Finding a therapist
I was just wondering who out there goes to therapy and what type of therapist do you see?? I started with a new therapist who is quite good, but I fear she doesn't get the ADHD thing. After mt last session, she ended it by saying, "remember to exercise, eat right and take care of yourself." Great advice for those who don't have trouble getting out of bed and out the door with three kids. Am I missing the point? I am newly diagnosed and am in the stage of trying to climb out of the chaos we live in.....it is getting better...as long as my meds are in check.
Do you do to an ADHD specialist? What do you work on? I never thought I had ADHD, even with two seperate diagnoses. When I came to this site, I saw myself in so many of your stories! I'd love to hear how you cope with your lives!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jen on -
Christine,
I've had the same experience with my therapist not seeming to "get the ADHD thing." I've been seeing this particular therapist off and on for almost 2 years, and in many ways she is excellent and has helped me, but ADHD is not really her main area of interest and there are many times that I wish i were working with someone different. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago at age 29 when I went back to school. Before I graduated, I worked with a wonderful university psychologist whose specialty was ADHD and psychopharmocology. He was excellent about following up with me on various things and he was very well informed on various ADHD medications. Unfortunately, once I graduated, I no longer had access to him or the school's counseling services. He actually referred me to the therapist I'm seeing now and to the medical doc who prescribed my meds (that is until about 2 weeks ago).
I won't go in to the long, drawn out story on the difficulty I've had since graduating about finding ANYONE who knows much about prescribing ADHD meds for adults, but I will tell you this. My husband I both have had thorough diagnoses for ADHD and both of us have had a ridiculously difficult time finding good treatment. I'm a little put out with my therapist right now because I don't feel like she's pushy enough w/ my medical doctor. In our sessions, she tells me that she believes without a doubt that my best results have been when I'm on stimulants (Adderall XR is what I've been on in the past), and she has faxed over documentation to my MD about my ADHD, and my dr STILL doesn't want to prescribe stimulants and insists on sending me home w/Strattera (not particularly helpful w/concentration). I really feel like my therapist could do more, but she's not very pushy. Anyway, I sort of digressed, but here is where my husband and I are now. After calling and asking specific questions to about 30 psychiatrists' offices, we finally found someone who said he had a good bit of experience treating adults w/ADHD. We went to him together (at his request) last Friday, and I really think he is going to help us. He seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about medications and agreed that stimulants are usually the best option to try first when treating ADHD. The majority of info on ADHD in adults says this also, but most docs in our area seem to have issues w/prescribing stimulants to adults.
A part of me would love to search for a new therapist the same way we found this psychiatrist - by calling and asking how much experience each one has in working w/adults w/ADHD, but I feel like I've been working w/my current therapist so long and she knows SO much about me, and honestly I don't feel like starting over completely. I'm also FED up with running back and forth to different doctors and not feeling like I'm receiving adequate treatment. I'm a stay-home mom to two small boys (a 2 yr old and a 10 month old) and I'm fairly new to the area where I'm living so I don't have lots of babysitting options. I think many of my issues stem from growing up w/ undiagnosed ADHD, and honestly, my therapist has been great at helping me resolve many things, but like I kind of gathered from what you wrote about your therapist, I feel like she tends to gloss over the ADHD thing and doesn't get how severely it impacts my day to day life, particularly w/ small children. I completely get what you're saying about trying to get out the door. It WEARS ME OUT!! Getting out of bed is a nightmare. My therapist really pushes the going out on regular dates w/ my husband and never seems to get how challenging it is for two ADHD people who totally lack the planning gene to plan a date, arrange for a sitter, get dressed etc etc etc. She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list.
OK, now that i've written a book, I'll attempt to answer your ?? in a more straightforward way. My therapist is not an ADHD specialist. She's actually a marriage and family counseling psychologist and specializes in women's issues, particularly eating disorders - something I've dealt with since high school. She has been the most helpful person I've ever seen for this issue. She's also helped me w/ marriage stufff. She was really helpful when i was pregnant and couldn't take medication. She's actually the one who recognized that my husband also had ADHD and recommended treatment for him. The new psychiatrist I'm seeing is not an ADHD specialist but does have a substantial bit of experience in treating ADHD in children and adults, so hopefully from this point on, i will see my therapist to work on emotional stuff and the psychiatrist for medication managemnet. I would love to get a coach because I hear that they are more action/behavior oriented, but insurance does not cover coaches, and w/ all my other stuff, I don't have extra cash at the moment to shell out for coaching. My husband and i both have had a lot of success educating ourselves on ADHD and the various ways it effects us differently. We've had to learn to plan and organize better, and I think both of us are doing better w/ this, but getting our meds right allows us to implement more successful behaviors. I am hoping that now that we have found this psychiatrist, our medication issues will resolve.
Sorry for the long post. Hope some of it helps - I sort of went off on a tangent. Good luck w/ everything.
Jen
.
-
Permalink Reply by Christine on -
Jen,
I can totally relate to the issues you described...getting out on a date. My husband is also ADHD. Isn't it funny how we find each other?? Most Docs in my area use stimulants as the first line of defense, fortunately. My prescriber, a nurse practitioner, doesn't have a lot of experience with ADHD but has some. She doesn't know how to combine antidepressants with stimulants and change things for the pm. She is very linear and I think that is due to inexperience.
It sounds like your college psychologist sounds fantastic. I wish I could find someone like that. What a gold mine!! I think that is essential in treating ADHD as the therapist can communicate medication effectiveness to your PDoc.
I think, as a parent, medication is essential in reducing chaos. You can see what is going on and deal with things more effectively. Without meds, my kids start to run wild.
I totally get the being WORN OUT day to day. Getting out of bed is tough knowing you're going to face chaos and frustration. I think these "ADHD effects" are what makes our lives so challenging. SAHM's have so many variables on a day to day basis, it gets impossible! I hope your new doc helps. What did you ask your potential Docs? Good luck to you, as well!
Jen said:Christine,
I've had the same experience with my therapist not seeming to "get the ADHD thing." I've been seeing this particular therapist off and on for almost 2 years, and in many ways she is excellent and has helped me, but ADHD is not really her main area of interest and there are many times that I wish i were working with someone different. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago at age 29 when I went back to school. Before I graduated, I worked with a wonderful university psychologist whose specialty was ADHD and psychopharmocology. He was excellent about following up with me on various things and he was very well informed on various ADHD medications. Unfortunately, once I graduated, I no longer had access to him or the school's counseling services. He actually referred me to the therapist I'm seeing now and to the medical doc who prescribed my meds (that is until about 2 weeks ago).
I won't go in to the long, drawn out story on the difficulty I've had since graduating about finding ANYONE who knows much about prescribing ADHD meds for adults, but I will tell you this. My husband I both have had thorough diagnoses for ADHD and both of us have had a ridiculously difficult time finding good treatment. I'm a little put out with my therapist right now because I don't feel like she's pushy enough w/ my medical doctor. In our sessions, she tells me that she believes without a doubt that my best results have been when I'm on stimulants (Adderall XR is what I've been on in the past), and she has faxed over documentation to my MD about my ADHD, and my dr STILL doesn't want to prescribe stimulants and insists on sending me home w/Strattera (not particularly helpful w/concentration). I really feel like my therapist could do more, but she's not very pushy. Anyway, I sort of digressed, but here is where my husband and I are now. After calling and asking specific questions to about 30 psychiatrists' offices, we finally found someone who said he had a good bit of experience treating adults w/ADHD. We went to him together (at his request) last Friday, and I really think he is going to help us. He seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about medications and agreed that stimulants are usually the best option to try first when treating ADHD. The majority of info on ADHD in adults says this also, but most docs in our area seem to have issues w/prescribing stimulants to adults.
A part of me would love to search for a new therapist the same way we found this psychiatrist - by calling and asking how much experience each one has in working w/adults w/ADHD, but I feel like I've been working w/my current therapist so long and she knows SO much about me, and honestly I don't feel like starting over completely. I'm also FED up with running back and forth to different doctors and not feeling like I'm receiving adequate treatment. I'm a stay-home mom to two small boys (a 2 yr old and a 10 month old) and I'm fairly new to the area where I'm living so I don't have lots of babysitting options. I think many of my issues stem from growing up w/ undiagnosed ADHD, and honestly, my therapist has been great at helping me resolve many things, but like I kind of gathered from what you wrote about your therapist, I feel like she tends to gloss over the ADHD thing and doesn't get how severely it impacts my day to day life, particularly w/ small children. I completely get what you're saying about trying to get out the door. It WEARS ME OUT!! Getting out of bed is a nightmare. My therapist really pushes the going out on regular dates w/ my husband and never seems to get how challenging it is for two ADHD people who totally lack the planning gene to plan a date, arrange for a sitter, get dressed etc etc etc. She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list.
OK, now that i've written a book, I'll attempt to answer your ?? in a more straightforward way. My therapist is not an ADHD specialist. She's actually a marriage and family counseling psychologist and specializes in women's issues, particularly eating disorders - something I've dealt with since high school. She has been the most helpful person I've ever seen for this issue. She's also helped me w/ marriage stufff. She was really helpful when i was pregnant and couldn't take medication. She's actually the one who recognized that my husband also had ADHD and recommended treatment for him. The new psychiatrist I'm seeing is not an ADHD specialist but does have a substantial bit of experience in treating ADHD in children and adults, so hopefully from this point on, i will see my therapist to work on emotional stuff and the psychiatrist for medication managemnet. I would love to get a coach because I hear that they are more action/behavior oriented, but insurance does not cover coaches, and w/ all my other stuff, I don't have extra cash at the moment to shell out for coaching. My husband and i both have had a lot of success educating ourselves on ADHD and the various ways it effects us differently. We've had to learn to plan and organize better, and I think both of us are doing better w/ this, but getting our meds right allows us to implement more successful behaviors. I am hoping that now that we have found this psychiatrist, our medication issues will resolve.
Sorry for the long post. Hope some of it helps - I sort of went off on a tangent. Good luck w/ everything.
Jen
.
-
Permalink Reply by Heather on -
Hi,
I just wanted to jump in and say I don't understand why it is so hard to find a good psychiatrists. Also, I have been in counseling for everything but my ADHD...I had been on the same medication for years and it seem to just stop workting after my 2nd daughter. I had moved to a new town and the local Dr. Changed my meds for me but, I feel like I am going crazy! I can not keep anything strait. I have been waiting to get insurance to go back to a new psychiatrists. So I can get my meds strait!
"She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list."
Can you tell me what your cooking issues are? I never have anything planned for dinner! Thank God for my husband he does most of the cooking... But, I have tried and tried to plan for meals and never works or I lose the list. lol
Also, just wondering how long does it take you to get out of the house in the A.M.???
Heather
Christine said:Jen,
I can totally relate to the issues you described...getting out on a date. My husband is also ADHD. Isn't it funny how we find each other?? Most Docs in my area use stimulants as the first line of defense, fortunately. My prescriber, a nurse practitioner, doesn't have a lot of experience with ADHD but has some. She doesn't know how to combine antidepressants with stimulants and change things for the pm. She is very linear and I think that is due to inexperience.
It sounds like your college psychologist sounds fantastic. I wish I could find someone like that. What a gold mine!! I think that is essential in treating ADHD as the therapist can communicate medication effectiveness to your PDoc.
I think, as a parent, medication is essential in reducing chaos. You can see what is going on and deal with things more effectively. Without meds, my kids start to run wild.
I totally get the being WORN OUT day to day. Getting out of bed is tough knowing you're going to face chaos and frustration. I think these "ADHD effects" are what makes our lives so challenging. SAHM's have so many variables on a day to day basis, it gets impossible! I hope your new doc helps. What did you ask your potential Docs? Good luck to you, as well!
Jen said:Christine,
I've had the same experience with my therapist not seeming to "get the ADHD thing." I've been seeing this particular therapist off and on for almost 2 years, and in many ways she is excellent and has helped me, but ADHD is not really her main area of interest and there are many times that I wish i were working with someone different. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago at age 29 when I went back to school. Before I graduated, I worked with a wonderful university psychologist whose specialty was ADHD and psychopharmocology. He was excellent about following up with me on various things and he was very well informed on various ADHD medications. Unfortunately, once I graduated, I no longer had access to him or the school's counseling services. He actually referred me to the therapist I'm seeing now and to the medical doc who prescribed my meds (that is until about 2 weeks ago).
I won't go in to the long, drawn out story on the difficulty I've had since graduating about finding ANYONE who knows much about prescribing ADHD meds for adults, but I will tell you this. My husband I both have had thorough diagnoses for ADHD and both of us have had a ridiculously difficult time finding good treatment. I'm a little put out with my therapist right now because I don't feel like she's pushy enough w/ my medical doctor. In our sessions, she tells me that she believes without a doubt that my best results have been when I'm on stimulants (Adderall XR is what I've been on in the past), and she has faxed over documentation to my MD about my ADHD, and my dr STILL doesn't want to prescribe stimulants and insists on sending me home w/Strattera (not particularly helpful w/concentration). I really feel like my therapist could do more, but she's not very pushy. Anyway, I sort of digressed, but here is where my husband and I are now. After calling and asking specific questions to about 30 psychiatrists' offices, we finally found someone who said he had a good bit of experience treating adults w/ADHD. We went to him together (at his request) last Friday, and I really think he is going to help us. He seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about medications and agreed that stimulants are usually the best option to try first when treating ADHD. The majority of info on ADHD in adults says this also, but most docs in our area seem to have issues w/prescribing stimulants to adults.
A part of me would love to search for a new therapist the same way we found this psychiatrist - by calling and asking how much experience each one has in working w/adults w/ADHD, but I feel like I've been working w/my current therapist so long and she knows SO much about me, and honestly I don't feel like starting over completely. I'm also FED up with running back and forth to different doctors and not feeling like I'm receiving adequate treatment. I'm a stay-home mom to two small boys (a 2 yr old and a 10 month old) and I'm fairly new to the area where I'm living so I don't have lots of babysitting options. I think many of my issues stem from growing up w/ undiagnosed ADHD, and honestly, my therapist has been great at helping me resolve many things, but like I kind of gathered from what you wrote about your therapist, I feel like she tends to gloss over the ADHD thing and doesn't get how severely it impacts my day to day life, particularly w/ small children. I completely get what you're saying about trying to get out the door. It WEARS ME OUT!! Getting out of bed is a nightmare. My therapist really pushes the going out on regular dates w/ my husband and never seems to get how challenging it is for two ADHD people who totally lack the planning gene to plan a date, arrange for a sitter, get dressed etc etc etc. She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list.
OK, now that i've written a book, I'll attempt to answer your ?? in a more straightforward way. My therapist is not an ADHD specialist. She's actually a marriage and family counseling psychologist and specializes in women's issues, particularly eating disorders - something I've dealt with since high school. She has been the most helpful person I've ever seen for this issue. She's also helped me w/ marriage stufff. She was really helpful when i was pregnant and couldn't take medication. She's actually the one who recognized that my husband also had ADHD and recommended treatment for him. The new psychiatrist I'm seeing is not an ADHD specialist but does have a substantial bit of experience in treating ADHD in children and adults, so hopefully from this point on, i will see my therapist to work on emotional stuff and the psychiatrist for medication managemnet. I would love to get a coach because I hear that they are more action/behavior oriented, but insurance does not cover coaches, and w/ all my other stuff, I don't have extra cash at the moment to shell out for coaching. My husband and i both have had a lot of success educating ourselves on ADHD and the various ways it effects us differently. We've had to learn to plan and organize better, and I think both of us are doing better w/ this, but getting our meds right allows us to implement more successful behaviors. I am hoping that now that we have found this psychiatrist, our medication issues will resolve.
Sorry for the long post. Hope some of it helps - I sort of went off on a tangent. Good luck w/ everything.
Jen
.
-
Permalink Reply by Jen on
-
Heather,
I could go on and on about my cooking issues, but I'll try to be brief. First, I absolutely detest cooking but w/ kids I'm having to accept that for them to eat, I have to prepare something for them. Here is how cooking goes for me - find a recipe, realize I need to get the ingredients at the store, drag my kids to the store only to realize that the store I'm in does not carry one or more of the items I need. While at the store, I attempt to remember other unrelated items I need and get distracted w/other shopping. Then, one of my kids has some sort of issue or meltdown in the store, so I either quickly resolve it (depending on my frame of mind) or give up completely and go home. Once I'm back at home I remember that the reason I left in the first place was to buy ingredients for the recipe that I'm now totally unmotivated to make, not to mention I STILL don't have everything I need to actually make it. By this point, the kids are irritable and starving, so I ditch the recipe, pull out some frozen delicacy and throw some vegetables in the microwave and slap it on the table and wind up feeling like a total failure and incompetent mother. The other thing is that when I'm not on effective medication, I stress about forgetting that I have something in the oven or on the stove - because I have done both of these at other times in my life and almost burned the house down. I've blown up boiled eggs because I've forgotten that I'm even boiling them in the first place and gone on about my business. It is ridiculous!! Now that I have kids I'm more stressed than ever about leaving the stove/oven on. THANK GOD my husband is an excellent cook and does the majority of the major cooking at our house. He loves doing it and we just agree that he will cook and I'll clean up. i guess I wasn't really brief, but I think the main problem w/ cooking for me is the planning aspect of it. I don't enjoy it, so I'm unmotivated to get really creative in the kitchen (which is really what my husband is great at). I do really basic things, but I get very bored with doing the same foods OVER and OVER.
You mentioned that your meds didn't work after having your second daughter. I had the same thing w/my second son, and I'm still working on getting it resolved. I also feel like my PMS is MUCH worse since having my 2nd child. I've been on just Strattera for 4 months now, and I will say that my mood is more stable, but my focus & concentration is worse than ever. My kids are really young (one is 2yrs & the other 10 months) so I don't have to get out the door every day ( I'm home full time right now), but on days when we have to be somewhere in the morning it takes a LONG time, and I'm always running late & rushing. Inevitably, we'll be ready to walk out the door and one child or both will have a diaper blow-out which delays us even further. I'm already dreading the days when they have to be in school by a certain time - but guess we'll deal with that then.
Christine,
I might need to pick your brain about how you deal w/ both you & your husband having ADHD at some point. So true that we seem to find each other! :-) Interesting what you said about your NP not knowing how to combine stimulants & antidepressants. I had the same issue w/ my NP and so did my husband. Also, because when i was first seeing her I had a 4 month old, she kept insisting that all my problems were post-partum related and because I had not seen her before I had the baby, I couldn't convince her that it was the ADHD primarily and that my symptoms were even more pronounced from hormonal changes and lack of sleep. I know I've ranted a lot on this post, but I really do feel hopeful now that I'm seeing this new psychiatrist.
Oh, we just asked the receptionist whether or not the doc had experience treating adults w/ADHD and most had the info and if not, were able to get it and call us back. This was my husband's idea, and honestly, he did the majority of the calling, but once he started doing it, he realized that we should have done this from the beginning instead of relying on other docs' referrals. We got a lot of good information this way. When we first met w/ this psychiatrist, he was great and really seemed enthusiastic about working with us. He was very open with us about his experience and emphasized that he wanted to work WITH us and said that he valued our input and encouraged us to share what we read with him. I wish we had done this to begin with, but unfortunately, both of us just assumed that the doctors we were seeing were up on the latest ADHD research, but as time went on and our treatment was ineffective, we realized this was not the case. Getting meds right is so trial and error anyway, but when docs have a one size fits all mentality about what works, it makes getting it right almost impossilbe. OK, I seem to be ranting again. Best to both of you, and I'll continue to post about our progress. I'm interested to see how this joint treatment thing works, too. There are definite advantages, but maybe some disadvantages as well. We'll see.
Jen
Heather said:Hi,
I just wanted to jump in and say I don't understand why it is so hard to find a good psychiatrists. Also, I have been in counseling for everything but my ADHD...I had been on the same medication for years and it seem to just stop workting after my 2nd daughter. I had moved to a new town and the local Dr. Changed my meds for me but, I feel like I am going crazy! I can not keep anything strait. I have been waiting to get insurance to go back to a new psychiatrists. So I can get my meds strait!
"She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list."
Can you tell me what your cooking issues are? I never have anything planned for dinner! Thank God for my husband he does most of the cooking... But, I have tried and tried to plan for meals and never works or I lose the list. lol
Also, just wondering how long does it take you to get out of the house in the A.M.???
Heather
Christine said:Jen,
I can totally relate to the issues you described...getting out on a date. My husband is also ADHD. Isn't it funny how we find each other?? Most Docs in my area use stimulants as the first line of defense, fortunately. My prescriber, a nurse practitioner, doesn't have a lot of experience with ADHD but has some. She doesn't know how to combine antidepressants with stimulants and change things for the pm. She is very linear and I think that is due to inexperience.
It sounds like your college psychologist sounds fantastic. I wish I could find someone like that. What a gold mine!! I think that is essential in treating ADHD as the therapist can communicate medication effectiveness to your PDoc.
I think, as a parent, medication is essential in reducing chaos. You can see what is going on and deal with things more effectively. Without meds, my kids start to run wild.
I totally get the being WORN OUT day to day. Getting out of bed is tough knowing you're going to face chaos and frustration. I think these "ADHD effects" are what makes our lives so challenging. SAHM's have so many variables on a day to day basis, it gets impossible! I hope your new doc helps. What did you ask your potential Docs? Good luck to you, as well!
Jen said:Christine,
I've had the same experience with my therapist not seeming to "get the ADHD thing." I've been seeing this particular therapist off and on for almost 2 years, and in many ways she is excellent and has helped me, but ADHD is not really her main area of interest and there are many times that I wish i were working with someone different. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago at age 29 when I went back to school. Before I graduated, I worked with a wonderful university psychologist whose specialty was ADHD and psychopharmocology. He was excellent about following up with me on various things and he was very well informed on various ADHD medications. Unfortunately, once I graduated, I no longer had access to him or the school's counseling services. He actually referred me to the therapist I'm seeing now and to the medical doc who prescribed my meds (that is until about 2 weeks ago).
I won't go in to the long, drawn out story on the difficulty I've had since graduating about finding ANYONE who knows much about prescribing ADHD meds for adults, but I will tell you this. My husband I both have had thorough diagnoses for ADHD and both of us have had a ridiculously difficult time finding good treatment. I'm a little put out with my therapist right now because I don't feel like she's pushy enough w/ my medical doctor. In our sessions, she tells me that she believes without a doubt that my best results have been when I'm on stimulants (Adderall XR is what I've been on in the past), and she has faxed over documentation to my MD about my ADHD, and my dr STILL doesn't want to prescribe stimulants and insists on sending me home w/Strattera (not particularly helpful w/concentration). I really feel like my therapist could do more, but she's not very pushy. Anyway, I sort of digressed, but here is where my husband and I are now. After calling and asking specific questions to about 30 psychiatrists' offices, we finally found someone who said he had a good bit of experience treating adults w/ADHD. We went to him together (at his request) last Friday, and I really think he is going to help us. He seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about medications and agreed that stimulants are usually the best option to try first when treating ADHD. The majority of info on ADHD in adults says this also, but most docs in our area seem to have issues w/prescribing stimulants to adults.
A part of me would love to search for a new therapist the same way we found this psychiatrist - by calling and asking how much experience each one has in working w/adults w/ADHD, but I feel like I've been working w/my current therapist so long and she knows SO much about me, and honestly I don't feel like starting over completely. I'm also FED up with running back and forth to different doctors and not feeling like I'm receiving adequate treatment. I'm a stay-home mom to two small boys (a 2 yr old and a 10 month old) and I'm fairly new to the area where I'm living so I don't have lots of babysitting options. I think many of my issues stem from growing up w/ undiagnosed ADHD, and honestly, my therapist has been great at helping me resolve many things, but like I kind of gathered from what you wrote about your therapist, I feel like she tends to gloss over the ADHD thing and doesn't get how severely it impacts my day to day life, particularly w/ small children. I completely get what you're saying about trying to get out the door. It WEARS ME OUT!! Getting out of bed is a nightmare. My therapist really pushes the going out on regular dates w/ my husband and never seems to get how challenging it is for two ADHD people who totally lack the planning gene to plan a date, arrange for a sitter, get dressed etc etc etc. She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list.
OK, now that i've written a book, I'll attempt to answer your ?? in a more straightforward way. My therapist is not an ADHD specialist. She's actually a marriage and family counseling psychologist and specializes in women's issues, particularly eating disorders - something I've dealt with since high school. She has been the most helpful person I've ever seen for this issue. She's also helped me w/ marriage stufff. She was really helpful when i was pregnant and couldn't take medication. She's actually the one who recognized that my husband also had ADHD and recommended treatment for him. The new psychiatrist I'm seeing is not an ADHD specialist but does have a substantial bit of experience in treating ADHD in children and adults, so hopefully from this point on, i will see my therapist to work on emotional stuff and the psychiatrist for medication managemnet. I would love to get a coach because I hear that they are more action/behavior oriented, but insurance does not cover coaches, and w/ all my other stuff, I don't have extra cash at the moment to shell out for coaching. My husband and i both have had a lot of success educating ourselves on ADHD and the various ways it effects us differently. We've had to learn to plan and organize better, and I think both of us are doing better w/ this, but getting our meds right allows us to implement more successful behaviors. I am hoping that now that we have found this psychiatrist, our medication issues will resolve.
Sorry for the long post. Hope some of it helps - I sort of went off on a tangent. Good luck w/ everything.
Jen
.
-
Permalink Reply by Christine on
-
OMG!! I have to laugh at your post! I blew up boiled eggs, too. There are still stains on my ceiling!! I rarely attemt to leave to the store with my kids as it is too painful....at least the grocery store is. I ask my husband to pick stuff up on the way home from work......if I remember...and if he can get out of his own way before 6pm...LOL!! Usually it is take out. Being a good cook doe not equate to being a good mom. Doing the best you can for them, being the best you can be and putting them first is what a good mom does. Just by trying to find help for yourself is doing what your entire family needs. Teaching them to be respectful and kind is more important than a GREAT dinner!
I find that I am more consistant on a good med cocktail, which in turn, makes me a better mom. Once I have achieved that, I am better able to control behaviors. Leaving the house isn't as difficult then. My kids distract me soooo much that it can be tough to accomplish much.
I have to do EVERYTHING the night before. This includes showers, baths and clothing. The next morning, with all that accomplished, it takes two hours.
Jen, who do you read about ADHD advances? You sound an awful lot like me. I, too, research all the time in hopes to have a better life and understanding of the disorder. I read Dr. Charles Parker and Dr Amen. Dr. Parker has some very useful medication info and videos on You Tube. I think I could talk to you forever.....
Jen said:Heather,
I could go on and on about my cooking issues, but I'll try to be brief. First, I absolutely detest cooking but w/ kids I'm having to accept that for them to eat, I have to prepare something for them. Here is how cooking goes for me - find a recipe, realize I need to get the ingredients at the store, drag my kids to the store only to realize that the store I'm in does not carry one or more of the items I need. While at the store, I attempt to remember other unrelated items I need and get distracted w/other shopping. Then, one of my kids has some sort of issue or meltdown in the store, so I either quickly resolve it (depending on my frame of mind) or give up completely and go home. Once I'm back at home I remember that the reason I left in the first place was to buy ingredients for the recipe that I'm now totally unmotivated to make, not to mention I STILL don't have everything I need to actually make it. By this point, the kids are irritable and starving, so I ditch the recipe, pull out some frozen delicacy and throw some vegetables in the microwave and slap it on the table and wind up feeling like a total failure and incompetent mother. The other thing is that when I'm not on effective medication, I stress about forgetting that I have something in the oven or on the stove - because I have done both of these at other times in my life and almost burned the house down. I've blown up boiled eggs because I've forgotten that I'm even boiling them in the first place and gone on about my business. It is ridiculous!! Now that I have kids I'm more stressed than ever about leaving the stove/oven on. THANK GOD my husband is an excellent cook and does the majority of the major cooking at our house. He loves doing it and we just agree that he will cook and I'll clean up. i guess I wasn't really brief, but I think the main problem w/ cooking for me is the planning aspect of it. I don't enjoy it, so I'm unmotivated to get really creative in the kitchen (which is really what my husband is great at). I do really basic things, but I get very bored with doing the same foods OVER and OVER.
You mentioned that your meds didn't work after having your second daughter. I had the same thing w/my second son, and I'm still working on getting it resolved. I also feel like my PMS is MUCH worse since having my 2nd child. I've been on just Strattera for 4 months now, and I will say that my mood is more stable, but my focus & concentration is worse than ever. My kids are really young (one is 2yrs & the other 10 months) so I don't have to get out the door every day ( I'm home full time right now), but on days when we have to be somewhere in the morning it takes a LONG time, and I'm always running late & rushing. Inevitably, we'll be ready to walk out the door and one child or both will have a diaper blow-out which delays us even further. I'm already dreading the days when they have to be in school by a certain time - but guess we'll deal with that then.
Christine,
I might need to pick your brain about how you deal w/ both you & your husband having ADHD at some point. So true that we seem to find each other! :-) Interesting what you said about your NP not knowing how to combine stimulants & antidepressants. I had the same issue w/ my NP and so did my husband. Also, because when i was first seeing her I had a 4 month old, she kept insisting that all my problems were post-partum related and because I had not seen her before I had the baby, I couldn't convince her that it was the ADHD primarily and that my symptoms were even more pronounced from hormonal changes and lack of sleep. I know I've ranted a lot on this post, but I really do feel hopeful now that I'm seeing this new psychiatrist.
Oh, we just asked the receptionist whether or not the doc had experience treating adults w/ADHD and most had the info and if not, were able to get it and call us back. This was my husband's idea, and honestly, he did the majority of the calling, but once he started doing it, he realized that we should have done this from the beginning instead of relying on other docs' referrals. We got a lot of good information this way. When we first met w/ this psychiatrist, he was great and really seemed enthusiastic about working with us. He was very open with us about his experience and emphasized that he wanted to work WITH us and said that he valued our input and encouraged us to share what we read with him. I wish we had done this to begin with, but unfortunately, both of us just assumed that the doctors we were seeing were up on the latest ADHD research, but as time went on and our treatment was ineffective, we realized this was not the case. Getting meds right is so trial and error anyway, but when docs have a one size fits all mentality about what works, it makes getting it right almost impossilbe. OK, I seem to be ranting again. Best to both of you, and I'll continue to post about our progress. I'm interested to see how this joint treatment thing works, too. There are definite advantages, but maybe some disadvantages as well. We'll see.
Jen
Heather said:Hi,
I just wanted to jump in and say I don't understand why it is so hard to find a good psychiatrists. Also, I have been in counseling for everything but my ADHD...I had been on the same medication for years and it seem to just stop workting after my 2nd daughter. I had moved to a new town and the local Dr. Changed my meds for me but, I feel like I am going crazy! I can not keep anything strait. I have been waiting to get insurance to go back to a new psychiatrists. So I can get my meds strait!
"She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list."
Can you tell me what your cooking issues are? I never have anything planned for dinner! Thank God for my husband he does most of the cooking... But, I have tried and tried to plan for meals and never works or I lose the list. lol
Also, just wondering how long does it take you to get out of the house in the A.M.???
Heather
Christine said:Jen,
I can totally relate to the issues you described...getting out on a date. My husband is also ADHD. Isn't it funny how we find each other?? Most Docs in my area use stimulants as the first line of defense, fortunately. My prescriber, a nurse practitioner, doesn't have a lot of experience with ADHD but has some. She doesn't know how to combine antidepressants with stimulants and change things for the pm. She is very linear and I think that is due to inexperience.
It sounds like your college psychologist sounds fantastic. I wish I could find someone like that. What a gold mine!! I think that is essential in treating ADHD as the therapist can communicate medication effectiveness to your PDoc.
I think, as a parent, medication is essential in reducing chaos. You can see what is going on and deal with things more effectively. Without meds, my kids start to run wild.
I totally get the being WORN OUT day to day. Getting out of bed is tough knowing you're going to face chaos and frustration. I think these "ADHD effects" are what makes our lives so challenging. SAHM's have so many variables on a day to day basis, it gets impossible! I hope your new doc helps. What did you ask your potential Docs? Good luck to you, as well!
Jen said:Christine,
I've had the same experience with my therapist not seeming to "get the ADHD thing." I've been seeing this particular therapist off and on for almost 2 years, and in many ways she is excellent and has helped me, but ADHD is not really her main area of interest and there are many times that I wish i were working with someone different. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago at age 29 when I went back to school. Before I graduated, I worked with a wonderful university psychologist whose specialty was ADHD and psychopharmocology. He was excellent about following up with me on various things and he was very well informed on various ADHD medications. Unfortunately, once I graduated, I no longer had access to him or the school's counseling services. He actually referred me to the therapist I'm seeing now and to the medical doc who prescribed my meds (that is until about 2 weeks ago).
I won't go in to the long, drawn out story on the difficulty I've had since graduating about finding ANYONE who knows much about prescribing ADHD meds for adults, but I will tell you this. My husband I both have had thorough diagnoses for ADHD and both of us have had a ridiculously difficult time finding good treatment. I'm a little put out with my therapist right now because I don't feel like she's pushy enough w/ my medical doctor. In our sessions, she tells me that she believes without a doubt that my best results have been when I'm on stimulants (Adderall XR is what I've been on in the past), and she has faxed over documentation to my MD about my ADHD, and my dr STILL doesn't want to prescribe stimulants and insists on sending me home w/Strattera (not particularly helpful w/concentration). I really feel like my therapist could do more, but she's not very pushy. Anyway, I sort of digressed, but here is where my husband and I are now. After calling and asking specific questions to about 30 psychiatrists' offices, we finally found someone who said he had a good bit of experience treating adults w/ADHD. We went to him together (at his request) last Friday, and I really think he is going to help us. He seemed to be extremely knowledgeable about medications and agreed that stimulants are usually the best option to try first when treating ADHD. The majority of info on ADHD in adults says this also, but most docs in our area seem to have issues w/prescribing stimulants to adults.
A part of me would love to search for a new therapist the same way we found this psychiatrist - by calling and asking how much experience each one has in working w/adults w/ADHD, but I feel like I've been working w/my current therapist so long and she knows SO much about me, and honestly I don't feel like starting over completely. I'm also FED up with running back and forth to different doctors and not feeling like I'm receiving adequate treatment. I'm a stay-home mom to two small boys (a 2 yr old and a 10 month old) and I'm fairly new to the area where I'm living so I don't have lots of babysitting options. I think many of my issues stem from growing up w/ undiagnosed ADHD, and honestly, my therapist has been great at helping me resolve many things, but like I kind of gathered from what you wrote about your therapist, I feel like she tends to gloss over the ADHD thing and doesn't get how severely it impacts my day to day life, particularly w/ small children. I completely get what you're saying about trying to get out the door. It WEARS ME OUT!! Getting out of bed is a nightmare. My therapist really pushes the going out on regular dates w/ my husband and never seems to get how challenging it is for two ADHD people who totally lack the planning gene to plan a date, arrange for a sitter, get dressed etc etc etc. She also seems to think that the solution to my cooking issues is as simple as making a grocery list.
OK, now that i've written a book, I'll attempt to answer your ?? in a more straightforward way. My therapist is not an ADHD specialist. She's actually a marriage and family counseling psychologist and specializes in women's issues, particularly eating disorders - something I've dealt with since high school. She has been the most helpful person I've ever seen for this issue. She's also helped me w/ marriage stufff. She was really helpful when i was pregnant and couldn't take medication. She's actually the one who recognized that my husband also had ADHD and recommended treatment for him. The new psychiatrist I'm seeing is not an ADHD specialist but does have a substantial bit of experience in treating ADHD in children and adults, so hopefully from this point on, i will see my therapist to work on emotional stuff and the psychiatrist for medication managemnet. I would love to get a coach because I hear that they are more action/behavior oriented, but insurance does not cover coaches, and w/ all my other stuff, I don't have extra cash at the moment to shell out for coaching. My husband and i both have had a lot of success educating ourselves on ADHD and the various ways it effects us differently. We've had to learn to plan and organize better, and I think both of us are doing better w/ this, but getting our meds right allows us to implement more successful behaviors. I am hoping that now that we have found this psychiatrist, our medication issues will resolve.
Sorry for the long post. Hope some of it helps - I sort of went off on a tangent. Good luck w/ everything.
Jen
.
-
Permalink Reply by Christine on
-
Heather,
I never cook meals because i usually forget. I get distracted by, umm, the computer, the dogs, the kids, etc, etc, etc.... My wake up call is usually, "Mom, I'm hungry!" I think ADHD is considered a "kid disorder" and easily treated. Fortunately, there are doctors out there that see how devestating it can be and study it. I find that most Docs here say they treat everything. But, from my experiences, I see it as a real specialty. It requires a lot of tweeking and layers of treatment. I think a good doctor should be able to educate his patient. I have actually contemplated going to VA. to get a consult from Dr. Parker.
As far as lists go....that can be tough! I am just learning to write notes now. I got an iphone to put everything in. It has a color coded calander and note pad..it helps. I can sycronize my schedule with my husband's schedule with Mobile Me. He has ADHD also and we both forget everything...soccer games, doctor's appts, etc...
The ONLY way I remember dinner is on Vyvanse. I can get things done and work past overwhelm enough to realize I need to cook... Nice talking with you!
-
Permalink Reply by Heather on
-
It is so funny but, I have also blown up boiled eggs and left a pot on the stove cooking with nothing in it!!! I feel the same exact way about cooking! My husband for the most part cooks or we have something very easy! I keep trying to put together a menu for 2 purposes. 1st to help having the food in the house to cook and 2nd to try to budget! The 2nd thing I have been working on it feels like my entire life! It pains me to take my kids to the store so my husband usually goes on his days off. I keep trying to get organized in every area of my life, house and work! I think I know I spend more time trying to get all the things I think I need to help me get organized than doing. I agree that you should not measure yourself as a good Mom by if you can cook or not! I have a 4yr and 5yr old and it takes me at least 2hrs. to get out of the house. I usually try to have everything ready for the A.M.. My older daughter is in PreK and she is also ADHD and has some sensory issues so it takes me at least 45mins just to get her dressed… I just came up with a chart to help her get dressed and make it to the bus without any melt downs! It has been working great except for when I don’t get up on time!!! We got a note sent home saying she has had too many tardies. This of course is my fault! My husband works shift work and when he is working nights he can get her off and she always makes the bus and never late! He said do you see what you are doing to our child! (he is always teasing me about my lateness)
I know I am all over the place but, I seem to be really bad right now! I can not at all seem to stay on task! Thank God I have a Dr. Appt. on Monday! I am in avoid mode and am so worried about my job…As you can see what I am doing! Lol! This is the only thing that is helping me right now. Oh if I can ask what Meds are you taking? I am currently on Vyvanse, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. I have been on the Zoloft for at least 15 yrs., have only been on the Vyvanse for about 4mths and about a year for the Wellbutrin. Thank you both for advice and just to have someone who understands…
Heather
-
Permalink Reply by Jen on
-
That is so funny that we've all blown up eggs!! It does help to know I'm not the only one. And thank you both, Christine & Heather, for the kind encouragement regarding my cooking inadequacies. It has taken a while, but I am able to recognize the good things I do as a mother, which is why I really do what I can to simplify my cooking regimen. And the good part is that I think my 2 yr old has learned to appreciate plain, easy and sometimes bland food because that's what he's been given. Friends and relatives are always amazed that he scarfs down plain broccoli. Poor child hasn't really had much of a choice!
Chistine - yes! I have learned SO much from Dr. Charles Parker's website. I only learned about it a few months ago, but it has really made me question my docs about various med combinations. GREAT source of information. The other one you mentioned I have not heard of, but I've read several books by Ned Hallowell, and I also have learned a lot about how ADHD in women - sorry I'm rushing so I can't recall everything at the moment, but lots by Patricia Quinn & Kathleen Nadeau. I have also considered going to VA to meet w/ Dr. Parker. My husband is another story - until recently, I feel like I'm the only one willing to learn and work with my ADHD and I have definitely seen personal improvement from my efforts. He has always just expected to take a pill & then gets discouraged when everything doesn't just fall into place. However, I have seen some real effort on his part over the last month or so, and us going to this psychiatrist together is HUGE progress. So, I'm very hopeful. I just know that w/ our gene pool, more than likely our kids will have ADHD, so in order to be patient and parent them to the best of our abilities, it is CRITICAL that we make our treatment a priority.
Heather, I have taken Zoloft off and on for about 13 years, but in hindsight and w/ the info on ADHD that I've learned, I think doctors were treating my depression when actually ADHD was my primary problem. The depression stemmed more from the disorganization, chaos, & not being able to hold everything together. Anyway, Zoloft worked OK for me in the past initially, but then would stop working. I had not been on it in about 5 or 6 years, but after my 2nd child was born, my primary care doc (actually a nurse practicioner) suggested I try it again since it had worked for depression in the past. Well, this time it was a complete train wreck. It was like I was in a deep fog - that's the only way I know to describe it. I was only taking 50 mgs, but I felt foggy and my concentration & focus DID NOT improve. After that, I began taking Strattera, and it works faily well for evening out my moods. In the past, I have had the best results from a combination of Strattera (40 - 60mg) and Adderall XR (10 - 20mgs). However, I've had one appointment with this new psychiatrist & he wants to wean me off or atleast reduce the dosage of the Strattera and begin w/ primarily a stimulant only treatment in order to maximize the effectiveness and get the dosage accurate. As of right now, I take 40 mgs Strattera every day and I have a prescription for IR Addrall (10 mgs) that I take once a day. That's another story in itself, but I don't have time to get into it right now. I'm completely in a trial/error phase for a bit. Charles Parker has some interesting info on his website about combining SSRIs (Zoloft) w/ stimulants that you might want to check out. I have heard very different opinions about combining various antideppresants and stimulants, but I really trust what he says.
I could go on and on to both of you, but I'm heading out of town w/ the kids to my mom's this weekend, so we're in the process of attempting to get out of the house -- CHAOS!!
More later. I hope to continue chatting w/ you two. I've learned a lot already!
jen
Heather said:It is so funny but, I have also blown up boiled eggs and left a pot on the stove cooking with nothing in it!!! I feel the same exact way about cooking! My husband for the most part cooks or we have something very easy! I keep trying to put together a menu for 2 purposes. 1st to help having the food in the house to cook and 2nd to try to budget! The 2nd thing I have been working on it feels like my entire life! It pains me to take my kids to the store so my husband usually goes on his days off. I keep trying to get organized in every area of my life, house and work! I think I know I spend more time trying to get all the things I think I need to help me get organized than doing. I agree that you should not measure yourself as a good Mom by if you can cook or not! I have a 4yr and 5yr old and it takes me at least 2hrs. to get out of the house. I usually try to have everything ready for the A.M.. My older daughter is in PreK and she is also ADHD and has some sensory issues so it takes me at least 45mins just to get her dressed… I just came up with a chart to help her get dressed and make it to the bus without any melt downs! It has been working great except for when I don’t get up on time!!! We got a note sent home saying she has had too many tardies. This of course is my fault! My husband works shift work and when he is working nights he can get her off and she always makes the bus and never late! He said do you see what you are doing to our child! (he is always teasing me about my lateness)
I know I am all over the place but, I seem to be really bad right now! I can not at all seem to stay on task! Thank God I have a Dr. Appt. on Monday! I am in avoid mode and am so worried about my job…As you can see what I am doing! Lol! This is the only thing that is helping me right now. Oh if I can ask what Meds are you taking? I am currently on Vyvanse, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. I have been on the Zoloft for at least 15 yrs., have only been on the Vyvanse for about 4mths and about a year for the Wellbutrin. Thank you both for advice and just to have someone who understands…
Heather
-
Permalink Reply by Christine on
-
I was just wondering, have either of you ever tried Vyvanse? i know it is the new prodrug that everyone is promoting. I tried it and found it to be fantastic! I find it to be more calming than adderall.
Jen said:That is so funny that we've all blown up eggs!! It does help to know I'm not the only one. And thank you both, Christine & Heather, for the kind encouragement regarding my cooking inadequacies. It has taken a while, but I am able to recognize the good things I do as a mother, which is why I really do what I can to simplify my cooking regimen. And the good part is that I think my 2 yr old has learned to appreciate plain, easy and sometimes bland food because that's what he's been given. Friends and relatives are always amazed that he scarfs down plain broccoli. Poor child hasn't really had much of a choice!
Chistine - yes! I have learned SO much from Dr. Charles Parker's website. I only learned about it a few months ago, but it has really made me question my docs about various med combinations. GREAT source of information. The other one you mentioned I have not heard of, but I've read several books by Ned Hallowell, and I also have learned a lot about how ADHD in women - sorry I'm rushing so I can't recall everything at the moment, but lots by Patricia Quinn & Kathleen Nadeau. I have also considered going to VA to meet w/ Dr. Parker. My husband is another story - until recently, I feel like I'm the only one willing to learn and work with my ADHD and I have definitely seen personal improvement from my efforts. He has always just expected to take a pill & then gets discouraged when everything doesn't just fall into place. However, I have seen some real effort on his part over the last month or so, and us going to this psychiatrist together is HUGE progress. So, I'm very hopeful. I just know that w/ our gene pool, more than likely our kids will have ADHD, so in order to be patient and parent them to the best of our abilities, it is CRITICAL that we make our treatment a priority.
Heather, I have taken Zoloft off and on for about 13 years, but in hindsight and w/ the info on ADHD that I've learned, I think doctors were treating my depression when actually ADHD was my primary problem. The depression stemmed more from the disorganization, chaos, & not being able to hold everything together. Anyway, Zoloft worked OK for me in the past initially, but then would stop working. I had not been on it in about 5 or 6 years, but after my 2nd child was born, my primary care doc (actually a nurse practicioner) suggested I try it again since it had worked for depression in the past. Well, this time it was a complete train wreck. It was like I was in a deep fog - that's the only way I know to describe it. I was only taking 50 mgs, but I felt foggy and my concentration & focus DID NOT improve. After that, I began taking Strattera, and it works faily well for evening out my moods. In the past, I have had the best results from a combination of Strattera (40 - 60mg) and Adderall XR (10 - 20mgs). However, I've had one appointment with this new psychiatrist & he wants to wean me off or atleast reduce the dosage of the Strattera and begin w/ primarily a stimulant only treatment in order to maximize the effectiveness and get the dosage accurate. As of right now, I take 40 mgs Strattera every day and I have a prescription for IR Addrall (10 mgs) that I take once a day. That's another story in itself, but I don't have time to get into it right now. I'm completely in a trial/error phase for a bit. Charles Parker has some interesting info on his website about combining SSRIs (Zoloft) w/ stimulants that you might want to check out. I have heard very different opinions about combining various antideppresants and stimulants, but I really trust what he says.
I could go on and on to both of you, but I'm heading out of town w/ the kids to my mom's this weekend, so we're in the process of attempting to get out of the house -- CHAOS!!
More later. I hope to continue chatting w/ you two. I've learned a lot already!
jen
Heather said:It is so funny but, I have also blown up boiled eggs and left a pot on the stove cooking with nothing in it!!! I feel the same exact way about cooking! My husband for the most part cooks or we have something very easy! I keep trying to put together a menu for 2 purposes. 1st to help having the food in the house to cook and 2nd to try to budget! The 2nd thing I have been working on it feels like my entire life! It pains me to take my kids to the store so my husband usually goes on his days off. I keep trying to get organized in every area of my life, house and work! I think I know I spend more time trying to get all the things I think I need to help me get organized than doing. I agree that you should not measure yourself as a good Mom by if you can cook or not! I have a 4yr and 5yr old and it takes me at least 2hrs. to get out of the house. I usually try to have everything ready for the A.M.. My older daughter is in PreK and she is also ADHD and has some sensory issues so it takes me at least 45mins just to get her dressed… I just came up with a chart to help her get dressed and make it to the bus without any melt downs! It has been working great except for when I don’t get up on time!!! We got a note sent home saying she has had too many tardies. This of course is my fault! My husband works shift work and when he is working nights he can get her off and she always makes the bus and never late! He said do you see what you are doing to our child! (he is always teasing me about my lateness)
I know I am all over the place but, I seem to be really bad right now! I can not at all seem to stay on task! Thank God I have a Dr. Appt. on Monday! I am in avoid mode and am so worried about my job…As you can see what I am doing! Lol! This is the only thing that is helping me right now. Oh if I can ask what Meds are you taking? I am currently on Vyvanse, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. I have been on the Zoloft for at least 15 yrs., have only been on the Vyvanse for about 4mths and about a year for the Wellbutrin. Thank you both for advice and just to have someone who understands…
Heather
-
Permalink Reply by Amy Dufresne on
-
Christine, I totally understand you! My therapist is great when it comes to working on my depression, but when it comes to ADHD, she doesn't have a clue. My ADHD "Therapy" sessions usually consist of reading posts and sharing stories on forums like this one!!
-
Permalink Reply by Christine on
-
Same here!! It is almost as if you need someone with ADHD to be an affective ADHD therapist!
Amy Dufresne said:Christine, I totally understand you! My therapist is great when it comes to working on my depression, but when it comes to ADHD, she doesn't have a clue. My ADHD "Therapy" sessions usually consist of reading posts and sharing stories on forums like this one!!
-
Permalink Reply by Jen on
-
No, I've never tried Vyvanse but I have heard nothing but rave reviews about it. The only stimulant I've taken is Adderall (both XR and IR) and for the most part have had good results. Sometimes it does make me a little (ok, a lot) edgy, and I notice it more right after it wears off. Most docs seem to think the best way to counter the edginess is to add an antidepresant. Do you find that Vyvanse tapers off more when it wears off, so that you don't get such a dramatic crash? I'm interested in trying it.
Christine said:I was just wondering, have either of you ever tried Vyvanse? i know it is the new prodrug that everyone is promoting. I tried it and found it to be fantastic! I find it to be more calming than adderall.
Jen said:That is so funny that we've all blown up eggs!! It does help to know I'm not the only one. And thank you both, Christine & Heather, for the kind encouragement regarding my cooking inadequacies. It has taken a while, but I am able to recognize the good things I do as a mother, which is why I really do what I can to simplify my cooking regimen. And the good part is that I think my 2 yr old has learned to appreciate plain, easy and sometimes bland food because that's what he's been given. Friends and relatives are always amazed that he scarfs down plain broccoli. Poor child hasn't really had much of a choice!
Chistine - yes! I have learned SO much from Dr. Charles Parker's website. I only learned about it a few months ago, but it has really made me question my docs about various med combinations. GREAT source of information. The other one you mentioned I have not heard of, but I've read several books by Ned Hallowell, and I also have learned a lot about how ADHD in women - sorry I'm rushing so I can't recall everything at the moment, but lots by Patricia Quinn & Kathleen Nadeau. I have also considered going to VA to meet w/ Dr. Parker. My husband is another story - until recently, I feel like I'm the only one willing to learn and work with my ADHD and I have definitely seen personal improvement from my efforts. He has always just expected to take a pill & then gets discouraged when everything doesn't just fall into place. However, I have seen some real effort on his part over the last month or so, and us going to this psychiatrist together is HUGE progress. So, I'm very hopeful. I just know that w/ our gene pool, more than likely our kids will have ADHD, so in order to be patient and parent them to the best of our abilities, it is CRITICAL that we make our treatment a priority.
Heather, I have taken Zoloft off and on for about 13 years, but in hindsight and w/ the info on ADHD that I've learned, I think doctors were treating my depression when actually ADHD was my primary problem. The depression stemmed more from the disorganization, chaos, & not being able to hold everything together. Anyway, Zoloft worked OK for me in the past initially, but then would stop working. I had not been on it in about 5 or 6 years, but after my 2nd child was born, my primary care doc (actually a nurse practicioner) suggested I try it again since it had worked for depression in the past. Well, this time it was a complete train wreck. It was like I was in a deep fog - that's the only way I know to describe it. I was only taking 50 mgs, but I felt foggy and my concentration & focus DID NOT improve. After that, I began taking Strattera, and it works faily well for evening out my moods. In the past, I have had the best results from a combination of Strattera (40 - 60mg) and Adderall XR (10 - 20mgs). However, I've had one appointment with this new psychiatrist & he wants to wean me off or atleast reduce the dosage of the Strattera and begin w/ primarily a stimulant only treatment in order to maximize the effectiveness and get the dosage accurate. As of right now, I take 40 mgs Strattera every day and I have a prescription for IR Addrall (10 mgs) that I take once a day. That's another story in itself, but I don't have time to get into it right now. I'm completely in a trial/error phase for a bit. Charles Parker has some interesting info on his website about combining SSRIs (Zoloft) w/ stimulants that you might want to check out. I have heard very different opinions about combining various antideppresants and stimulants, but I really trust what he says.
I could go on and on to both of you, but I'm heading out of town w/ the kids to my mom's this weekend, so we're in the process of attempting to get out of the house -- CHAOS!!
More later. I hope to continue chatting w/ you two. I've learned a lot already!
jen
Heather said:It is so funny but, I have also blown up boiled eggs and left a pot on the stove cooking with nothing in it!!! I feel the same exact way about cooking! My husband for the most part cooks or we have something very easy! I keep trying to put together a menu for 2 purposes. 1st to help having the food in the house to cook and 2nd to try to budget! The 2nd thing I have been working on it feels like my entire life! It pains me to take my kids to the store so my husband usually goes on his days off. I keep trying to get organized in every area of my life, house and work! I think I know I spend more time trying to get all the things I think I need to help me get organized than doing. I agree that you should not measure yourself as a good Mom by if you can cook or not! I have a 4yr and 5yr old and it takes me at least 2hrs. to get out of the house. I usually try to have everything ready for the A.M.. My older daughter is in PreK and she is also ADHD and has some sensory issues so it takes me at least 45mins just to get her dressed… I just came up with a chart to help her get dressed and make it to the bus without any melt downs! It has been working great except for when I don’t get up on time!!! We got a note sent home saying she has had too many tardies. This of course is my fault! My husband works shift work and when he is working nights he can get her off and she always makes the bus and never late! He said do you see what you are doing to our child! (he is always teasing me about my lateness)
I know I am all over the place but, I seem to be really bad right now! I can not at all seem to stay on task! Thank God I have a Dr. Appt. on Monday! I am in avoid mode and am so worried about my job…As you can see what I am doing! Lol! This is the only thing that is helping me right now. Oh if I can ask what Meds are you taking? I am currently on Vyvanse, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. I have been on the Zoloft for at least 15 yrs., have only been on the Vyvanse for about 4mths and about a year for the Wellbutrin. Thank you both for advice and just to have someone who understands…
Heather
© 2012 Created by Terry Matlen.
