Post by mhu93 on Nov 14, 2015 16:27:43 GMT
I have copied and pasted the letter I am about to send to my GP in Edinburgh. I have been frustrated by their reluctance to reassess / assess my situation. The letter should explain my background and I am just wondering what the next steps you guys on this forum would suggest. I am 22, studying architecture at Edinburgh university. It frustrates me that individuals abuse the medication involved in treating individuals with ADHD/ADD and can be granted a prescription without gestation by GP's. I understand that vigilance is required but in what I am about to share, I do not believe this to be vigilance by GP's but a lack of understanding with females with ADHD, fear of prescribing something that is "taboo" and a preordained opinion that I just want the medicine to pull all nighters. This is definitely not the case.
Dear Whomever This May Concern,
For the past 5 years, ever since high school I have felt very down and depressed when it comes to academia. I have shared these concerns with the GP’s at Stockbridge Health centres green practice. I was first prescribed anti depressants in my final year of high school, stating that I had trouble focusing finishing tasks and meeting deadlines which left me feeling frustrated and worthless. Since then I have been prescribed anti depressant medication umpteen times when describing the symptoms, which I have repeatedly been into the surgery to share. The final prescribed medicine given was propanolol, which caused more detriment creating a complete lack of concentration, fatigue and failure to focus on anything. The general practice has also been aware of my inability to meet deadlines and have had doctors notes written to my university in order to exempt myself for not completing the work on time.
Whilst in university I have also met with councillors and have recently undergone tests suggested by Dr. Gilson to see wether I was dyslexic or dyspraxia prone, the outcome of this is I am not. I do not have issues with reading, writing or numbers nor do I have difficulty with coordination. I also recall seeking advice for potential dyslexia or dyspraxia from Dr. Parker (a former GP at the surgery) whom was certain I was not. However I underwent tests in high school regarding this and the outcome proved Dr. Parker was correct. Nonetheless I felt it was wise for me to follow up Dr. Gilson’s advice and have testing done through the university.
I have also undergone blood tests to see if I was deficient in iron or my thyroid gland wasn’t functioning as it should, however these tests have also all come back completely normal. Adopting healthy lifestyle choices such as meditation (suggested by one of the doctors at the surgery), yoga, a balanced diet and trying herbal and over the counter remedies to improve concentration and ability to focus such as pharmaton has not helped. I am really unsure of what the issue is despite sharing my concerns with concentration, focus, inability to meet deadlines.
I have been studying architecture since 2011 and I am very passionate about the course. However the majority of my deadlines have not been met, I have had to take a whole academic year (2013- 2014) out of university as suggested by tutors and my mother. I have felt complete embarrassment and frustration at not being able to meet deadlines on time and it will now hinder my opportunity to apply for a masters at my university of choice.
I am upset at my last visit at the practice with Dr. Gilson brushing off my situation by suggesting it was dyslexia, he had questioned why it was only now that I felt i had issues with concentration, meeting deadlines and finishing tasks when in fact I have been to the surgery a fair bit within the last 5 years about this.
The next time I visit the surgery will be with my mother, whom also shares the concerns I do with my ability to concentrate, complete tasks and focus. It is quite unfair that the concerns I have raised solely have not been heard and as an adult, I have had to bring my mother to the doctors surgery with me to act as a second voice. This time, I hope the surgery will not brush off what I say as a young adult seeking medicine for the wrong reasons. I have been under preforming ever since I started this degree, and quite frankly I barely made it into university, failing two subjects (Higher Physics and Advanced Higher Art) and having to resit Higher English. I can confidently say that what the surgery, and I thought could have been depression or anxiety was not so.
I have also made it aware to various practitioners that disorders related to attentiveness are difficult to diagnose in women, they can infect be mis diagnosed as depression or anxiety. My mother has shared some more insight into how I was as a child, stating that school report after school report would mention repeatedly that I was “chatty”, “daydreams”, “lacks focus” and made careless mistakes time and time again within homework assignments.
As an adult the concerns I have shared with the practice are as listed;
1.Lack of concentration and focus - the amount of times I have had to borrow notes off of peers due to the fact I have completely zoned out of lectures has become so bad as I have just relied on them that they now refuse to give notes and I have actually lost good friends due to this
2.Half my day is spent making a list or attempting to organise the tasks done - a to do list that would typically take no less than ten mins can take hours.
3.I often delay tasks that are very important and put trivial tasks such as finding a gym, house work that is really not that important, tidying my room, researching unrelated things before important work. This has been a very big problem as Important tasks and responsibilities are put to the back of the priorities list until a couple of days before a deadline. Then I panic that I have done nothing productive in the ample amount of time give, do most of the work given which will have so man mistakes, I won’t proofread or finalise and just carelessly send it off. This is not just a one time thing, this is the majority of times where I have had to do something.
4.Inability to finalise projects, or proof read (ever since an early age, apparent in primary and high school reports, university reports and at work. I have been embarrassed wuite a few times as I have sent off emails to prolific clients with shocking errors in them. My employer has been so
5.I have lost my purse 3 time within the last year, I do not drink and thus cannot say it was due to intoxication or partying. I have lost my my keys on such a frequent basis that in high school my parents just stopped making keys for me, I still lose my keys quite a lot, twice within the last year or so. prior I have had to get the locks changed around 4 times.
6.To this day I make simple, careless mistakes over and over again, this has been brought to awareness recently by my architecture placement - the amount of errors in one drawing, even after being told and me writing down what needs to be edited and submitting for further checking will still contain many of the original flaws.
7.I have yet to find an area in the university or at home that I can study well in. Low level noise is something that can really easily make me lose my focus. (Right now there is a girl cutting something with scissors around 7 meters away from me. I can’t type until she has stopped, seriously)
8.However many times I have tried relaxing through meditation, yoga even the simple act of having a hot bath, I can’t. I simply cannot sit still or unwind for more than 10 - 15 mins. and during that time, I will really be pushing myself to focus, which really defeats the purpose of unwinding.
9.I find it very irritating and become restless when there is a queue, I would rather avoid it and come back. If I do have to wait in a que, I lose focus very quickly and forget that I am in a queue in the first place. In coffee shops this has resulted in baritas shouting for the next customer i.e. me. In traffic this has resulted in missing the green light and a lot of frustration from other drivers and myself.
10.I have also been very careless and impulsive with driving and have spent around £1,000 fixing the damage done.
11.I have also been very impulsive with spending, I can show you bank statements that show I have spent over £4,000 on psychic calls, and an excessive amount of money on clothes -
12.I am renowned by most people who know me as being too talkative - at work it had become an issue flagged, in university, social gatherings, high school and from primary school. My family, friends and co workers have been frustrated by this.
13.From an early age when people do talk directly to me, even when it is something very important, I just stare directly at them to allow the speaker to assume I am engaged in conversation when in actual fact, I am not. From my parents lecturing me as a child and teen, to important meetings with tutors and clients this has become a huge detriment. I will have to record lectures, meetings and sometimes general conversations in order to make sense of what was said.
14.I constantly fidget, my pens and pencils are all chewed as a result of my fidgeting. I cannot sit still. I recently underwent facial surgery - my stay at the Spire was highly painful, staying still and the nurses actually had to tell me to rest and stay still as it would cause more swelling in my face. I still couldn’t.
15.My self esteem has been hindered by all of this.
This list is not exhaustive.
The intention of this letter is to send it through to the practice, perhaps the receptionists or practitioners may take the time to look over my concerns and consult with each other which doctor is the most suited to discuss this with my mother and I when I next make an appointment. I understand that this issue may be looked as quite contentious - which it isn’t, . I urge the doctors to look at my medical history, what I have shared in the letter and to approach this with an open mind. I am certain this is not depression or anxiety, the symptoms above have caused bouts of depression over the course of time. I have been experiencing learning difficulties for a very long time and I am now at the point of frustration where I know what is wrong with me, my mother, employer, tutors and peers have also noted behaviours which are abnormal and it is become detrimental to every aspect in my life.
My education has been hindered, my employer feels I am careless and inattentive and my friends and family are tired with my constant losing of items, impatience, lack of concentration. I was asked if I enjoy what I am studying and where I work, and the answer is yes. I love it, I do not think I would want to pursue any other course and the practice where I work is great. My attention is just erratic, and the list of issues above have given the people and things I care about the wrong impression of who I am or what I do take seriously.
I hope you take the time to read this and understand my concerns.
Yours Sincerely,
M************
That is the end of my massive letter. My mother is now concerned that the doctors have not caught on to this as is wanting to accompany me in my next GP visit.
I want the opinion of the individuals on the form of what to do or where to go next if the GP's refuse to see what I know as ADHD/ADD as it is. This has been a 5 year saga and its becoming extremely detrimental now.
Thanks
Dear Whomever This May Concern,
For the past 5 years, ever since high school I have felt very down and depressed when it comes to academia. I have shared these concerns with the GP’s at Stockbridge Health centres green practice. I was first prescribed anti depressants in my final year of high school, stating that I had trouble focusing finishing tasks and meeting deadlines which left me feeling frustrated and worthless. Since then I have been prescribed anti depressant medication umpteen times when describing the symptoms, which I have repeatedly been into the surgery to share. The final prescribed medicine given was propanolol, which caused more detriment creating a complete lack of concentration, fatigue and failure to focus on anything. The general practice has also been aware of my inability to meet deadlines and have had doctors notes written to my university in order to exempt myself for not completing the work on time.
Whilst in university I have also met with councillors and have recently undergone tests suggested by Dr. Gilson to see wether I was dyslexic or dyspraxia prone, the outcome of this is I am not. I do not have issues with reading, writing or numbers nor do I have difficulty with coordination. I also recall seeking advice for potential dyslexia or dyspraxia from Dr. Parker (a former GP at the surgery) whom was certain I was not. However I underwent tests in high school regarding this and the outcome proved Dr. Parker was correct. Nonetheless I felt it was wise for me to follow up Dr. Gilson’s advice and have testing done through the university.
I have also undergone blood tests to see if I was deficient in iron or my thyroid gland wasn’t functioning as it should, however these tests have also all come back completely normal. Adopting healthy lifestyle choices such as meditation (suggested by one of the doctors at the surgery), yoga, a balanced diet and trying herbal and over the counter remedies to improve concentration and ability to focus such as pharmaton has not helped. I am really unsure of what the issue is despite sharing my concerns with concentration, focus, inability to meet deadlines.
I have been studying architecture since 2011 and I am very passionate about the course. However the majority of my deadlines have not been met, I have had to take a whole academic year (2013- 2014) out of university as suggested by tutors and my mother. I have felt complete embarrassment and frustration at not being able to meet deadlines on time and it will now hinder my opportunity to apply for a masters at my university of choice.
I am upset at my last visit at the practice with Dr. Gilson brushing off my situation by suggesting it was dyslexia, he had questioned why it was only now that I felt i had issues with concentration, meeting deadlines and finishing tasks when in fact I have been to the surgery a fair bit within the last 5 years about this.
The next time I visit the surgery will be with my mother, whom also shares the concerns I do with my ability to concentrate, complete tasks and focus. It is quite unfair that the concerns I have raised solely have not been heard and as an adult, I have had to bring my mother to the doctors surgery with me to act as a second voice. This time, I hope the surgery will not brush off what I say as a young adult seeking medicine for the wrong reasons. I have been under preforming ever since I started this degree, and quite frankly I barely made it into university, failing two subjects (Higher Physics and Advanced Higher Art) and having to resit Higher English. I can confidently say that what the surgery, and I thought could have been depression or anxiety was not so.
I have also made it aware to various practitioners that disorders related to attentiveness are difficult to diagnose in women, they can infect be mis diagnosed as depression or anxiety. My mother has shared some more insight into how I was as a child, stating that school report after school report would mention repeatedly that I was “chatty”, “daydreams”, “lacks focus” and made careless mistakes time and time again within homework assignments.
As an adult the concerns I have shared with the practice are as listed;
1.Lack of concentration and focus - the amount of times I have had to borrow notes off of peers due to the fact I have completely zoned out of lectures has become so bad as I have just relied on them that they now refuse to give notes and I have actually lost good friends due to this
2.Half my day is spent making a list or attempting to organise the tasks done - a to do list that would typically take no less than ten mins can take hours.
3.I often delay tasks that are very important and put trivial tasks such as finding a gym, house work that is really not that important, tidying my room, researching unrelated things before important work. This has been a very big problem as Important tasks and responsibilities are put to the back of the priorities list until a couple of days before a deadline. Then I panic that I have done nothing productive in the ample amount of time give, do most of the work given which will have so man mistakes, I won’t proofread or finalise and just carelessly send it off. This is not just a one time thing, this is the majority of times where I have had to do something.
4.Inability to finalise projects, or proof read (ever since an early age, apparent in primary and high school reports, university reports and at work. I have been embarrassed wuite a few times as I have sent off emails to prolific clients with shocking errors in them. My employer has been so
5.I have lost my purse 3 time within the last year, I do not drink and thus cannot say it was due to intoxication or partying. I have lost my my keys on such a frequent basis that in high school my parents just stopped making keys for me, I still lose my keys quite a lot, twice within the last year or so. prior I have had to get the locks changed around 4 times.
6.To this day I make simple, careless mistakes over and over again, this has been brought to awareness recently by my architecture placement - the amount of errors in one drawing, even after being told and me writing down what needs to be edited and submitting for further checking will still contain many of the original flaws.
7.I have yet to find an area in the university or at home that I can study well in. Low level noise is something that can really easily make me lose my focus. (Right now there is a girl cutting something with scissors around 7 meters away from me. I can’t type until she has stopped, seriously)
8.However many times I have tried relaxing through meditation, yoga even the simple act of having a hot bath, I can’t. I simply cannot sit still or unwind for more than 10 - 15 mins. and during that time, I will really be pushing myself to focus, which really defeats the purpose of unwinding.
9.I find it very irritating and become restless when there is a queue, I would rather avoid it and come back. If I do have to wait in a que, I lose focus very quickly and forget that I am in a queue in the first place. In coffee shops this has resulted in baritas shouting for the next customer i.e. me. In traffic this has resulted in missing the green light and a lot of frustration from other drivers and myself.
10.I have also been very careless and impulsive with driving and have spent around £1,000 fixing the damage done.
11.I have also been very impulsive with spending, I can show you bank statements that show I have spent over £4,000 on psychic calls, and an excessive amount of money on clothes -
12.I am renowned by most people who know me as being too talkative - at work it had become an issue flagged, in university, social gatherings, high school and from primary school. My family, friends and co workers have been frustrated by this.
13.From an early age when people do talk directly to me, even when it is something very important, I just stare directly at them to allow the speaker to assume I am engaged in conversation when in actual fact, I am not. From my parents lecturing me as a child and teen, to important meetings with tutors and clients this has become a huge detriment. I will have to record lectures, meetings and sometimes general conversations in order to make sense of what was said.
14.I constantly fidget, my pens and pencils are all chewed as a result of my fidgeting. I cannot sit still. I recently underwent facial surgery - my stay at the Spire was highly painful, staying still and the nurses actually had to tell me to rest and stay still as it would cause more swelling in my face. I still couldn’t.
15.My self esteem has been hindered by all of this.
This list is not exhaustive.
The intention of this letter is to send it through to the practice, perhaps the receptionists or practitioners may take the time to look over my concerns and consult with each other which doctor is the most suited to discuss this with my mother and I when I next make an appointment. I understand that this issue may be looked as quite contentious - which it isn’t, . I urge the doctors to look at my medical history, what I have shared in the letter and to approach this with an open mind. I am certain this is not depression or anxiety, the symptoms above have caused bouts of depression over the course of time. I have been experiencing learning difficulties for a very long time and I am now at the point of frustration where I know what is wrong with me, my mother, employer, tutors and peers have also noted behaviours which are abnormal and it is become detrimental to every aspect in my life.
My education has been hindered, my employer feels I am careless and inattentive and my friends and family are tired with my constant losing of items, impatience, lack of concentration. I was asked if I enjoy what I am studying and where I work, and the answer is yes. I love it, I do not think I would want to pursue any other course and the practice where I work is great. My attention is just erratic, and the list of issues above have given the people and things I care about the wrong impression of who I am or what I do take seriously.
I hope you take the time to read this and understand my concerns.
Yours Sincerely,
M************
That is the end of my massive letter. My mother is now concerned that the doctors have not caught on to this as is wanting to accompany me in my next GP visit.
I want the opinion of the individuals on the form of what to do or where to go next if the GP's refuse to see what I know as ADHD/ADD as it is. This has been a 5 year saga and its becoming extremely detrimental now.
Thanks