Hi All,

I am wondering if I have ADD. I don't think I have ADHD, because I am not a very hyper person. I am pretty shy, actually. But I often can't seem to concentrate. So, my friend has an Adderall prescription 20mg XR, and he gave me 1 of the pills and I took it last Friday. It seemed to help a lot and I finished a ton of assignments for work (I'm a computer programmer, 19 years old.)
I definitely noticed that it made me more focused and slightly euphoric. It lasted all day till I went to sleep that night.

My question is, do I have ADD or am I just not motivated enough to be focused for a long time? How does getting tested for ADD work? How does one determine if you are just lazy or actually have ADD?

hyperactivity is not required to have adhd.
You see, there are three types of adhd.

adhd hyperactive (these are the ones who are hyper)

adhd inattentive (not hyper, but still has attention problems)

adhd combined type (has features of both adhd hyperactive and adhd inattentive)

Women who have adhd tend to be the inattentive type, and males tend to be more likely hyperactive, but some ADHD males are also inattentive types, and some ladies are hyperactive...it varies a bit. Most ADDer's are combined type.

Men with adhd outnumber women with by at least 4:1 but that could be because the girls tend to be inattentive types which is often overlooked and frequently misdiagnosed as depression.

The fact that the adhd meds did improve your attention is meaningful, but is not diagnostic for the syndrome as the adhd meds will also improve the attention of non-adhd persons.

The way to get a diagnosis is to talk to your doctor about it, and get a referral to someone specializing in the diagnosis of adhd (typically a neuropsychologist) and after a formal diagnosis is made the next step is to find a psychiatrist for treatment.

If insurance and money are a big problem, your general practitioner is qualified to diagnose and treat adhd, however it is my opinion that you are in better hands if you get a formal evaluation and diagnosis vis-a-vis a neuropsychiatric evaluation by specialist, followed by treatment by a qualified psychiatrist.

The neuropsychiatric testing is usually done by a neuropsuchologist or a psychiatrist. It consists of a battery of tests, questionnaires, and an interview. It typically takes 4-6 hours to complete. The overall look and feel of the testing is that of an extended IQ test... in fact, part of the testing normally involves an IQ test.

You need to be forewarned that there are still a lot of MD's (and a few psychiatrists) who do not believe that adhd is real, or do not believe that adults have adhd, and others don't believe that women can have adhd. If you encounter one of these doctors, go elsewhere, do not accept their ignorance as sound medical advice.

good luck

ME :D


Hi All,

I am wondering if I have ADD. I don't think I have ADHD, because I am not a very hyper person. I am pretty shy, actually. But I often can't seem to concentrate. So, my friend has an Adderall prescription 20mg XR, and he gave me 1 of the pills and I took it last Friday. It seemed to help a lot and I finished a ton of assignments for work (I'm a computer programmer, 19 years old.)
I definitely noticed that it made me more focused and slightly euphoric. It lasted all day till I went to sleep that night.

My question is, do I have ADD or am I just not motivated enough to be focused for a long time? How does getting tested for ADD work? How does one determine if you are just lazy or actually have ADD?

How does a general practitioner diagnose ADHD?

The neuropsychiatric testing is usually done by a neuropsuchologist or a psychiatrist. It consists of a battery of tests, questionnaires, and an interview. It typically takes 4-6 hours to complete. The overall look and feel of the testing is that of an extended IQ test... in fact, part of the testing normally involves an IQ test.


That sums it up. Mine went pretty much like that not in a full day of course.
It's pretty much you doing stuff like... well I'd say you pretty much do it like an extended IQ test. Verbal IQ and the.. other kind of IQ. My verbal for one was way higher but my other one was below the norm. Think about stuff like combine those stuff to make a complete picture timed might maybe give an idea.

The general practitioner typically relies on symptoms alone. He may send you to a specialist for testing, but the pattern that I have seen on the forum is that the general practitioner tends to simply treat the symptoms once he has ruled out the usual non-adhd things that can cause add-like symptoms.

In all probability the doc may want to test you for diabetes, thyroid problems, sleep apnea, insomnia, and maybe metal poisioning, just to be on the safe side. This means that you will have some blood tests to take, and maybe a sleep study.

Once all the other causes have been ruled out the doc will likely call it adhd.

From there you need to go to a professional. Your MD may refer you without your asking.

Typically you have to pursue a formal diagnosis and treatment. This means asking the doc for a referral to a specialist, or if you have ppo insurance coverage, simply go find one yourself. I recommend going through your md first, and taking it from there.


ME :D


How does a general practitioner diagnose ADHD?

I just had an idea... Do you think I could be missing some nutrients like some vitamins or minerals in my diet that is causing me to not be able to concentrate? If so, which ones should I try taking to see if my symptoms get better?

What I'm really asking is if there is something in my life that is causing ADHD-like symptoms. Let me know if you can think of any.

Thanks!

You need to talk to your doctor. As far as I know there is no link between diet and ADHD. Some people do get some benefit from carefully managed diet, and good nutrition certainly will make you feel better. But the so-called "natural" remedies don't approach theraputic levels of treatment for adhd.

If you have a dietary issue, chances are that your doctor can pinpoint it for you. ONe of the first things the doctor is likely to do is to run a blood test to make sure your blood chemistry is as it should be.

There are a few people who are intolerant of certain foodsuffs, and there are people who have celiac disease. If you had this you would most likely know that there was a problem with certain foods. If you have it, it can cause symptoms that some people sometimes confuse with adhd, but it does not cause adhd.... it causes other symptoms along with attention problems.

Your doctor will typically try to rule out non-adhd causes first.

One of the requirements for a diagnosis of adhd is that the first symptoms appear by age 7. Another requirement is that it persists and does not go away.

If your adhd symptoms are something that have recently appeared, it is not adhd, and you need to get to a doctor to find out why.

If your adhd symptoms only occur sometimes, but not at others, it i not adhd, and you need to see your doctor to find out what it is.

If your adhd symptoms have been lifelong, you need to consider the idea that it is adhd.

You should see your doctor in any case. It's his job to figure it all out.


ME :D

I have read many places that Magnesium is good for ADD - and a host of other ailments.

It seems that there are a number of factors that promote magnesium deficiency in the modern western diet.

Magnesium relaxes muscles and has a calming effect. What is critical is to take a form of Magnesium, like magnesium citrate which is absorbable (bio-available.)

There are many vendors of magnesium citrate, and other absorabable forms of magnesium. Google up on the 2 words "ADD & Magnesium" together.

What is critical is to take a form of Magnesium, like magnesium citrate which is absorbable (bio-available.)


Yep MAGNESIUM CITRATE (http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_citrate-oral/article.htm)that will sure get ya going. One may wish to click the hyperlink provided so you'll know where you will be going. {pun intended} :D

Please do yourself a favor don't believe every thing you read on the internet, these recommendation for magnesium is an excellent example of why one should always check with a health care professional before begining any treatment programs. I read stuff about magnesium supplements and I thought mag citrate{hyperlinked above} , MOM = milk of magnesia {megnesium}, Yeppers we have got a theme going on here. . . .but it ain't ADD :p

Yep MAGNESIUM CITRATE (http://www.medicinenet.com/magnesium_citrate-oral/article.htm)that will sure get ya going. One may wish to click the hyperlink provided so you'll know where you will be going. {pun intended} :D

Please do yourself a favor don't believe every thing you read on the internet, these recommendation for magnesium is an excellent example of why one should always check with a health care professional before begining any treatment programs. I read stuff about magnesium supplements and I thought mag citrate{hyperlinked above} , MOM = milk of magnesia {megnesium}, Yeppers we have got a theme going on here. . . .but it ain't ADD :pWhat she said, plus:

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I know that the 'hyperactive' part of ADHD is hard to understand when you're not necessarily jumping off walls ;D but I think of it like this; my mind is the 'hyperactive' part. I could be talking to someone and change topics mid sentence! *lol* Well, ok maybe not that fast! Or it's my attention that's the 'hyper' part. I'll wander in and out of stores without a thought, and I know that would drive my friends and family crazy!!

Certainly I'm not suggesting that these are scientifically documented or anything, but that's how I like to think of it.

My psycharist when he diagnosed me didn't do any fancy tests. He looked at my school transcripts, and asked me if I could relate to the DSM-IV criteria list for ADHD. Mind you, by the time I went to see him I had done a couple of those online tests for ADHD and pretty much all of them said I had it.

I just had an idea... Do you think I could be missing some nutrients like some vitamins or minerals in my diet that is causing me to not be able to concentrate? If so, which ones should I try taking to see if my symptoms get better?

What I'm really asking is if there is something in my life that is causing ADHD-like symptoms. Let me know if you can think of any.

Thanks!
Again, this is something that you would have to discuss with your Dr. I would agree that a well balanced diet would help to manage ADHD symptoms, but they wouldn't 'elminate' them.

The symptoms of ADHD really would have a major impact in your life. For example, my ADHD impacted how well I did in school, cost me a job, made me depressed...

As a few of you may {or may not} notice portions of this thread are missing. There is a reason for that. . .{If I could only remember}

I split the thread so that the original questions posed by MissileSilo would not get lost and ignored. I felt the discussion concerning magnesium, cellular nutrition and scientific evidence ect. .had managed to sprout a life of it’s own thus it deserved a thread of it's own.

I placed the portions of the tread that went into the various beliefs concerning causes and approaches to ADD treatments in general ADD under the title of Possible causes of ADD - a non-pharmacuetical perspective (http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40156)


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