Nurses with ADD/ADHD?

ADD and ADHD are widely abused diagnosis'

I not only have ADHD but dyslexia as well. It makes life much more difficult to the point, I want to leave. Does anyone else have this combo?

Help!!
I am relatively new to this discussion group, but I have recently been wondering if I have ADD/ADHD and was thrilled to find this link. I feel like my mind is in constant motion, like a TV channel flipping all the time. I am finishing nursing school in May, and with the increased stress of this last semester and starting a new job, I think it has gotten worse. I am a NA at a hospital and had 12 patients last Thurs for 7p-7a shift. I was in a disorganized scramble. I got in trouble because I forgot to tell the nurse about a high temp and she didn't find out until she checked the computer 3 hours later!! I am told that someone in room 6 needs something and I turn around and I can't remember the room #, and/or what they needed. I am asked to remove an IV, and I have to ask 4-5 times before I do it because I definitely dont want to accidentally pull out an IV from the wrong pt (nurses get impatient with me asking so much). I haven't made any severe mistakes and I have been very careful, but I am exhausted by the end of a shift and feel my brain has to work 5 times harder to keep track of everything. Other nurses are always commenting that I look like I'm having a hard time.
I do okay in school, I carry a high C, which is average for my class. I have to re-write my powerpoint notes and read everything at least twice, although I do have that problem of finishing reading and not being able to tell you what I read.
I love nursing, but I know I can't do med surg or something where I am carrying a high load of patients. I am careful and like I said, haven't made any major mistakes, but fear what will happen when it is just me on my own. I feel like I am smart, funny, compassionate, and would make a good nurse, but I feel like there is a block in my brain that makes it extremely hard and dangerous. I am starting to doubt myself too because I know I blurt stuff out sometimes or say something stupid and I question what I say.

How do you go to your doctor and say, "Hi, I think I have ADHD"?? I don't want to hear that it's in my head, because the more I read your posts and talk to my brother who also has it, I am almost certain this is not just me. It is getting really bad too. Any advice on how to get this diagnosed and deal with it would be helpful. Sorry for the long post!!

Ruth

Also, is anyone taking strattera and what kind of side effects have you had from this medicine..