ADDer: newbie

[infinity101]

Hello everyone, nice to meet all of you! I look forward to some great discussions here.

I was diagnosed as a kindergartner back in 1986 with ADD Inattentive type (non-hyper). I was on Ritalin from that point till my sixth grade year. I stopped back then b/c I wanted to see if I could do well enough without it. I did "ok" for many years and made it all the way to graduate from high school.

Once in college my challenges were greatly increased and I struggled. During that time I tried with Concerta and Adderall and neither of them worked, attempts were made at varying dosages. That was a very disappointing time for me and I thought I might not see the light at the end of the tunnel ever again.

After graduating college the challenges in my life continued with many heart breaking experiences in different jobs. I felt very inadequate & not that adept to get anything accomplished. I struggled more than ever to stay organized and felt that my parents did not understand me (since I was living at home after college for four years). I found Effexor to help me with the depression that I was dealing with from so much failure (I learned that I also had a genetic predisposition to depression also).

So, recently with having talked with the doctor about how difficult things have been my doctor decided to have another "go" with the medicine and see if a newer one might work for me. Well, I'm at the very beginning of starting with this medicine and actually am getting a response with my brain, it's just a matter of whether I can get a correct dosage and whether or not I can be able to focus well with the medicine. So, will see. I am excited with the mere fact that my brain is finally responding to a medicine again... that alone makes me feel some hope after so many years.

On that note, I hope to find some encouraging individuals here and I'd imagine will find others with similar experiences when it comes to medication and life in general with ADD. Chat with many of you soon!