Nurses with ADD/ADHD?

Nurses Stress 101

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Hey all! I was wondering if there are any nurses with ADD/ADHD out there who want to comiserate and support each other? I know I need the help/advice. It might also be a place for "regular" people (I hate the word normal) to come and read and understand what its like for us. Or ask us ?'s.

I'll start with an intro:p I'm 29, and I've had an official diagnosis for less than 2 years, but have been trying to find the answer (for what's up with me) for MUCH longer than that:uhoh21: :) I currently work night shift at a drug rehab and on call at a nursing home. I have a lot of trouble in staff meetings - sitting through them, being treated like a brat because I actually show some emotion. I had much difficulty in school, (I didn't know back then), not with grades but with social stuff. I almost got kicked out of school because of the problems I was having.

But its not all bad. I'm funny and creative and often am able to connect with my patients in unique ways.

So we'll see how many of us there are out there?:)

just a vent i was trying to help my daughter do her homework tonight, simple fractions subtraction i just couldn't focus on her work, when i look @ that i wonder if i can not help my daughter do her math homework how will i ever survive in nursing going to see my doctor on the 26 of jan to see if for sure it could be add, or if i'm just having a bad mind game with myself on not bn able to focus on any matter at hand, hopefully i will find the right path to get this in order to help me to be a great nurse, it will be a long path although there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

thanks for listening to my problems have a great year

jerry, rn hopefull :rolleyes:

i can relate on that one. my daughter's 8yrs old and in grade three. the problem is, she's ahead in school in math and science. i find simple math a challenge and i've been having a hard time helping her with her homework. and i'm no teacher. sometimes, i have no idea what she's learning and other times i don't understand why she doesn't get it. she's doing math that i remember trying to figure out in grade 8. she gets annoyed with me when i don't understand. so, i decided to end all of the confusion and got a tutor instead. now everyone's happy!

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Specializes in LTC, Pediatrics.

I was so relieved to find all of your posts on this topic....I have been diagnosed as having ADD since I was 12 years old, and am currently in my second semester or nursing school. Lately I have been having trouble with focusing and putting things off and it has been getting worse. I am currently on Strattera (80 mg a day) and I do notice that it helps, but I still have my ups and downs. I am currently looking in to seeing someone who may be able to help me develop good habits and routines that could increase my productivity. I am very happy to see that there are nurses out there that have the same diagnosis and do well...it really gives me hope that I will be a great nurse. I know I have the capacity for great empathy and care, as well as a great work ethic, but I just need an extra boost. I was wondering if any of you could give me some tips on what helps you get through your days as a nurse or a nursing student. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a bunch.

-Megan

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Specializes in LTC, Nursing Management, WCC.
omg, mcf....someone w/bipolar and/or persistent anger/aggressiveness should never take a stimulant of any kind, as it only serves to induce more mania/aggression. i would go to a reputable psychiatrist and have him medicate you appropriately. you can write the apa and they will refer you to your state's apa (american psychiatric association). please, do not take anymore meds for 'adhd'.....

actually, here's a list of their directory; just find your state and email them:

www.psych.org/dbs_state_soc/db_list/db_info_dyn.cfm

with peace,

leslie

Hello:

I read something a while ago and 2 doctors even told me that they are seeing a link between ADD/ADHD and Bipolar. Apparently they can go hand in hand. It is possible to have both. I would suggest getting on a strong mood stabilizer if some one is bipolar before beginning stimulants including antidepressants. Anything that stimulates the mind when someone is also bipolar is a bad combination. Too many stimulants could throw someone into a manic episode. Rapid cyclers need to be especially careful when adding stimulants. If they have both they may also need to watch the season that they are in. In the summer time people with both will lower their antidepressant because of the sun light whereas in the dark winters they will up it. But this should be a plan of action that is discussed w/ a doctor. I just wanted to say that I agree with this post about using stimulants when one is possibly bipolar and ADD/ADHD. It is such a bad combo to have. However it is manageable. I would just bring it up to the doctor that you think or are concerned that you (anyone in general) feel that they have both.

~Psych

PS... it may be necessary to have klonopin, prn, which has mood stabilizing properties for those days when you (again...general) have a bad day and don't feel "quite right".

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hello:

i read something a while ago and 2 doctors even told me that they are seeing a link between add/adhd and bipolar. apparently they can go hand in hand. it is possible to have both. i would suggest getting on a strong mood stabilizer if some one is bipolar before beginning stimulants including antidepressants. anything that stimulates the mind when someone is also bipolar is a bad combination. too many stimulants could throw someone into a manic episode. rapid cyclers need to be especially careful when adding stimulants. if they have both they may also need to watch the season that they are in. in the summer time people with both will lower their antidepressant because of the sun light whereas in the dark winters they will up it. but this should be a plan of action that is discussed w/ a doctor. i just wanted to say that i agree with this post about using stimulants when one is possibly bipolar and add/adhd. it is such a bad combo to have. however it is manageable. i would just bring it up to the doctor that you think or are concerned that you (anyone in general) feel that they have both.

~psych

ps... it may be necessary to have klonopin, prn, which has mood stabilizing properties for those days when you (again...general) have a bad day and don't feel "quite right".

interesting you posted that. my psychiatrist (who diagnosed my add) wondered if i was bipolar. he tried a med on me and my world went way slower. i was hearing peoples voices in a deep monotone and everything seemed to move much much slower. it was a weird time. i kept thinking "is this right? should i be feeling like this? is this the way the real world is? slow?"

i used to be on dexadrine 10 mg tid. i loved it. it was like a curtain was lifted and i could see much clearer. i could hear things better. things just made more sense and i could focus. when i took my meds, i wasn't hyper and running around. i was much more calm and focused. i think the stimulants had an opposite effect on me. (i drink coffee before bed to help me sleep.) now that i have been off meds for about six years, i don't have to worry about the long and short term effects. one month i didn't sleep for two weeks. i didn't eat for a week and didn't care. i stayed up all night and cleaned. that must have been a bipolar episode. that's when my doc weaned me off my dexadrine. (i remember being upset about that too) now, i see my add doc every year and get my add skills refreshed and refocused. my coworkers understand me and my "quirks" and we have a trade off. they give me the reminders i need and i run around and do my physical work and help them with theirs.

so, i wonder about your post. seems interesting to me. i just don't like the meds and how they make me feel. ever since my physc doc wondered if i was bipolar, i've wondered about that too. why do i get bummed out and down in the dumps once a month? i thought i was pms-ing worse than others!!

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I can certainly relate to everyone. I work at a clinic where I build medisets for 8 hours aday which is not great for someone with adhd. All the nurses are making mediction errors but it seems I have made more and my are more serious. They have me on administative leave. I have ask for special accommadations but I don't think sitting still for 8 hours is good for me. I feel if I worked on a floor moving around I would do better but don't know for sure.

Thanks for any relative thoughts.

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I can certainly relate to everyone. I work at a clinic where I build medisets for 8 hours aday which is not great for someone with adhd. All the nurses are making mediction errors but it seems I have made more and my are more serious. They have me on administative leave. I have ask for special accommadations but I don't think sitting still for 8 hours is good for me. I feel if I worked on a floor moving around I would do better but don't know for sure.

Thanks for any relative thoughts.

Even before I became a nurse, and before I was diagnosed with ADD-H, I would not have looked for, much less accepted, a job which was monotonous and upon which others' well being depended.

Have you considered an area of nursing which has variety and physical activity, rather than one which seems designed to undermine your concentration?

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...it may be necessary to have klonopin, prn, which has mood stabilizing properties for those days when you (again...general) have a bad day and don't feel "quite right".
Klonopin is a benzodiazepine.

Benzos are central nervous system depressants.

Attention deficit disorder is treated with CNS stimulants, not depressants.

Mood stabilizers are a whole 'nother class all together.

Benzos are well known to be habit forming.

Find a safer drug for your "bad days."

(Psychotherapy and counseling can be helpful.)

I would have considered the above post to be giving medical advice. Thought that was a no-no......? This would certainly be one reason why....

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The problem was I was away from nursing for about 17 years and went back and took an RN refresher. Took a job on an epilsey ward, lost that in 2 monthes because I had not been dx. and wasn't on medication. I took this 2nd job hoping I could build my skills and move on. Basically it was the only job i thought I could get. I had no confidence for IV's. We didn't even have pump when I left nursing. I guess i will have to go for the hospital job and just pray I get the right preceptor.

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Hi

There is a new resource for helping ADHD naturally - BEING IN CONTROL:Natural Solutions For ADHD Dyslexia and Test Anxiety ( with Amazon.com) by Jason Mark Alster MSc . I am sure it will be useful for nursing students with ADD and especially for pediatric nurses. :balloons:

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Jason,

If it was just about being in control you would think someone out of all the nurses would be able to do this. Its not about being in control its a neurobiological disorder so I would suggest that you get educated on the matter before giving advice. Each person needs to do their part in the maintaneance program, like getting 8 hours of sleep, staying away from caffeine and eating healthy and alot more. Maybe you can check out Dr. Peter S. Jensen, M.D. at Coulumbia University and let him explain to you what its all about. Thanks anyway.

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I've recently been having trouble in clinical about doing things without thinking that were stupid and if I had thought about them I would not have done them. I'm starting to wonder if this type of "impulsiveness" is part of my add and maybe my meds aren't working right? I was diagnosed when I was younger with ADHD and took ritaline throughout elementaryt school. Then I stopped during 7th and 8th grade but then in 9th grade had to get back on int because my grades were really suffering. So then I took ritaline the rest of high school and when I graduated in 2003 I stopepd taking it. Then I started again in sept 2004 because I knew i was going to be taking anatomy and physiology, microbiology and starting nursing school in aug 05. I first tried ritalin and it just made me way too hyper and focused and I could not sleep at all, then I tried something else and it didn't work and now I'm on stratterra which I don't know if its even working. I'm beginning to think maybe I should mention to my clinical instructor that I have add. Would this make her look down on me? Maybe she'll understand why I have these impulses that get me into a lot of trouble. I don't want her to look down on me though or think I'm crazy or stupid. I also don't want her to think I'm blaming my disorder for my impulses because really there is no excuse. What should I do? Has anyone been in this situation?I'm also going to talk to my doctor about maybe adjusting my meds.

I don't want to fail nursing school because of my stupid impulses that I have. Today I had a private meeting with my clinical instructor and she kept asking me why I do things without thinking and why I don't think before saying things. She says that it scares her and makes her think I could put patients in harm. I've never done anything to harm a patient or committed a med error. I did something stupid with a neele container, here is the thread I wrote about it in the general nursing student discussion:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f50/ok-i-made-mistake-but-am-i-danger-failing-clinical-now-146991.html I also had an incident where I ruined a patients 24 ho ur urine that was 6 hours from being finished. I accidentally flushed it down the toilet. Then we had to restart the 24 hour and keep the patient in thet hospital an extra day. My instructor is very concerned about me and shes worried about what I do when she's not looking because of what she's seen me do with the needle container and with the whole 24 urine thing. Should I explain to her that I have add or what? O and by the way I'm done with this clniical instructor after next week. I won't have her in clinical anymore because I'm on my OR rotation next week. But I will have her on Wed for final evaluation. Should I mention about the ADD? I'd hate to have her look at me as immature and incompetent because of my disorder. Maybe if I give her an explanation about why I've beeen acting liek this then she can help me with it and maybe b ea little more understand. Ahhh I'm so confused and stresssed out!!

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Hi Nursing Student,

Here is a great quote from one of the members

ALSO...for anyone in school you might get accomodation because of the ADA act. I have twice the time for exams/quizzes as well as a quiet distraction reduced environment. It is worth checking out with your Dean of Student.

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