Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Diagnosis- dedicated to "Merely Me"

By ADDbuster Thursday, July 30, 2009

I always had problems in school with regards to chronic fatigue, extreme lack of concentration and all this led to many failures but in the end I somehow finished school.

 

College was relatively easy as I could decide my schedule but I had problems too with early classes.

Work was a problem most of the time as my ADD was making a mess out of me whithout me having any idea why besides of not being smart enough. I did spend a few years in

 

corporate America but things were never right and I thought that was how the world was for me.  In my late 30s after having a kid and feeling the pressure more than ever to be

 

an achiever my system collapsed, still me having no idea why. I got fired from two good jobs in a row and got ridiculed in interviews for the first time. I ended up jobless,

 

gradually heading towards being pennyless, and started drinking to tame the horrible situation. My wife was after me saying I was not up to the task of suppoting a family

 

etc....  Things were worse than ever and I was very close to rock bottom.

 

Helpless and waisted, all kinds of bad ideas crossed my brain. Then once I had a few drinks I said to myself OK you are in shit and things are going downhill fast, but what if somebody else in this planet had my problems too. Could I be the only one on this planet going through this hell?

 

So I put down a few of my problems like loosing jobs with no apparent reason, lask of concentration, unexplained failures etc.... I was desparate and thought the internet could

 

maybe tell me something.   After hours of searching for a "counterpart" across the globe I landed on an ADHD site and saw a test that I took and O my, O my I was struck by a

 

lightning that left me immobile for a few minutes and dumbfounded for weeks. I diagnosed myself with ADD and I could not talk I was in so much shock and disbelief. I started to

 

look for solutions  and read about meds. I did not care waiting weeks until a Dr would see me and I got some Ritalin "unofficially" and medicated myself. I was beyond desperate,

 

and I almost cried (I never do).

 

Now I am the process of taking care of myself with a Dr and seminars and I think things will be better with new meds (Rit did not really work for me, bad side effects).

 

Conclusion: The worse it gets can many times drive you closer to the solution. It can be a painful, horrible drive but it seems that no pain no gain here no only in the gym.

 

 

I am still amazed by the whole experience and for sure it will be the most memorable and most important experience in my life by very far. I started getting the life that I did not know had gradually back.

 

I am amazed at the variety of independent, misunderstood experiences humans can have.

 

 

Keep the faith, we are the first generation ever to do through this as adults and I hope the best is yet to come for solutions to this grave, very sad problem.

Eileen Bailey, Health Guide
7/30/09 9:36pm

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. I am so glad that you are now under the care of a doctor, it is much safer to get treatment through a doctor, but I understand your not wanting to wait to find something to help you.

 

Welcome to our site. I am sure you will find a great deal of information here and hope you continue to share as well as respond to other people.

 

Eileen

Merely Me, Health Guide
7/31/09 8:53pm

Hi there

 

So glad you decided to write all this down and share with us.  Had you suspected that you had ADHD as a child at all?  What does your doctor say and what new meds will you try?

 

What was the biggest sign that you probably had ADHD?

 

You have been on quite a journey.  Jobs are always difficult when you have something going on...I have had to deal with having depression my whole life so I look back and wonder how I functioned through so many aspects of my life.  But you do...you end up getting back up despite the times you fall.  It is all you can do. 

 

You offer hope to others who are dealing with this...I love your attitude and I am eager to know more.  You will help a lot of people by sharing your story.

 

Thank you again...I am most honored that you chose to share your story with us.

8/ 1/09 4:43pm

Never knew what ADHD was until recently, never heard about it. My doctor is quite

 

amazing actually. He studies his patients thouroughly and then wants them to attend

 

lectures over several weeks and observe them and then...........say what kind of meds

 

should be given.

 

Biggest sign multiple irrational failures!!!

 

Anonymous
anon
8/31/09 5:19am

Thank you so much for writing about unexplainable failures at work!  I have been searching and searching for more information about this. (Why do I mess up on both simple and complicated tasks?  I did very well in school...I have a high IQ... I understand the work tasks...I might even have been interested in the tasks... How on earth could I have messed this up?)  I have not been diagnosed with ADHD, but I am suspicious that I have it.  If anyone knows about other sites with information or discussions about careers and ADHD, please let me know!

Also: is it necessary to have had symptoms all one's life to receive the diagnosis?  I think my only symptom in childhood was "spacey"-ness.  But every job since the age of 13 has been a failure (seriously).  How can this be, when school was such a success?  More symptoms have been becoming prominent as I enter perimenopause.  For instance, for the last two years I have been having trouble concentrating while reading books.  But this was never a problem before; I could read for hours and hours, completely immersed.  Any info or comments from others experiencing the same thing would be appreciated!   

8/31/09 1:53pm

You should have gone to the dr long time ago. There are a few other rare diseases that can cause that but ADD is the most likely but not necessarily.  This disease is a very sneaky thing, it's a professional bitch.... it hides, fools you as you think all is well when all is not at all. It can drag to vey bad places in life etc...............  you have to keep on looking 24/7 until you find your answer. Talking about it is the same a sleeping on it.  good luck

By ADDbuster— Last Modified: 09/30/10, First Published: 07/30/09