Anybody have ADHD or ADD?

[Sapphire Silk]

I wasn't diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, but told I needed further evaluation for bipolar disorder!

A lot of people with other disorders will have a co-diagnosis of borderline ADD or ADHD. In your case, if you really are bi-polar, it may indicate a manic stage.

As for medication, my opinion on it: It's been super-helpful for me. I'm on a mood stabilizer, a painkiller, and an SSRI, and I would be in a very, very bad place without them. But, everyone's brain is different, and as the thread on side effects pointed out, people react to medications in very, very different ways. (One person reported that after taking ibuprofen they heard voices telling them to kill themselves. Scary!)

Pay attention to the side effects, and figure out what you can live with and what you can live without. Adjustment may be necessary and should always be done in consultation with your pyschiatrist. Check with your pharmacist about medication interactions if you are every put on anything else; some meds will interact badly with SSRI's and cause something called serotonin syndrome (it's nasty, I've had it).

So while I am a medicine-advocate, I totally get not wanting to take them, and if you can manage your conditions without medication, power to you.

If you really do have bi polar, you NEED medication, probably for life. I don't know a single bi polar who can function off their meds. Not one. I can always tell when a good friend of mine is off hers.

He put it down to either a mixed state or borderline at the time.
Thankfully my mental health symptoms have recovered to the point where I no longer fit those criteria, although I may ask about getting reevaluated and sent to someone who actually HAS seen me before. The doctor I saw shortly after my more recent discharge from hospital pretty much stated social anxiety and dysthymia and told me that something like 50-75% of borderline patients don't meet the criteria within 10 years, with or without therapy.

No one should EVER be diagnosed as borderline personality disorder on ONE visit. You have to meet with the patient over a period of time to make that diagnosis. Most of the patients probably didn't meet criteria the first time. While it's a real disorder, it's real hard to treat, it is over diagnosed by lazy practitioners. The big clue: it doesn't respond to medication. If it responds to meds, it probably wasn't BPD.

As for the medication front, I found that my memory issues were WORSE on the medication and it was also causing some weight gain. Once I came OFF the meds, I found my memory was a lot sharper and I wasn't eating everything left, right and centre. My doc and I agreed to try and manage both cases with lifestyle changes and I was referred to a dietician.

A lot of pyschotropics do that. I took Depakote for migraine prophylaxis, and it really packed on the pounds. So did Wellbutrin, which I took for Depression for about a year after Dad died.

[Cooper]

Oh, I'm not going to turn down medication. As I said, it changed my life.

And yeah, BPD is very over-diagnosed.

[KiaKat]

I've noticed something.

In the last year, I've made a habit of running regularly. At least 2-3 times a week. As of right now, I'm handily running 5k, on hills, at a reasonable speed. And my mood has never been better - to the point that I've been offered an extra day at the store, due to my increased focus and ability to get things done. As a result, I'm now thinking that 80% of my problems were due to anxiety & depression, with the other 20% being the ADD. The running, especially the long runs, have managed to keep me mostly stable, and I notice serious problems if I haven't been out for a couple days.

I'm not advocating exercise over medication, but I am saying you should try forcing yourself to get out there for a little cardio, a few times a week. You may find that the medication is working more readily as a result.

[Sapphire Silk]

I've noticed something.

In the last year, I've made a habit of running regularly. At least 2-3 times a week. As of right now, I'm handily running 5k, on hills, at a reasonable speed. And my mood has never been better - to the point that I've been offered an extra day at the store, due to my increased focus and ability to get things done. As a result, I'm now thinking that 80% of my problems were due to anxiety & depression, with the other 20% being the ADD. The running, especially the long runs, have managed to keep me mostly stable, and I notice serious problems if I haven't been out for a couple days.

I'm not advocating exercise over medication, but I am saying you should try forcing yourself to get out there for a little cardio, a few times a week. You may find that the medication is working more readily as a result.

Your body is generating endorphins: the body's natural opiate.

Exercise is a proven adjunct therapy for a lot of conditions. Anything that has you up and active will help. That doesn't mean some folks don't need medication; they do need it. But the exercise helps.

I feel so much better when I'm working out regularly than when I'm not. The 2 months I was off my feet for my foot surgery about killed me; I was so glad to start back working out.

[Cooper]

Exercise is harder for me than most, as I have arthritis (at 19) and I dislocated my lungs at the same time I broke my leg in two places (which caused that arthritis). I did Ti Kwan Do regularly, until one day (about 2 years in) my face turned purple. I didn't realize it, but the instructor told me I needed to take a break (and they never do that. One of the requirements for getting a blackbelt is pushing yourself so hard you throw up during the test), and I never looked back.

As it may be clear by now, I'm not a healthy person.

[KiaKat]

Neither am I.

Knee injury at 17. My right leg is significantly weaker than my left, and much more prone to injury, muscle weakness, arthritis, etc., etc.

Shin splints in said leg.

I tore my labrum earlier this year. Still hasn't healed, likely never will without surgery (I'm not a candidate, since I'm not a pro athlete).

Asthmatic. Moderate, depending on season and current cleanliness of the house.

Anxiety/depression/OCD/etc. We've covered these.

Honestly, I don't really give a fuck. I wrap my leg, brace my knee, tape my shoulder, take my inhaler, and go out. I found exercise I love doing, and I enjoy myself. The bits of pain, discomfort, and occasional trips to the doc or emergency room for flare-ups? I count them as badges of honour, for doing something I love.

That's not to say it doesn't suck some mornings. There are a lot of times I want to say screw it all, and just sit home. But I don't, because I know, in the end, I'll feel better for it. I'm not healthy, but I am happy, and that's what matters.

[Cooper]

You win, KiaKat. You definitely have it worse than I do--though I wish I had a better handle on the pain in my jaw. Constant headaches are a bitch.

I know your point--I shouldn't let the arthritis keep me from exercise. I have a stationary bike in storage I can move. I liked it since I could read and exercise at the same time. Mind and body. XD

Plus, there's this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqEQ4SSdZAs

[KiaKat]

I'm not actually trying to win... Though I guess, the way it was worded, it looked very much like a "see how I'm worse than you" post.

My intention, rather, was to highlight that if you find something active that you enjoy, do it. Because in the end, it will help. And even if you don't enjoy it at first, it can develop into something you love.

I started running because I'm a skier, and I wasn't in good enough shape to handle some of the more difficult ledges. Those require some massive core muscles, including quads and glutes. And they require a lean body structure, due to the need to fit in some tight places. The best way for me to get that was to start running. Now, I can't imagine what I'd do if I didn't run.

[Sapphire Silk]

I'm in pain all of the time. It's a question of the kind of pain.

When I'm physically active, every muscle group in my body hurts. My knees are stiff and ache. My ankles are stiff and sore. But it's a good pain, the kind of pain that tells me I'm improving my fitness and health.

I don't have half as much back pain as I used to. My migraines are practically gone (though my blood pressure medicine also helps with that).

When I'm not active, my knees hurt in a different way and it's hard to climb stairs. I'm prone to violent migraines that last for days. My back hurts. My body hurts, but in a way that leaves me weak and depressed.

I can live with the good pain I get from physical activity. I can't live with the bad pain, not anymore.

[Cooper]

Sapphire, have you tried going gluten free for the migraines? My mother had migraines constantly until she went gluten free.

[Sapphire Silk]

Sapphire, have you tried going gluten free for the migraines? My mother had migraines constantly until she went gluten free.

I haven't. Since my headaches are almost always triggered by the weather, I never really thought about food causes so much, other than Oreo cookies (if I eat them I'll get a headache--sucks, I love them). I eat more bread and pasta than I should, but I'm not getting a lot of headaches right now; I get one or two a month at most, mostly in the summer when we have more rain.

[Cooper]

Yeah, oreo cookies are addictive, apparently. I can see it. I have a gluten-free substitute, and after I have one, I go "Well, that was okay I guess." and then I wait a few days before having another, unlike Oreos. You can't just have one Oreo.

[PastryGal]

Just putting this here for anyone to watch. I've been following this vlogger for a long time and he's recently decided to start taking medication for his ADD and in this video he talks about the experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIzP5mkifLg

[Cooper]

Got further eval on the bipolar. No bipolar. Anxiety was the cause of any mania-esque symptoms.

[Sapphire Silk]

Got further eval on the bipolar. No bipolar. Anxiety was the cause of any mania-esque symptoms.

Excellent news!