My situation:
A) Got to one of the top universities, but dropped out because I became extremely overwhelmed. Funny that I got excellent grades in some of the difficult subjects and failed in the easy courses.

B) Unable to read, listen, study, write, hold on to a job for more than 2 weeks, control my impulses, organize my thoughts or even drive. I've been considered a genius by everyone I know, but I always wondered how is that possible if I'm a complete failure.

C) I have the occasional periods of hyper-focus when I'm very interested in something, but my interest fades away very quickly. I can't even keep a hobby for more than one month. I'm afraid of being invested in something I would never be able to perfect, so I start losing interest.

D) Fidgety movements all the time, even though I can never get myself to exercise unless I'm playing Table Tennis which I can spend 4 hours playing it on a daily basis.

E) I recently learned about ADD/ADHD. When I read more about it, 90% of the symptoms have a very strong presence in me. I also read that there is no effective cure that doesn't come with dangerous side effects.


So the question here is, how do I adapt to this vicious world when I even feel overwhelmed by the thought of having to go to a hospital to get a diagnoses?

ADD/ADHD is considered by many people to be a blessing in disguise. And sure, I have a very unique mind with an IQ that's better than 99.9% according to that IQ test I took. The thing is, what's the point of being a genius if I have absolutely no way to utilize it? Am I going to be permenantly disabled and sitting at home doing nothing but sit on my PC for the rest of my life?

I got on small doses of Adderall a while ago to experiment, and man did it make a huge difference. Too bad I reacted badly to it and my heart started hurting. Apparently non of the other medications come even close to the effectivity of Adderall, according to what I've read and heard.

So, lovely people, tell me what you think.

In my opinion... ADDer's are some of the biggest procrastinators, I lived with 2 of them for over 20 years. Get your diagnosis... and proper treatment. You may just be amazed at finding a whole new world at your fingertips.

Noone here can do this for you.. you have to be willing to help yourself in order to get the help you're saying that you need.

With diagnosis and treatment you could very well go on to graduate...and not have to sit at home wasting away.

In your experimenting, you may have taken too high of a dosage..and that would give you chest pains.

Good luck..and keep us updated. :)

But I only took a quarter. (5 mg I think) I took that much particularly to avoid any harmful side effects, but I think my anxiety is too much, if that has anything to do with it.

Most ADD medications don't have a very good reputation, and I keep reading about people telling everyone to avoid it, and try to adapt with it and do things like exercising and diet changes, but that's impossible for me to do, as I explained. I have tried over and over.

you have to be willing to help yourself
Since I've been half-asleep all my life, I don't quite understand what does that mean. I feel a part of me that wants to change, improve, succeed and shine, but my carelessness and fear of change overwhelms that part. I don't even know if that has anything to do with ADD; it might be my unchangable nature, which is what I fear most.

But I only took a quarter. (5 mg I think) I took that much particularly to avoid any harmful side effects, but I think my anxiety is too much, if that has anything to do with it.

Most ADD medications don't have a very good reputation, and I keep reading about people telling everyone to avoid it, and try to adapt with it and do things like exercising and diet changes, but that's impossible for me to do, as I explained. I have tried over and over.


Since I've been half-asleep all my life, I don't quite understand what does that mean. I feel a part of me that wants to change, improve, succeed and shine, but my carelessness and fear of change overwhelms that part. I don't even know if that has anything to do with ADD; it might be my unchangable nature, which is what I fear most.

Anxiety can be a huge downfall. Did you take 5 mg only the one time? My daughter had to split her 5 mg in half... 2.5 mg in the a.m. and 2.5 at lunch time. That way her anxiety was kept at bay and she didn't have the chest pains from taking her full dose in the a.m.

Unchangable.. can also equal.. procrastination..
Unchangable..because you're afraid of the changes that might be brought about.
Unchangable- because you're used to things the way they are, even though you don't like the way things are.

I hope you can get past this and try... I'm not saying it's foolproof, but isn't it worth a try? You may find that other areas of your life improve as well.

Get a full physical as part of your testing, as well. Including blood tests, specifically a check of your thyroid. Also keep a journal of what you eat and any side effects, etc...that you notice.

Someone recently posted... that it was like turning on a light switch... the difference the meds made in her life. Illumination on so many levels. :)

I hope this helps... I'm heading to bed, but will be reading forums again tomorrow.

it's hard I am trying too. Inertia* is hard to overcome. it took me being offered a good position at work while being in a perfect town, and suddenly realizing I didn't have to struggle, to be able to overcome it

Some people it's good things (like my situation, or some people having a kid, or getting married, etc) for others it's bad stuff (getting arrested/in jail, bankruptcy, the end of a relationship) but SOMETHING always will happen eventually ... look for a reason to do it and do it for that

I'm doing it so I can relax, stay in one place and not have to move. I'm tired of mocing. For you it might be just the opposite, but having an idea where you want to be or what you want changed (specifically) might be a good way to start




*the property of matter by which it retains its state of rest or its velocity along a straight line so long as it is not acted upon by an external force.

Yeah, I took the 5 mg in one go after about 3 days from my last dose. I'm just afraid that it could cause a heart attack or something. How old is your daughter, if it's not so rude of me to ask?

Get a full physical as part of your testing, as well. Including blood tests, specifically a check of your thyroid. Also keep a journal of what you eat and any side effects, etc...that you notice.
Two of my siblings have had thyroid problems. But I'm very different from both of them, so I don't think that's the case with me. But I don't really know anything about thyroid problems, so I guess I should read a little about em.

Keeping a journal is one of the impossibilities though. Just thinking about it is overwhelming for me.

I just got a sticky pad thing just tonight and stuck it on my fridge. I am gonna try to write down what I eat (at home at least)...to try to keep track. seems easier than a full-scale journal. and then if I feel weird I can go look and see what I ate

Twisty, so many things you mention resonate with others posting here, myself included.

For me, I got to a point where dealing with my symptoms alone was more overwhelming than the idea of going to the doctor. I focus better on things if I repeat them, so I kept repeating to myself that I needed to go, and it helped me make the appointment and get there.

I had chest pains on Adderall too, at first. I got VERY scared. I thought somone was squeezing my heart in my chest. I knew that my mother and two of her brothers had minor heart problems as they got older. I was scared that I had something, and the Adderall had made it more noticable.

I went from 10 mg IR to 5 mg IR, but it happened again. I do know that I started the meds at a time I was very stressed. I knew that, before meds, when I got stressed my heart would pound. I went down to 2.5 mg (1/4 a 10 mg tablet), and had no chest pain, but it didn't work on my ADD symptoms. I stopped the meds, and that felt bad too, because I was foggy again. But my prescribing doctor thought it was very smart, in case there was something wrong.

I went to see my primary care doctor and told her everything. She had me take an EKG while I was on the Adderall at 5 mg. An EKG sounds very complex and scary, but it was so easy! I just laid down on a table, and the nurse put sensors on me. It took 3 minutes to set up the sensors, and one minute to get a reading. Everything was normal. My doctor also did a thyroid test, and it was all normal. I felt better knowing that, and so I went back up to 10 mg, and I am now taking 20 mg XR in the morning and 5 mg at 5 PM. No more chest pains.

Twisty, if you are scared, then you need to take care of that. Do what you feel is right for you. I just wanted to let you know that it might be an effect of a lot of things, and maybe it will work for you. Make an appointment to get a test on your heart, and maybe you and your doctor will both feel better. Maybe you need a different med. I hope you find something that helps you soon!

Take care,
Emmie

So the question here is, how do I adapt to this vicious world when I even feel overwhelmed by the thought of having to go to a hospital to get a diagnoses?When I realized I might have ADHD, I spent a solid year researching it before asking my doctor for a referral to a specialist. By that time, I knew I had ADHD and just needed confirmation from the medical profession. I didn't even think of meds until the psychiatrist asked if I wanted to try them. :o I'm glad he did. :cool:

Yeah, I took the 5 mg in one go after about 3 days from my last dose. I'm just afraid that it could cause a heart attack or something. How old is your daughter, if it's not so rude of me to ask?


Two of my siblings have had thyroid problems. But I'm very different from both of them, so I don't think that's the case with me. But I don't really know anything about thyroid problems, so I guess I should read a little about em.

Keeping a journal is one of the impossibilities though. Just thinking about it is overwhelming for me.

She's 21 and both sides of her family have history of heart problems. That doesn't mean that her experience can't help others, even though I'm the one using her experiences to help others. She isn't a member here.

You may be different, but if it runs in the family, it's much safer to get it checked. You never know. Thyroid disease can cause a whole bunch of trouble. I know.. I have it. It can cause migraines, heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, choking and a whole lot more.. including brain FOG. It can even mess with your allergies and make them more intense.

Keeping a journal is not impossible. You're good at posting here..and telling us what's going on with you. There is a section right here in forums that you can keep a journal. It's time for a change... :) That's why you came, for help, info and because deep down .. you don't want to live in that fog anymore.

Good luck.