Tell me about diagnosing and treating ADD

[Toocrazy!!]

DS 19 has several ADD traits and through self assessment he is looking toward wanting to treat it somehow. I believe he does have some issues and neuropsychology testing when he was very young did point to an issue. He’s also “gifted” and went through a subpar school system, so keeping up in class wasn’t an issue that lead us to treat it. 
He doesn’t seem to have the hyper part of it. He can sit still, but he is very easily distracted and he says is avoiding hard mental work. I’ll admit, I wonder if it’s because he never had to work hard in school until it was late in the game. Calculus was his first and only challenging class. But English is his worst class. It takes him 20 minutes to write a 3 sentence thank you card. 
I know NOTHING about diagnosing it or treating it, so any links to good sources are appreciated! 

[MEmama]

Listening in…

We tried to get DS into the proper channels this past spring, but of course they were booked solid until after he was going to leave for university. Depending on how first semester goes, I might try to schedule an appointment over winter break or next summer, if he is still struggling. It was tough for us—and his Very Excellent Doctor— to suss out what was covid stress related and what might well be ADD. A diagnosis wouldn’t surprise him or me; I just hope it would be beneficial and not become a crutch.

[whitestavern]

We had our S diagnosed sophomore year by a neuropsychologist. Never had him medicated because like your S, he wasn't struggling. Last year - his first year of college - was a disaster. There was Covid, but I think it was more the ADD and the fact that classes finally got tough for him (engineering). As soon as he got home this summer, we asked his GP for meds. They weren't great and he didn't like the way they made him feel. Doc just kept upping his Rx. I heard about a psychopharmacologist from a friend, and she has been a lifesaver. She worked with him to find the right med and the right dose (smallest amount necessary to be effective). She knows her stuff. She also tells him what he needs to do to make sure the meds work most efficiently (lots of sleep, staying on a schedule, little drinking, no drugs, etc.) She also told him to go off on weekends, when possible, vacations, and summer break if he can so that he doesn't become medication tolerant. So my advice would be to find a doctor/get a diagnosis, work with someone who specializes in ADD or meds, and don't wait to treat. Good luck. I'm happy to share the name of S's psychopharmacologist. She's not far from me, but we've done all our appointments via Zoom. I'm not 100% sure if she can diagnose as we had a diagnosis before finding her. Best of luck to you!

Edited September 1, 2021 by whitestavern

[Carrie12345]

Getting a diagnosis can really vary by area/practitioner.  
My GP was satisfied with my explanation of symptoms when I was 30. My sister’s *psychologist* tried to tell her that adult adhd doesn’t exist if one wasn’t diagnosed as a child. (Never mind a GIRL, who grew up in the 90S... so it wasn’t much of an option to begin with!) So, yeah.

Please know that the H in ADHD can take on different forms. It doesn’t have to be the pain in the butt 3rd grader who can’t sit at his desk.

Personally, I’m all about systems, routines, and exploring all the self-help I can access because I didn’t respond well to the trials and errors of medication. I might RE-explore that in the future, but it can be pretty taxing if the first few don’t work out well.  

[Bambam]

One of my young adults went to a psychologist. There they did an IQ test and a few other tests as well as questions. Dr. said based on that she did have ADHD.  She went to regular doctor for prescription meds - they are still trying to find right med/right dose.  Psychologist also gave her specific suggestions about how to work around some issues.  One of the suggestions was to make things more complicated as you pay better attention to the details and getting it completed. 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Toocrazy!! said:

He doesn’t seem to have the hyper part of it. He can sit still, but he is very easily distracted and he says is avoiding hard mental work. I’ll admit, I wonder if it’s because he never had to work hard in school until it was late in the game. Calculus was his first and only challenging class. But English is his worst class. It takes him 20 minutes to write a 3 sentence thank you card. 

What you're describing is low processing speed and possibly a language disability (auditory processing disorder, SLD writing, etc.). Now they could tack ADHD on top, sure, but it would be helpful to have evals that help you tackle the things that are affecting his function. The APD you could pursue with an audiologist. Occasionally you'll find an psych or SLP who can do the testing. For the processing speed and writing you're talking a neuropsych. Also look on the Hoagies Gifted list, as some clinical psychs (much cheaper) could handle this just fine.

Any anxiety? How is he in background noise? Sensory issues?

Meds will bump processing speed but can exacerbate anxiety. You want a fuller picture with evals before making the meds choice, since he's gotten this far. 

[PeterPan]

360 Thinking has webinars

Educational Therapist--there's a certification for this. They can help him with strategies and managing his load.

The data is that people who do behavioral strategies *first* are happier than those who do meds first or meds concurrently. However if he's starting college, I can see why he's feeling stressed and wanting something. It's just kind of a dangerous thing honestly. I didn't want my dd to have access to any meds that were able to be abused. Be very cautious. No one starts off wanting to get in a bad place with meds and these docs will offer kids "boosters" that are fast acting and can be insufflated. Think very carefully and look at all the options. 

[PeterPan]

Meds stimulate the system, but for someone at this point (low processing speed relative to IQ, etc.), the increased demands of college can really bog them down. My dd found college exceptionally fatiguing. He may need a reduced course load, on campus supports, etc. Be flexible on the load and timetable to prevent burnout.

[Toocrazy!!]

26 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

What you're describing is low processing speed and possibly a language disability (auditory processing disorder, SLD writing, etc.). Now they could tack ADHD on top, sure, but it would be helpful to have evals that help you tackle the things that are affecting his function. The APD you could pursue with an audiologist. Occasionally you'll find an psych or SLP who can do the testing. For the processing speed and writing you're talking a neuropsych. Also look on the Hoagies Gifted list, as some clinical psychs (much cheaper) could handle this just fine.

Any anxiety? How is he in background noise? Sensory issues?

Meds will bump processing speed but can exacerbate anxiety. You want a fuller picture with evals before making the meds choice, since he's gotten this far. 

Wow. He does have low processing speed in relation to IQ. 50% processing speed as compared to very high and pretty high scores in other categories. When he was tested at age 10. I don’t know how you got that from my description, but that is the case😀 
He’s very audio interested I guess. I’m not sure about an audio processing disorder. I’ve never considered that. He LOVES music of all types. Discriminates  types of noise. That’s an interesting combination you got from my description. 
He does have friends who take adderall on occasion for important tests and I think he sees it as an easy solution to his problems. 
I want him to succeed, but not jump to medicating if not necessary. 

[prairiewindmomma]

13 minutes ago, Toocrazy!! said:
I want him to succeed, but not jump to medicating if not necessary. 

To me, that sounds like, “I know he has trouble hearing, but I want him to get by without hearing aids if lip reading can get him by” (knowing he will still miss out on a lot of conversations because some people will have their backs turned to them). If you would get your kids glasses or hearing aids, why the hang up on this? 

[Toocrazy!!]

I guess the possibility of abusing meds, dependence, etc. I’m just trying to learn what the options are. 
 

[Tanaqui]

Yes, people are usually dependent on the medications they need to function. I know one girl who is dependent on insulin for her diabetes.

[Toocrazy!!]

I get it, I’m not trying to come off as not wanting him to get help. But I think it’s ok to do some due diligence before prescribing any meds. 

[Carrie12345]

51 minutes ago, Toocrazy!! said:

He does have friends who take adderall on occasion for important tests and I think he sees it as an easy solution to his problems. 
I want him to succeed, but not jump to medicating if not necessar

Taking adderall on occasion isn’t helpful for actual adhd. Just an FYI.

[prairiewindmomma]

Have you read much on ADHD-Inattentive? There are two categories of ADHD classifications, and it sounds like your son falls on the inattentive end of things.

If you want books, websites and other info to educate yourself more, let us know. 
 

The diagnostic end is pretty straightforward. They have questionnaires and sometimes computer software that they have used for decades to help diagnose. Basically, the brain isn’t firing the way it’s supposed to. They can actually see brain differences in functional MRIs compared to non-ADHD persons. 
 

There are different classes of medications, stimulants and non-stimulants: they offer enough of a boost that the person can use for their brain more efficiently.

[Toocrazy!!]

Websites would be great. Thanks

[happi duck]

Listening in with dh in mind 

[prairiewindmomma]

https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/symptoms-of-inattentive-adhd/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15253-attention-deficit-disorder-without-hyperactivity-add-in-adults

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.additudemag.com/adhd-medication-for-adults-and-children/amp/

https://sethperler.com/

https://chadd.org/about-adhd/executive-function-skills/

 

 

 

 

[KSera]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

A diagnosis wouldn’t surprise him or me; I just hope it would be beneficial and not become a crutch.

My oldest was diagnosed (inattentive type) late senior year of high school. It would have surprised me when she was younger, but after the slog that high school was (high performance, but it took all day every day), I expected it by the time we did testing. Like OP, I think nothing was hard enough until HS for it to show up (gifted kid). 
 

Treatment with adderall helped a lot, but we’re about four years down the road now and the concern above about the diagnosis becoming a crutch has been a problem over the past year. They have a not very good IMO therapist who also has ADHD and counsels them about it a lot and I think they follow a lot of ADHD accounts on SM, and now suddenly everything is blamed on ADHD and they can’t manage things they used to manage “because of my ADHD.” I don’t yet know the answer to it, because we’re trying to figure it out, but just saying your concern is valid. I’m recommending she see her psychiatrist again to talk about it so that her senior year of college will go okay. Last semester was catastrophic. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Fwiw, I think you are dealing with more than ADHD-I and I would consider repeating the entire neuropsych if you can. You will want documentation to take to the college to show a need for accommodations.

Also, anecdotally, my kid is in engineering school and getting all As. There is no way he could do physics or calc without his meds on board. He cannot get his brain to focus, and would spend a couple of hours on one problem. My advice is if you are doubting whether meds would work, commit to a one month trial. You should see night and day results. It will be super, super, super obvious if medication is helpful. It may take a few meds to find the right one for his biochemistry.

[prairiewindmomma]

Also, it should never be meds-only. I posted the Seth Perler and executive functioning skills links above because meds just kind of give you a fighting chance. You need to build those cognitive skills and habits that let you function. I *still* have to coach my kid quite intensively and if I couldn’t do it, I would hire someone who would. I know a ton of brilliant people who are underperforming because they haven’t had the support they need to establish that initial success.

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Toocrazy!! said:

I guess the possibility of abusing meds, dependence, etc. I’m just trying to learn what the options are. 
 

I haven't read the rest of the replies but want to respond to this, then give my lay person advice as the mother of someone with ADHD (and probably the wife of one too). Whew! Sorry for that long sentence lol. 

Anyway, people who truly need meds for ADHD don't abuse them. They also don't sell them for others to abuse because they need them to function. Since these are controlled substances if they sell what they have they can't get more until 30 days is up. As for dependence, dependence is not addiction or abuse. I depend on glasses or contacts to see well. People with certain types of diabetes depend on insulin injections or pills to live. Please don't be afraid or make him afraid of ADHD meds. While it's true that some meds won't work and he might have to try several before finding the right one, don't think that if one makes him feel or act "off" that all ADHD meds will do the same. It's a matter of finding what works.

Moving on to dx. It can be difficult to get diagnosed as an adult but it's still possible. I have a friend who was, after listening to me talk about ds and some of his issues. She realized those were her issues, went to a doctor, and was diagnosed with ADHD, inattentive type. Also understand that the H is there regardless of type. There are three types: inattentive, impulsive, combined (ds has combined, yay). They're all called ADHD. 

When ds was a child his pediatrician handled his meds and reevaluations but as an adult he had trouble finding a doctor to treat him. Many don't want to deal with prescribing a controlled substance. He ended up with a psychiatrist and that's where I'd recommend your ds start. They can both diagnose and prescribe the meds if they find those are necessary. I know in some states psychologists can prescribe meds so if that's true for yours you might have him see one, but I still think a psychiatrist for first time adult dx is a good choice.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

3 hours ago, MEmama said:

A diagnosis wouldn’t surprise him or me; I just hope it would be beneficial and not become a crutch.

While it should never be allowed to become a crutch or excuse, it can become a reason. When he (and you) understand why he does something it makes it harder to get angry at him. It also allows you to realize you need to come at certain things from a different angle. What works with neurotypical people doesn't usually work with those who have ADHD. 

Just make a list.

Okay. Where's my list? I forgot I made a list. I remembered I made a list and I found it but I got distracted by ALL THE THINGS that my brain is telling me I should pay attention to instead of my list. 

Those are real struggles that people with ADHD go through. It sounds trivial to us but constantly fighting what your brain is telling you to do or to avoid is hard and exhausting. Even on medication it's hard. Meds help, they don't cure ADHD or even eliminate all symptoms. They help reduce symptoms enough so the person can learn to do the things they simply can't do without meds.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

Third post in a row. Sorry. 

I realized I was posting from the perspective of someone familiar with moderate-severe ADHD. Not everyone with ADHD will have it so difficult, but everyone with ADHD will have some level of difficulty that neurotypical people don't experience. Not everyone with ADHD needs meds but for those who do, meds can make a world of difference.

Edited September 1, 2021 by Lady Florida.

[TravelingChris]

3 hours ago, Carrie12345 said:

My sister’s *psychologist* tried to tell her that adult adhd doesn’t exist if one wasn’t diagnosed as a child.

IF anyone told me that, I would be reporting them to the licensing authorities for not having proper knowledge to be a psychologist.   For one thing, anyone born before the 80's was very unlikely to be diagnosed as ADHD, especially females. Secondly, as the OP said, many of us managed well in certain environments but not in others.  I could manage school fine- it is my disaster in my house that is the problem, and general living.  ADHD issues greatly increase my anxiety.  I am having both ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder treated and of course, I didn't get diagnosed till I was an adult.

[BlsdMama]

Our story is complex but neuropsych initially. I resisted meds for kiddo until relationships were a mess. Then psychiatrist and trialed meds. Total game changer. DS is dx’d ODD and ADD (inattentive) and Concerta helps a ton. Still our most challenging relationship but now workable. 

[Lady Florida.]

14 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

  ADHD issues greatly increase my anxiety.  I am having both ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder treated and of course, I didn't get diagnosed till I was an adult.

Ds was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but it was his psychiatrist he started going to as an adult who dx'd anxiety. His ADHD sets off his anxiety, as you said. I didn't know this when he was young and his doctor never caught it, but anxiety meds are helping now.

[TravelingChris]

1 hour ago, Toocrazy!! said:

I guess the possibility of abusing meds, dependence, etc. I’m just trying to learn what the options are. 
 

You probably know if a person will be abusing stuff because it is evident in behavior not just relating to drugs-- addiction issues are multi- system problems.  My sister had issues and it was very evident from an early age because she had no self control over things she liked- I distinctly remember her having a mouth full of M and Ms and grabbing more.  But she developed a shopping addiction, cigarettes, etc.  My brother in law also showed early signs of not having self control over pleasurable activities-grown up alcoholic, narcotics, cigarettes, etc.  Son in law- chewing tobacco, alcohol issues, feels high when given narcotics---- I never ever feel high with the narcotics I take because all they do for me is lessen my pain/  

I don't know the abuse rate of ADHD but ADHD people, if not selling, aren't abusing ADHD typically.  I do know that opioid addiction by true pain patients is actually about 3%.  My dh, dd2,and I are in the 97% with no addiction issues- dd1 and ds haven['t had opioids prescribed as adults, I don't think.  

[TravelingChris]

48 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I haven't read the rest of the replies but want to respond to this, then give my lay person advice as the mother of someone with ADHD (and probably the wife of one too). Whew! Sorry for that long sentence lol. 

Anyway, people who truly need meds for ADHD don't abuse them. They also don't sell them for others to abuse because they need them to function. Since these are controlled substances if they sell what they have they can't get more until 30 days is up. As for dependence, dependence is not addiction or abuse. I depend on glasses or contacts to see well. People with certain types of diabetes depend on insulin injections or pills to live. Please don't be afraid or make him afraid of ADHD meds. While it's true that some meds won't work and he might have to try several before finding the right one, don't think that if one makes him feel or act "off" that all ADHD meds will do the same. It's a matter of finding what works.

 

Exactly

And totally off topic-  there is no way in hell I would sell my narcotics or Adderall.  Both help me have a bit of normal life.  

[Carrie12345]

50 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

IF anyone told me that, I would be reporting them to the licensing authorities for not having proper knowledge to be a psychologist.   For one thing, anyone born before the 80's was very unlikely to be diagnosed as ADHD, especially females. Secondly, as the OP said, many of us managed well in certain environments but not in others.  I could manage school fine- it is my disaster in my house that is the problem, and general living.  ADHD issues greatly increase my anxiety.  I am having both ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder treated and of course, I didn't get diagnosed till I was an adult.

Yup. She reported her to *someone, I’m just not sure who. My sister is a trained therapist, lol. Of all areas for her to get jerked around in...

[SanDiegoMom]

There's Sluggish Cognitive Tempo, which is not an official diagnosis but sounds to me like ADHD minus the H. Dr. Russell Barkley has advocated for this to become an official DX.  My daughter looked very much like this on really bad days, but she has plenty of the H traits so it's pretty obvious she has combined type. Talks really fast, interrupts people, thoughts flying non stop. 

For her, diagnosis didn't just help with school.  Adhd affects one's day to day life very drastically.  It's not just avoiding hard work (though that was par for the course -- avoiding anything until the last minute and then fear of failure would kick in to motivate her).  But it affects the time it takes her to shower, whether she remembers to go to bed, remembering to eat, realizing that she's actually sick and not just "out of it" again.... and all of those get so much easier with meds.  

It is so frustrating to hear about kids that take meds to do better on tests.  It just makes access to these drugs so much harder for people who really need it just for day to day life. 

 

[Storygirl]

I agree with the comments posted in previous responses. Just a few additional thoughts.

I was also struck by the trouble with writing. What you describe would not be ADHD alone, but sometimes medicating ADHD can boost the processing speed a little. Keep in mind that processing speed is usually fairly static, meaning improvement can happen, but someone with low PS will always have low PS.

Writing difficulties go along with low processing speed, in many cases. Our neuropsych explained it as "difficulty with pencil to paper tasks." Getting thoughts from the brain to paper can be hard, and for some people, typing is a great accommodation. Low processing speed and writing disabilities need accommodations. For someone who is college bound, it would be important to have documentation of issues, so that accommodations can also continue in college. Therefore, I also would recommend a repeat of the full evaluations, to get a clear understanding of the root issues, and to have a plan that can be submitted to the college disability office to get accommodations.

Educational psychologists can run the tests that he would need, including ADHD screenings. But they don't dispense medication. So then he would take the psych report to the primary care physician or a psychiatrist to be subscribed the medication. We have used both the primary care doc and a psychiatric nurse practitioner for medications, and it really depends upon the knowledge of your doctor which would be better. A psychiatrist or nurse practitioner would be most knowledgeable, but there can be long waiting lists.

There are medications for ADHD that are nonstimulants and are not controlled substances. They are not the right choice for everyone, but they can be for some. One of our kids with ADHD also takes an anti-anxiety med, and that helps his ADHD symptoms, as well. So there are options.

DH and I were resistant to trying medication at first, but it has made a night and day difference here. We wish we had had our kid start on them earlier (he was 10).

Finally, doctors don't use the term ADD any more. Even if there is not a hyperactive component, the official diagnosis would be ADHD. If there is no hyperactivity, the diagnosis would be ADHD, inattentive type.

You are a great mom who wants to do your best to help your son! But also, keep in mind that at age 19, he can make medical choices for himself. So if he wants to try medication after a diagnosis, you can, of course, offer your opinion, but it would be his decision.

[Storygirl]

Oh, about writing and low processing speed. I forgot to mention that the part of the testing that determines processing speed requires the person to copy symbols into the proper square. It's called the Coding subtest of the WISC, and you can look it up, to see what I mean. So difficulty with writing on paper is linked to scoring lower in the Coding test, meaning lower processing speed and trouble with writing tend to go hand in hand. If the writing is difficult enough, the person would get a diagnosis of dysgraphia or SLD (specific learning disability) in writing.

Dysgraphia/ SLD writing can be due to the physical act of writing -- trouble keeping letters on the line, difficulty forming the letters, etc. And/or can be about getting thoughts onto paper.

[Toocrazy!!]

Thank you all for you stories and information. I have a lot to learn. 

as for the writing- typing doesn’t help. It seems like getting thoughts out. It’s a process for sure. And even math or physics which he is strong in- it takes HOURS to do a problem. Lots of what looks to me like zoning off, lots of talking about something else if anyone is around. He always tested as a very strong reader, but hates to read? I don’t know, he’s got a lot of conflicting issues:) 

I’m going to research the testing psychs to see what they offer. I think a definite diagnosis and some education about what that means is a good place to start for us. 

[KidsHappen]

I was diagnosed as an adult by my regular doctor, later confirmed by my Pdoc. I am also bipolar so it was difficult to find a med that worked without making me anxious or manic or exacerbating my OCD. I tried a few different meds and found that a low dose of Adderall worked best for me.

It is very smooth so it doesn’t cause all the problems listed above. I only take it four or five days a week. It is a med that works when you take it. It doesn’t have to build up in your system to work and it has a fairly short half life so many teens do take it just when they have class or need to study. Then it can wear off so that are hungry later and can sleep at night.

[whitestavern]

2 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Ds was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but it was his psychiatrist he started going to as an adult who dx'd anxiety. His ADHD sets off his anxiety, as you said. I didn't know this when he was young and his doctor never caught it, but anxiety meds are helping now.

Yes, my S also went on anti-anxiety meds. I feel badly that I waited so long to get him help. He got by in high school but it really hurt him last year. Between the intense workload, Covid, and being a freshman, he was overwhelmed and frozen and suffered from anxiety attacks. His confidence plummeted, and he lost weight. We didn't know any of this, but when he came home for the summer he talked and talked and talked to us about everything he experienced. He cried a lot. I felt awful. I don't want to come across as pushing meds, but as someone who never wanted them for my son, I am truly sorry I didn't start earlier. He took an online class this summer and did great. He is also using an academic coach this semester that specializes in ADHD. He is doing SO much better mentally now; hoping the academics follow.

[klmama]

3 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Anyway, people who truly need meds for ADHD don't abuse them.

Generally true, perhaps, but not always. I've known a couple of people who really did need the meds, but still abused them in college, taking multiple days worth of doses during all-nighters as they tried to complete term papers they had procrastinated starting.  Super dangerous, but these were thrill seekers and didn't really care.  They abused alcohol and other drugs, too, so it was just one problem among many.  Anyway, since taking extras doses for papers meant they ran out of their pills early, they couldn't take them at all until refill time and would totally fall apart, getting further behind in school.  Thankfully, that type of experience is not true for everyone with ADHD!  Still, OP is wise to consider what other training or supports her ds may need in addition to meds and to try to get him on board now, while he's seeking help.

[KSera]

5 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

Ds was diagnosed with ADHD as a child but it was his psychiatrist he started going to as an adult who dx'd anxiety. His ADHD sets off his anxiety, as you said. I didn't know this when he was young and his doctor never caught it, but anxiety meds are helping now.

My kid with ADHD actually found that adderall decreased her anxiety,  which is counter to what a lot of people say will happen, but is apparently not an unusual experience. I think the ADHD symptoms themself are anxiety provoking and calming them just makes her feel a lot more at ease.

4 hours ago, SanDiegoMom said:

For her, diagnosis didn't just help with school.  Adhd affects one's day to day life very drastically.  It's not just avoiding hard work (though that was par for the course -- avoiding anything until the last minute and then fear of failure would kick in to motivate her).  But it affects the time it takes her to shower, whether she remembers to go to bed, remembering to eat, realizing that she's actually sick and not just "out of it" again.... and all of those get so much easier with meds.  

One of my kid’s big problems is that they don’t have the EF skills to take their meds until they have taken their meds 🤦‍♀️. So they’ll waste half the day (or more) doing nothing before finally realizing they should take their adderall. Then they are able to get things done. 

[Lady Florida.]

3 hours ago, KSera said:

My kid with ADHD actually found that adderall decreased her anxiety,  which is counter to what a lot of people say will happen, but is apparently not an unusual experience. I think the ADHD symptoms themself are anxiety provoking and calming them just makes her feel a lot more at ease.

 

Yes, it's ds' ADHD, not his meds, that makes him anxious. I just didn't catch that when he was young and it seems he didn't know how to tell us or his doctor. His ADHD meds help but he still does better when he also takes anti-anxiety medicine. 

[PeterPan]

14 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

He does have low processing speed in relation to IQ. 50% processing speed as compared to very high and pretty high scores in other categories. When he was tested at age 10. I don’t know how you got that from my description, but that is the case😀 

Just going to clip some things you said so you can connect the dots.

16 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

It takes him 20 minutes to write a 3 sentence thank you card.

 

16 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

avoiding hard mental work.

 

9 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

it takes HOURS to do a problem.

 

7 hours ago, KSera said:

My kid with ADHD actually found that adderall decreased her anxiety,  which is counter to what a lot of people say will happen, but is apparently not an unusual experience. I think the ADHD symptoms themself are anxiety provoking and calming them just makes her feel a lot more at ease.

Yes, my dd said this too and others have said it here. However as they start to do more and are more aware, they may have more anxiety again. 

14 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

When he was tested at age 10.

What was diagnosed at that time?

9 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

Thank you all for you stories and information. I have a lot to learn. 

as for the writing- typing doesn’t help. It seems like getting thoughts out. It’s a process for sure. And even math or physics which he is strong in- it takes HOURS to do a problem. Lots of what looks to me like zoning off, lots of talking about something else if anyone is around. He always tested as a very strong reader, but hates to read? I don’t know, he’s got a lot of conflicting issues:) 

I’m going to research the testing psychs to see what they offer. I think a definite diagnosis and some education about what that means is a good place to start for us. 

Some more things to think through. Was this diagnosed when he was 10? If he had psych evals then, what did the report say? That would be conspicuous for them to eval and choose *not* to diagnose it at that time. I'm wondering what they concluded at that time.

Next, I think you have the larger issue that he's going into college without paper trail, without accommodations, and (maybe?) without career counseling to reflect his challenges. He may or may not be in a workable major. That would be something to talk through with the psych after the evals. They usually do a 1-2 hour session where you can ask questions, and that's when that needs to happen. Some psychs will even do career counseling as part of their testing at this age and it might be wise to look for someone who has that skill set. 

College is extremely expensive and even a semester wasted and off track and be $$$$$. Given his previously identified low processing speed, he would be wise to take a reduced course load and focus on gen ed credits that fulfill requirements across a variety of majors while allowing him time to sort out these issues. And by reduced course load, you're talking 11-14. 

Although the ADHD meds would bump his processing speed some, he's still going to be himself. Has he been struggling with fatigue or burnout with college level work? You want to watch for this very carefully. 

8 hours ago, klmama said:

Generally true, perhaps, but not always. I've known a couple of people who really did need the meds, but still abused them in college, taking multiple days worth of doses during all-nighters as they tried to complete term papers they had procrastinated starting.  Super dangerous, but these were thrill seekers and didn't really care. 

And we've had people on the boards say their kids became addicted and ended up on a very sad path because of access to uncontrolled amounts of the ADHD meds. Op can look into meds like Vyvanse, which are prodrugs (rate limited by an enzyme, much more difficult to abuse). 

I go back to the question of whether the program he's in is realistic. 

[Laura Corin]

7 hours ago, KSera said:

My kid with ADHD actually found that adderall decreased her anxiety,  which is counter to what a lot of people say will happen, but is apparently not an unusual experience. I think the ADHD symptoms themself are anxiety provoking and calming them just makes her feel a lot more at ease.

Yes. The person I know was on anxiety meds, but after ADHD diagnosis by a psychiatrist and medication for it, he no longer had much anxiety and was able to stop that med.

[SanDiegoMom]

On 9/1/2021 at 2:53 PM, KSera said:

My kid with ADHD actually found that adderall decreased her anxiety,  which is counter to what a lot of people say will happen, but is apparently not an unusual experience. I think the ADHD symptoms themself are anxiety provoking and calming them just makes her feel a lot more at ease.

One of my kid’s big problems is that they don’t have the EF skills to take their meds until they have taken their meds 🤦‍♀️. So they’ll waste half the day (or more) doing nothing before finally realizing they should take their adderall. Then they are able to get things done. 

Mine uses an app to keep her on track with a daily routine. She sets up her room the night before with clothes, pills, water, and a protein bar. Then when her alarm goes off she checks the schedule while it dings each item so she can stay on track.  This system has only really gotten pretty solid this past year, even though she's been on meds for three.  

 

Mine gets anxiety when her dosage is too high - which it was when Ritalin suppressed her appetite, which made her foggy headed all the time (from lack of food) which meant she asked for a higher dose, which suppressed her appetite more...

She's on Vyvanse now and it works much better for her.  

[whitestavern]

2 hours ago, SanDiegoMom said:

Mine uses an app to keep her on track with a daily routine. She sets up her room the night before with clothes, pills, water, and a protein bar. Then when her alarm goes off she checks the schedule while it dings each item so she can stay on track.  This system has only really gotten pretty solid this past year, even though she's been on meds for three.  

 

Mine gets anxiety when her dosage is too high - which it was when Ritalin suppressed her appetite, which made her foggy headed all the time (from lack of food) which meant she asked for a higher dose, which suppressed her appetite more...

She's on Vyvanse now and it works much better for her.  

Can you share the name of the app? 

[SanDiegoMom]

2 hours ago, whitestavern said:

Can you share the name of the app? 

She uses Tiimo now. She used Brilli before. 

[Lady Florida.]

On 9/2/2021 at 1:17 AM, PeterPan said:

 

 

And we've had people on the boards say their kids became addicted and ended up on a very sad path because of access to uncontrolled amounts of the ADHD meds. Op can look into meds like Vyvanse, which are prodrugs (rate limited by an enzyme, much more difficult to abuse). 

 

This is extremely rare. In fact, being on ADHD meds decreases a person with ADHD's tendency to take other drugs. Study after study has shown this to be true.

https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-and-substance-abuse-stimulant-medication/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4147667/

https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/news/study-reveals-adhd-meds-lower-risk-drug-abuse/

Please, if you or your child needs medicine to control ADHD symptoms please don't fall into the trap of believing the myth of stimulant addiction due to such meds.