Hi everyone I am a 21 year old college student at the University of Oklahoma and I had a few questions to ask. I have recently discovered that I may be ADD inattentive after completing a couple of online questionaires where I scored a "highly probable".

I am originally from Texas (some would call me a traitor) so I do not have a family doctor of any kind here in Norman. I decided to call around psychiatrists in Oklahoma City area to see about being evaluated for ADD and I finally found one that was networked through my insurance and set up a testing date for next week.

Should I have found a primary care physician to refer me to a psychiatrist? I hate to go to a primary care doctor that I have never been to and complain of lack of concentration, motivation, and focus when I can just set up an appointment with a psychiatrist I've never been to and do the same?

Also I've considered bringing a transcript of my grades to show him the dropoff in grades that I've had the last 2 semesters as my symptoms have worsened. Is that a good idea?

Thank you for the help, ya'll have me addicted to these forums now.
Chris

sure.
oklahoma is cool now.
im going there in may........be

Hi Chris -
welcome to the forums!

I think it's best just going to a psychiatrist, you'd only need to go to a physician first if you needed the referral to see a psychiatrist.

Sure, bring your grades, but to diagnose he/she will ask you a bunch of Q's. You might want to make a list of the ADHD traits you're noticing to bring with.

Best wishes!!

I don't think there's anything wrong with going straight to a psychiatrist, as long as your insurance will allow it. Psychiatrists are really more familiar with ADHD and more knowledgeable about the meds used to treat it than the average internist or family practitioner.

I don't think there's anything wrong with going straight to a psychiatrist, as long as your insurance will allow it. Psychiatrists are really more familiar with ADHD and more knowledgeable about the meds used to treat it than the average internist or family practitioner.
when you go to the pyschatrist make sure you are honest with him as a possable so the doc could get a better understanding of what is wrong welcome to the forum

This happened to me shortly after my 20th birthday. I went to my school's health center, and one of the doctors there who is able to prescribe Adderall (not all the doctors are permitted to do that) referred me to a psychiatrist who gave me a diagnostic test. He typed up the test results and sent them via postal to my PO box at school. If the test results stated that I did indeed have ADD, I would take them to that doctor at the school, who would then proceed in prescribing me with Adderall. A transcript isn't really needed, because the psychiatrist should ask you thorough questions, etc. and give you this test thing on a computer, as well as several basic math & reading tests...some of this stuff is to weed out other possible disorders, such as bipolar (because you NEVER give Adderall to a bipolar person, at least not without additional medication). But yeah, while bringing your transrcipt is an idea, it's not required. An explanation of how your grades started to drop would suffice.

when you go to the pyschatrist make sure you are honest with him as a possable so the doc could get a better understanding of what is wrong welcome to the forum
Absolutely... I should also add, if it's been a while since you've seen your regular doctor, go in for a check up. ANY screening for psychiatric disorders should always include a thorough physical.

I don't think there's anything wrong with going straight to a psychiatrist, as long as your insurance will allow it. Psychiatrists are really more familiar with ADHD and more knowledgeable about the meds used to treat it than the average internist or family practitioner.
I agree.

chisdavis,a problem with going to a GP not known to self is that they have no idea what self is like,and they might even accuse the person of faking it for meds,or don't want to refer onto a pysch.
I have had that problem with a different GP I had to see,he was practically accusing me of wanting medication to get high off,and only accepted I was genuine when he saw how desperate my situation with ADHD was.


Do you or a relative have history of what you were like as an infant/junior?
Gather as much child history as possible,make sure everything is kept specific and to the point.
You are going to have to research up on this if you can't remember,history is the most important key to being diagnosed.

he was practically accusing me of wanting medication to get high off,and only accepted I was genuine when he saw how desperate my situation with ADHD was.
I wasn't there so I don't know how he acted towards you or how he worded things, but doctors are really particular about that because there are a lot of kids who try and fake ADD just to get amphetamines.