Up until this point, I've only been diagnosed by a general doctor since the only ADD specialist covered by our insurance didn't have an opening until next week (I had to wait 4 months for an appointment).

I read the forums constantly and so often, I read them and wonder, "Oh my goodness, did I write this??" My mom's always figured I was just lazy or that I ate too many sweets, or that I just daydreamed too often, but I tried everything I possibly could to keep my attention- and I mean everything.

Anyway, my mom called me today to remind me of my appointment and the cost was OUTRAGEOUS. If I miss the appointment, we would get charged $450!! That's for 3 hours of testing! If I wanted to reschedule, the cost was something like $1500 :eek:?!?! I'm just afraid that the insurance won't cover any of that, and by the time my mom calls to check the referral number, we won't have 48 hours to cancel the appointment and we'd get charged $450.

FOCUS: I won't go into specifics as to why I believe I have ADD, because it'd be long, but I was just wondering how you guys found out and how you got tested, as well as covering the costs (both the preliminary tests, and in the long run- checkups, etc.). Thanks so much! Take care

A past friend of mine with ADD pushed me to get tested. He was sure I had it. Before that I never would have considered it.

I got a referral from my gp to a therapist who referred me to a psychologist that specializes in ADD who performed the 5 day test on me. Insurance helped cover the cost, along with the therapy.

Is that what you wanted to know?

I'm 25 and have been having difficulties with school that just was made worse when I got to college. It took me 6 1/2 years for my undergrad! I was told by several people that had ADD that they thought I had it too, I just ignored them or thought I was lazy and couldn't study.........

I tried my friend's adderall my last semester (I know...without a script is bad), I did very well in school and actually felt normal. I was diagnosed by a psychologist 3 months after college grad.

3 visits at a psychologist to "talk" @ $65 per visit
1 visit with Psychiatrist @$150 to get the scripts

Wish I didn't wait so long....

My mom first thought I had it when my brother was being diagnosed 4 years ago. She was reading Driven to Distraction and felt she was also reading about me. I was dxed through the DSM symptoms and testimony from myself and my mother. I was in denial, so didn't do anything about it.

This year, I finally had that "AHA! moment" Oprah talks about and went to get dxed again. This doc also used the DSM symptoms and took my work about my history and the previous dx.

Now that I know more about diagnosis, I want to have the testing, my insurance said they would cover it, but it might have been under the medical portion of my plan rather than psychological. Now I just have to remember to call to get the appointment! ;)

I'm on meds and my insurance covers that as well.

Whenever I confided in my closest friends that I believed I had ADD, none of them were surprised and one of my best friends, almost a brother to me, thought I should get tested.

The only reason I ever got good grades in high school was because I could memorize things extremely well (in short-term memory). But in the long run, I couldn't make connections from one topic to another, even in the most simplest subjects. Now that I'm in college...that's a completely different aspect and memorizing doesn't help.

I finally buckled down last semester (as a Freshman) when I dropped from full-time to a part-time student because I couldn't hack 12 hours. I was so frightened to tell my mom and asked her that all I wanted for Christmas was just to see if there was anything wrong with me. I have yet to tell her.

I don't even know what 3 hours of testing would consist of, and so I wrote down everything that I felt was "abnormal" so I wouldn't forget. It's just so expensive and I don't know if insurance would ever consider paying so much. If things don't pull through, I'll let you guys know. Would there be any other alternative to getting diagnosed? I'll try checking through my University and see if that helps :)

definitely get diagnosed. If you do have ADD and you can't afford meds, then looking into alternative treatments may help, but definitely go the diagnosis route and it's great that you are going to an ADD specialist. Writing stuff down so you don't forget is a great idea. If you appointment is three hours they will probably do some tests as well.

Good luck!

My parents knew I had ADHD when I was a child, but they chose not to tell me, or get treatment for me. I had to endure teachers' efforts to discipline away my ADHD symptoms, as well as the teasings of classmates caused by those methods. In sixth grade, my teacher turned my desk over and dumped it out in front of the whole class because it was so disorganized. I guess my classmates figured if the teachers could publicly humiliate me, they could do so as well. School was a nightmare for me after that. I did learn many coping techniques and successfully earned a college degree.

As an adult, my ADHD symptoms were misdiagnosed as an anxiety disorder, and I was put on meds that left me even more disabled, and eventually, that led to the use of antipsychotic medications and even ECT.

About two years ago, I began to figure out what was really going on and got off the bad meds - I paid an awful price for it in terms of withdrawels!

My therapist did the testing for ADHD using questionares and a computerized test that I think was called a "Connors" test. I had to hit certain keys on the computer when certain letters or symbols flashed on the computer screen. The results showed "Severe ADHD".

Waiting to get the correct diagnosis cost me 20 years of my life. It is fortunate, perhaps, that the meds I was given during my years of misdiagnosis caused memory loss, so that I do not remember much from those 20 years.

Now I have my life back. I'm nearly 50, but I feel like I should still be in my 20's, thanks to the memory loss. I will never be able to have a career, but I spend as much time as I can volunteering and working with abused and mentally disabled children as a foster/adoptive parent.
Keith :)

Jay: I'm really glad you finally got a proper diagnosis and things are working out for you :)

I'm just hoping that I don't have to wait any longer, as I feel like a lot of my college career rests on this.

However, I've looked online for what kind of tests they do and how long it takes and it varies so much! I'm afraid this will take weeks, and since I live in a different city from my doctor (as well as my parents), trying to find time and money to go there is going to be a huge problem. .

Also, I've read that some psych's actually have parents answer questions as well. But the thing is, my parents always attributed my daydreaming and forgetfulness to "sweets", or being young and lazy. I don't want the doctor to feel like I'm making things up since my parents see absolutely nothing wrong with me- that I'm just "weird" (no joke). They're great parents, but I don't think they understand the magnitude of the effects these problems have on me. My grades and social life are plummeting, [i]especially my self-esteem.

I rambled, sorry...so I guess my next questions are: Could testing really take a span of several weeks? And...well I don't know how to put the last paragraph into a question :o...Thanks again!

i can't speak for all docs, but what my psych did was give a uestionnaire to my parents, and another one to a good friend, and a third to me. it simply asked about given behaviors, not what caused them. it's the doctor's job to figure out what the cause of the behavior is. so your parent's views will not really enter into it from that. also, most docs who have experience with this have heard all kinds of excuses from parents for their kids' behavior, so they're used to it. in fact, if anything, when a psych hears parents saying that their kid just wouldn't stop daydreaming, and must be eating too many sweets because he's always hyper, and seems to be lazy and unmotivated, that's usually a red flag to the psych that the kid is probably add. however, if you feel that your parents don't seem to be fully understanding the scope of your problems, that might be something to mention to the doctor. one of the most useful things my doc did when i was diagnosed in college was to talk to my parents and explain things to them.

My older brother was Diagnosed with ADHD as a child and when I was young they went to a doctor about me because they were suspicious. The doctor said that if it wasn't effecting my schoolwork it wasn't a problem that needed medication. So I went all through highschool without help. But in College things have changed and everything is a lot harder for me. I finally got diagnosed last year. I"m on medication now and its' great. I 'm a lot happier and more productive

Keith, (Jay Jay) I so relate to your story...the cruelty of teachers..the ignorance of parents..I am so glad you are on track now

I was initially diagnosed by my medical doctor. I went to a therapist and was not getting better right away. My doctor was speculating abot wether I had adhd or bipolar disorder, and no real testing had been done. I went to another MD who referred me to a psychologist who did neuropsychiatric evaluations. It cost $1800 and I paid for it myself.

As a result of the evalutation , I was diagnosed as ADHD combined type with anxiety disorder NOS. From there I sought out a psychiatrist who could treat me, and I am presently in the middle of playing the medicine game, trying to get a combination of medications for me that are both safe and efective for me. MEds are problematic for me because I have a history of epilepsy and a family history of bipolar ddisorder. Now, since the testing weas done, a lot more backfgrouund info has been gathered from my family, and the idea of my being bipolar as well as having adhd remains a real possibility.... it never really ends.

ME :D





Up until this point, I've only been diagnosed by a general doctor since the only ADD specialist covered by our insurance didn't have an opening until next week (I had to wait 4 months for an appointment).

I read the forums constantly and so often, I read them and wonder, "Oh my goodness, did I write this??" My mom's always figured I was just lazy or that I ate too many sweets, or that I just daydreamed too often, but I tried everything I possibly could to keep my attention- and I mean everything.

Anyway, my mom called me today to remind me of my appointment and the cost was OUTRAGEOUS. If I miss the appointment, we would get charged $450!! That's for 3 hours of testing! If I wanted to reschedule, the cost was something like $1500 :eek:?!?! I'm just afraid that the insurance won't cover any of that, and by the time my mom calls to check the referral number, we won't have 48 hours to cancel the appointment and we'd get charged $450.

FOCUS: I won't go into specifics as to why I believe I have ADD, because it'd be long, but I was just wondering how you guys found out and how you got tested, as well as covering the costs (both the preliminary tests, and in the long run- checkups, etc.). Thanks so much! Take care

Shortly after we started dating, my ADD boyfriend told me he was convinced I had ADD, too. I thought he was crazy; I can read a book in a loud cafeteria for 6 straight hours- how could I be ADD? haha. I always got great grades in subjects I was interested in, and super high test scores- I just never did my homework or showed up to class. I thought it was obvious my problem was being lazy.

I was VERY badly depressed and not getting better, so I went to an awesome psychiatrist who was recommended by a friend. He asked me a billion questions, and nailed me as having ADD that first session, even though I never brought it up. I proceeded to find out what it actually was, and could not believe it had gone undiagnosed my whole life (my little brother is schizophrenic, so I think I always seemed really normal by comparison).

My boyfriend is very pleased with his amateur diagnostic skills. :P

It's weird, too, because now I see a certain kind of person- someone with lots of parking tickets piling up, late on their bills, switching jobs a lot, dropping out of college, etc.- and I totally find myself thinking, "wow, I bet there is a good chance he has undiagnosed ADD."

Boy, can I ever relate to this thread. Tracy, I really like your signature/footnote. My mom saved all my report cards, then gave them to me after I left home. Do you think maybe teachers take a course in how to write report cards and have to memorize those lines to graduate ?

I have also been diagnosed bipolar, and a recent traumatic event triggered a new round of problems. We are trying to get the meds just right so that I can sleep at night, but stay awake during the day without feeling every moment the world is going to end.
Keith :faint:

I love this thread...mainly because I see myself in these experiences! My parents were very ignorant from the get go about my condition. They would always compare me to my perfect sister and wonder why I couldnt get my life together. I grew up thinking there was something wrong with me but that I would have to deal with it on my own.

I never even considered ADHD because I graduated 2nd in my class in high school and was given a four year scholarship. I finished college in four years even though i changed my major from nursing to finance. BUT everything else in my life was screwed up...couldnt stay in a relationships very long, fights with my parents(i felt like they didnt understand me...and they really didnt now that I look back on it), ALWAYS making impulsive decisions that I would regret later, soooo easily distracted, been in countless accidents, had countless tickets, and always either doing really good or doing really bad.

When I look back on it now, I can't believe I tried to deal with it on my own (failing countless times and blaming myself). I finally went to my doctor to be evaluated when mistake after mistake kept coming up at work, and I found that my mechanism to cope with these problems werent working. I remember sitting in my living room after eating as much food as I could(which wasnt too much...i have a small frame), and throwing up for the seventh day in a row, and thinking, I need to get control and I cant do it on my own.

Im so glad my doctor was understanding and I am now on medicine and for once feel like, esp after reading this thread, that Im not alone, and it's okay to take medicine and reach the goals that I need to reach.

Thanks guys!

Three seperate doctors diagnosed me as a kid (I think it was the carnage I left in their office that convinced them:D ). As an adult I got a referral from my GP to a clinical psychologist specializing in ADHD who took a history, did a TOVA, and sent his findings to my doctor who prescribed meds. I did follow up counseling with the psychologist to help with the adjustment and to maximize my progress.

Fortunately the health insurance from my husband's work covered about half the testing and follow up and all but $10 of each prescription.

Scattered

i was dx'd by a psych doc on a first visit when i explained my symptoms to him. he simply said to me that he thought i was AD/HD based upon my history and childhood expearences, i.e. behavior problems. too bad i was 26 when i was dx'd, but then again better later than never. once i tried the medications, i failed on concerta, it turned me into a zombie, i tried adderall and holy crap what a difference it made in my life...it was like night and day. and the rest was history one year ago....
-heather

I was overlooked. I did poorly in school and there were lots of social problems. I went from job to job for a long time and the only time I did reasonably well was in college (I don't know why, or how). Even in college my grades were mostly "average", and one of my professors remarked that I was "easily distracted". I was not diagnosed until the age of 51.

ME :D

As a child, I was first considered mildly retarded, then smart but lazy. Once they figured out I was smart, the teachers would constantly humiliate and punish me to try and get me to shape up, start putting in effort, etc. They were doing the best they could, but it was quite hellish for me.

It wasn't until I was in my 30s and learned that my son has ADHD that the penny dropped, and I realized that I had it too. Suddenly my life started making sense.

I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist who has ADHD himself, and semi-specializes in adult ADHD. There were no checklists, electrodes, barium, or scans. Just a roughly two-hour interview, then another session with wife in tow. That was funny, because as she was describing me, it was like she was quoting straight out of Driven to Distraction, even though she had never read about ADHD before. After the first session, my psych told me I was a "classic" case of ADHD-combined type.

This thread has blown up! Awesome :D

Alright, I came back from my psych test today and like Speedo, my doc was also a neuropsychologist. However...the entire ordeal seemed like a complete disaster.

[Warning: This is gonna be long...]

I walked into the office with my mom, and the doctor seemed like one of those jovial and intelligent doctors-balding and pink, with white beard and mustache, etc. We even started talking about Oriental restaurants and dancing, I mean he seemed that nice. Then he got right to the point and gave my mom some questionnaire to fill out [which she plans on turning in tomorrow].

He started asking me about school and grades, but I wanted to wait until my mom left (due to the whole full-time to part-time scenario), and that's when the "nice" facade flew out the window. I told him how I started taking the 20 mg XR later in the day since I felt the effect was really short (I'd say ~6 hours, max) and he immediately retorted that "It is a 12-hour pill, and if you're taking it late in the day, you probably have a hard time sleeping". I don't. "Just because you're unconscious doesn't mean you're getting a good night's sleep". I am. **Note: he had a very condescending tone to his voice, and I didn't answer them like "I do/I am"- just trying to shorten the dialogue :)**

Then the barrage of tests began. He had me answer and complete a lot of cognitive tests ("What is the difference b/w this box and that, etc."), then loads more academic tests (Everything from basic math to full-blown Algebra), some memory-recalling stuff (repeating words, drawing a picture from memory), writing and completing "good" sentences, and then some Minnesota Multi-something test (True/False). I didn't care about taking the tests (which, btw, took 4.5 hours), but in the way he was administering them.

Near the beginning of all the tests, the ?s were insanely simple, and then they'd become progressively difficult. He seemed to lose all patience with me as I tried my best to understand and analyze the problems. Every question I had was greeted with a sigh and the answer was always one of those "Hurry-up-I-Don't-Have-Time" sort of answers. It got to the point where, near the end of the testing, he actually said, "Look, don't dwell on the answer. Just answer it". And for the questions I couldn't answer? (aka sexual activity), "It's a true/false question. One is 49% right, the other is 51% wrong. Just pick an answer". I could see him glancing at the clock every five minutes, and was even doing other kinds of work while administering the tests, like looking at the internet, balancing his checkbook, etc.

And here's the icing on the cake: this doctor would not look me in the EYES because, apparently, my eyes are located on my CHEST. I was not wearing a low.cut top- my shirt cut off at my collarbones. And when I had to call my parents to pick me up, I had to use his office phone. As I awkwardly stood there, nervous and uncomfortable, my body in FULL VIEW:eek:, this guy wasn't even trying to conceal the fact that he was scanning me up and down. These are not things that I'm just "assuming". I SAW him eyeing me and...I left that room disgusted and violated, not to mention ripped-off.

From the way I answered those questions, he'll probably think I'm depressed, or just plain stupid. He didn't ask me once about my daily habits or why I wanted to get diagnosed. I don't think the results will come out well, nor will they be accurate. I find out next week...

In the meantime, I figure I should tell my mom about it because I don't know if I want to see this doctor again. I don't want to get misdiagnosed for social anxiety disorder or depression because I couldn't understand the context of the questions, and he didn't seem to care.

Is it valid for me to feel this way about him? Or am I overreacting? Anyway, I'll let you know the results whenever I get them...:(

I hate your doctor. I think you should switch if you can. I think no psychiatrist worth his salt will make you feel rushed, stupid, or ogled.

Definintely tell all this to your mom! Try to get referred to a psychiatrist by someone who speaks highly of them (maybe a woman, so there's less chance of ogling? My doctor is a man and I adore him. There's no reason a woman would be any more competent, but there is less likelihood a woman will be inappropriate.)

I'm sorry your experience was so frustrating.

My mom just called me not even a minute ago and told me the results.

According to the psychiatrist, I don't have ADD and wrote down a bunch of stuff about how I just need to be organized more. He recommended that I carry around an alarm that reminds me what to do every hour so that I don't forget-and, excuse me, but I'm in tears as I write this because this sounds exactly what my parents have always told me. I knew he was going to do this (my previous post), I was just waiting for him to confirm it.

The fact that he never asked me why I felt I had ADD is what angers me. And secondly...he wants to put me on anti-depressants- I don't even know what to say to that :(

How would anti-depressants help the fact I can only read 2 pages of a textbook in 10 hours?! That I've tried everything from altering what I eat, sleeping right, exercising daily, isolating myself in a quiet environment, studying with friends, and then studying without friends- how?! He doesn't know that the reason I carry around a cell phone is because it has an alarm that constantly tells me what to do, and that I have a planner to supplement that as well.

This isn't just about "being organized" but the fact that I cannot pay attention, that I can't FOCUS. I don't think it's normal for me spend weeks creating movies in my head (my form of daydreaming) while the teachers are talking, or losing my train of thought 7-8 times in a conversation, or having to buy doubles or triples of everything because I will eventually lose the first or second item.

Ever since I have been taking adderall, everything just makes sense. It's no longer a matter of "memorization", and I'm not a "spaz" anymore. I can maintain conversations without constantly asking "wait...what were we just talking about again?", and I am pretty much able to make it everywhere on time. But most of all, I can handle school. I haven't made a "movie" in months, except when I don't take it during the weekends...

I don't know what to do now, he wants a follow-up...any suggestions would be appreciated :)

Hi Mango:

Nobody has to feel uncomfortable dealing with their therapist. Is it possible to seek a second opinion?

When I took my child in for ADD evaluation, the psych asked her to step outside (seemed logical to me) and then gently directed me to the computer, saying "I will trust you to remember this website-what a wonderful gift!- and please take both these quizzes"...and upon our next appt. addressed us BOTH as the inattentive patients :).

I have a previous 12 years psychotherapy under my belt to boot! HERE was the answer!

I agree with Uminchu very strongly, since past experience in my case shows that there are good and bad therapists, psychiatrists, etc....and just plain poor fits for one person or another. What works for you, works, and may not work for anybody else.

I have made it a point to become well-educated re: my current diagnoses (at every turn in my career as a "mental patient") and I have personally fired several doctors and caseworkers. The one that fits me is out there, I have come to believe. I have only to find them and never give up.

I kept bouncing of the walls, interrupting the doctor at the assessment, flickering the lightswitch, running around instead of sitting down, not listening, touching and playing with everything I could touch this was also an assessment due to my trouble at school... the doctor gave me ritalin and I was sitting still in the chair and was quiet... adhd hyperactive impulsive type... this was 20 years ago...

My son was dx with ADHD and as I was learning more about it I felt like I was reading about myself so I decided to get tested. So I went to see a psychiatrist who specializes in it. My insurance covered the entire process.

I do a lot of introspection and searching. My second son has ADD but ritalin and adderall made him nasty and he refused to take them. I went on a quest to fix him. I love medicine and diagnostics.
I have never belonged in the mainstream - always on the fringe. Always existentially depressed. Always invisible and unnoticed. And then later, overstressed and overdriven while being the main breadwinner, 3 boys, house full of animals - I was the classic burnt out professional mother that hired a bunch of people to take care things while I worked.
I was an underachiever in school and then later an overachiever. Patterns emerge from everywhere. So as I've evaluated my sons, my husband, myself, everyone else around me, read thru tons of stuff I started to see patterns that created a bigger picture.
Eventually I was able to describe what I was like: manic-depressive, with a smattering of autism, and ADD, overly sensitive, emotional extremes and everyone else is an idiot. My internist agreed and perscribed celexa, kinda helped then -eventually didn't, moved to california, adjusted badly, switched to zyprexa which almost killed me - I have HCV and my liver got really ****ed - and it made me a vegetable.
Then Effexor - which just fogged me. Several jobs and a few months later I began seeing a therapist.
I told him what I had. He fixated on wild sex. And sexual risk. I swore that if he mentioned sexual function one more time, I'd stop seeing him. You have to listen to those red flags sometimes, especially if there are more than one.
Meanwhile I went to a psychiatrist and told her: manic depression, some autism, and I was losing my memory, couldn't finish a sentence. ADD or menopause? ADD. She prescribed adderall and trileptal and I switched back to celexa then spent some time adjusting doses and times when I'd take the meds.
I'd see the shrink and tell her my adjustments and she always approved and concurred.
Meanwhile I've stopped seeing the therapist and need to find another. That guy just wasn't helping.
I just turned 53 and I'm looking forward to growing - still.

ADD was probably the root cause, with lots of over-exciteabilities, which lead to confusion and frustration, then depression, then a slew of life changing bad events and viola: icky-poo.

Ah, insurance - and a prescription card. $400/month just for adderall - I could never afford that otherwise.
and $100/hour for therapy and $110/visit for the psychiatrist.
I pay a co-pay of $10 or $15 per visit and $5-$45 copay for a script.

Ah, insurance - and a prescription card. $400/month just for adderall - I could never afford that otherwise.
and $100/hour for therapy and $110/visit for the psychiatrist.
I pay a co-pay of $10 or $15 per visit and $5-$45 copay for a script.I don't take Adderall but like you my co-pay is $10 regardless, and Sav-On Pharmacy took my card and asked for $5.00. I think thats pretty good.


Question though: It seems like some posters say they taken this expensive test around $1000+ to diagnose ADD so my question is, in order to be really regarded as someone with ADD, do you need to have taken and 'passed' this test?

$5 - that's great. I'm at rite aidenow. Walgreens is pretty good too.
My son, back in 1990 or so didn't have any tests to take. We started by getting questionaires filled out by his teachers, and my husband and I filled out our own as well. The pediatrician, who is dyslexic and LD himself, didn't want to start bad paper on my son unless absolutely necessary.
As for myself, I researched and evaluated myself obsessively and suggested my diagnosis to my internist in Chicago, then my guy here, then a therapist, then a psychiatrist, and now a different therapist. They pretty much agreed. Noone had suggested any kind of test, aside from answering the questions selected as criteria in the DSM document.
So the short answer is, I was not aware of any such testing available within the medical insurance setting.
Maybe because we all approached this with our medical doctors first, and not a psychiatrist first?

$5 - that's great. I'm at rite aidenow. Walgreens is pretty good too.
My son, back in 1990 or so didn't have any tests to take. We started by getting questionaires filled out by his teachers, and my husband and I filled out our own as well. The pediatrician, who is dyslexic and LD himself, didn't want to start bad paper on my son unless absolutely necessary.
As for myself, I researched and evaluated myself obsessively and suggested my diagnosis to my internist in Chicago, then my guy here, then a therapist, then a psychiatrist, and now a different therapist. They pretty much agreed. Noone had suggested any kind of test, aside from answering the questions selected as criteria in the DSM document.
So the short answer is, I was not aware of any such testing available within the medical insurance setting.
Maybe because we all approached this with our medical doctors first, and not a psychiatrist first?Thats what I was thinking as well, i'm still not sure as to the specifics of my 'diagnosis' --If you can call it that, but like I said I think thats the exact reason.