Hi all,

I'm new to this site and to A.D.D.

For the last, I don't know how many years, I've had problems with seeing. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I'm constantly in a "spaced out" mode. Like it's too hard to concentrate on one thing, so I just go out of focus and see nothing.

I also suffer from EXTREME fatigue in addition to lots of head noise and anxiety, etc.

When I mentioned to my husband and sisters that I think I might have A.D.D. everyone agreed with me right away. When I was a kid, I was crazy hyper and I've always been wound up, indecisive, overwhelmed by small chores, etc.

But my question to you is...does anybody else relate to the vision thing? Do you have problems "seeing" people when they talk to you? Do you feel "out of sorts" or "removed" from the real world?

I can handle the over active brain. But the fatigue and the vision thing are driving me nuts. And taking away precious time with my child.

Please let me know if any of you experience this. I've never heard anyone with the same problem and I need to know if it's A.D.D. or cancer or just plain psychosis.

:) thanks!

Yeah my mind does that but not all the time. It just feels really freaky when it happens. I'm looking at something but it's like my mind refuses to compute it.

I feel that often as well. What do you do to alleviate the fatigue? Anyone know? I didn't know this was related to it...

Clinical depression can cause chronic fatigue. It also can alter your visual perception. Creating a feeling of being "spaced out."
It would also pay to have a complete physical and to have your thyroid gland checked. Hypothyroidism (sluggish thyroid) can mimic the signs of depression and also cause chronic fatigue.

A complete physical including a full blood work-up should be the first step.

good idea...thyroid stuff does run in the fam...have to wait to get medical benefits though THX^^^

...I know exactly how you feel. I'm also a mom with those concerns...:faint: , Jacaboon

The clinic depression thing is interesting although a bit confusing as I don't feel depressed.
Although I do have some of the symptoms: The fatigue, the brain fog, I also have think projects just seem way too daunting. Like I'm a stay at home mom and I can't seem to do housework, yard work or even think of fun things like canning or gardening. I just feel tired all the time. Plus with the visual probs, I feel isolated and like I need to figure out what's wrong with me first.
I will call for a physical and blood work up though. That's a good idea.

I'm always spaced out.....LOL!!

Biscuit;
By "head noise" Do you mean hissing, clicking, or loud ringing in your ears ? You could have tintinitus. It can cause you to be very ADD and a host of other nasty things. See your doctor.
(some medications can cause ringing in the ears, so don't get overly alarmed, please)
Me :D


Hi all,

I'm new to this site and to A.D.D.

For the last, I don't know how many years, I've had problems with seeing. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I'm constantly in a "spaced out" mode. Like it's too hard to concentrate on one thing, so I just go out of focus and see nothing.

I also suffer from EXTREME fatigue in addition to lots of head noise and anxiety, etc.

When I mentioned to my husband and sisters that I think I might have A.D.D. everyone agreed with me right away. When I was a kid, I was crazy hyper and I've always been wound up, indecisive, overwhelmed by small chores, etc.

But my question to you is...does anybody else relate to the vision thing? Do you have problems "seeing" people when they talk to you? Do you feel "out of sorts" or "removed" from the real world?

I can handle the over active brain. But the fatigue and the vision thing are driving me nuts. And taking away precious time with my child.

Please let me know if any of you experience this. I've never heard anyone with the same problem and I need to know if it's A.D.D. or cancer or just plain psychosis.

:) thanks!

weird. I actually DO have tinnitus.

But by head noise I meant constant thinking and planning conversations with people, going over conversations with people. In general, ruminating.

Does tinnitis have a link with ADD? I don't think it would cause fatigue and brain fog and vision probs too. would it? I think it's probably just tied into it all somehow, but more of a symptom and not a cause. I welcome your thoughts, tho.

:)

Hi all,

I just picked up Dr. Amen's A.D.D. book and in the back there were quotes from people who've been helped by medication. Some of them sounded like they have the same vision problems...

"I experienced an increased awareness of the world around me. I saw the hills for the first time...I saw the bay when I crossed over the bridge. I actually noticed the color of the water!"

"The lens on my life is much clearer."

"It is like being given sight!"

Those are just a few. Anyway, you have NO IDEA how excited this makes me. It means that I could maybe get some help.

But I'm nursing, so not sure what I can do without taking drugs...???

I have problems like you described especially when I'm tired or there's too much going on around me (like is department store). I tend to be very distracted by my own internal world and fuss out the real one which is a problem, especially as a mother of young kids. Meds really helped that for me. When it was at it's worst before I got diagnosed I had lots of symptoms of depression but they cleared up on their own with AD/HD treatment. Sounds like with your history getting a physical to rule out medical problems and then asking for a referal to a clinical psychologist well versed to dx AD/HD would be a good idea. That's the route I took and it really helped.

Since you're nursing what I would suggest is walking taking 3 or 4 times a day 10-15 minutes(or what ever exercise you enjoy). I did that when I was pregnant and had to go off my meds -- it makes an incredible difference. Dr. Hallowell (Delivered from Distraction) says it's kind of like taking a dose of Prozac and Ritalin holistically.

Scattered

Biscuit, Multiple Sclerosis causes fluctuating vision problems and fatigue.

Please see a doctor.

scattered,

It sounds like you know what I'm talking about. It'd be interesting to see if I could get benefit from walking more. The only problem is, with a baby it gets harder to even get out of the house for ONE walk. Were you able to keep it up after your baby was born? Did you find anything else helpful?

Imanapl, you've hit on my hypochondriac nerve. I made an appt with my family pract. and I'll ask for an MS test (is there such a thing?) I'm going to tell him I'm suspecting A.D.D, as that makes the most sense to me, but I'm going to ask him for blood work and stuff to rule out anything physically wrong.

But the more I read about A.D.D. the more it sounds like me. Anyone suggest a good book on it? I've read one by Dr. Amen and I'm going to go the library for Driven to Distraction. Anything else? Or am I going to overload with too much info!?!

Thanks all!

scattered,

It sounds like you know what I'm talking about. It'd be interesting to see if I could get benefit from walking more. The only problem is, with a baby it gets harder to even get out of the house for ONE walk. Were you able to keep it up after your baby was born? Did you find anything else helpful? I didn't keep it up after my second one was born and that's when I hit the wall and everything started coming apart at the seems. Now my husband and I realize it's just something I have to make time for, but it isn't easy sometimes -- I've just had to learn I have to put what I need out there more -- I still don't have that down perfectly. I've got an indoor Cardioglide that I use when the weather isn't good for walking. My counselor gives me homework to do relaxation breathing which helps when I do it consistently. I also need to spend time with supportive nurturing people -- kind of helps ground me to the outside world. Music really helps me too -- whether it is listening to it or playing it (guitar, piano, etc.). Meds made a huge difference, especially since I can't always get in as much exercise or me down time as I need to function at my best with two little ones. Hopefully when they're older I won't need the meds as much and can restructure my life in ways that accomodate my AD/HD.

Imanapl, you've hit on my hypochondriac nerve. I made an appt with my family pract. and I'll ask for an MS test (is there such a thing?) I'm going to tell him I'm suspecting A.D.D, as that makes the most sense to me, but I'm going to ask him for blood work and stuff to rule out anything physically wrong. Hopefully it's not that, but ruling out physical problems is always the first step. Thyroid problems are also something that should be ruled out.

But the more I read about A.D.D. the more it sounds like me. Anyone suggest a good book on it? I've read one by Dr. Amen and I'm going to go the library for Driven to Distraction. Anything else? Or am I going to overload with too much info!?!Is there such a thing as too much info?:eek: I love the head stuff it really calms me down. Here are some good books I've read. All of Hallowell's books are good -- I really enjoyed his most recent too called Delivered from Distraction, Sari Solden's book Women with Attention Deficit Disorder is excellent, and I liked the clear format in Adult AD/HD by Michele Novotni and Thomas Whiteman, You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy has some good stuff in it too. Those are some of my favorite first read books in the order I'd suggest them.

One last word of advice, after you've ruled out medical issues, be sure you see a psychologist or doctor who is well versed in recognizing AD/HD in adults. It's fairly recent that adults have been recognized as still having AD/HD and not everyone is up to speed yet on what adult presentation looks like. Since you have a childhood history that sounds like AD/HD, there's a good chance that is what is going on. I don't having ringing in my head but I've heard of lots of ADDer's who do. The other symptoms you describe sound pretty familiar too. Good luck in your search for answers. Definately do some reading and get a feel for what AD/HD is.

Almost forgot -- if it is AD/HD and you don't want to take medication while you're nursing (I wouldn't either), a AD/HD counselor can help you with behavioral interventions, relaxation techniques, strategies for dealing with AD/HD, etc. A good one can be very, very helpful!

Scattered

I know that for those in the autism spectrum, that when an individual is in full sensory overload that one semse can block all the others. For example, you might be overwhelmed by sound , but your sensation of touch may not be working at all.
Some autistics have injured themselves without knowing it under these circumstances.

Some aspies report being blinded visually by overwhelming sensory input. I have experienced that on two occasions with sound "blinding" me momentarily and it was rather compelling and frightening.

Me :D

biscuit, definitely get bloodwork done. sometimes post partum the pituitary gland isn't working well. also, having a baby and taking care of a home is a recipe for overwhelm.

i know exactly what you are writing about, that fogged out feeling, that not seeing what you are looking at, the fatigue, the whole works. been there. actually most of my life i was there.

certain things have helped. decreasing the amount of carbs i eat helps a lot. exercising and being in good shape helps but taking dexedrine helps the most. i'd had days in my life where my perception was crystal clear and my thoughts were sharp. but those were just teasers for what possibly could be but wasn't. the dexedrine has made it so that every day is clear. no more brain fog.

Some aspies report being blinded visually by overwhelming sensory input. I have experienced that on two occasions with sound "blinding" me momentarily and it was rather compelling and frightening.

Me :DPardon my ignorance -- what are aspies? Is that an acronym for autistic spectrum ____________?

Scattered

Asperger Syndrome => A.S. => Aspie

When I freak(anxiety attack)I cant see didly!!!!Its all fuzzy and unfocused.My mother always told me I was on something because my eyes were dialated during these attacks,of course I wasnt it was something else that sh just didnt understand.

Brandilyn, you have just reminded me of an experience I had playing at a piano recital when I first taking lessons as an adult. I was nervous and couldn't start the piece correctly from memory. My teacher quickly got my music and brought it to me, hoping it would help. I was so nervous, the notes on the page were a blur and it took some time to calm down. I wasn't on medication at the time. Was that an anxiety attack?

I would say so,It always use to happen before meds.Now that my meds are floundering on me its happening again.Its like my body shuts down to protect itself.I cant see,walk,talk or help myself in any way.Its terrifying!

scattered,

wow! Thanks so much for all the info. I will definitely check some of those other books out. And I will try and keep you posted on the findings of my DR.
I don't want to rush thru building our family, but I'd love to just for a minute stop thinking about breast feeding and being pregnant again (possible in the near future) and try the drugs to see if they would work. It's the typical mother thing, putting yourself last. I just can't imagine taking the time to get myself better. But I have to. I feel so sad when I realize that I'm not really paying attention to my baby. I look at him and look at him and I can't really "see" him because I suddenly realize that I'm having a totally unrelated dialog going on in my head, plus a song from the 80's, all at the same time.
Grrrr!
I think it'd be great to just be able to pop a pill and be done with it, but I know that it'll be more involved with that. Plus, I'm usually terrified of meds, which means I'm sure I'd have some kind of side effect. My body is way sensitive to chemicals and things.
Anyway, I appreciate your help and guidance. I really do feel like I've stumbled upon what's wrong with me. I've felt that something was wrong for years. I've even used the words, "I feel like I'm mentally retarded." to describe what I'm feeling like. Now I realize that is just another symptom of ADD.
Well, I'm off to eat some ice cream and visit with the hubby. Baby boy is in bed finally!!
thanks for everything.

Biscuit,

Just a word of advice I'd like to echo from You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy. If you are in fact AD/HD, adding a little extra spacing between you're kids might not be a bad thing! Mine are 4 1/2 years apart and the older one isn't as intensively time demanding as she would be if there were only a small difference between their ages. I encourage you to let yourself get a handle on this before adding another variable to the mix!;)

Scattered

yeah I feel like I know I should wait, but hormones are a weird thing, aren't they?
As soon as I had my baby, I felt like doing it again! Part of me wants to just get my family all under way so that then I can work on myself. But part of me thinks that if I don't do it now, I'll miss out on my son's early years because I spent them in a brain fog. My husband and I have just been using breast feeding as birth control and no baby yet, but maybe we'll have to start using protection. I don't know. I kinda worry that if we get back into the habit of using protection that he won't want to have a second and it will be impossible to convince him. He's pretty happy with just the one. But I know him and he would be just as happy with two. He's the type of person who can't think about what he wants for dinner while he's eating lunch, you know?
Anyway, I'm not sure what to do about that. But I appreciate your advice.

Ive got some advice.I had my babies 22mon. apart,I wanted to have children close in age,plus get it done in my twenties.Your feelings are totally natural,just always remember that you do have this problem.It can be more serious after you add a couple of little ones!!!!LOL!!!!!Its a whole new ballgame.Always remember you have to take care of yourself not just for you but them too.Sometimes I dont know how in the world I did it with ADD.On the other hand they have taught me self control and to step up and just deal.

My baby is only 6 months old and I'm wondering if I'm already pregnant. I've had a couple of periods, even though I'm breastfeeding, and I'm pretty late, but too cheap to buy a test since I'm also breastfeeding and therefore not totally regular yet. Maybe I should just check, but for some reason I don't think I am.
I'm in my early 30's and a 35 year old aquaintance of mine just had a Down's Syndrome baby, which really got me thinking that I'd like to get my family under way before too long. Plus I don't want to be all old and haggard when my kids are still young enough to care that I have no energy and complain about my polyps all day.
Anyway, not sure what I'll do. My hubby and I are going on vacay next week and we plan to talk about contraception and the future. Although, maybe we're already pg???
Hmmm...

Let us know if congratulations are in order (and please get a pregnancy test)! Nursing and being pregnant put extra demands on your body and you'll need to take extra good care of yourself if you are.

And now about the crack about the polyps! Hmph! I was 42 with my youngest thank you very much (however, your are right about the tiredness:faint: ).

Scattered

So no polyps yet, scattered?
Heh heh. I joke.
But seriously, I'm amazed that you had your first in your 40's. I felt that the no sleep thing added about 10 years to my life. Now that he's sleeping better, I feel a little younger again. But still...
Also I think it's my A.D.D. (or possibly something else) that has made me SO tired for years now. Maybe age wouldn't matter (for baby-having) if I wasn't so exhausted by something else.
I was sick of being tired before, but now that I need the energy of 10 men to take care of a baby, I am REALLY sick of it. I need some help and I don't know what I'll do, since it sounds like drugs are the best way to treat. And speaking of, I was out walking yesterday and I realized that I think I'm WORSE when I walk. I have all kinds of conversations and scenarios going in my head and I have to FORCE myself to notice that I'm out and about. Then, I will revert back in my head and stay there until I come up for air again and realize that I've covered a lot of ground. Suddenly I'm a mile away from the last time I forced myself to remember I'm out on a walk. It's like I black out, but I'm still walking. I wish I could just settle down, damn it!