I was recently diagnosed, put on adderall and the lights started to come on for the first time in my life. I have been prescribed a truckload of psych meds and this is the first on that has ever helped. i am finally starting to feel normal and i have many questions. please respond...

Welcome Steve to the Forums. What are your questions?? There is tons of support here.:)

Welcome to ADD Forums!!!

well, in a nutshell, I have been seeing the same psychiatrist for approx 15 years. Over the years I have been diagnosed with bipolar,
schizoaffective,
personality disorders,
chronic refractory anxiety and depression with arrested psychosocial development,
panic disorder etc.

and have been put on a number of meds including
lithium,
zoloft,
paxil,
wellbutrin,
geodon,
risperdal,
xanax etc.

and i was suicidal and ended up in rehab for a drug problem.

It never crossed my physician's or my mind that I might have ADD. (Unfortunately, I have come to discover that there are number of physicians who do not believe in the reality and severity of this disorder).

Well, it only took 15 years but I finally got a second opinion and was immediately diagnosed with ADD and put on adderall. The drug has changed my life. I am actually coping and functioning like a "normal" person which is truly a miracle for me. I have also been clean and sober for over a year, holding a job, keeping my life more organized and my hou

sorry, too long a message. are there others out there like me?

No your message is not too long. The boxes here accomodate all the words you need to say! Anyway, your testimony is very inspiring indeed. Thanks for sharing it. Yes I am like you in that I FINALLY found a medication that works well enough to allow me to function, in fact better than function, THRIVE I would call it, in life. Sounds like you are too :)

Welcome to the ADD Forums!!

I kinda know what you mean. I've had many titles myself and I think I'm just ADD for many of those symptoms are like ADD. I too was suicidal when I was younger but I haven't felt that way in over a decade. My doctor wants me to try abbuteral does it dampen your mood? I mean when I was on ridalin it made my creativity go byby. Also my emotional level was well non existant. I was like a zombie.

hey there, welcome to the board steve...well, I just joined recently as well although I have known about my ADD for 8 years now, and have been taking meds for about 6, I have gone through some of the same things you have (depression, suicidal thoughts...[although that was when I was much younger and my sister found me in time to save my life for which I will always be thankful]...). I have been fighting my way through college, university and now grad school with some residual alcohol issues (they come in waves, but I always seem to rise above the problems...). Remember, that if you're still alive, you're obviously a strong willed person, a fighter who will not give up on himself...thats a great thing to be with ADD...I think everyone on this board shares that trait for sure...we're all a pretty brave lot for dealing with the crap we get dealt by non-ADDers throughout life and from our own quirks as they will cause some issues for us...once again, welcome (i've only recently found this board as well, but feel welcome already).

MC

Welcome Steve

Hey Man "What is normal" I've been looking for it for a long time (Grin)

Hey Steve,
I have only been diagnosed with 3 things: Borderline Personality Disorder with Narsistic traits and ADD. the first 2 were the mistakes right before reaching the ADD, which I new all along that that's what it was. I think out of all the Disorders out there ADD would be one of those ones you could self diagnose, to an extent of course. When I read up on ADD it was like breath of fresh air. It was everything that was going on inside and out. There was no doubt in my mind and I had concidered other things before but with everything else there was only 1 or 2 things I could relate to. Adderall was another gift from the Gods. I knew I was smart and had so much potencial but I just couldn't get a grip on it. It seemed like the harder I tried the further away it got and then I would end up failing in my efforts. I think the misdiagnosis came from me finally giving up and becoming suicidal in a sense. Self destruct mode, they saw that as Bipolar and just plain ol depressed. The Meds they prescribed me made it worse. I was taking an antipsycotic and antidepressents. The first one was a mood stabilizer(sedative), so I would cry all of the time and I really hated myself and everyone around me. I would fall asleep while driving or working. Anyway, it was really messed up but I went along with the doctors orders until I absolutely couldn't take it anymore. Now we are headed in the right direction but the amount needs to be increased and they're laggin' on that. I think I went off track a little or maybe not, just a little too long. I hope that doesn't bother anyone. Bad habit.
How well does the Adderall work for you?

Welcome to the boards Steve!! Doesn't it feel nice for a change to feel like you have a handle on things!! It's great to have you here. You have a load of people here who will help you in any way that we can. I myself have been diagnosed ADD since this month... fairly new to it & have much to learn myself. Good luck in your journey.

Janet