ADD/ADHD/Aspie Brothers and Sisters Check in!!!!

[Taverner]

And yes, I include Aspbergers because although it is a totally different thing, we share many symptoms.

[ShortnFiery]

1. Hey, IMNSHO, until there is brain scan evidence, we're all "a mixed bag."

:silly: ;)

[Taverner]

2. That's a case of Reducto ad Absurdum isn't it?

I have ADHD. I take ADHD meds. They work.

Perhaps its not really ADHD, but if the "cure" works then what matters what I call it?

[ShortnFiery]

5. Good for you. Often times I get the impression that people view "pills" as a panecea

They're not and some of the ADHD medication is not good for one's heart long term.

But to each his/her own.

[Taverner]

8. For some folks, caffeine works

For some folks, Nicotine works

For some folks, St Johns Wort works

For some folks, the whole host of pharmaceuticals works

And for some folks, nothing works

Sometimes a Hunter needs to take a drug to fit into a farmer's society.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Hi... thankfully coffee (lots of it) works for me

cheaper than the rest of them

Yes, I know RItalin works too...

And as to coffee, at least two cups in the morning before I try to do anything... and the rest of the day... more cups

[Taverner]

4. Use what works!

If its only cost of a weekly donation to a Children's Charity fund, than so be it!

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. i wish that worked

me... I probably drink too much coffee

:-)

If my doc only knew....

[Taverner]

10. Surprisingly, Nicotine and St Johns Wort are two drugs that have worked for many

Both are OTC

And by Nicotine I mean the patch - where there is no cancer risk

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. St Johns, I will ask the doc,

these days I feel I am more spacy than usual

I take a veritable pharmacy due to diabetes

Yes, them side effects and cross effects

[Taverner]

14. Ahhh not fun. So I assume Nicotine is out?

Because that had great success for me - but I am not you and I am not a diabetic

St John's Wort worked for me, but I did have to take periods of "drying out" - not because of the side effects, but to lose my resistance.

[nadinbrzezinski]

18. I don't know the BP med might say no

:-)

Why even with herbals I like to ask doctor

Piece of trivia... learned at a toxicology class (and actually got to use it too) Licorice can be poisonous, yes the usual licorice found in candy

Of course the amounts are largish, not a stick or two

Or one glass of tea

I got a woman and her baby with the OD some years back

Docs were baffled, then I remembered that class, and started asking the family some pointed questions... she ate several bags and that was it... once the lab ran the specific tests

There are days I go, all that useless shit one learns... that sometimes becomes useful

[sakabatou]

6. Aspie here

^_^

[Taverner]

9. Cool - welcome to the Brotherhood!

We are a brotherhood/sisterhood - no one out there understands what we go through except us. Even my wife has to do a reality check with me every so often.

[sakabatou]

16. Yep

Especially when it comes to our emotional states.

[laylah]

11. ...

:hi: Been there for many year...ADHD and all inclusive.

[EFerrari]

13. Hey, what about a daughter and sister of one and an ex wife of another.

:)

[Taverner]

15. That works too

As long as you're respectful of "The Brotherhood"

:P

[hfojvt]

26. NO! Point of order!

Just because I and my father are left-handed does not make my mother or siblings or ex-girlfriend honorary lefties.

Harumph! Some people are just trying to glom onto our glory :o

[EFerrari]

44. You can't blame me for trying!

:)

[KamaAina]

29. Don't suppose you'd want to try for two?

and an ex wife of another

That'd get you on Oprah for sure! :-)

[EFerrari]

45. Only if you work for PG&E and know how to turn the lights back on.

lol

:hi:

[Odin2005]

17. Diagnosed with ADD when I was 6. Diagnosed with Asperger's when I was 15.

:hi:

[Taverner]

22. Welcome aboard!

:toast:

[Taverner]

19. Where's Aspiegirl?

I figured she'd be here too

[KamaAina]

30. Busy impersonating "lightningandsnow"

but she's not here, either :shrug:

[Taverner]

35. ?Que?

No intiendo....

[KamaAina]

36. Ese es su nuevo nombre

despues de la eleccion.

[Taverner]

38. Ahhhh I understand

This whole name change thing fucked me up good

[KamaAina]

40. ?Que? No hablo ingles.

:P

[Ocracoker16]

20. Hello brothers and sisters

I have ADHD. I have a disorder that is similar to Aspberger's.

[Taverner]

21. Welcome to the brotherhood

:hug:

:toast:

[hfojvt]

23. Well I scored a 36 on this

http://www.piepalace.ca/blog/asperger-test-aq-test

but it's kinda hard to quantify. Also, I am not sure how much commonality that creates with ADD, ADHD.

I also don't think I have 'symptoms' as if there is something 'wrong' with me. I certainly would not take any medication to make me 'normal'.

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

24. Diagnosed Aspie here

Always knew I was strange; finally got a name for it four years ago. Getting a diagnosis was a godsend and I finally stopped beating myself up for not "getting" the things most people understood naturally or intuitively. There was a perfectly logical reason why I couldn't.

[turmeric]

25. I realized I had ADD when I worked with Special Ed kids

and saw some of their symptoms in me. I have never been formally diagnosed and have no intention to get one; for what? I am not taking any drugs and so it doesn't really matter to get an official proclamation.

[WCIL]

27. Not me, but

My husband and my daughter have diagnosed ADD. My husband used nicotine for years; switched to Adderall when he needed to quit smoking. My daughter had her best success with Ritalin, but has chosen to discontinue medication at this time. I am extremely supportive and always anxious to learn!

[Taverner]

42. Nicotine is actually an effective ADD/ADHD drug

Problem is, in cigarettes, its deadly

But in the patch form, it works for many people

And no cancer risk

[KamaAina]

28. I would have never suspected!

It's not like spotting a toupee, you know... :-)

Did you know? We have our very own DU Group!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=387

A similar roll call is there:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=387&topic_id=2&mesg_id=2

edit: caps

[ThatsMyBarack]

31. Heeere!

A SHOUT OUT to any ASPIES reading this! :yourock:

[robdogbucky]

32. After a lifetime

of gee, why can't he get better grades, we know he's smart?

Why does he daydream in class so much?

Why does he act so detached?

Why does he get so distracted by little details?

Why does he get so intense about some things and over-excel?

Why does he interrupt so much when I try to talk to him?

Why does he have trouble with substance abuse, he seems so normal otherwise?

And a lifetime of thinking I was crazy, of being mis-diagnosed as schizophrenic, later as psychoneurotic, later again as PTSD, that I had to keep my mouth shut if I did not want to start trouble, that it was always my fault no matter what happened, that I was not as good as other kids, that I should not even try because I know I will fail.

I was finally diagnosed with ADD after testing and after realizing my father had it and was never diagnosed. If any ADHD/ADD sufferers here have not read it, get Driven to Distraction, by Drs. Hallowell and Ratey. It really informs.

So far, have not found a medication that works without noisy side-effects without achieving treatment goals. Have self-medicated for years without knowing why and realize now I was just insulating against the noise of my ADD.

Realized after reading that book that I organize around worrying and that is a big ADD red flag. I am getting old and may just rely on the excellent coping mechanisms I have developed to enable a successful career instead of continuing to try and find the magic pill. Some folks treat it with education, coaching, therapy, etc., and can do so without the use of medication. I have the feeling that meditation and yoga and coaching/scheduling will help.

Reefer was always a good friend to me. It did the least harm.

Just my dos centavos


robdogbucky

[Taverner]

41. Have you read Thom Hartman's book on it?

Some I don't agree with (he's fairly anti-med) but some I do (the concept of "Hunters in a farmer's world")

[Lorien]

33. Severe limbic ADD here

runs in my family. My aunts have had brain scans and all came up with limbic ADD, which matches my symptoms perfectly. It really makes a emss of things; I forget things easily-even the important stuff. The house is usually messy, I'm disorganized, focus is almost impossible. It was mild when I was a kid, but now it's become severe. Has this happened to anyone else here? How do you cope? I take Adderall but I hate the side effects-and it really doesn't help with focus, just drive.

[robdogbucky]

34. Lorien

I am sorry that you are suffering with this.

Have you tried other medications? Success rate with medications is very high with this disorder.

There are options to stimulants, namely noroepinephrine inhibitors like Strattera.

Have you known since childhood? How are your family members doing?

Keep trying, my nephew has done well with Adderall but my own experience is like yours with the stimulants like Ritalin, Adderall and Focalin.

My case is no doubt mild compared to yours, but I am much older than you and had devised coping mechanisms over the years that somehwhat worked for me. I won't be heartbroken if I have to live with it and deal with it without a magic pill, as I have been doing just that for a lifetime now.

Hang in there and don't stop trying to deal with it.

robdogbucky

[Taverner]

39. I take Welbutrin and Effexor, changing it up every so often

It works for me - but what works for me may not work for you

[HughMoran]

37. 'sup

:hi:

[Taverner]

43. Welcome aboard, fellow hunter!