Symptoms?

Hi Ruth,

You are very welcome; I'm glad this alleviated your concerns somewhat. And if you can afford one, hire a housekeeper/maid. But just promise me you won't feel guilty doing so. Why not make accommodations for yourself so your life can be a bit easier?

(Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner).

Terry

Great idea!

And if you have unexpected guests:

Throw things in garbage bags and dump them in the basement or closet.

Grab laundry baskets and toss stuff in there by room, so that you can go back and put things back where they belong.

Just write yoursef a post-it, reminding you where you stashed everything. I know many women who have hidden things in their oven and dishwasher when time is short.

Terry

Stardust,

I know that the shame can be potent, but with time, it should get better. Remind yourself of your wonderful qualities; ADHD doesn't define who or what you are; it's a challenge you have in your life that you can work around. There will always be bumps on the road. Lord knows I have fallen millions of times. But we get up, brush off the dust and keep moving forward.

Terry

Be careful with hiding things in an oven.  If you are like me you'll forget you hid something there and not remember until you pre-heat the oven and you see smoke accompanied by an unfamiliar odor.  I've been there and done that.

Cheryll

Cheryll,

So true. My daughter caused a kitchen fire a few months ago because she forgot to take out a grease-laden pan before turning on the oven. Good thing we were home at the time.

Might be a good idea to get some of those magnets you see for dishwashers- the ones that say clean/dirty. I wonder if they have those for ovens: on/off. Hmmm...there's an idea!

Hey, welcome to ADHD Central!

Terry

If nothing else, we ADHDers are creative - look how quickly you thought of those magnets.

Cheryll

Hey, if you want to design some, I can sell them in my online store. Put your thinking cap on!

Terry

I can think of some sort of naughty ones; don't touch my knobs; not tonight; I enjoy being cold.

Besides being able to think out of the box, ADHD seems to keep us young at heart and ageless.  I think it allows us to continue to be amazed and excited about life, unfortunately many people we come into contact with on a daily basis have lost that thrill and find our enthusiasm annoying.  Their reactions then make us feel like there is something abnormal about us. With that said, I feel sorry for those who have lost their child inside.l

I love the way we get an email telling us there has been a response to our post, otherwise I would forget I made a post.  Also, it's wonderful hearing from other women with ADHA, have to say I felt like a freak for a long time as all I ever heard was it occurs mostly in boys.

Cheryll  

Cheryll 

Oh dear...that is rough, I know. How are you managing??

<I hope I get to the point of enthusiam one day. I've got Bipolar II dragging me down. >

Cheryll,

You know- you are so right. It seems that most people I know with ADHD just look younger than they are. But maybe it's that spark from within that makes it seem that way.

Love the magnet ideas! Hopefully people who are reading that post realize you're referring to oven magnets! LOL-

Terry

Hey Stardust,

After two attempts to reply, I'm giving up. Not sure what the problem is. My replies time out before they post...so frustrating. Thank you for your kind reply. I checked out the sheforums.com website tonight and it's terrific. Perhaps I'll bump into you there sometime.

Grandma Lise

Hey Stardust,

Am going to try writing this into a word document then copy and paste it into the comment window this time...

I'm so glad to hear that you are taking a multi, B-complex, calcium, and fish oil. Vitamin C does reduce the effectiveness of Adderall (and Dexedrine). That said, it's my understanding that you can still take it after your last dose of Adderall wears off. Check with your doctor.

500 mg vitamin C and 400 IU vitamin E have been found to protect the brain from Alzheimer's in recent studies.

Which form of vitamin E to take is subject to ongoing discussion.

Here's some information from Your Miracle Cure, a book that overviews how food and supplements benefit the brain: "...many experts favor "natural" vitamin E, noted on labels as d-alpha tocopherol."

There are more recommendations but I don't want to overwhelm you with information - my posts are long enough, I know, I know... What I take is similar, a vitamin E-complex of sorts: "d-alpha tocopherol concentrate and mixed tocopherols concentrate, selenium, and grapeseed extract".

Selenium is a mineral that was brought to my attention two years ago by a friend who has spent the last five years studying and treating herself and her two adult sons for "mental illnesses" with food and supplements. I added it to my regimen, and I think it helps.

She works as a school teacher in the public schools but has been forced to do this research because medication made members of her family worse rather than better. Please don't misunderstand, I have personally witnessed the benefits of medication for years. When they work, they restore and sometimes save lives. And for some conditions, medication is the ONLY effective option. It's just that some people get worse rather than better on medication or they don't completely recover with medication. Those people typically seek out alternative treatments in place of or in addition to their current treatment, and sometimes, they get better. My friend and her two sons are doing very well now. No more hospitalizations. All are working again.

Selenium, along with a multi, B-complex, additional nacinimide and B-6, E, calcium, zinc, and fish oil, is what we gave our 18 year old son when he had a psychotic break that lasted four to six weeks two years ago - (my brother has schizophrenia). This was a scary time for us. He took the vitamins and the fish oil. He slept a lot that summer, began working in the fall, and the following fall went away to college and is getting good grades. He continues to take a similar supplement regimen.

Selenium is a mood elevator. The book overviews four studies in which 100 - 200 mcg of selenium were administered over varying periods of time - (by the way, the typical American diet contains from 40 to 60 mcg of selenium per day, so many of us are deficient in this mineral).

Participants in the studies had no obvious signs of deficiency. In one study, participants reported feeling "more clear-headed, elated, agreeable, composed, confident, and energenic.". In another study, "their mood scores shot up more than 40 percent after five weeks on the selenium supplement.".

According to the author's research, experts "advise taking 200 mcg of selenium a day to protect your brain as well as discourage heart disease and cancer. But beware of high doses. Selenium is one of the few supplements that can be extremely toxic. Although toxicity may not kick in until you eat 2500 mcg a day, there is no reason to exceed 200 mcg of selenium daily in a supplement.".

Vitamin E is also problematic in high doses. According to the author's research, "Four to five hundred IUs of natural vitamin E is usually considered adequate for good antioxidant protection. Take no more than 1000 IU of vitamin E daily, except on a doctor's advice. The potential hazard: excessively thin blood, notably if you also take anticoagulants. Vitamin E has been reported to accentuate bleeding in a dose of 800 IU daily when taken with a blood thinner, such as Coumadin.".

When I took 1000 IU vitamin E daily, I had a very heavy menstral cycle, so I lowered my dosage to 400 IU daily.

When considering treatment options, seek information from a variety of resources. There is a lot of good (and bad) information on the internet. Try plugging in "bipolar and supplements" into a search engine and begin reading. See where it takes you.

You asked, "Where do I start?" I thought about this yesterday and after reading your posts here and on the other website, I realized you are doing exactly what you need to be doing at this moment. I think you're building an excellent foundation for yourself...the doctor, medications, therapist, nutritional supplements, eating well, the support communities you've connected with on the different forums, your determination and resolve...are all excellent.

The problem with ADD is that it makes it impossible to maintain consistent habits and routines. I've discovered that the best we can do is recommit ourselves to resume our self-care routines as soon as we realize we've stopped all or some of them.

I like what Terry said in an earlier post: "ADHD doesn't define who or what you are; it's a challenge you have in your life that you can work around. There will always be bumps on the road. Lord knows I have fallen millions of times. But we get up, brush off the dust and keep moving forward. "

In one of your posts, you mentioned that you have been living with depression for 25 years and that you are considering a career as a therapist. You have a wonderful nurturing quality. I hope, in time, when you are ready, you pursue your dream. I too once considered this as a career, but then realized there are many ways of helping people. And I'm doing it. You can too. In fact, you already are.

For those wishing to check out the forum that Stardust is on that is so helpful for those living with depression/bipolar, go to sheforums.com - (a forum for people who want support as they clean their messy homes utilizing methods described in the books Sink Reflections and Sidetracked Home Executives) - then click on "Official SHE's in Touch Discussion Board", then scroll to and click on the thread "House keeping for those with depression/bipolar". If after a time, you are unable to find that particular thread because it became inactive, there are many other threads there that are helpful too.

Grandma Lise

Hey Stardust,

Thank you for inspiring me to write about my experiences and the resources that have helped me personally.

I'm glad you're open to learning more about this. I personally did not begin getting better until I began taking vitamin supplements in addition to medication in the mid-90's. 

I absolultely envy those who enjoy good health without taking nutritional supplements. I wish I were one of them. 

As I get older, I'm finding that I'm having to do more and more to maintain my health and brain functioning. When I stop or become inconsistent in my self-care routines that include eating a healthy diet, my AD/HD and anxiety symptoms overwhelm me and I begin to spiral downward. If I allow that to continue I lose my ability to be creative, an early sign of depression for me.

I wish for you wellness Stardust. I'm inspired by your determination and resolve, and by your loving and nurturing spirit.

For those of you new to this thread, I was diagnosed with AD/HD, depression, and anxiety in 1990. Medication helped me, but medication and counseling alone was not enough.

In the mid-90's I added to the medications I was taking a basic nutritional supplement regimen that changed my life: a multi; B-complex; C; E (natural, not synthetic, with selenium and grapeseed extract); calcium (a blend of calcuim carbinate, citrate and citrate malate with D, K, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese); and fish oil. Monthly cost is about $40 a month last time I checked.

Sadly, nutritional supplement quality varies greatly from company to company. If you want to take quality supplements, the website, consumerlab.com, might be helpful. They "identifiy the best quality health and nutrition products through independent testing.". On the website, you'll find interesting articles. Additional services are available for an annual subscription fee.

If you want to figure out what foods and supplements will work best for you, the book, Your Miracle Brain, published in 2000, by Jean Carper, provides an excellent overview of the research. It is well organized and highly readable for AD/HD adults. If money is an issue, it's available in most libraries and used book stores.

Stardust, I joined the FlyLady program yesterday. My kitchen sink is looking good. The daily emails are helping me take "baby steps" as I prepare to get my house under control. I'm really excited and hope to write about my experiences here on a new thread in the near future.

Grandma Lise  

Hey Stardust,

Yes, I agree, recognizing the early signs of the downward spiral into depression is helpful. I'll put that on my list of topics to review - (I attend lectures and trainings regularly) - and will write about it in the coming months. I have a five month period each year in which I can participate on discussion forums - (February - June). 

Hope it's a close game and your favorite team wins...if not, hope the food's good!

Have begun Day 2 as a "Flybaby". Am reading all the emails and am doing the tasks outlined in "Beginner Baby Steps". 

I am so tired of having my life so together in some areas but not in others. I am determined to learn how to manage my home, finances, and diabetes. Of all the programs I've reviewed and participated in over the years, I have never come across a program this accessible and doable. And it's free. Thank you for referring me to www.flylady.com.

I'm thankful for ADHD Central too. I enjoy reading the posts here. 

Am off to finalize the design for my valentine cards. Will email you this weekend.

Grandma Lise

WTG, Grandma Lise, WTG !