I am brand spanking new- to not only this forum but to ADD (inattentive?) in general. I haven't even been professionally diagnosed although I should (SHOULD) get that taken care of this week. What I DO know about me is that I have depression/anxiety and OCD tendencies. Only very recently did I (by myself through reading) put all of these things together into an 'ADD' basket. I now believe they are all related. We shall soon see...

Having said that, I will now ask this of you...

I have just come off of all my meds (20 mg prozac + 150 mg Wellbrutrin XL daily) to try to conceive for the second AND LAST time! I am not doing very well. I have started seeing a counselor. So, I am giving that a shot. What I want to know from YOU my new found support group is this: when I get finished with all of this baby business and am ready to go back on SOMETHING, can you give me advice on what would make me FOCUS and WAKE the HELL up??? I have floated through all of my adult life (from early teens through now- 33 yrs old) in a sleepy, lethargic fog. I describe myself as being in a perpetual 'avoidance mode'. I even avoid things I kind of enjoy doing. I can't wake up, I can't get focused, I can't complete a thing except my DINNER (unfortunately)!! I am trying to have a game plan about how to have a new life after this 'kid plan' is complete, but even when on the Prozac and Wellbutrin, I still slept all the time. It's like I still need a mommy or somebody cracking a whip behind me all the time because the only time I can do anything is when I am in a total knot and under so much stress that I just can't even stand myself.

Any words of wisdom??

Jen
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Jenny is very lazy and does not use her time wisely -Miss Ray, my second grade teacher

Hello, I'm new as well.

I am 30 years old and I am ADHD. First I want to say is to get off the other medications that you are on, I think you said you are off them. did you feel the same way you do now before the stuff you took, I was on a couple of those medications Wellbut.. because I was stressed and everything else. It made me sleepy I didn't want to leave, I had no emotions. I took my self off it real quick. That's why I'm wondering if the way you feel is because of the medication.

I was put on medication when I was 4 until I graduated from high school. less than a year ago I put my self back on it. Like I said i tried other stuff and they made me feel horrible, so I tried going back on my medication for the ADHD and it seems to help. You really need to go to your doct. and see what he can do. At least try some medication that is out for AD/HD. Seeing someone will be able to help you out and start you in the right direction. Good luck.

Hi Kim,

Thanks for your response. I am off of everything right now. Actually, Prozac made me feel wonderful for the first few months. Then, it fizzled and I never felt that way again. That was several years ago. Since then, I had the Wellbutrin added to offset some of the side effects of the Prozac. I have always seemed to be somewhat of a hermit. BEFORE I went off of the meds recently, I was pretty much the same. Now, I can barely get myself out the door to pick up my son from school. So, to answer your question- I am not much worse off of medication that I was ON (there toward the end anyway). I don't think I have ADHD. Definitely no hyperactivity going on here! My guess is ADD (Inattentive).

Welcome Kim and Jen!:)

I recently found out I was pregnant and had to go off med suddenly. Counseling definately helped keep things stable and the other really biggy was exercise. Walking outside was especially helpful and doing it two or three times a day. There's good research out there support the benefits of exercise for both dopamine production which helps both ADD and depression. It is also a great anxiety reliever which might ease the OCD symptoms. The other thing is not to isolate and get lots of support -- a counselor is a good place to start, but friends and family need to be involved too! Also cut yourself some slack -- figure out what is most important and do that and don't sweat the rest!:D Good luck to you!

Scattered

Well,I have three.Two mine.
I found that when I was in my baby making stage of life(hysterectomy YAAA!!!)my primal instincts took over.I had a mission!!
I always descibe it like this......
If you watch nature shows with crocodiles,you will see when they lay eggs they go in a trance like state.You can practically sit on their head and eat a hamburger!!!!

That was me.After the initial trance of motherhood things got even worse!!I was not yet ADD diagnosed.
I know realize it was the responsability of it all.It was just too overwhelming.ADD is not a wanted problem when trying to raise little human beings!

Thank God I got help!Support is crucial.You need alot of support and understanding from loved ones.
SCATTERED is sooooooooo right!Learn to cut yourself some slack and accept some thing just arent gonna be perfect right now.
I too could not function!Brushing hair took hours!It was miserable for me.From what you have written I think(my opinion)ADD meds may really turn things around for you.
Put a pep in your step!!LOL!!!!!
Good luck to you!

Hiya and Welcome!

First of all take your prenate vitamins and ask about taking omega supplements... The supplements may or may not help...but be prepared to go off into la la land...or at least I did all 4 times I was pregnant. I think this feeling might be more accute if you're coming off meds but since I was undiagnosed and unmedicated it's hard to say....However, there are some studies that show that certain defecincies may contribute to ADHD (resarch is unconclusive on this)...so the better you boost your system the better off you'll be...be sure to consult your OB.

If you need to go on a stimulant med after the bambino gets here...talk with your DR...everyones bodies are different and Adderall works well for some and Ritalin/Focalin/Concerta/methylin work better for others. it kinda a trial by error system because until you start taking it there's no way to tell which will be better for you until you try...If you do have ADHD.

OCD and Depression/anxiety, although often comorbid with ADHD, also produce a lot of the same innatention symptoms that someone with ADHD exhibits...but it sounds like your already under a professionals care so talking about this shouldn't be too hard.

Thanks guys,


this is really helping just knowing that there are those of you who understand a little of what I am going through. I have not yet conceived (at least I don't think so!). So, I am lookin forward to some primal instincts kicking in once the hormones take over. You know the old 'nesting' instinct. Maybe it will make me at least clean my house. I do stained glass and I have caught up most of my students with their projects because of the lead and chemicals I don't want to be exposed to during the whole baby thing. However, I have two projects that are still laying on the table that I must finish ASAP. But do I work on them?? No.....why can I just not DO it?? They have been there for months. It is just like my wedding day when I sat there in a trance in front of the TV thinking, 'I should really get up and do something...' I really really want to go exercise, (like you guys are talking about) the thing is I just feel nearly paralyzed to actually walk out the door. Like my mother in law recently reminded me, 'you'll have been in that new house a year soon and you still haven't finished painting'. I have loving family, but very unavailable loving family. The in-law side is especially not 'emotionally available' if you know what I mean. Everybody that might really care lives so far away... I have a new church and just getting to know some people, but I just have such a hard time making friends. I am a very friendly person, but I just can't seem to 'put it out there'. We have lived in this area (my husband and I) for over 12 years. I can count the close friends on one hand... zero. I feel like I have social leprosy. I think I do a good job of hiding my issues...still I think you have to be a social dynamo to have close friends nowadays. That I am NOT.

Maybe your just picky!LOL!!!I sure am.If you have self esteem issues(like most women who have inattentive)having a baby gives a sense of value.
I always said,I didnt care enough about myself but Ill darn sure do it for them!It was like a wheel.Never stopping,having one goal.That was to take care of that precious baby whom I didnt deserve and was stuck with me.
Now,medicated,I know better.Having babies taught me self respect and self love.
I never had that before!!!

I don't know what your experience is but once I was pregnant the pregnancy hormones really helped my focus and emotions -- I wasn't exactly a dynamo but I was a lot more stable. For some it works the other way.

Having a lot of friends isn't in the cards for me -- honestly I don't think I could keep up with it anyway. I have a number of friendly acquaintances that I do things with occasionally -- mostly around getting our kids together. BTW -- I don't know if you go to church or not, but we moved into an area where we knew absolutely no one and made friends in the children's Sabbath schools. In the little divisions parents have to bring their kids and stay, so it is a good way to meet other moms. Another thing I did was going to the local park and hanging out -- made some good mom friends there too. Generally speaking though in the close friend department, most people can't really support too many very close friends -- too much of an emotional investment. If you have one or two friends you really trust and can be yourself with that's a good thing. That's true for most folks really -- not just ADDers. My adopted mom is very non ADD. She is very social and has lots of casual friends but very few really close friends -- she says she couldn't handle more.

Like Brandilyn I wasn't diagnosed with Adult ADD until after kids, my second kid to be exact (they did spot me as a kid but I was never medicated). Just know that having two is much harder and much easier. :p It's easier because they play together and entertain each other to some degree. Logistics and chaos control though are definately harder, and it's important to take advantage of whatever support you can and not to set unrealistic expectations of yourself. Also if like me one or both kids end up inheriting your ADD, well -- that really complicates things a bit. I did okay until I weaned my kids and then I really needed the meds.:rolleyes: We're back on track now though and life is getting better all the time -- I wouldn't trade my two for anything!:)

BTW, I forgot to say, welcome to the forums!

Scattered