If I have ADD...

[PuKcAo]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm an undergraduate student that shows lots of symptoms of ADD. In some situations it can be somewhat serious. I have been like this my whole life, much worse when I was younger but have learned to adapt recently in my college years and I can make good grades without medication. My question is this: is there any reason why I would not want to get diagnosed and medicated? My thought is that, yeah I manage to do well in school but still have a hard time paying attention in class and being even somewhat orginized. I have a horrible problem of misplacing things and and forgeting things. If medicine could help me overcome these then I would want it unless I got painted with a scarlet letter of LD from here on out and that was public info. Prob wouldn't go over well with the adcoms....

 

[phoenixsupra]

Nah, nothing to worry about. That stuff is private. Get tested. You may or may not have it. Good luck.

 

[thackl]

Get lots of drugs, sell them to your classmates, drive a Hummer 😉

The vast majority of med students on ADD drugs don't have ADD 👎

 

[PuKcAo]

Get lots of drugs, sell them to your classmates, drive a Hummer 😉

The vast majority of med students on ADD drugs don't have ADD 👎

Do they have scripts?

 

[phoenixsupra]

Do they have scripts?

Yeah, they have scripts. That $hit isn't unusual in medschool. Who's to say if they have add or not. If they're taking meds they shouldn't seem like they do anyway, right? But lot's of folks in medschool use stimulants to stay up late and study that little bit more. Those are not scripted. The favorite choice seems to be ephedra. Not worth it IMHO. Comes a time when you have to ask yourself what are you just not willing to do for grades.

 

[16846]

...Comes a time when you have to ask yourself what are you just not willing to do for grades.

I draw the line at murder and torture... 😉

 

[medic170]

have learned to adapt recently in my college years and I can make good grades without medication. My question is this: is there any reason why I would not want to get diagnosed and medicated? ..

If you have adapted and make good grades withoud medication, then why in the world would you want to start taking a schedule II drug. People seem to not take these controlled substances seriously. Don't put that stuff in your body unless you cannot manage without it!!

 

[Mike59]

If you have adapted and make good grades withoud medication, then why in the world would you want to start taking a schedule II drug. People seem to not take these controlled substances seriously. Don't put that stuff in your body unless you cannot manage without it!!

Good point medic170.
Along those lines, I know there are rules regarding physicians who have to be treated for psychiatric illnesses. In some cases a doctor's license to practice would be suspended if they are treated with meds for psych conditions (even for depression)

I don't know where ADD falls in this category, but becoming dependent on any psych meds during med school has scary implications about your future if these rules apply, do you research before starting any course of treatment.

 

[Mirror Form]

ADHD drugs aren't something that you need to be that afraid of. So it wouldn't hurt to go get a trial of ADHD meds and see if they help. At the very least they'll give you a boost around exam time.

 

[medic170]

ADHD drugs aren't something that you need to be that afraid of. So it wouldn't hurt to go get a trial of ADHD meds and see if they help. At the very least they'll give you a boost around exam time.

Again, I urge you NOT to take a schedule II substance lightly. They are similar to cocaine, which would also give you a "boost around exam time"

Believe me, I speak from experience as well as knowledge.

 

[fullefect1]

So if someone were to start taking an ADD drug like adderal and they didn't reallly have ADD, would they not be able to concentrate at all when they stoped taking it?

 

[medic170]

So if someone were to start taking an ADD drug like adderal and they didn't reallly have ADD, would they not be able to concentrate at all when they stoped taking it?

Just don't take then and you will not have to worry about it. To answer your question though, any highly addictive schedule II substance can cause you problems when you stop taking it. You can't replace hard work with drug abuse.

 

[tom_jones]

I draw the line at murder and torture... 😉

Quitter

 

[lattimer13]

I'm an undergraduate student that shows lots of symptoms of ADD. In some situations it can be somewhat serious. I have been like this my whole life, much worse when I was younger but have learned to adapt recently in my college years and I can make good grades without medication. My question is this: is there any reason why I would not want to get diagnosed and medicated? My thought is that, yeah I manage to do well in school but still have a hard time paying attention in class and being even somewhat orginized. I have a horrible problem of misplacing things and and forgeting things. If medicine could help me overcome these then I would want it unless I got painted with a scarlet letter of LD from here on out and that was public info. Prob wouldn't go over well with the adcoms....

i think about sex all day long during med school lectures, also while i'm seeing patients...do i have ADD?

 

[closertofine]

Good point medic170.
Along those lines, I know there are rules regarding physicians who have to be treated for psychiatric illnesses. In some cases a doctor's license to practice would be suspended if they are treated with meds for psych conditions (even for depression)

I don't know where ADD falls in this category, but becoming dependent on any psych meds during med school has scary implications about your future if these rules apply, do you research before starting any course of treatment.

Wait, what?! As far as I know, there is NO WAY you could get your doctor's license suspended just for taking an anti-depressant...I'm sure a lot of doctors do take them. If you were to go to the extreme of showing behaviors that could harm your patients as a result of your depression, that's another story...but just taking psychotropic meds?! Never heard of such a thing!

 

[EMTLizzy]

So if someone were to start taking an ADD drug like adderal and they didn't reallly have ADD, would they not be able to concentrate at all when they stoped taking it?

If you become addicted to any kind of substance, you will have problems when you are no longer using it. However, if someone were to be prescribed Adderall because they were misdiagnosed as having ADD, and then stopped taking it there shouldn't be any problems.

My ADD is only a problem when I'm in school. I was able to get by through high school, but really struggled in the beginning of college. Was finally diagnosed in the beginning of my sophomore year and have been taking Adderall since then. I only take it when I am going to work or school or will be studying. Most of the time it's M-F I take it, but it depends on my school schedule. I only take it when I'll need it.

I don't really have any side effects besides the occasional dry mouth.

 

[closertofine]

If you become addicted to any kind of substance, you will have problems when you are no longer using it. However, if someone were to be prescribed Adderall because they were misdiagnosed as having ADD, and then stopped taking it there shouldn't be any problems.

Agreed...from my personal experience, at least. I'm pretty sure that I don't have ADD or ADHD...but several years ago, a doctor put me on a few different stimulants (mainly Adderall and Concerta) because of my extreme sleepiness (long, long story...he thought I might have narcolepsy or some other kind of problem). And yes, looking back, I don't think this was a great choice of medication on his part.

It did help keep me awake, which was my main issue...since I couldn't make it through a morning of classes without falling into full-out dreaming sleep! But I guess because I didn't have ADD, I think it made me "concentrate" a little too much...I started getting anxious and a little obsessive...not good!

Plus when I went for a checkup, my usually very low blood pressure and heart rate had both shot up...so then it was off the stimulants for me, which was a good thing in most respects. Like EMTLizzy said, I stopped taking it without any problems or addiction, etc.

And now my sleepiness is somewhat more manageable anyway...Diet Mountain Dew is my drug of choice! 😀

 

[fang]

If you feel like you need some type of drug to help you, then definitely go talk to a doctor-- it's going to stay confidential, and you don't need to tell any medical schools about it when you interview.

I have a question for those of you with ADD though-- what is the difference between ADD and just losing focus? I don't have ADD, but I definitely use caffene as a drug to help me stay awake. It's hard to concentrate when you've been doing the same thing for 12 hours a day all week. The reason I'm asking is that there's a girl in my class who has ADD, takes Adderall, and also gets extra time for the tests. I can't tell the difference between her behavior and anyone else in the class when it comes to staying focused, but she uses ADD as an excuse for everything from low grades to unprofessional behavior during clinical exams... What's the difference between a normal lack of concentration due to fatigue and ADD?

 

[NiteOwl]

I havent heard heard about being diagnosed with ADD would create a big problem with medical school and becoming a doctor. The diagnoses is confidential. The only way medschools might find out is if you had special accomodations for class. Or if you had accomodations when you take the MCAT (like extra time to take the test)-if there is accomodations with the MCAT, your score is flagged, meaning that they know that you took the test with some sort of accomodation.

You should probably talk to a a doctor or psycholgist, or someone about the possibility of ADD/ADHD. Also, go to the library or look online for info about ADD. There are websites that have checklists and quizes that you can take free online that can give you an idea of how your symptoms affect you. (They don't diagnose ADD, but can give you info.)

Some people don't completely understand the medicines used for ADD. Yes, the meds can be addictive, but that is usually due to abuse of them. And yes, these medications need to be taken seriously. When people that actually have ADD or ADHD take theses medicines it is very beneficial, and if they are used as prescribed (exactly as prescribed, meaning no "extra doses" during study/exam time ect) the risk of addiction is quite low. I have ADD and take Adderall for it (yes, its prescribed). I don't feel "drugged" when taking it. And I don't feel like "I have to have it" when I dont take it. I have taken it for several months now and have gone without it for about a week over the holidays and I havent had any "withdrawal" from it. When I am taking it, it helps me to concentrate a little better. I keeps me from reading the magazine on my desk rather than the book I need to be studying. I helps me to keep my mind from wandering and daydreaming so much. It still does wander and stuff, but not to the severity as it used to! When ADD people take these meds it can help them focus when they can't (I mean absolutely cannot. I tried everything...when you have ADD, not much can help with attention)

The medications affect everyone differently. What can make one person focused can make another person a "zombie". Some of the meds can help some people stay up all night, while with others, the meds don't affect sleep at all. In fact, the meds have helped many people with ADD to sleep better. It has helped me (and I have heard it help many others), I used to think a lot a night before going to sleep. All the thoughts kept racing in my mind and I couldnt make then stop. Now that I am treated, this doesnt happen as often. I can get to sleep easier because there isnt so much going on in my mind.
The medications can affect ADD people much differently than they do non-ADD people.(and yes they can sometimes cause the same effects). Usually when ADD people take meds and it helps them to concentrate; it helps them to sort of get to a level of concentration and attention that nonADD people have. And A lot of times when nonADD people take the same meds, it gives them super attention or concentration. Most people who have ADD and take meds dont get the "super concentration" abitities, we just get "normal" ones. Please dont judge ADD meds and people who actually need them too harshly...its almost like telling a hearing impaired person that they dont need hearing aids and that they shouldnt use them.

I researched a good amount of info online and in the library about the disorder before I was diagnosed. I took several different tests/quizs/checklists that I saw online and in books, and my symptoms matched the critera for possible diagnoses. I talked to a psychologist about it and was diagnosed, I was put on meds by my FP doctor (because the psy wanted to do $1000 in tests before going further with treatment and my insurance didnt cover the tests) The FP talked to me about the symptoms and history of them, along with the diagnoses by the psy, before he comfirmed a diagnoses or prescribed anything.

Just because you do well in school does not rule out ADD. ADD has nothing to do with intelligence, there are people with extremely high IQs that have ADD. People with ADD can make As and Bs, even if they are not treated. I have ADD and make As and Bs both before and after treatment. I only made one C before treatment in my first semester of college...stupid history class...
My grades might have gone up a little after treatment, but not by much (it probably wasnt even because of treatment, but more due to the fact that I was taking more classes that I was looking forward to).

If you think you have ADD, it won't hurt to talk to someone about the possibility. You might or might not have a problem. You have the choice in how it is treated. Sometimes just simple thearapies can help (for instance, they can sometimes teach you how to train your mind so that you can concentrate better. And sometimes time management classes help) and sometimes medications are used. It is always your choice of how you want to be treated if you do have it.

Sorry this was such a long post, but I hope it helps and provides some info to anyone reading it.

 

[NiteOwl]

If you feel like you need some type of drug to help you, then definitely go talk to a doctor-- it's going to stay confidential, and you don't need to tell any medical schools about it when you interview.

I have a question for those of you with ADD though-- what is the difference between ADD and just losing focus? I don't have ADD, but I definitely use caffene as a drug to help me stay awake. It's hard to concentrate when you've been doing the same thing for 12 hours a day all week. The reason I'm asking is that there's a girl in my class who has ADD, takes Adderall, and also gets extra time for the tests. I can't tell the difference between her behavior and anyone else in the class when it comes to staying focused, but she uses ADD as an excuse for everything from low grades to unprofessional behavior during clinical exams... What's the difference between a normal lack of concentration due to fatigue and ADD?

That girl you are mentionig is probaby using the "ADD excuse" as an excuse for everything If that makes any sense. Its kind of what you are saying, but you made more sense. I am not saying that she does not have ADD or anything. ADD shouldn't be used as an excuse. It can sometimes be a reason, but not an excuse to everything. If this person is getting extra time on tests and is medicated too, then it is probably not the ADD that is causing her low grades and behavior. I mean that is why medication and accomodations are given, to help with the problems that ADD cause. The extra time can give a person that truely has ADD/ADHD a more fair chance with academic work (if their attention problems create difficulty finnishing an exam in the same amount of time that nonADD people can, then extra time might be necissary to allow the ADD person a chance to show their ability to produce the same quality of work as the rest of their class). As for this person you are talking about and her not seeming to have different focus than anyone else; I'm not sure about how to answer that. She might just have mild ADD and is using it as an excuse so that she can do better than everyone or get away with things that other students cant. I can't say that for sure though. I don't know that person and have never seen her, so I wouldn't be able to say whether or not it really is ADD causeing a problem or if it is "just an excuse". But in generall, just looking at a person, you often cant tell their focus problems. Unless you know what you are observing the person for. I have ADD and if you observed me studying you might not notice a difference in me and other people. But if really observed you might would notice me sometimes staring at a page for a several minutes without doing anything (my mind has probably wandered or I started daydreaming). You might see me pick up my calculator or palm pilot and see me mess with it for a moment (got distracted and decided to play with it instead of study) or I might thumb through the book and start reading something irrelavent to what I am studying (no clue why I do that...I guess I am nerdy enough to like reading it 😳 ) So, just a quick observation would look like I am studying and focusing just like everyone else (hey, I was looking at a page, doing calculations or looking up an assignment, and then researching in a book) or thats what it appered like I was doing, but really I was doing everything but studying. Maybe thats what she is doing, or maybe she is just using it as an excuse. Like I said, I wouldn't be able to really somewhat accuratly say without knowing her or seeing her behavior. Maybe she has ADD and some other disorder. Maybe she doesnt have ADD at all.

Sorry I couldnt be of much help with that. From everything I have read about ADD (I have read a ton about it) it sounds like anything with her. So, I can't really support or go against her argument (though I do think that she shouldnt use ADD as an excuse). As for your question about the difference between losing focus and having ADD: kind of a lot. To make another really long answer short: People with ADD have a very hard time controlling attention and focus. A cup of coffee or a mountain dew usually won't help with focus with ADD; ADD/ADHD is a lot harder to controll. With ADD, the smallest things can distract you, stuff that most people can "tune out" or ignore. It can be something simple like the dull whirring of a fan or a dog barking a block away, or kids playing outside. That can distract a person with ADD so much that it will keep them from focusing. (I have even heard of other things bugging an ADD person, stuff like their sock being twisted on their foot). Yeah, this stuff can bug the crap out of non ADD people, but usually not to an extent that it keeps them from being able to study.
Normal lack of concentration due to fatigue is something that everyone experiences, whether they have ADD or not. Since I dont really know what "normal" attention is like since I have had ADD all my life (even with meds its still not completely "normal") I am guessing that mild-moderate ADD might feel like what nonADD people feel when they havent slept in a while (the inability to concentrate and focus part, not the "I could lay down on the ground at a heavy metal concert and fall asleep" feeling)

Opps, I was hoping to give a shorter explination that that. Oh well. Hope it helped some.

 

[Mirror Form]

Again, I urge you NOT to take a schedule II substance lightly. They are similar to cocaine, which would also give you a "boost around exam time"

Believe me, I speak from experience as well as knowledge.

Uh oh, by that line of reasoning then sudafed is similiar to cocaine too, better not take allegra-D anytime soon.

 

[medic170]

Uh oh, by that line of reasoning then sudafed is similiar to cocaine too, better not take allegra-D anytime soon.

Actually, sudafed is much closer to meth than cocaine chemically, and sudafed is NOT a schedule 2 substance, so my line of reasoning would not apply silly.

 

[Energon]

To the OP:
Let me assure you that ADD/ADHD can be a pretty serious condition.
First of all go to a Psychiatrist and have Neuropsych testing done before you even think of any drug therapy.

I was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 25. I had a LOT of trouble all throughout my school years... infact my parents werent even sure if i would be able to graduate from high school. It also had severe effects on other aspects of my life. Since I attended school in another country, there were no services to investigate or help kids in my situation. At age 16 I took it upon myself and made serious changes to the way i "operated" (basically changed my activity schedule and behavior pattern to compensate for my unknown condition). In time I was able to achieve a lot of success on the academic front this way.
I really didnt know anything about ADD/ADHD untill I attended dental school. A friend of mine who is neuropsych fellow evaluated me and found I had a multitude of learning disabilities including a whopping case of ADD. I was immidiately evaluated by numerous other specialsts from the behavioral sciences department. Upon numerous evaluations I underwent a trial period with Adderall recently.

But after I thought about it long and hard, I really dont think I am going to take any drugs at this point in my life. The doctors do concurr that I have adapted to my condition by making adjustments in my behavior pattern.
If I was diagnosed as a child, i gather things would have been a lot different; my childhood would have probably been better too. But Im 25 now and I just dont think I want to rock the boat at this point in my life.
Bottom Line:
1. Make sure your condition (if any) is evaluated by a specialist.
2. If you have already adapted to the condition, there is no point in messing with it.
3. Take Methamphetamine products and byproducts very very seriously. These drugs have a number of side effects and more importantly lack of imperical data on the effects of long time use.
4. There are new non stimulants (non amphetamine products) available on the market as well to combat adult ADHD.

This is the first time I have openly talked about my condition. Even my parents are not aware of this. 🙁
If you or anyone else is having problems with this stuff feel free to PM me.

ammd

 

[medic170]

To the OP:
Let me assure you that ADD/ADHD can be a pretty serious condition.
First of all go to a Psychiatrist and have Neuropsych testing done before you even think of any drug therapy.

I was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 25. I had a LOT of trouble all throughout my school years... infact my parents werent even sure if i would be able to graduate from high school. It also had severe effects on other aspects of my life. Since I attended school in another country, there were no services to investigate or help kids in my situation. At age 16 I took it upon myself and made serious changes to the way i "operated" (basically changed my activity schedule and behavior pattern to compensate for my unknown condition). In time I was able to achieve a lot of success on the academic front this way.
I really didnt know anything about ADD/ADHD untill I attended dental school. A friend of mine who is neuropsych fellow evaluated me and found I had a multitude of learning disabilities including a whopping case of ADD. I was immidiately evaluated by numerous other specialsts from the behavioral sciences department. Upon numerous evaluations I underwent a trial period with Adderall recently.

But after I thought about it long and hard, I really dont think I am going to take any drugs at this point in my life. The doctors do concurr that I have adapted to my condition by making adjustments in my behavior pattern.
If I was diagnosed as a child, i gather things would have been a lot different; my childhood would have probably been better too. But Im 25 now and I just dont think I want to rock the boat at this point in my life.
Bottom Line:
1. Make sure your condition (if any) is evaluated by a specialist.
2. If you have already adapted to the condition, there is no point in messing with it.
3. Take Methamphetamine products and byproducts very very seriously. These drugs have a number of side effects and more importantly lack of imperical data on the effects of long time use.
4. There are new non stimulants (non amphetamine products) available on the market as well to combat adult ADHD.

This is the first time I have openly talked about my condition. Even my parents are not aware of this. 🙁
If you or anyone else is having problems with this stuff feel free to PM me.

ammd

All the best advice summed up in 1 post. Listen to AMMED, seems that s/he really knows what s/he is talking about. Could not put it better myslef!

 

[EMTLizzy]

What's the difference between a normal lack of concentration due to fatigue and ADD?

In addition to what the others have already said, most people who lose focus can snap themselves back. For someone with ADD, it is much more difficult. You may not even realize you are not focusing, because you're just focusing on something else.

For me, it is physically exhausting to pay attention for an entire class or study for more than 10-15 minutes unless I am taking my medication. I still zone out from time to time, but it is just a few seconds and I can bring myself back to the task at hand.

I do drink coffee to help me stay awake, but it doesn't help me focus the way my medication does. I also try to avoid coffee if I am taking the Adderall, though. It seems to be just a little too much stimulant for my body and I get jittery. And it gives me an excuse to drink hot chocolate all night. 😀

As the others have said, go see your doctor and see if you can get an appointment with a psychiatrist, neurologist or neurodevlopmentalist. There's no hard and fast test for ADD, it is somewhat subjective, but there is a checklist of ADD/ADHD criteria and if you believe you meet a certain number of them then you may have ADD.

 

[Sweet Tea]

To the OP:
Let me assure you that ADD/ADHD can be a pretty serious condition.
First of all go to a Psychiatrist and have Neuropsych testing done before you even think of any drug therapy.

I was diagnosed with ADD at the age of 25. I had a LOT of trouble all throughout my school years... infact my parents werent even sure if i would be able to graduate from high school. It also had severe effects on other aspects of my life. Since I attended school in another country, there were no services to investigate or help kids in my situation. At age 16 I took it upon myself and made serious changes to the way i "operated" (basically changed my activity schedule and behavior pattern to compensate for my unknown condition). In time I was able to achieve a lot of success on the academic front this way.
I really didnt know anything about ADD/ADHD untill I attended dental school. A friend of mine who is neuropsych fellow evaluated me and found I had a multitude of learning disabilities including a whopping case of ADD. I was immidiately evaluated by numerous other specialsts from the behavioral sciences department. Upon numerous evaluations I underwent a trial period with Adderall recently.

But after I thought about it long and hard, I really dont think I am going to take any drugs at this point in my life. The doctors do concurr that I have adapted to my condition by making adjustments in my behavior pattern.
If I was diagnosed as a child, i gather things would have been a lot different; my childhood would have probably been better too. But Im 25 now and I just dont think I want to rock the boat at this point in my life.
Bottom Line:
1. Make sure your condition (if any) is evaluated by a specialist.
2. If you have already adapted to the condition, there is no point in messing with it.
3. Take Methamphetamine products and byproducts very very seriously. These drugs have a number of side effects and more importantly lack of imperical data on the effects of long time use.
4. There are new non stimulants (non amphetamine products) available on the market as well to combat adult ADHD.

This is the first time I have openly talked about my condition. Even my parents are not aware of this. 🙁
If you or anyone else is having problems with this stuff feel free to PM me.

ammd

👍