Posted by JahL on April 6, 2001, at 16:46:04
In reply to ADHD, inattentive type-your experiences, posted by MarkG on April 6, 2001, at 15:34:25
> > I have carried the diagnosis of dysthymia for years with very little treatment success. Typically, I do not suffer from major depression, but on occasion I do get quite depressed. Overall, I function fairly well (I'm in grad school) but have had continual, ongoing probs getting work done efficiently, organizing, paying attention in class, fully understanding what someone is telling me (although this varies). I spend so much time trying to just get by in school, I have very little time to do things I really enjoy. I've always had the feeling I have been achieving (academically and socially) below what I am capable of. Recently, after reading some info on the net and reviewing the DSM criteria, I have wondered about the ADHD inattentive diagnosis. I took the Brown ADD scale and scored over 70 ("highly probable ADD") with my girlfriend as a collateral source scoring me a 44 ("probable ADD"). The majority of the symptoms on the scale I have noticed at least since middle childhood. I'm supposed to meet with my p-doc to discuss the dx on Tuesday.> > What are other people's experiences who have been diagnosed ADHD, inattentive type? What treatments (I'm assuming stimulants) have been effective and how did they help you? Are stimulants only effective for a limited amount of time (due to tolerance)? Just wondering...
Hi Mark.
Your experience is not unlike my own. Tho I was successful academically (@ least up to a point; university found my condition out), I've always had problems concentrating & focusing. I seemed to work much slower than other kids even tho I was consistently 'top of the class'. Like you I found homework would take up all of my free time & so usually didn't bother.
A few months back I flew to the US (adult ADD isn't really recognised in the UK) & the pdoc had no hesitation in diagnosing ADD & prescribing a variety of different stims for me to trial. None of them were helpful but that isn't the point. Stims work very quickly w/o too many side-effects & so a 'multi-trial' is a brief & painless experience! You'll know one way or the other pretty quickly. My US pdoc says that the co-mormid depression often resolves simultaneously. So two for the price of one!
Are you taking an AD for the dysthymia & have you tried drugs other than ADs?
FWIW I'm now taking Lamotrigine & it's definitely yielding some cognitive benefits, which I hope higher doses will enhance (it's also touted as being helpful 4 depression).
Good luck with the appt.,
Jah.
poster:JahL
thread:58952
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010403/msgs/58960.html