big difference. I think she officially also has some accommodations at college - mostly I think they've made deadlines more flexible for her.

You sound a lot like my DD. She aced her education but in the third year of her degree her undiagnosed ADHD just became too much of a disability. Since her diagnosis she's continuing to get straight As, and also tutors other students and grades their work as her work-study job.

Good luck - I know that feeling of anxiety, but hopefully the people assessing you know their stuff and will be able to give you the diagnosis you need.

It’s done!
They said they’re not allowed to say until the report is done but said they would be extremely surprised if I didn’t have it so I’m not entirely sure how to feel? They have over 40 years of experience

They also said I show a huge number of autistic traits and they think I’m type 1 autistic which in old terms is ‘Aspergers’ but that’s not the correct label any more. So they will put in the report that I need an autism assessment

I don’t really feel like I have an answer yet? I feel a bit in limbo… my partner said I’ve been diagnosed by his understanding but I feel confused

@ZZTopGuitarSolo
Sorry I completely missed your comment!!
I’m in couple of groups but mostly about seeking a diagnosis, I will definitely join others. I’m not a mum but is the thing I want most in life and actually one of the reasons I started looking into this more seriously. There are fertility issues in the family so I’d like to start trying before 30 providing I stay with my partner (of 4 years) and I am really conscious about sorting myself out before committing to a baby. I know it’s 5/6/7 years away (or potentially a lot longer) but I also know it won’t be an easy road.

I also wanted to be a good clinician, but a good mam is my life goal. I wasn’t understood when I was younger and I want certain things to have ended with my upbringing.

I’m so glad to hear your daughter is doing well! She sounds really quite talented and driven. I’m glad meds helped her

I'm glad it's done and you've come through it. It sounds like, ultimately, you'll end up with a dual diagnosis. Onwards and upwards. When do you expect the results?

@BarrowInFurnessRailwayStation
Results are expected in around 2 weeks. Not sure if that’s 2 weeks or 2 working weeks. Pre-assessment pack said within in 15 working days which would be 3 weeks in reality. I’m not good at waiting, feel like I’m waiting for exam results

I expected clarity and to feel better but exhausted and I actual feel quite down.. not because of the diagnoses suggested but because I still feel in the dark a bit? I’ve seen other posts from other people’s experiences and they’ve come away with a concrete diagnosis (or thats how I understood it) but I think I was diagnosed? But it wasn’t explicitly said as he needs the whole report so I almost can’t allow myself to accept it incase it’s snatched away or something… I know I’m just being silly. I just like people to say it how it is but I know he couldn’t at that point. It’s a bit like telling someone a lump is likely lipoma (fatty) but you’d never tell them that without doing an FNA and confirming.. your suspicions are likely right 99.9% of the time but getting it wrong and making ‘false promises’ would be so catastrophic that it just isn’t done.

It almost felt like he was more sure about the autism but that’s probably because we both know it wasn’t an diagnostic assessment.

We had to wait ages for Ds’s results.

The report came through. Combined 9/9 during childhood and adulthood for both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive.

How do you feel about the diagnosis I have my ADHD assessment in a couple of weeks time

@Michaelmonstera
I’m relieved! I have exams coming up so I’m discussing with university but I’ve booked a really lovely supportive placement for summer and I’ve told them my struggles upfront and they’ve been great. They’re going to let me do routine operations (vet) and talk me through every step. I feel like I have a future in the career I’ve spent most of my life hoping for.

I’m still considering the medication but just knowing has been so helpful for me. I can advocate for myself without feeling like a fraud.

I have a zest for life I’ve never had before. Just knowing has changed my life

@PanickedE

The report came through. Combined 9/9 during childhood and adulthood for both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive.

That must feel good. What are the nine areas?