patrick
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Multi-disciplinary under-achiever. And dad.
Posts: 18
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Post by patrick on Sept 21, 2017 9:48:53 GMT
Hi quixotic, that sounds awful. First of all remember your experiences are real, difficulties you face are real, whatever label this or that doctor is willing to apply to you. So in that sense you can't be a fraud. What is going on for you is still the same.
Second, what about the psychiatrist actually looking at the diagnostic criteria?! I'm sure learning to read and being able to sleep aren't on there. I totally agree with you about intelligence masking it, and for myself was an early and avid reader, and as it happened have mostly never had sleep problems. They're nothing to do with it. I just had a totally different kind of assessment where they took a very non-judgmental and complete verbal history, as well as all the forms, and then went over the adhd criteria methodically -- which is how it is supposed to be -- BUT I relate to your situation because a few weeks earlier my 10-year old son was turned down for a diagnosis because he had a psychiatrist like yours who said straight off it can't be adhd because he sometimes sits still and so on like that. Why can't there be some consistency and so everyone gets a proper chance at the same kind of assessment? Too much to ask.
Hang in there. Like I said, this doesn't define you, it's an obstacle on the way, but I really hope you can find some ways to improve your situation despite the setback. All the best
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jamesyp
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Posts: 30
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Post by jamesyp on Sept 21, 2017 14:56:57 GMT
Do not be unfairly denied. Keep pushing until you atleast get a fair assessment/second opinion.
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eekoh
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Post by eekoh on Sept 21, 2017 22:45:51 GMT
Can you ask for a 2nd opinion? If you're already being treated for anxiety, stress and depression with what sounds like fairly limited success that suggests to me they're a symptom of something that isn't being addressed - like for example ADHD.
Also I think if I was assessed by your psychiatrist she'd probably dismiss my case too but like you ADHD would explain my life. (I'm in the referral process now so don't have formal dx yet.) By her criteria she'd probably also dismiss a friend who is being very successfully treated with Ritalin. Intelligent people do find ways to compensate. And they can achieve good grades but they tend to still be very erratic and under-achieve - you can scrape by adequately and be middle of the class when actually are capable of much more. If a subject is engaging then of course it's going to hold your attention better. It's not like paralysis where you either have movement or not, same as with all these disorders they are a spectrum with individuals affected to greater or lesser degree and only the severest cases will be totally unable to focus even on the interesting things.
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Post by boxoffrogs on Sept 26, 2017 7:52:45 GMT
Wow - what a rotter of a 'Specialist' I'm waiting for my DX at the moment and I suspect my ability to read at a young age could cause assessment problems too. I was a very advanced reader when I was young - in fact somewhere there's a Primary School record from when I was 9/10 (maybe even younger?) saying I was top of the class for reading and had the reading age of a 14 year old. Having said that I've never been able to read fiction for enjoyment (last time I read a fiction book was for GCSE English and even then I cheated) and the only time I read books nowadays (true crime normally) is on a plane - I have a complete inability to focus on films but can sit and read a book for hours on plane. No other times, just on planes. And even then it's re-reading previous pages that have been skim-read haha! My friend has ADHD, had a full DX a few years ago, and she is an avid reader - the sort of person who frequently reads books in the week. Her reading ability certainly wasn't a factor in her DX. So have you thought what's next Quixotic? Hope you're doing ok, I can imagine what an awful setback this must feel like for you sending virtual hugs! BOF
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quixotic
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Posts: 19
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Post by quixotic on Jan 10, 2018 21:51:05 GMT
Thanks for all your replies... sorry it took me so long to reply myself! I just received the formal letter about the assessment and it's really upsetting... completely minimises my concerns. I am considering making some sort of official complaint because it was such an upsetting experience. I want to fight to have a better assessment and I wish you all luck with your diagnoses and treatments.
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quixotic
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Posts: 19
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Post by quixotic on Jan 10, 2018 21:53:28 GMT
Oops I deleted the original post. Here it is again.
Apologies for how long this is. So today I had my ADHD assessment with a psychiatrist (ADHD and autism specialist). It was a train wreck from the start.
Firstly, my boyfriend had to work so my mum said she would come with me... the appointment was at 10am, I told her I would come to her house at nine... I get there to find she is was at my brothers babysitting my nephew last night and stayed over to this morning and she was still there when I got to her house and it was already 9! I woke up my dad poor guy cos she hadn't told me. (I'm 34 and both my parents are retired.)
So after my mum wasn't there it took me about half an hour to calm down and leave her house to even go to the hospital. I got there at 5 past 10 and the appointment was at ten! Then I found that I forgot the letter with the name of the doctor I was supposed to be seeing. So they didnt know what to do with me and the receptionist was useless and I was waiting around for ages and mum turned up at about 10.20 Then they finally sent me to another reception and the lady there managed to find where I was meant to be and they sent me to the right place and then I had to wait more and then the doctor finally saw me. It was already 10.45 by that time.
Then the minute I walked in she basically said I couldn't have ADHD from the questionnaire I had to fill out weeks ago and so did my parents and my mum filled out the questionnaire and decided to write extra comments. About me reading at two and preferring reading to playing with the kids at school. And the psychiatrist basically says that because I learned to read so young and could sit still and read that I could not possibly have ADHD! And I kind of argued with her and said what about high intelligence masking it and she said that wasn't possible and then I said what about hyperfocus and she said it didn't exist. And she kept going on about low mood (because I am diagnosed with depression and anxiety) being the cause and Told me to get CBT. But I was saying I had it before but I could never focus to fill out all the timetables and homework and strategies. She said that's just low mood and maybe I need better antidepressants. (Which might be true I guess but...) I tried to explain that I could NEVER do homework ever - even as a kid and had projects when I was little I could never ever do them until the night before or be on time but she said that was still me being too old by then. I then burst into tears and was a mess. And I was trying to explain that I could never fall asleep and she said sleeping pills would work but they make me too groggy... and she asked about when I was a baby... my mum said I slept fine when I was a baby so she said it wasn't that... and I had tons of social anxiety which is partly why I never got on with the other kids but she didn't listen. And now I don't know what the hell is wrong with me or what I'm doing and I just feel like I read all the stuff about executive function disorder and that is exactly me and I was so underperforming at school though. And the ADHD community is so supportive and understanding and I relate to everything everyone has said. But now I'm not it and maybe I am just lazy and being disorganised because of laziness.
And I don't know what to do. The rug has been pulled out from under me completely. I feel like I can't do anything.
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quixotic
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Posts: 19
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Post by quixotic on Jan 10, 2018 22:11:15 GMT
I am convinced that with my current diagnoses of depression, anxiety and emotional instability disorder I am not going to get taken seriously by an ADHD assessor especially since I was a "quiet" child in class no matter how inattentive or daydreaming I was... plus I do have depression and I'm really at the limit... I don't see how it's going to get better unless I can actually get real help and a real assessment. I'm pretty low right now.
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Post by jp on Jan 12, 2018 11:53:24 GMT
Sorry to hear about your struggles in getting a diagnosis. Keep on it! I'd certainly get a second opinion if you can, and/ or go private if you've got the resources.
It seems your 'specialist' isn't up to date. It is well understood that learning difficulties are common symptoms but NOT definitive for a diagnosis. It is also widely discussed that intelligence can mask early symptoms, as can approval-seeking personality traits, and supportive and structured environments (like a functioning family unit).
As Patrick says reading age and even learning challenges in general are NOT mentioned in the DSM diagnositic criteria (although ADHD undoubtedly makes unmotivated learning a challenge!)
And as to sitting still? Jeeze! Hyperactivity IS NOT required for diagnosis! Currently you can be 'predominately hyperactive-impulsive', 'predominately inattentive' or 'combined type ADHD'. Its nuanced!!!!!
Anxiety and depression as co-morbid disorders are more common than not. Russell Barkley et. al. talk a lot about how emotional dysregulation (mood swings) is normal and expected in ADHD (it ties with his frontal lobe executive functioning hypothesis). Emotional dysregulation is not in the DSM - but used to be, and seems likely it will reappear in future editions (there's concern that if the definition is widened the rates of ADHD will go up. Similarly with age of onset - more and more research indicating late-, even adult onset... )
I'm angry - this 'specialist' needs to get down from their ivory tower and catch up with current thinking! Its a disgrace.
Best of luck :-D
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Post by Old Vagabond on Jan 17, 2018 11:37:55 GMT
About me reading at two and preferring reading to playing with the kids at school. I don't think I could read at two, but I'm told I could read and write damned early, and I understand that my first year or so at school appeared to go very well. At my ADHD assessment at Addenbrooke's the shrink gave me a reading test and was baffled by the ease with which I passed it (I still can't read a book though). I failed all the other tests, spectacularly so with the working memory test, so I was diagnosed with ADHD anyway. As I said in another post a day or so ago, I think ADHD affects people slightly differently. Incidentally, could you perhaps break your posts into shorter paragraphs? Sorry, but I found one or two of them a bugger to read, me having ADHD and all...
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