Talking to my brother about how I am hoping diagnosis and treatment will give me control of my life.

He asked, "We are both older now -- do you think it's really worth the bother?" (We're the same age-- mid-50s.) He suggested I should "just relax".

I don't know what the chances are, though I will try anything to get my life in gear. I hope you experienced people can add to this conversation. SO...

-- if you were diagnosed as an adult
-- if you are now on medication or in treatment and have been for more than a year (to wipe out the placebo effect)

... then how is your life? Did your life take off?

50 words or less, please! I wanted to make this a survey, but couldn't figure out how.

Ducky


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hmm, you got a good few years left... of course it is worth the bother. you only get one life to live, and it ain't over until its over.

Not much progress yet but I have a lot of info to process. Finding out in your later years has it’s problems, however at least I know the cause and if there is a chance I can find some solutions, I am now satisfied I am moving in the right direction. Before diagnosis, I was in a totally confused state, just letting life control me and that, to me was a deathspin.

Limbo

i was diagnosed the summer before my senior year of college and was immediately put on adderall. It changed my life. Because of the diagnosis and medication I was able to learn. Then, because I was able to get my grades up I went to grad school and excelled there.

In that area of my life, diagnosis and meds have made a HUGE difference. Now that i'm in my career, I don't take it on a daily basis, because my job is very active.
So, it hasn't made a huge difference with the rest of my life.

But, I think overall getting the diagnosis and being on meds has been a big relief and has made an enormous impact on my life. Without it, there is no way i would be where I am now, because there is no way I would have been able to go to grad school.

Diagnosed when I was 34. Like night and day.

-- if you were diagnosed as an adult

I was just dx'd at age 38 in March 2007 along with my 7 yr-old son.


-- if you are now on medication or in treatment and have been for more than a year (to wipe out the placebo effect)

Before my therapist dx'd me I was on prozac and wellbutrin for depression (due to undiagnosed ADD). Most of the time I forgot to take it after the initial 3 months because I was feeling better.

... then how is your life? Did your life take off?

I believe it's much better. Between regular therapy, a great husband who's put up with my wackiness for 15 years, finding a best friend at church who's loving/compassionate/snarky, and learning to cope with ADD on my terms, it feels like I've really come a long way. My boss put me in for a step increase and grade increase at work (I'm a Fed) and I got both, resulting in a $5K a year pay raise.

Here's two things I keep in mind for myself:

1. WHen I got my dx it was like my therapist handed me a toolbox full of tools and said, "Here, learn how to use these." It's still and will always be a learning process. Yeah, I get distracted easily but now I know what I need to do to function smoothly. I make short To-Do lists vs page-long lists. I try to clean up my desk once a week of filing, dead cell phones, etc. At home if I find myself getting sucked into the internet I have to tell myself, "STOP! Go do something constructive!" Not always easy to do but I've learned to recognize the signs of ADD in me.

2. One of my work friends is also ADD. P was lamented to me one time about how he was supposed to be studying for a test but kept getting sucked into pron sites. I told P, "ADD is a a gift and a curse. What you need to learn is to harness the power...don't let the power harness you." Yeah, I know that sounds totally trite and needs to be embroidered on a doily but you know what? It's become a touchstone for me.

oh - just to add to my post:
I've been diagnosed since 1999 and on adderall since then.

Also, pertaining to college. Pre-meds: i studied and studied and studied and studied but nothing sunk in no matter which (of the various ways I tried) study method I used.

As soon as I started on adderall, I studied probably about 1/3 to 1/2, as much as I did pre-meds, and made the dean's list

just a quick thank you for your replies, hoping to hear a few more stories. They definitely give me more hope. I already have the coping strategies, built up over 40 or 50 years, but the strategies are only of limited use without the energy or focus. So, I keep checking my e-mail every morning hoping for message from the clinic...

Ducky

I was diagnosed early 50's, a couple of years ago, and my first thought was that the diagnosis itself would enough to help me get my mess of a life put together. No need for medications. (After all, I made it this far without them, right?) Then I just got curious, and decided to give drugs a try. Almost wish I hadn't, because the improvement was life-changing, but short lived. Quickly built up a tolerance, and lost the effect. Am now on a quest to find another drug that works, because I WANT TO FEEL THAT WAY AGAIN. Productive. Energetic. Motivated. Ambitious.

It's hard not to feel bitter, discovering after all these years of struggle, that "other people" (all those folks who made me feel inadequate my whole life) feel that way ALL THE TIME.
-

it's been nearly 2 years for me :-)
No massive change in my life, but nice subtle ones for me.
EG..I don't rely on rosters and lists anymore. I'm not so rigid in my routine.I haven't forgotten to pick up my kids..LOL

I can talk to people for more then 5 minutes...
I wanted to go back to school but I find it's still hard to concentrate a lot while reading ! It takes AGES before it sinks in