[Birdbrain]

a little over a year ago (I am 43 years old) my family dr suggested I may have add/adhd and perhaps I should see a therapist. I was like "what?!, I'm not hyper whatsoever!". I was ignorant on the subject and am still learning. The more I read on the subject I thought wow, this is me! I followed his suggestion, talked with a therapist a few months before I saw a psychiatrist. My therapist suggested I had ADD and the psychiatrist diagnosed me with add (non-hyper activity type).

Psychiatrist gave me prescription for adderall 20mg x2 daily (told me to start at 10). Wow! Did this medication change my life!! Suddenly I was focused and CALM, had motivation that I never had before, actually completed things I had started. For once I felt proud of myself.

Fast forward...six months after being diagnosed my psychiatrist took a medical leave, and will not be returning to work. So I was suddenly seeing a new dr. First time I saw him he didn't really talk to me much about my condition, just said he wanted to see me again in six months (I had to go pick up my prescription every month).
Six months later (today) I had my appointment with him. He said he wanted to ask questions about my history, ok fine...he asked what my grades were in grade school, I don't remember too much about grade school except daydreaming. Asked about middle and high school..below average grades. Seemed to focus A LOT on whether I caused disruptions in school. No, not really. I was more withdrawn, off in my own little world. School bored me. (As most everything in my life has).
Anyway...the point of this discussion is that he said "I don't know why last dr prescribed this for you, I don't think you have add, I want you off this medication".

So he cut my prescription for the month in half and wants to see me again in a month. He said it's very unusual for someone to start this medication at my age.
Well, yeah!! I've never been diagnosed. He just seemed to focus on the fact that I've never been in "trouble". He didn't take into consideration that I've never been able to follow through with relationships, schooling...said my life seemed to be "thriving!!". I'm a server, I'm 43, that's not exactly "thriving" by most standards. (Even though I have felt proud of myself at my job for the first time ever since taking this medication)
So this post is all over the place, I know. But my point is this, I feel like I have started and actually finished so many jobs/projects in the last year. I feel accomplished, focused and calm as I said before.
Im upset that this person who doesn't know boo about me has decided to take away the one thing that has made me feel like a "normal" person.

I'm feeling kind of sad right now...I just don't want to go back to my unproductive, unmotivated, lost in the clouds self.

[kaliope]

hi birdbrain
the psychiatric world is so varied in their opinions. you really have to shop around. this guy obviously isn't the guy for you. it sounds like he is trying to diagnose you as oppositional defiant. find a new doc. what I do is call the office and ask if the doc is willing to leave you on the med that is working well for you. the secretary will usually know if the doc likes to mess with meds or not. you can even call your primary care doc and see if he is willing to prescribe for you. many of them feel competent to treat add. welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome

[WantToGrow]

Birdbrain, I am so sorry that this happened to you! I agree with kaliope! Dump this guy! Could you see your family doc again and ask for a new referral, explaining that the doc that left had really helped you and you need a new script? Maybe your family doc can obtain your records from the pdoc that left and prescribe.

I am so excited for you that the meds helped so much! I am in the process of diagnosing ADD and hope to god that I can have such a positive, life-changing result!

You'll get around this - it is obviously what you need, and I'm routing for you!

[Birdbrain]

Thanks so much for your help! "Oppositional defiant"...I will have to look that one up. I feel like he is judging me because of my age. I never pursued getting help for this. I just figured I was an unmotivated dreamer who never finished anything.

[WantToGrow]

It's interesting how many of us adult ADD folks came to the knowledge a good bit later in life. I'm 49 and just figuring it out. We knew I had depression all my life. When we were kids, it wasn't even acknowledged as an actual affliction, let alone in girls.

I got few memories of my childhood, but one I do have is when I was Mrs. Pokock's 4th grade class. She was rather a hippee type, wearing flowing skirts and beads. There was a boy named Grant who I vaguely recall being pretty hyper and disruptive. There was a couch in the room, and I remember coming in one day to find Mrs. Pokcock lying on the couch with her body wrapped around Grant in a vice hold, I guess trying to calm him LOL! Can you imagine that nowadays?!!!

[Birdbrain]

Yes, it is interesting! It's so good to put a name to why I've always felt so different from others.

Wow, oh yes, that teacher would be in a world of trouble today. Things were so different back then. I went to a catholic school and they had a paddle hanging in the principal's office, you definitely wouldn't see that today. I remember that because I was sent to her office because a fellow student had given our teacher a huge Apple and during our lunch hour I decided it was a good idea to leave my bite marks in it. Geesh...maybe I was disruptive. I've always felt so horrible for doing that.