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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 20, 2016 21:38:21 GMT
Hi people for years I've been asked have I ever been checked for ADHD,bipolarity and chemical imbalances.
All observed by people who knew/know me well. I would love to seek a diagnoses because I'd like to know why I am this way(, thoughts,behavior etc) Posted in diagnosis thread if anyone has advice, I'd love to hear it!!!!!
Thank you Stresshead75😁
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Post by vagueandrandom on Dec 21, 2016 11:06:15 GMT
Hi stresshead75 and Welcome to the forum I've copied your other posts as it can sometimes take a while for them to be approved by admin as a new member (although they're on the mobile site . . however I find long posts difficult to read on my phone) . . well, it does sound like you have ADHD . . and your first hurdle is to try to convince a GP . . it sounds like you've not had much luck so far, it's still really misunderstood and many of us have been misdiagnosed with other MH issues. I really should be doing something else now, so I'll leave it with the welcome until later. . . There's a lot of useful advice on how to approach GPs. . have a look around. . Unfortunately, there are many areas of the country that don't have an adult ADHD service. . but there are ways . . it might be useful to let us know what area you're in as there might be someone here who knows the system in your area.
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 21, 2016 12:57:14 GMT
Vaugeandrandom hi there , Tried to keep to the point but head and fingers ran away with themselves!!! Having serious problems with gp surgery been twice in 5 days begging for some help( sick of listening to myself!) .fobbed off passed from one to another given a load of antipsychotic meds and told come back in 2 weeks. Tried some and they sent me wild (for want of a better term!)
Really don't know what to do, being treated unfairly because of addiction issues(I feel). Thanx for your reply. Stresshead75😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 21, 2016 13:02:32 GMT
Vaugeandrandom I'm in tameside greater Manchester 😀😀😀😀😀
Thanx for the reply !!!!🍀🍀😀😀🍀🍀🍀
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Post by vagueandrandom on Dec 21, 2016 18:45:56 GMT
Hi again stresshead75 The good news is that there's an adult ADHD service in Manchester (depending on your NHS Trust) From what I know, they tend to do pre-assessment with specialist nurses before seeing a consultant. Any ADHD specialist will be very familiar with people who have addiction issues. . it's quite common to self-medicate, so it shouldn't be a problem. Below is some advice I wrote a while ago about how to approach GPs: My experience (battle) with gps etc means that my advice, as well as being prepared, writing things down. . .is to think of your response to. . .
'. .and what do you hope to gain from a diagnosis?' which I got again and again, even when I'd convinced my GP and my referral had been turned down by the consultant.
He couldn't see why I was insisting on being referred again, or going straight to Maudsley, he believed that I probably had ADHD, but thought that there was no
treatment for adults and there may be an employment/societal stigma to being dx officially. It's a question that kept throwing me because I 'knew' why it was
important, but couldn't come up with a convincing 'reason'. It didn't seem to occur to my gp that having a dx would be a help in itself. The uncertainty and feeling
that I was probably delusional would be taken away and I could learn about the ways that ADHD has impacted my life and try to understand it and live 'with' it
rather than fighting against it and failing again and again.
So think of an answer and maybe write it down.
I'm so glad that I got diagnosed and I'm still learning how to cope. I'm not convinced that the meds are having much effect, but the 'knowledge' has improved
the way that I see myself and I'm kinder to myself more often.I'm also tagging easilydistracted because I think he may be able to give some advice.
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Post by easilydistracted on Dec 21, 2016 20:54:11 GMT
You called m'lady? Hi stresshead75 It looks like you may come under the same health trust as I do, Pennine Care? www.penninecare.nhs.uk/There is an ADHD service, it's out-sourced, but there is a pathway for diagnosis and treatment. Some areas don't have that so we are really quite lucky here. The GP said she would refer me to the MHT about the ADHD question, this went quiet for some time, so I phoned the GP to ask what was happening and was told I was now with the ADHD service. It's taken about a year from start to diagnosis, that too is quite short from some of the horror stories on this forum. I understand that might have been even quicker had there not been other issues that needed consideration as well. I've had a relatively easy go of it, that said, I did need to go to the GP armed with the NICE guidelines, school reports and angry letters from work in order to get that referal. In my case, the GP simply did not know that anything *could* be done for me. Things you may find useful, print out and take along with you. The GP seeing these in a format they are familiar with helped I think. www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Symptoms.aspxwww.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Diagnosis.aspxwww.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG72/chapter/Recommendations#identification-pre-diagnostic-intervention-in-the-community-and-referral-to-secondary-services(Section 1.2.2.1 is the relevant one) Get happy with the highlighter pen beforehand! As much documetary evidence as you can, yes, it will seem like you are cataloguing your failures and really you are! You are providing documentary evidence of how this has been a life long problem. Good luck
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 21, 2016 22:07:34 GMT
Vaugeandrandom/Easilydistracted , And anyone else who reads?!!!!!😁 Thanks for the advice/help/time you've given to reply. I really appreciate it.😁🍀😁🌞🌞🌞🌞 We've decided to keep a diary of my daily activities, my partner whaty she's seeing and some from me on thoughts and things I keep repeating ,nowq I've forgotten what I wanted to say Now I crying because I forgot Its going to be a crazy diary...... But yes the doctors I will print out those forms and I will go to town on the high let pen!!!!!!! Again ,yes the pennine health care I was seeing someone there in healthy minds ,sent by gp for depression. No good I need someone who will actually read and listen what I get up to on a daily baisi They have tried antidepressants/antipsychotic quick arte senjeding me wild !!!! Its not about the meds !!!!!!!! They have contributed to the state I'm at the moment !!!!!! I see a long journey!!!!! But will be worth every inc!!!!! Thanks again SH75 😁😁😁😁😵🍀🍀💞🙈🙉🙊💑
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 21, 2016 22:13:18 GMT
One more thing had to go to a quiet room to concentrate for about 40 to write that post so I wouldn't get distracted
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Post by easilydistracted on Dec 21, 2016 23:13:00 GMT
Hi stresshead75Regarding the diaries, I did something similar as well. Get it all down, in effect painting a picture of your head. Don't edit it! Yes, there may be cringeworthy things you scribble down but at the moment you wrote it it felt important enough to write down. Let them sort out what is relevant! If it raises other issues then fine! It's because those other issues needed raised and possibly addressed. It's about getting the right diagnosis. Talk, this may seem obvious but for me this was something new. Years of avoiding/denying/pretending there wasn't an issue and inwardly panicing and trying to paper over the cracks meant that talking about it did not come easy. For me, putting it down on paper, in my own words, knowing that I couldn't later deny it was a big step. Good luck
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 21, 2016 23:27:44 GMT
Easilydistracted 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
Thanks a million , took me acoiuple of goes to read it ,Thank you I relate to the last paragraph loads!!!!! Unfortunately I kept not seeing it until I handed my partner my tablet to show your post.
Completely lost what I had to say to you but yes the sooner I start writing the better !!!!
In the short term I'm unsure what to do should I go back to doc and have it out over antipsychotic, just to have a record of my complaint what they are doing to me or will I be fobbed of by a locom?
Any susgesstionf would greatly help and I know I sound manic !!!!!!! My head is just on fast foward x5 !!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for links and words of wisdom
SH75 😀😂😇😄😂😀😀😀😯😀😁😄😀
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Post by easilydistracted on Dec 22, 2016 0:05:58 GMT
Take a highlighter to all the symptoms that apply, if you find you've just done a lot of highlighting then it's time to ask about ADHD.
Look at 1.2.2.1 again, "are not explained by other psychiatric diagnoses (although there may be other coexisting psychiatric conditions)"
The first part says can the other things you've been diagnosed with explain the symptoms you've highlighted?
The second says that having other things ( that do not explain them) does not prevent you from having ADHD!
(sorry I'm tired and I can't make a more readable sentence than that at the moment)
BTW, the GP who referred me was a locum!
night night
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Post by stresshead75 on Dec 22, 2016 15:10:03 GMT
Hi easilydistracted Going to do what you recommend and print those sheets and highlight everything ,if they're the giudlines then I should have no probs when I get in front of someone who knows their stuff.
Thanx a million for the links and advice gonna get cracking asap (after I grout the batherrom finish Xmas shopping etc etc )
Having day from hell since 5am after my usual 30 min power napp ( in think others call it a nights sleep!) SH75 😀🍀🍀😊 will keep you posted ! Thanx again !!!!!!
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