Hi all! (waves)

Well, I'm finally deciding to get serious when it comes to doing something about my problems. I've come to realize that no matter what I have to do, no matter what it costs, no matter what insurance will or won't cover... I have to do whatever I CAN do. I don't know if I have ADD or not, but I certainly have everything I've seen listed under symptoms. Here's the lovely, fascinating list, and keep in mind that this describes me at my WORST:

EXTREME irritability
TOTAL inability to deal with frustrations
Extremely scattered feeling, as if every detail is equally important and I have no way of knowing what to focus on
No natural ability to organize anything (I live and die by Daytimer's)
Mood swings (not from manic to depressed, though)
That lovely "bottomless pit of rage" feeling
Feeling like one part of my brain is totally sluggish and unmoving and the rest of my brain is constantly trying to get it moving, which leads to a very high level of anxiety
It can be very difficult to stay focused on anything for very long. No patience.

And, oh yeah, I have a frontal-temporal lobe closed head injury@! Right after it happened, I totally lost my ability to read. I never even told anyone about this (it did come back, clearly.) I went through the Sister Kenny Institute Head Injury program that year, which I feel is why I'm able to stay kind of superficially organized. (That's what they teach you to do.) I was evaluated for temporal lobe epilepsy at that time, but my doctor decided that I didn't have it.

Anyway...

What I'm wondering is how everyone got their ADD diagnosis, and particularly how y'all found a doctor that worked for you and was willing to work with you. All advice appreciated! :)

Welcome Anise

I have recently went to my family doctor for some help (finally after all these years).
I explained (the best I could) about my problems to her. She gave me script. for celexa for depression and a referall to a physcologist. She said that the celexa will help me for now untill I can get properly diagnosed by a physcologist.

So anyway I am waiting patiently as I can :) until I can see the physc. It is a process that takes time it seems but well worth it.

So really I didn't answer your question just letting you know the steps I took to get where I am now, not far, but on my way at least.

Good luck

I found mine through a co-worker.

With the closed head injury it seem like a neurologist would be better than I psychtrist

Here some hyperlinks that may help.

American Medical association (http://webapps.ama-assn.org/doctorfinder/html/patient.html)



CHIS providers (http://hml.org/CHIS/providers/doctors.html)

I found my doctor (psyscharist) through my counselling department at school.

I'll say as great as my doctor is, he's not the one I talk to regarding all the emotional aspect of ADD. All that emotional turmoil I save for my therapist, who does have ADD although he's got the hyperactive type. But my dr. is great for talking about the medical aspect of ADD, which is very important to know.

So be prepared to have a whole whack of people involved in the treatment of ADD.

Inspired by this thread I have put together a collection of doctor directories/listings. I have several for the US, one for Canada and the UK.

Where Can I Find a Health Care Professional (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33989)

One person's question can inspire an idea in another. . . . the beauty of being a part of some thing ADD!

I work in mental health so I have access to many psychiatrists. I choose my doctor because he is simply the best there is. He usually sees children, but will see adults as well. Find a psychiatrist who is knowledgable in ADD/ADHD. Ask your family doctor if they had ADD/ADHD or one of their children had it, who would they see/take their kid to.