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Is this misdiagnoses common?
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I think misdiagnosis for ADHD is common (and also for other conditions). ADHD and depression and anxiety often travel together. It can take some effort to tease them out. Sometimes the easiest approach is just to try different things and see what works rather than trying to get an exact diagnosis.
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Have any of you tried AD and found that they made you feel worse? Have you had any luck with the "alternative rememdies"?
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I tried an "alternative remedy" for depression first, i.e. psychotherapy. My first therapist helped a bit and my second therapist pretty much "cured" me, and rapidly too. Quite some time later I was prescribed Wellbutrin for ADHD symptoms, and I found that it also lifted my mood (Wellbutrin is most frequently prescribed for depression). So even though I didn't consider myself depressed anymore, the Wellbutrin helped me. It made me realize that my "normal" level of being is just typically somewhat "depressed" compared to many people. (I guess I had always known that.) Anyway the Wellbutrin helped with both mood and ADHD symptoms. I have since added a stimulant, Vyvanse, and gotten even more help with the ADHD symptoms and mood. On these two meds, I feel actually great sometimes! And I can definitely focus better, am less disorganized sometimes, can see tasks through to their conclusions sometimes, etc.
Wishmouse, what type of antidepressants have you been taking? If you have been taking an SSRI (e.g. Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, etc.), then it wouldn't help with ADHD symptoms, as you need something that affects the dopamine pathway for that, and those ADs work via serotonin. Wellbutrin acts on dopamine, so it might be a good thing to try if you have both depression and ADHD symptoms. Stimulants like Adderall, Concerta, etc. also act on dopamine, which will help not also with ADHD but with depression. It's a great "secret" that stimulants help with depression, and you will find very few practitioners who will prescribe them for that unless there is comorbid ADHD (because they are controlled substances and addictive, whereas ADs are not).
As for anxiety, I haven't had good luck treating it with medication. Buspar didn't help. The smallest dose of Xanax makes me fall asleep. So I rely on other strategies, such as controlled breathing, meditation, soothing mental imagery, etc.
Wishmouse, what are sensory integration issues, and how are they managed?
Best of luck to you with finding solutions.