ADHD for 61 years

By Rolly Wednesday, March 26, 2008

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I'm 61, married for 40 years,father of 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren.

I was diagnosed with MS in 1973 but I'm lucky to still be able do sports like golf.

I've always been very anxious and in school I could never remember anything althought I would try very hard. I quit in grade 10 with a 36% in algebra.

After been in the Canadian armed forces I was able to make a career in Law enforcement.

After my MS diagnoses I've been struggling with depression and was diagnosed with bipolar and 3 years after cyclothymia. Since then, I've done about 10 therapies that and back in the slum again.From 83to 87 I was on lithium and in 88 they took it off to put me on klonopin at 2.5 mgs daily. In 2000 I decided to get off it and let me tell you that I went through hell and back. I'm now off. 2 years ago I decided to check the net and it came clearer to me that it was ADHD related.

After seing a Psy doc last year I was diagnosed with cyclothymia, ADHD, chronic tics and some OCD. I've realized that my mother had it also.

I tried ritalin and felt marvelous but my tics got much worse so I got off it.

I was on effexor 150mgs but down to 112.5 and getting off due to the BPII.

Also on Epival for moods...

I just cant organize myself.

very very impulsive in my words, my actions so I always watch what I will say and wonder if I said something wrong as in the past I've put my foot in my mouth a few times.

Could never an article in the newspaper till I tried ritalin.

Just cant sit down quiet for a period of time unless I'm watching TV and even then I will get up a few times to do something.

For example; I will decide to clean my computer.. I can spend a few hours obsessing on it and cleaning to the smallest detail.

I could go on and on.

Thanks,, It feels good to share

Comments (12) | Add comment

grandma lise

3/27/08 12:37am

Welcome Rolly,

You've got quite a history there. My understanding is that Effexor is used to treat depression, anxiety, and/or panic, and that Epival - (known as Depakote in the U.S.) - is used to treat siezures, mania, and/or migraines.

I rarely encourage people to have a SPECT study because they're so expensive, but they can be useful in determining what's going on in complicated cases like yours. (For more information, read Chapter 3 in Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows YOu to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD by Daniel Amen, M.D.)

Dr. Amen has interpreted more than 10,000 SPECT studies and has lectured and written extensively about his findings since the early 90's.

In 1990, Alan Zametkin, M.D. published his findings using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) to measure glucose metabolism, blood flow, and activity in the different regions of the brain. What he found was that when ADD adults concentrate, there is decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. In normal adults, this activity typically does not decrease. This study changed my life. I read that article over and over again. It proved to me once and for all that ADD is real. I still have the original article carefully torn from my personal copy of the New England Medical Journal.

Shortly after this article was published, Dr. Amen was introduced to Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) at a lecture given by Jack Paldi, M.D., a nuclear medicine physician. SPECT evaluates blood flow and activity patterns and uses less radiation than PET. At that lecture, Dr. Paldi showed SPECT images of patients with depression, dementia, schizophrenia, and brain injury before and after treatment.

Dr. Amen was intrigued. He began ordering SPECT studies for his patients. When patients were able to see images of their brains at rest then while doing a task, they were also able to see how their brain functioned differently as compared to "normal" brains and as a result were more accepting of their diagnosis and treatment.

I cannot begin to imagine what it has been like for you and your family to go from one diagnosis to another year after year. How frustrating.

I hope you'll continue to share your experiences here. Let us know if you have any questions.

Grandma Lise

sarah

3/27/08 9:48am

Dear Rolly: I hear much frustration in your voice. Don't dispare. You have much to be positive and thankful for. Long marriage, children, grand kids and you can still get out and golf! All positive cup half full stuff!

Now. with managing the add/ocd and Depression have you tried yoga or ti chi? These activities can slow down the negative thoughts and lesson anxiety. Also try to get a massage once a week. Sometimes massage schools need practice bodies at no cost to you.

Try to adjust your diet to exclude any procesed foods and try more whole / organic foods. if your drink cut way back on the ammount and don't forget to drink plenty of fresh water and get 20 mins of sunshine daily. If you somke QUIT TODAY!

Keep a journal and purge your negative thoughts onto paper, sometimes just getting them out of your head helps. This also works for feeling overwhelmed with daily tasks. Keep a running "TO DO" list and cross off one (or more) item daily.

Take long walks in nature (if ms allows) focus on the beauty around you. Hug your grand kids. Everything else can go on the back burner. Take care of your self first! Big Smile

Rolly

3/27/08 1:34pm

I'm going through a series of bloods test with Dr. Robert Kidd(RFKidd.com) who suspect that a gluten allery could very well worsen my condition.

Also you were mentionning dieting. What is to watch in our condition?

Thanks sooo much

Rolly

grandma lise

3/27/08 5:16pm

Hey Rolly,

It's Grandma Lise again. I so appreciate the many suggestions that you've received so far. I took a look at the website you mentioned. I wholeheartedly support you in pursuing a more holistic treatment. This doctor looks like a good place for you to start.

I hope you'll keep us informed as you begin to improve your health with diet and other sources of help. If you have a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, you will feel a lot better once you've eliminated gluten from your diet.

Treatment is highly individual. We all have to try different things until we find what works best for us. I hope you'll keep us posted so we can learn along with you.

Grandma Lise

Rolly

3/27/08 5:27pm

Hi,

One thing I forgot!

As you know dealing with the mind chatering is very hard in our situation. For the past 4 years I've been reading Eckard Tolle's books and it has been a great help. I started with the POWER OF NOW and since then I bought all of them.

It a good investment

grandma lise

3/27/08 8:03pm

Hey Rolly,

I headed over to Amazon and read some of the reviews. This book is quite popular. It had 800 reviews. Online classes through Oprah were mentioned. All I can say is wow.

I'm having a hard time relating to it. I don't know. Maybe I'm missing something. The book seems to be helping people.

I have two criteria for evaluating a book, okay three: does it stimulate my thinking? does it help me accomplish goals that are important to me? does it enhance my relationships with others?

It's wonderful that you've found something to quiet your mind. That's a lot right there. Did Tolle's writings help you in other ways too?

Grandma Lise

Rolly

3/27/08 9:26pm

If you need help, I'm available. I've been studying it for a few years way before Ophra and would not go without it.

grandma lise

3/27/08 11:36pm

Hey Rolly,

I think I'm too concrete in my thinking processes to "get" Tolle's writings. I went onto his website at http://eckharttolle.com and read an interview. His writing is beautiful but too abstract for me.

I found it interesting that Power of Now groups are meeting all over the world, but that the participants don't talk to one another. Instead they meditate in silence, listen to an audio recording of the author, then meditate in silence again before departing. I hope they at least get together for coffee afterward. But perhaps that would defeat the purpose. I don't know.

I noticed that there are groups meeting in seven cities in Ontario. Have you been able to connect with others who have been helped by his writings?

There are so many helpful treatments. Medication is but one. It wasn't until I started taking nutritional supplements that I began to feel closer to normal. I, like you, have many different diagnoses. I think the B-complex and calcium helped me most in the beginning. Later I found selenium and fish oil to be helpful too.

The nutritional supplements got me functioning well enough to begin improving my diet. I try to eat unprocessed, whole foods as much as possible. But I have my set backs. Tonight I couldn't resist purchasing a mini cinnabon. I'm walking 2 miles a day now. That helps too.

My favorite book is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I review the concepts of that book annually.

If you write a little bit more about how Tolle's writing is helping you, others may become interested.

Grandma Lise

Rolly

3/28/08 1:02am

I dont follow his teachings or meditate. What I find usefull in his book is learning how to observe the mind chattering and how to work around it. Sure the book is interesting and you will understand how people fonction with their big ego but its only interesting information for me.

By observing the mind chattering and how to shut it down somewhat,I found that it saves lots of energy and at the same time I'm more more carefull how it comes out.

Sure if you watch Ophra you will find people acting like sheeps and practicing all this stuff for awhile.

All you do is take what suits you .

OK! Tell me about the supplements and vit.

I'm not taking much so maybe it would help?

Thanks,

Rolly

grandma lise

3/28/08 11:29am

Hey Rolly,

I don't watch TV so I miss out on...not much!

The mind chattering thing used to be a huge problem for me. When my son was 3 years old, he could be standing in front of me and I wouldn't hear him well. One day, he grabbed the front of my shirt and yelled "MOM!" while simutaneously pulling down hard on my shirt. I also would have a hard time hearing what he said in the car after picking him up from the home daycare he attended. I describe this state as preoccupation. My hearing was fine.

After leaving support group meetings that I facilitated, on occassion, I would be so immersed in thought, I would drive through a red light. This would also happen if engaged in conversation in the car.

That was a long time ago.

I haven't had that problem for many, many years. Over time I learned how to manage my mind as you are today with Tolle's writings. I'm fine today.

The vitamins I take are a multi vitamin, B-complex, C, calcium (with D, K, and magnesium), E (with selenium and grapeseed extract), and fish oil. A really good, easy to read book that overviews the research on how diet and nutritional supplements help the brain is Your Miracle Brain by Jean Carper. I take a quality brand. That is important. For an annual fee you can research vitamins at consumerlabs.com. They verify and report on the content of nutritional supplements.

I'm so glad we had this conversation Rolly because I just realized that the problems I described above were occuring before I began taking a basic regimin of vitamins. Interesting.

Grandma Lise

grandma lise

3/28/08 12:56pm

Hey again Rolly,

On my way into work this morning I realized I had not stressed to you and anyone else reading this to not stop your medications when you start nutritional supplements. I took my nutritional supplements right along with my medication for many years with benefit. It also can take months before you'll begin to notice benefits.

I have many friends who benefit from taking medication. Some medications are necessary for them. Other medications can be stopped eventually, but may need to be reduced slowly. Always seek your doctor's support and guidance when making changes to your medication.

Also, when starting nutritional supplements, let your doctor know because fish oil, for an example, may decrease the amount of medication you need to take for bipolar disorder. You'll find lots more interesting information in the book I mentioned earlier, Your Miracle Cure.

I'm really happy for you Rolly that Tolle's writings have helped you. Over time, you may find other members here who would benefit too. I hope you'll continue sharing how it's helped you. It's so important to keep trying things until you find that "magic" combination that works for you. We're all so individual.

Grandma Lise

grandma lise

3/30/08 1:55pm

Hey Rolly,

I don't know if you're still around or not but it occurred to me yesterday that there may be some common ground between what you're studying and what I've studied and periodically continue to study. Are you familiar with the work of Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson? They wrote the book Personality Types: Using the Ennegram For Self-Discovery. They have since published for additional books.

Here's a brief excerpt from an interview with Riso that I found in their "articles and interview" section of the website - (the interviews are interesting; I think you might enjoy them):

"What does the Ennegram tell us about ourselves? Human beings are on automatic pilot much of the time, and as a result we do not see ourselves. We often don't see the aspects of our personalities that are self-destructive, that threaten our relationships, our happiness and even the welfare of the world. The Enneagram, as I've defined it, is a guide to self-observation. It is a way to map the spectrum of personality and illuminate those dark areas."

For more information go to http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/.

Grandma Lise

ADHD for 61 years

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