I have known that I was ADHD since it had a name, As an adult, I have never gone to a specialist for test or meds. I started having serious problems with depression and anxiety several years ago and have lots of luck with Zoloft which my old family Dr prescribed me.

I took the Amen ADD and subsequent “Brain Test” (http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/tests/add_test1.php (http://www.amenclinic.com/ac/tests/add_test1.php)) and my results were as follows:

1. ADD Combined Type--- PROBABLE
2 Cingulate System Hyperactivity--- HIGHLY PROBABLE
3. Limbic System Hyperactivity--- HIGHLY PROBABLE
4. Basal Ganglia Hyperactivity--- HIGHLY PROBABLE
5. ADD Inattentive Type--- NOT PROBABLE
6. Temporal Lobe System--- NOT PROBABLE


Basic what there documentation tells me is the the ADD Combined Type (#1) is the crap that I am currently not treating and what causes me to call myself “Foot in Mouth”. They say this is the diagnoses that responds well to stims like adderal to wake up the sleepy part of your brain (as you may know).

However, numbers 2, 3, and 4. are HYPERACTIVITY in other parts of my brain. which I presume is the “H” in ADHD. This really boils down to the fact that I am not distrated per se or IN-attention, but rather TOO much attention. That explains why I never really felt the “D” part or ADD really fit me. I am not really distracted, I am hyper focused and pay TOO much attention! ( I would love to tell that to me boss next time he pops the “lacks attention to details” line on me. This is also the reason for my anxiety and depression.

According to Amen, the best treatment for these three conditions (2, 3, 4) are anti depressants which I am already on! Hooray for self diagnoses!

My problem (and question) is that STIMULANTS (which everyone here but me seems to be on) that I need to treat #1 ADD will AGRIVATE and worsen these other hyper parts of my brain which if anything needs sedation (I am reading between the lines here). My attention to detail and axiety, etc can go down hill if I treat the ADD that makes me a social pariah!!!

What should I do? I have yet to make an appointment with a shrink but I want to be armed with facts and others personal experiences. Are any of you like me in this test? How are you being treated?

Thanks for your time.

Ian

I'm on Concerta and I'm ADHD-Combined type.

The stimulant helps me focus overall. It basically just levels everything for me.

From what I understand, the sleepy frontal cortex doesn't mean that the hyperactivity will be increased by stimulants, if woken up that frontal cortex helps regulate the hyperactivity as well as the inattentiveness. My understanding is that area of the brain regulates things and, whether inattentive or hyperactive, the regulation is not "typical."

Hope this helps! Good luck at the dr.!

Ian, get your old school reports, print off a list of yout problems, and insist you see a specialist who deals in ADD

and good luck
:-)

I just re-read your post LOL..it's late and the meds are worn off..so bear with me..

I am innatentive..and hyperactive...??? I am a fidget..I don't listen, I can't stand still..etc etc..but the stim meds..calm me down and help me settle..
go figure

i found zoloft to make some of my adhd worse and it took twice the amount of adderall to conteract that.

For what its worth, F-I-M, I also took the amen screeners came back Highly Probable for Inattentive ADD and Limbic Hyperactivity. I take Cymbalta and it addresses my depression ONLY. I take Concerta and it addresses my ADD ONLY.

I know that's contrary to Dr. Amen's contention that stimulants will aggravate my limbic hyperactivity. IMO the screeners were only helpful to the point that I realised I was grossly misinformed about adult and inattentive ADD and as for the Limbic issue? I do not know and at present do not care what causes my depression, because the drug combo I take works for me. I do not see my stimulants making my depression any worse at all. IMO the meds do exactly what they are supposed to be doing for me.

Boardtabits brings up a good point though; I do take a seemingly high dose of Concerta, which may or not be because of the antidepressent in my system, bottom-line to me is still this is what works for me. I can state clearly that I would be unable to determine if the Cymbalta makes my ADD symptoms worse, because if I do not take Cymbalta? My depression becomes too severe for me to notice what is ADD or what is not. No Cymbalta for me = dysfunctional degree of depression to the degree that I don't care what is ADD, I don't care about anything because I would just prefer to die.

Not wanting to die makes it possible for me to tackle the ADD. That's what I know. Self-diagnosis and self-doubting tactics only take me so far. It matters not what scientific answers may be in my brain. What matters to me is do my meds work, and they do, and that makes all the difference in my life.

I hope this helps, I really do! Its blunt, I know it is, but its as real to me as gravity.

I don't quit understand the limbic stuff but after my diagnosis I told my friend about the site and what I had learned. She is incredibly smart but the most unmotivated person I know. She looked into it and it came out that way for her. SHe had done therapy and anti-depressants for years. She was never suicidal though. It was more like a stubborn low-grade depression that just wouldnt go away. She takes concerta now and that is all.

point being, no two people seem to be the same so all you can do is try things and find what works for you.

Ok, glad I went back and reread! I was so confused because I had posted a reply to you and then it seemed to have disappeared, but must be on the other thread! :eek:

I had been put on Paxil, tried it for two weeks, didn't see any difference so stopped. That was 4 years ago when I had been diagnosed with depression and OCD. I was recently told that what was seen as OCD are actually my work arounds to try to control the ADHD. I also believe the depression dx was wrong because I wasn't depressed in the chemical imbalance sense, when I get really sad there is always a reason for it and only lasts until I find something fun or enjoyable to do.

I think that figuring out your dianosis is great, to a point. It gives you ownership of the diagnosis and more acceptance, however it is best to get a couple of opinions. I definitely think that my life would be different if I had known more about ADHD 4 years ago.

Good luck and be open to trying different medications to see what works for you. Unfortunately it can take a while but is definitely worth it in the end!

I don't quit understand the limbic stuff but after my diagnosis I told my friend about the site and what I had learned. She is incredibly smart but the most unmotivated person I know. She looked into it and it came out that way for her. SHe had done therapy and anti-depressants for years. She was never suicidal though. It was more like a stubborn low-grade depression that just wouldnt go away. She takes concerta now and that is all.

point being, no two people seem to be the same so all you can do is try things and find what works for you.I would never argue that point. I actually think it underscores my own point :D and that's what information sharing is all about!

I am totally suicidal when not on antidepressents, and your friend was not. Makes sense to me then that she experiences relief from depression when treating her ADD with a stimulant. The screeners are just guidelines IMO, not valid for accurate diagnoses, only valuable to point one in several possible directions.

I just re-read your post LOL..it's late and the meds are worn off..so bear with me..

I am innatentive..and hyperactive...??? I am a fidget..I don't listen, I can't stand still..etc etc..but the stim meds..calm me down and help me settle..
go figureYep me too!

BTW, I am on Paxil and Ritalin. They work beautiful together..for me. I don't understand it but am happy!

Well I and not suicidal ever, I can be quite weapy and not see the point of life, thats for sure. I KNOW its chemical for me, no if ands or buts.

Now I just need to rien in my ADD mouth!

Thanks


Ian

Pssst hey Ian check it out **passes note to Ian in class** Note says:

The trick is not to rein it in, only to realize the proper time to give the "horse his head" from time to time. That way you don't have to frustrate the horse ;) by trying to turn it into an ox.

Horses and ADD mouths are such beautiful things, but not always welcomed when they run amok in small spaces. Give them room and they do exactly what they are meant to do :D.

Peace!

Crazy :)

wow, thats kinda deap. I need to think about that...still thinking....Maybe I need to be a morning radio shock jock?

I know this question is kind of stupid, but I'm still gonna ask:

My friend was on anti-depressants for awhile (because she had a lot of anxieties,etc.) and she told me the anti-d. gave her a "whatever" kind of feeling.

I always had the stupid belief they make you happy but she says it's more that you just don't have these extreme feelings (lows AND highs) anymore.

So my question is:
How exactly would you describe the feeling anti-depressants give you?

Do they make you really happy or do they rather give you a "whatever- 'nothing' can really shock or upset me" kind-of-feeling?

Hi Katy,

When I read your post about how your friend described her experience on antidepressants as it giving her a "whatever" feeling - well, that is EXACTLY how I always describe it!! It was such a cool feeling to learn that someone else experiences antidepressants the same way.

Ya - I don't know about most people who take antidepressants (AD's), but I have NEVER experienced them as "happy pills" - which some people tend to believe they are. My daughter takes AD's too, and even her THERAPIST seems ignorant as to what that particular medication does (and DOES NOT) do. Just this afternoon, my daughter and I were discussing her therapy session last week. During our conversation, my daughter's therapist - after listening to my daughter's "problems" - seemed incredulous that she had feelings of UPSET - and could NOT believe that the psychiatrist didn't "do something more drastic" about daughter's medication. Daughter then told me that she said to her, "Ya know - it's NOT A HAPPY PILL!! And I AM doing alot better than I HAD BEEN!!!"

It's almost as if the therapist has no skills for treating my daughter's "depressive" thoughts via their psychotherapy sessions (what the heck are they FOR, then?) and keeps insisting that she must not be on the right meds, must be something really destructive going on in the home, etc. My daughter cannot understand (and neither can I) why this therapist acts so UNFAMILIAR with hearing the thoughts and feelings and concerns of a teenaged girl!!!

So sorry for the rant. I should organize myself and get a thread of my own going. Just SO MANY topics to gripe about lately. :mad:

Sue