Looking for Mommas with ADD/ADHD... - Page 5

[Maggirayne]

Oh man, I didn't try reading in class, well, what I described wasn't! I was down the hall in my bedroom. But I did once, later when I was in a private school, ad got caught. Haha! But in English class, I did read a different story in the same book, some of the other students were skow readers outloud, so I'd get bored and read somethng else, flipping back and forth.

Okay, here's a weird one for finding lost things. Last year a couple gave me a Walmart giftcard for DD, who will be 14 mos next week. I' not sure how, but it disappeared. DH and I were talking about it the night before last. Just now, I picked up a tube of chapstick out of a box (that the Arm's Reach came in about 6 weeks ago, and I've been putting toys in). and next to the chapstick is a giftcard envelope, lo and behold, it's the missing giftcard, which could have fallen off the endtable along with the chapstick. But the kicker is, I lost the giftcard at my IL's. The box was under a purse I used to use, and have been kept some sewing stuff in, and I could have stuck the card in there and it fallen out this week, but how weird is that?

Okay, to answer your question about tips, I'm terrible about writing a grocery list. I shop off the ads and usually 'have to get' 3-5 things, so I initialize, I need milk, bread and cheese, so say MBC and look at three fingers, so I remember I needed 3 things besides the two extra things I picked up.

I also talk aloud to myself, now to DD while shopping.

And my DD loves to stick her feet in the potty. Why?!!!!

[heidirk]

that's too weird!

[Maggirayne]

Heidi, I missed your PM, my inbox gets cluttered too.

[heidirk]

TeeHee, just like everything else! Don't I know it!


What's funny is, I did get the bathroom and the Living room clean, and parts of other rooms, and FIL did come and replace our sink! YAY!!!!!! It's beautiful. . .sigh

Now, the house has once again descended into Chaos and MY parents are comeing to spend the weekend on Thursday night!

What I really need is a warm human to come over to my house and just say, "Start here!" and I'd be fine. I've been cleaning parts of the house for two weeks, with the end result that none of it is truly clean.

I think there's actually less clutter here than there seems to be, but I haven't been able to make a start.

[heidirk]

I am in the middle of a really fun creative time right now, and I don't feel so tired. I'm not sure what's changed, but THIS is when I really love my brain. When I'm this way, I can pull any two things out of the cupboard/fridge andmake a fantasctic meal out of it. For instance I made a 'Heidi' original potato chowder last night and it was delicious! :


I also have all these great ideas, like how to rearrange my one room so I actually have space for a desk, and how to rearrange the nursery-which is months away. I am planning to make a few things for the BB, like sweaters andthings, and I have the yarn. And if I wanted to I could sit down and digest a few of those theology texts my Brother lent me months ago.


I really feel much better than I have in ages, so I'm off to take advantage of some of this creative energy.

[angela40]

can i join in?

i was diagnosed by a pill pusher 2 yrs ago at age 38. at the time i hate to say but i just really wanted the meds so i could stay awake. i was falling asleep driving my kids around and working full time and taking call at night at the time. i was put on adderall xr but over time it started giving me a crash and burn feeling. i never believed i was add either and didn't really bother researching what adult add was.
fast forward to now i have been off meds and at home with the kids for 1 yr and am horrible at keeping house etc it is no better than when i was working. i am seeing a child psych about my kids and mentioned the add thing and she told me it was very common to be able to compensate until you add too many things (like kids etc) to the mix and then it really shows and you are diagnosed as an adult. this shocked me (as i was in denial) and i went and got women and add (a book) and it was like reading about myself. now i so wish i had learned about it while on the meds and gotten a good therapist familiar with it.i can't take any meds right now (pg) but as soon as i am not pg /bfeeding i am going right back on them and in the meantime i plan to find a good therapist who can help w other suggestions besides just the meds.
sorry so long!

[heidirk]

Welcome Angela40! The more the merrier!

A lot of people get diagnosed the same time as their kids do, especially women, because for a long time the thought was that girls don't GET ADD!! I remember when I got diagnosed, my dad saying, 'well, I read that test, and I must have it too!'

Can you give us the author's name for that book? I had one with a similar title years ago, and lost it.

Another good one is 'You mean I'm not lazy,crazy or stupid?' I don't remember the author for that one, either.


Remember, NO SHAME, girl! This is the brain you have, and there can be enormous advantages to it, and tremendous gifts. I like how your psych put it about compensations working until you add one too many things. That's been my experience as well.

[heidirk]

Hi girls, how's everyone doing?

[missbuns]

this is an interesting thread.

i was diagnosed at 15 and put on everything under the sun until i stopped cold turkey at 29. i've taken everything from dexedrine to effexor to klonopin to zyprexa.

right now i am really struggling with the brain fog thing. i actually feel pretty crazy. when i clean i do the same thing someone previously posted about--i walk back and forth needlessly for hours. today i was watching myself do it but didn't know how to stop. for example in the kitchen i will notice smudges around the cupboard door handles and clean them off. then i will notice a shelf is gross so i clean that one shelf. then i see a piece of trash and take it to recycle. now in the mean time there are smudges all over the outside of the shelves, all dirty shelves inside and 10 things that need to be recycled. instead of doing complete jobs of each chore i just do one thing at a time over and over again. and two hours later the kitchen still doesn't look clean.

it makes me feel like i have brain damage.

like someone else mentioned i am really getting suspicious of all my mercury fillings.

i'm also having friend issues. i KNOW i seem insensitive, bored and uninterested but i just don't know what to say 75% of the time. i'll be in a group and someone makes a joke and everyone laughs and i'll either start laughing before everyone else (i do this ALL the time in movies or even with sitcom laughter..it's like i "get" the joke before it happens) or else i will not laugh at all or do some fake laugh.

and i for sure live in my head most of the time!

sigh...i could go on for hours.

[heidirk]

Originally Posted by missbuns

this is an interesting thread.

i was diagnosed at 15 and put on everything under the sun until i stopped cold turkey at 29. i've taken everything from dexedrine to effexor to klonopin to zyprexa.

right now i am really struggling with the brain fog thing. i actually feel pretty crazy. when i clean i do the same thing someone previously posted about--i walk back and forth needlessly for hours. today i was watching myself do it but didn't know how to stop. for example in the kitchen i will notice smudges around the cupboard door handles and clean them off. then i will notice a shelf is gross so i clean that one shelf. then i see a piece of trash and take it to recycle. now in the mean time there are smudges all over the outside of the shelves, all dirty shelves inside and 10 things that need to be recycled. instead of doing complete jobs of each chore i just do one thing at a time over and over again. and two hours later the kitchen still doesn't look clean.

it makes me feel like i have brain damage.

like someone else mentioned i am really getting suspicious of all my mercury fillings.

i'm also having friend issues. i KNOW i seem insensitive, bored and uninterested but i just don't know what to say 75% of the time. i'll be in a group and someone makes a joke and everyone laughs and i'll either start laughing before everyone else (i do this ALL the time in movies or even with sitcom laughter..it's like i "get" the joke before it happens) or else i will not laugh at all or do some fake laugh.

and i for sure live in my head most of the time!

sigh...i could go on for hours.

I had to smile as I read your post, especially about the cleaning part, and the laughing first at jokes part.

First of all Welcome and s to you. IMO you do NOT have brain damage, but it feels that way sometimes.

I've been cleaning Heidi style for the last three weeks, and I noticed two things- 1. I am very tired. and 2. my house actually looks better! I was very surprised! A friend came over and I realized that I didn't have to move piles off the couch so she could sit down! And later, someone else stopped by, and said, 'wow, Heidi, your house looks really clean!'

SO I've decided that if I do that-wander around the house for an hour in the morning attacking the most immediate messes, I might actually be OK! Think of that-I'll be thirty next month, and I've finally figured out how to clean my room!

I'm sorry you're having friend issues, missbuns. At least you can vent your frustrations here, and we'll all know what you mean! : I think I speak for all of us when I say, I know how lonely it can get. Forging friendships takes a lot of energy for me, and it's energy I often do not have.


BTW, you probably DO get the joke before everyone else, that's the way our brains work, we skip connections most people have to make, and so sometimes we get there faster! Of course sometimes, we arrive at another place entirely, but that's another topic!
I once 'solved' and episode of CSI during the intro, and would have ruined it for everyone had it not been a rerun, and Me and DH were the only ones who'd never watched the show before. My cousin looked at me and said, 'How do you know that?'

It's one of those interesting 'skills' we have. . .

[heidirk]

Bump

[Maggirayne]

Hi and welcome Missbuns and Angela40!

Originally Posted by angela40

i am seeing a child psych about my kids and mentioned the add thing and she told me it was very common to be able to compensate until you add too many things (like kids etc) to the mix and then it really shows and you are diagnosed as an adult. this shocked me (as i was in denial) and i went and got women and add (a book) and it was like reading about myself. now i so wish i had learned about it while on the meds and gotten a good therapist familiar with it.i can't take any meds right now (pg) but as soon as i am not pg /bfeeding i am going right back on them and in the meantime i plan to find a good therapist who can help w other suggestions besides just the meds.

Eh, don't worry about being too long, that's what an intro is for! I know what you mean with the brain fog. When I get home, I'll check, I've got a book about diet and ADD. Driven to Distraction is a good book.

Originally Posted by missbuns

right now i am really struggling with the brain fog thing. i actually feel pretty crazy. when i clean i do the same thing someone previously posted about--i walk back and forth needlessly for hours. today i was watching myself do it but didn't know how to stop. for example in the kitchen i will notice smudges around the cupboard door handles and clean them off. then i will notice a shelf is gross so i clean that one shelf. then i see a piece of trash and take it to recycle. now in the mean time there are smudges all over the outside of the shelves, all dirty shelves inside and 10 things that need to be recycled. instead of doing complete jobs of each chore i just do one thing at a time over and over again. and two hours later the kitchen still doesn't look clean.

it makes me feel like i have brain damage.

i'm also having friend issues. i KNOW i seem insensitive, bored and uninterested but i just don't know what to say 75% of the time. i'll be in a group and someone makes a joke and everyone laughs and i'll either start laughing before everyone else (i do this ALL the time in movies or even with sitcom laughter..it's like i "get" the joke before it happens) or else i will not laugh at all or do some fake laugh.

and i for sure live in my head most of the time!

Yep, wandering around half-doing things, I do that all the time.

I was really fortunate. I knew I'd better have a deadline for cleaning before my parents came, so I invited a bookclub over for our first official meeting, which was a few days before they came. I had everything in order, not exactly cleaned, but got rid of just piles of clothes and sorted a bunch of stuff for a yardsale a friend was having. I had all rooms straight except the spare bedroom. Well, I was riding my (green) horse, and I'm very inexperienced, and fell off and broke my left arm. Thankfully I'm right-handed, and I had a friend who helped me get my spare room cleaned. But accck! I had to have surgery and a plate and screws put in. Pretty exciting.

[636Jen]

Has anyone ever looked at an ADHD brain scan? Pretty interesting.


http://www.amenclinics.com/ac/waysto...p?refWays=adhd

[MOJOSWIFE]

brain scans for adhd

I have done alot of research on this and had the opportunity to speak with a leading neuro scientist from university of pa. she told me that they only companies doing these scans at this time are private companies that are for profit and there is no medical back up available yet for reading these scans. she said they are perfect for the mom that is completely frustrated and at thier wits end but there is not scientific basis to the readings. they are very expensive. has anyone had one done. i would be curious to hear your opinion.
make it a great day!

[636Jen]

Daniel Amen's Credentials…

Dr. Daniel Amen is a Board Certified Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist

Helped pioneer the use of brain SPECT imaging in psychiatry

Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior
UC, Irvine, School of Medicine

Trained at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC

Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association

Award Winning Researcher, Writer and Teacher


I don't know what you mean by "no medical backup." Have you watched his DVDs? I have some if anyone wants to borrow them. They are FACINATING and really make you understand the world of ADHD. I showed them to my mom and dad when they doubted even the existance of ADHD. The kids' doctor is the one who recommended them to me. I don't think you're giving this research enough credit. It's not "just" for moms who are frustrated. I think that sheds a terrible light on the disorder itself. Look at the scans themselves...you can clearly see a difference in the way the brain behaves. You don't need to be a doctor to see that. Also, what's the difference on what kind of hospital does the research? Private hospitals for profit? This is a way inwhich they can DO research that doesn't have to be funded by the government. The profits GO TO research like this. Why would that be a problem? I don't understand your post at all.

[heidirk]

Maggirayne- How's your arm doing now?



THe brain scan thing is very interesting. IMHO most hospitals are at least partly for profit, due to insurance companies' massive involvement- but that'd be a whole 'nother thread.


Maybe it's a good thing that someone's actually looking for some empirical evidence for the case of ADD/ADHD. Since so many of our symptoms look like plain laziness/forgetfulness, I'd personally love to have a brain scan to staple to a doubter's forehead as proof!

[Maggirayne]

Originally Posted by heidirk

Maggirayne- How's your arm doing now?

THe brain scan thing is very interesting. IMHO most hospitals are at least partly for profit, due to insurance companies' massive involvement- but that'd be a whole 'nother thread.

I am doing pretty well, thank you for asking! I have a hard time getting comfortable at night. I'm glad I don't have a teeny baby that would need to bel held all the time. My mom and dad came for a planned visit and just left this morning, which the timing was providential. I could have rotator cuff damage, but I'm praying that if there is, God heals it--I do not want another surgery.

I found this book, Fidget to Focus that looked interesting, has anyone read it?

I have seen Amen's website several years ago. There are definitely differences in how the brain scans look.

Originally Posted by heidirk

Since so many of our symptoms look like plain laziness/forgetfulness, I'd personally love to have a brain scan to staple to a doubter's forehead as proof!

Hehe, ITA!

[heidirk]

I hope it heals too.

I don't even have to look at a book entitled 'Fidget to Focus' to know it'd be an interesting read for me! I never fail to amaze people with the sheer amount of doodling/styrofoam cup sculptures I can produce in one hour long lecture/sermon/meeting/whatever!!

I remember in 2nd grade I sat next to a little boy who would constantly ask me, 'jgoddababynyrnee?'. I had no idea what he meant until one day I asked him. he said, 'you bounce your knee all the time, do you have a baby on your knee?' I personally find it hard to believe that my symptoms were not obvious to all those around me, but no, I got to 12 th grade before anyone suspected!

[Maggirayne]

Originally Posted by heidirk

I hope it heals too.

I remember in 2nd grade I sat next to a little boy who would constantly ask me, 'jgoddababynyrnee?'. I had no idea what he meant until one day I asked him. he said, 'you bounce your knee all the time, do you have a baby on your knee?' I personally find it hard to believe that my symptoms were not obvious to all those around me, but no, I got to 12 th grade before anyone suspected!

That's funny, how he said it so you couldn't understand. I dunno it hit my funny bone anyway. How many times a day would he ask you? Yeah, I feel that adults don't see things a lot of times unless they want to see. My mom was really upset when I first suggested I had ADD.

I used to take a sketchbook to church just to draw in--I'd draw pictures of stories from the Bible or once the pastor's sermon. And then in college I would keep notes/journal during chapel, and whisper with my best friend, we both felt we got a lot more out of chapel sharing about it. We'd talk about what the speaker was talking about. I pretty much quit journaling when I got married, and then pretty much only on Sundays in church, but since having DD, well, I do good to get to church on time with the diaper bag and toy bag, nevermind bringing my journal. Sigh. I miss journaling.

[heidirk]

I miss all my creative outlets too. I feel like I use up all my creative energy just dealing wiht real life.

I used to draw, paint, and write poetry.


I'm with you on the getting anywhere (but especially church) with the diaper bag/drinks/etc. on time.!