:) Last week I joined this forum after learning that what I had was probably Adult ADD-combined. I had ADD as a child and had most recently been diagnosed as bi-polar, but so much of what was going on in my life just didn't quite fit that diagnosis, and the treatment wasn't helping. I got the bi-polar diagnosis because I had an episode of Mania following withdrawel from Klonopin - a medicine that had been given me to relieve my anxiety over life, my constant worrying about things, and the episodes of "impending doom" that I was having. Problem is, it never really worked - neither did anti-depressants (some of them actually made things significantly worse). They even tried anti-psychotics, which made me gain a lot of weight and cause significant depression; they put me in bed for five years. Frustrated with my fate, I quit all the meds. Zyprexa, Klonopin, Trazadone, Promethazine, and a few others given me to fight the side effects of those medicines. It was incredible how good I soon felt - after the withdrawls that is.

My friends and relatives all told me that my recovery was miraculous. Soon my mind cleared enough to see things better. I began to search for a better answer to my distress. While searching for info on another topic I found a reference to Adult ADD. I took the screening tests I found on the internet. Everyone of them told me that I was probably ADD, but to seek medical advice. I tried not to get my hopes up - I had been let down before. I decided to return to the Psycologist I had been seeing before they started the Anti-Psychotics. But would he agree? Was he a supporter of Dr. Amen's work or a skeptic? I thought he had agreed with the bi-polar diagnosis. I scheduled the first available appointment, not really confident in myself or my tentative diagnosis. Today was the day. When I told him what I had learned, he said "I have always felt your problem was ADD, but you never told me you had had it as a child and you seemed sure that you had bi-polar." Then he brought out one of Dr. Amen's books. He showed me all the reasons he felt I was ADD. He gave me something called a CAARS test, he showed me the SPECT scans and told me about a Dr. nearby who specialized in treating ADD. He told me he thought medicine would help me - this from a Psychologist.

What had gone wrong ? Why did it take more than a decade to come to this conclusion? I had taken several psych tests - all of which showed probable bi-polar, but were inconclusive as to exact diagnosis. Why didn't they point to ADD? Is ADD not recognized as an adult disorder? Maybe the tests weren't designed to recognize ADD (they should be). I hope someone out there can tell me why. Until I find out, there will always be some doubt in the back of my mind.

Thank you all for being here. I could have lived the rest of my life without knowing if it weren't for info put on the Net by groups like this one!

Doc misdiagnosed me with depression and had me taking Prozac. But family didn't like the affects.

So I was last diagnosed as Bi-Polar when I was about 15/16 and only for a few short years did I take medications like Amitiptiline and Lithium.

But they made me feel like a zombi, I knew at the time I had learning problems which resulted in me dropping out of college.

I am now 32 and just the last 2 weeks have been finding information about ADD / ADHD and went back to my doctor (same one from before) to let him know what I think.

I just had my blood work done this morning for Bi-Polar & ADHD and won't know until Tuesday the results.

But it is nice to know there are others out here in my situation that feel the same way as having been misdiagnosed all these years!

I have not had much fluctuation in mood swings, just continual problems with memory, focusing, racing thoughts, and such.

My problem now, is that my doctor is not sufficent, he never refers me, or takes the time to talk to me, he jumps to conclusions and rashly prescribes me meds. And I don't have insurance, to keep playing games with him, but don't know of any other doctors to seek out in my area for help. The local mental health clinic costs too much.

So now I am feeling like my life is being held for ransom against me, I definitely understand you, about why they jump on one thing and not put more effort to get a full diagnosis!

Hello NightStar.
Your reply came so quickly that I am now convinced that there must be quite a few people out there in the same boat as us, misdiagnosed for years that is.

A blood test for bipolar and ADD ?!!!!

Tell us more. I didn't know that Dr.s could tell from a blood test whether or not a person has ADD.

I know what you mean about MH clinics. I HAD insurance and the clinic still tried to charge ME a fortune - more even than it was costing me to see a private provider. I didn't pay what they wanted tho.

Hang in there,
Jay Jay

I will let you know when I get the results back, I will be insisting on a copy for sure!

I didn't know any more then my doctor just sending me over to lab for the blood work this morning, I didn't know that this had not been possible before.

I still don't like my doctor - I asked for affordable meds, and he immediately perscribed Strattera - well I was unable to fill the persciption, $200 - so I will be fighting with him some more since one of the pharmacies here told me that the generic for Ritilan is just around $30 a month.

I am not aware of any blood diagnostic testing available today that tests for bipolar or ADD. Perhaps your doctor is trying to rule out something else...? Would be interesting to hear exactly what he's looking for from these tests, and what he finds.

Interesting, not sure what he is up to then, cause he wrote on the lab form specifically that he would be testing for ADHD / Bi-Polar also for tiredness and weight...

Lady took two tubes of blood when I went, maybe if I call the lab back up they can explain more for me on what they where doing.

Well...he might be looking for white blood cell count (to answer why you're tired) or many other things. You should find out.

There is no exact way to test either condition and Ive never heard of a blood test for either one . Actually, checklists like the Conners are considered the most accurate measure of "at risk" for possible ADHD. IQ testing has taken a backseat if you will in terms of the correlation between memory as measured on different IQ tests and actual ADHD.
The bottom line is that medicine/psychiatry and psychology are not exact sciences. Therefore, it pays to be an informed consumer.Good luck.:)

i believe there *is* actually a blood test that can show if you're bipolar.
if the lithium level in your blood is too high or too low, you may have to take a drug to normalize that.

Yea, I forgot years ago I was on Lithium and they kept taking blood test every few months to see what level I was at.

Working I a lab I can tell you there is no blood test for ADD. The Dr. is probably ruling out other posibilities for the symptoms.
Jim

Yea, tried getting info out of lab, but they won't budge, and I won't see doctor until Tuesday, they are just not returning my calls today. Guess I have to wait.

I am not sure about Illinois, but in most state you have to sign a form to have results released to you or in some states you have to receive permission from the Doc. So you probably will have to wait until Tuesday.
jim

As to the blood test i agree with those who say no test is available specifically to identify BP or ADD, but it is certainly a reasonable part of a doctor's protocol to screen for other conditions.

As to the test while on Lithium....my son takes a different mood stabilizer for BP and has regular tests to check the blood serum level of the drug....this is necessary to ensure that each patient is in the proper range to have reached the therapeutic level of the drug since each person metabolizes the substances differently. There are also regular blood tests to check for elevated liver enzymes, etc. to watch for known possible side effects of the anti-convulsant mood stabilizing drugs often used as first line treatment for bipolar disorder.

Note to myself: "Where and when did I learn all that?" he asks himself......

Anyway we are all blessed to have found this forum and have it available to share information. The world of ADD in adults is just so much uncharted territory for so many patients, healthcare providers, and family members.

Ed

Got my results to day, none of the blood work was for the ADD/Bi-Polar.

I am a bit at a loss though, cause the doctor is talking about me having gallbladder check out, something about fatty liver.

Anyway, good news, I have been switched to the cheaper medication Ritalin, he said nothing on my diagnosis, just perscribed the medication.

Thanks for telling us about the blood tests - i thought that was really interesting.

My final test results are in - i even took one where i had to sit at a computer and watch letters go by - it was frustrating, but all the results said 99.9% probability of severe ADHD.

I don't think my doctor knows how to test me, or it is just not his area, he just put me on the med, I really don't think of my self as Bi-Polar though, so hoping to make a real big big difference once I get started on the med. I looked on the internet, but just don't see any doctors in my area for ADD / Bi-Polar.

I actually talked to my psychologist rather than my Psychiatrist or family doctor first, they have a lot of resurces for appropriate testing - more than the P docs.
Now i go to my family doctor for the meds as the closest Psychiatrist for adult ADD id 60 miles away.