I am a female adult with possible adhd, i would put myself in chatty katy section, but i also fluctuate with my moods up down, excited not and i procrastinate.

My son was diagnosed in the uk when he was seven and it was a night mare and the people we saw blamed it on his hearing inpairement. When he was finally diagnosed and placed on medication he started to read and write within a fortnight of being on his meds.

What i am sayin is we had to fight and knock on loads of doors. I would like to no any adult experiences in the uk of being diagnosed as i have currently been reffered to a doctor at the mental health team, is it harder for adults and how did u get diagnosed x

The obstacles I've come up against have been waiting lists and strict procedural rules for clinicians (my GP is not allowed to prescribe me anything until it's recommended by someone from the adult ADHD unit in Maudsley, who hasn't seen me yet, and I had to be referred to them by both the GP and a consultant psychiatrist before they'd consider my case).

Personally I've not come up against unwillingness to look into it or insistence on exploring other options first, which would be the most frustrating thing, but even so it was October when I got the ball rolling with my GP and although it's confirmed I'm on their waiting list I'm still waiting for an appointment.

When they received the referrals they sent me two questionnaires, one for me and one for someone who knew me well as a child. A week after I sent them off they confirmed that they would see me.

There are just two other adult ADHD units in the UK, and at least one of those is private. The other potential problem is that if you want to go through the NHS, your local primary care trust may refuse to fund the services. Mine didn't, but they could.

Roseblood, this is the thing, my gp has said she thinks i am a high candidate for adhd, but has reffered me to the mental health team were we live in derbshire not to a psychiatrist but a doctor. Apparently the mental health team received the letter discussed me in a meeting and then chose the relavent person.

From research here on the net as u have suggested there are only two places in the uk that will diagnose, i am assuming this is not the same for children . as my son was diagnosed at saltergate health centre by a pediatrition. can not spell either sorry

any ideas on what i should do, because i do not think i have the strength at this moment in time to fight the system again

I'm not sure exactly what the situation is regarding diagnosis for adults, as according to this site (http://www.aadd.org.uk/diagnosed) the Community Mental Health Team can also prescribe ADHD medications. It seems that the specialist clinics are preferable but I don't know what the CMHT's procedures are. I imagine if they will prescribe you the medications, they will vouch for you if you need it that they think you have ADHD and their opinion should be seen as valid by employers, universities etc. But I don't know how they would make the decision or how thoroughly they would assess you.

The best advice I can think of is to find out from your GP or the CMHT itself what the CMHT can do for you, and if you think you want more ask about being referred to a specialist instead. Maybe once you've seen the CMHT the PCT will reconsider paying for you to see them. On the plus side, I imagine that the waiting list for the CMHT would be shorter than for the specialists, so you may end up being treated sooner if you stick with them. I would try to find all this out.

would u ask all this prior to the appointment or wait till i go in feb. would u recomend i take anything with me

No harm in finding out what you can now. If they wanted you to take anything, like school reports as some do, they would let you know before the appointment, probably in the letter that tells you when it is, but you could always check with them over the phone to see if there's anything else that might be helpful. When I recently tried to convince my GP to prescribe me something in the meantime, I brought as evidence a letter the counselling psychologist she'd referred me to had typed out explaining to my university why she thought I had ADHD. Didn't work because of the rules but there's an example.

I was lucky enough to get diagnosed!
My GP referred me to Adenbrookes hospital. If you can actually get through to a specialist then you should be fine...but you've got to convince your GP.
My dad is a GP and he's friends with my GP so they had a talk and that made things easier! My dad told me that the 'mental health team' don't really know anything about ADHD and they'll try to tell you you've got something else 'wrong' with you, like bi-polar etc. I don't mean to scare you with this but that's what he said.

Show your GP this page:
http://www.aadd.org.uk/diagnosed
From this, my GP was able to refer me to Addenbrookes. Don't worry if you're out the cambridge area; I am too and I still managed to get referred there!

Show your GP this page:
http://www.aadd.org.uk/diagnosed
From this, my GP was able to refer me to Addenbrookes. Don't worry if you're out the cambridge area; I am too and I still managed to get referred there!

Please note the above URL has changed to http://www.aadd.org.uk/Symptoms&Diagnosis/symptoms.html

Thanks

PB

Just reading these posts makes me feel lucky. Visited my GP in March, asked for help, he referred me to the Surrey Adult Mental Health team. They turned me down said they couldn't offer any support. Cryed to GP, he asked what do you what I said a referral to the Maudsley clinic. He rang me back PCThave agreed waiting to hear from clinic. Seen last November by an educational psychologist (private) who diagnosed attention difficulties as well as dyslexia and dyspraxia, GP has a copy of report think it may of helped.

It's fascinating for me to read about how ADHD is diagnosed in other countries.

As someone with ADHD-Combined type in the US,I'm always interested in how clinicans

& physicians go about it elsewhere.

Good luck to all of you.

tc

mctavish23

(Robert)

When I went to my GP she just said "Ok so you're looking to be referred for an ADHD assessment." and just contacted the local mental health centre!
I missed two appointments already :o
The thing is, when I missed the first appointment and phoned to re-book it, from the what the receptionist was saying the guy I was supposed to see would have been the most ideal, and he's on holiday so I'm seeing someone else. I can't remember what she said, might have been something like "I can get you an appointment with someone else if you like." I took that to mean that I could see someone else but the best option would be to see the man I was meant to see. But I might be wrong, and hopefully the lady I'm seeing this Friday will know what she is doing!
I suppose my GP probably wouldn't know too much about how it all works, so what might happen on Friday might not be an assessment straight away, I did think that would be a bit lucky! Maybe I see them, tell them everything, they discuss it and then if they feel it's likely to be ADHD book me another appointment.
The only positive thing I do know is that it should be easier than when my Asperger's got DX'd, which took 9 months! Well that's what the psych then told me anyway!

i decided to go private after waiting 6 months to be reffered to NHS places and not getting anywhere!!

i went to the priory hospital in altrincham and seen Dr Soni, who was great :D

private does cost quite a bit but if u can afford it it is definatly worth the money.

goodluck in finding your diagnosis :)

I must have been really lucky, well, that & the way I hyper focus & am "In your face" if I want something.

The day it was suggested I might have ADHD 3 months ago, I called my PCT & asked what provision they had for AADHD. They told me they had an arrangement with the Priory in Altrincham.

Rang the Priory & explained. They said next available appt was the following Thursday, but I'd need a GP referral. I asked them to hold it, called the PCT & GP, had the paperwork in days & made the appointment.

Been on Concerta 2 1/2 weeks.

It upsets me to see the struggle some others have had.


Alanna, I see Dr Tint. You should be able to see him on NHS! There's also an NHS pilot at St. Catherines, Birkenhead. They are taking patients in Liverpool now!!

Know that private _Neuropsychology assessment_ by a Psychologist is out there. The testing (memory games, listening tests, tests of organization/executive function) can help those having a time getting diagnosed by doctors.

If I had little means, I guess I'd try a financial strategy like save a few tax refunds up and pay for the cheapest assessment I could find. (Mine was $1200 and paid for by my University as a part time mature student! Registering at Disability Services got me into free testing.)

FWIW, Inattentives (no impulsivity/hyperactivity) seem to have the hardest time getting diagnosed.

~Emma

I seem to be quite lucky too!

After being referred from my GP I had an appointment within a few weeks, which I had today! The psych was a really nice lady!
Because it was my fist time there they had to ask stuff about my medical history and then she got onto the ADHD side of things. I couldn't remember a lot of what I was going to say cos I was so nervous, but I wrote quite a bit down, and at the end she initially said she wasn't sure if the symptoms were strong enough etc. Then she asked to look at what I'd written down and said it was much more detailed and informative, so made a copy of it. After reading it she said it seemed more likely to be ADHD, woop! So that's all that happened today so it was an initial assessment I guess. She said she's send me some questionnaires, I'd send them back and then get another appointment, which is when I'd get DX'd I guess.
Then a couple of hours ago when I was back home, I got a phone call from her saying she had spoken to the other consultants, and they think it probably is ADHD! :D Such a huge relief to hear that! Still need to do the questionnaires and go back, and once it's confirmed they will look at treatment :)

Hopefully it will get sorted before I go on holiday to Portugal *fingers crossed* I have 5 weeks! :eek:

I was feeling lucky but now feeling very frustrated. After alot of phone calls to GP's and ADHD clinic, I now know they have my referral. The first problem was that my GP mucked up the referral process and thoght the PCT did it direct, so left it a few days before ringing ADHD clinic to see if they had my referral,then rand GP back who then faxed them direct, that was a week ago. Rang ADHD clinic yesterday referral yes, on computer no sytem crash, know if PCT funding agreed no due to crash. They have now said wait 3 weeks and if you haven't recieved questionairs ring us back. :confused:
Happy GP wants to help but do wonder if I hadn't been hypo focused about referral how far it would of gone.

I know what you mean :( it's almost like if we didn't chase them up, they wouldn't bother!

I had a lot of hassle getting my Asperger's diagnosed with CAMHS, we had to keep chasing them up.

And the hassle I've had with benefits and the DWP...grr! They always get something wrong!

On a positive note, I received my questionnaire - well, screening test - today :D Should have had it sooner but they had to wait to receive them from another department...:rolleyes:

Also, I would have had an appointment tomorrow at 3pm, except I'll be at the airport then with an hour until we board a plane to Portugal :p so obviously had to re-book it, and a few days after phoning to tell them I couldn't make tomorrow, I received a letter with a new appointment for 9th July :)
I've actually been very impressed with the place that are dealing with me (Shaws Corner in Reigate, Surrey). The fact they reply quickly when re-booking appointments, unlike CAMHS who took months!

Also, the screening test I received...well I don't know if I should be saying this, but it actually available online! :eek:

http://www.addcoach4u.com/documents/adultadhdscreenertest1.pdf

My test just consists of page 2, pages 1 and 3 are obviously for the psychiatrist or whoever.
What is interesting is that the one online has some boxes shaded (like the Sometimes, Often and Very Often options), and it states that the more answers that are in shaded boxes, the more likely the ADHD basically.
However, the test I received doesn't have any shaded boxes! Well some of the Sometimes ones are, slightly, so whether it's from photocopying or something I don't know lol.
But I'm not worried, it was just an observation :)

In fact I'm sure I read a post on here (not this thread I don't think) that was from someone in the UK, they filled out a screening test and then the psych put the results into a chart on their computer, and the chart had shaded boxes or something.

Well anyway, I'm glad that I've seen that online one before (found it about a month ago!), because it's given me more time to think about my answers - I did wonder if the test would be the same or similar!

I'm sooo excited that I have it to fill in :D

And then once it's sent to them and I have my next appointment, from what I understand, I will be diagnosed by then (like at the next appt.) and they will sort treatment out. It has been quite an easy process!
Maybe everyone should move to where I live and go to the place I go to :o Then we will all be diagnosed easily!

But seriously, good luck to everyone else who is in the process of getting DX'd. *fingers crossed* :)

What PCT are you under?? I'm only a couple of miles from the Priory in Trafford, and I have to pay full whack!It would be a major help if I didn't have to pay!I must have been really lucky, well, that & the way I hyper focus & am "In your face" if I want something.

The day it was suggested I might have ADHD 3 months ago, I called my PCT & asked what provision they had for AADHD. They told me they had an arrangement with the Priory in Altrincham.

Rang the Priory & explained. They said next available appt was the following Thursday, but I'd need a GP referral. I asked them to hold it, called the PCT & GP, had the paperwork in days & made the appointment.

Been on Concerta 2 1/2 weeks.

It upsets me to see the struggle some others have had.


Alanna, I see Dr Tint. You should be able to see him on NHS! There's also an NHS pilot at St. Catherines, Birkenhead. They are taking patients in Liverpool now!!

What PCT are you under?? I'm only a couple of miles from the Priory in Trafford, and I have to pay full whack!It would be a major help if I didn't have to pay!


Hi Gordy

St. Helens & Halton.

It's worth mentioning that, thanks to this forum & a thread on "conditions that share the Symptoms of ADHD", I'm no longer sure I even have ADHD.

I went & had my Testosterone Level checked (& I'm a big bloke with all the "manly" traits) & found it to be very Low.

I started TRT treatment & within 10 days, I felt better than anytime since I was 20.

I stopped taking Concerta about 8 weeks ago & feel better for it.


Good Luck!