Finally getting a full assessment!

[sienasmama09]

Hi everyone,

Earlier this year, I was finally diagnosed with ADD (it was suspected before), but it was after only a 30-minute visit with a psychiatrist who I'd never seen before in my life. He had his rx pad out and was ready to hand me out a prescription for ritalin. I told him I wasn't interested because I was nursing my daughter who was around 4-5 months at the time. She's 11 months now and still nursing but I figure she'll be weaned in the next few months so I figured it's time to get started on confirming that it is ADD. At the time I got the original diagnosis, the place I went was really the only place in town with people who had any knowledge of adult ADD at all. Well, there were better places but not covered by my insurance.

Anyway one of those centers that didn't take my insurance now does, and they actually specialize in ADD/ADHD in children AND adults. They even have a system called Brain Train which is a computerized diagnosis tool that also has brain training programs on it.

My appt is in a week. I'm so excited! At 34 years old I might finally get an answer (one I can trust more than a dx after a 30 minute conversation). My husband is skeptical of ADD diagnosis in general so he really isn't convinced by the last psychiatrist I saw so maybe I'll finally have some evidence for him.

[ADDisme2010]

Why do you question the original diagnosis, other than the 30 min. assessment? A psych doc that is very familiar with ADD can easily make a determination in an interview setting...by watching how you react, taking a full history, etc.

[sienasmama09]

I question it because he only asked me a handful of questions and based on that was willing to hand me the Ritalin. And it was the same questions you see on those ADHD assessments you can do online. It just seemed like anyone jonesing for the stuff could have gotten it by giving the right answers. I'm pretty sure I do have ADD, I just question the psych's judgement in being so quick to diagnose me. Sgo before I decide to start taking a controlled substance, I thought I'd go through the full evaluation.

Not saying you "can't" trust a diagnosis after a 30-minute question and answer session, I'm just choosing to be extra cautious.