ADD/ADHD in EMS providers

[LucidResq]

How many EMS providers have a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD... who is undiagnosed but suspects they may have ADD/ADHD (like for reals... not the jokey "oh look shiney thing!" internet joke BS)? Just curious. I'd also love to hear what medications, therapies, etc those with ADHD have found useful.

 

[usalsfyre]

Fairly severe ADHD, not diagnosed till adulthood. Making list, minimizing distractions and Straterra have made a huge difference here.

 

[LucidResq]

Myself - diagnosed at age 14. Symptoms managed with fairly good results for nearly 7 years on Adderall. I went from a 1.6 GPA my freshman year of HS to a 3.6+ within a semester after being diagnosed and put on Adderall. They initially misdiagnosed me as bipolar (put me on Seroquel which was awful!) but quickly came to the conclusion I just had ADHD (the uppness) but got down due to poor performance/grades (downness). Once the grades and social life were improved, what they thought was the down phase of manic depression disappeared.

Still have issues with a few symptoms - primarily extreme hyperfocus (I can research a completely random topic like nobody's business, but have trouble getting bills in on time) and tuning out when my boyfriend is talking, but I think I'm doing relatively ok.

 

[usalsfyre]

Still have issues with a few symptoms - primarily extreme hyperfocus (I can research a completely random topic like nobody's business, but have trouble getting bills in on time

Same here. OTOH I am a killer at Trivial Pursuit

and tuning out when my boyfriend is talking, but I think I'm doing relatively ok.

This and outburst were why I went to get tested. Being medicated has probably saved my marriage.

My physician was thinking about Adderal initially, but the stuff scares the crap out of me (family substance abuse history on both sides). Hence why we decided to try non-stimulants first.

 

[LucidResq]

Same here. OTOH I am a killer at Trivial Pursuit

Hahaha that's always the best, isn't it? I had a teacher tell me once that even though I wasn't good at much else, I should enter certain contests because I did know completely useless information.

My physician was thinking about Adderal initially, but the stuff scares the crap out of me (family substance abuse history on both sides). Hence why we decided to try non-stimulants first

I'm considering have chat with my shrink. I totally don't blame you. I'm reluctant to try something else since the Adderall has managed my symptoms so well, but I'm always crazy-menopausal-hot, and I've even been evaluated in-depth by a cardiologist because they thought I had WPW (pretty sure it was just the amphetamines).

 

[exodus]

I was actually diagnosed ~5th grade, put on ritalin, then taken off for a reason I dont' remember. Recently started noticing the symptoms again.. I go in Sunday to talk to a shrink about it and possibly get re-diagnosed...

 

[Shishkabob]

Was diagnosed at a young age, put on ritilin, developed trichotillomania, was taken off ritilin .

 

[281mustang]

I've got a pretty bad case of inattentive ADD. I didn't go to a p-doc to get an offical diagnosis until I started Medic school and wanted an Adderall script.

I don't want to take amphetamines long-term so I'll proabably try out some non-stimulent meds after I graduate.

 

[medicRob]

Diagnosed by a physician several years ago. He is still comfortable in his diagnosis all these visits later. We had to fine tune my medication. However, once we got it right, it helped me greatly. It made the channels stop changng, I could actually focus on one thing instead of jumping from one topic to the next mentally. For once, my dopamine was just right.

 

[Sasha]

Well I think that---Squirrel!

 

[Sasha]

See.. my ADHD prevented me from reading your entire first post about shiney things. I've had ADHD since I was a kid, I was on a combination of wellbutrin and concerta at first, because I also had depression or some such. It helped but I took myself off of it. My grades came up and I got frustrated that everyone was attributing my grades to the medication and not to me, who worked her butt off for those grades.

I took myself off the medication and have not gone back on. I know I probably should, but I get by without it and i've heard some horror stories.

I also didn't like how I felt completely zombified by the medication combination and I wasn't sure if it was the wellbutrin or concerta, and am not willing to try either again.

 

[harryb714]

I suspect I might have it but am a little afraid to get diagnosed...
Reasons I think I have it include:
1) inability to maintain a social life for an extended period
2) often "tune out" when other people are talking
3) bad at following complex verbal directions
4) can't sit/stand still
5) get very distracted in large social groups and usually "shut down" socially in those situations
6) doing 100 things at once but never really 100% completing any of them
7) I can't read more than a few paragraphs without wearing ear plugs
8) I often have to re-read a paragraph I just read because I was thinking about something else while I read

 

[mycrofft]

Post one about Asperger's SYndrome

.......

 

[Blood]

8) I often have to re-read a paragraph I just read because I was thinking about something else while I read

I do that constantly lol.

Anyone else always have a million internet tabs up because they can't focus on just one thing? I constantly open new tabs especially with threads because something looks interesting.

 

[281mustang]

I do that constantly lol.

Anyone else always have a million internet tabs up because they can't focus on just one thing? I constantly open new tabs especially with threads because something looks interesting.

I've been online for about an hour. 4 windows with a 2-4 tabs per window.:wacko:

 

[DesertMedic66]

I suspect I might have it but am a little afraid to get diagnosed...
Reasons I think I have it include:
1) inability to maintain a social life for an extended period
2) often "tune out" when other people are talking
3) bad at following complex verbal directions
4) can't sit/stand still
5) get very distracted in large social groups and usually "shut down" socially in those situations
6) doing 100 things at once but never really 100% completing any of them
7) I can't read more than a few paragraphs without wearing ear plugs
8) I often have to re-read a paragraph I just read because I was thinking about something else while I read

#7 and #8 always happen to me. I have to have it quiet when I read more then one paragraph or else I won't understand anything I read. And sometimes I'll read something pause and say to myself "what did I just read?". But I don't think I have ADD or ADHD

 

[Aidey]

For once, my dopamine was just right.

lol, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks of it this way. I've been known to say "My dopamine is out of whack" when I'm having an off day.

Diagnosed as an adult about 2 years ago. I got my medications sorted out pretty quickly and it made a world of difference. I still have some bad days, but overall I feel much, much better.

 

[YCALR]

Diagnosed this year and have been prescribed low dose adderall. I've always had the focus issue and always felt as if my mind was running a million miles a second. I couodnt even shut my mind off when it was time to sleep, which caused sleep issues. Since I've been on adderall I have noticed a huge positive difference in my life.

 

[rmabrey]

I was diagnosed at a young age. Meds never really helped. I find the best way to stay attentive in class is to really participate in the discussion. Some teachers get annoyed, but it really works in my medic classes

 

[RanchoEMT]

I suspect I might have it but am a little afraid to get diagnosed...
Reasons I think I have it include:
1) inability to maintain a social life for an extended period
2) often "tune out" when other people are talking
3) bad at following complex verbal directions
4) can't sit/stand still
5) get very distracted in large social groups and usually "shut down" socially in those situations
6) doing 100 things at once but never really 100% completing any of them
7) I can't read more than a few paragraphs without wearing ear plugs
8) I often have to re-read a paragraph I just read because I was thinking about something else while I read

You've read my mind, and then had to read it again.... This is exactly me as you described... Even socially. I have a very short attention span and I find I almost need to trick myself into "feeling" the subject/task I'm involved in... i.e. Whenever I study EMT/Paramedic stuff' I have to watch Emergency or some inspiring medical show and then turn it off and sit in complete silence to study... I haven't read beyond this post, I'm wondering what you've done for improvement... I will ask later if not stated further in the forum...