I was wondering if anybody has seen a Neurologist for AD/HD medication. If so is there much of difference in seeing Neurologist opposed to seeing a Psychiatrist?

educate me please tara. what exactly does a neurologist diagnose? diseases such as alzheimers? what else?

It's my understanding that a neurologist diagnoses different types of brain disorders and issues.

I have actually had my AD/HD diagnosis for several years. My psychologist refered me to a neurologist for AD/HD medication. I think the main reasons he refered me to this particular person was that he is somebody in the area who has experience treating adult with AD/HD and he doesn't have a huge wait for an appointment.

I think I have also heard of people seeing neurologists for back problems and other related issues too.

You know Tara, I say if that neurologist has experience with treating ADD, then go for it....especially if his wait isn't too bad. Know why? Because although I personally have never been treated by one, I know even some psychiatrists don't know anything about treating ADD.....they'll misdiagnose it or call it something else or something....or don't know anything about it....so perhaps more neurologists should be treating it even if they are not...so if you know for sure he is knowledgable about ADD...I say go for it....just my opinion:)

I made the appointment it is for next Tuesday. I'm not hesitent about going I'm just curious about what to expect. In the past I have been prescribe AD/HD medication by a Psychiatrist, a nurse practioner and a general MD none of whom realy had much knowledge of AD/HD.

I haven't fully decided to start medication but I am considering it. I'm also curious to see how well versed in adult AD/HD this guy acutally is.

I figure I'll ask him what the most recent books he has read about AD/HD are and who he considers to be 3 of the leading experts in the area of AD/HD too.If he has membership to any AD/HD associations. What ever other questions I come up with between now and then too...lol

What are the latest meds....(does he know about Strattera??). Can adults have it too??? or are children magically cured???
What are the major symptoms? Does he get that it's NOT bipolar??????????????? (sorry so many doctors think it IS)....I'll let you know if I think of any more questions Tara!!:) Oh does he get that children and adults are treated differently?

My psycholgist said that he had referred a couple of other ADDults to this neuro and both of them were pleased.

That's good...other satisfied customers is a GREAT sign....especially other ADD customers...let us know how it goes...oh and one other thing you might ask...side effects of ADD meds and drug interactions with other meds (non ADD meds)...and ask about implications of ADD meds if planning to become pregnant. Also if you get a prescription, you might want to ask if he has any samples of that med hanging around hidden in his office:) (so you can try it without paying)

Well.... I was not too pleased with my appointment.

To start things off he started basicly ranting at me telling my I needed a referal from my PCP. I told him no I didn't because I have a PPO. He then called the insurance company and was upset because they were idiots. He started going off...something about why he stopped practicing for years because of insurance...bla bla bla...

I knew I shouldnb't have expected to come out of his office with a prescription for meds...

He was very arrogant and really didn't know enough about treating Women with AD/HD.

I metioned something about having some sleep issues. He just assumes that since I am overweight that I must have sleep apnea which I'm almost positive I don't. I have trouble falling asleep because my mind races and have trouble waking up in the morining. Both of which are very common in Women with AD/HS

I also metioned something about setting 2 alarms in the morning having the 1st one go off an hour before you want to get up and taking medication then. Then going back to sleep and waking up an hor early and how many people feel more awake. He basicly looked at me and laughed. He wasn't too happy when I told him that came right out of a the Book Gender Issues and AD/HD which was w ritten for clinicians who treat women with AD/HD.

And he doesn't want to put me on any medication until I have a complete physical. Which I do understand but not too happy about. Of course I don't have a PCP in the area and I have called around trying to find one and it's almost a 6 month wait for an appointment for a physical. I did find one for July 8th but that means I wouldn't be starting medication until atleast after that. And I really don't want to give this jerk my business...

So more than likely I will continue with the non-medication approach for now...

Totally understand why you wouldn't want to give him your business again. I'm surprised at the result Tara considering he has treated other ADD people. Are there any other reputable doctors on your PPO, even a regular psychiatrist? Maybe keep the appointment for the physical (can't hurt, right?) for the 8th and try again with someone else. At least if they say you need a physical first, you will have already had one. The physical may be to just verify that you're not allergic to any meds or that you don't have any health conditions that would preclude you from taking certain meds. Might have been a precaution. In any event, I wouldn't give up after this one attempt. Which is why I asked if your PPO has anyone else that might be reputable?

Anyway, sorry about the visit, as I know you were anticipating it for awhile.

I have a very popular health care plan (Tufts). I'm sure there are many great psychartrists on the plan. That doesn't always mean they know anything about treat Women with AD/HD. I went through the same type of thing last time I was on medication and it's so frustrating.

I also think the more educated about AD/HD I get the more frustrated I am with the lack of understanding by medical proffesionals.

I think that's because you (we) end up knowing more than THEY do...VERY frustrating...so they don't have a clue how to answer your questions....I have always thought that we as the patient, are the experts....

And I remember Tufts Associated Health Plan...when I lived in Mass. ages ago. It was a good plan. I'm surprised that in the Boston area that there aren't more doctors who really do understand treating women with ADD....have you ever had a woman doctor?

Yes, actaully the 1st person I saw for AD/HD med was female and she was clueless.

I'm going to call my family Dr tommrow (who is on the North Shore & I'm on the south Shore). I figure I do enogh travling to Maine and visting friends in that area I might as well try him. I don't think he can be any worse than some other people I have seen...lol

I'm sure if I really looked I couldn find somebody in Boston but I hate going into the city.

Ah yes, good old Boston traffic....hey ya never know...maybe somebody in Maine will come through....amazing a female doctor cannot treat a female for ADD...where did she get her license, I wonder???

Tara,

Just wondering how you went.

I was thinking along the neurologist line. The neurologist in theory should be able to diagnose ADD as they would be able to identify the faulty chemical pathways in the dopaminergic system. (which is what the ADD stimulants address).

However, unless they do PET scans like the AMEN clinic, they might not find anything biological, and therfore not want to do anything. Even though you hadn't had the full physical, and taking the insurance issue out of the discussion; he still should have respected you and performed a proper neurological examination.

Our psychs gere in Australis still think you grow out of ADD when your a teenager; so I'm just checking all bases to try and find anyone who reads USA based medical info (apart from me!)

Sleepz.

Originally posted by livingwithadd
I'm sure if I really looked I couldn find somebody in Boston but I hate going into the city.

I'm so sorry that you are having so much trouble getting even standard treatment, which i don't think has its eye on the ball.

remember that some accomodation can be had by what you set yourself up to do every day, and whether you can arrange to do it WITH someone else.

good luck.

Have you read Nadeau's book?

I was first diagnosed by a Psychiatrist, and then went for a second opinion to a Neuro-Pharmacologist - Essentially a neurologist who specializes in treating brain and neurological disorders with medication.

Oops... :( Nadeau's book has information that might be intereesting to a Neurologist...

Tara,

Sorry to hear the Dr. treated you like that. Make sure to mention it to the psychologist that referred you to him.

RE:
I also metioned something about setting 2 alarms in the morning having the 1st one go off an hour before you want to get up and taking medication then.
I still get a kick out of visiting this site and reading about things that exactly match my life. I also take my Adderall in the morning about an hour before I can actually wake up. :D

On a side-note to that I think I've actually found that it's the Ginkgo Biloba I've been taking that is the most effective in waking me up on time.

I bought one of those pill organizers (my wife says it reminds her of what her grandfather used to use :D ) and when I first organized it I was taking my Adderall in the morning but wasn't taking the Ginkgo until the afternoon and evening. It was taking me like two hours to wake up. (better than normal, but still bad)

Then I switched back to taking the Ginkgo along with my morning Adderall dose and it made a huge difference, I woke up about an hour earlier (1/2 - hour after dose).

So if you're still having trouble getting up give Ginkgo Biloba a try, seems to work for me. I bought a bottle @ Walgreens for ~$20 that has 240 60mg tablets.

Ginko Biloba, hmm? I may have to give that a try. Thx!

Which of Nadea's book are you refering to? I have read many of them. I brought the check list from http://ncgiadd.org with me too.

I had my appointment with the Neuro back in June I think. I told my psych exactly what I though of the neruo.


Since that time I have been seeing a Nurse Practioner for medication who I have been very happy with.

Tara, Sorry. I got confused as to who you were.

You sound so confident about what you know, i was completely thrown off when the experience with the Neuro went poorly. i was thrown off, read, "It's David's problem." :)

I was simply surprised that yo took it to heart, though i'd have done the exact same thing. We all have been professional misunderstood, and chronicaly so. And it happened again to you. I am so sorry.

But you do know what you know. and you do know what isn't right, even if you don't have all the answers. If you have to go into the city, the choice will be between the distastefulness of that option and getting someone who is intouch with ADHD as well as legally certified to deal with it with you. Certification does NOT gauarntee competence. i wish it did, but it doesn't.

So, again, I'm sorry this was hard for you. i think it would be hard for anyone. i was suggesting a book to bolster self confidence, and put it on a foundation of knowledge, but you've read more of her works than I have, so that isn't the issue (i was thinking of "Understanding Girls with AD/HD.)

Peace.

I think in the long run things worked out for the best. I'm sure there great nueros out there too.

Originally posted by livingwithadd
I think in the long run things worked out for the best. I'm sure there great nueros out there too.

I am sure that i am not sure why ou need a neuro involved if the others involved are doing ok?

To make a long story short...I hadn't been on meds for quite some timesand wanted to get back on them. My shrink suggested the nureo because some of his other clients had been to him. He also had a very short wait for an appointment. Many of the Psychyatrists in the area had 3 month plus waits for an appointment.

You know, with the whole picture from someone else's perspective, things look pretty much like they say they do!

I completely understand the neuro thing now. Still sorry it was a bomb.

You could refer the neurologist back to the psychiatrist so he can cure the neurologist's neuroses...

One day psychiatrists will be cut out of the picture. We will all go to neurologists, who will run a genetic analysis and do a magic brain scan. They will then use magnetic devices to re-align our brain waves, give us drugs to replace depleted neurotransmitters, or perform microsurgery to reroute our neurons.

Of course, psychiatrists will still be neccesary, but they will be reserved strictly for dealing with the neurologists' bad attitudes. They will also ocassionally come in handy for denouncing penis envy and other bizarre Freudian theories.