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?:)
I was never diagnosed with ADD or anything like that. My other nurse friends have teased me for years that i may be hypomanic - but i function well. I did try straterra for almost a year. It helped, but i went off of it myself after while. I have been thinking about going back on it, especially now that i have a lot more responisibilites to keep track of.
I am 21 years old and i have had ADD since i was a child in elementary school and i am looking at going to become an RN. right now i am currently going for my medical assistant degree and i will be done with that December of this year. As a child i was put on Ritalin but my parents did not like the side effects so the Doctor stooped the med. but i think its great that there is a thread on ADD/ADHD.
"Quack Thing" How dare you say that. If something that is homeopathic and works, why call it a "Quack Thing". There are different answers to every problem. If it works, it works. Try thinking outside of the box for a change. There is nothing worse or more dangerous than thinking that pushing drugs is the only answer for everything. The Feingold Diet has worked for a lot of people with ADD/ADHD.
The Feingold diet has been discredited YEARS ago in more than one study. If someone's "ADHD" is "cured" by this method, then they had a food allergy, NOT ADHD (and this is extremely rare anyhow).
Those touting this old, tired, incorrect notion ("it's the diet") do plenty to harm sufferers of ADHD from pursuing a meaningful, scientifically proven method of treatment.
The Feingold diet has been discredited YEARS ago in more than one study. If someone's "ADHD" is "cured" by this method, then they had a food allergy, NOT ADHD (and this is extremely rare anyhow).
Those touting this old, tired, incorrect notion ("it's the diet") do plenty to harm sufferers of ADHD from pursuing a meaningful, scientifically proven method of treatment.
Those that did the studies discrediting the Feinold diet were funded by the pharmaceutical companies who wanted their medicines to be the only option. So rather than going with something natural. Lets just use drugs only. Lets all think within the box. We used to be praised for thinking outside the box.
those that did the studies discrediting the feinold diet were funded by the pharmaceutical companies who wanted their medicines to be the only option.
oh, please. another "conspiracy theory"?
the only reason i even take up this issue is because when my son was diagnosed with add (not adhd) i did tons of research and attended lectures by nationally recognized mds on the subject and had to wade through tons of junk science in the process.
if avoiding twinkies would have "cured" my son i would gladly have fed him carrot sticks instead, but this isn't the cause, and thus can't be the cure, for add/adhd and i can't sit by and not object when i hear this old saw.
those who are suffering with add/adhd in their lives deserve to hear the truth and the nonsense claiming "it's just a diet problem" does them a huge disservice on many levels.
I am soooo disappointed with the approach that our nursing instructors take in addressing the subject of ADD/ADHD in lecture and clinical experiences.
To hear them tell it, people with ADD/ADHD are "insane" and can't accomplish anything in life like "normal" people.
Those of us who are ADD/ADHD or have dyslexia or some other learning disability know without a doubt (because they've straight out said so) that we will be cut out of the program should we reveal that we have it.
They are supposed to be the most informed about these issues, but show their ignorance. There are even physically handicapped nurses these days, so there's no excuse for their attitude.
The problem that I am currently experiencing is that my physician (who was relatively new to me) was willing to provide Ritalin for me, but then a patient of his was found by the DEA to have been getting prescriptions for Ritalin from four different physicians. In the process, my physician made the decision to stop prescribing for ANY ADD/ADHD patients, in order to protect his practice. I can't say I blame him.
That makes it very difficult to go through the entire process again, because so much documentation is required these days to get Ritalin. Oh, well.
With attitudes being what they are in actual facilities and in the nursing programs around here in general, I can't say I'd ever risk my professional life by disclosing that I had ADD and dyslexia. Even though it's meant that I've had to work twice as hard as most people, I know for certain that fact would not be appreciated and the nursing program is an uphill climb all on it's own without more obstacles.
In response to the above post; the real teller in the diet vs meds situation is this. My physician had my son give him a writing sample/one page prior to taking Ritalin. 6 hours later he had my son give him the same writing sample. It appeared as though the first one was written by a nervous wreck and the second one by someone who was perfectly calm. That's the real indicator.
But, it's been good to hear all of your responses. I'm glad for you.
"They" call it ADD/ADHD, I call it "unrestrained genius."
I've learned to manage it without meds and use it to my advantage -- adderall dulled my personality, making me feel "flat."
Unrestrained genius, I love that!
When I was a volunteer advocate for children in the schools with "disabilities", I discovered that all of the students I represented (over 200) all had higher than average IQs and had excellent abilities to hyperfocus on very difficult tasks. If you give them things to do with the area of their "giftedness" it stimulates and brings up the deficient area of learning.
My case is way different than the above poster. I always thought that NOT being able to achieve higher grades was a definite component to ADD/ADHD no matter what. ..
Not being able to achieve high grades is definitely NOT a component to ADD/ADHD, although it can certainly impact ones ability to achieve those grades. I've always gotten As and high Bs, which hid my diagnosis for so long. I'm very very able to compensate in school, but less so in real life without that extra structure.
I've always been a 4.0 student in my college experience, (until nursing that is, and all of my classmates are in the same boat) because I've learned to reread everything and organization is my main tool of success.
With medication and behavior management, people with ADD and learning difficulties are very high achievers.
I've always pushed myself to achieve, but till I was diagnosed with ADD I always felt like I was burning the candle at both ends. Talking about ADD and learning difficulties with my classmates, I'd guess that there are a lot more undiagnosed cases who would benefit from treatment.
Those of us who are ADD/ADHD or have dyslexia or some other learning disability know without a doubt (because they've straight out said so) that we will be cut out of the program should we reveal that we have it.
My nightshifter brain is going on 4 hrs of sleep, but isn't that discrimination? A person can't be cut out of a program based on age or race, so why would it be okay to be dismissed from a nursing program due to an issue like ADD/ADHD, dyslexia or other learning disability?
Heh.... was considering starting a similar thread.
I take Dexedrine 5mg ii po tid prn. Best stuff in the whole world. With dex I have more control vs. something like a long acting drug. I used to write a newsletter for my dept. I knew I had to wait for the Dex to wear off before writing. Creativity goes to sh!t with amphetamines.
Anyone have the experience that when you take too much amphetamine you want to crawl under the desk and go to sleep?
My daughter had the same problem with dexadrine, she hated taking it though because "It stifles my creativity" Currently she isn't taking anything and doesn't think she needs too. She's 24 and a "big girl" so what can I say??
I KNOW I have ADD too and I went to a psychiatrist about 3 months ago and he tends to think I am bipolar 2. He put me on some meds that even out my moods but does absolutely SQUAT for my concentration! I am trying to go back to school and it has been horrible! I have ALL the symptoms of ADD, can produce written proof of the trouble I had in public school etc etc but he keeps saying I'm not. Anyone else have problems getting diagnosed?
My nightshifter brain is going on 4 hrs of sleep, but isn't that discrimination? A person can't be cut out of a program based on age or race, so why would it be okay to be dismissed from a nursing program due to an issue like ADD/ADHD, dyslexia or other learning disability?
It's never okay to discriminate, and God knows I've been a long time advocate of others and stuck my neck out when they were being abused.
I've represented hundreds of students in securing their right to an appropriate education, so I consider myself a pretty good judge in these things.
One thing I've learned from this nursing program is to pick my battles carefully. It's always a good idea to "test the waters".
Accordingly, judging from the discriminatory practices of some instructors and administrators in this program, I'd probably be cutting my own throat by declaring. I've come too far to sacrifice my future to wolves.
Flare, ASN, BSN
4,431 Posts
I was never diagnosed with ADD or anything like that. My other nurse friends have teased me for years that i may be hypomanic - but i function well. I did try straterra for almost a year. It helped, but i went off of it myself after while. I have been thinking about going back on it, especially now that i have a lot more responisibilites to keep track of.