This morning, I had a telemedicine visit to discuss whether or not I qualified for ADHD testing. You may recall a few months ago, there was some discussion with my PCP and my therapist about whether or not this is something I am dealing with. I blogged about it here:
In the 45 minute call the doctor asked me many questions and by the end of it all, I was told that I was to come in next week for about 3 hours worth of testing. It looks like it is very probable that this is an issue for me.
She asked me about things I had really no idea were ADHD related:
Do I often misplace things?
Am I disorganized?
Am I quick to anger?
Do I often zone out when people are talking to me?
Do I have a problem with motivation?
Do I sometimes hyper-focus?
Am I easily distracted?
Do I drink a lot of caffeine?
Do I have time management issues?
Am I forgetful?
Am I impulsive?
Do I have trouble falling asleep?
Do I have mood swings?
Do I have issues multi-tasking?
Do I get frustrated easily?
Do I cope with stress well?
Do I worry?
The questions kept coming and almost all of my answers were “yes!”
She asked about my relationships with my folks, my wife, my brother, and my kids. She asked about family history and more. It was eye opening. I am sure that the testing and questionnaires that I will be working with next week will help further some sort of diagnosis.
She stated that in most cases a simple medication change can help with things. I certainly hope so.
It seems like it took forever to finally talk with someone. I’ll be glad to have some sort of answers in the near future.
In the meantime, I wanted to tell you … (head turns quickly) …. Squirrel!
I cannot believe that we’ve turned the page on the calendar again and it is May! I’m not complaining, because May means nice weather is on the way. I’m looking forward to my neighborhood walks and sunshine.
Those walks and the nice weather will certainly help me. I have been struggling a bit. I noticed it a while back, but thought maybe it was just related to not getting enough sleep. However, after having a discussion with my therapist, I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at things.
I have felt like my temper is a bit shorter than normal lately. My patience level is sort of nonexistent. This is unacceptable to me. The littlest things are setting me off. After some discussion, she asked if I have ever been screened for or diagnosed with ADHD. I haven’t.
She mentioned quite a few things that I felt would apply to me. So I’m going to follow up with my PCP. I did some reading online and some stuff really hit the nail on the head.
“Emotional sensitivity and trouble controlling emotions are more signs of ADHD. Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is common in adults with ADHS. RSD is extreme emotional sensitivity that occurs when someone fears they are being criticized or rejected by someone else.“
This is totally me. I tend to be defensive. Part of that is because of my past relationships. Constant criticism and rejection caused me to become very defensive. I hate that.
“Another aspect of emotional control and ADHD can be a quick temper. Someone with ADHD may get extremely irritated but move on from it quickly. ADHD can co-occur with mood disorderslike depression, bipolar and anxiety.”
My wife says that I can go from 0-100 when I get angry. That is so true. The anger is there quickly. I already have anxiety and some depression, so I wonder just how much of this plays into my quick temper.
“Staying organized can be difficult for anyone, but those with ADHD will have a more challenging time keeping track of things and logically completing them. That’s because ADHD is associated with weakened function of the prefrontal cortex, or the part of the brain that controls behavior, emotion, attention and organization.“
Sam can tell you I am NOT organized at all. They joke with me at work about how my work station is set up – its a mess. I can be organized to a point, but I would say I am one of the most unorganized people. “I know it is here – somewhere – I just don’t know where!”
“Someone with ADHD may jump from task to task because they’re excited about those things, not because it’s a logical order.”
I will tend to do the things I WANT to do first, rather than the things I NEED to do. This happens ALL the time.
“Another extremely common symptom of ADHD is difficulty managing time. You may often be late for things or have difficulty sticking to your schedule. It’s not always being late or not showing up, but it can be more subtle, like procrastinating tasks and working on tight deadlines. You also may be regularly forgetful to the point that it causes disruptions in workflow or damages relationships.”
My wife likes to remind me of how I love to put things off. Things I need to do, but just don’t for whatever reason. Some of those things I put of to avoid confrontation.
“Trouble concentrating is one of the best-known ADHD symptoms, thanks to the reduced function of the prefrontal cortex. According to the DSM-5, a diminishing attention span is a core symptom of ADHD. Anything can draw your focus from the task at hand — noises, people talking or daydreaming. Because of this lack of focus, you may overlook important details, lose chunks of conversations and have difficulty completing tasks.“
I often find myself zoning out. My wife has had to call my name three or four times while I get caught up in something on TV. Everything else just fades out and my focus shifts to that.
My therapist thinks that if it truly is ADHD, if those things are treated, everything else will start to get better. More control over my emotions and more patience. I hope she is right.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 